7th week at the MTC

Only 2 weeks left here at the MTC

Dear Family and Friends,

I cannot believe just how fast the days are flying by here at the MTC. The days continue to die down fast and now we have less than 2 weeks here at the MTC. As excited as I am to head out to Japan, I do feel really sad that I will be leaving my zone and teachers. I have learned so many things from every single one of them. It is amazing that although I have only been here for such a short time, it feels like I have known everyone here my whole life. I am really enjoying all of the new missionaries that came on last week. This is their first P-day and we all played some basketball together. It is so much fun to be able to play sports with all the kohai. Last Saturday I was able to interview each of the new Elders that are the senior companions. I really got to know all of them so much better, and they are all so excited to be in our zone. We have been playing a lot more volleyball together recently, which I never realized was so fun until I came to the MTC. It is funny that all the kohai think we are so good at Japanese, and even though I do feel like I have learned a lot, at the same time I feel like I don't know anything yet. I know that when I make it to Japan I am going to feel lost. I have been emailing Jaden Raker a little bit from Japan. He and I really hope that he will be my trainer when I get to the mission. I think it would be a really cool experience to be able to teach with him and hear about all of his experiences in Japan. 

Believe it or not I am beginning to enjoy teaching now. Before I came to the MTC my number one fear was teaching/talking in front of people. Now I have learned how amazing it is to be able to share the message of the gospel. It is so incredible how often the spirit will prompt my companion or I on something to share in our lessons. I love being able to share the message that we have with those who need it. Lately we have been doing Skype TRC with actually members in Japan. It is so cool to be able to talk to them about their lives in Japan. I can already tell that I am going to love all of the people in Japan so much. Yesterday we taught a Japanese member during TRC. It is so cool to think about how much I have actually learned in Japanese, and to see that I can actually somewhat understand what they are saying. Even though I feel like they are talking at one hundred miles an hour I can still understand a little of what they are saying. I can't wait to head out for Japan. I know that it won't be easy to leave the MTC with all the amazing people here, but I am so excited to get out there and serve. Yesterday we got our Katakana name tags which is what we will use for the flight to Japan. To me that is just an assurance of how close the time is before I leave. I know that 2 weeks is still a long time, but it is going by very fast. 

Last night Maynes Shimai (our original teacher) came back from her trip to Hawaii. Each of us have gotten very close with Maynes Shimai, so we were super excited to see her come back from her trip. Some of the sisters were even crying just to see her again. It was great to talk to her about her trip, but then she told us she had some bad news. She said that she would be teaching a new district, and all of our hearts sank. She was in tears because she would not be able to teach us, and we would not be able to teach her investigator (Takemura shimai) who we also were very close too. All of the sisters were in tears when she told us the news. It is incredible how well we have gotten to know each other over these few weeks. It was a sad day, and that was just knowing that she wouldn't teach us anymore. I can't even imagine what the day will be like when we leave for Japan. 

I am continuing to learn the language with hard work. As the days die down we have realized that we need to buckle down and work harder on the language. I feel like I have learned so much, but I know when I arrive in Japan it will be as if I don't know anything. Learning Japanese is not the easiest thing in the world, but with constant praying and hard work we have really been blessed with the gift of tongues. Lately I have been reading about Ammon in the scriptures. Ammon was such a phenomenal missionary. I love Alma chapter 17 verses 9-12 because I feel like it applies to me so much as a missionary also. We pray all the time for the spirit of the Lord. Even though I know that I will be going through many trials on my mission, the Lord has comforted me. Also in Alma 21:16 it talks about how they went whither soever the spirit guided them to go. I know that the spirit is constantly guiding me and that it will guide me to the right people in Japan. Being able to read from the scriptures every day is such a blessing. I know that through constant prayer and reading the scriptures that the Lord has blessed me to learn more about this gospel and to be strengthened on learning this difficult language. I hope that as a missionary I can strive to follow the example of the sons of Mosiah. I know that teaching the people of Japan won't be nearly as hard as it was for the sons of Mosiah to teach the Lamanites, but I do know that it won't be easy. I must strive for the constant companionship of the spirit to be able to teach what the Lord wants me to teach to the people in Japan.  

I hope that all of you are doing well. It is great to hear from everyone's letters and emails. I am sorry, but I do not have any pictures with the new kohai. I will make sure to take some before I leave. My favorite thing about the MTC, if I haven't said already, is the people. I just love being able to meet all these new people and how friendly they all are. It is so cool to hear about all of their backgrounds. They are all so nice and they really strengthen my testimony of the gospel so much. The kohai are doing great on the language. Some of them took previous Japanese and they all help out each other. 

Thank you for all you have done for me. I love you all so much. I keep each of you in my prayers every night. 

Elder Hirschi