Dear Mom and Dad,
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...
... ok, I feel better now.
I can't believe I'm here! I feel so good!!!!!!!!!!!
We showed up last night and ate some miso soup in the air port with President
Evans and the APs. I forgot how delicious it was! Then we rode a densha back
into main Sapporo and I was so beat. Everyone was. I was feeling a little lost
and confused, but that has all gone away today. I feel so inpired and excited
right now. We are on a 12 week program called rthe Alma O. Taylor program to
help us build our skills, and we got our new companions! I'm with Elder Davis
from somewhere I can't remember in Utah. It's a small place, but he been here a
year and so far he's awesome! We'll go out dendo-ing soon but they wanted us to
send an email to make sure you know how we're doing.
So how am I doing. Well, I don't
think I've ever been more excited in my life! I'm ready to go out and lose
myself in the work. I'm ready to make friends and teach them the restored
gospel of Jesus Christ. i'm ready for them to receive the full blessings of the
Atonement through baptism and all of the doctrine of Christ. I'm so excited and
I haven't even met anyone yet!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm stationed right in Sapporo in an
interesting mission. There are several areas in Sapporo to dendo and you
usually stay in your area, but my companion and I are able to go into all the
areas. We literally have the whole entire area of Sapporo to dendo in rather
than just a small area. I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did I mention that before? :P
The MTC was a wonderful experience,
but being in my actual mission with an actual name tag specific to my mission
and seeing the people i am called to love and serve for the next two years has
really brought a love, joy, and excitement that the MTC didn't possess. I am
about to fulfill my calling as a servant of the Lord and I can't wait. The
langauge barrier doesn't even scare me anymore! It will be tough, but I will
get it with the help of my companion, the people, and most importantly the
Lord. I'm staying in an apartment with a Japanese Elder from the MTC
named Asai Choro and I'm so excited. We had a great time sitting next to each
other on the way to the airport. We were teaching each other how to say phrases
and things because we both speak a little of each others native language. I was
showing him all the different temples on the way to the airport as well. I'm so
excited to be serving with him. I've made great friends with lots of other
Nihonjin Senkyoshi as well. Nanjo Shimai and I get along well (she speaks
really good english so I ask her most of my Japanese questions). I loooooooooooooooooooveeeeeeeeeee
Nihonjin!!!!!!!!!!!!...*sigh*...that was a good sigh :P I can't even begin to
describe the joy I feel in the anticipation of fulfilling this wonderful
calling from the Lord. I've never been more happy. Never. I'm sure I'll continue
to say that as I actually get out and help people feel the Spirit and they
become converted to the Lord, but the anticipation alone brings me more joy
than I can describe. It's so wonderful. Thank you so much for the support you
have given me and for raising me good and tall :P I feel so much support from
everyone, but most especially the Lord. This is His greatest work, and this
truly is His Gospel. I know that for a fact and I will testify of my Savior for
as long as I live. I'm so excited to help people feel what I have felt and know
to be true. Thank you so much for all that you have done and still do. I
love you all
sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
much!!!!!!!!!
Though I know you're my parents, you
don't ever have to worry about me here. The Lord is truly guiding my path and
will protect me. I am his servant. President and Sister Evans are wonderful and
many other people are here to help us as well (Brother and Sister Ross are a
couple missionary working in the Mission Home with us). I just am so happy :)
and I don't know what more to say. Tell everyone I love them and let them know
that the Lord lives. And I testify of that in His sacred name, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
P.S. This is the mission home
address to which all things must be mailed:
Elder Mitchell Sotto
The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints
Japan Sapporo Mission
Kita 2 Jo Nishi 24 Chome 1-25
Chuo Ku, Sapporo-Shi, Hokkaido, 064
Japan
Also, I got Yakinuku for lunch today
and about died because it is sooooooo delicious!!!!!! Honto ni! I don't know
why I ever worried about the food! I forgot how much I loved it! Love you! Bye!
~Sotto Choro yori
