First Email from the MTC

Hello Momma, and rest of family! :) Today is the first day that I get to Email! I am having such a good time here! My companion and I are getting along really well, his name is Elder Roetker, he and I are just about the most opposite from each other as we ever could be, but we get along perfectly. We also just ditched my computer, email open, to literally run as fast as we could back to our dorm to grab his address book, so he could remember how to log in. And it doesn't seem to be working for him. haha. :P Our classes are going great, I am learning so much about how it's going to be in the mission field. I must admit, it isn't as bad as I thought being stuck in a class all day but it is hard to pay attention when I could be running around the perimeter of the Provo temple. Elder Roetker (Rhett Kur) and I ran about three miles our first gym day yesterday, it felt so nice. It was weird to be out of the M.T.C....There was a protester that told us all about the preachers in South Carolina, he got on his knees and started praising Jesus really loud...so we ran across the street on a red light. I'm sorry if this email is kind of jumbled and doesn't make much sense, my mind is in 1000 different places. My companion and I are writing talks for this Sunday (our mission President chooses random Elders or Sisters each week to give a talk, so we all have to prepare one) as well as a lesson to teach to our presiding "Investigator" Who is our teacher, Brother Holt. I'm a little bit nervous to teach the lesson. My companion is really gung-ho on teaching, which is really nice because he prepared a lot of the lesson, but I don't feel like I am completely ready. I know this is just practice, and he'll give us notes throughout the lesson so that we can do better. Again, I apologize if none of this makes sense. :)

 Let's go to a new topic..The other Elders in my room. Elder Whitehead and Elder Sherwood. They are the funniest, most amazing young men I've ever met. :) Elder Whitehead is from a small town in Idaho, I told him i'd be moving in with him after our missions. Elder Sherwood is from Ellensburg, Washington. He is kind of the big football player type. He is also the biggest softy I've ever met. He got up and bore...beared...beard? Bored..? Bore us...? Bore us his testimony, and cried the whole time. He is really really nice guy. We have the best time in our dorm. Elder Sherwood kinda treats me like his little brother. He watches over me and takes care of me and pushes me into bushes. just kidding, only once. haha. In my district, there are 10 of us. 4 Sisters and 6 Elders. 3 Elders are going to Louisville Kentucky, and the rest of us are going to the best mission there ever was. Columbia, South Carolina! Momma. Please send me a list of where things are in my luggage. I'm thoroughly confused. And I was curious if I was packed stamps, laundry soap, my multi-tool, envelopes, and some other stuff that I can't think of right now. I will check my email as frequently as I can, but I have to go now! Please write me as well as email me! And, if you want to send me some snacks, like fruit and other things I like, I'd enjoy that! AND MY PILLOW PET.....I need my stitch. :) Tell the family I love them and that I'm having a wonderful time! I love you guys! I am a beautiful person who is the best of luck to you. P.S. Tell Savannah I love and miss her and give her a huge hug for me! Tell Sawyer that I love and miss him and the game. :) Tell Alec that I love and miss him too! 

Cyndi- That afternoon a good sized package was delivered to him. The Post Mart in Provo delivers same day for $2. 

MTC Address 

Elder Joel Preston Barker 

JUL22 SC-COLU 

2011 N 900 E Unit 256 

Provo UT 84602 

Also, He will depart for South Carolina on July 22, 2013