Konichiiwa kazoku to tomodachi!

So it was another spectacular week here at the MTC. Demo (but) first, a couple of shoutouts...

Thank you to Darci for the Dear Elder package the day before Thanksgiving! The pumpkin bread was a delight! And thank you to Trev for the Christmas card! I have the cutest niece and nephew EVER. 

So first I will tell you about Thanksgiving. It was so much FUN. They had a completely different special schedule for that day. So first we got to hear from Russell M Nelson of the Quorum of the 12. He and his wife spoke. He talked mostly just about missionary stuff. It was a pretty good talk. Then we had some time to ourselves to write letters/thank you notes. Then we had our Thanksgiving lunch because that way the employees of the MTC could have Thanksgiving dinner with their kazoku. So the lunch was actually delicious! They had turkey and stuffing and yams and green beans and all of the traditional Thanksgiving fixings. They even had pumpkin pie! And my doryo's family sent her some homemade cranberry relish the day before and she was super nice to share with the whole district! I have the sweetest doryo!

Soshite (then) after lunch we packed our dinner that we would have for that night. Then my district just sat around and watched Mormon messages for about an hour and then walked up to the temple. (Sidenote: The weather on Thanksgiving was suuuuuuper nice). My district just sat up there and talked for like an hour. Then our district leader had the idea to pray as a district about all of the things we are grateful for. So he said the prayer, at the temple grounds with no other districts around, and that honestly was my favorite part of Thanksgiving. It was a really special moment. The spirit was so strong there. Gotta love the temple. 

So after that we went back to campus and listened to the head of humanitarian service for the church speak about the service project that we were going to be apart of. We basically just made dry lentil casserole mixes for families that don't have enough money for food. It was pretty fun. Then we ate our sack dinner, then we had a fun little assembly that the Nallys (MTC president and his wife) (AKA Pres Priday's sister) planned and conducted. There was a funny little skit and lots of singing. We even got to sing "Over the River and Through the Woods." It was fun. Then every senkyoshi at the MTC got together and we watched Ephraim's Rescue. It's a movie about the rescue of the Willy handcart company (I think that's what the company was called) Overall it was a really good movie. And overall it was a super fun Thanksgiving. :)

So some other things that have happened this week is my doryo and I were called to be Sister Training Leaders. It's basically like Zone Leaders but we are in charge of the sisters in our zone. That happened Sunday. We basically interview the sisters each week to see how they're doing and we help do orientation for the new sisters that arrive in our zone. I seriously love the sisters in our zone. Though, last night we did our first interviews and it was choto hen (a little weird) because most of the sisters here are older than me. But it's definitely not weird enough to affect our relationships. But still, choto hen. 

Also I've been sick since Saturday. I just have a nasty cold. Don't worry mom, I promise I've been taking my airborne. Germs just got the best of me. I've been skipping some classes and devotionals to rest. And yesterday I went to the health clinic to see what the doc could do for me. He just told me to go to the health clinic off campus to buy some Sudafed. So we did that and ever since I've been taking that I've been feeling loads better. Plus I got a priesthood blessing kino (yesterday) from a couple of chorotachi in our district. That combination has left me feeling much better today. Gotta love the priesthood! 

So here's something I've learned this week. I've been working really hard to do my best in speaking Nihongo and loving my doryo as best as I can. But this week no matter how hard I try I seemed to keep falling just a little bit short. And I would feel it teaching lessons to our progressing investigators as well. And I would pray for Heavenly Father's help. And I knew He was helping but it was hard to see. So I expressed this frustration to the STL (sister training leader) that interviewed me right before I got called and she advised me to pray to have the Atonement work through my life. And as soon as I've started to do that I can feel a difference. I can personally and physically see the affects that the Atonement is having in my life. My relationship with my doryo is getting better, I'm catching up to the language a little bit more, and I am gaining a ton of insights through my kojin benkyo (personal study). And it makes sense why it's working. This is the Lord's work that I'm doing. He has asked just us mere humans to be his hands. Without the Atonement of Jesus Christ I know I can't accomplish much, but with it I can accomplish anything He asks me to. No matter how hard or frustrating it may be. I know the Lord asks a lot of His saints. But through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and with faith in Him we can accomplish anything. I know that to be true. I know there is no way I am able to understand this language that is a pain in the butt (she says affectionately) without His help. And even though feelings of inadequacy come often they are quickly pushed away because of my faith in my Savior. I'm grateful for His Atonement and the personal application it has in my life.

I love you all and I hope you all have a fantastic week.

Kono kyokai wa shinjitsu da to shitemasu! 

Ai shitemasu!

Aulick Shimai