February 3, 2010

Well I was happy to receive your letter and know of dads new calling!! Thats so cool! Things are going great with my campanion, we're getting along really well, and things are just going great in general. The Language is a BEAST, but I'm confident that with the lords help I'll be able to learn the language. They gave us a ton of books at the beginning like grammar books, and stuff like that. I probably received over 100 dollars worth of books easily. One grammar book was about $60 alone. Haha. Its crazy. Well our senpai, or the missionaries who came in before us are leaving in about 2 weeks, and we'll move from being Kohais, to being Senpais! I don't feel ready though. Haha. I'm trying to SYL, (Speak Your Language) and its been pretty good. I'm starting to get my Spanish mixed up with my Japanese. I have a friend going Spanish speaking and I was practicing in Spanish with him, and I started saying some Japanese instead of Spanish. haha. I can't really carry on conversations or anything, but when it comes to bearing my testimony, and contacting people, I can semi get along. This week at the TRC we're going to need to talk to the investigator for like 15 minutes in Japanese. I'm a little nervous, but I've prepared a lot, and I'm going to prepare more. I've still got some time. We're teaching the 2nd discussion this week, and there is a lot of material in it! Holy cow! Plan of salvation! I really love studying preach my gospel. Its an amazing book!
So my nihonjin (Japanese) roommates are some of the nicest people. I absolutely love them. One of them speaks some English, and he is so nice, and so easy to love. Last night I told them I loved them in Japanese, and it lead to me and my Doryo (Companion) saying we love a lot of things. Ai Shiteimasu! (I love you) Nihongo o ai shiteimasu! (I love Japanese) Fukuin o ai shiteimasu! (I love the gospel). Haha. And the one would keep saying 'Me Too!' in English. It was really funny. Before we did this I could tell that Thayne Choro was having a hard time. It sounded and looked like he was crying so I was trying to cheer him up. I think it worked. Haha.

So did Jack Bauer die?!?! Is he still alive?! What happened!?!?

Well I'm able to read the characters pretty well. We ALWAYS sing in Japanese, and never sing in English. Except for at the devotionals. The devotionals have been pretty cool. David F. Evans came and talked to us, and one thing he said that was pretty cool was that As missionaries, we are authorized to promise spiritual blessings. I thought that was pretty cool. I just hope I can be close enough to the spirit to be able to promise the blessings that will benefit others.

Steven E. Snow also came and talked to us, and I guess is in the missionary program or something, and he had all of the Senior missionaries stand up, and i think there was one couple that this was their 4th or 5th mission to the Lord. The speaker then told us that Senior Missionaries are able to do so much, and he told us "Elders, prepare your parents for missions. They're needed". I thought that was pretty cool, and it kind of made me think about what it would be like if your guys served a mission. I know it would happen for a little while, but I think that would be cool. Dad you always talk about how much you enjoyed your mission, even with your companions, and imagine serving with your eternal Companion. I think that is one thing I hope to be able to do. To serve the Lord with my eternal companion. Maybe even go back to Japan! That would be cool.

Well I've got like a minute left, so I better go. If some of this doesn't make sense I'm sorry. I love you guys. And yes Mom I miss you. I'm grateful for all you've done for me over the years. Ai Shiteimasu. I love you.