Time here is like time in Idaho--it flows at a very different pace than what I'm used to. SYL is going well, I think. Things really are looking up with our investigator, Hotta-san, but I think that yesterday was our last time to meet with him. My companion is from Oahu, Hawaii, and went to BYU-Hawaii for three semesters. We also room with two other shimai-- Sister Christensen and Sister Bryson. We enjoy each others' company. Class is going super fast. Haha! It's funny, actually. We spend 11 hours in our classroom, but only 10 (maybe) hours in our residence hall each day. On a more serious note, I would really like to share some experiences that I've had this week, one day at a time. I'll just take some excerpts from my journal, if that's ok.
Wednesday: I really didn't write a journal for this day... I should have, but when you have an absolute lights out time, you run out of time really fast, and that day, I really ran out of time. But, I'll tell you what happened. 12:30 dropped off by Alexis, and got everything, materials, books, suitcases, and everything what and where I needed, and there was a welcome devotional, and all sorts of stuff that day. It was really crazy. but just in that one day, I learned so much. Thursday:"Words cannot describe my feelings. Nor tongue express my love for the MTC... We have such a great spirit with us. I have not felt too overwhelmed..."...My vocabulary is expanding fast. I love it." When talking about vocabulary, I mean Japanese, or Nihongo. Wow--that's how I describe how quickly we're learning Nihongo--just, wow. Friday:"Todd-sensei... sugoi desu (amazing). Today, for coaching, he had us, as a district, teach him a lesson, not with him playing the role of an investigator, but as himself--Todd-sensei..." I won't tell you exactly what happened, but will tell you that what happened has carved itself into my heart, and it will be something I remember very clearly for a long time."Also, this morning, Hurlbut Shimai (Sister Hurlbut, my companion) and I met Hotta-san, our investigator. He was nice, and only spoke Nihongo (japanese). We were trying so hard to communicate, demo (but) our bad Nihongo got in the way. It became a barrier... "...Todd-sensei asked us later, "How was it?".. Then he told us an important thing--Nihongo is a tool we need to use, it is not a wall... our district is amazing. Aishiteimasu (I love them)." Saturday: "I have been given an amazing district. Aishiteimasu. Totemo Aishiteimasu...".. God has been so good to me. Even.. when I don't deserve it." Sunday:"Guess today was a little not on par with what I should/want to be. But, I can honestly say that somethings I learned today... make sense just a bit more." Monday:"How do I describe a day that began as another day at the MTC, but by the end, I was given such an amazing and totally overwhelming experience that has rendered me speechless?"That's what happened when we taught Hotta-san tonight." Again, forgive me, but because of how special this experience was, I would really like it to be something I talk about in person, not in a mass email. :) I'm sure you understand. Tuesday: "Long day desu. Wow.So, quick story: I'd been stressing all day about teaching again..."I'm going to word this a bit different than in my journal, so it makes sense. There are 10 of us in our district. Four shimai (sisters) and six choro (elders). I had a lot of stress about it, because after such an amazing experience yesterday, I worried about what was going to happen when we taught him today sort of thing. It must have been very apparent that I was totally stressed out about it, because one of the choro in my district came over, and said, "Blake-shimai, Let me show you something." He opened his scriptures to Matthew 10:19-20. I will forever be grateful for the chorotachi in our district. This was exactly what I needed to hear. The lesson was amazing, and went very well with Hotta-san, just as the day before had been. Wednesday:"Mo ganbatte! I need to try harder. Today was our last day teaching Hotta-san, I think. Which makes me so sad... 2 Nephi 31--Mokuteki--purpose."Seriously, the missionary purpose is in that chapter all over the place. It was so powerful when we read it in class together. (By the way, when I say district and class, just know that they are the exact same thing, as far as the MTC goes.) Today, we started out the day in the best way possible, by going to the temple. We get to do that on P-day (preparation day), which is so great. Right now, I'm doing email while waiting for my laundry to go. Mina-san, Aishiteimasu!--Sister Blake Comments are closed.
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January 2019
Sister Blake
"You are hereby called to serve in the Japan Tokyo South Mission." Categories |