Sweet Columbus's Raven, I'm going to Japan!!

December 11: Week 8
Area: Provo MTC
Companion: Elder Hamilton

Konnichiwa everyone! How is everyone doing?! It sounds like you are all enjoying the Christmas season so far! This is a good time of year to be at the MTC. There are lights all over the court yard and it feels super magical. And we get to sing Christmas songs in Japanese which is super fun!

My week here has been pretty awesome! Nothing super special happened but we had a lot of fun. I've grown really close to my district and we are all pretty sad we have to say goodbye next week. Me and the other Chorotachi have a lot of fun. We had Christmas with our Kohai this morning! That was super fun, mostly cause we got to dump all of our crap we don't want on them, along with all of the relics that have been handed down and signed for years. So we got up at 5:30 this morning to get ready. Then we went to other hallway in the residence hall and set up the Christmas Trees and laid out the "presents" around the lounge. Then around 5:45, we started pounding on our Kohai's door to wake them up. Apparently we were doing it too loud cause a missionary in the room next to them came bursting out of his room! He flew out with his head on a swivel trying to find who was making the noise. Then when he saw us he just yelled "what the crap!" and just glared at us for like 10 seconds until he went in his room. We were all just laughing when he left! It was so hilarious, he was so mad and disoriented. It was the best. MTC "Christmas" is just fantastic.

The Tuesday devotional was really awesome. Elder and Sister Zwick spoke. But the best part is when that 12 year old girl Lexi Walker sang. She is incredible. I guess she has sung for the president, she's sung in Carnegie Hall, and she was in that Frozen video with Alex Boye. While she was singing, me and Calhoun were talking. We were like "man, she's twelve and doing all of these things, what have I done with my life!!" I for sure wasn't doing that when I was twelve. I probably was just watching Spongebob and being worthless. Hahaha oh well, at least I have a purpose now! I love how the MTC is starting to bring in musical devotionals. I think music is one of the best ways to bring the spirit and to learn of Christ and his example.The devotional was really good. Sister Zwick shared a video that her 4 year old granddaughter made on her iphone. The little girl told us how much she loves missionaries and that if we come closer to Christ, he will come closer to us. It was super cute.

Last night was super cool as well. We had our last skype TRC last night. We talked to a nihonjin member who actually lives in California. He was way fun to talk to. Hamilton Choro is way into computer programming and software and that is what he did for a living. I asked him if he preferred apple or android. It was a fun conversation. But anyway, we talked about how the Book of Mormon can help our lives and we all shared our favorite scriptures. He was telling us stories and giving us advice that he learned while he served a mission in Kobe. It was pretty cool and I could mostly say everything I wanted to say without notes. At the end, he told us our Japanese was pretty good. Hopefully he's being serious! But it won't really matter for a little bit. We got emails from our Senpai in Japan and they said they basically don't understand anything but that they are having a great time.

So I got my flight plans last week. We are leaving the MTC on Monday at 3:30. I don't know if we are driving to the airport or taking frontrunner. We are flying Delta and our flight leaves at 8:30. We fly to Portland first arriving at 9:39. We have maybe an hour until our flight to Tokyo leaves at 10:51. So I kinda doubt I'll be able to call in Portland which is kinda a bummer. Then we fly to Tokyo and we get there at 2:55 Pm on Tuesday which is super weird. We lose an entire day! Then the Sendai missionaries have a four hour layover in the Tokyo airport until our flight to Sendai leaves at 6:55 PM. Sounds like a really long day! We are way excited though, even though our flight to Narita airport is like 12 hours! I'm sure Matthew, Dad and Todd knows how I feel right now. Japan seems like such a different place and I know I'm gonna have no idea whats going on for a few months probably. I'm super nervous but pretty excited to get started.  

Well that's about all of the exciting things that I can remember that happened this week! We had some good lessons with our "investigators" and I'm learning how to be a good missionary!

Dad!

Thanks for all of the Sports updates. It's nice to hear about the real world. That's so crazy Utah is ranked that high. It is kinda cool to think that I was able to play on that court at such a level during the tournament last year. Those were good times, I kinda miss it. Speaking of basketball, I hit the coolest deep three in this tall guys face the other day, you would have been proud! You are right though, I am kinda freaking out. I'm pretty scared to have my first door approach or my first street contact and having no idea what I'm doing. I just need to learn to embrace it and enjoy the ride. Thanks for your encouraging words though. I feel so uplifted when I hear from you guys. And when I read the card from the ward, I felt really good. It's cool to know that we are in everyone's prayers because we need all of the help we can get! 

Mom!
I can't believe my time here is up! I'm pretty excited! Mike emailed me again this week and told me how excited he is for me to finally go over to Japan. That is so awesome that he is constantly taking the time to talk to me each week. He's a pretty cool guy. I will be so happy if he's my trainer! I'm so excited to talk to you guys on Monday! Hopefully everything works out! I've missed hearing everyone's voices! Then in a week and a half later, we will be skyping! That will be so awesome. 

Thanks for all of the love and support you and the family have sent my way these past nine weeks. It really helped me get through the MTC. I have loved being so close to home and feeling your presence so close. I'm sure gonna miss you being close and the Utah mountains. But I'm excited for this adventure to start for real. I can't believe a week from now, I'll be doing real missionary work. I felt extreme love and concern for our fake investigators as I've been here, I can't even imagine what it is like during the real thing. I'm nervous and anxious but I know ill be okay! I love you so much! I will talk to you in 4 days! 

Well that's about it! I'm off to Japan! The MTC is a good place where the spirit is everywhere but I'm ready. I have learned so much here and I'm sad to leave the people I have come in contact with but I have to get started sometime! Talk to you soon!

愛しています！！

Love Elder Nathan Didericksen 

or

ヂダリクセン　長老

The Elders (including the new Kohai) with Brother Shulthess. He's a counselor and he's is one of the nicest guys I've ever met. He really has helped throughout the MTC.

Our district