First Letter from Cectpa Shaughnessy

Cectpa Shaughnessy has been in MTC for two days and we got her first letter.  It sounds like she is doing really well,so here it goes:

I survived day one! I am sure you are happy to know this; it really isn't that bad here.  Just so you know, after I left you the Elder helped me to a building where they then gave me my name tag, a schedule, and asked my worthiness and if I had received my own endowment. After that I walked out this door and the Elder with my luggage was waiting to take me about 5 yards to meet my "host" sister who then showed me to my room.

I am in building M3, room #339, which is on the third floor.  Two fifty pound suitcases, no elevators - oh my awful!!!!  I was given enough time to get my stuff into the room and head to class.  My host sister was from Alaska and is going to serve in Brazil.  Remember when you asked if it would be like the first day of high school?  It is not.   My instructors only speak in Ukrainian.

In class is where I met the other Ukrainian speakers, and my companion.  Cectpa Vollace, pronounced seastraw vol-ace; in english it is Sister Wallace, she is from Cottonwood Heights.  Super bubbly and outgoing-reminds me of my roommate Lexi.  She is 19 almost 20.

There are two other sisters in our room, Cectpa Lewis and Cectra Kelley.  Cectpa Lewis is from Farmington and Cectpa Kelley is from Arkansas.  There are three Elders as well.  Elder Peterson, Kassi's friend is in my group.

It is kind of an interesting situation for us that speak Ukrainian, there are only 7 of us total in the whole MTC. We are it! So, we go to church in a zone of 60 people, and they all speak Russian! Literally just us 7 are Ukrainian speaking, aren't we special?

After we had language class we went to a welcome meeting, then dinner.  Food was okay, not amazing.  Then we did this thing to help us get comfortable with teaching.

All of us newbies broke up into five groups and was put into huge living rooms to teach investigators.  So a person would be acting as if they are at home and two missionaries would knock on their door and introduce themselves,get the person's story then as a huge group we would raise our hands to ask the investigator questions or make comments to him/her, occasionally we would get some input from a MTC volunteer, it was really interesting.  These are real investigators.

When that experience was over we went to our classroom to meet up with our Russian Zone, and Mr. Garlick's (high school germany teacher) son is my zone leader.  It was nice to know someone.  We will be attending church and everything else we do with our zone, all in Russian.  The 7 of us Ukrainian speakers have no choice but to learn both!  The gift of tongues will be in great need!

Lights out.

Cectpa Shaughnessy's departure date to Ukraine is estimated to be May 28th, so until then you can write her in the MTC.

Sister Karissa Shaughnessy
MTC Mailbox #46
UKR-KYV 0528
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo  UT  84604-1793

She will love to hear from all.  I am sure after the first week she will be a little home sick, so the more letters the better.