Letter #1 - First week in the MTC

Hola!

Wow. Time seems to be slowing down and at the same time it seems to be going so fast. Life is crazy! We have 16 hour days here, and they are long but they are filled to the brim! Even with 16 hours it doesn't seem like I have enough time to get everything done, but some how it all works out! :) The first day was all over the place like I said. We all just moved from one thing straight to another. I got all my language stuff and they weren't lying when they said it was 10 lbs. 

Right away they started teaching us Spanish by only talking in Spanish. At that point I did not really understand every word but I got the general gist of what she was saying. My teacher's name is Hermana Imbler and she served a mission in Peru a few years ago. She is really nice, and is an awesome teacher! The first day we did lots of orientation stuff and started learning right away! My companion's name is Elder Turner! He is from a small town right by Bear Lake in Idaho. He is a lot like me. He is pretty quiet and he also is striving for exact obedience. So that is awesome! We work well together and are becoming good friends. Funny, he is also gluten free (Mom and Aunt Bethany)! 

I really like my district, and I hope we will become even closer. I almost forgot... there are two other missionaries in my district including Elder Turner that are going to my mission, and then we met our zone and we met even more people who are going! 8 of us total! MTC life is great and I have really felt an increase of the Holy Ghost! 

We have a ton of study time, 6 hours a day, but we fill it up! Spanish is already becoming easier and I can speak okay with what I know. I can pray and bear my testimony so that is muy bueno! The gift of tongues is truly real! 

We taught our first investigator yesterday and I was crazy nervous! I had everything written down, but when we got in there it was amazing! It's not like random words came to mind, but I just remembered things, and I was able to talk with the investigator and understand him.  It was so awesome! I felt the spirit very strongly! My Spanish is improving everyday, and I love it and I am so grateful for the divine help I am receiving. I also have been assigned to be our District Leader. I am very humbled by this and am certainly going to need the Savior's help! We got to meet our branch president and he is awesome! He has already helped so much and I am so thankful for his guidance! I love it here and I can't wait to learn much more! Thank you for all your prayers and support. I know that I am supposed to be here and I am so grateful and humbled by this marvelous opportunity! I love my Savior Jesus Christ, and I am so grateful for His love and atonement. I am so grateful for this gospel, and the difference it has made in my life. I have to go now! I love you all!

Love Elder Erickson​