No Captain Crunch on Tap!

hey guys! we only have an hour so i'll get all the general stuff out in a big email! The MTC is so great! honestly, i was a little scared to be here because i was told it was like school and i was thinking dang son, i absolutely hate school! BUT it's all about the gospel, and I love the gospel with all my heart! I have learned so much already, and i'm excited to continue learning. i decided to not eat gluten anymore, and i feel great! They didn't know that when i first got here though, so i didnt eat for like 4 days really because i was nervous, and travelling, and blah blah. so i've lost 10 pounds.. but also, we just eat 3 times a day and i cant have any of the sweets because they all have gluten so i really havent been eating sugar either! haha i hope to keep that up because i feel so good. the food is good also, things i wouldnt normally eat i have been trying and they're decent! haha they make special food for me without gluten so thats awesome. i don't have to just eat salad. MY companion is cool, her name is sister ritschard (rishard), she's from colorado. she's one of the missionaries that i flew here with, so it was kind of cool that i already knew her! it's crazy, i was really never one to talk to new people, but i love talking to everyone here! except, it's full of 18 year old boys so they always make dumb comments about flirting. and i just have to say that's inappropriate. like there's 10 girls here am i just supposed to talk to them? no. But i made one good friend, elder perez, he's from spain! so his english isn't good, but he's really cool. Almost everybody here is from utah hahaha. literally. i'd say probably like 20 out of i think 96 arent! so the foreigners are like where are you from? and i say arizona, they're always like, is that in utah?! hahaha! i love my companion, we disagree on teaching things, but i let her so what she wants to do so that i'm not just taking control of everything because i cannot do that no matter how much i want to! haha but it works out good. when we got here, out president was like 'sacrements theme is the atonement, everybody write a talk and we'll let know know when it starts who's speaking' hahaha so GOOD thing theres only one more reular sunday! its crazy, time feels so slow, but also SO fast! i feel like i've been here forever, but it's only been a week! there's some elders in my district that really don't know wy they're here and they get mad at all the rules and just disregard some of them. and like.. it may seem like not a big deal but those are things we have been asked not to do. as representatives of the lord Jesus Christ, we have to live on a higher plane, and follow a higher standard, so that we may be recognized and so! and it just makes me sad, i always just tell them to pray about it but, they're 18 year old boys. I just wish everyone could gain their own strong testimony. a mission is not a trip for fun, you are going to invite others to come unto Christ and teach hem about the restored gospel, and how can you possibly do that if you haven't done that yourself? if you don't believe it? you can't. the spirit won't be there. but, everyone has to learn at some time. you know? i hope i'm not just rambling. I'm having so much fun here, it's a little bit hard, but i don't feel stressed. heavenly father prepared me to be here, and everyday i am reminded of how he knows me, individually. he knows my struggles, and things i need help with and if i ask in faith i know he will help me through it. i only cried one time, (besides in teaching lessons because of the spirit), and that was because my teacher knows sister dudley! and he asked me about her and i got so sad that i'm over in england, and so is tiffany and we are not together! haha i love her so much. one time i was sad, and she read me the book, you are special, and honestly i think that changed my life. She cared enough about m, and though that about me, but also just the message that that story brings is so true. it only matters what god sees in us, and as we care only about him and what he wants for us, rather than what everybody else thinks of us, we can find true peace and happiness. And i know that, because i truly have. I read alma 5:7, i dont have my scriptures right now, but please go read it. That scripture is exactly how i feel. i was in darkness, lost, and Christ illuminated my life. i found direction, purpose, peace and joy. I love you guys SO very much! send me letter pls. omg my district came in and they were like sister clarke you have a letter! so i was all excited and i went over to the mail box, and GUESS WHAT IT WAS. it was something telling me i needed another shot! hahaha i was so sad, because i had gotten all excited that it was from one of you guys. but i thought it was funny. i love you guys! remember heavenly father loves you!