Mission President's Week!

Konnichiwa Minnasan! this week was pretty awesome theres was a lot that happened and only 25 minutes to share! so this week was the mission presidents week and all of the new mission presidents that are changing came to spend the week here! It was so packed and crowded it was crazy! Not to mension throughout the week every one of the quorum of the 12 and the 1st presidency were here! So anyways lets start on Tuesday! Tuesday was pretty awesome! We had a good devontional about Faith Hope and Charity! Some people think that miracles don't happen because they don't have enough Faith, but all faith is is the belief in God more-or-less, but what people most of the time are missing is the Hope! I know that's something I really need to work on! Hope is the belief that god will keep his promises to you and if you don't have that belief then more likely God will wait for you to believe that he will do what he promises before he does it! And of course Charity is the Love of Christ and we should love all men like He does and that is all very important, but the Hope really stuck out to me this time I'm not sure what it was about it, but it was cool! So the Enter Key doesn't work so I'm just going to keep chugging through without entering! Wednesday, I've been thinking a ton about the Stake President's Setting apart prayer for me and I've been thinking about how to be more Humble. I didn't have a major expierience with this one, but I just figured that I needed to work on this one cause I am one of the worst at being Humble. So yeah, me and my companion came up with a goal together that we would meet all of the "weird" people in our Zone and come up with 5 positive things about them and spend time talking to them and getting to know them! I'm not exactly sure how this ties in with Humility, but we figured it out during companionship study and it works out. I think this will help us with our Humility! Thursday, Thursday is TRC day! Woohoo! We got to teach the whole lesson in Japanese for the first time! I was so excited!!! English is a horrible language and Japanese is awesome! So I was super excited to teach in Japanese! And my Companion (Elder Shaw) Did such a good job too! He is trying so hard and the Spirit is really teaching him how to use this language! I'm so proud of him! But yes, the TRC was amazing! I recited the First Vision in Japanese and did it smoothly.. the only problem was that we didn't really teach to their needs, but the only thing on our minds was to get through the lesson smoothly so we gotta work on it for this thursday! I'm excited! Friday, Elder Oaks talked to us in a Special Devotional! It wsa pretty awesome! He talked about 3 things we as a religon have that no other church has. 1 fullness of doctrine, 2 power of the priesthood, 3 a unique testimony of Jesus Christ! It was overall a simple talk with very simple stuff, but it was still a good reminder! At the devotional there was Elders Nelson, Oaks, Scott, Holland, Bednar, Cook, Christofferson, and Anderson! Awesome!!! Saturday, we were so devestated!!! Our district got the opportunity to shake hands with Elder Ballard! And the only reason we were not there was because Shaw choro was signing up for a haircut (which he never got...) Devestated! but ohh well, it's really cool though cause the general authority just walk around here! Sunday! Important day! I got to serve the sacrament with 20 other people, serving 500+ people in the audience and it was so cool! The closest thing to Adamondionmon (sp?) ever! It was so cool! The first presidency and 10 of the 12 were also in a sacrament meeting with the missions presidency and the prophet spoke to them for a hour or so, too bad we werent there but they were here at the MTC, so that was a cool thought! also the Fireside! One of the coolest firesides EVER! so we got to see the world Premeir of Mormon.org 4.0!!! Coolest thing ever! It's pretty much like a Mormon Facebook, but Wow, the new advertisements and the new slogan and stuff is so cool! Everyone needs to go make a profile! The internet was created for the spreading of the gospel, you know that right?? And it's going to happen! Coolest fireside ever! I thought I was going to fall asleep in it but wow was I wrong! Then Monday, I kinda already talked about this already, but the Humility goal we created today and then We are getting New people either today but especially tomorrow! So I'm excited for them! I think we are getting someone from Netherlands in our district and from Italy so that should be fun! Our district is definitely the most diverse out of anyones! I love it! My district is so knit together! I love them all! And my testimony is growing stronger and stronger each day! Every step you make towards coming closer or becoming more like Christ, the more you have a testimony of the Higher Laws of this World and How the world REALLY works in the eyes of Him rather then the eyes of Man, so anyways! I've got like 30 seconds left, so I'll talk to you next week! Sayonara! Aishitemasu! Sorry for the "No Enter Button"!!!

Sempai are gone...sabishii...

Good Morning/Night/Afternoon Everyone! MTC is still awesome! I'm still doing great! So my week this week was pretty good I'll start with Tuesday.

Tuesday last week we went to the temple for the last time for 5 weeks! I'm way upset about that, but the temple is going to be closed for some good reason I'm sure, but last week for my temple visit My good friend Haraguchi Choro brought a family name to the temple so that he could get it done! It was his grandpa's name that he had! We talked to the temple people about getting it done that day since that was his last day at the temple here in Provo, so I helped him out with the communication with the temple workers and we got his grandpa baptized, confirmed, initiatory'd, and then finally did the endownment session! It was so awesome, and the temple people were so friendly and helpful! I felt pretty awesome too, just knowing that I helped Haraguchi choro help his grandpa! So that was great! Then the Devotional for that night was Bro. Hallstrom from the presidency of the quorum of the seventy and he talked about being a convenant people. We are all convenant keepers and we should be that way all our lives. Any promise we make with God or our fellow man we should be a covenant keeper. Something that I got out of the talk, that he didn't really mension at all, was that in order to know what the spirit feels like you need to know yourself. Cause the spirit and your own thoughts are most of the time really hard to tell the difference, but if you know yourself and your thoughts down to the pinpoint then it will be easier to tell when the spirit is talking to you or when you are just thinking...So that's something that I've been meaning to work on while I'm here.

Wednesday, Not much happened, me and Elder Shaw and the whole district, I guess, is trying to memorize the 1st vision in Japanese and I think I've got it memorized by right now! Umm...the Sempai (Older group) are leaving soon so we will be able to concentrate better! They were awesome, but they were really distracting...haha, we are all sad that they are gone now, and I'm especially sad that the Nihonjin are gone!

Thursday, we taught at the TRC (Teaching Resource Center) we taught our last english lesson on the plan of salvation. Now it's all going to be Japanese teaching from now on, which I'm stoked for!!!

Friday, friday was a great day cause I got to give a blessing to one of the sisters in our district. She had a pretty bad fall the night before and was going to go to the on campus doctor and she wanted to get a blessing before she went, so me and Elder Shaw gave her one. One thing I learned from the expirence is to be prepared! Of course we are in the MTC and EVERYONE has some oil, but we just so happened to not have any and it made me think a little bit about how we need to be prepared at all times! So after the blessing we went to the bookstore strait away and got some oil and blessed it so now we are prepared! But the blessing was great too!

Saturday, 1 month aniversery!!! Woo! Yeah that's pretty much it. And me and Elder Shaw planned a lesson on virtue for Sunday!

Sunday was great as always! We got to watch the Japanese Regional Conference and it had footage of the MTC and our Japanese district! It was all about getting more Japanese missionaries, and all of our Nihonjin are famous in Japan now! So I know some famous people! haha...Too bad I wasnt in the footage but all the same I was right there when they were talking footage of it! We also said a bunch of Goodbyes that day and took pictures of everyone! The Sempai and the Nihonjin we all took pictures and stuff, so I got a bunch of pictures of that but I cant really post them cause I dont have anything to do it with...We also had a fireside on Remembrance and how remembering the promises we made in the past can give us comfort for the future. When times seem rough just remember! And for all of you that know Mendoza Choro, I saw him on Sunday and talked with him a little bit! He's doing great! Russian is a ridiculous language in my opinion, but he's loving it! haha...

Monday we had our LGM on Faith and how faith is the key to a higher law. We talked about how miracles arn't really as weird and bizzare as we think them to be. Miracles are just the natural laws of God taking thier course! It was an interesting lesson as is always! I love the MTC and all the advantages it has! We can really grow stronger in teaching people as well as our own testimonies here. I know I have grown so much from coming here! The Japanese language wasn't hard to begin with but I can really tell how much the spirit helps! I have been memorizing stuff like its nothing and words just start to come to me! Its amazing here! Minnasan Aishiteimasu! I with see you all later! Sorry about any misspellings...

Tuesday June 8th to Monday June 14th

Ohaio Gozaimasu! Hey everybody!!!! Hope everyone is doing grand! Cause I am! so yeah this week has been so cool! I love every single week of the MTC and this one was no exception. We are all coming up on our 4th week of being here, so we are now some of the oldest ones here, besides all the other asian languages. Asian languages stay for 12, Latin languages stay for 9 and the English ones stay for 3...so yeah anyways on with today!

Tuesday was great! We had Robert D Hales and his wife come and talk to us! What he talked about was awesome! He talked about a bunch of different things but mainly he talked about how everyone on this earth has the light of Christ and what it is there for is so that people will come unto Baptism. thats the whole point. He also talked about how when we are going about looking for people to teach we need to have the gift of discernment in order to see those people that have the light shining in them already. We need to be obedient in order to have the Spirit in order to have the gift of discernment so that we can tell who the elect of God are. Since we are all the children of light everybody has at least a little light. he also talked about how if we let the darkness in for even just a minute, then that gives Satan the opportunity to take over, and he will! So don't let even a little bit of darkness in because He will fill it! Everytime we bear testimony of something it brings in the light, and there can't be darkness if there is light! But yeah his talk was way cool!

Wednesday, we got a new teacher today cause our old one left back home to Seattle. It was sad that he left, but our new teacher is awesome! He is Bro. Porter from the Shadow Mountain ward...we met his younger brother during the priesthood session, remember that Paps? Yeah, but he's way cool. Also on Wed, I talked a bit more with Ashimine and Haraguchi choro! They are the coolest people you'll ever meet! They were teaching us all how to say "What's up!" and they told us that we say "Weis!"
or "Os!" haha...so we all say that to them everytime we see them! And they cheerfully reply back!

Thursday, this is our TRC day where we get tested on how were are doing. We taught the Plan of Salvation this time and it was legit! I think we did a good job. We dont have to teach in Japanese yet, but in 2 weeks, so I'm excited! Ohh and the Japanese Hymn, "Waiting for the Reapers" has been stuck in my head all week! It's such and awesome song though! If you haven't heard it, then get on it!

Friday, Service day! Just service...It's great! Today I was also talking with some of the other Nihonjin chorotachi and they were talking about the World Cup a little bit, and it reminded me of Japan that one summer, when the World Cup was going on. I hope Japan wins!!! Or even comes close...haha, that would be cool too!

Saturday, Today I memorized the Purpose in Japanese! It's pretty awesome! Senkyoshi no Mokuteki...yeah, I love Japanese and the mission. I also had a prayer answered today, so I just want to let you all know that God does answer prayers! I always say a prayer after the temple on P-days and so last Tuesday I asked for something and I got and answer on Saturday, so that was just amazing!

Sunday, in priesthood we talked about feeling the spirit and how you are suppose to know when the spirit is guiding you, and we talked about how if man can come up with something like fiberoptics that send billions of bytes of information without any wires, then how much better do you think God can do, sending each individual person revelation! It's bizzare to think about, but seriously if Man can make somehting like that, then I have no doubt that God can send us information much better! I also translated in sacrament meeting today, it was awesome! Japanese people are the greatest! They speak faster then anyone can understand, but me! hehe...jk, stay humble...but yeah, The fireside on sunday was so good too! We talked about how God works with every single one of his children on this earth! He is working with everyone and we are helping Him bring back his elect! He talked about the parable of the wild/tame olive trees, and realted it to us and it was amazing!

Monday, was the LGM and I loved it yet again! The teacher for LGM is the bomb! He talked about how bringing people to church is how you really get people converted! Cause it requires so much faith for them to come, and even if church members are feeling weird and what not, They will feel the spirit! We also talked about how to go about inviting and bringing people to church! It was such a good lesson! There is a scripure that says Do all you can and then God will step in...somehting along those lines, but it was so cool! also the Shepards pie at lunch was delicious! I ate 2 and just about exploded...so thats good. Yeah I have like 30 seconds left, so thank you all for the letters of encouragement, and ect! Thanks for sending me letters Mom! Sounds like you guys had a blast in Hawaii! I'm sorry you got bit, but I'll write everyone while I'm doing laundry today! Thanks again! Aishitemasu!

Week ?...Maybe 3?

What's up everyone!? How's life? I'm doing so great! The MTC is a wonderful place! So I wrote this out on paper before actually going to the computer this time so it's not all wish wash. btw...i cant change the computers to dvorak so I'm probably going to make a bunch of mistakes when I'm typing....just lettin you know I'm not retarded. So on Tuesday of last week when I emailed there was a devotional that touched my heart. It was about how we must learn about God and all that he is. The way we do that is through prayer! He went into how prayer was so vital to the world! We communicate with the creator through a simple act of praying. And along with that, when we want an answer from the Lord, we need to wait on the Lord's time table. If we have faith in his timing and love Him, nothing can go wrong. I've totally seen that here! I have been trying to have faith in his timing and it has really worked! I have had answers to prayers here and I just love it!

So Wednesday I tryed talking to the Nihonjin and I'm not sure if I talked to them or not, obviously by now I have, but I'm not sure if I did then. Nothing exciting happened on Wed. but I am now realizing that God answers prayers through the scriptures! I have had some really cool findings from them.

Thursday. Thursday is the TRC day. It's when we go to the training center to see if we've done good on our practicing throughout the week. We contacted in Japanese and then taught the Restoration in English. I also saw James Ronnow today! I also met Ashimine and Haraguchi choro! They are so awesome! It's really hard to talk to the Nihonjin cause my comp doesnt know japanese and they are always grouped together! But they are awesome! They are way good at English too!

Friday is our service day and we go to the other residence hall and clean their bathrooms. It's not too bad and it's service, so its good for us! Friday was just a regular day though.

Saturday we went to the Teaching Evaluation (TE) and we taught the Restoration lesson to Bro Mortenson. He is definatley the best! He speaks mongolian and english, but yeah, we taught in English. But the TE is so useful! We can practise teaching lessons and stuff! It's just an awesome place to be!

sunday is always a great day here! It was fast sunjday so we fasted together as a district and it was amazing! Then during testimony meeting the Nihonjin got up to bear their testimonies and I was just so full of the spirit! No one could understand them from our districts, but their testimonies were amazing! I was actually translation the japanese testimonies of everyone for the wives of the branch presidency! That was way fun. I got to translate for them and I might get to translate again sometime. Also Sunday night there is always a fireside and we had a really cool one. The people that wrote "our saviors love" and "press forward saints" and other hymns came and talked to us. So it was like all composers and they were all like 85+ years old...haha...we could barely hear them speaking, but they had amazing amount of energy! but yeah their talks were just great! We all sang Press forward saints and the end and it was amazing! I also had to ask Jay sensei if I'm going to Japan early or not and he said he'd tell me by monday.

Monday is always awestriking! The LGM we have is just always so awesome! It inspires me to do so much good! I also got a letter form Brittany, Natalie, Mckenzie & Colman! Thank you guys so much! It means a lot! I'm gon to write back today! So later on in the night, we had Jesus Time with Jay Sensei, and it was just amazing! We talked about the Miracle with Jarius and the unclean woman, so go read it cause its good! I really can't believe how awesome the teachers are here! It's amazing! So I also found out about the whole Japan thing. I was told not to get my hopes up, and expect 12 weeks, but they are gonig to try really hard! So either way, whatever happens I'm on the Lords time table right now, and he'll make it happen when it needs to happen. Hope everyone is doing great! Write me from dear elder cause its so much easier...haha but either way works! Thanks for all the support! Minna aishitemasu! Bye bye!

PS Papi, if you could send me an SD to USB cable, then I might be able to post some pictures. Obviously when you get back from Hawaii that is. And I also met Sis Davis, she taold me she know aya and cory...so tell them she says hi!

PSS. Yes the comments worked! Thanks Natalie! I can actually read your kanji this time! haha!

Week 2

What's up!!! I'm doing so awesome here at the MTC! It's been so cool! So last Wednesday I went to the temple and it was amazing! I love the temple! So every Tuesday we go to a session of the temple, and I get to go again in an hour or so...I'm so excited! So Tuesdays are my P-days and we just do laundry and go to the temple pretty much, but then every other day is exactly the same! Every day meshes together here, so I can't ever remember what day I did what! Let's see...well we had one day when Elder Christofferson came for a fireside and talked to us, and his wife did too. It's pretty awesome, on Tueday nights we always have a devotional and then on Sunday nights we have a fireside, and they are so great! We sing like 5 opening songs and it just gets everybody pumped up for the talks! They usually are really good though! Every monday we have a Large group meeting and this week we talked about how the whole purpose of missionary work is to baptize, and there are no excuses. If we don't baptize then why are we even going out to the field. He also chasitzed all and any of us that say that "since we're going to Japan, your not going to get very many baptisums", and he was totally right! The total missionary baptisums for 1999 was 300 thousand for that year, and Gordon B. Hinckly specifically said that we should be doubleing that number, and the way to do it was to know that you can do it. The reason some people think that you can't baptize in certain countries is because of doubt and the father of all lies is the one that puts that in our heads. So no matter where you go, you should be baptizing. There is no such thing as a non-baptizing mission! So for any of you that have been saying that, please cease your abominations!

Any ways...12 minutes left. K, well on every other day of the week we pretty much have class all the time. Actually yesterday the nihonjin got here! That was way exciting! I haven't talked to any of them yet, but our district was the first one to see them arrive, so we got to shake their hands before anyone! Muahaha! But yeah, I hope we get some time to talk to them and what not. But yeah, so I can't really post pictures because the computers here dont have sd card drives, so I'm not going to be able to send any pictures to anyone until I actually get to Japan, or I find an inside source. But my district is the best and we have heaps of fun together! Our teachers are the best! We have a half japanese in my district that we call chisai choro, and there is an Australian that we call Koala choro...they are awesome! then we have Ceadar City choro who is wicked good at basketball! We are also the only district with Sisters, so we by far have the most diverse group out of our zone. One of the sisters is from Tahiti too. So yeah, overall I'm doing great! I love it here! Our district gets along like ridiculously...I dunno how it even happened, but its crazy how well we get along! I'm so loving it here! It's almsot like a eutopian society...almost! haha, besides the fact that we are all humans, its probably pretty close to a eutopian society here!

So to finish off I'd just like to point out that if you want to talk to me, then Dear Elder is the best way to do it. I also need Kaydee Rodgers address, and anyone else that I need to write. If you can get it, I'd also like Natalie's address! Anyway, you can just post them in a comment here on the blog, and I'll be able to read them. Sorry, I've got 4 minutes left and the light is blinking red like crazy so I need to get off like right now! Anyways, yes, Dear Elder, and those addresses. And To parents: Sorry I can't email you today, I've got 2 minutes left. So This message is for you too! K gotta go, Sayonnara!