First email from Joshua

Well, I'm not sure when you're going to see this, and I've got thirty minutes to email, so I figured I'd just tell you as much about the MTC as I can think about.  When you guys left, my host, (I can't remember his name now), took my to my room and I noticed that Elder K left his luggage there, so I was excited that I knew somebody here.  Then I went to my classroom and met my district.  Elders K, L, W, J, K, A, and my companion Elder B.  They're all super awesome and our district is pretty tight, even from the first day here.  I just wanted to say a couple things that impressed me about my district.  Elder A is from _______ and he's here serving a mission despite some family problems. His dad had to arrest one of his older brothers and he said both of his older brothers have gotten into drugs and alcohol.  One of them went on a mission and came home twice.  He's decided that he wants to serve a mission to set a good example for his younger brothers.. By the way he has eleven kids in his family!!!! So that's cool.  Elder K is from ______ and one of the coolest guys I've ever met.  He's got a super awesome outlook on everything in life and I can't imagine him ever being upset.  They're both super awesome and they're both going to Provo.  The rest of the elders in our district are going to Milwaukee, so I'm definitely going to miss them a TONNN!!!!!!

In our building, we started a new club.  It's called the "B Club."  You have to do one pull-up with Elder B on your back (he weighs 112 pounds).  I can get about halfway up and of like 8 guys who have tried, only one can do it.  There's a record in the gym of doing 74 dips without stopping, so I've been working on trying to beat that record.  It'll take a while! I'm at 42 right now, haha.  Anyway, the last few days have been crazy.  Classes are fun, and we have super comfortable chairs!!!! The only thing that I'm having trouble with so far is teaching.  It's really hard for me, but I'm learning a lot, really really quickly.  The role-playing was super weird at first, but it's really helpful for learning also.  I have learned about and found lots of really awesome scriptures.. and one of my favorites, ETHER 12:27!!!! Best scripture EVER!!!!!!!!!!!  I read it and think about it almost every day.  I had an interview with one of my teachers and told him I was worried about teaching and he showed me 2 Nephi 28:30. I think that's the scripture.  But that's an awesome one too, and it's helped me grow a lot already.  I LOVE study time. We have like 3+ hours every day and so I learn a ton about Preach My Gospel and about the Scriptures.

Conference was UHHHH-MAZING!!!!!! Did you hear Jeffrey R. Holland speak yesterday!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! His talk pretty much stunned all of the thousands of missionaries in the room with a kick to the chest with Spirit.  There were a few others that I really liked but I don't have my notes with me so I can't remember who gave them.  I love conference! and did you hear the news about missionary ages!?! 18 for men and 19 for women! How sweet is that?!  We also had a fireside last night after conference and Chad Lewis spoke, and it was awesome! He went on his mission to Taiwan so he speaks Mandarin Chinese. He was seriously hilarious.  Which reminds me, there are lots of people going to Taiwan or Vancouver (Mandarin speaking), and when I see them I surprise them with my Mandarin. Then wonder why I speak Mandarin if my nametag is in english.

That's pretty much all I have for right now... I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone at church! And miss you a ton!!! Please tell my friends to write me!

Love,

Elder Whicker!!!