Last P-Day at the MTC!

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

It honestly doesn't feel real that this time next week we'll actually be in Japan. See below for what my new mailing address will be! It's the same for letters and packages. Also, my next P-Day won't be for a week and a half because it will change to a Monday once I get there, so don't worry when you don't get an email next week.

1-7-7 Kichijoji Higashi-cho

Musashino-shi, Tokyo

180-0002

Japan

Spiritual Stuff:

One thing that was mentioned in last night's devotional was a quote by President Ballard (I think) that went something like this: "Teach not to be understood, but teach so that you cannot be misunderstood." I had actually heard that quote before over and over from my Writing 150 professor, but I had only thought about it in the context of research paper writing, and never in the context of teaching. I think I am definitely guilty of speaking/writing/teaching to be understood instead of to not be misunderstood, especially when it comes to sharing the gospel. As missionaries, we want so badly to share the joy we've found and blessings we've received with other people that in our excitement we share more information than is able to be absorbbed, remembered, and sometimes even understood. However, I think the past 8 1/2 weeks have really helped me see the other perspective, to see what those I will be interacting with and teaching will think and how they'll feel. I can't wait to start actually hearing about ehir perspective in person!

Daily Life/Fun Stories:

We got our travel plans last friday, and next Monday we report to the travel office bright and early at 3:45am. From there, we travel to Salt  LA and then straight to Tokyo!

Last week during lunch one of the 後輩 (kouhai= underclassmen but used in more contexts) discovered that his chicken tenders were literally raw. As in, full-on pink. Later that day he started to not feel good and was up almost all night. Once everything was out of his system he was fine, but it was apparently rough going for a while.

I love Yamashita姉妹. We were doing English practice with her because she doesn't speak much at all, and when we asked what "seisan" meant, she knew it meant sacrament. When we asked what "seisankai" (sacrament meeting) meant, her immediate response was "SACRAMENT PARTY!!" We just about died laughing.

During class last week, we had a "story time" where the 日本人 (nihonjin= japanese people) told us stories in 日本語 (nihongo= japanese) and we tried to understand as much as possible. Yamashita姉妹 told a story about a dream she once had where she woke up on a bed of salad and a family of pigs was surrounding her with forks and knives in hand, about to eat her. She realized that it was a dream and tried closing her eyes and opening them again, but it didn't work. She tried again, and she woke up with her head on the lap of a zombie, who happened to be a sister from her ward. Olson姉妹 and I were literally dying with laughter because she'd already told the story and we were now getting more out of it, but the other 長老たち were so lost. It was hilarious.

We've started teaching a new 求道者 (kyuudousha= investigator) and it's the funniest thing because he's been taught and is still being taught by two other 長老たち (chouroutachi= elders). When he was only being taught by them, we didn't know that we would start teaching him as well so he didn't pay much attention to us and spoke perfect English to someone. The first day we were supposed to teach him, He came up the the front desk and asked what room he was in with a very thick, obviously fake Japanese accent. We struggled so hard not to burst out laughing because he isn't supposed to speak English to us but he had to at the front desk, made even funnier by the fact that because we already knew he spoke perfect English, it was obviously fake.

Two of our three teachers left on vacation a couple days ago and we don't get to see them again before we leave. It's really sad because we've seen them for about 8 1/2 weeks straight, but they sent us off with lots of encouragement and crazy stories, such as the time on of my teachers got a referral and the address was an insane asylum. As in, the person they were supposed to teach was a resident. Which nobody had known beforehand, somehow.

This past Sunday Olson姉妹 and I went with Yamashita姉妹 to the 日本語 (nihongo= japanese) Sunday film, which happened to be Finding Faith through Jesus Christ (or something like that). It was made in 2002, so not only was it pretty cheesy, dramatic, and low quality, it was also in 日本語 which sounded hilariously similar to anime. There were some moments that were pretty good, and it was awesome when we understood things, but unfortunately we spent almost the whole thing trying not to laugh because they sounded llike anime characters. We felt pretty bad, but it was a lot of fun.

Over the past week, our district has gotten even closer, which we really didn't think was possible, but they really feel like siblings to us now. What makes it sad is that everyone in our district is going to Tokyo South except for Kartchner長老 (And Yamashita姉妹), who is going to Sapporo. It's going to be a rough goodbye, especially for his companions.

About the Pictures:

• It was so hard to say goodbye to Pettit兄弟 and Fernelius姉妹 (who became Kenley姉妹 a few weeks ago but it's too hard to switch).
• My district plus the 日本人 (nihonjin= japanese people). We took at least 10 pictures and in not a single one is everybody looking good.
• Finally got this picture that was taken about 3 weeks ago, before some 先輩 (senpai= upperclassmen but used in more contexts) left and new 後輩 (kouhai= underclassmen but used in more contexts) came in. There are far too many things happening in this picture and I love it.
• The Tokyo South mission! Yes, we get all of Tokyo, the temple, and half of Mt. Fuji, along with other cities, suburbs, and rice paddies.

• Eating our sack lunches today.
• Last week's skyping member TRC! We talked to a grandma which was so fun.