In the beginning, there was week one

Hey everyone! As you heard last week, I made it to the MTC safe and sound (although very tired). Staying up for 19 hours really wasn't too pleasant, but I managed to survive.

The MTC has been going really well, I have a ton of good teachers, combined with devotionals from our branch presidency, MTC presidency, and videos of talks by Apostles (Elder Perry is speaking the day we leave, so I get to miss him in addition to Elder Oaks in Spokane *sob*). The Spirit here is really strong, and I've probably felt it here more than any other point in my life.

Elder Wallace and I have been teaching two investigators, one being our teacher who is role playing as an investigator, and then our "TRC Investigator," who can either be an MTC worker, a member, an inactive member, or a non-member volunteer, which is pretty nerve wracking. My district is amazing, we all get along very very very very VERY well, and all of them are funny, spiritual, insightful, and so on. The best part is that the whole district is going to the same mission, meaning I'll see all of them at mission meetings, and possibly even end up companions with them again.

The next few days are going to be pretty hectic, but I think I'll be fine. I'm starting to question the quality of the Distribution Service's shirts, as my shirt from there has had two buttons fall off already (have sewn them back on), and also my gray suit's top button fell off on Tuesday (sewing it on later today).

I've been trying to get as much sleep as possible, but it's still kind of difficult. Laundry is in about 30-40 minutes, so at least most everything will be clean. Got a haircut today, apparently it's required that every Elder MUST get a haircut before they leave, seems silly to me but whatever.

I am really starting to love the Elders in my district. Elder Wallace is an amazing companion, and is very humble as well (balances out my enormous ego). He's 6'3" (you'll see in the pictures), is from Declo, Idaho, and has really been a great blessing to me. We also think pretty similarly (pretty eerie at times), so we've been getting along swimmingly. The other two Elders in the district are Elder Reid (in the left in the picture of them two), and Elder Porter. Elder Reid is from Oahu, Hawaii, and is one of the most kind, funny, and spiritual people I've ever had the chance of meeting. Elder Porter is from Pleasant Grove, Utah and is pretty silly at times, teasing people, making movie references, etc. (reminds me a lot of Jacob Sok actually).

For any of you who didn't know, Elder Wallace and I got called to be the Zone Leaders over 3 districts (our own, the Iowa Des Moines District, and the Washington Everett District). We've been kept busy, doing new missionary orientation yesterday night, and we have to plan out Sacrament Meeting and Priesthood Meeting for Sunday. The date I will be coming home in October 27th, 2015 (at least according to my ministerial certificate), so I'll be out for just a little less than 2 years.

I've been eating well (yes I have been eating), though there's no scale here so I'm unsure of whether I'm gaining/losing weight. Also have been exercising a lot, playing 4-Square (ask Teddy what it is if you don't know), as well as running (won't Papa be proud). So yeah, that's pretty much all I have to say (sorry for the enormous wall of text), and I'll make sure to include anything else I wanted to say in my letters. I will have pictures attached, and I'll make sure to identify everyone. Hope you're all doing well.

Love you all,

Elder Smith