Elder Ian Wilkinson: First week, only 103 left!!!!! (just kidding)

Holy cow I've already been in the DR for a week! There is so much to talk about, and so much stuff has happened so far, so I'll try to say it all.

First of all, it is very hot and VERY humid. Like, Missouri was humid, so I'm used to that, but here it's like incredibly hot and at least 90% humidity all the time. Luckily, the MTC is air conditioned, but every time you walk outside it is a shock. Also, it's not even the summer soooooooo, yeah. It's the rainy season. So it's rained like 3 or 4 days this week already. Going outside after it's done raining is the best feeling in the world, or at least comparatively. It's probably still like 75 and muggy in like USA weather, but here it feels like heaven.

MTC. So, in Utah, the MTC (missionary training center) can hold hundreds of missionaries. Here, we have 42. Only 42. It's crazy how close I already feel to everyone here because I know literally everybody in the building. There are two districts of "older" missionaries who have been here for two weeks, and then us, about 25ish new missionaries. Every couple of weeks new groups come in and the older groups leave. It's pretty tight.

Food. The food here is actually freaking good. Every morning we have something different, like pancakes or banana bread and cereal. For lunch we ALWAYS have two types of meat and two types of rice. It is so much food, but my appetite has grown a ton since being here, and I eat everything I get. For dinner we have something small like meat kebabs or something similar. Lunch here is the big meal and so I've kind of grown used to not eating too much at dinner.

Classes. Hooooly cannoli. Let me just give you a sample schedule. Wake up at 6:30, eat breakfast. Two hours of scripture and lesson study (in Spanish) then three hours of teacher led Spanish classes, then lunch. After lunch, three more hours of language study, and then an hour for gym time. Dinner, and then three hours of teaching a "progressing investigator" (who is just one of our teachers), prayer meeting, and then bed. We speak zero English on class. We teach our investigator completely in Spanish. I've been here for 7 days. I took four years of French in high school. It's freaking hilarious. Let me just tell you though that learning the language here is completely due to faith and my studying. Like, they talk about the gift of tongues all the time, and I can testify that that is absolutely true and evident in my life. We pray, testify, teach in Spanish, and even though I don't know a lot, I probably know more than I would from any amount of Spanish classes in high school. All in all, the way that they teach and have us work is very very effective. I think this is the best place in the world to learn a language, and I'm very thankful for the opportunity.

The study material we were given.

During free time, we play ultimate frisbee in a parking lot for the temple, haha. It's very sketchy, but like the most fun I've had in a long time. Everyone is super chill and fun to play with, and OBVIOUSLY I'm the best one here, so I just dominate whenever I play.

The way the MTC is set up is awesome. Right across the way is the temple. Like it's kind of like a gated compound with the temple and the MTC right in the middle. It's really fantastic. I'm really glad that we aren't right in the middle of the city, because it is crazy!!!! There are stray dogs running around, everyone drives like an idiot, and there are massive apartment complexes like everywhere. It's very refreshing to be in a peaceful place and be able to focus on serving the Lord as much as possible.

My companion is named Elder Suamataia, and he is a boss. He's from California, and he is one of the nicest most honest guys here. We get along really well, and we have a lot of weaknesses we help each other with. He knows a bit more Spanish than I do, so he helps me with that. And I'm a little more focused in our lessons and planning so that makes it easier, haha.

In general, I am loving being here in the DR. Honestly, I haven't had a lot of time to be homesick, but now that I am writing this I am feeling like I miss home a little bit. I love everyone back home, I hope you all have an amazing week! I will continue to do the Lord's work, so please support me and write me, it's awesome to hear from all of you!!!

-Elder Wilkinson