It's awesome learning Japanese.  Its funny though because I can have a complete conversation about the Gospel in Japanese but everyday stuff I can't as much.  I guess the Gospel is a little more important though.  This is going to be a jumbled letter so bear with me.  Something funny I learned is that the word for visit and excommunicate are almost the exact same so you have to be careful.  If you say I like to visit members it can come out as I like to excommunicate members. I can teach lessons in Nihongo. Nihongo is Japanese.  I'm used to hearing it that way.  My Nihongo is steadily improving.  The grammar is all backwards compared to English.  Its nice though because there are no exceptions.

I got Happy Birthday sung to me in the cafeteria.  It was really loud, but it was actually comforting for me.  I also was told Happy Birthday about a million time.  Most of the time in languages I didn't understand.  Its because my companion is kind of a goofball.  He's such a nice guy who helps me all day but he is a goofball.  He wrote on a paper that it was his companions birthday and walked behind me all day.  Every time someone would walk by he would flip it out thinking I didn't know and the missionaries would say happy Birthday.  He's a nice choro (elder).

I really appreciated all of the letters everyone sent on my birthday. There were so many and I figured my mom put something up on her Facebook to get such a reaction. I thank all of you for your support and prayers.

It was fun getting the new Kohai.  they don't know any Nihongo haha.  They say some funny stuff that just doesn't make sense.  I'm a Senpai now.  It's crazy!!! I sing better in Nihongo than English haha.  I think its because I'm more focused on reading in Nihongo so I don't hear myself.  WE have a district of all Chorotachi.(Elders).  WE sound awful at singing most of the time. Just like in Priesthood.  our branch is pretty much Chorotachi too so I'm not seeing this whole thing that there are more Shimai, (Sisters), than elders at the MTC. That's what everyone said before I left but I don't see it. It seems like there is way more elders than shimai.

Thank you again for all of your support. My email is mason.proctor@myldsmail.net so if anyone wants to shoot me a letter you can do it through that address.

 

 

 

 

Three weeks into my mission already but still at the MTC. I feel a little jealous of Taylor, Abby, and Jordan. They only had to stay 2 weeks. I love the Spirit here but the long hours of language and gospel study in a fairly small classroom gets monotonous at times. I just want to be out in Tokyo doing what I have been called to do. This man named Brother Irie talked to us too in a devotional. He was converted in Japan when he was young.  He had to go through so much because his family didn't want him to join the Church.  He knew it was true though.  He spoke Japanese 95% of the time and I understood Everything!!!! Granted he did talk slow and purposely used words that were common but still it was awesome!!! I was emotional because he sung a song about being converted that he wrote afterwards. He sung in both Japanese and English.  People say they hear my accent sometimes.  That's weird.  I like it though.  Texas is the best.  Japanese is going well but getting stressful.  There's so much to learn.  It's like having a school project that has no end and no beginning.  So I have no idea where I should start studying.  It's going well though.  Thanks to all who are writing me and emailing me. It helps soooo much!