MTC!!! (January 29, 2015)

Hullo! It's your local missionary, Sister Luke! Yaaaaaay!

Today is my one and only P (preparation) day here at the Mission Training Center. I'd encourage you all to write me letters, but don't, because I leave Monday morning (at 3:00 AM, mind you), so although I'm sure you're dying to write me, I won't get anything sent after like, yesterday, so don't bother, I'll still love you;)

Here's the boring how-this-will-work talk: Basically, I'll send a brief email to you lovely people describing events, keeping it fairly concise and interesting, and then I'll send "parent details" (things most of you probably aren't interested in but that parents would want to know) to them, and it will be a glorious time. Yeah. Except today, today won't be concise 'cause I'm bursting with things to say... Sorry. Next time:)

As a lot of you know, I'm in a Native Japanese District, and am the only one who grew up on this side of the globe. My companion (Sister A) is from Korea, but everyone else is Japanese born and raised. We are by far the loudest district in the Asian language building (despite the fact that we are also the smallest). 

International missionaries get the opportunity to visit Temple Square, and see the Visitor's Center and the Conference Center and all those good things. My district got to do that.

Did I mention I'm not an international missionary?

That was actually a very productive day for me, though, everyone left and I went on splits with sisters from my zone, and so I had personal study time during personal study, companion study, language study... that might sound boring but there is SO much to be learned, I love it. (I'm studying the Book of Mormon in two languages, Preach My Gospel in two languages, the Missionary Handbook in two languages... Lots to learn, it's so fun!!! Yeah, yeah, I'm a nerd, but I love learning and it's so meaningful to me at this point in my life.)

On Tuesday, we had TRC (volunteers come and act as investigators in our mission language and we teach them lessons throughout the week), and there was a man there who was a returned missionary from Japan, and spoke to my district a bit. After our last companionship came out from their lesson, we all went our separate ways, and he complimented Sister A and I on our ability to speak English. By the way, I speak English well enough to be complimented. Also, I was born and raised in Idaho. (There've actually been several times where people didn't think I could speak English, I'm getting a kick out of it.)

When we came back from lunch one day, there was an uproar in the hallway, so Sister A and another companionship and I naturally went to check it out.

The Elders. There were maybe ten or twelve of them lined up in the hallway, dodging left and right and getting really into it. By "it," I mean they were shooting rubber frogs at each other.

Because really, the MTC is a wonderful, spiritual place, but we're also still college-aged kids studying and learning and practicing, and heaven knows who gets what in packages from home and, well, things happen.

As I said, today's not very concise, so I apologize for that but I'd like to share one last thought. At the devotional, (which was absolutely amazing,) we listened to a talk on (you guessed it) being a good missionary and an instrument in the hands of the Lord. One thing that really stood out to me was this question: Are you the kind of missionary the Lord can trust? You see, I've spent the past few weeks worrying about my trust in Him, increasing my faith, relying on Him and recognizing His Spirit, but I'd never thought of the other way around; does the Lord trust me?

I think He can. I also think He can help me to be more trustworthy with His will, and I also think he can help each of us follow Him more as well. I want to let each of you know that I know God lives, and I know He loves us. I've never felt His love so strongly as I have in the past week. It is my prayer that I will be the kind of missionary that the Lord can trust, and I hope each of you can continue to be the inspiring people you are, in that the Lord can trust you to help one another and love His children (including yourself) as He wants you to.

I love you all, and the next you hear from me, this girl will be in Japan!!!!! I'm so excited to be here because I know the Lord has called me to be here, and I wish you the best! Aishitemasuyo! (Love you!)

Always, Sister Luke!