5th week at the MTC

Konichiwa Mina san! (Hello Everyone!)

Dear Family and Friends,

I am so happy to have the privilege of writing an email to all of you today! It is so great to receive all of your letters and emails. I love hearing how everyone is doing, and about all of your experiences. It has been another fantastic week at the MTC! I still continue to learn so much every day here! On Monday our sensei Sheehan Kyodai took my companion and I in for coaching. He told us that we have so much potential! He said that our whole zone can get distracted during our study times, and that he needs my companion and I to be the examples as zone leaders and remain focused. After coaching we talked to see how we could become better examples to our fellow missionaries. The next day we worked hard to remain diligent during our study time. Our whole zone has improved so much since then. I am very grateful for my teachers examples to me. I have learned so many things about this gospel from them. I am grateful for the chance that I have to teach investigators every day. Last Monday my companion and I were able to teach 3 different times throughout the day. Even though I know that my investigators are only people that are role playing to be Japanese investigators I still feel such a great love for them. Each and every lesson the spirit is present and always prompts us on what to teach. I know I told you last week about how I had to teach a whole lesson myself, and how I didn't know what to teach but as I read the Book of Mormon I found exactly what I should teach about. The Book of Mormon continues to be a blessing in finding what to teach for our investigators. Each night as I read the Book of Mormon it seems as though every time I read I find exactly what I am looking for. Just last week we had to prepare talks for Sunday on faith in Jesus Christ. On Saturday night I read about Abinadi. Abinadi had such amazing faith in Christ. He continued to preach to King Noah and would not deny his faith even until death (Mosiah chapters 11-17). I was able to teach about Abinadi's faith in God and how we should all strive to have faith as he did. It is truly amazing to me that even though he knew if he continued to teach King Noah and not deny that the gospel is true, that he would be put to death. Yet he remained strong in his faith in Christ. I am sincerely grateful for Abinadi's example to me, and I strive to gain faith as he did every day. The Book of Mormon is true, and I know that without a doubt in my heart.

On Saturday night our district watched a video about Christ's atonement (of which I wish I knew that name.) Our district leader Smith Choro asked us if we could use the last 20 minutes of our study time to watch the video. The video he showed us on Christ's atonement was so strong. The spirit that we felt in the room that day hit me like a ton of bricks. Our whole district was brought to tears. Just as I though I had no tears left Smith Choro bore his testimony on Christ's atonement in his life. Words cannot describe how our whole district felt that night as he bore his testimony. I have never felt the spirit so strong in my life. I am so grateful for Christ's atonement. I know that all of us commit sins in our life, but through him we can become clean. I am so grateful that I have the comfort of the savior always. Sometimes I feel like my burden may be too heavy and that this mission is really not easy, but when I do I have the savior to lean on for help. I know that anything that I go through he has been there before and he will help me through it. He loves all of us, and he loves us enough that he was willing to die for us. When I think of the savior's atonement I always remember the hymn "I Stand All Amazed." This is my favorite hymn because I do truly stand all amazed at the love Jesus offered me. He suffered so much for each of us so that we would be able to return to our Heavenly Father. I can remember back a few years ago my dad had me mark a scripture Luke 22:40-44. I read this scripture every time I take the sacrament on Sunday and remember about what he did for me and for all of us. I know that the savior loves each of you so much. I know that no matter what we do in our lives he will love us unconditionally. 

After devotional on Sundays we get to watch a church movie. On Sunday we were able to watch the movie on John Tanner. This was the video I was talking about to my family, and said that we should watch it together which we never did. However, I would encourage you to watch the video because it is very inspirational. It is about a man who gave up everything for the gospel. He, like Abinadi, had an incredibly strong testimony. If you find time I would recommend that video to all of you. Some days I really struggle to find the motivation to be a diligent missionary. I feel like we have very little time to rest, and we are constantly working to learn. Some days I feel like my brain is exploding from how much Japanese I try to cram in each day. Then I think about the salvation of the people in Japan. I think about how I will be able to bring others unto Christ. I know that with continual hard work I will be able to bring more to the gospel. I feel like I have already developed a love for the people of Japan, and I haven't even met them yet. On the back of my family photo album my mom put a little scripture from D and C about how "The Worth of Souls is Great in the Sight of God." I know that to be true. No matter what their back ground, no matter what they have been through, no matter what they have done wrong in their lives, God loves them. Even though some days I really feel down on myself and I feel too tired to work hard, I think about how God sees the people of Japan. I think about how God continues to look down on me and says "Justice those people need you." Every day I think of those words in my mind and even though I may feel extremely tired I strive to work my hardest because I know how much each soul means to our Father in Heaven. I also have another quote on my pillowcase that says, "A missionary is someone who leaves their family for 2 years, so that others can be with their families for eternity." I know that this is true. That is exactly what I will be working to do in Japan. I will be bringing families together for eternity.

I am sorry my emails are so long, but I hope that you are able to put up with reading them haha. Sorry that I won't be able to email you personal letters today I don't have too much time, but I am grateful that I get to send an email to all of you each week telling about my experiences here. I am also very grateful for all the emails each of you have sent me and I hope you will continue to email me.That is so cool that Michael got his call to Arkansas. Please tell him that I know he will be a great missionary and that he will have a blast. The mission is a great experience, and I have only been out here for a month. I heard Alex is already getting his Eagle Scout. That is amazing, tell him I said congrats. Also thank you so much for the package yesterday! It is funny because some of the sisters in our district got packages with chips and salsa too. They were planning on having a chips and salsa party today, and then I got your package last night with the same thing haha. Even though the weeks are dying down at the MTC they have not said anything about my visas. Hopefully they will soon. I have not heard anything about the 24th yet, but if I do I will let you know. Yes, I have been able to get the pictures great. Thank you so much. It is good to see how everyone is doing. Sadly I have not been able to find Elder Fesoli yet, but we are always on the look out. I will try my best to find him before he leaves. I will send some pictures in another email.

I love you all and keep you in my prayers,

Elder Hirsch