The First Email!

Kumusta Family,
I think that is pamilya...but at the moment I only know how to say it not how to write it. I will get there eventually. I lot of what we are learning is Spanish with an oriental twist. I can already bear my testimony sa tagalog and my companion Sister McCormack and I do so 5 times to random missionaries we stop. I love doing that, it is awesome to be the one stopping, since I was stopped so often as a volunteer. We also always pray sa tagalog, it is interesting, I say about half of the prayer in tagalog and then finish the phrase in English because we have not learned those verbs yet.
There were 3 districts that came in with me, there are 6 sisters that came in on Wednesday. We are all split up 2 by 2 into the 3 new districts. My Elders are awesome, I know that I am supposed to be in this district. I am ahead of the others in the language...but I love the opportunity I have to help them understand what they are saying and how to say it. I am so grateful that I had the help I did before my mission so that I can help lead my district in learning and teaching. I am also so grateful for being able to know my way around the MTC what a relief, and hearing all of those lessons over and over...lesson planning has been a lot easier for me than for my companion because of that. Fun story, we were walking and teaching the first lesson yesterday and it was my turn to take the restoration section and I wanted to quote the first vision but we were not allowed to use notes so I said I quick prayer and went for it...it came out flawless and with such assurity that I shocked myself, my companion, and our teacher. I am so grateful for the spirit and for the prayers of all of you on my behalf, I know that without the spirit there is no possible way to teach.
My companion is Sister McCormack from Highland Utah, she is a year older than I am. She graduated from beauty school and is here because the Lord told her go and so she went. Her story reminds me of Em's a bit. She doubts her faith a lot, which is why I am so grateful for my setting apart and the blessings that I received in that, there are many times where I do not know what to do or say to help her and those phrases come to mind. I did not know that I would be lifting my companion in the MTC as well as in the field.
Food...I hate the food. Mind you normal people food looks mabuti (great) but my food that the dietician planned out for me is ayos lang...or just okay. I eat a lot a lot of green apples...actually it is just about one per meal. They make me a special plate and I have to go through the kitchen to the back to go pick it up and it is a lot of pork, plain boiled chicken and plain diced potatoes...ya mom the things I do not like to eat. I was going to go talk to her today but with it being Pday we missed breakfast to go to the temple and then lunch we did sack lunches. I miss bread, they never ever give me bread becuase it is all milky...sigh.
Thank you for your letters, I did get both of yours mom and one of dad's but I got all 3 of them on Saturday. Elder Haws (yes of the BYU boys basket ball is my district leader) and I really don't know when he checks the mail.
Well I have to run.
I love you all, thank you for your prayers.
Sister Rebecca Jensen