Almost A Month Now!

Hi all!

So this week we got new kohai (new Japanese missionaries) so now I'm basically a veteran...ha! But I really do love them a ton! I just have this inner desire to look out for and help them. I think it comes from my days of being on band council and looking out for freshmen. And despite being basically the same age they all look so much younger to me. Though actually a lot of them are fresh out of high school so maybe that's why.

It's crazy how much my japanese has come in 3 weeks! I go to lessons and then words come out surprisingly freely. Comparing to what I knew 3 weeks ago I never would have expected to learn so much Japanese so fast.

One thing I learned over the past few weeks is that even though you might have a desire to only study or focus on the language, the language really is no the most important thing. Having the spirit and bringing the spirit in a lessons makes so much more of a difference than that much language would. I've learned a lot about why that is so important.

I'm really starting to grow ito loving being a missionary. Understanding more and more about what it means to be a missionary and I love it! Last week we had a lesson and we tried really hard to have the spirit and follow while we prepared the lesson and while we taught. We ended up following it to do a lot of things we wouldn't of thought of without it. It ended up being our best lesson every. I loved it and it reminded me why I'm a missionary and why I'm out here.

Love and miss you all!

Elder Walton

A note from Patrick

Hey all!  I asked Nick if he'd like this and he does, so if you comment on any of his blog posts, I'll forward them to Nick.

Going on 3 weeks!

Hello Everyone!

 

I hope you've been getting my emails now that I realized I should actually push the send button...ha!

 

It's crazy how fast two and a half weeks have flown by! This next wednesday a new batch of Japanese Missionaries (They only come in every 3 weeks) come in so we'll be no longer the "Kohai" or the newest Japanese missionaries and we'll become "Sempai" the second oldest group! The older groups of missionaries always seem like they're 20 or 21 despite the fact that we're all basically the same age. I'm so waku waku! (excited!)

 

The Japanese is actually coming along pretty fast! I'm frequently suprised by what I can say and the sentences that issue forth from my mouth. The gift of tongues is definitely real! But it does take a lot of work. Sometimes I envy the english missionaries a little bit, but I am really grateful that I get this opportunity and it also really helps me focus on the simple important truths rather than bombarding them with the less important.

 

I definitely understand why the brethren make sure the missionaries have P-day. Yesterday I could feel the weariness and some of the stress that had built up over the week and I was just a little plain old cooky. So it's good that today we get to relax so we can work hard the rest of the week.

 

My district is very personal and closely connected. There are some nights where we all just go to bed feeling like our hearts have been stripped away of our walls and are connected. I have a wonderful district.

 

The other day during personal exercise me and another Elder in my district went running around the MTC. At first I was afraid of running barefoot because despite the fact that there's no rules about it, I realize that some people are a bit pharasiacal (like a pharisee) So I always want to be careful that my unorthodox ways don't offend anyone. But I decided I to actually run barefoot again and it was so worth it!! My feet felt so free after being in shoes almost all the time.

 

It's amazing how much more focused you can be and how much you can get done without all the distractions there are out there in the world. I was never able to get so much done so fast at BYU. Thinking about all I've learned in the past few weeks it's amazing.

 

I've especially learned tons about listening and following the spirit. We even had a devotional entirely about it. It was great!

 

I love you all and hope you are doing great!

 

Elder Walton

Week 1: Love the MTC!

Hello Everyone!!!

 

So it's been a week and half here in the MTC, crazy!!! I love how the MTC really focuses you on your purpose. There are so many things I haven't had to think or worry about here and it's so great. The only thing I have to worry about is teaching the gospel....oh and learning Japanese. But that part is actually coming along quite well! In just this week and half I've picked up tonsss of grammer and vocab. I still have a lot more to go, but I've received lots of blessings when it comes to learning Japanese.

 

Sometimes it gets a little stuffy and hot in our classroom with 14 missionaries cramped in a tiny room, but it's great. :) Last night there was rain and lighting and thunder and we enjoyed it so much we just stood outside for 15 min during some free time enjoying how beautiful and wonderful it was. I honestly enjoyed it a lot more than the fireworks haha.

 

I love being surrounded with so many wonderful missionaries with the same purpose as me. I learn so much from all of them.

 

We had a devotional on Tuesday and then after a district devotional review. Apprently almost all the elders in my district are much more weepy than I am, it almost made me feel bad I wasn't haha. But people are different, and that's one thing I love about the gospel. That everyone is different, but to Heavenly Father we are all important and all just as valued.

 

If any of you want to write me some letters or send me something while I'm in the MTC that would be great. I've gotten one from my mission president and one from someone in our Stake I don't know haha! My address is on the blog if you need.

 

But yeah things are going great! Since the temple is closed we have so much time this P-day. Way more than we know what to do with haha. We'll find good uses for it though.

 

Love you all!

 

Walton Choro