FIRST WEEK!

FIRST WEEK!

Hey Mom and Dad!

The week has been pretty awesome so far. I got my name tag, started all my courses, met my companion, and overall, I am really enjoying myself! I still feel a little homesick, but that is going away more and more from day to day. I hope everything is well at home. I miss you guys alot, but the more that I am here, the more i understand that this is where I need to be. So, as of now, I want to tell you guys how my week has been going.

Tuesday and Wednesday were awesome. I am extremely grateful to the Wards for allowing me to hang around with them for the day. If they are back in town on Sunday, let them know that I can't say thanks enough for letting me stay with them. Wednesday morning was fun-Brother Ward took me over to have breakfast with Daniel. That was good to be able to see him one more time before I left. When we got back to the house, Hyrum and I played a game of chess; he completely destroyed me! Then some of the other kids wanted to play me and win (which they did).

After that, we went up to Provo and the Wards ultimately dropped me off at the MTC around 1. Again, I'm just so glad that they allowed me to stay with them. I went in, had orientation, and then was taken to my classroom in which I met my companion Elder Jewell; he's a fun person to be around. Then I met all my roommates who all now seem like my best friends here. Elder Rowley, Elder Goode, Elder Jewell, and I all stay together most of the time. It's good to have people I can rely on.

The classes have been great! I have learned so much about the Gospel in just two short days (I didn't realize that the Gospel is just faith, repentance, baptism, and enduring to the end through Christ's atonement). The Lord has blessed me from just being here. I am learning so many new things from my teachers and from teaching mock investigators.

As for pictures, I haven't taken very many so far, but I will try to take some more and then send all the ones I have next week. Here at the MTC, my P-day is Saturday.

My departure date is also a lot earlier than I originally expected. I get into the mission field on the 14th of this month (just twelve days after entering the MTC). That date is getting closer and closer; sometimes I don't really feel as though I'll be ready to be a full-fledged missionary, but I know that as long as I obey with exactness (for you Dad), study hard, and prepare as much as I can, Heavenly Father will make up the difference.

Also, I'm not sure if I will need to buy an I-pad mini, we'll just have to figure that out when I get into the field.

Tell everyone at home I love and miss them, and also tell people to write me; it gets a little lonely here sometimes!

Love,

Elder Jones