Jan. 4th update

Merry Christmas!!!

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday :) So Christmas here at the MTC has been fun, they have been taking good care of us. For Christmas Eve the MTC put on a production of the Nativity but sing-along style so in between the narration we'd sing hymns that applied to the scene. Afterwards they gave us candied popcorn while we watched some production of "A Christmas Carol." There was this scene where the ghost of the Christmas present opened his robes and there were two starving children underneath in rags. It was seriously creepy and I could not stop laughing for either scene. It is fun to watch old movies with a bunch of 19 year old boys too, things suddenly seem a lot funnier than they normally are. After the movie we went back to our residence hall and girls on the hall did their own production of the nativity scene. Quality entertainment, let me tell you...the costumes were put together with whatever was in the rooms so out of cotton balls came Joseph's beard, pig tails were sheep ears, a yellow pillow the star, and there were some other elements added too. Another girl had red footie pajamas she stuffed to be santa and put pink shaving cream for her legs on her face for a beard. She even had a belt. The Zusters and I got pictures with santa and a kinda creepy sister joined in...pictures to be sent soon. After that we got ready for Christmas morning.....

Christmas morning! We could've slept in but the Zusters and I woke up early so we could get ready, go to a floor breakfast (we'd been saving food all week to contribute), and get things done for the elders. All of the elders in our district are fresh from high school so this is their first time being away from home. We've been planning Christmas for them all week. We used some socks as stockings and put in oranges, candy, little notes, a book mark with our district name (Deze Dingen Zendilingen) and what each of them wanted most for Christmas. Elder Roemer wanted white gloves so he could look like Mario, and Zuster Jones got some in a package. She gave his companion Elder Douglas the pair that came with the set so they could be "matching" b/c he got what he really wanted from his parents. Elder Taylor wanted a Christmas tie so we made him one from paper, and Elder Christensen wanted gifts from home so Zuster Townsend gave him a giant candy kiss she got in one of her packages and we wrote him a note saying it was a gift from his MTC family. We also made paper chains and snowflakes to decorate our classroom and at 8 we met with the elders for gift exchanging (breakfast was at 7). We took pictures, and exchanged gifts, it was a lot of fun. My district is so awesome, we're all close and enjoy spending time together. The elders gave us some really thoughtful gifts...hahahah. Elder Roemer gave each Zuster a note and when we put them together they formed a picture of a snowman. My note said "Zuster Hinchcliff I licked this paper right here X" because yesterday I convinced him and elder Douglas that if they licked paper it would stick to more paper...priceless. Elder Douglas gave us each a copy of the Christmas orange story with a chocolate orange. and Elder taylor gave me a bag of mints since I sent all my gum home. They also gave us candy. Then we went to Music and the Spoken Word. For sacrament meeting we met with the entire MTC and Elder Bednar and his wife spoke! It was an excellent meeting :) I'll write you more about that Wednesday, I wish I could now, but there are a kajillion missionaries online right now and the server is reallllly slow...it's taken me about 30 minutes to write this much and thats all the time I have :/ lame. But I will tell you that Bednar imitated Cookie Monster in his talk..super funny!!!

There are 4 elders and 5 Zusters in the district and they are all going to the same mission. The Elders are all fresh from high School, they are Elder Rocmer, Elder Douglass, Elder Taylor, and Elder Christianson. they have the same mailing address. The zusters are zuster Jones, zuster Davis, Zuster Schwab, Zuster townsend and of course Zuster Hinchcliff. Some of the Elders and Zusters don't get any letters. My companions are Zuster Townsend & zuster Schwab. I love them both!! Actually, they are all wonderful. Just don't expect a reply b/c writing letters is hard to find the time to do. I know I haven't been here a week yet, but I am learning so much and am receiving so many insights to the gospel. I am learning every time I open my scriptures.

Oh, guess what? I joined the MTC choir, unexpected right? I just feel like I needed to, so I did. Our whole district is doing it together minus one zuster. last week we sang at a fireside and Elder Clayton of the 70 spoke. It was such a good devotional about giving and receiving. Our district  and our Branch 2nd Counselor and Brother Hill touched on something Sister Clayton said about how a gift is receiving gives it value. He related giving and receiving to a game of catch. the game would be lame if the giving and receiving weren't reciprocated. I can see it and relate it to our investigator. Unfortunately, he is going back to the Netherlands now  that Christmas is over so we won't see him again. HE did take a book of Mormon (Boek van Mormon) with our testimonies (getquikenis) written on post its. (which I need many more of. Index cards too!) 

Don't forget the best gift of all at this Christmas time. Our Savior Jesus Christ. His whole idea was dedicated to us. The least we can do is dedicate ourselves to each other to be good receivers of the gift of his life and love. I want to challenge each of you to give something of yourselves for the holiday and new year. I know as you do, you will experience the best year yet. I love you all!!! Zuster Hinchcliff

Jan. 4th,

The DearElder letters are coming through and working great! Thanks :) It's exciting when I get one! If you want to write to the others in my District too, feel free. They don't all get letters and even a I know you'll do great! quick message would make their day. I really want to send you pictures of my district, but we can't upload to the computer at the MTC and machines they have in the bookstore take 2+ weeks to print the pictures and are currently broken :/ Fingers crossed I can get some out to you all soon!!

Rebecca's MTC address is Bel-Neth 0214, 2005 N 900E, Provo UT 84604-1793. You can just write my name, box # 331, and then the MTC address and it'll get to me. My departure date is February 13th. As a district we want to make paper valentines and pass them out on the plane with messages of love (aka the gospel)...we'll see if any of us are brave enough/if anyone accepts our valentines, but we're really excited!

My district is awesome, I love them sooo much!! We have lots of fun together and learn a lot.

If anyone wants to join us, we were thinking that as a family or as friends we could help the valentine effort by making valentines with messages of gospel love. We can send them in a big envelope so they have them to hand out as they travel. Let me know if you are interested.  Julie (mother)