I am just so grateful to be serving a mission right now, and I have had it confirmed to me many times that God needs me in Japan. This week our Sensei was talking about the Japanese people's mannerisms, and can I just tell you that I think I might be secretly Japanese?! Like, for realz, I might be having an identity crisis, that's how much I think I might be Japanese.
Thank you to all of you who have kept in contact with me! Getting letters and dear elders honestly makes my day, and I love hearing about what is happening in your lives. I only get to write letters one day a week, so if I don't write you back right away, know that I am still thinking about you and praying for you :)
This week my conversion to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon has increased tenfold. I know that it is the most true book on this Earth, and that it doesn't just tell nice stories, it changes lives. Through the Book of Mormon I have received answers to many of my prayers, and I have received a witness for myself that God knows and loves me.
Can I recommend to you all to read Jacob 4? I know you're all very busy, but I promise that if you make the time to make scripture study a priority, the Lord will bless your life. And I know that we could all use as many blessings as we could get!! Just remember that the purpose of life is not only to come unto Christ, but to bring others unto him! Remember the joy that Christ brings us in our time of need. He knows us, and wants us to be happy!! Anytime that we are sad or feeling disheartened, we simply need to ask ourselves, "Is this how God wants me to feel?" I promise that if you recognize those feelings and replace them with how you know he Would want you to feel, you will feel that much more joy and peace in your life.
Sorry for my soap boxes, but also, I'm not sorry at all :) These are the things that are in my kokoro (heart) and I know that they are actions that will bless your lives :)
I finished my first mission journal!!! Which doesn't sound very exciting, but it meant a lot to me!! It just means that the Lord has been blessing me with so much personal revelation and I have this amazing opportunity to immerse myself in learning about his gospel so I can better teach it to others.
Elder Seth Wright is here at the MTC and we get to see eachother everyday since we're on the same floor for our classes! He's district leader and it looks like he's doing great!
Nihongo is coming along, and I'm amazed at how much my life is being blessed by SYL. SYL means Speak your language. Pretty much, if I know the word in Nihongo, I should be saying it all the time. And if I don't know the word, I should look it up. I am seriously learning so much more quickly and the Lord is blessing me for my efforts. Also, you know you're speaking a language kind of well when you tell a joke to one of the Japanese missionaries (who only speaks Japanese) and they for realz laugh hysterically. The great thing about the Japanese is that you know they wouldn't just laugh at my bad Japanese, they would only laugh if they knew I was trying to be funny!!! So pretty much that was my greatest success. Ever.
Sorry this letter doesn't have more fun details about my weeks. It's just, those don't always seem as important, you know? What I can say is that I LOVE my district, and I am so grateful for the lifelong friends I am making here. I say a lot of ridiculous things, but I'm definitely learning how to be less of a spaz.
Ai shite imasu mina san!! (I love you all)
Feist Shimai