April 1

Dear Familia! (Spango wa nigate dese ne :P)

I think I will respond to your writings and then I'll tell how my week went.

First of all, Could I have the addresses of dad's family? I want to start writing them every month and showing my love for them. I want to get to know them and encourage them. That would be great! Thankyou! You could just send those through dear elder and that would be great! also I would like to have Laural Larsen's boise address if I could. Thank you very much!

I love Breeanna haha(she is 4 and when she saw Mitchell sing in conference she ran around hugging everyone and said to her mom,”His mom must be so proud”) (everytime I put haha I think mother now because that's what it is in nihongo). I love hearing about the kids and the family. It makes my days so much brighter so please keep sending me things about that. Singing was a lot of fun :)

Yes! Sister Christensen and I see each other all the time (sorry if my typing is bad it is snowing a humongous snow storm outside and we just got back from the temple and my hands are a little frozen, but on the plus side I got to use my winter gear!). She's actually going to Denmark, but we still see eafch other at meals and stuff. Blake was my blonde headed choir friend from Boise High that I went free running with a lot. I can't remember if he was on my soccer team though...desho.

Whenever you start to miss me just remember how blessed I am to be able to be out here! If it makes you feel better I don't get homesick very easily. I think college and moving around a lot have given me a different view on change and time. This 2 years is really going to go by so fast. I keep thinking (not too long and I'm going to be with my family and friends again...choto hen desu...better get to work!).

I love the blog idea! definitely do it if you would like!

Oh! and I got the easter package! Thank you so much! It may take a while to eat the candy because my doryo gets more junk food from his grandparents than I've seen in any numver of halloween nights, so candy isn't my fondest food right now :P haha. I love the 10 commandments thing by the way! I'll have to figure out how to say that in nihongo!

As for conference, I got so much out of it, and I think the reason is becasue I'm really trying to focus on how to help others. I have goals. It's so helpful. I dind't realize how much parenting is like missionary work. It's insane. Our purpose as missionaries is to help people build a relationship based on revelation with God...parenting is the same! You HELP them come closer to Christ! You don't force them! It's amazing what the Lord can help us to know.

ja chichi, watashi mo omoimasu. nihongo de takusan kaitara motto jozu ni naranakereba narimasen kedo choto muzukashi. email ni yotte Jikan ga arimasen. tabun nihongo de tegami o kakimasu. chichi no nihongo wa yomu koto ga suki desu. chichi wa Arigato gozaimasu yo. Ai shite iru yo

So as for this week, Choir was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leaving the MTC made me feel so ready to go to japan! And we also got 30 Nihonjin with us this monday in the MTC and 30 new kohai this wednesday so our zone is 105 people! That's huge! Talking to the nihonjin senkyoshitachi makes me want to go to Japan so bad! They are so funny and fun and cool and spiritual! We had a testimony meeting that I couldn't really understand, but you could tell how much love they have for the gospel. They are so ready to do this work and will be wonderful senkyoshitachi to tomodachi. There are a bunch of thejm going to Sapporo too so I'm probably going to be companions with them. I try to talk to them everyday and I'm trying my best to understand and have fun with them. Do you know any conversational japanese that's useful chichi? I could use some. asking the same questions over and over can get old :P haha.

So conference was just amazing. Listening and singing. I got so much out of it and was sad when the 10th hour was over. They were amazing talks. ONe thing I noticed, the spirit speaks to our understanding. I think one of my greatest understandings is with mus\ic. That is when I feel the spirit very strongly and desire to change and improve. That happened quite a few times. I have been so spiritually uplifted here and have been trying to develop Christlike attributes. Especially patience. Waiting on the Lord to fulfill his promises without complaning or getting frustrated. It's been so helpful. I love it here!

I love hearing about home, but mostly family. I love my friends and they can send me letters but I love to hear about you during the emails. I have to go now! I love you all! Ja mata ne!

Sotto Choro yori