Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Christmas Week at the MTC Dec. 22, 2008

Meri Kurisumasu!
It's been an interesting week for all of the Japanese missionaries this week. On Sunday we were told that Branch/Zone 25 is being deactivated (that's my zone) and that we're combining with the other Japanese zone (Branch 27) so now there is only one Japanese zone/branch. Instead of having 14 missionaries in our zone, now we have 21. Also, we will have 39 incoming missionaries next week. I don't know how they added up the numbers, but they say that we'll have 65 in our zone starting next week. We'll have 7 districts in our zone. Pretty crazy stuff. So my new branch president is President Bird. He used to live on Wolf Hollow Drive and knows all of the old-timers in the ward (like the Mitchells, Barbers, Vests, Bowles). It's pretty crazy. I think he lived in the Dietz's or the Hatfield's house. He seems really nice, and it's going to be an interesting experience working with him.
The older Japanese missionaries flew to Japan yesterday. I had to get up at 4:00 AM to check them all out (one of my duties as a Zone Leader) and say goodbye. It was pretty sad seeing them go. Now I have no one to look up to and to ask questions. Also, now I am the only missionary in the entire MTC going to Sapporo. It's crazy being the only one, but I'm sure that some of the new missionaries will be going to Sapporo.
Brandyn Bennet and Leif Ernst also left this past week. I got to get a picture with each of them the day before they left. Yesterday I got a letter from Tyler Voorhees. It sounds like he's doing pretty well in Korea. I also got cards from the Soffes and Hickmans this week. It was nice to hear from members of the ward.
Well, life in the MTC is going alright. It's been tough to see the older missionaries go and realize that I can't go for another month and a half. The language has been really tough this week. I can't seem to remember much of what we have gone over, and now we have to teach the first lesson in Japanese (tomorrow). I'm really scared, because my Japanese just hasn't been on as of late. Hopefully I can make it through the lesson alright.
Have a merry Christmas! Elder Christensen