Konnichiwa Mina San! (hello everyone)I figured I would spell it out in romanji so you could pronounce my Japanese words. So week 5... I am over half way done at the MTC! only 4 more weeks until I go to Japan!!! Which I cannot wait for but am terrified about becuase I don't know enough Japanese!Okay so anyhow every P-Day we have a thing called TRC. I'm not sure what it stands for but you just teach a member or volunteer (or plural) in your mission language for like an hour or so. It is always interesting because it feels so much more real than the other mock investigator lessons you teach. I like it actually feeling real, and also that since it is a member, you don't have to try and convert them, but rather just discuss the gospel in Japanese which is great because so much of the pressure is taken off it seems.
Anyhow Sunday the Jackson sisters performed some trio number at the devotional and I can say that Andrew I am so glad things did not work out with you and whats-her-bucket. You can do so much better than that. Speaking of which who is this female I have heard mention of recently? eh Andrew?
The other day in class we had an interesting moment. Since Taylor Sensei is out of town this week, we have had all kinds of substitute senseis, many of which are Nihonjin (native japanese) so we all went around introducing ourselves in Japanese, our names, what mission we're going to , our family, where we are from, and what we like to do. After Sorensen Choro gave his introduction in his broken Japanese, our nihonjin sensei said "Sorensen" in an effort to clarify his name, to which Sorensen Choro responded with "He can say his Rs, it's a miracle" quite racistly. Everyone had some very awkward giggles and it was very silent after that...
Mom you'll be so proud of me (I hope) so my gray pants (which are my only washable pair of pants) were borderline too short, so I decided that if I took the cuffs of of my pants, it would make them the proper length by adding an inch or so to the length. I was successful in my endeavor and was able to unpick the cuffs and stitch my pants back together so they now are wonderful and the proper length. As I was ironing the cuffs out so you couldn't see where they were before I altered them, I got all sorts of strange looks from people who thought I was ironing my suit pants, to which I told them not to fear, and that my pants were in fact safe to iron.
So I sometimes get a feeling of depression, loneliness, or self-doubt, often in fact. It's the universal beginning of satan's temptation, trying to convince us that we are not capable of doing the right thing successfully, or that we aren't good enough. In times like that I have to do something fun. I have to force myself to put "Sunshine in my Heart" and carry on. It is not easy, but one thing that I learned from all of my experiences in Ensemble and the school musicals is that you can't be sad while you sing and dance. Fortunately for everyone at the MTC I have not resorted to that option... yet hahaha. But what I have been doing is looking up funny or interesting words in Japanese to make things a little lighter. My favorite word I have found so far in Japanese is CHINDONYA. it literally means, musical sandwich man. I have no idea what that is, but I sure hope I run into one in Japan! none of our senseis even know what it is!
This week I was able to host the new misisonaries including Michael Driggs, Stephen and Josh Pinnock, it was so great to see them and I think it was beneficial to the families to be leaving their missionary in my capable hands... hahaha but really it was an awesome experience and just so great to see all these people at the beginning of such an incredible journey, and realize that I have already been gone for a month! which somedays seems like it's been 5 years and others 6 days so it all depends. As I got Dad's letter about hiking the Pfiefferhorn (sp?) it made me think of what I was doing on my mission and how it relates to hiking. So when we go hiking, we choose a destination, pack our bags, get a group together and set our on the trail. We know the trail will be long, and that no matter how soon we may want the hike to be over, we have to follow the trail to get there, and the trail is a set length, nothing we can do will make the trail shorter than it is. Also while hiking, the more in shape we are, the easier it is to complete the hike, and the less difficulty we will have (less "cramps" hahaha Dad) So anyway the same is true with missionary work. I have a destination, Kobe Japan. I've packed my bags, and I've got my companion and set out "on the trail". This trail happens to be two years long, and no matter how much I may want it to be shorter, it doesn't change in length. I know that I will be able to complete this hike the easiest if I obey all the rules and "stay on the trail". Now this trail is difficult, exhausting at times even, but nevertheless stopping on the side of the trail to mope or complain about its difficulty, does not allow me to make any progress on the hike. Now the better in "spiritual shape" we are, the easier and happier we will be along the trail! If I had never gone on a hike before and decided to climb Mt. Olympus, I would have an extremely difficult time, but to a veteran hiker, it becomes an enjoyable, and not a dreaded activity. Similarly, if I had never read The Book of Mormon before and decided to serve my mission, I would have a miserable time, luckily, I was in proper spiritual shape to take on this difficulty of a hike. Now with a hike, everyone focuses on the destination, everyone does the hike so that they can see the view at the top of the mountain, however, if we only enjoy the journey once it is complete, we are not enjoying the journey. Hiking is a miserable activity if you don't enjoy your time on the trail, so enjoy it! Look around and appreciate where I am, what I'm doing and look how far I've come. I'm sorry that turned into like a total sacrament talk right there but I just found it very profound and applicable.
I hope everything is great at home! Eliza and William thank you for your letters! And Rebecca thank you too! Caroline I'm still waiting to hear from you! I'm shocked that you can't read the Japanese characters from my last email... Kids Camp sounded like....fun.... and Youth Conference sounded like a smashing success! Mom and Eliza thank you for not dying. (of course Mom would make Eliza canoe with Matt Kaelbaer... hubba hubba) Abby did you get my letter I sent you?! I love and miss you all!
Love,
Jonathan, Elder Pace
Anyhow Sunday the Jackson sisters performed some trio number at the devotional and I can say that Andrew I am so glad things did not work out with you and whats-her-bucket. You can do so much better than that. Speaking of which who is this female I have heard mention of recently? eh Andrew?
The other day in class we had an interesting moment. Since Taylor Sensei is out of town this week, we have had all kinds of substitute senseis, many of which are Nihonjin (native japanese) so we all went around introducing ourselves in Japanese, our names, what mission we're going to , our family, where we are from, and what we like to do. After Sorensen Choro gave his introduction in his broken Japanese, our nihonjin sensei said "Sorensen" in an effort to clarify his name, to which Sorensen Choro responded with "He can say his Rs, it's a miracle" quite racistly. Everyone had some very awkward giggles and it was very silent after that...
Mom you'll be so proud of me (I hope) so my gray pants (which are my only washable pair of pants) were borderline too short, so I decided that if I took the cuffs of of my pants, it would make them the proper length by adding an inch or so to the length. I was successful in my endeavor and was able to unpick the cuffs and stitch my pants back together so they now are wonderful and the proper length. As I was ironing the cuffs out so you couldn't see where they were before I altered them, I got all sorts of strange looks from people who thought I was ironing my suit pants, to which I told them not to fear, and that my pants were in fact safe to iron.
So I sometimes get a feeling of depression, loneliness, or self-doubt, often in fact. It's the universal beginning of satan's temptation, trying to convince us that we are not capable of doing the right thing successfully, or that we aren't good enough. In times like that I have to do something fun. I have to force myself to put "Sunshine in my Heart" and carry on. It is not easy, but one thing that I learned from all of my experiences in Ensemble and the school musicals is that you can't be sad while you sing and dance. Fortunately for everyone at the MTC I have not resorted to that option... yet hahaha. But what I have been doing is looking up funny or interesting words in Japanese to make things a little lighter. My favorite word I have found so far in Japanese is CHINDONYA. it literally means, musical sandwich man. I have no idea what that is, but I sure hope I run into one in Japan! none of our senseis even know what it is!
This week I was able to host the new misisonaries including Michael Driggs, Stephen and Josh Pinnock, it was so great to see them and I think it was beneficial to the families to be leaving their missionary in my capable hands... hahaha but really it was an awesome experience and just so great to see all these people at the beginning of such an incredible journey, and realize that I have already been gone for a month! which somedays seems like it's been 5 years and others 6 days so it all depends. As I got Dad's letter about hiking the Pfiefferhorn (sp?) it made me think of what I was doing on my mission and how it relates to hiking. So when we go hiking, we choose a destination, pack our bags, get a group together and set our on the trail. We know the trail will be long, and that no matter how soon we may want the hike to be over, we have to follow the trail to get there, and the trail is a set length, nothing we can do will make the trail shorter than it is. Also while hiking, the more in shape we are, the easier it is to complete the hike, and the less difficulty we will have (less "cramps" hahaha Dad) So anyway the same is true with missionary work. I have a destination, Kobe Japan. I've packed my bags, and I've got my companion and set out "on the trail". This trail happens to be two years long, and no matter how much I may want it to be shorter, it doesn't change in length. I know that I will be able to complete this hike the easiest if I obey all the rules and "stay on the trail". Now this trail is difficult, exhausting at times even, but nevertheless stopping on the side of the trail to mope or complain about its difficulty, does not allow me to make any progress on the hike. Now the better in "spiritual shape" we are, the easier and happier we will be along the trail! If I had never gone on a hike before and decided to climb Mt. Olympus, I would have an extremely difficult time, but to a veteran hiker, it becomes an enjoyable, and not a dreaded activity. Similarly, if I had never read The Book of Mormon before and decided to serve my mission, I would have a miserable time, luckily, I was in proper spiritual shape to take on this difficulty of a hike. Now with a hike, everyone focuses on the destination, everyone does the hike so that they can see the view at the top of the mountain, however, if we only enjoy the journey once it is complete, we are not enjoying the journey. Hiking is a miserable activity if you don't enjoy your time on the trail, so enjoy it! Look around and appreciate where I am, what I'm doing and look how far I've come. I'm sorry that turned into like a total sacrament talk right there but I just found it very profound and applicable.
I hope everything is great at home! Eliza and William thank you for your letters! And Rebecca thank you too! Caroline I'm still waiting to hear from you! I'm shocked that you can't read the Japanese characters from my last email... Kids Camp sounded like....fun.... and Youth Conference sounded like a smashing success! Mom and Eliza thank you for not dying. (of course Mom would make Eliza canoe with Matt Kaelbaer... hubba hubba) Abby did you get my letter I sent you?! I love and miss you all!
Love,
Jonathan, Elder Pace
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