The First Week

This first week up here in Salt Lake has been pretty busy, but ever so awesome.

After having a short fireside and saying goodbye to my family, I was thrown headfirst into training. The mission instituted a new training program for the new missionaries a few years back, and that's what I've been in for the week. It goes on till Tuesday, and then I get my first permanent companion. Monday afternoon I got my training companion for the course of the training week, to help us get used to staying with a second person for everything. My comp is from Blackfoot, Idaho. He's actually served for 6 months already in Wyoming in a proselyting mission, so there is some experience there.

So far there have already been four occasions with the mission president! The night of our first day here, we had a Book of Mormon class taught by him in a stained glass chapel. He is a very passionate teacher, almost reminding me of a baptist bible preacher. After the class I was pretty convinced that he has the entire standard works memorized, and that is still what I think. Another occasion was on Tuesday night when we all went over to his house for dinner. He lives in the same house that Joseph Fielding Smith lived in, and where Bruce R. Mcconkie wrote most of his books. The other two occasions were my first interview with him, and a instruction lecture as part of our training.

As part of our training they have been thoroughly evaluating and instructing us in family search. I'm proud to report that I've been passing with flying colors right off the bat. Friday we actually had a full day of straight family history training. However, we did get a fun break to watch two legacy movies. Even though the mission is pretty small, they still manage to have 17 zones crammed in there, and since we're the biggest batch of new missionaries to come through they're going to have to add some more. One of the zones is actually the vault. It is one of the most secretive, and hardest zone in the mission. They have to be out the door at 7 and go up into ensign peak and move film and artifacts around all day. However, seeing the inside of it would actually be really cool. We also took the WOWI test which determines aptitude for certain workplaces, of which I got helping with family history best, research middle, and machine physical labor last.

We actually have an exercise program put on by the mission with all the missionaries together, usually consisting of some cardio, power, and then a sport or game. We do that three times a week, and study four times a week. So far it's been, Frisbee baseball, dodge-ball, and ultimate Frisbee. We actually go to the Salt lake Temple once a month for two months, and then a different temple for the third. The first different temple is actually going to be the Manti temple, with the Manti pageant! Tonight we have the Priesthood Restoration Commemoration event which we get to be a part of, with free dinner. We're all really excited for that. My comp and I are actually boarding with the Trainer missionaries, who are basically district leaders for the training zone, so that's pretty cool. I hope everything is going well back home, and wish everyone the best of luck for the week!

-Elder Hall