First E-Mail Home

Dear Family and Friends, 

Hola, mi hable Hermana Cordner, und ich liebe die MTC! (I'm trying out the languages I have been picking up here!)

The MTC is probably the greatest place to be in the whole world. I have learned so much about myself as a person and a missionary in just a few days. I think the thing I have learned best is how to multi-task. Don't get me wrong, I have multi-tasked before, but there seems to be a greater need here. I have studied while eating my cereal, I have memorized while blowdrying my hair, and most impressively I ate an apple while I put my contacts in. Just picture it, an apple in my mouth, and contacts in my hands and eyes, it was a pretty sweet moment! 

The language is going great, we only have about an hour a day to learn spanish, and it happens to be at the same time as gym time! (okay not really, but during gym time the language missionaries are encouraged to speak their language, so I try to help them by speaking espanol or asking them how to say certain things... Como se desa, volleyball? And then they tell me how to say it! Its been great fun! 

Speaking of volleyball, I was thinking that in all of my youth experiences in the church, the one I am most thankful for this week is YW volleyball! There's no way I would be up against these Elders the way I have been without that prior training! So shout out to my leaders for making me a volleyball extrodianre! 

Okay, for the real stuff now! My district is SO GREAT! We have 7 elders, 3 that are going to Mesa, and the other 4 to Indianapolis, and then the three of us Sisters! Sister Pitcher is 24, from Orem Utah, and is 6 foot 2. Sister Palmberg is 23, from Conneticut, and is 5 foot and 1/2 inch! The three of us get along so well and are basically just best friends! We go everywhere together, as companions should, and just have such a blast doing it! We always stand in order, Sister Palmberg, me and then Sister Pitcher, and people tell us we look like the cell phone company who raises  the bar! It's quite a sight to see the three of us! We have been trying to become best friends with the Elders so that they won't think that Sister Missionarys are weirdos who are only out because they couldn't get married and what not... Sister Palmberg pointed out that its a good thing we're all good looking! The elders seem to like us just as much as we like them, and the 10 of us just have so much fun together! We usually are all on the same court for volleyball, we eat together, we are in classes together, and we study together! I can honestly not think of a better district to be in! 

Our teachers are super fantastic (and cute, but I'm not supposed to notice that ;). They are just so amazing, and with them and the 10 of us, lessons are always filled to the brim with the spirit and are so great! Both teachers portray an investigator from their mission, and we have been teaching them. Luke was our first investigator that we taught and he committed to pray about God's love for him, and we have a return appointment on Monday! We are meeting with Doug later today, and we seem to have a pretty sweet lesson plan ready for that meeting! Its so great the way the MTC is set up and the role playing that we are doing! 

I love being a missionary so much! I can't even imagine a place I would rather be. The spirit is so great and the God loves all of us! I'm not going to lie, its pretty hard here! Imagine having a to-do list that never ends, and literally zero time to do it. I compare it to EFY where we have a schedule given to us and a group of guys and girls, and we all work together all day long. But the only difference is we don't have a counselor to watch over us and make sure we are where we are supposed to be. It is up to us to be where we need to be when we need to be there. It would be easy to take study time to sleep, or to be late to lunch or not go to planning meetings or what not, but we have been promised that if we obey with EXACT obedience we will be greatly blessed! We have been trying really hard to be where we need to be on time, my companion struggles a little with punctuality but she knows it is something I love and she is working really hard to be on time. Its a struggle at times but we seem to make it to everything on time without too much stress! 

Thats probably all I have time for, I love all of you so much and I can feel your prayers. Dad, I absolutely LOVED the letter you sent me on the first day. Thank you so much for remembering me and writing me! Being a missionary is great and I just love every second of it.

Love, 

Sister Cordner

Farewell Talk

You know when you picture something in your mind and the real thing turns out NOTHING like how you pictured it. Ya, I know the feeling!

Today I was in my parents home ward and I gave my farewell talk. I have been so worried about what I was going to say I didn't even think about anything else. Once I was sitting on the stand it all felt so real. This was my farewell talk, I was leaving on Wednesday, and I am really, FINALLY, going to be a missionary. My head was spinning! I was thinking at a hundred miles per hour. I was the last speaker which was great, because I had a lot that I wanted to say. But by the time the speaker before me ended, I realized I had about 15 minutes, and the musical number still had to go. During the musical number I am thinking about what I should cut out because I know my talk, the way it was written, would have been too long.

The musical number was over and it was time for me to get up and speak. I honestly don't even know how to put into words what happened after that. I was wearing heels, and my ankle twisted a little over my left heel, and I started to fall to my left. I stood up on my right foot trying to catch myself, only to fall even more to my left, almost landing on the ground in front of the bishopric. Luckily I never did fall all the way down, but based on the congregations reaction you would have thought I did. I throw myself up and stand in front of the podium at a loss of words. Everybody did a collective gasp, and then fell silent. The next few minutes were a blur, but my mom told me later that the first thing I said was, "Well that was embarrassing, I hope I don't do that on my mission!"

I honestly don't know how I made it the whole way through my talk, I fumbled so much at the beginning before I could really jump into my talk that by the time I had finished telling my intro story about my Nauvoo trip my time was basically up. This is when I remembered that I had to cut out a lot of my talk based on time, so I start scanning the page looking for what I need to keep. I tell a story from Young Womens, then I actually talk about what my talk was one, which was blessings from perseverance, and finally find my way to the end of the talk. I bear a short testimony because I was over time and still probably completely beet red.

Once I sat down I lost it! The closing hymn started and I couldn't stop shaking from the silent laughing I was doing. The guy I was sitting at laughed too because I was shaking the hymn book so bad. I looked down at my family and Staci and could tell they saw me laughing because they were laughing just as hard. I had to cover my mouth and bury my face for the majority of the song because I was just so embarrassed.

Lots of people came up to talk to me afterwards to say goodbye. Most of them told me how excited they were for my homecoming talk in 18 months and asked me how I was going to top this!

And now, from now on, I will forever be known to Vintage Ranch Ward as the girl who fell on the stand before her farewell talk. Great!

Goodbye Christine

5 days until I leave! FIVE DAYS!!! I have already wrote a whole blog about things that I'm missing out on, but I didn't mention one of my most favorite possessions that I am leaving behind. My car! 2 years and 1 month ago I bought Christine, and she has been nothing but good to me! But I can't take her with me, and its not worth it to sell her, so I am storing her for 18 months. Today I cleaned her out, put her away, and hung up her keys for the last time for a year and a half. My dad is going to take care of her so she's not dead when I get home, so thats nice! For the next few days I'm just using my dads car (which I really am NOT complaining about in the least!)

My dad thinks I'm weird for naming my car... but really I think its rude not to name your car!

Also I forgot a detail about my dentist experience a couple of days ago. When I was getting my cleaning, the song Call Me Maybe came on the radio. I decided there was nothing worse than listening to that song in the dental chair, because I wanted to sing to it so badly! That song is just so hard NOT to sing along to!

In other news, I LEAVE IN 5 DAYS!!! I just need to take a chill pill, because I'm so SO SO excited! I've been wanting to go on a mission since I was 14, and since I turned 20 I've been counting down the days until I could turn in my papers. 6 months ago I turned my papers in and got my call, and I have been anxiously waiting for this week ever since I read that call! It almost seemed like it would never come, but its basically here!

What to expect next: As you may have noticed I have decked my blog out with Sister Cordner stuff. I am no longer a college student named Tara, but a soon to be full time servent of the Lord. I give my farewell talk this Sunday and have a open house that night from 7-9. (Anyone is welcome so feel free to stop by). I will probably blog about that adventure, and then I will head out! I plan on emailing my family every week updating them on the mish, and I'm planning on teaching my mom how to blog so she can put my emails up here! So hopefully you will not be left Tara-less for 18 months! I'm really just looking out for all of you out there!

Okay, well that is all. No puns at the end of this blog! Sorry.

Dentists and Puns

Today I had to go to the dentist. I just needed a cleaning right before I leave. I've never had a cavity, or any other reason to go to the dentist before besides cleanings. But today they noticed a decalcification (I think thats what they called it...) in one tooth that they thought would be best to fix up. So I had to make another appointment for later in the day. 2:30.

What time do you go to the dentist? Tooth-Hurty! (2:30) Get it... its a pun! And today when I made my appointment for 2:30 I felt like I was living in a pun! If you didn't know this about me, puns are my most favorite kinds of jokes ever.

Back to my real life story of going to the dentist... As I was sitting there in the chair, I was basically hating life. I don't know how you could enjoy yourself while having 4 hands, cotton swabs, a pokey thing, a mirror, a sucky thing, and a curing light in your mouth at the same time... I feel like I'm gagging, choking, and drowning all at the same time! And then I started thinking, whats worse than getting your teeth worked on... probably being the person who has to work on my teeth!

I just don't know what my brother-in-law and my brother were thinking when they signed up for dental school. Being a dentist would be the worst, you're in peoples mouths all day long, all the while being hated by your patients. So then I started to think of jobs I would do before I became a dentist. I would so much rather be a...

• foot doctor (podiatrist)
• garbage man
• plumber
• the night shift cashier at 7/11
• off shore oil rig worker
• fishermen out of Alaska
• septic tank cleaner
• David Archuleta's personal assistant

Well... that last one I would do regardless! But seriously, the thought of having my hands in other peoples mouths all day long just grosses me out...

But then, when the whole thing was over (a long ten minutes later) I go to the front desk and pay $110! Plus they got like $300 from my insurance company! HOLY COW! That right there is the reason people become dentists, between my 45 minute cleaning and my 10 minute filling thing, he made $397. I would say thats a pretty good hourly wage if you ask me! Now I understand why my family is interested in this business! 

And since I brought puns up earlier in my blog, I thought I would leave you with a few more:

• If a clock gets hungry, it goes back four seconds.
• Once you've seen one shopping center, you've seen the mall. 
• I usually take steps to avoid elevators.
• He has been a jogger for three years running!

Spirit of Contention

Tonight in my studies I read the following:

"For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another." - 3 Nephi 11:29

The spirit of contention is not of God, but of the devil... Why then, I ask myself, does my family allow this devilish spirit to enter our homes every night when we play Settlers of Catan!!!

As long as I can remember my parents and I have been playing this awesome yet horrible board game! I get so frustrated and so angry and SO ANNOYED almost every time I play, and yet we keep coming back for more! Tonight we only played three games... but my dad won all three of them. Lets just say my mom and I were pretty ticked off, to say the least! I really shouldn't be all that mad, considering that I won more than three games yesterday, and I won two this afternoon when we played, but tonights games were all my dad...

Side story, this is my older sister's facebook status about her 5 year old daughter yesterday:

So I was waiting for Anika in a public restroom outside of her stall when I heard, "Oh, SICK!"
Me: "What's wrong, Anika?"
Anika: "My hand just touched the toilet water!"

about 30 seconds later...

Anika: "You have GOT to be kidding me!"
Me (laughing): "What?"
Anika: "My hand touched the toilet water AGAIN!"


My whole family was just dying when we read this, and then we started quoting Anika all the time. Every time something bad would happen to us in the game we would just say, "You have GOT to be kidding me!" And then we just laugh at how funny we all are! (If you didn't know this about my family, we are all hilariously funny people).

Okay so I just re-read this blog and its kinda a lamer one, but I just kind of found it ironic how after being so mad at my dad tonight I came downstairs to study and happened to be reading in 3 Nephi 11. When I read that scripture I just had to laugh and blog about it! Sorry if this was a waste of your time!

Flaws

Guess what? I have flaws. What are they? Oh I dunno, I sing in the shower? Sometimes I spend too much time volunteering. Occasionally I'll hit somebody with my car. So sue me.

Okay, those are not my flaws, those are Michael Scott's flaws... but I thought that was a good way to start this blog. Today I spent sometime on one of my flaws. You may be surprised to know this, but I'm kinda addicted to TV shows... my biggest addiction has to be Glee.

During the Glee season finale I may or may not have bawled my eyes out, as my roommate Bri will recall. And my other roommate April will also recall coming in seeing me sobbing, asking me whats wrong, and then laughing when she found out it was all for Glee. 

Anyway... today I might have gone back and re-watched the last three episodes of the season. Why? Because I just love it so much! I cried again, maybe even more so this time, if that is possible. I have been so sad every time I see commercials for the new season (WHICH LOOKS FANTASTIC) because it comes out the DAY after I go into the MTC. Also... One Direction has a new CD coming out this fall, and the Jonas Brothers are recording together again! Um. Where have you guys been for the last three years? Why did you wait until now?! Come on! Also I just think about all the movies I will miss, like Despicable Me 2, and Les Miserables! I do take some pride in myself at knowing all the answers to the Pop Culture category on Jeopardy, will being out of the loop for 18 months take that away from me? I also saw a Help Wanted sign at my eye doctors office, looking for receptionists and managers! Am I giving up an opportunity to start my career, am I doing the right thing leaving, am I really questioning myself because of TV shows, CDs, and movies... 

See, my flaws! Then I think about it. Whats a season of TV compared to serving families? Whats a new Jonas Brothers CD compared to teaching the gospel? Whats a two year wait on a job compared to the enormous blessings I am going to bring to others, and myself... Why am I questioning all this? 

Just so you know, I am going to miss things like seeing Kyle and Natalee's baby when she's still a baby, and I'm going to miss my sister Keri moving away to college. I'm going to miss phone calls with my parents on a daily basis, and I'm going to miss sleeping in... But I know that the baby will still be here when I get back, Keri will still be in college when I get back, and my parents will still have phones when I get back, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to be okay.

As far as all the other pop culture crap that I probably shouldn't be wasting my time with anyway... well lets just say an 18 month break from this is probably just EXACTLY what I need to grow up and become a real live person! I know Heavenly Father needs me to be his servent and go to Indianapolis, and because of this knowledge, giving up everything I listed above will be exactly what I will do! Give it up! I can't wait to be a full time missionary and to devote all my time to the church! 

Wish me luck everyone! (Oh and please don't write me and tell me whats happening with Glee or Grey's, I'm pretty sure that would not help me focus!)

Also I wanted to give a HUGE shout out to the best celebrity there is... Mr. David Archuleta (and by Mr. David I really mean Elder). At least he has the decency to serve a mission the same time I did so that I won't miss any of his music being released. The two of us can pick up right where we left off March 2014! Thanks David!!! Love ya!