Feb 19, 2008

Hello from the MTC!

I didn't think I'd get the chance to get on the email system this week (Tuesdays are our P-days), so earlier this morning I sent out my second letter, you should get it in a couple days. I just have to say that mission life is awesome! While the days are sooo long... (each day is like the longest day of my life), but I look back and its crazy to think that I've actually been in Utah for a week now.

The spirit is so strong, and the learning is amazing. We're praying and bearing our testimonies in Spanish already, its incredible. Today was our first trip to go to the temple to do a session, so that was a great experience. We get to go on Temple Walks each Sunday, so I managed to take a bunch of pictures of us at the temple. Since this was my first time on the computer and I didn't know until about 5 mins ago that we would be able to get on the computer today, I didn't bring my memory card to see if I could send pictures home to you all.

The food is pretty good, you'll be amazed to learn that I've actually gained 5 pound so far! I'm being a lot less picky and just shoveling it in. I figure I gotta get used to doing that sometime. The gym periods are pretty good, I'm running for about 10 mins before going off and doing some excercises and ending in basketball or 4-Square (yes, they have 4-square, and yes, it is amazing.) or somethign like that, so Dad will be glad to know that I'm taking advantage of it.

Shaving everday is definitely the worst part about this entire experience, and the chairs aren't the most comfortable I've ever sat in, but its all good. Still, I wouldn't choose to be any other place than here right now.

I'm so glad I brought two suits. We have to wear a suit coat everywhere here, and wearing the same clothes each day gets kind of dull, not to mention the clothes definitely get dirty, and there's a three day turn around time for dry cleaning here. (I'm not going to use the dry cleaning packet things until I get to Paraguay unless I have to.) But the other Elders in my mission, Elder Legler, my companion, Elder Reid and Elder Bullcreek (my other roommates), only brought one suit as per instructions, and they can't even get it cleaned because they can't go three days without a suit coat. No bueno.

I hope everything is going well at home, I'm definitely doing well and having a great time so far... though 9 weeks is a long time to spend in one place like this. I can't wait to get down to South America!

I love you all,

Elder Dennis