Week 1: I'm a Missionary Now!

Hey Family and friends!!!

It is so good to finally be able to write you! We're only allowed to
write on our Preparation days, even hand written letters, so sorry it's
taken so long for me to get this out. So now you know, my p-day is
Monday. I get to check my mail everyday (I do it 2-3 times a day lol)
so don't hesitate to write. I now understand why missionaries love
mail so much! So I have been in the MTC for 5 days now and there's a
saying here that the days drag on but the weeks fly by, which is
definitely true! I've been told as long as you make it to the first
Sunday you're set, so I guess I made it!!!

I really love it here though! I'm in zone 6 and district A. There
are 9 missionaries total in my district. Four of us are going to
Boise and the other five are headed to Riverside, California.
The days are so full of different activities.

My MTC District

Everyday I have to be up at 6:30, this has not gotten easier as the
days go on but I hope it does within 2 years lol. We have breakfast
all together and then we have classroom time which is where our
teachers teach us. We are so lucky to have Brother Williams and
Brother Volmar as our teachers. They are amazing teachers.

My companion is Elder Nelson, he went to BYU and I had seen him
around before. We get along great and are good friends. He's
from Houston. Our District Leader is also going to Boise and
went to BYU too, I had never seen him before but he's a great
missionary. I've seen about 6 other guys I know from BYU here,
it's awesome. Elder Nelson and I have been doing push ups every
night us a deck of cards and going through and doing the suit and
number of the card. Its been around 200- 300 push ups depending on your
luck so I'm getting good at push ups lol.

My MTC Companion Elder Nelson

Buddies from my BYU Ward who are at the MTC at the same time

Our district is on the floor below us and we are one floor above us in a
all Spanish speaking hall. That was a funny surprise when I first
checked in. lol What happened was that 3 elders who are suppose to
be going to Australia haven't received their visas yet and are stranded
here at the MTC til they get them, so I think they're gonna be in our
hall the whole time here because it doesn't look very promising for
those elders. There is also a very heightened flu watch on the MTC
right now. There's hand sanitizers on every single wall and currently
there's several elders on quarantine because they either have the
swine flu, type a flu or are feeling sick. There are four cases of swine
flu here and seven Type A flu which can also be swine they just need 
to do more tests. So I really hope I don't get sick!
Knock on wood for me! lol

Some Elders from my MTC District....Boise here we come!

Sorry I have to write one big letter for everyone right now, I don't
know many e-mail addresses and I only have 30 minutes
to write. But thank you so much for your letters! They
really are so helpful and brighten my day. If you haven't
heard, my mailbox number is #233 so put that on the
letters and I'll get them much faster. I'm so glad to be
here and be a missionary!

Mom- I'm so glad you made it home safe! Thank so much
for flying out here with me. I miss you a lot, but I really
like it here too! lol I'm glad you found the car in one piece still.
I got to go to the temple today and Elder Nelson and I did
initiatories. That was cool to get to do those again.

Provo Temple

Dad- Thank you so much for all of your support! I really
miss you all and look forward to getting a letter from you.
It's great here and I hope you guys are having a blast up
at Bear Lake. Drive safe and give all the family my love,
especially Caleb, I miss that little crazy kid so much!

Broha- thanks so much for the letter! It was awesome to
get to hear from you! Have fun up in Bear Lake and enjoy
your time there with the family! The MTC is great, really
hard work but I love it! Really hope you choose to serve a
mission, you will be so blessed. Too bad about the
Nuggets, I heard they lost 4-2 in the series. love you

Barron- thanks so much for your letter. I did get to
see Elder Hutchins when we first got to the MTC, he's
going to Portland, Oregon. I am writing down every
thought I have and writing in my journal every night.

Grandma P- thank you so much for coming to Utah
with me. I loved it and I love you!

Thank you all so much for everything! This week has been
so spiritual and I wish I could share more but I'm a slow
writer and only have a few seconds left on this clicking
clock so I got to go!!! Love you all so much and thanks for
all your prayers!

Pre-MTC hike early one morning up "Y" Mountain with my Mother

-Elder Johnson

Email address: Tyler.G.Johnson.IBM@myldsmail.net