Here...let's shove you off the cliff called "your comfort zone" -- it'll be fun :)

First: I have a PAGER!!!!!! hahaha I feel so 2003 :) or whenever & IF ever pagers were big...

Hello everyone! I hope this update finds you all well & that you're staying awesome.

I forgot to mention this about 3 weeks ago. So it was our second Sunday. For Sacrament meetings the Branch President calls on two missionaries to speak -- right before you have to get up. So everyone prepares a talk every Sunday. Ladies & Gentlemen -- that's correct -- President Cook asked me to speak on my second Sunday!!! I felt kinda special :) It went really well, I had references from PMG, the scriptures & True to the Faith. Oh ya.

I finished up my last week at the MTC by FINALLY trying the chocolate milk! It IS really good :)

On Saturday we had a field trip for all the VC (visitors center) sisters! We went to Temple Square & got to contact with one of the Sisters. It was awesome! And yes Josh Petersen was correct in saying he saw me :) It WAS me! I wasn't officially ON the Square yet though, hence the confusion.

Wednesday morning we got up at 4:00 & got ready, finished packing & cleaned. Hauled our stuff down by the gym & loaded up! We got to sit with our Elders & talk on the way to the airport. We sang some hymns (we're such missionaries - i know) & played 20 Questions. We dropped them off at the airport then drove the really super ridiculously extensive 15 minutes to our mission!!!

We met with President & Sister Holmes in groups of 5, to start off with. They're really nice, but let's just say they have a bit of a sinister sense of humor :) He said this is the hardest mission in the world. We have to know more & be the best because we teach more & contact more & therefore automatically need to BE more. I'm pumped for the challenge!

I mentioned I have conversational skills & a testimony in Spanish -- & so for the intro meeting of the New Sisters he said "And Sister Despain from North Carolina: English & Spanish." And I'm going -- remember that part where I emphasized that I'm not fluent!!?!?!? hahahaha But he said they would test me & he'd like me to work on passing off the Spanish tour!!! I'm so excited!!!

I'm in Zone 2 of Teaching & Finding. Which means we contact all over the Square for part of the day & then work in the Call Center & with the Chat application on mormon.org -- I'm totally stoked!!!

We had pizza for lunch - after our meeting with the Holmes' (yay) & then we got a picture with them & then we went up on the Square & started contacting!

Get this: We met a lady from Germany who was in the South VC. She & her husband are 3 months into a year long roadtrip on their motorbike. They started in ALASKA & will make it to the southernmost tip of SOUTH AMERICA in 9 months. HOW AWESOME IS THAT!??!?! What's even cooler, is she wanted to refer but doesn't have an address for the aforementioned reason. So we got her e-mail address & we can hopefully keep in touch with her over the next 9 months until she has an actual house.

We went shopping at Wal-mart yesterday afternoon so we could have some basics until P-day(today...convenient, huh?) & this particular store has an escalator for your shopping cart!!!! It's got a 2 level parking deck - hence the need for the escalator. It was THE coolest!

We were walking in & this 6 year old boy passed us & said "Hi Sisters!" and then I felt pretty great :) I'M A SISTER MISSIONARY!!!

I got my official tag with the American flag underneath it. And my pager & this super cool magnetic wallet thingy....ya...idk what else to call it :)

After shopping, we went home - I unpacked & we got all settled in, made some dinner (ritz cracker/meat/cheese creation -- delicious btw) did some planning then hit the hay!

Today we were on the Square by 9:00 contacted until 12 then had CompStudy until 12:30 at which point we had a DAP(Designated Apartment Person --- not even joking) meeting, where we went over cleanliness rules, apartment checks etc. And get this: I played the piano for the opening hymn!!! Granted, Sis Garbett volunteered me...but the POINT is I played with people singing! And I didn't even mess up! I thought everyone played piano - which is why I never volunteer...but turns out pretty much NO one plays???? blew my mind! But it's made me more willing to play.

Once we got into Visitors' Center training (MTC) I had this identity crisis because I have a hard time being myself in a room full of 22 equally awesome girls - it's intimidating & quite frankly, not one of my favorite things. BUT my teacher Sister Murphy heard me joking around with some of the Elders(cuz they're WAY less intimidating than Sisters) that had come in for teaching & she said I was hilarious & I really needed to bring my personality out more in class!!! Done. So I did! I worked on it! And since about last Friday -- I've been able to be myself AND be Sister Despain.

Sister Garbett is my first TMSQ companion, she's from California & is so far the greatest trainer in the world. One of the most important things she's already taught me is that maintaining your personality as a missionary is really important. She said, "If God wanted robots -- he would have made robots. But He didn't -- He made us instead & gave us each a different personality! So use it! BE YOURSELF! And sometimes that ends up being the key in teaching people!"

It's been fantastic!!! Definitely HARD but SO great. I've never had this much of a challenge to overcome -- but I am SO EXCITED for the day that I can feel totally confident here on the Square.

All my love & best wishes,
Sister Ainsley Marie

Brother Scadden: I have some sad news. No decorum/etiquette training. It's true -- they're not going to teach my how to talk or walk or sit or any of the other things you were so excited for me to learn! I understand if you're really broken up about this news. My trainer is going to have to deal with the ruggedy hoodlum that I am :)

Aunt Cathie: Feel better soon!

Gma & Pop: How was your trip? Thanks for the letter you wrote me!

SISTER MAXWELL!!!!!!!! You are so timely :) Getting to read your letter on my last day in the MTC was perfect!

Sis Maria Thomas: Thanks so much for your letter! I got it on my first day here at TempleSquare -- to answer your question: Our Elders DID leave a week before us because we had an additional week of VC training. At that point we combined with ALL the other VC sisters (DC & TMSQ) to form our own class. About 22 girls. For Sunday meetings we meet with our regular zone. Then for district meetings we just hopped in with the district of Elders one week behind us! Thanks for the updates on your family! I can't believe Brooke is almost home!?!?!