こにちは！Family
My last week can you believe it!! The next time you here from me I will be in Japan. Wahoo!! I can’t believe how fast the last two months went. It is so crazy!! I have learned so much here and I have grown so much it is amazing. I sit back and wonder if I have grown this much in two months what will I be like after 18 months? Good question huh? Ok so I will first talk about my flight plans that I got last Friday. I leave on Monday July 16, 2012 and I report to the Travel office at 5 in the morning. My flight leaves from Salt Lake airport at 8:40 and takes me to LAX where I will have about a 4 hour layover. My flight from there leaves at like 1:40 I think and takes me straight to Tokyo. I will arrive in Tokyo at 4:45 on Tuesday July 17. I was bummed to hear that Justin would be gone next week cause I wanted to call him while I was at the airport. But I understand the Marines and how that works. I will send you an e-mail Just so be looking for it. Those are my flight plans. This time next week I will be in Japan and it will actually be Wednesday. Ha-ha
I am glad to hear that the tradition is still alive of Dad getting out his super soaker and running around with the Kids on the 4th. The day here at the MTC was pretty much the same until the evening. There were a lot of people who dressed up in red, white and blue so that was fun to see. But that night we got out of class early and went to a Devotional where there was a speaker, a couple of musical numbers and a parade of flags from around the world. They also allowed us to go outside and watch the fireworks that were happening at the Stadium of Fire. They even told us NOT to return to our residences before the fireworks were over. So it was the one time on our missions where we were able to stay up late. During the day I thought about everyone and wondered what you were doing since what we do change every year. I love my family so much and I love my country. I am proud to be a part of such an amazing family in such an amazing country. Well that was all that we did on Wednesday.
Well after the fireworks my roommates and I packed because on Thursday morning we were being moved from the 2nd floor to the 4th floor. That was interesting changing rooms even though we only had a week ½ left. But now we don’t have to worry about cleaning our room that much since we haven’t lived in it very long and we have some things packed already. So it was kind of nice in a way.
Last Thursday we started doing the Exchanges with the otherしまいたち. So on Thursday morning Belnap shimai came with me to teach one of Stubbs shimai and I investigators and Stubbs shimai went with Simmons Shimai to teach one of theirs. It was a really interesting experience and kind of fun actually. I was able to be with someone new and see how they teach and try to work with them at the last minute. Not many people get this learning experience in the MTC. Saturday I was back with Stubbs shimai and it basically goes every other day I am with Stubbs shimai. At first the idea was hard but I was able to quickly get over it and just find the silver lining in it. I also think that doing the exchange has been helping the other companionship a little bit which is really good. What is sweet is that the Elders in our district say they don’t like the exchanges because they miss who ever isn’t there for class. We have fun elders.
Sunday I became the Coordinating Sister no more. I am really grateful for the opportunity to be a leader and for the chance that it gave me to grow so much. I learned so much and I think through it I became a better missionary. Saying that I am also relieved that it is over. Would I do it again? Yes, I probably would just because I grew so much from it and I think I was able to really help the sisters in the branch but it was also very hard, very frustrating, and very stressful. My heart now goes out to all the Relief Society Presidents in the world. It is a hard job which is why I think people learn so much from it. It is usually through the most difficult experiences in our lives where we grow and learn the most from. At least with a mission that is definitely the case. I am very grateful to Heavenly Father for giving me this experience for the past month and what it did for me.
Last Tuesday we had an amazing devotional from Elder Kikuchi who used to be a member of the Seventy. His talk was seriously one of the best that I have heard here and it was also just amazing to hear from him since he is Japanese and our excitement grew after listening to him. He talked about always making sure we have our own Sacred Grove EVERYDAY for the rest of our lives. When we do that our lives will be more blessed and we will witness the heavens opening up and raining down blessings. He also talked to us about bringing home the most important souvenir which is the Atonement. The Atonement is the most important thing to bring because we will be so close the savior while on our missions and the atonement blesses lives brings more happiness than anything else in the world. I feel so blessed that I was able to hear that talk.
Well I love you family with all my heart and I am really looking forward to being able to call you next week and check up on all of you. You are always in my thoughts and my prayers. Please stay safe and may our Heavenly Father continue to pour out His blessings upon you.
Love,
Mackenzie
