Devotional Musical Number

As you can probably tell, Me and Sherman Chourou and Nielsen Shimai played in the Sunday devotional! It was crazy playing in front of like 3000 people but our douryous said that that was the best we ever played it! We got shouted out by the speaker (I forgot his name) at the end of his talk and he said that our number strengthened his testimony on how much he knows that his redeemer lived. Plus, I could see the screen and when I was on there so I smiled intentionally and everyone (the girls) said they loved that and that we did a super good job and we met the MTC presidency and their wives afterward and got a card that said thanks for playing and bringing the spirit and that they encourage us to audition at least once more while we are here and I think we're going to audition in two weeks again! That was such a cool opportunity and I'll never forget it!

This week I decided to go vegetarian and I might just do the rest of the MTC vegetarian because they meat here is a little iffy and the vegetables and green machines (spinach wraps) are super good and I get one for lunch and dinner and anyone coming to the MTC should know that the wraps are hands down the best food here.

Also, my best friend growing up since I was three years old, Takumi Palmer, got his mission call to Fukuoka last week and I'm hoping everyday that I can be his trainer or senior companion or even just companions at some point (even though we might get in more trouble together than actual work being done)! I'm so excited for him and I know I'll definitely see him in Japan at conferences at the least! I remember we used to joke around and say we'd go to the same mission and now it's really happening! I truly know that our Father in Heaven has prepared us both for the wonderful opportunity to serve the Nihonjin in the Fukuoka Mission and that He's definitely in control and guiding us from up in the sky. I'm SO EXCITED!

My district signed up to help host on Wednesday and that was a wonderful opportunity to serve and help the new missionaries and three of my five had fourth floor rooms so carrying their luggage (after working out that morning) in 90 degree weather wasn't physically pleasant but it was a spiritual boost to be out and selflessly serve like Christ would, even if it's just helping new missionaries to adjust to life here. 

Also, today on the way home from the temple I saw four women from my ward, Sister Sperry, Sister Richardson, Sister Bradley and even my mom! That was crazy! They all tutor here and it was super weird seeing my mom and I avoided the hug but yeah I just still don't know what to think about that, I can't wait until I get to Japan and then I definitely won't see anyone I know, only a bunch of Nihonjins staring at me! 

Our senpai (Upperclassmen ish) in our zone left on Monday and Tuesday and I'll miss them and their influences so much, especially McArthur and Hirschi Chouroru. They were the Zone Leaders and I got to work with them a lot and closely as a District Leader and I know that they'll do great things in Japan. Since they all left, that means our massive 50 person transfer is the oldest in our zone and we got six new kohai (underclassmen) on Wednesday, all elders. The work is going to start progressing faster and faster in Japan, I just know it! Partly because we're all being prepared in ways that we couldn't imagine, and because 12 years or so ago President Eyring said in a conference over there in Japan that the work would start progressing very, very quickly over there when the children being raised then would become missionaries, and that moment is approaching quickly. Aren't apostolic blessings the coolest? And especially being able to see the beginning of that? I'm so pumped and I want to go to Japan as soon as I possibly can!

I know MTC emails aren't the most exciting because it's the same monotonous routine for us here, for five more weeks or so too, but somehow the MTC manages to be an awesome, spiritually testing and growing place and so far it hasn't gotten old here! I love it so much and I love seeing all of my friends from school here and I'll be able to see most of the people from Timpanogos because I leave here on September 21 which is so far away yet it is so close! 

1) Me and Sherman Chourou and Nielsen Shimai (next to me) and her companion after the Sunday devotional because split gender pictures need companions!
2) Me and Elder David Hurst 

I love you all unconditionally!

Elder Tschirki

愛しています!

シャーキー長老