Week 1 - PLZ SEND MAIL

Holy Hannah this has been such a weird week. I don't even remember most of what has happened since I got dropped off what seems like a million years ago. It is honestly so weird to be on this side of things emailing outward instead of reading others experiences. My companion is Elder Maynes, he is fun and from Idaho. We get along alright but of course when you spend that much time together you find out some things that annoy you pretty fast. We are super open with each other so we can usually point stuff out and fix it quickly. when they say that the mtc is kind of a prison they were not lying. I feel like a prisoner but there are some really cool things about prison life!! I get exactly one hour for exercise time, I get to wake up 3 or 4 hours before I usually do, there are some pretty tall buildings that gives me a great view of the worst city in the world and I can't leave! But actually this place is amazing it's seriously such a love hate relationship and it's love during the day and hate at morning and night time. Mostly night time when I am lying in the best, most stiff bed in the world. That's when I get the most homesick. But during the day is so amazing. I love it here during the day. I haven't ever felt the spirit more often than I have here, the classes are 3 hours straight in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon long but for only being here for like 6 days I have learned so much about myself and this Gospel. 

I'll start back on Wednesday.  Once I got dropped off they wasted no time in getting me to my district and companion. There was kind of a class but it was mostly just introductory kind of stuff. We met our zone that night at around 9 and these people are the weirdest group of people I have ever met. Fun but so so weird. Thursday was just classes and introductory stuff so nothing too interesting. Friday was the hardest day but really cool! We did a role play and really just got thrown right into teaching. It was fun but so so stressful but it's just like home teaching but you kinda have to be quicker on your feet and listen to the person talking. It was just our teacher pretending to be a lady named Cathy who was struggling to know Christ. It was fun after we got done with it. I realized that I shouldn't stress about things I don't need to. Saturday was the first day I didn't feel super homesick as I had the previous nights which was so awesome and a really good feeling. I mean, I was and am still pretty homesick. Buts it's fading fast. We went to this Thing called TRC which is just us going into the lobby and finding someone to talk to and hopefully get a chance to meet again and have time to teach them a lesson. I'm pretty sure it's all just workers getting paid to pretend to be non members but my teacher says that we should treat everything as if it's real because one day it will be. We got another lesson with a guy named Spencer and it was on Monday. Okay, Sunday. They say that Sunday is the hardest day because it takes the longest and has the most meetings WHICH IS TRUE. There are so many meetings and to top it all off IT WAS FAST Sunday which was honestly the worst part but I fasted for a reason for the first time in a long time which made the hunger ease and my mind was really clear until right before dinner when I got super super hangry and short with my companion. It was bad. But after dinner I was really happy. We saw a cool video of Elder Bednar which I don't think anyone can watch it but it's called character of Christ and it was such a good talk holy crap. I had visible goosebumps all along my body at like 5 different times! I got pretty homesick but after that I was swell. MONDAY! We taught our first TRC which was really cool! It went well and I felt the spirit! My companion and I have some teaching kinks that we need to work out but other than that it was a really fun lesson about God's love for us and I think Spencer (who I am still not sure is a non member or not) really progressed his faith in Christ which was really cool. And that leads us to today (Tuesday) which has been my favorite day haha oops but I feel like after this it will fly by. Any who that's about all I got for you. Overall my stay at the mtc so far has been super hard but super rewarding. It's cool to see a different perspective on things pertaining to the gospel and to just learn.

I love you a lot and I really miss all of your advice. I really miss asking you dumb questions all the time. 

I WANT PEOPLE TO EMAIL ME PLEASE!!

MY ADDRESS IS

jonah.dorrance@myldsmail.net

or

Elder Jonah Martin Dorrance
OCT17  PA-PHIL
2005 N 900 E Unit 218
Provo UT 84602

Thank you for the amazing example you are to me I love you mom! Until next week!

Elder Dorrance

view from the top of the MTC

Jace 

Elder Maynes