10/3/12 - From DJ: 

I'm not dead Yet. just always busy. my first day I got here, got my little packet of stuff (including nametag), dropped my luggage off in my new room and went to my classroom. An hour after I arrived, Class was in session and we were learning spanish.  it's been non stop ever since.  I can't cover everything that happened this week(feels like a month) since I only get 30 minutes of e-mail time (and I spent 10 minutes of it reading your e-mails) but it's been crazy.  up at 6:30am, get to the classroom by 7 for personal study, and one thing after another until 9:30 pm (with meals in there somewhere).  on Wednesday night (a week ago now) as a workshop we did our first meeting with investigators. basically this was we had an investigator in the room. a pair of elders would start off then about half way through we would all work as a giant companionship (of about 40 or so Elders). I talked with the last guy we had after we were done.  He was really a nonmember and he had been a scoutmaster for 13 years at one point. we (and a few other elders) got talking but he seemed to single me out. whether this was because I was a bit older than these other missionaries or because of my 7 years as a scout leader I'm not sure.  but we seemed to have a general connection.

My first companion was Elder Rice.  I'd send a picture but My camera is back in my room at the moment so that will have to wait. normally MTC companionships last the length of your time at the MTC unless theres a reason to split them up. well Elder Rice took a Language evaluation and was bumped up to the next higher class. meaning he was transfered. different district, different branch, different residence even.  so I was put into a triple companionship with my other 2 roommates Elder Dow and Elder Lehikainen (pronounced LeKain, it's finnish) and we've been a triple for about 2 days now.  it's going well overall.

my branch presidency is awesome.  President Wilkins (the Branch President) reminds me alot of Art Bingham.  the personalities are almost Identicle and it doesn't help that he's a tall skinny guy as well.  the first councelor I don't know very well yet, but I love our second councelor Bro Monson.  President Monson is his uncle.  He's also Crazy like our family is if not worse :) .  I'll have to save talking about them more til later, I'm down to my last few minutes.

Down to 1:20 left. I do see Elder Jordon Hill from time to time.  we don't have any time to spend together. his class is a floor down from mine.  his p-day is tomorrow.

gotta run,

-Elder David (DJ) Hill