How to survive the MTC

Now that I am at home and resting my useless gall bladder. ( I named him Goliath) I decided to make a list of all the stuff that somebody should have told me about serving a mission. Hopefully this list can help a future sista out!

1. The MTC is the greatest place..if you make it that way. Your attitude will depict exactly how your time at the MTC will go. If you are happy and excited like I was, then the seven weeks ( or however long you are going to be there for) will be the happiest and greatest time of your life. If you just want to go and get out into the field, like every other missionary does, then you will see the MTC as just a waste of time. PLEASE do not have this attitude. I will look back at the time i spent at the  MTC for the rest of my life and I was so incredibly blessed to have been able to spend it with the people that I got to spend it with.
2. The MTC blankets are straight up the nastiest things you will ever see. Bring your own sheets and blankets. Oh and bring two pillows. You will be thanking me....
3. Skip dinner on Tuesday night and get a good seat at devotional. Small sacrifice but it is so worth it. 
4. The 2M gym is the coolest and nobody uses it. Be cool and use it.
5. You are NOT a real missionary at the MTC until you play four square. It will be the most intense game of your life. Elders do not mess around.
6. Bring a journal just for devotional talks. You can keep this throughout your mission and have General Conference talks in there also. 
7. This one will be hard for most people to take in. DO NOT bring a lot of clothing. It's extra weight and I promise you that will only wear not even half of it. You will buy more clothing on your mission and people will just give you the cutest clothing ever. this I promise you. Again, you will thank me...
8. My Favorite thing about P-Day at the MTC was going to every floor and looking through the give away boxes. When missionaries leave the MTC and are trying to make weight limit for their luggage, they just give away adorable clothing. (if they only had read the above rule) My friends and I on P-Day would go to each floor and ransack those boxes. We called ourselves the P-DAY Pirates, REMEMBER THE NAME. 
9. I brought tons of shoes with me. Some things cannot be sacrificed. I recommend more shoes, less clothing.
10. If you want to send pictures home in your emails, you are going to need a USB card drive for your camera card. Be a cool kid and have one of these. You seriously will be the most popular person in the Laundry room. If only I had a brought one...
11. So, my district was insane but on P-Day we woke up at 5 AM and did laundry at 5:10 AM and nobody was there and we would write letters and eat breakfast and then go to the temple ( we had the 9:10 assignment) and then we go back to our dorms and sleep all day. It was party in the USA. I highly recommend doing this.
12. The last p-day my district had together, we did a district picnic and it was so fun. I wish we had done this more. Make your district do this. 
13. If you are learning a new language, speak it all the time. In the classroom, in the cafeteria, while your brushing teeth, everywhere and anywhere. You will sound like a buffoon, but Heavenly Father will notice your efforts and will bless you with the Gift of tongues so much sooner. This is something I highly, highly recommend.
14.  Write in your journal every single day. This is something that I wish I had done. The MTC is once in a lifetime opportunity and you are going to want to remember it. 
15. On each floor of the dormitory there are couches and there was often sisters crying on it. They were called the "cry couches" DON'T CRY ( okay you can cry) I promise you it gets better....and worse. But it's supposed to be like this. This is how being a servant for the Lord is supposed to be. He loves you so much and if you are doing your best and giving your all, he is so happy. I promise.
16. Ask the Elders to give you a blessing. They will be so happy and honored that you trust them enough and I promise you that it will one of the best blessings you have ever received. The priesthood is the coolest. 
17.  Bring pictures of your family and put it on your planner. You can look at them everyday and it will motivate you to share the gospel because the gospel truly does bless families and you will want all those you meet to have the same blessings that we have, in knowing that families can be together forever.
18. The wrap bar at the MTC is the yummiest. I only ate wraps and cereal. There is also tons of cantaloupe. 
19. be prepared to become best friends with the Elders and Sister in your district. You will love them so much and they will mean so much to you. The second you meet your companion, just choose to love them. They were picked for a specific reason to be your companion and you can learn so much from them if you choose to do so. My companion and I were perfect for each other and I miss her so much! ( shout out to Hermana Gomez!) 
20. This journey is incredible. Being a missionary is crazy and life changing, but one of the best decisions that you could ever make for you and your future family. Your testimony will grow, your knowledge of the scriptures will grow, and your love for Heavenly Father and the Savior and his Atonement will grow. The missionary life is the craziest ride you will ever ride but it so worth it and there is no need to ever be afraid, because you are never alone.