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

 

We found him!!!!

We spotted Kolton during the world wide broadcast "Hastening the Work of Salvation".  He is in the second row over from the split between the sisters and the elders, about 1/3 of the way up.  Be sure to look for him in his "Clark Kent" glasses.  That's the part that threw us off.  That plus the fact that his hair is really short.  He is next to an elder

(which is companion, Baldwin-choro) who is next to a girl in a white shirt.  Start watching about 2 minutes and 15 seconds into the broadcast and THERE HE IS!  Can you tell how excited we are?  Thanks for all of your support and love of our wonderful missionary.  We love you all.
Jillyn

It's like a sentance enhancer...

Hi Everyone!

Another week has passed by and wow! it sure has passed by really quick.  Well this week has just been a lot like last week.  I'm doing my best to try and get the language down and I am just barely reaping the rewards while in our investigator lessons.  Last lesson, for instance, me and Baldwin-choro taught about the Word of Wisdom, and for the first time in all of our lessons I did most of the talking.  It was quite awesome.

Well before I start anything else I will answer your questions mom.

1- I am pretty good with everything else, expect for socks.  Maybe send me a new case of shampoo.  and YES send me more short sleeved shirts, I thought that I could just roll them up if I got hot, but apparently rolled up sleeves isn't missionary like...

2- The candy situation is just fine.  Just keeping doing what you are doing.

3- I think that I will torment you and not send any pictures back home until I am in the mission field.

4-I eat MTC caffeteria food.  Miles and miles of medicore food as far as the eye can see.  My hair has been cut once by a really nice lady who put me into an appointment even though I didn't have one scheduled.  When the hair lady asked me about numbers I didn't have any clue what she was talking about.  Yes, my roommates know that I am a 3rd degree black belt, there is a Elder named Bedwell-choro who is crazy about Jujitsu in my district.

5- Please don't send me those shoe non-slip things anymore.  They kind of work, but whenever I walk it sounds like my shoes are farting...please no. 

 It seems like you heard about the broadcast tomorrow.  Please watch it, I don't know what they are going to say, but it will be a day to remember.  You will probably see me on the broadcast, I am in the choir (with the rest of the MTC) and they will be scanning around the choir while we are singing our songs.  If you pause the video that they will be putting on LDS.org then you can probably go frame by frame and try to catch me.

This week we have been learning about giving and recieving phrases.  The Japanese people have like 20 different ways of saying to give or to recieve, based on who you are giving or recieving.  If I am giving something to a child, I would not use the same word as I would if I was giving to a Elderly person, just a sign of respect and status.  Well, these verbs can also be tacked on at the end of a sentence to give the subject of your sentence more respect.  Like if I was saying Jesus Christ loves everyone then I could tack on a high respect giving verb at the end to make it ultra polite.  But, how I like to remember it is that it is a sentence enhancer, without the swearing.  You just sprinkle it on anything you say and WAMMO! you got yourself a spicy sentence sandwich.  Sometimes my mouth tingles after the spicyness of my conversations...

{this is a reference to Spongebob Squarepants, for those who don't know}

Yesterday, Brindley-sensei left the MTC... I am pretty sad about it.  I know that I only knew him for a month but he was so amazing in so many ways.  He had to leave the MTC to find a job to support his pregnant wife or whatever...  But I will really miss him.  He gave us all of his last minute crazy stories yesterday including his EPIC STORY.  I cannot disclose it, for it is a secret, but surfice to say that it included a chapel, a very fresh of the MTC Brindely-sensei, the 9, one mans desire to journey to Utah, a Katana being drawn, a baptism, and maybe a little bit of sake in the man involved.  That is all I can say.

I was great to hear from everyone.  Pat wrote me the other day and that was awesome.  I loved how, while at the MTC, John drew vicious monsters  when he was tired of the group think.  It cheered me up quite a bit, so tell her thank you for that.

Well, last Sunday was Father's Day so I think that I should write a little about that.

Dad, you are my hero.  Don't take that as trying to make up not writing to you on last Saturday, but rather as a fact.  You are a hero.  Whenever someone asks about you at the MTC I always say a couple of things.  1- He is the kindest, most gentle, thoughtful person that I have ever met.  I have never met anyother man that has been so kind and so caring and so gentle to other people in my entire life. That he has taught me how to extend outward to other people through pure love and care 2- He is the smartest man that I have ever met in my entire life.  I tell them that you have read everything from Aristotle to Of the Origin of Species.  I tell them that my Dad could talk about anything to anyone, whether it be about Quantum Physics, the Impressionist Era of Art, the theory of Evolution, Buddhism, or the Civil War.  I tell them that you have read about 1,000,000 books and every time I talk to you you have read another.  You have taught me that it is important to become learned, that no matter what you do in this life whether it is being an Engineer or whether as being a Garbage man, you can be smart.  That learning, true learning, allows you to be empathetic to other people, to see their point of view, to see where other people have come from and where they may want to go.  3- That the way you judge someone is not where they were born or where they are currently, but where they want to be.  That there a times when someone is down of the ground, down on the lowest point in their life.  But what defines that person is what they do once they are at that point, whether they try to get up and dust themselves of or whether they lay there defeated is what truly defines a person.  4- He is my hero.  Of everyone that I have ever known, my Dad is my greatest hero.  All these things that I have said are true.  All of them.  I wish I could see you right now so that you can know how much I know these things are true.  Little characters on a electronic screen can never convey the true, heartfelt, meaning of my words.  I LOVE YOU!

This week has been tough, but, as my hero has taught me, it is not what situations you find yourself in that defines you, but what you choose to do.  I can either give up and never know what would be on the other side of hill, or I can keep moving and see how big the world really is and what good I can do in it. It is hard to get through tough times but As the great J.R.R. Tolkien wrote:

"I wish this had never have happened."-Frodo

"So do all that live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide.  All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." -Gandalf

 I want to share a few words in Japanese:

私はイエスキリストが見なさを愛すると明かしします。神様の医師を守ったら毎日、私たちは神様とイエスキリストの愛を感じることができると明かしします。私はモルモン所が真実駄々と知っています。

私はみなさんをとてもあいしっています。

(P.S. some of the kanji maybe wrong, the computer automatically fills it in)

That is all I can share for this week.  I love you all so very much.  I read all your letters and wish I was there with you, but I have to do this. This is what the Lord has asked of me.  I love the Japanese people so much and I haven't even got to Japan yet!  I Love you All.

With Love,

 Klein-choro (Elder Klein)

Halfway done with the Spirit Prison.. (Haha)

Hi Family,

I hope that everything is going well.  It sounds like Mom, Dad, and Elizabeth all enjoyed Girls Camp, even though it was a huge hassle to deal with.  That is pretty funny about Uncle Scot, he always gets himself in the most uncomfortable situations.  I can just imagine 10 girls with an RV on fire in the background with Uncle Scot making the Doc Brown face from Back to the Future.

I am so very glad that you guys are back, I missed your letters to much.  I can't wait to get that Dear Elder letter again.

Well, how is summer going?  I hope it is going well.  I'm sure that it has been good so far.  For Madisen and Vic, how is your cruise going (you started it, right?), I hope that you meet many Alabamians in your travels (Roll Tide, Roll).

This week, we got quite a shock.  Our Sensei is leaving us, and don't worry, it is not because of us (or at least he's trying really hard to get away from us).  Yeah, Brindley-sensei is leaving teaching the MTC so that he be some international consultant at a some big business in Salt Lake, he has to provide for his upcoming first born son or whatever.  I have loved Brindley-sensei being our teacher, he was able to teach Japanese in a fun yet great way for our investigators.  Brindley-sensei was able to dive into a deep spiritual thought while giving us one of his classic Brindley-sensei funny stories.  The classic Brindley-sensei story that we have enjoyed this week has been:  Brindley-sensei was teaching a Japanese woman who spoke really good English.  The problem is that while Brindley-sensei is really good at English, his companion, a Brazilian, wasn't.  So, the investigator was saying the greatest things ever, like, "We can't expect God to do everything for us, we have to put in the effort ourselves."  His companion, not knowing very good English, mistook her sentences for blasphemy.  He stood up, grabbed the table that was in between themselves and the investigator, raised it above his head, and yelled, "WHERE'S THE JUSTICE?!!?!"  The investigator freaked out and Brindley sensei said, "Doryo(companion) WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"  They were able to get her baptized... after the Brazilian got transfered.  Great stories.

We also had another surprise this week, we got a new sister.  Sister Smotherman had health issues while she was in the MTC a few months ago and had to head back home to get her health back up again.  So, now she is back and she is the companion to Sister Pemberton.  Sister Pemberton couldn't be happier, she has a new companion who likes the same stuff as she does.  I really hope that Sister Smotherman is doing alright, it seems like she is fitting in just fine.  I hope that she sees how much this District needs everyone, no matter if they were here 4 weeks ago or 4 days ago.

 I want to tell you a little bit about the MTC showers.  They are terrible.  I wouldn't want to send a prisoner of war into one of those things.  It isn't like I have just realized this, I have known for 4 weeks now, but, I just havn't told you about them.  Again, terrible.  So I walk into the shower one day, like normal, after a great workout at the weights room, and then I see the shower.  The shower is covered in blood stains.  From the divider, to the curtain, to the tile wall, to the shower head, it was all covered in blood.  All the other showers are taken and there is a line of 10 people behind me so I had to suck it up and do it.  I hated everything about it.  Another thing about the showers is that everyone sings in the shower, most of the time together.  While shampooing my hair, I have heard wonderful randitions of "We are Men"(from Mulan), Don't Stop Believing, Johnny B. Goode, among others.  It is actually pretty fun to sing along with them actually.  Weird, but fun.

 I have a few things that I want to ask of you.  Can you please send me the following things:

-Hair Gel (I ran out)

-More Candy (I don't want a flood, but I don't want a drought either)

-A copy of the Dear Sarah letter from Ken Burns: The Civil War

-copy of the Lyrics to the following songs:

               -Viva la Vida                                         Coldplay

               -Believe                                                Yellowcard

               -You Found Me                                    The Fray

              

 That would be absouletely amazing if you could just send me just one of those things.

 This week has been really hard,  it feels like I have hit a solid brick wall at 100mph this week.  I thought I was doing everything ok then it just slammed right into me on Monday.  I don't think that I know any Japanese at all!  I literally, for the life of me, can't carry on an investigator lesson.  It happened with one of our lessons with Shimada-san this week.  Elder Baldwin did 90% of the talking while I looked like I just sat back and listened.  I said a few things but nothing that I should pat myself on the back for.  I don't know the language at all.  It is so hard for me to study and focus though.  The way that they have you study in the MTC is not the way I have studied throughout my life.  Here it literally is study with everyone, I don't study that way.  I don't learn with sensei saying, "Alright now everyone repeat this after me,"  and then everyone mumbles through it.  I learn through studying hard by myself, by my own time, but I can't do that here.  I have to change how I go about learning something itself, not to mention learning one of the hardest languages in the world.

I love you all.  I love you all so much.  There is not a minute that goes by that I don't think of you.  Please continue to write me.  Please continue to being amazing.  Please continue to pray for me (I need it).  Please contine being awesome.  I love you all SO MUCH!

 With Love,

 Klein-choro (Elder Klein)

The thing which must never be spoken of again...?

Hi Family!

Well its been another week at the MTC!  I don't know if anything terribly exciting has happened but I guess I will tell you what I can.

This week has really seem to have flown by fast.  I know that I say this in every letter, but the days are long, the weeks are short, every week seems like one realllllllyyyyyyyy long day (until P-Day).

The AC in the MTC is great except in, you guessed it, our classroom and our dorm (not everyone's, just ours).  So, we had to do some quick thinking and bring one of our two classroom fans (yes, we have two huge fans in our classroom) to our residence.  Senpuki-kun (Senpuki means fan in Japanese, and kun is a title for a young boy, we couldn't name it -chan because we are not allowed to bring girls into our dorm) has been the best thing that has ever happened in our dorm residence.  We just sit outside the long dorm hallway with 14 other people just chatting away while Senpuki-kun blowns nice, cool air on us.

Speaking of dorm room experiences, we had my companion's, Elder Baldwin's, birthday yesterday.  He got some exercise equipment, a crap ton of food, and a birthday card (one of those ones that talk to you when you open it) that screams at you, we laugh every time.  He also got candles (hint for later) and some little cakes (another hint).  I cannot tell you what we did, but it is the thing which must never be spoken of again, don't worry we looked it up in the handbook and it said nothing about it.  I don't think that we will want to do it again, it was so nerve racking.

By the way, if my grammar is out of wack it is because I do not know language anymore.  English is a SVO language (I ate the apple) but Japanese is a SOV language (I the apple ate).  It is simple when you are talking about apples, but when it comes time to tell about the first vision and the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in these latter days, it can become a little more complicated.  I am trying to make progress though, the thing that gets me stuck is changing verbs into different bases.  Quinn, you'll know what I'm talking about.

To answer some of your questions that you had for me:

1) Parker I think is either going to          Domestic:  Washington                           Abroad:      Canada

2) Air conditioning: I think I already talked about that

3) Treats:  This one has a story.  Every Wednesday, Thursday, and (I think) Friday, the MTC brings out food carts so that we don't have to go into the cafeteria where literally every new person doesn't know where they can get food (I don't know how they manage that) or where to put their tray (a little more understandable).  It is harmless, individually, but down right annoying and dangerous by herds.  So back to the lunch carts.  We learned from the dai-senpai a couple of weeks ago (the ones that just left for the field, every three weeks a new batch of Japanese missionaries go into the field) told us that the MTC lunch carts let you take their leftover food.  So, being teenage boys, we took advantage of this situation.  I will not tell you how it went but let me say that I have about 20 packs of Sunchips in our room.  It would be nice to get something though, just collaborate, I don't want 10 packages filled to the brim with food.

 4)  Backpack:  It is working really well, I don't know how I survived without it.  I don't know if there really is anything that you have to send me.  In a couple of weeks, you might have to send me more socks/garments.  It seems as though every time I wash my clothes, I have to sacrifice one of my pairs to the false and idolous Laundry Matt  gods.  That has to be the case, how else can I lose a pair of socks between the time I pull it out the dryer and into my bag, doubling checking, I might add, for any left overs in the dryer and/or floor?

So, anyways, it has been going alright.  I feel a little bit better this week, the branch presidency released all of the district leader and assigned the new ones (they do this every 3 weeks).  Now all I have to do is make sure Elder Steers, our new district leader, is a much better one than I ever was, so that his name is first on the list for Zone Leader Candidate Sheet.  Elder Steers is so funny, very sarcastic, but very loving.  Every night before the last announcement comes on, right after the BEEP that marks every hallway announcement here, he yells HAPPYO DESU (which means ANNOUNCEMENT!).  He tells us stories from his Pre-Earth life (we call the time before we were in the MTC the Pre-Earth life because it seems as though a veil is being put in front of our eyes and we are starting to forget things about our life before this time) from the time when was a bartender to when he and his cousin were in Hawaii.  In Hawaii, they were asking a local about where they can catch a bus, he starts to explain it to them then the local says, "Wait, I don't care, I got my bike."  We don't know why it is funny, but in the MTC I laugh at things I thought I would never laugh at before (I think I am going insane).

 I am trying my very best to stay afloat.  I sometimes think about giving up then turn my mind to preparing for our investigator lessons.  One of which took a turn for the worse.  One of the people that we have as investigators is Ippe-san.  We committed him to being baptized, going to church, reading the Book of Mormon, but.... When we asked him about his feelings about Christ he said that he had none, WHAT!  So we had to change course immediately from what we thought would be a good thing to talk to him about to talking about having faith and love in Jesus Christ.  I feel so sad, I know he is not a real investigator, but it still makes me sad :(

Speaking of crazy investigator stories.  We were having a lesson with Shimada-san, our other investigator, and we were explaining to him the importance of the Book of Mormon.  We said that when you read the Book of Mormon you will be happier, see the purpose in life, the gospel will be opened up to you.  So I want to end on a high note.  I have trouble keeping my conjigations (I don't even know how to spell anymore) straight.  So I looked him straight in the eye and said:

Morumon Sho o yoma naide kudasai (Please don't read the Book of Mormon)

As soon as it had left my mouth, I said, "No wait,", then for two minutes we were laughing our guts out.  I will never forget naide kudasai again.

I am swimming along though.  Some days are better than others.  Sometimes I feel as though I am the worst missionary to ever have come into the MTC.  It is hard, it really is.  It has been so hard to give up on my family for two years, I hear stories about Mom's trailer, Madisen screaming her head off about a baby bird while Elizabeth wants to feed it to the cats, Dad talking to Ms. Julie, I just want to be there so much.  But, I keep going.  I get over myself.  Everyone feels these feelings, some are very open about expressing them while others don't.  Everyone does.  What they do with the time that they are given separates the good from the great.  Dreaming about the future is a kind of nostalgia, but I guess that is the same with worrying.  I can't do much, but I can do the best with the time that has been given to me.

私はみなさんをあいしっています。

I love you all so very much, more than you can know.  I read your letters each day, loving every moment.  Keep on writing, please.  I love you keep on doing what you are doing.    LOVE YOU!

With Love,

Klein-choro (Elder Klein)

Controlling the Space/Time Continuum

Hi Family,

Wow!  The week has just flown by.  The MTC does weird things to your head.  If I think that my last p-day was only a week ago, I think that the time I have been in here has flown by; on the other hand though, if I think about the last time I was doing anything other than this (by this I mean the MTC missionary stuff) it feels as though it was a lifetime ago (that maybe works metaphorically).  I was talking to all those in my district and they feel the same way.  Again, the MTC does weird things to your head.

To answer some of your question:s I want pictures sent through the mail, that way I can look at them everyday instead of only once for 10 seconds before I realize that I only have 45 minutes to write a letter.  No, none of my roommates ever took Japanese before, myself and Sister Maughan in my district are the only ones who ever have.  Sometimes it comes in handy when I can explain something to someone, or recognize a word, that someone else doesn't know.  But, for the most part it only gave me a headstart of one week, after that, it was fair game.

The MTC is doing better this week than last week.  Not much better, I wouldn't say even that noticably better, but I am trying my hardest to keep going.   I mean it is only at the MTC where they think you can start teaching in a complicated language about a complicated concept (say the Plan of Salvation) with an investigator (during TRC time it could be a real investigator) with only 2 1/2 weeks worth of language practice.  So, yeah, it has continued to be completely insane and I am really stressed out about learning the language.  I have thought to myself many times that if I was going English speaking there would be no reason that I couldn't explain the lessons perfectly, but, alas, I am going to Japan.  Don't get me wrong, I am completely thrilled about going there, but the MTC has a way of sucking out all of your joy about the place you will be going to.

So I saw a couple of Heberites here in the MTC.  It was fun to say hello to them and ask where they are going etc.  I even ran into Arlynn.  It was great to talk to her and see how things were going, but weird to call her Sister Robinson (just weird...)

You asked me to say a couple of funny things about the MTC, so here's something you might like.  All the books that they have given to us (which is a lot) all have names that the Nihon-jin (literally, Japanese people, but Japanese missionaries here) have given them.  So, we have books like:

-The Miagi-san (from the Karate Kid)

-The Ninja (a small little book of phrases and vocab)

-The Sumo (The large grammar book that no one ever reads)

-The Charmander (the MTC experience handbook, Pokemon reference)

-The Bulbasaur (a small green language card that pretty much has the entire Japanese grammar on there, another Pokemon reference)

-The Pikachu (a huge Japanese grammar book, another Pokemon reference)

you get the idea....

Well, later this week, I finally get to become senpai (those who have survived through the MTC for at least 3 weeks) and the Kohai (newbies) get to come in.

 So, I just got done with laundry, we woke up at 5:30 to make sure that we got there when it wasn't crowded, it was still crowded; but we have the rest of the day to relax until TRC (TRC is where we will teach a native Japanese person, they could be a real investigator, we are told).

We got some new zone leaders today.  They seem a lot more relaxed than the previous ones, so that is good.  As part of getting to know us they assigned us a task.  If we were on a quest what weapon would you choose and what power or skill would you have?  We all took a full hour to decide on our answers.  Some such answers in our district were:

Weapons                                                    Superpower

A paperclip                                                 The mind of McGyver                         (Elder Graff)

A warhammer                                            The ability to jump crazy far              (Elder Steers)

Claws in my hand                                       Regeneration                                    (Elder Baldwin, basically Wolverine)

An infinite super mario star                Ability to conjure food                         (Sister Anderson)

The scriptures                                             The priesthood                     (Elder Bedwell, there's always is one, right?)

Red rider BB gun with a compass

in the stock and a thing which tells time       Control the space time continuum          (Mine)              

 I want you guys to know that I really appreciate all the of the letters, prayers, and love that you all send.  Though I may not respond to everything that you guys have written me, be assured that everything that you write I read.  Mom, don't get to worried about Girl's Camp, soon enough you will be there and have a great time.  Dad, I don't know where you are going to put a giant TV into that little trailer but I know that you are very creative when it comes to setting up TV's.  Elizabeth, try not to make Mom and Dad insane this summer and I am thinking about you all the time and I know how hard it was not to get into student government, but have a great summer none the less!  Madisen and Vic, it sounds like memorial day was a blast and I wish I was there with everyone!  I read all the letters just an hour is not enough time to write everything that I want to say.

  There still is not a day that goes by without myself thinking: I can't do this, I have to get out of here.  I try to ignore that voice, sometimes it is easier to do that than other times, but I keep going none-the-less.  The language is brutal.  I don't know what I was learning in High School, but it wasn't the same Japanese that I am learning here.  I try to learn something new everyday and that is all that I can do. 

Madisen, know that your scripture that you have marked has helped me so much.  Luke 1:37, I maybe miss quoting it but it says "For with God, nothing shall be made impossible." And as Walt Disney said "It is kinda fun to do the impossible."

I try to keep going.  I try to keep paddling that boat, even though my oar is broken; even though I am suddenly made captain of my crew; even though our ship smells like dirty laundry 6 days of the week; even though sometimes my shipmates can be loud and annoying; even though I can't go to the bathroom without letting everyone know about it; even though it seems as though we will never make it to our destination; even though the waters ahead will be rough and filled with dark nights and thick fog; even though I doubt myself frequently and want to swim back to the shore while it is still insight -  I keep paddling.

   I think that the great men and women are defined not by what was happening to them, but what they choose to do.  Those great men and women all had the chance to give up on a task that seems hopeless and impossible, but they kept going none-the-less, they kept fighting for what they choose to do, act on the goodness that is still in this world today.  That is something that is worth fighting for.

Know that I love you all with my entire heart and soul.  That you are always in my thoughts and prayers (in Japanese, I might add).

I love you all and know that you will never understand how deep my love is for you all!  Take care!

 With Love,

 Klein-choro (Elder Klein)

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