✴️Following Boss Kaicho and the spirit ✴️
Hey everyone, my head is all barabara right now. (All over the place, japanese onomatopoeia are so funny)
I'm writing this email while listening to Elder Uchtdorf's devotional. I felt a strong spiritual impression that I'm contributing to building Zion by doing what God wants me to do. Elder Uchtdorf shared a scripture that I love: John 15:19 "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." We are His. Because of that, He loves us. Of course age loves those who have lost sight of or never have seen His glory, but He sees you. He sees what you are doing, and He is grateful for you. (I am too
)On a different note, it's been another great week! I went on an exchange with Elder T (im kinda gonna be mean for a second so i wont give the full name
), who is in his third transfer but already speaks Japanese so well. It was evident by how much he studied during meals and at night. Guys no matter how much fun japanese or whatever is don't break the standards to do things, even if they are good things. We have the standards for reasons and God bless your efforts to be greater than whatever you could've don't by breaking them if you follow them. I took my next language test and got a 6.4, not my 7 yet and I think I could've done a lot better I just kept messing up during the responses.
Here's a quick rundown of my week:
* Monday: FHE
* Tuesday: DCM, my birthday
* Wednesday: Eikaiwa
* Thursday: ZC, exchanges
* Friday: Pae's birthday, 3 lessons cancelled
* Saturday: Un exchanged, super awesome lesson with Arnold, we should invite him to be baptized this or next week! Our trip to visit a member and 2 friends in a different town got canceled because the highway busses stopped running for the snow (there was no snow)
* Sunday: Church, kanji fast
Ok this is probably the last thing I will have time to write about, but I stopped studying kanji. Flash back to last week, in one week I consecrated my time to studying kanji, it was fun, I was successful, and I felt like my japanese was going to improve so much. I felt like I was finally using my language study hour very effectively. But the most important thing was that I had prayed about it and felt good with the study plan. Flash forward to Thursday, zone conference. In my interview with Boss kaicho he said that missionaries should not study kanji until after their missions. We are not supposed to have hobbies on our missions and too many people make kanji a hobbie. I would'nt have considered kanji a hobbie, I of course will keep up japanese and study it deeper, but I have no intentions of using japanese permenenty (I can't spell anymore) in my life. But Boss kaicho told it to me, without any mention of it from me. He is my preisthood leader so of course I wanted to follow him, but I kept reasoning in my mind that, "maybe I learn different than others" or "I can finish next transfer if I keep up this pace and then go crazy continuing to learn new words," or "I can just study kanji at night and meals" but I felt like what he said was for me. I was so conflicted over it, so much so that on Saturday night I woke up twice and thought about that for a long time each time. Sunday morning I decided to fast so I could have the strength and resolution to follow Boss kaicho. Sunday was...hungry... and I didn't feel like I was coming to any conclusions, but then this morning I woke up and my mind was clear. God had lead me to study kanji to learn what I needed to do for everything else, to learn how to learn many words at a time, and good methods for reviewing. Boss kaicho was right, I don't need kanji for missionary work, I will absorb all that I need from sending messages and reading the Book of Mormon. But I also had a clear knowledge that I need to continue my momentum from the kanji, I needed to return to my studies with greater devotion, focus, and consecration. I needed to use every minute I could to better my japanese so that I can do the best I can to teach God's children, because they deserve my best. I'm so glad I decided to fast instead of murmuring and not following what Boss kaicho said. I testify of the power of the priesthood and revelation, and the role that revelation has in choosing everything, missionaries missions, mission leaders, apostles, bishops, and every calling in the church. If you are in a position where you should excersize by revelation do your best to seek and folow that revelation. That is the only way we can be ready for the 2nd coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.
Here's a quick rundown of my week:
* Monday: FHE
* Tuesday: DCM, my birthday
* Wednesday: Eikaiwa
* Thursday: ZC, exchanges
* Friday: Pae's birthday, 3 lessons cancelled
* Saturday: Un exchanged, super awesome lesson with Arnold, we should invite him to be baptized this or next week! Our trip to visit a member and 2 friends in a different town got canceled because the highway busses stopped running for the snow (there was no snow)
* Sunday: Church, kanji fast
Ok this is probably the last thing I will have time to write about, but I stopped studying kanji. Flash back to last week, in one week I consecrated my time to studying kanji, it was fun, I was successful, and I felt like my japanese was going to improve so much. I felt like I was finally using my language study hour very effectively. But the most important thing was that I had prayed about it and felt good with the study plan. Flash forward to Thursday, zone conference. In my interview with Boss kaicho he said that missionaries should not study kanji until after their missions. We are not supposed to have hobbies on our missions and too many people make kanji a hobbie. I would'nt have considered kanji a hobbie, I of course will keep up japanese and study it deeper, but I have no intentions of using japanese permenenty (I can't spell anymore) in my life. But Boss kaicho told it to me, without any mention of it from me. He is my preisthood leader so of course I wanted to follow him, but I kept reasoning in my mind that, "maybe I learn different than others" or "I can finish next transfer if I keep up this pace and then go crazy continuing to learn new words," or "I can just study kanji at night and meals" but I felt like what he said was for me. I was so conflicted over it, so much so that on Saturday night I woke up twice and thought about that for a long time each time. Sunday morning I decided to fast so I could have the strength and resolution to follow Boss kaicho. Sunday was...hungry... and I didn't feel like I was coming to any conclusions, but then this morning I woke up and my mind was clear. God had lead me to study kanji to learn what I needed to do for everything else, to learn how to learn many words at a time, and good methods for reviewing. Boss kaicho was right, I don't need kanji for missionary work, I will absorb all that I need from sending messages and reading the Book of Mormon. But I also had a clear knowledge that I need to continue my momentum from the kanji, I needed to return to my studies with greater devotion, focus, and consecration. I needed to use every minute I could to better my japanese so that I can do the best I can to teach God's children, because they deserve my best. I'm so glad I decided to fast instead of murmuring and not following what Boss kaicho said. I testify of the power of the priesthood and revelation, and the role that revelation has in choosing everything, missionaries missions, mission leaders, apostles, bishops, and every calling in the church. If you are in a position where you should excersize by revelation do your best to seek and folow that revelation. That is the only way we can be ready for the 2nd coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.
I love you all, I love the Lord with all my heart. I testify that He lives, that this is His church, and that through Him, we can prepare in this life for the next. I testify these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Elder Rasmussen :)
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