3rd week at the MTC

Dear Family and Friends,

How is everyone doing? I am so full of joy to be able to read everyone's emails. I love being able to write to you each week, and tell you about how everything is going. I am doing great here at the MTC! A lot has happened in this past week. The General Authorities arrived here last Wednesday. They all came to visit with the new mission presidents for the mission president training seminar.  On that day me and my companion both received a slip saying we had a meeting later that evening. We went to the meeting, and saw a bunch of other missionaries sitting in the room. President Bertaso (The first counselor of the MTC presidency) walked into the room. There was about 35 elders sitting in the room with no idea what the meeting was about. President Bertaso told us that we were the missionaries who would pass the sacrament to the General Authorities this week! The next day we had a practice in the 1M building which we were told was off limits as missionaries. We all were given assignments on where to pass. For a moment I was asked to pass to President Monson himself! I felt so blessed to be able to do that, but then that had me switch positions and I was told I would be passing somewhere else. Even though I did not get to pass to the presidency, I was still extremely blessed to be one of the missionaries picked out of 2,000 to pass to the General Authorities. When the day came to pass the sacrament, we got lined about outside the sacrament room. As we entered the sacrament meeting, you could just feel the spirit so strong! I looked at the Prophet and all the apostles, and I felt an overwhelming sense of comfort and peace. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to pass to these amazing General Authorities. 

Our zone leaders left us on Monday morning. Our whole zone gathered around Sunday night and sang them "God be with you till we Meet Again." Everyone had tears in their eyes and we were all so sad to see them leaving. Even though we felt sad we all knew how great of missionaries they would be. We were happy to know that the people of Japan would be receiving some of the greatest missionaries I have ever known. We may have only known them for a few weeks, but in those short few weeks we learned so much from them. The day after that my companion and I were appointed to be the new zone leaders for our zone. I am grateful that I was given this chance because I truly want to become like those zone leaders I grew to know and love. If I can be half as good of as zone leader as any of them were, I will be doing a good job. I am excited to get to know everyone better in our zone now because all those that I know so far have been such loving people. Our branch presidency is great! We get to meet with them every Sunday and Tuesday and talk about how the zone is doing. Our presidency are all great men, and I really look up to them.

The language is going fairly well. Every day I learn so many new things about how it all works. It seems like every day I feel confident like I know something, and then they throw something new at us. I really compare it to the talk that Elder Christofferson gave and the video, "The Will of God." (Which I recommend seeing if you haven't). Our zone leaders showed us this video the first day, and it relates to the MTC experience so much. I get cut down every day, but I know that Heavenly Father is only doing it so that I can continue to grow stronger and progress how he wants me to. Just yesterday my teacher asked me to give the whole lesson to our investigator next week, and said that my companion could only pray and testify. I feel like she is cutting me down because she knows that I won't be able to be the head of the lesson very well; however, I know that she is only doing it so that I can reach my potential and continue to grow strong. I am truly grateful for the teachers we have, and for all that they do for us.

Our district started up a new tradition for every Tuesday. We all wear blue for fun, and we call it Blues-day.  I love all the little things that we do together as a district. It is so fun to be around all these Choro tachi to shimai tachi (Elders and Sisters). I love each and every one of them. We hope to pass on the tradition to the Elders and Sisters that come in after us. It has truly been a great experience to get to know each of them personally. I love hearing all the stories they have to tell, and I love to be around each of them. Each P-day we gather together in the afternoon in our class to watch Mormon Messages together. It is so fun to be in a room filled with good friends, and feel the spirit so strongly. The day that we have to leave the MTC will surely be devastating. Although I do know this, that each of us was put here together for a reason. Even though we may get split up when it comes time to go to Japan, we will have learned so much from each other that we can use for the people of Japan. I know I have already learned a lot from my district, and that I will be able to apply it when I get out to the field. 

My testimony continues to grow strongly every day. We learn so much about the gospel here. I love being able to hear everyone else's testimonies and I know they strengthen mine drastically. This gospel really is true. I love being able to read from the scriptures each day and learn so many new things from them. Before the MTC when I would read the scriptures I would read it quickly without pondering about what they actually meant. Now since I have been here I have really taken the time to think about what each verse means. I have been able to understand them so much more just by taking a few more seconds to think about what they mean. I encourage each of you to strive your hardest to read and pray each night and morning. I know that if you will, that Heavenly Father will strengthen you so much. I say this from my own experience here. Reading the scriptures and praying is the best way to get closer to our Heavenly Father. As many of you already know, we pray a lot here at the MTC. Mornings, every class (before/after), during meals, at night, companionship prayer, etc. It is such a great gift from our Heavenly Father to us to be able to speak to him. I know I personally love each night being able to get on my knees, and just talk to my Heavenly Father as a friend. I love to tell him about how my day went, and give him thanks for all the blessings he has given me. I know your days may be busy, and it is not always easy to read 

and pray each night and morning. At the same time I do know that if you can find a small portion of your day just to read just a verse or two, and give a quick prayer of thanks to Heavenly Father that your lives will be blessed so much. 

3 Nephi 18:21

I love all of you and pray for you every day. I am grateful for this chance I have to be a missionary. I try to enjoy every moment I have here because I know 2 years is only a short time. Thank you again for all the emails and prayers. This gospel is true. "God be with you till we Meet Again."

Elder Hirschi