WEEK 7 UPDATE

So, I'm going to start off by saying that the computer I'm currently using is acting up, so today's letter might have problems. Hopefully not though.

Ok, well, what do I say? This week, I studied. And taught. and ate food. And played four square. or wait... was that last week? I don't know anymore. The weeks all kind of feel the same here. Bleh. I kinda just want to be in Japan right now, but I know that there is no way that I'd be able to speak to anyway with any hope that they'd understand me.

But hey, actually, I did do something fun. On Friday of last week, my roommates Wood長老, Malcolm長老, and Webber長老 and I had an えいご だんじき! That means English Fast. We went a whole day without speaking English. It was really fun actually. But super hard too. I learned a lot though. One of the main things that I learned was that I can actually speak Japanese. Mikkola長老 is always saying that to me. He says "You can speak Japanese. I know it." Even when I feel really bad about my Japanese skills. But it’s really coming. We had 32 kohai come in last Wednesday, and I've really been able to help them, and I've realized how much Japanese I've already learned. I memorized the first vision in Japanese, and that was awesome.

So I guess that yesterday, National Geographic was doing some sort of thing on the MTC, and they stopped by the Japanese branch. They went into Egbert長老's classroom, so we didn't see them, but look for that. I wonder what it was about...

Oh! I remember one of dad's questions. It was about like, how can the young men best prepare for a mission or something. I have to say, mission prep really helped me. I learned so much there. Getting used to teaching in English has really helped me start teaching in Japanese. So I would definitely suggest that. Also, get scripture study habits and prayer habits now, because that's a good 95% of what you do in the MTC. Study and pray. I've been trying to say all my prayers in Japanese, and I've really been improving I think. Anyway, I would definitely suggest those things, because if they have that head start, they'll be able to effectively use their time here in the MTC. also, memorize the first vision and some scripture mastery, or at least know where they are, because they've really helped Webber長老 and I while we teach. If they end up getting called to a foreign language mission, my biggest advice would be to stay calm and relaxed. The biggest shock was when I got to my classroom the first day and Evans Shimai spoke nothing but Japanese. It's still pretty much like that, but there is some English sometimes. I guess that just goes for everyone. Don't freak out. You might not be good enough. I definitely am not good enough. But it's important that this is the Lord's work, and if you bring all that you have, and give it the best you can, the Lord will do miracles through you.

AHHH I miss my friends so much. I'll have like a weeks opportunity to see Andrew, but then I'm off to Japan. I wish that I could just hang out with them all again, but I know I'm where I'm supposed to be.

bleh, I really don't remember anything that I wanted to tell you. Izak's dad sent me some of Izak's blog in a dear elder. That was nice. And then Mom put some on a dear elder too! So I got a double dose. What is his address in Mexico? It didn't show up right in that dear elder. Lots of question marks because it didn't support the characters.

Anyway, short one today. want some Japanese? here you go.　わたし わ かぞく と ともだち を 愛 して ます！(I love my family and friends)

Anyway, sorry for the relatively short one today. Tell everyone I love them and tell my friends to write me, haha. Hmm. I think I wrote a whole letter without really saying anything funny or sarcastic or anything. Weird. Oh well, I'm too lazy to add anymore into it. So this is good enough. Except for this....

SMILEY FACE ATTACK GOOOOOOO!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:DD:D:D:D:DD:D :):):):):):):):):) O____o o____O ^____^ >___< :3 :3 :] :] :S :S :S c: c: :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) X_____X <---- me after making all these smileys. This attack was for you, Long a u rong e nong.