One Week In...

Hey mom! I'm finally just about a week in... I get to use the myldsmail service at least while i'm in the MTC here, and probably once I get down to the DR, but there's a good chance I won't get to once I'm really in the field. I just got your letter yesterday and it was awesome! haha I finally understand what it's like to be a missionary getting mail.> So today is my P-day and I got to go to the temple for the first time withmy district, it was pretty sweet. It's kinda funny though, because apparently there is a rule that to every large meeting, to the temple, and starting next monday for the fall dress code, Elders have to wear full suits with jackets.... Just like the other Dominican Missionaries, I've only got one haha so I really do look the same every day, but it's all good.> As of right now I'm pretty sure that I fly out for the DR on October 15th, so I'm really hoping I'll get to see Amanda the first night she's here. I've seen Nicki Martino like everyday, so I'm sure I'll be able to run into Manda while she's here... My schedule is super packed! I go to class right after I get up, then go to breakfast, then back to class until lunch, and then back to class until dinner and then luckily I get to go back for another three hours after dinner. It's like a total of 10 hours a day in the same classroom, but it's starting to grow on me a little bit.> My spanish is coming along... slowly, but surely. I can bear my testimony and pray with a little confidence now and I'm learning how to go through the points of the first and second lessons. I got to go to the Referral Center yesterday where we take calls from people that saw commercials and call people who were supposed to recieve things in the mail like DVD's or something and had an incredible experience. This lady was telling me about her neighbor that was sick in bed and the spirit opened up to her a little and she decided that it would be wonderful to have the missionaries come over with an uplifting message and a Book of Mormon... and to see if they could help get her friend to the hospital... so we'll see what happens haha but it felt really good.> Well I've gotta go, but I hope to hear from you soon, and the way it works is that I'm allowed 30 minutes on the computer during P-day to e-mail you guys, so I won't be able to read and write very many or very long messages. So I'd love to get an e-mail back, but letters are great too.
I love you
Elder Joel Cornwell