Second week of MTC

Hi Everyone!

I hope everything is going great!

Wow I have been at the MTC for 10 days now.  That's crazy!  When I think that my last temple session was 1 week ago the time just has seemed to fly.  The weeks at the MTC go by fast, but the days are super long.  To tell you the truth the entire week seems like on big long day, that's good and bad.

Before you start to look for pictures I can't seem to find how to do it on the MTC computers so sorry for the lack of pictures once again.  The MTC computers have a really weird setup that limits what you can do on the computer (reasonable enough considering).

I have been getting your letters through Dear Elder so don't worry about that.  It is so nice that you guys are writing me constatly, so please don't stop.  The packages however seem a little out of hand.  No offense, but I literally cannot find the time to eat the stuff that you send me.  I can't eat it in the cafeteria, I can't eat it in class, I can't eat in the computer lab, I can't eat it on the temple walks that we have.  You get the picture.  So with all politeness, limit what food you send me.  I just want more pictures to be honest, and a backpack because carrying around all my stuff at the MTC is crazy.  I don't know if I told you last week but the amount of books that they give to the Japanese missionaries is insane.  If I want to get my luggage to be under 50 pounds I need to find some stuff to get rid of fast.  I literally have 20 different books that they gave to me because I am a Japanese missionary.

Anyways it seems that life is as normal at home.  Dad is being drizen slowly insane by sprinklers, Mom is working on the camper while the entire neighbourhood is wondering what the heck she is doing, Elizabeth is rocking out with her friends and is getting ready for the party life this summer, the normal stuff. 

 I hope that I can learn this language, it might cost me my sanity though (I am not joking either).  Tell everyone that I love all the letters that they send me.  They really do make my day when I have time to read them.

Dad I still haven't found Grandpa and Grandma's pictures yet.  I need to skip a meal one day (that is literally the only time I would be able to do it) and find it. 

Elder Baldwin, though, is running me into the ground.  He loves to work out and I said something along the lines of 'Hey can you teach me to work out'.  I, somewhat, regret my decision.  He drags me through the trenches.  Last work out we did lunges all around one floor and then moved up to the next one, for FIVE FLOORS.  I'm getting stronger though which I cannot thank him enough for tolerating my lack of physical prowess. 

So it turns out that my Japanese Investigator, Nishimura-san, is actually our second teacher!  I guess he knows what we really need to work on.  He is really nice and brings a calmer atmosphere than Brindley-sensei does.  It still is weird to talk to him though because I still see him as Nishimura-san our investigator, I guess that will pass with time though.

At this point all that I am looking forward to is the temple.  That is all that I want to do at this point.  To sit down and not worry about what is happening, that would be amazing!

So my time is closing up and I wish that I was able to talk about everything, but, alas, I cannot in 60 minutes.  I just want you all to know that I miss you.  More than you can even imagine.   I hope you all know that in the deepest part of your hearts.  There is not a hour that goes by without me thinking of you.  Please pray for me,  I need your support . I love you all so much.

WITH ALL THE LOVE IN THE WORLD,

Klein-choro (Elder Klein)

.

Kolton's first email home

Hi family!

This has been one crazy week indeed.  Well after you dropped me off at the MTC I had my "guide" walk me around the place, get my name tag, etc.  Except he didn't help get me everything and I realized that everyone had a blue bag that I was missing.  Anyways I continued to be guided around the MTC and I was able to place my stuff in my room and then I was herded away to my classroom where I will be spending most of my free time.  There I met my companion, Elder Baldwin.  Elder Baldwin is a really nice guy, quiet at times but I think that I prefer it that way, and he is one heck of an athlete, he did over 600 push-ups yesterday!  Our Sensei was there and never spoke a lick of English the entire time we were there.  We had to say what our name is, where we are from, how many people are in our family, etc. 

Then we were escorted to lunch.  Man the MTC is chalk full of food!!    We were escorted to our first learning experience at the MTC.  We had to observe two missionaries as they were teaching 3 different investigators and write down information about each investigator and what they might need to hear in their lives.  It was a great experience.  By this time, I was really tired and wanted to hit the hay, but our Zone Leaders can by and gave the crash course on the MTC.  One of the Zone leaders is American, the other Swedish, and the other Austrailian.

I went to bed really tired and didn't sleep very well.  We woke up the next morning and went through the tight schedule that they have set for us.  After the day was almost over we went to the Branch meeting where we meet our Branch presidency, told our branch a little about ourselves, and had an interview with one of the branch presidency.  Dad, I'll let you know that two of branch presidents knew Grandpa Klein and asked if I was his grandson, even one of the branch presidency gave the closing prayer at Grandpa's Funeral!  This turns out to be a terrible mistake because.... THEY NAMED ME DISTRICT LEADER!

If that wasn't enough, with only two days of language study behind us the presidency thinks that we should be able to teach a lesson to an investigator, in JAPANESE.  So me and Elder Baldwin had to go into this meeting and talk to a native Japanese speaker who wasn't allowed to speak or understand any English and we had to teach him that God exists and that he is our heavenly father and that he loves us.  It went ok, but I could have done much better.

Please send your prayers because I am really struggling here.  They expect me to know too much without enough study.    I am just under too much stress at once.

Anyways, enough of the sad talk.  Today is my P-Day and we get to do laundry, relax (a bit), and go to the temple.  I really look forward to the temple where I can leave my troubling thoughts at the door.

I hope everything is going ok and that you guys are doing fine.  I heard that you guys test drove a new car, that's exciting!

Tell everyone that I love them.  You guys are always in my thoughts and prayers.

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

With Love,

Klein-choro (Elder Klein)

P.S. Sorry I didn't send any pictures this week, I promise that I will send you some next week!

Hi family!

Turns out that I have more time on the computer than I thought I did!  So Hurray!

Now that I have a little more time I can talk to you about my companion and roomates.

So as you know Elder Baldwin is my companion.  He from Rexburg, Idaho and can do about 1000 push-ups a day, it's insane!  He is somewhat quiet and he is laid back, which I like.  He knows when it is time to talk and when it is time not to.  He understands the importance of having time to think.  So that's great.  I know that Elder Baldwin is 18 and straight from High School!  He graduated early and his class hasn't even walked yet so he has been looking forward to his mission for the last 5 months!  He is a big BYU fan and wants to play BYU football when he gets back.  He is also my Senior Companion and I am the DL so it is weird how that woks.

Elder McCarty is one of my other roomates.  He studied Mechanical Engineering at BYU but he thinks that he will switch majors once he gets back from his mission.  He loves to sing and hang out with his companion Elder Steers.  He is really quiet at some times and out right talkative at others so that is interesting.

Elder Steers is my last roomate.  He is from California, but he has lived all around the world.  He has lived in Germany for instance.  He can speak English, Spainsh, German, and now Japanese.  He is one talkative guy and always has something to say.    He loves rugby and boxing.  It is quite amazing how fast he can pick up a language!

In other news, my sensei just walked in and explained to us (in Japanese of course) that we will be speaking to Nushimura-san (our investigator) again today @ 5:00.  I don't know if I can do this, we haven't learned how to say anything more than last time, and last time was awkward enough.  

 Love Again,

Klein-choro

going, going, gone...

Wow!

It has been a whirlwind around this joint...

Kolton finished his first year of college on May 2.

We moved him home and promptly took off for Disneyland.  Which was completely awesome.

There is nothing like the Happiest Place on Earth to distract you.

We had a great time together.  And Cars Land? Ahh-mazing!

Then, we had to come home....

Just outside of Las Vegas, our trusty blue Odyssey, who has happily accompanied us on many, many adventures, decided that she wanted to retire in a warm and sunny clime.

And, so she just stopped.

Which is highly inconvenient at the best of times.

But, with Kolton leaving in three days,  it could have been a disaster.

So, we calmly journeyed to the Enterprise Rent a Car across the road from the mechanic, told our van to enjoy her spa week in Las Vegas, and drove home in our rented Impala...nicknamed "Paula" by Elizabeth.

The next few days were a flurry of buying deodorant and toothpaste (apparently, hard to get items in Japan).  Packing and repacking, going to "The Great Gatsby" (one of Kolton and my favorite books), and eating American food.

Then, the big day came...

And, then, he was gone.

I don't know how to describe watching your son leave, knowing that you won't see him for two years.

Knowing that it is going to be hard and he won't be able to give him a nightly pep talk.

I'm

Nervous

 Proud

Excited and happy for him...

Sad for me

Honestly, my emotions are still so raw that I can put them into words. 

 I know that he'll be a great missionary.

I know that he loves the Lord and wants to serve the Japanese people.

I know that this is something that he truly wants to do.

And for right now that has to be enough.
Love that kid.

That white envelope is trying my patience.

Kolton sent in his mission papers the last week of January.  It was at that point I started to feel my sanity slipping.  Not that I had a firm grasp on my sanity anyway.  About a year before Kolton decided to go on a mission, we asked him if he could go anywhere in the world - where would he want to go.  He said Kyoto, Japan.  He loves Japan.  I know that this stems partially from being a third degree black belt in a Japanese martial art. He understands the culture and the discipline and loves that they honor their heritage and traditions.  He also speaks Japanese.

On the surface, you would think that he's a shoo-in for Japan.
 But, the missionary department does some pretty wacky things.
I know that they are inspired and all that,
but I just wanted them to be inspired to send my boy to Japan.

Our friend, Robert, who works at the post office, said that his call was there and that I could come pick it up.  Hmmm...me (alone) at work with the envelope...for 7 hours?  Probably not a good idea.
So, they delivered it, where it would be safe in the mailbox.

Unfortunately, Kolton couldn't come home from school for two more days.  What?  He had to take tests and do other responsible things like that.  I don't really know what happened to me, but, according to bystanders (Rick and Elizabeth) I spiraled into some kind of manic, hyperactive, obsessive behavior for the next two days, where I would intermittently just stare at the envelope.  I think that I was trying some weird channeling of energy into the envelope that would make his mission call to be to Japan.  Who knew that a simple white envelope could inspire such behavior?  Kolton was calm about the whole thing.  It is sad when your 18 year old is more mature than you.

 ^
 white envelope of mystery

He did, eventually, come home.  Madisen and Vic came up from Bountiful for the big moment.  They wanted to buy sushi - but decided that might jinx it.  They brought a "Bruce Bogtrotter cake" from Costco (those of you who have watched "Matilda" will understand) instead.

We all gathered around.  This is the big moment.  That's me screaming - sorry about that.

Boo!

Video is having a hissy fit - I'll upload it later.

 He's going to KOBE, JAPAN.  Whew! Deep sigh of relief.
I have never seen a bigger grin on that kid.
 He leaves on May 15 which is just a week and a half after he finishes his semester.
 It was also the earliest date that he said that he could leave.

Now, I have to say that he said that he would go anywhere.
 But, being able to go somewhere he loves just makes it a little easier for me to let him go.