1000 Choir Members

After taking a closer look at the picture, i agree, but it is most definitely not what it looks like. For those of you who don't know what im talking about, im just going to laugh a little, and say that i get to have me and my mommy secrets. :) TRC is a weekly activity where we meet with a member and teach them a lesson. These past two weeks, i have been doing it over skype with real members in Japan. English speaking missionaries do TRC, but from what i understand, they don't know if it is a member or an investigator, and if it is a member, they pretend to be an investigator. Studying the scriptures in Japanese is hard, but it is also worth it. I also want to memorize some passages, but don't know if ill have time. It takes a lot of time just to figure out what words are in a scripture, so i might not have the opportunity to do so. I'm glad you were able to get to spend some time with Uncle Roy, i hope he is doing well. It is a little obvious that you are excited for him, and that you love him... You have told me what is going on the past three weeks, but it's ok, because i love to hear about it. Is Mary Lou still doing better? I really hope that things get better there, and that there are no further complications. How is the rest of the family doing? It is weird not to be there and hear all of the things that are happening right as they happen. I am so super excited to leave the MTC this next week.. We don't have our travel plans yet, but should be getting them soon... I can't believe i have already been out for almost two months! That is like a ninth of my mission, and yet some times it only feels like i have been out a week... maybe two. I really loved the poem you shared, and so did the sisters in my room, they thought it was great. I am not excited to leave the MTC though, simply because i have the best district, and the best teachers. My teachers are really good at helping me to build my confidence in my ability to speak japanese, and are simply just really awesome people who really care, and put a lot of energy and thought into teaching us. They tell us that all they ever talk about is our district, and that they will talk to each other about what they can do to better help us. Life with my new companion continues to be fabulous, though it is filled with mountains of sarcasm... makes life all the more entertaining, though sometimes i am confused as to whether or not she is being serious. Choir was amazing this week. The choir was about 1000 missionaries strong, and we sang a child's prayer, and some children solo's with us. It was beautiful. The spirit is so strong with little children, and their sweet little voices raised in song bring the spirit so powerfully, and then have 1000 missionaries match that tone, ah it was just so powerful, and i was so grateful to be a part of it. This week has had struggles, a couple of things the teachers did, in an effort to motivate us and show us what we could do, kinda resulted in the opposite for me, and instead reminded me that there are a lot of things i need to work on and improve on. One of which is learning how to use the resources that i was given here at the MTC. The resources are great, if you know how to use them, but when i was trying to use them the other day, I got more and more confused, and couldn't figure out what they were trying to teach me, which was very frustrating. I'm talking about the language resources of course, I know how to use my scriptures and preach my gospel.. :) Thankfully, I have become a lot better at relying on the Lord in such times of distress, and the best part is that i have truly seen miracles because of it in my day to day life. there have been lessons, when i felt i needed to say something, but couldn't think of the Japanese to say what i felt i needed to say. But everytime as i open my mouth, I have been able to communicate with them, in very broken japanese the things that they need to hear, and have felt great peace in doing so. The greatest blessing that i receive in my opinion is comfort, and also peace. This mission is not what i expected, and it is hard. I know that on my own, i wouldn't have even been able to make it this far... i might've struggled even more that i have. But i am not alone, no one is. I have been comforted and aided beyond my capacity, and through Christ, I am able to do my best to serve him. I can't do this alone, but i don't have to, because he will never leave me, he will never forsake me, he is always there to help me. And that is true for all of us. God is there, he will guide, he will comfort, he will protect, and he will never forsake us. All we have to do is look to him, ask him, and we will gladly aid us with our burdens and our trials, so that we will be able to bear all things that he has asked us to do. I love you, and i love the people in Japan, and i know that i have been called to the people and the place that my heavenly father has prepared for me, so that i can help his children, whom he loves so much come unto christ. I know this is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and i know it with every fiber of my being. And i so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I hope that all is well... Know that i love and miss you!

--

Love, Sister Makin