In the field!

Joel entered the mission field on Tuesday of this week.  We are anxiously awaiting his first letter! Yesterday we received a nice letter from his mission president along with a few pictures.  That was a very fun surprise!  He was very complimentary about Joel and his willingness, worthiness and readiness to serve.  "He is well and in high spirits."  That did my heart good!  His companion is an Elder Bennett but he didn't tell us where they are serving.  We wondered about his first Sunday in the field today...what ward, how he liked it and just everything about being in the field.  We really can't wait for that letter!  The mission president sent along guidelines for all those of us who will be writing to Joel.  I am including it here as a refresher for myself and for anyone else who might need to read it.  

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Family Letters: A weekly letter from home is vital to a missionary’s adjustment and provides incentive for him/her to write home weekly. The letters should be full of encouragement and the assurance of your love and support. Please do not share any word of problems at home because it can hinder missionary success.
Regular mail is important, but too much can hurt the work. Passionate letters from girlfriends or boyfriends are not appropriate.

If you email your missionary weekly it is to be a letter and not an opportunity for online chatting. A maximum of ninety minute internet usage is allowed for missionaries on preparation day to email family, friends, priesthood leaders and new converts, to view the two approved web sites and to read emails from friends and family.

Send all hard copy mail and/or packages to the mission office with your missionary’s full name above the mission name. The full name is important as there are many duplicate surnames. Please share this with others who may write to your missionary.
Elder John Doe/Sister Susan Smith
Utah Salt Lake City South Mission
8060 South 615 East
Sandy, Utah 84070

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It is interesting to note that the mission home in Sandy is actually part of a Stake Center.  Thus the picture in the gym.  Here are the pictures sent from his mission president...President Chambers