I am stoked to leave. I will miss this place in a weird way but also will be so relieved. During my release interview with my branch pres. the Panda incident came up. He had gotten a call about it. He didn't even really care. I explained how we were all kind of angry and confused that we don't have our teacher back yet. He said in the phone call that he was told the mtc had let our teacher go...meaning he was fired. I won't even bother trying to explain my feelings about this cause I don't have the time. Though I am not happy about it. Nor is the rest of my district. We are trying to figure out who we can write letters to about it. Either that or we may be having someone come in to answer our questions and explain the reasoning behind firing a great teacher for bringing food to some elders to motivate/reward them for their hard work. I love this gospel. I love the Spirit I feel here. I love the teachers. I love so many of the people I have met. But as to the MTC? I really don't like it and hate some of the ways they handle situations. Call it hard hearted or prideful, I don't care. The MTC is too strict and controlling. Love hate relationship is real right now.
This week I finally got some tough love, blunt statements, and honest opinions from our teacher and some of the speakers. So nice to hear that because it's what really motivates me. Our teacher talked about teaching people not lessons and asking inspired questions from God/the Spirit. He also talked about how important applying our lessons to specific people rather than teaching what we teach everyone, is so important. More importantly though, he told us that we aren't using much inspiration in our lessons nor speaking with the Spirit. I needed that.
Then this last Tuesday we had an awesome devo!! Greatest one yet or equal to the David Archuletta one (goodness he is so hot <3 lolz). Elder Larry Katcher of the quorum of the 70 spoke. As many of you already know I struggle with my attitude towards obedience to a lot of the rules here and in life. Katcher spoke on WHY obedience brings so many blessings. Finally makes sense to me. Obedience allows us to gain trust. Not just with our friends, boss, or parents or for me with fellow missionaries or even my mission pres. but most importantly with God. God has so many miracles that he hopes to perform through us missionaries (and everyone in general). Though, if he can't trust us to be obedient then why should he trust us to be a part of these miracles? I want that trust and am striving to work harder, be more obedient, and to do the right things at all times.
Katcher also spoke on the importance of our attitude. I learned a lot about this selling alarms in LA this last summer. Though I didn't do the best, it prepped me for this really well and I had such a great time. Every time I got dropped off in a neighborhood and believed the hood was crap and that I wouldn't sell there, I never did. In fact I would many times just sit on the curb "knowing" I wouldn't get a sale. Every time I said "this hood is straight money, finna blow it up" I more often than not, would do well. I realize that Japan hasn't been the most successful place in terms of converts to Jesus Christ and this gospel. Though I don't have that attitude going into it. Japan has many great qualities but has the second highest suicide rate behind Korea. Many of the people are struggling at the bottom of the hierarchy in their culture. So many people there need the gospel. Katcher said that anyone that says: "the people are nice in your mission, though you won't get many baptisms, you will mostly do seed planting" (no offense to anyone that said that) is lying. I hope to prove those expectations as wrong. Maybe I will exceed the anticipated baptisms, maybe I won't. All I know is I won't let the expectations that others have for Japan missions (and the amount of conversions I will have) hold me back. The number of and strength of conversions with investigators is what is really important. I feel like the saying, "the number of baptisms you get isn't important" is true but has become an excuse to be a mediocre missionary for many.
My best friend here Elder Judd from Brighton is leaving this Monday for Japan. He is going to Tokyo! Stoked for him but I am going to miss him. Hopefully we can find a way to see each other at the mission border, or meet at the temple.
I am trying hard to lucid dream every night I go to bed. It's crazy. If you don't know what it is look it up. I know a decent amount about it. If you know anything about it shoot me an email with some tips or fact or something cause I can't really look that stuff up here.
Thanks a ton for the support everyone!
Ai Shite Mas,
Spackman Choro
No comments:
Post a Comment