I’m Alive!

OH MY GOSH! I love it here. I really do. I made it to Show Low yesterday! It is a nice 65 degrees outside. It rained all day yesterday and I about froze! I love it!

The first day I didn’t cry. Not once. Not even hugging goodbye. I knew if I cried then I would cry all day. BUT I can do hard things. No need to cry!

They didnt have my name tag 😦
I am wearing a badge that says “Elder Lakatani” on it! haha. We took a sticky note and covered it up! My badge wont be in for another week or so. LAME.

I lost my voice.:( It was like completely gone on monday. Which made being my fun outgoing talkative self REALLY hard. I was quiet cause I couldnt say anything. SO LAME.

We got a 45 minute nap. IT WAS THE MOST GLORIOUS NAP IVE EVER TAKEN IN MY LIFE. I drooled. SO MUCH. It was soooo nice.

We had cafe rio food on Monday, which was SCRUMPTIOUS! Be jealous.

I went out and did a TTI. Where we walk the streets and invite people to church, temple open house, to pray, to go on mormon.org…..it was AWESOME!

I didn’t have much of a voice so that was rough, but I did pretty good. Scottsdale is a huge hispanic community so almost everyone spoke spanish. Luckily my companion speaks spanish so we didnt lose them!

FUNNIEST THING. So we were talking to this guy on the street. He is taking care of an autistic kid. Which just hit home cause I got to work with Ryker and Danny this last year. SO I was like OH MY GOSH! I love it! Do you love it? It’s so amazing to work with children like that! So we were chatting. The little autistic kid walked away, dropped his pants and just peed!!

HAHAHAHA!
We ALL ignored it and continued on with out conversation. I invited him to check outmormon.org and to see other people who do this work too.

We walked away and just started laughing.

WHAT?! HAHHA. Totes dropped his pants and started peeing. Hilarious.

I have like 4 blisters. They are so bloody. And they burn. I can barely move my feet. Bandaids dont stay cause its on the back of my heel where my shoe sits. OUCH. My companion has been pretty great at making sure I stay bandaged and with medicine. Love her.

I got my companion yesterday. Its the same one from Monday. Sister Garrett is amazing. Oh my goodness. Heavenly Father knows me so well. She is the MORE outgoing, fun, spanish speaking version of ME! She is fluent in movie quotes and song lyrics. AND AND AND AND!!! Her favorite show is FRIENDS!!!

Could she BE any more awesome?

I unpacked a bit last night. All the girls in my apartment flipped when they saw my quilt. They were like NO STINKIN WAY! THIS IS ADORABLE! DID YOU MAKE IT? AND IT SAYS YOUR NAME? AND YOUR PILLOW CASE? AND TOWELS!! AHH!

They were all jealous of my towels and quilt. BOOM. And sister Garret has matching everything just like me. Match made in Heaven. I love her. Like for reals.

Yesterday at the transfer meeting it was pretty cool! A room of 200 missionaries sat in the chapel. A girl started singing a song called “One Voice” then this boy joined in. THEN 4 missionaries walked up and started singing. At this point I’ve got goosebumps. THEN?! THEN 15 more missionaries stood up in the congregation and started singing. SO POWERFUL! We ARE one voice. We ARE so strong. We ARE the message. Love.I was in tears.

The people who work here are so sweet and fantastic! My Mission President is the bomb. Very kind, and understanding. His wife is too. I feel so blessed.

Satan was feeding me lies, but I just had to push him out of my mind.

Night time makes me a little nervous, but once I pray I am seriously ASLEEP! Long days. Boo for that.

DQ up here serves the missionaries for free once a week. SO I got free food last night. Delicious. be jealous.

AND the members out here serve the missionaries dinner EVERY NIGHT.We never have to worry about dinner. CRAZY.

I had to do personal study this morning. It was weird. Thats all about that.

Everyone walks around in their garments and I dont have any…so Im the freak that changes in the bathroom. Whatevs.

We went to the RIM yesterday. It was SO cold and SO pretty. I took some pictures, Ill try to send them.

I have rocked the “waterfall braid” look today because It’s too much effort to do my hair!

I am doing great. I really am. I am excited to dive into the work.We are doing SPLITS later so thats a little like WHAAAAT! But Im ready.

This is where I need to be. I feel whole already. THIS is whats been missing. I have longed for the day to be able to focus solely on my Heavenly Father and this wonderful gospel. And now I get to!!!

Monday we went to the Mesa Temple. Cool for everyone else, but not for me. I’ve been there a 10000000 times. BUT I love the temple so! It was cool. Weird thinking I could run into any of you at any moment!!

I CANT send video or watch video, so don’t send any!

BUT feel free to email me, and write me!!

6265 N 82nd Street

Scottsdale Az 85250

(It has to be sent to the mission home first apparently!)

I live in an apartment. Its blue and super cute. There are 4 of us living here! So far so great. There are 4 OF US IN ONE ROOM. But i have the cutest bed, so I love it.

I love you. Write me, PLEASE!! I’ll be on again on monday.

Stay true. Look for tender mercies this week. And tell me about them.
I was so worried I was going to get a terrible companion, but instead I’ve gotten like my twin. LOVE HER. Love this gospel. LOVE YOU!