So we are not going to Guatemala for the MTC people there are not getting their visas so they are just keeping them at that MTC. There is no room for us. I am super bummed about it. I was really looking forward to it. I attached a few pictures of us at the temple with our district and the traditional big map picture. I love yall! How is everyone? My companions are sweet. Make sure no packages get sent to Guatemala i wont get them until February if they are sent there. Ill be here for Christmas which means I will get to hear another apostle speak! Spanish is coming along. We are teaching with no notes! The words just come to us! Its amazing! Our elders are great! they keep us laughing and make everything more fun! I love it! we have been playing pranks on them a lot! We have moved classrooms and bedrooms twice so far. they have so much construction going on with all the new missionaries coming! It's so exciting!

So the mtc is crazy, crazy schedules crazy workouts crazy expectations! oh and our elders are nuts! 
 Our Spanish teacher gave us a challenge and it saved me from feeling too home sick on thanksgiving. first you list 100 things you are thankful for. i thought it was overkill but i realized i got to 100 and i still had i ton more i could have listed, then we had to write all the blessings promised in our p blessing, that was amazing! then we had to pray for 15 min straight without asking for anything. at first i just repeated my list then the spirit hit me, HARD. it was so great i knew that this was where i needed to be and I was super glad to be here! THen we had a surprise speaker. everyone in my district placed bets on who would come and I said holland..... wellllllll HOLLAND came! it was what i needed to get me back on my feet and get me ready to work. He is so amazing. we heard from all of his family and they all did musical numbers! I also got to be in the thanksgiving day sikit and you know how I love skits! I was great!
 it's weird to never listen to music. I don't really like it. I constantly am singing to myself or in my head, just to get by! But no one in my district knows anything about music... its really sad and its a requirement before you leave to be able to lead music, so im teaching all of them!!! 
Spanish is great! I am trying to forget all the italian i know but thats where the struggle lies! im glad we only have one investigator!
 we are placing bets and i think they are going to call me to speak this sunday. everone prepares a talk and they "randomly select who speaks but this is our last chance to speak and my companions are giving the prayers so its gonna be me. All the elders have had to extend their time here to 10 weeks so they probably wont get picked (their visas aren't going through for Argentina) I have seen all three missionaries from Charleston! i have mealtime with them! Its so great to have them here ( desi Bruno, will connell and Emily Jacobson). its some part of home!
I got my travel pans and I leave this MTC on Dec 4th and i heard they just send letters back and dont transfer it to the next MTC just so yall know. Packages take six weeks to get to us on average which is depressing. I am loving it here though! 
I love you all!
Hermana Stoddard

Alyssa is now at Provo MTC. We are anxiously awaiting her first letter.
signed anxious mom.

Hey this is Alyssa! 6 days till the mission! I can't wait!
My address will change quite a bit. My sister Sara is posting all of them on facebook as they change and my mom will post them here too!

But here is a head start:


Provo MTC report Nov 14:
Sister Alyssa Marie Stoddard
Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission
Provo MTC
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604
United States

Guatemala MTC arrive around Dec. 5th:
Guatemala MTC
Bulevar Vista Hermosa 23-71
Vista Hermosa I, Zona 15
01015 Guatemala City
Guatemala, C. A.

Guatemala  out in the actual field finally  around Jan 9th:
Sister Alyssa Marie Stoddard
Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission
5A Calle 14-35, Zona 3
09001 Quetzaltenango
Guatemala

I will need lots of support and love, please send me letters!
I love all of you,
Alyssa

Welcome to Sister Alyssa Stoddard's Blog! We will be posting updates weekly.