!st Email from the MTC

The MTC is wonderful! I'm loving every minute of it! I used to think it was strange that all of Elder Sandstrom's emails are packed with exclamation points, but I think I get it now! Just kidding! But seriously, the MTC is great!Let's see, I know you (Mom) were wondering what things are like in the MTC these days, so I'll give you a quick run-down of the typical day. We get up at 6:30 and take showers - withOUT the "tree of life", we get stalls these days - get ready, etc. By 7:00 we're in our classroom for personal study, which is really great. We've all experienced the frustration that comes at the end of personal study when we have to move on to other things. If it weren't breakfast, I don't know if I'd stop some days. The food is actually pretty good. On the whole, I'd say it's better than Penn cafeteria food, and certainly much cheaper. After breakfast we'll either have class with Bro. Geddes or companion study. Bro. Geddes is great. He served his mission in Detroit, so he knows a lot about the sort of things we'll be facing. We just ignore him when he talks about da ghetto. Class is great. We mostly study Preach My Gospel, so far just the first lesson and the first two chapters (My Purpose and Study Effectively). We've got lunch at 1:00 and then more class, this time with Bro. Bastian. I love him - he's so funny because he just got married last weekend and he's so clearly excited about it. He served in Nairobi, Kenya a couple of years ago. He's a great teacher too. Afternoons and evenings our schedules vary between MDT (Missionary-Directed Time) and gym. During our MDT we've mostly been working on our lesson plans and studying but starting this week we'll be spending more time at the Referral Center and Teaching Evaluation Center. They seem like they'll both be great. We've also got our first Teaching Appointment (with fake investigators) on Wednesday. I'm pretty excited to actually give a lesson to someone other than another missionary. We have large group meetings with special speakers every once in a while, which are pretty good. I like 'em. Whatever. We've got planning at 9:00, after which we just get ready for bed so we can have lights out at 10:30. Yesterday was by far my favorite day in the MTC so far. Since it was a Fast Sunday, they did things a little differently than I think they will in the future. We had a mission conference this morning, which was incredible. The speakers were pretty good, but the music was terrific! Before each large meeting we sing prelude hymns together, which is great. During the meeting, though, an elder sang "I Heard Him Come," which was just really moving. During the rest of the meetings we sang a lot of other great stuff. My favorite was in the evening fireside when we sang "I Feel My Savior's Love" during the prelude. Somehow that song touched me in a wonderful way. It was really an answer to my prayers. Preparation Day has been good so far, although a little boring while we've done laundry and written letters. We went to the temple this morning, though, which was really great. It was wonderful to see all the other elders and sisters in my zone, dressed in white. I think it's impossible not to love someone when you see them faithfully serving in the temple. I love the elders in my district! They are all wonderful missionaries who are going to do great work for the Lord! Elder Johansson (of Chino Hills, California) is great - he's really fun to work with (and easy to work with too). The other 9 elders in our district are also going to Lansing, so I'm excited to see them through the rest of my mission - Elder Andersen, from Orem; Elder Daley, from Colorado; Elder Lierman, from Lindon; Elder Barney, from Alpine; Elder Stout, from Bountiful; Elder Hermonat, from Texas; Elder Beck, our district leader, from Texas; Elder Cope, from Spokane; Elder Hurst, from Sacramento. I think that's everyone. Actually, Elder Hurst just got a new companion today (he was in a threesome with Elders Cope and Beck), but they'll only be companions for the next two days - the new elder wasn't actually supposed to get here till Wednesday.Anyway, my computer time is almost up and I don't really have anything more to say. The gospel is true! God loves us and wants us to be happy! I'm so excited to be sharing that love as an authorized representative of Jesus Christ!I love you all,Elder Joseph Cloward