On the road to Calvary

Hi Everyone!

So, it`s been another week in Japan!

Kolton doesn't really tell us what stuff is, but I think that this is the view from his apartment

I`m terrible at introductions, so I will just jump right into it.

I loved hearing about the Lodge.  Hopefully, I can see some more pictures of everybody soon.  I would really love that.  It must have been a much quieter time at the Lodge this time around with so many people gone.   It sounds like it was fun, but I know that you must feel tired.  Every time I go to the Lodge, afterwards I feel really tired and beat.  Scot sounds like he had a little too much fun during rafting and I laughed when you said that you bought a water gun from a kid with Sour Patch Kids.
 Anyways, I hope that you are feeling a little bit better Elizabeth... I worry about you sometimes.  It just comes with being a big brother, when your little sister is hurting you immediately want to help.

I`m glad that you talked to Quinn and passed along some words of wisdom, but we will save that for the end of my letter when I do the whole spill.

 Dad asked me a couple of questions about my area.  Yes, we have met with a lot of investigators.  I don`t think as much, though, as Elder Nelson wants us to.  I can`t give you too much information about them though....for their safety, some people here in Japan target them if they hear they have been meeting with the missionaries.  O. kyodai is my favorite investigator.  He is so close to Baptism and we only have 2 lessons until his interview.  He is a really amazing guy and he has been through a lot.  I can honestly say that his life sucks, he has been through so much, but to see him so happy, despite what is happening to him, is truly amazing.  We have met with quite a few investigators, but recently, we have started teaching the S. family.  The S. Family is really cool, there is one 1 mom, 1 dad, 1 little boy about 9, and 1 little girl about 10.  They are so cute together and they are a really young family.  I think teaching families is by far my favorite thing to do.

The ward that I`m serving in is absolutely great!  They have been so kind to me and they seem to really care for the missionaries.  For dinner appointments...well....I had one... but that story comes later in the email.

My district is also really great.  There is only 6 people in my district - 2 Japanese Elders and 4 Foreign missionaries.  I love all of them a lot and they were really encouraging to me and helped me with some Japanese.

This week. I got to teach Eikaiwa for the first time.  Eikaiwa is the free English class that the missionaries teach at the church.  Anyone interested in learning English can come.  I really liked teaching Eikaiwa.  It was really scary before I was about to do it, but speaking in English is about the only thing here that I`m really good at.  There were a lot of people who came who could speak really good English.  I got to teach the beginner course, in which there was only two people, a old lady, and a old man (not related).

We went housing, a lot, this week.  For some reason, all of our appointments fell through and we had nothing else to do, but house and street.  Do you remember what Seth said about seeing old ladies? {note: Kolton's friend, Seth Haderlie, is on a mission in Virginia and talked about seeing old ladies in their underwear when he went tracting}  I will have you know that you see some pretty freaky stuff while housing.  I mean no one is home except for old people during week days.  The young people are at school and the working class is at work.  So, only older people are at home.  I have seen some pretty scary old ladies while housing. It's okay, though, they are pretty nice (or at least I think they are nice....I don`t really speak Japanese).

It has also been raining for a couple of days here in Japan.  I have got to bust out the rain suit twice now. Hurrah!

By the way, can you let me know if you sent me the right address for Andrew`s myldsmail.net acccount.  I got a response back and it looks like it isn`t him.  Or at least, he is joking and I can`t tell that he is joking.

 I haven`t had natto yet (fermented soybeans).  My companion apparently loves them, but I refused to have them.  So, as far as what I am eating is a lot of rice and toast.  Every morning, it looks like we have toast and then we have meals with a lot of rice the rest of the day.  Don`t worry though, I`m eating ok.  I found my favorite drink in Japan, though, its called Ume.  Elder Nelson says we have to be careful because sometimes people spike the Ume with Alcohol.

I haven`t had to buy a bike yet, I had one when I came into the Area.  Though the honbu (mission home) says that they subtract a bike fee every month.  Crazy.

About sending me stuff from {the Kobe} Costco to the mission home, I don`t know how it works.  You can if you want, and it might be really cool to have some type of American food, but don`t think that you have to.  The best thing that you can do for me is to just keeping writing great emails each week and send me some pictures in the emails.  I`m not joking when I say that looking forward to Pday and reading your emails and writing to you was the only thing that got me through the week.  I mean who can`t like that?  Especially since the internet cafe that I am writing in currently smells like tobacco and has all-you-can-drink (yes, all you can drink, apparently in Japan - they don`t like to give you free refills so when you see a place with free refills, they call it all you can drink).

One funny thing in Japan is that they have vending machines EVERYWHERE!  I am not kidding when I say that they have a vending machine on every corner!  Either a vending machine or these little convenience stores called either Family Mart or Lawsons.  It is so funny!

As for what I did for my last Pday, we went and visited some shrines.  It was way fun!  It was a really cool experience.  Even if Elder Nelson has seen so many shrines to make him feel sick.  I will send some pictures of it so you can see.

He's pretty cute!

Buddist Shrine in Otsu

Well, you are probably wondering why my email is called on the Road to Calvary.  It has to do with our dinner appointment with one of the member families yesterday.  We were supposed to meet them last Sunday (not yesterday, but my first Sunday in Japan) and have dinner and teach them a lesson.  So me and Elder Nelson prepared a lesson.  We prepared a lesson about 3 subjects that they wanted to hear about, The Atonement, Baptism, and the Godhead.  So, we prepared the best that we could.  Well, yesterday, it took us forever to get to their house.  I swear I have never been up so many hills in my entire life, it took us at least 1 hour to get there.  They lived on a hill, and as my dear sister Madisen would tell you, that spells out bad news.  So, we sit down.  This family is really big for Japan -10 people.  10!  We decide to do the lesson before we eat.  Me and Elder Nelson do our best to follow our teaching plan and the lesson took about 20~25 minutes.  We asked if they had any questions at the end.  Then, the flood gates opened up.

First, they didn`t want us to teach them as themselves, but rather as an investigator.  That is totally messed up.  We need to teach members as themselves as not as investigators, or else there is no point for us to be there.

Second, they hated that we had a lesson plan.  They hated how we taught the lesson.  They basically told us how bad we are as teachers and as missionaries.

Third, they railed on us about how bad our Japanese is.  They told both me and Elder Nelson that our Japanese is really bad and that they basically expected that our Japanese would be much better than how it was.

After they told us about how bad we were for an hour straight, we didn`t have any time left for dinner.  So, they packed up our portion of the dinner and sent us on our way.  Elder Nelson was really mad at them.  He said that members had no business on teaching us how to be missionaries.  That that is not within their responsibility.  I`ve never seen him so mad before.  To be honest, I was just feeling bad about myself the entire time and thought that the reason the lesson didn`t go well was because of me.  I told Elder Nelson `I didn`t expect that we were going to Calvary`.  After that,we decided, from now on, to call that hill 'Calvary' in commemeration of where we were tortured and afflicited for 2 hours.  I don`t think that I ever want to go to another dinner appointment again...

Well...the Japanese hasn`t been coming at all.  I`m glad that you talked with Quinn {Kolton's cousin, Quinn returned from the Kobe mission in April and offered some words of encouragement about learning Japanese} and he said those things.  It's just really hard to teach someone something in a language you can`t speak.  I`m trying all that I can to get better, but  I`m supposed to work on saying prayers in Japanese, I`m supposed to teach parts of the lesson, and I`m also supposed to be writing a talk that I will be giving in sacrament in a couple of weeks.  It is just a lot to do and I don`t have enough time to study each one of them individually.  I`ll keep trying though.  When I felt overwelmed this week, I tried singing a song to help me.  The Middle ~by Jimmy Eats World, it goes like,

It just takes sometime little girl/boy
Your in the middle of the ride
Everything, Everything will be just fine
Everything, Everything will be alright, alright

You can google the rest of it, but that song has helped me get through this last week.  I love to sing Gentile songs in the shower, too.  That and while riding my bike.  I think that the Japanese people think that I`m crazy for doing that sometimes, though.

Well, I think that is about it for this week.  I miss you all so very much, the little photo album was about the best gift ever.  I love it.  I love all of you and hope that you all are safe and you all have a great week.  Love you!

With Love,

Klein-choro

Finally ...We have some pictures!

 Klein-choro and  Brinley-sensai (his favorite teacher) at the MTC

Hello Everyone!

So I`m finally in Japan!  It sure has been crazy for the last several days.

I loved hearing from you all.  I hope that you all have a great time at the Lodge!  It sounds like it is business as usual, and that is very comforting to hear.

Well, you all heard about my experience coming to Japan on the airplane.  I talked about how Zinke Kaicho and the A.P.`s picked us up.  We stayed at the mission home for 2 and a half days.  We were fed well and received some training and materials that we need to study. I was interviewed by Zinke-kaicho on Wednesday to see what kind of person I am.  It went well, but, to be honest, I have a hard time remembering everything that happened because of all the jet lag.

Zinke-kaicho, Klein-choro and Zinke-shimai

  The following day, Thursday, we climbed Mt. Kobe.  It was so pretty.  The hike was really hard though, because the humidity and the temperature make you feel like you are trying to run in a hot shower.

Hiking Mt. Kobe-he looks sweaty!

 

 view from Mt. Kobe

After that, we went back to receive more training until we see who our companions are.  When we walked in to see who are companions are, I have to admit that I was feeling so nervous.  Zinke-kaicho announced the companionships and I was paired with Elder Nelson. Elder Nelson is a cool guy.  Elder Nelson is in his last 2 transfers, so he will probably be training me for a little bit.  He is from Idaho.  After our companionships were announced, we were told to eat some food, get our stuff ready, and head out.  So, we did exactly that. We had to take a bus and train to get to my new area.

Elder Nelson and Elder Klein

My new area is near Kyoto and is called Otsu.  I can actually get to Kyoto in about 15 minutes from here by train.  It is really cool.  On the train and bus ride over there, we talked with other trainers and companions. Everyone was a little nervous.  While going there, all I was hearing from Elder Nelson is about how scary the area that we are living is.  He was basically telling me about how the apartment is dirty and gross and that we will be living in the slums.  When we got there, it wasn`t as bad as he made it seem.  I learned, though, that when he had his last companionship, they really didn`t take care of the apartment.  We haven`t seen a cockroach for five days, and, according to Elder Nelson, that is a miracle.  If you think that he is pulling my leg, I actually saw all the cockroach traps that we have in our tiny apartment - must have at least 20 cockroach traps hidden throughout our apartment.

The apartment consists of -1 bedroom, 1 bath, 1 hand washing room and shower, 1 changing room, 1 kitchen, 1 study room and the hallway.  If that sounds big to you, then you are thinking like an American.  I am in Japan now!  Everything is so tiny!  I need to duck my head everytime I step through a doorway because I am at least 6 inches too tall for that doorway.

After that, we sat down for planning and, then, headed out to go contacting.  It was so weird.  But, we got back and everything went ok.  My schedule consists of waking up at 6:30, exercising for 30 minutes, eating breakfast for 1 hour, studying for 4 hours, then go prosolyting until 8, eat dinner, then plan, then relax until 10:30.

Japan is so pretty!  I can`t believe how clean it is either!  Google Otsu so that you can see where I am serving.

Otsu, Japan

I have gotten to teach a few lessons and, by now, I know that I am absolutely terrible at learning the language.  I swear Sophie could speak better Japanese than I can.  It is so hard.  I feel as though I will never get this language.  According to the 12 weeks plan for new missionaries, I am supposed to be able to lead a lesson on the entire restoration by the end of the week!  I can`t do that!  That is way to hard to tell a new missionary to do!   At the MTC, I had that support that if things went wrong, I could resort to English and I could know what everyone is saying. Here, I can`t understand what is being said at all.  I don`t know what anything says.  I don`t know what my companion is talking about when we give lessons, it is just so bad...I thought that they didn`t give us enough time to study during the MTC, but, here, I only have 1 hour to study everything that I need to say in Japanese, after that I can`t because either we are in a lesson or we are biking to a lesson or place. I feel that I can`t learn a language with only 1 hour to study it.   .

BUT - I`m going to try my best, that is all I can do, because I don`t know what else I can do...

Please, pray for me...Pray that I can eventually get this impossible language!

I love you all so very much!  You really have no idea.  My prayers and thoughts are always with you. I loved hearing from you today, that really did make my day.  I love you all!

 With Love,

Elder Klein


P.S.  Here are some of the photos you have been dying to see.  Zinke kaicho should email you some photos he took when we were at the mission home, but he has discontinued his blog,so you know.

Elder Klein with his Grandparents picture hanging in the MTC

 Elder Klein and his MTC district with one of their language teachers - Kolton didn't tell me his name.

P.S.S  If my writing is way weird, I apologize.  I`m trying to writing on a sticky keyboard that is in Japanese

Phone call

 We heard from Kolton at 6:00 on Monday morning.  He called from the Salt Lake Airport before his flight to Seattle.
    He sounded great - excited but nervous to go to Japan. He said that 32 missionaries were headed to Kobe with him.  32!  Wow - that's quite a few.
     The MTC has been a bit of a struggle for him.  Kolton is, to no one's surprise, a bit of an introvert and spending every minute with his companion was one of his biggest challenges.  Not that Baldwin-choro wasn't a great guy - Kolton had nothing but great things to say about him.  But, Kolton has always liked to just have people leave him alone so that he can do his own thing.  Luckily, he was able to get past this need to be left alone and was able to really enjoy the comradarie of the other missionaries.
    Kolton has always had really high expectations for himself.  He went into the MTC expecting to be able to just study his way into being fluent.  As Andrew and his roommates know, he is a studying machine.  That kid can study like no other.  What he discovered was that he just didn't have the time to study that he wanted. He also had to learn to study in a group setting - he was so used to doing it solo.   It was hard for him to lower his own expectations to what was actually possible to pull off during his stay.
    Overall, it was a good learning and humbling experience for him but he was glad to be moving on.  The Japanese missionaries are there for nine weeks now and that is one of the longest stays.  I guess the missionaries going to Tahiti are there for nine weeks, as well, because they are learning both Tahitian and French.  I'd be curious to know if any others stay that long.
    Thanks for all of your prayers.  He has needed them and we are grateful for all of the support that so many of you have given him through prayers, letters, and packages.  We, as his parents, appreciate it and are so thankful to have you in our lives.
Jillyn

Released from Spirit Prison...haha

Hi Family!

Well, I am at the finish line.  Wow!  It has been 2 whole months.  In some ways, it has flown by pretty fast.  In other ways, it seems as though it has been an eternity.  Being on a mission does weird things to your sense of time.  It gets all wacked out, it's probably from the MTC food...

So, before I get started on my monologue I think I need to tell you a couple of things:

-I don't think that I will be calling from the old phone that you sent me.  I know I sound like a typical missionary when I say this, but I just don't feel good about using it.

-Because of said "won't be using my old phone", I will be sending it back home.  I will use the free shipping option and you can come and pick it up.  That is, if you have any desire to have it back that is.

-That brings me to this point.  I will be using a pre-paid phone card at the airport to call all of you.  Just be ready to answer a call from my lay-over times.  It might read "Salt Lake City Airport" or "Seattle Airport" don't worry...this is me...

-I will be trying to call Mom's phone and Madisen's phone, so if you want in you have to be their best friend for the day and stick by them.

-Elizabeth, I think that it is great that you are practicing for cheerleading.  If that is what you really want and you are willing to put in the time and energy into it I think that it would be worth while.  I really hope that you wrist is feeling better.  From the previous letters, it has looked like that you might have hurt yourself pretty badly.  My prayers go out to you.

-Mom, Dad, Elizabeth, and Madisen.  Yes, I am getting your letters and care packages.  They are really awesome and they have been such a blessing while I have been in the MTC.  Every time I get a package I jump for joy!

-Thanks for all the food that you have sent me this week.  I think that my companion thinks that I am completely spoiled though...


Well... IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN (Que Music)

So this week, a couple things have happened and I don't know if I will be able to cover them all.

For starters, we got to do Skype TRC this week.  I don't know if I have told you about TRC, but it is when we talk to members and try to help them come unto Christ.  When doing it, we talk in the language that we are learning.  This was pretty good face to face because when we did it in the past we almost always had a Gaijin (foreigner...but basically a white dude) and they are easy to understand.  But, Skype TRC is a little bit different...  We got to speak to native Japanese members and talk to them for 40 minutes.  It was amazing, I couldn't believe that we could pull it off...but we did!  We shared scriptures, we taught him for a little bit, got to know him...pretty fun.  If all Japanese people are like him then I am significantly less nervous.

Another thing that we did this week is In-field Orientation.  This is when we sit down for 10 hours and hear about different aspects of missionary work; then, at the end, we all go "YEA!" because this means we are finally done with the MTC!  Well, kinda...  We still have P-Day to pack and Sunday with all the Devotionals, but we are basically done with the MTC.  Kinda sad in some ways (and by some - I mean few) and really happy in others (by others - I mean a lot).
So yeah.  Today, I will probably be packing for most of the day.  I don't know if I can get everything I need to into those two bags.  I would have been just fine from the time that you dropped me off at the MTC, but now that they have given me 25 books in which I have to take...well... we will see.  Worst case scenario, my one carry-on bag will weight about 50 pounds.

I want to go to Japan already! It is going to be such a rollercoaster.  I won't know which way is up.  I have tried so hard to learn the language, but I don't really know anything.  I am sure that my true learning has yet to begin.  It is just a little frustrating knowing that my language skills are pitiful and that I will have to rely on my trainer the entire time.  Oh well...that is why he is my trainer.  I just want so bad to be able to understand the people that I am talking to.  I feel as though going English speaking at this point would be such a comfort.  But, I'm diving in nonetheless.  It will be such a blessing in 8 months from now when I can actually speak the language.  Doesn't mean that I won't try hard though, I will try my very best to learn the language.

Well, Dad, it was your Birthday this last week so... Happy Birthday!  I know it's a little late, but I think that I have the most legit excuse than anyone else.  I hope that it went well and that you feel another year older and wiser, too.  I just hope that you know what an inspiriation you have been in my life.  I couldn't even tell you.  I wish so bad that I could hug you right now.  But a virtual hug will have to suffice for a little bit.  I hope that you had a great birthday and I was thinking of you a lot this week.  I hope that you had a great time at Five-Guys (I know you love it there).  I send you my love and know that every day I think of you while I am here, and know that I will probably be thinking of you every minute when I am in the field.

 It seems as though my email time is slowly winding down.  In a few days, I will be in Japan and not know a single thing that is going on.  I am way excited and way nervous.  At this point, I think that the only way for me to learn is to dive straight in.  Even if I was at the MTC for another 9 weeks I don't think that I will have learned as much as if I had gone to Japan for 1 week.  Its going to be crazy!  I won't know anyting and I am pretty sure all my Japanese will leave me as soon as I step off of that plane.  I don't care that much though.  That is why I have a trainer.  I realllllllyyyyyy hope that he is an awesome guy and will be patient with me as I am struggling through.  Look forward to some of my pictures.

In a couple of days, I will be climbing Mt. Kobe with President Zinke and you will be able to see my picture (on the mission blog).  Don't be so surprised if it seems as though I have gained a few pounds....I have.  Some of it muscle from working out, but probably most of it is from over-stuffing us with mediocre food and then forcing us to sit down for 10 hours straight in a classroom (for 9 straight weeks).  It's like the exact opposite of what they do on the biggest loser...

Anyways... I can't wait.  I know that I know what I know.  There was never a test last year at USU in which I felt totally, 100% prepared.  At a point, you have to take that leap of faith and trust that you will be ok when you finally get there.  I stepped into so many of those tests and walked away feeling good, some of them (Bio Engineering in particular) I walked away feeling as though I couldn't spell my name right.  I know that being in Japan will be the same.  That now I am at the edge of that cliff and that I have to take that leap of faith that so many before me have taken.  I need to just trust that I can do this.  That I can really pull this off.  I won't be easy.  I will have to work the hardest I have ever worked in my entire life.  But, I know that it is worth it.

As J.R.R. Tolkein said about troubling times, "[All of us wish we haven't come to see such troubled times,] but that is not for us to decide.  All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

And what J.K. Rowling said, "It is our decisions that decide who we ultimately are, far more than our abilities."

I know these things are true.  I can't wait to get there.  I will be tough.  But, I will do it and I will work hard and I will trust that I can do it.  I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!  You don't even know how much! As they say in my hometown, Don't Forget to Be Awesome!

 With Love,

Klein-choro (Elder Klein)

We have been SO GOOD!

Hi Family!

How is it going!  Another week has passed by, this one seemed especially fast, though.

Well I guess I will answer a couple of things before I get started:

-The Missionaries.  There are so many missionaries now in the MTC.  When I first got here, there wasn't too many missionaries so it wasn't a bother when you are in, for instance, the cafeteria.  But, now, the cafeteria is absolutely crowded, with barely enough room for everyone to have a seat for meal time.  You can really tell who is eighteen and who is older, though.  Granted, sometimes you cannot tell and that is the way it is supposed to be, but most of the time you can pick out the missionaries who have just come out of High School so easily.  Again, exceptions, but a general rule.

-The Food.  When I first got here, I thought that the food was ok.  I thought that it was like any other all-you- can eat restaurant - miles and miles of medicore food.  I was ok with that.  It is strange, however, that if you eat the same meals every single week, it starts to get a little dull.  I have also noticed that as the amount of missionaries in the MTC has increased, the food has gotten drastically more pitifull.  I think I see why though.

-The Classes.  They are going well.  I don't know if I have told you, but we have had 6 senseis while in the MTC.  We have had:  Brindley, Vialobos, Todd, Osaka, Peherson, and Seito sensei.  We are like the little orphan district, no body really wants us.  Well, actually, thats not true, Vialobos sensei has always stuck by us.  The classes, though, are getting down to the final stages.  It seems that everyone has resigned themselves to the fact that they won't be able to speak any Japanese once they get there, though.  It is a comfort, but it can also act as a double edged sword.  I try to study as much as I can.  I want to be able to do at least a little bit when I get to Japan.

-Yes.  Yes, I have gained weight.  Not all of it fat, though.  I am sure that I have picked up a few pounds in that category, though.  But, I have been lifting weights ever since I got to the MTC.  Not to brag about it but I've moved up from Benching 70 pounds, 10 reps to 150, 10 reps while at the MTC.  So, I've gained a little bit of muscle.  It is all because of Elder Baldwin's crazy exercise routine.

Whew.  There we go.

Your 4th of July sounded absolutely great.  I miss the days when Memorial Hill would catch on fire, though (even though you said that it didn't this year).  This 4th of July felt really weird.  On one hand, we got to celebrate a little bit, but, on the other, it really didn't seem like we celebrated the right holiday.

On the 4th of July, we started the day like any other day and went to all our classes etc.  However, at the end of the day, we had a Independence Day Devotional.  It was by far and away the most chillax Devo that I have ever been to.  They even told us not to bring our suit jackets!  The MTC presidency seemed like they wanted to tone down the Devo so as to not freak the living daylights out of every person not from the U.S.  I don't think that they did a very good job, though.  I think that we still freaked out every person not from the United States.  Anyways, at the end of the devotional, we felt like we were little kids being rewarded for being so good.  The MTC presidency said, at the end of the devo. that since we had been SO GOOD we could watch 17 Miracles, watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks, eat some Ice Cream, and stay up a little late (11pm/ Half an hour more).  Yea!  The fireworks were great and I felt somewhat normal for a change.  The 4th felt weird, though, because it was trying to be toned down so much by the MTC presidency that it didn't feel like the true 4th.  Oh well... In two years I can watch Memorial Hill catch on fire again..

So, you know how I told you about Elder Zushi (His name in Japanese translates to .... It is Good Bean Child... Haha Haha)? Well, he took off on Monday.  Even though we only knew him for a week and a bit, he was so awesome.

I need to take a moment to do a shout out-

Andrew,  Thanks for your letter.  You really made my day!  It was so fun to hear from you and what you and Johnny are doing!  I actually have seen Danny boy while in the MTC!  That is crazy though about our apartment.  They have always had a bad grudge against us.  Well, I hope that you are making your last days count!  It seems as though you are :)  It is so like you to just have the (the only word I can say as a missionary) courage to just walk up to her twice.  So dang awesome.  I really want to hear from you some more before you come into the MTC!  You really made my day and made me smile (which is so very important in the MTC).

End of shout out-

Vic, I want to say that I did tell the Elders Good Game straight from you.  They say Good Game back.   Don't worry, I didn't tell the Sisters it.  Thanks so much for writing me.  It really means a lot.

I heard about Jade Gillman.  Is he doing ok?  Do you think that he will be able to go back out into the field.  I really hope that he gets better.  Even though me and Jade never really saw eye to eye, I care for him and for the people that he has taught.  He must be really important to some of the people in Mexico now and I hope that he recovers quickly.

I am really happy.  We have TONS of free time today.  Usually, we have temple time, but since the Provo Temple is temporarily closed, we just have Prep Time instead.  I am so Genki right now.  Quick side note:  Mom, I really hope that you didn't think that my hair was that short.  In fact, my hair in the Worldwide Broadcast was actually way too long for a missionary.  I hope that I don't freak you out when I tell you that I have a way shorter haircut than that right now.  Sorry...missionary rules.

AND THE BIG NEWS!  I GOT MY TRAVEL PLANS

I will write them down below right now:

LV:  Salt Lake City Airport @8:20  on July 15
AR:  Seattle Airport @ 9:25  (10:25 Utah Time)

LV:  Seattle Airport @ 11:45 (12:45 Utah Time)
AR:  Osaka, Japan @ 2:25 PM on July 16

--------

It is so awesome.  I absolutely cannot wait for Japan.  The MTC is great and all, but I am ready for the real journey now.  Even if I stay at the MTC for another 2 months I won't learn as much as if I went to Japan for 1 week.  I ABSOLUETELY CANNOT WAIT!

JAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPAAAAAANNNNNNN!

YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!

So, this means that I will call you sometime between 10:30 to 12:45 on July 15th.  Please be ready and write the phone number that you have decided I should call.  I don't want to try calling Dad's phone number if you all are waiting on Moms.  Please write the number too.  It seems like I have been in here for forever and I have forgotten most of my Gentile life.

Well, it is about time for me to go.  I love you all so very much and I am looking forward to going to Japan SO MUCH.  I wanted to leave 6 weeks ago, but, alas, they wouldn't let me.  I want you to read my favorite scripture as a missionary though.  It reflects back on what  I have told you a couple times - That even though there are hard ships, through Christ you can overcome them.  Please read 2 Cor. 12:10 for me.  I absolutely love that scripture now.  Take care!  Remember to love one another as Jesus loved you~  I know that that commandment is one of the greatest commandments of all.  Don't judge.  Don't hate.  Love your enemies and your trials.  Love one another.  I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!  Keep on writing, I read every one.  LOVE YOU ALL!  As they say in my home town.... Don't forget to be Awesome.

With Love,

Klein-choro (Elder Klein)

Almost there...

Hey Family!

Another week has passed by and I am excited that it is P-day.  I am glad that you all had such a great time at the Manti pageant.  It sounds like you are making full use of that trailer.  I can only imagine how happy you were, Mom, to finally take it somewhere.

Well, Mom, I guess I will answer your questions before anything else.

1- I love the Underarmor socks, so if at all possible keep sending me socks like those.  I did get the shirts and garments all right, so thank you for sending those.  The only thing that I might need is a good English-Japanese dictonary.  The one that we have is a joke, we call it the Magickarp because it is completely useless.  I don't know whether they will have one in Japan that I can get, but they sure don't have a good one at the MTC.

2- Yes!  Please send me a prepaid phone with the phone number that you want me to call once I am in the airport.  I am totally allowed to do it and it is no problem.  It would be nice to talk to you and hear your voices before I go to Japan.

3-  I might have to send a couple of things back home.  My bags were already full, and with all the books and stuff that they want me to bring with me, I will easily go over the weight limit.  I don't know what yet, but I will probably send some stuff home.

4-  I do not have my flight plans yet.  I don't get them until the week before I leave.  So, I still have 2 weeks until I get them.

5-  Yes!  I want to be in Japan right now!  I have been tired of the MTC for the last 4 weeks.  I want to get out there as soon as possible.

Well, it has been one weird week at the MTC.  We have seen General Authorities walking around the MTC campus for the Leadership Conference.  They cleared out on Wednesday, but it was really nice to have them here.  We saw Elder Cook while we were walking around, and we (accidentally) cut off Elder Bednar while he was walking to somewhere.  As for the broadcast, I am really surprised that you didn't see me.  After the broadcast everyone hopped onto lds.org and watched the broadcast again.  For the opening hymn, I counted seeing myself 6 times!  To help you find me I was in the middle of the congregation.  The part where they split the males into one half and the women into the other.  I am on the second row from the middle split.  On one of the pictures that they posted online, you can see me and Elder Baldwin singing our guts out.

Madisen and Vic, I am glad that you two are home (so that you can write me letters Haha).  It sounds like you two had an awesome time and I am really glad that you didn't get marooned on the island.  I am sure that both of you are really missing the palm trees (especially Vic).

It sounds like a lot of fun is going on at home, with Mom taking her trailer out, seeing the pageant, sprinklers, yard work, and Sophie mysteriously opening doors. It sounds like Elizabeth is working really hard to be a great cheerleader!  That is awesome!  Keep it up!  If you have the chance to see Ms. Kristen tell her Hi from me.

{6 hours later...}

Sorry, we did our laundry and were really tired, so we decided to not email until after the temple.  Speaking of the Temple, they are closing the Provo Temple down for 3 weeks for renovation, which is a shame. Today's temple visit was my last one for at least 2 years.  On one hand, I really love the temple, especially while in the Celestial Room, you just feel a great sense of peace while in there.  On the other hand, I am glad to have some more time to study.  On other temple news, Mr. Turner, my old Math teacher from Wasatch High, is a temple worker in there and I have seen him for 3 straight weeks in a row, now.  It is really cool to see people I know from the Pre-Earth Life (Pre-missionary life) around, it keeps me sane, even though I can't really talk with him in the temple.

 

This week, I hosted the Kohai (the newbies) into the MTC.  There were like 800+ new missionaries that canme into the MTC this week!  I only hosted one Elder, because I wanted to have gym time that day.  He was going to Los Angeles.  It, however, annoys me that the English speaking missionaries get the really nice building, 4M, to study in.  This week Danny-boy came in and I got to see him!  We talked for a little bit and we were able to catch up since leaving USU.  He told me how crazy the landlord was about our apartment.  I mean $20 for cleaning the dust off of the lightbulbs, you have to be kidding me!  Safe to say that we should look for a different place to stay when I get back because, while the people in the apartment complex were super nice, the management was terrible.  I am surprised that Skyler put in his mission papers, though, I didn't know that he was thinking about it.  To Argentina as well, same as Andrew.

 

Speaking of Andrew, how is he.  Is he starting to get nervous about the MTC, and has Johnny gone into Basic Training yet?

On other news, me and Elder Baldwin recieved a new companion this week.  His name is Elder Zushi.  He is half-Japanese and half-American, and he is by far the best Japanese language student at the MTC.  He has been in the MTC for 13 weeks now, he was delayed because of an unexpected hip surgery that he had to have.  But, now, he is going to leave for Japan on Monday, at 2:30 in the morning, and he is going to the Fukaoka mission.  He is one awesome guy and let me say that I cannot wait to hear his Batman impression (I have been told that it is the real deal).

 

Oh, Dad, have you seen Man of Steel yet.  The (forbidden) rumors at the MTC is that Man of Steel is supposed to be fantastic.  If you have, let me know, I like to know what is going on in normal land once in a while.

 

 I am doing alright...  I am getting nervous to go to Japan, though.  At the beginning and middle of the MTC, it seemed like Japan was far away, but now as it is coming closer and closer, I am getting more and more excited and more and more nervous.  But, all I can do is make sure that I am better prepared for it today than I was for it yesterday.  The language is, by far, the hardest part, though.  I realize that I don't have the unique gift of naturally picking up how to speak in different languages.  It has taken real effort to get to where I am right now, but I can always try harder.  I'm sure my Japanese will start really taking off once I get to Japan.  Can you ask Quinn how he felt like right before he went to Japan?

 

I love you all so very much.  Every day I look to you guys for inspiration.  Know that I know that you are thinking of me and know that I am thinking of you.  If we do that then our hearts will be close, and our souls closer.  Words on a tiny glowing screen can only say so much.  I know that I say these things at the end of each email, but I don't want you to assume that I thinking these things...  I want you to KNOW that I thinking them.  Each day is a struggle, a triumph, a defeat, a victory.  Each day is a new challenge, waiting to be conquered.  I have had my fair share of struggles while in the MTC.  You reach plateaus where you feel like no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to overcome it.  I know, now, that that is a lie.  You can always overcome.  Your help doesn't only come from those around you, or even within yourself, but also from those that you cannot see.  You cannot stay where you are, you must get better.  You must overcome. The truth is that there are no limits, no plateaus that you cannot overcome with Their Help.  Their Help is Divine, Their Help has been given unto us by the Blood of our Savior. 

 

Your prayers and your words convey so much meaning to me, that you won't know how much until I can look into all your eyes again and tell you.  As long as we continue to think of each other now and again, I know that our hearts will forever be close.  I love you all so much.  I already can't wait to write you again next week.  As they say in my hometown...  Don't Forget to Be Awesome.

 

With Love,

Klein-Choro