Sorry it's been so long!

Shamra's first month has been crazy and busy and exciting! And I've got some pictures to prove it! She's doing great and sends sincere apologies for not sending any updates for the blog in so long. But she has a weekly email that she is going to start posting here so hopefully we'll all get to here from her more often. That said, enjoy the pictures!

Shamra and her missionary companion, Sister Forbes. They were recently mistaken to be nuns.

Shamra's caption: beach day! elder allred is in the front and elder martin is rockin it in the back! There were sooooo many crabs! 

Shamra's description for this picture:  we were put into a mental hospital, and I was Sis Forbes neighbor. Though she was heavily sedated, I came into her room and took a picture. I also have chest hair.

Shamra's new purse that she loves:

Shamra's caption: our board! Shocking blasephies came from a man who called us blashphemers and pulled out this pamphlet about mormons (and all other religions) called shocking blashephemies!

Shamra's caption: unfortunately this is the only picture I have outside this church in Llaneli. I don't know what I am doing, but I look happy doing it!

Shamra's caption: Our home security system- it beeps whenever someone walks by

The plant a man in the local church branch gave her--it's GARLIC!!

Pictures from getting lost on the way to an appointment:

First Week in the MTC!!

Hi all!! First week was great and also terrible because I got a killer round of the FLU!!!! I was so sick. And then on the day I got better, I fell into stinging nettle when I was running on the grounds. It felt like a bunch of bees stinging me over and over and if they had wanted to amputate my finger it would have been just fine with me. So, my roommates and I came up with a list of ways the MTC is like Hogwarts, so I hope you enjoy it because it made us laugh pretty hard.

1. There are these crazy gardens with hedges that are just like the maze in HP 4

2. We are surrounded by this forrest that we aren't allowed to go in, the Forbidden Forrest, and I went running there and was attacked by a crazy plant (stinging nettle)

3. There is a groundskeeper and he actually has a hut!!

4. There is a hospital wing (where I keep ending up at) and Sis. Edwards is like Madam Pomfrey!! She gives me all the medications and everything I need

5. We are in dormitories with bunk beds

6. We have a pitch

7. We were "sorted" on the first day into districts and seriously I kid you not they called out all our names to come to the front and then to go join our groups/ houses

8. We are someone in northern England, and the grounds are HUGE and protected by a big wall

9. There is a great hall where we eat and convene in every day

10. Today we are going to the villiage of Chorely for sweets- Hogsmeade!

11. We have copious amounts of replenishing foods!

12. My roommate actually had a tin of bertie botts beans that she got in London!!

13. The general English culture is very Harry potter to me.

Its been a fun week but again, hard and the sickness doesn't help. But I made some good friends already and our District is super fun even though the LOVE to sing ALLLLL the time. And I don't. haha. WELL WRITE ME PEOPLE!!! Miss  you all.

Harry Potter Bathroom in Edinburgh

The bathroom walls were COVERED in notes to JK Rowling/homages to Harry potter. Also I had a conversation with an Italian woman, where I managed touse great phrases like "mi piace Harry potter" and "non parlo Italiano bene". She said a LOT to me. I just laughed a lot, nodded, and referred back to Harry potter frequently and it seemed to work because she said something about visiting her in Italy and gave me her number. Either that or she said I spoke terrible Italian and gave me a number for the Rosetta Stone tutorials. I couldn't tell.

I think the Italian woman thought I had some severe bathroom/bowel issues because I spent so long in there

Sadly when I stood in the toilet and flushed, all that happened was I got wet...

Gotta love the Snape love!

Agreed, Clara from Austria!

Edinburgh is AWESOME

This city is amazing

Loving Edinburgh

Amazing food!!

Castle!!

DOLLY THE FIRST CLONED CREATURE!!!!!! This has been a random life long dream of mine- the sheep that furthered our exploration and knowledge of cloning and genetics...so cool!!

Where JK wrote Harry Potter!!

Big Krishna festival in London...free food!! Hare Krishna!

Pictures from London!

Harry potter bridge. I also saw where the naked Harry potter play was. St. Paul's in the background.

View from the National Gallery

Globe Theater--Taming of the Shrew!! So great, minus the epically sexist ending of the play. We stood up like peasants for two hours! Saved us 38 pounds...worth the numb feet

Of course.

On the bus...we are very ugly American tourists

Best part of my day

I Solemnly Swear I am Up to No Good (Kidding! I really am...)*

Hey there! Welcome to my newest attempt to blog about my life. Check out the "Contact Me" section to the right for info on how to get a hold of me for the next year. Snail mail is totally welcome since I only get internet once a week!! I will (hopefully!) be posting every week- and if not, I will put up pictures. My ever patient sister Layna will be helping me with this so this blog has more success than the last. Anyway, I am headed to London this Friday, and I will be at the MTC in Preston, England, on June 13th.  It's been hard to say goodbye to all of you, my wonderful friends and family, but I am so excited for this new chapter of my life and new adventures!

*I apologize in advance for an excessive amount of Harry Potter references. It's going to happen...