First Week at the MTC PhOtO's!!!

Her first two companions... Hermana Matesen and Mitchell!!

Official Tag... LOVE THIS!!

Learning Espanol

Headed to Vegas???? Needed to get Visas Apparently!!

oh! yesterday was a crazy disaster!!! haha we woke up at 4 am to fly to vegas to go to the mexican consulate to get our visas our flight was delayed so we were in the airport for 4 hours with 10 other missionaries waiting to fly to vegas then we got there got glared at then got to go to del taco heck yes! then we went to the institute building there its HUGE to hear tons of USELESS stories on Mexico! then went got finger prints taken as well as pictures and then back to the airport for another 4 hr wait haha it was a waste of my life i could have been teaching my investagator but ya know! i was blessed with the abbility to get my visa soon!

1/31/2014
I am not going to lie this week has been ridiculously crazy but ohhh how the Lord has blessed me!!! The first day totally feels like a blur! no joke its crazy!! I knew from the moment we pulled it it was surely exactly where i needed to be! I was rushed back into the room where i picked up my name tag the lady checked it and put it on me. In that moment i was holding back so many tears of mixed emotions but the spirit was so strong testifying that I was now recognized as the Lords servant acting in the Lords name! I then got my books and put on a bus to go down to wyview which is called west campus where all spanish speaking missionaries are staying i threw my things in my apartment and went to class! my teacher spoke NO english to me!! i took tests and stuff then went on to learn!
My companions at first were Hermana Mitchell and Hermana Matesen but a sister in my zone decided to go home so Hermana Matesen got switched! so now its Hermana Mitchell and i! she is from Roy! I love her to death!!!! She is the best companion and one could have asked for!!!! im blessed!!! she is also a walking spanish dictionary which is a huge blessing!!! well pretty much every day is wake up at 6:30 then break fast at 7:15 class at 7:45-11:38 then lunch... gym time til 1:50 we usually run 3 miles do ab work outs and lift weights haha then we have lesson prep comp and personal study til dinner at 4:55 after dinner we usually have a lesson!
ok i have to tell you we had our first lesson friday night!! IN SPANISH!!!!!!!! our "investagator" is our teacher that hasnt really ever taught us he will teach us tonight but for now we just know him as Victor... he is the best! I love him we have been teaching the restoration! our first two lessons we had notes but after that our last two lessons we have not! its crazy how when you are obedient and study soooooooo hard and pray and ask for help how the Lord blesses us! My spanish by no means is NOT great but by my third lesson (no notes)  i was able to understand what Victor said and I was able to speak and relay all that was needed to be said and heard! it was amazing i immediately hit my knees and thanks Heavenly Father! the language is definately a struggle but i feel/ see the Lords hand in my life every prayer i pray for the gift of tongues!!! but our lesson mon with Victor we committed him to baptism!!.... OUR THIRD LESSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its AMAZING!!!!!! the spirit was soooo strong we had read the first vision and taught on Jose smith!!!
Being here has helped my testimony grow sooooo much but its such hard work!!! Just when I start to complain or feel its too hard I pray and the Lord answers and delivers! its so amazing!!!! the spirit is soooo stong here!! Sunday was by far the best day EVER!!!! we got a new branch presidency which was sad cause my old branch pres looked and talked and acted just like bishop scoresby it was like being home!!! but our new one is HILARIOUS short little man from TEXAS his accent CRACKS me up!!! i love him! but on sunday we sisters on west campus watched music and the spoken work then we had relief society broadcast from main campus to us! the spirit was AMAZING!!! Janice Kapp Perry was the speaker.  she was truely God sent to help me when feeling low!!! We all sang with her a melody of her primary songs starting... with the one and only A Childs Pray i cryed soooooooo much it all just drained out of me! then we had lunch then went to sacrament then went to choir practice then dinner then got bused to main campus for a devotional given by Steven B. Allen on memebers and missionaries. it was truely inspired!! i feel prompted to share some of that with you.... he showed a video by Pres. Thomas S. Monson about missionaries inviting members to help with referals and how its intimidating and quite often annoying!;) but he gave us questions to ask each family and ways to teach! I want you guys to prepare a FHE lesson on it and think and pray for help because i feel it will help! Plan an FHE on the plan of salvation out of P.M.G. include all the kids then ask yourselves and the kids
who do you know who has recently:
lost a loved one
Had a child
Recently moved in
Has difficulty with a teen
Pray and act on teh promptings
i know that as you do this the Lord will bless you in having a missionary moment and success..... but i just lied that was tuesday night by James B. Martino lol my days are running together!!!
Sunday Steven B. Allen talked on teaching by the spirit!!!!  I want you to do this as well.... it brings the spirit SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much.... Sing the hymn "where can i turn for peace?" as if you were reverently praying the spirit is sooo strong and the prayer is answered right there in the third verse just another testimony of Christ can help us through all through the atonement!!!
The food here is great!!! btw lol my first three days i was sick.... same way Sherri was sick... lol it was HORRIBLE.  it lasted three days tho! our apartment has two rooms a bathroom kitchen and a living room!!!
Mom i would love to get like a jacket hehe grandma dont get mad at me..... but i really need some and more garment caranessa bottoms!!! the silk ones dont work!
the weekly scripture is 2 Nephi 9! its amazing out line of how we all sin and how the atonement can help us get back to our Father. verse 45 is amazing command!
I also have been studying the last few days of Christ in John ch 13- the end of John its so amazing if you ever get the chance to study it please do! and use the footnotes in studying!
Yo se que jesucristo es nos salvador
yo se que el evangelio es vernidad
yo se que jose smith restorado la inglesia en el ultimos dias
thank you all for the love prayers and support i feel it every day!!!!
Love
Hermana Bigelow
p.s. mom email to all the aunts and you can post these emails to the blog!!!!! as well as anyone that asks!! give Kathy C. a hug for me she has been writing to me a ton! I love that woman!!

So we dropped Autumn off at the MTC last Wed. January 22nd her arrival time was between 12:30 and 12:45.  We got there about 12:22 so we did a drive by... it was awful (to me) and only brought on the tears as we watched these amazing missionaries say a quick curbside goodbye and begin a new adventure!!  It was our turn and we all knew it!  Autumn was, of course, excited and ready to go! I know she was sad to say goodbye to us, Makenli and Dawson but she was ready!  We pulled in and were greeted by a man explaining the procedure and telling us Autumn was one of the  fine 500 missionaries who would be reporting today!!  AMAZING 500 young, noble ready to serve... I am amazed at their strength! I had no doubts that Autumn was one of those ready and so willing!! We saw the first sister available and we were flagged over to the curb, she greeted Autumn and was of course excited to hear Autumn was from Alaska (it has it's perks :)!  We began our last goodbyes, I as I am now, was crying like a baby! I squeezed Autumn as tight as I could and she returned the squeeze, she whispered thank you... All I could think was thank you, why are you thanking me??  You are the amazing one, you are the one so willing to take 18 months of your life and give it to the Lord, you are the daughter I always wanted, you are strong, smart, beautiful and you have brought more joy than you could ever imagine to my life and you are thanking me?? I LOVE this girl I thought and I will miss her more than words can EVER express but she is ready and with that she gave Makenli, and her Dad those same squeezes and she turned to her greeting sister and left, I was so proud!! She never looked back... as I tried to look through my tears in the side mirror as long as I could, she never looked back!! She was at her new home, the MTC, for the next 6 weeks!!  The adventure began :)

this moment was accidentally caught through my tears, I didn't even know until later looking through the pictures!!

Never look back!!  Ready to Serve!!!!

Last day with the whole family!  And a little Utah fun before the MTC!!

My friend Tashah Owens and I made matching shirts since we will be serving our missions at the exact same time!!! She will be serving in the San Diego, California mission which includes the Mormon battalion!! "Sorry mister I'm a Sister!!!" We are so stoked!! Every time we get transferred our first P-Day we will wear our shirts and take a picture in a significant place or with something that tells a story! I can't wait to stay so connected! I love that girl!!! P.S. she is the blonde little girl in the pink dress and I'm the brunette girl with the purple outfit on the back of the shirts!!

Last night also was one of my many hard goodbyes this next week! Little Red (grandma) went home after being here for a MONTH!!!! I am so grateful for the help and strength she is to me!!! She helped me accomplish a lot in getting ready!!! I could not repay her enough!!! I love her tons!!!

Over and Out:)
Soon to be Hermana Bigelow!

14 Days say what?!

Preparing to leave is such a tedious thing trying to get all that last minute things done right before I leave: packing, making enough money,extending skirts and dresses, making sure I have all the little things (i.e. sewing kit, first aid kit), running errands, going to the temple, address changes, trying to have time to spend with my friends and my family (mostly my family) before I leave, and trying to wrap my brain around the fact that I am going to MEXICO for 18 months! 
Over the past month I have gotten emotional at like every little thing! I cry driving in the car with Hunter for no reason! haha but I have come to appreciate the time I have with my younger sibling! I am so grateful for my family and the strength and stability they are to me! Little Red (Grandma Baker) has been here for almost a month! I am so grateful for all she has done for me! Without her I wouldn't have my room or bags packed! Its our running joke that she is coming to Oaxaca every transfer to come pack my bags! hehe no where in that hand book does it say GRANDMAS cant come visit!;) My parents have been nothing but patient with my irritating mood swings... crying all the time, upset about nothing, and an increase of loud laughter! I am sooo thankful for the time that they have spent on the little things for me. My dad reading Preach My Gospel with me nightly and mom listening to my random dumb stories, making sure I have all I need, and showing her love for me! I am so grateful to have parents that care so much for me and have taught me to be the person I am and giving me the greatest blessing the Gospel always in our house and making sure the spirit is always there! 
Of course my siblings are the greatest and have always been some of the greatest joys to me! Hunter, one of my best friends though we butt heads, I am lucky to have him as my younger brother! A worthy priesthood holder who has such a strong will to do what is right! Boy do I love him! Kade, Hunky Chunky Funky Monkey!!! Baha he is my laughter in life! I don't know what I would do without my broski moments! I cant wait to see how Kade grows and see his future in the church! Jeni, my closest sister we fight like none other but I am so grateful for her willingness to help with anything! She is such a blessing! Makenli, My sweetheart, I found that I have grown so much from her and what she has taught me! I love to play with her!! Dawson, my pumpkin! My little red headed step sister;) I love her so much it will be so crazy to see the changes that will come in the next 18 months! 
I am so grateful for all my family and those that have helped in one way or another with my mission whether is be financially or spiritually or emotionally! I love you all I am so thankful that this Gospel has brought me the truths of eternal families! 
Lastly I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve the Lord and the people in Oaxaca, Mexico! I know without a doubt that, that is where the Lord needs me to be this time in my life!! I am so grateful for my Savior and his example of how to be! I can not wait to be doing His will and partaking more in the Lords atonement! I love this gospel and the peace and joy it brings to me! 
Love,
Soon to be Hermana Bigelow!:)