February 9, 2010

Dear Family,
This week had a lot of spiritual experience. I think I forgot to mention this but within two hours of arriving at the MTC we got to hear from Elder Holland who just walked into our meeting and then sat up on the stand and said some closing words. I also forgot to tell you last week that the Nihonjin came. They are the natives. It was really exciting when we got to try and talk with them. I could understand a pleasant 10 percent maybe. I am content with my language learning though. It's not discouraging to me. The toughest thing is just focusing. I've seen the Lord's hand in my life this last week. I've made a lot of progress and had a lot of questions answered.

So one thing that I’ve learned, which should solve a family problem is how to pronounce sodoku. Each "o" makes and "oh" sound. Someone might owe someone else money now. So what happened with the FIB stock? Did those meetings go well? How's the family wide exercising going? I'd like to let everyone know that an Elder walked into my room this week and commented on how perfect my feet were. I didn't even say anything. He said it all on this own. It sucks that you have been getting that much snow. I'm sure it will clear up soon and then snow again right after that. Is the Nissan doing well? I should have brought a coat. I don't have anything to wear on P-days. It’s freezing while I'm waiting in line for food (it's outside.) Can you send me a catalog for a Japanese CTR ring? I think I’d really like that. Or you can just pick out the coolest one. It'd be crazy if they had one like that one I had before I lost it. Like I said in my other letter, Mr. Macs is a good place. I don't know if I said this but congrats on getting money to work mom. I'm proud of you. I hope work is going well.

I wonder if it was like this when you were here Dad but the Korean missionaries are like oppressed. They aren't allowed to talk in anything but the most polite form and they can't say certain things to us and they get in trouble if they use Romanized writing. They are our only friends really. Japanese and Korean missionaries seem to stick together. Our whole Japanese Zone sits together at every meal. We are part of a club or something. We also get special seats at firesides. It seems that going to Japan runs in families. I'm glad grandpa went because I'd feel left out otherwise. Everyone that is here had a really close relative go to Japan. I was talking to someone at the temple and his three sons all went. Most of the Elders in my district had a brother or other relative serve in Japan.

Katie, thank you so much for the letter. I love them. I love your drawings. Your story about Ryan was pretty funny too. My Sundays are good. They are long though and I wish we could focus on spiritual things. They don't assign talks but every member of the zone has to prepare a talk in Japanese and we are called on at random to give them. So it's stressful in the mornings because we find out the topics in the mornings. I feel like we should be focusing on spiritual, doctrinal stuff instead of language stuff. Fast Sundays are ridiculous. Dinner has all 2,500 missionaries in there. Other than that, every Sunday has all three meals. If you send more food, send Sunchips and chewy granola bars. Also what's the verdict on that BYU-I devotional testimony?

Not a lot of good stories this week. I'll work on it. Most of the things I think are funny probably aren't funny to people that haven't been in the same three buildings every day for the last month. My testimony has grown a lot. I now know that the more exact we are with our prayers the more exact we will receive blessings. If we had to say general things in our prayers then we will get general blessings. So be specific in your prayers and I can promise that you will see a change. I hope everyone has a great week. I love letters. Tell grandma and Grandpa Hooton that I am rooming with Elder Curtis.
I love you all.
Tyler.