We received a letter in the mail yesterday and an e-mail today!  So happy to hear from Taylor! Here is an excerpt from her e-mail:

"Well goodness you would think I had died with how many emails I got from you people! I truly appreciated it though! It was so great to get on and I am so overwhelmed with love right now! The MTC is AMAZING. I can't even describe it. Before I go on I have to tell you that the church has asked our emails not get posted on Facebook. So... I will let you edit out what you feel necessary on this blog you've created, and I will try and stay as organized as humanly possible!

We hit the ground running. No, it was more like hit the ground sprinting! No english in the classroom. Our teacher Brother Robinson only speaks to us in Dutch unless it's something we need seriously explained to us in depth. (He also happens to know Andy, Amy, and Ashley. Go figure right?) It is absolutely amazing how quickly we are learning here. We most definitely have a ton to improve on, but we are learning so fast! My collega (companion) is Zuster Morris. I absolutely love her. We get along very well and have VERY similar personalities. There are 4 other zusters in our district and 2 elders. There is 1 other District with the same numbers, and all of us are going to the same mission! I love my district so much. We all have the same personality time (Stubborn...) So sometimes it's a little hard to always completely agree on everything. But we work together, seriously rely on the Lord, and things have a way of working out. By day 2 they had us teaching our first investigator. In Dutch ONLY. Yeah, you want to talk about trials? Try explaining the atonement to someone who 1. doesn't believe in God, 2. doesn't speak your language. IT'S SO HARD! But we always feel the spirit so strong, and learn so much from every lesson!

It's been pretty tricky getting used to this new schedule. I have some trouble getting to sleep, but have had none at all getting up! It's amazing how that works! So far this week I've visited a doctor because my foot is swollen again.  Our entire district is on Tamiflu because Zuster Anderson has influenza and is in quarenteen (forgive my spelling my brain is trying to think in Dutch). And we all have to poop in a cup... Yup, you read that right. It's ONLY required for our mission. And it's disgusting. (OK, she might not like that I left that part in. ;) Luckily tomorrow a foot specialist comes in, and I have an appointment with him. Prayers are gladly accepted around here! ;)

Ik houd van u!!! (All of you...)

Love, Zuster Packer