Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 12:48 PM

Interesting story to start off this email. I keep on seeing people that I recognize and strangely enough the majority of the kids I see look like max. Hahah there are like 15 kids that look like max here at the MTC. Um there are a few kids that look like Easter island heads or handsome squidward hahaha it makes my day a little bit when I see those missionaries.

All the other missionaries in my district are getting sick and I'm the lone survivor. Which was really nice because me and another elder from my district were able to get one on one with the teacher for like 3 hours, it was really nice because I really need sentence structure with my sensei. It's just a process to learn this language, I might come the next day or the day after that. The MTC is a Petri dish, there are illnesses that have been swimming around here since the 80's.

On Tuesday, all the other missionaries from Bountiful that came in on the same day as me left for their missions.... Kinda sad but that's all good haha I need all the time I can et to learn this language. I'm starting to like the MTC. It's not as bad as most people make it sound, added bonus is that my district is the best.. Every morning we go play bball in the gym. It's the best and don't worry I'm still studying a whole lot!!

Oh btw I got transferred which is very rare in the MTC. My new companion couldn't stand his old one or something them there was a switch and now my new companion is elder packer from Draper, UT. I like him because we can relate with just about anything cause we played the sports same sports in high school. It's really nice because we both plan the lesson and ideas and Japanese are a lot easier to plan and teach the lesson. The gift of tongues is a real thing in can understand and talk in Japanese when we teach the lessons to our "investigators." It's great stuff.

Funny story of the week, during the devotional some elder airdropped Elder Fono (an elder on my district) some Katy perry, Taylor swift, and b.o.b songs! And a couple times during the week he asked Siri to read the note! HAha if you want a good laugh copy and paste a song from the Internet and put it in a note, then have Siri read it to you. It is the best stress reliever in the MTC.

Missionaries are doctors of the soul:
When we go to teach people we don't want to throw all this information our investigators, we need to cater to there needs. Become friends with the person, Ask questions to get to know the Just like a doctor! Doctors don't just go in and take one look and say you need to take this drug twice a day and the visit lasts five minutes, the doctor will cater to those needs of the patient/investigator saying where does it hurt, how bad does it hurt, and then prescribes mess to the patient after figuring out what is really needed. Thank you for all the letter and food haha the people in my district have really enjoyed them!! Thanks again! Two cool phrases I learned from the senpi (missionaries that have been
here longer)

My District

me and my new companion with junichi who is from Nihon
(Japan)that helps us with the language and teaching the nihonjin
(Japanese people)

Bakuhatsu shitte kudasai - please explode
Painto de kataku iku - go hard in the paint

Thursday, August 20, 2015 2:06 PM

First full week in the MTC!

When everyone says, “Just make it to Sunday and everything resets”.  They are right because Sunday was honestly the best day thus far here at the MTC.  We started the day with more Japanese and personal study for the majority of the day up until sacrament meeting.  The sacrament meeting is always in Japanese (as expected.) It was really weird and also kinda cool at the same time because that’s what it is going to be like for the next two years. 

Funny story!  After sacrament meeting, the wife of my branch president came up to me and asked, "Do you know Martin Halverson?" I said, "Yeah that’s my dad! haha How do you know him?" and she said, "I dated him at BYU!"  It must have been when you lived in that shack, Dad? hahah Small world huh?  Her name is Carlene Sorensen; just in case you remember her.

After that we went to the Sunday devotional, where the Nashville Tribute band came to play and they sang gospel type songs.  They really brought the Spirit. Also, it was some of the greatest music I’ve ever heard.  Even though it was country, I loved it.  I highly recommend listening to them when you get a chance!  

After that my district and I watched a video called the “Character of Christ”.  I would recommend everyone watch it because it is life changing! Elder Bednar talked about how we as missionaries can become more Christlike by looking outward to help people instead of look inward and being selfish.  It really hit home because I realized that missionary work and getting lost in the work is just the same as being Christlike and looking out to help and care for other people.  

The language is challenging! haha We have been teaching fake investigators in Japanese since the 3rd day here.  It’s rough, trust me.... Japanese sentence structure is backwards from English.  So I’m trying to say “We are God’s children”, but in Japanese I’m saying “God is our Children”.. The teacher always starts to laugh and it's kinda embarrassing, but I know I have to fail multiple times before I can communicate effectively.

The Fire hose metaphor is the MTC-wide metaphor… all the teachers use it and it’s still funny when people say it.  In my dreams and subconscious I think and can hear Japanese.  It’s really weird, I’m not going to lie.

I meet an Elder Halverson from Ogden, Utah who is going to the Columbus, Ohio mission haha small world huh?  I think that was the same mission as Max right???

High School football starts tomorrow!!!!  My zone leader went to Lone Peak and we played basketball against each other.  He recognized me and introduced himself to me the first day.  His name is Ben Clark.  We have a bet going for tomorrow.  Whoever’s school wins has to buy the other a snack or something.  I think Syd and Max should so the same bet or even if Bountiful wins Max has to send me a goodie! Hahah

Dad you better send me a dearelder to let me know who wins!

Story, I asked Junho if he accidentally brought his phone into the MTC.  He DID! haha He thought it was really funny, he had to send it home in a package.  

Well till next week, lmk though Dear elder how everything goes!!! love you all

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Halverson Chourou

Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 2:25 PM

August 17th, 2015 2:04 PM

Provo temple. not as good as the bountiful temple though...

what you find in bathrooms at the MTC

August 13th, 2015 5:07 PM

Konichiwa Guys,

I have arrived safe to the MTC.  Immediately after I turned the corner they were telling me all sorts of things to do.  I first went into a room where they gave me my nametag, credit card, and a huge bag of Japanese language books.  It is really heavy and nearly ripped in half when my escort was walking me to my dorm.  I walked into my building where my classrooms are and I saw Junho as soon as I got into the building.  He ran over to me and jumped on me and gave me a huge hug.  It was really nice to see someone I knew just as I got to the MTC.  Food is good,  not great but good.  My first class consisted of the teacher speaking straight Japanese to all of the district (my district is 10 elders and 4 sisters).  Most every one in my district is from Utah except Elder Nomo (Hawaii) and Edler Hogan (Virginia).  My district all scored high on the ACT.  They have gotten 30, 33, and 35.  Oh btw, my companion’s name is Elder Myers from Idaho Falls, ID.  Of course he got a 33 on the ACT.  He is a cool guy and I’ve got a lot to learn from him.  The first night is when it hit me, haha.  It was kinda rough, but I think it’s going to be great from here on out.  Every spare minute, my companion and I quiz each other on Japanese vocab.  My sensei was taught by Nick Fowers when Nick was still a sensei.  His name is Brother Crandall.  Sorry I don’t have much time to write more because I am only given 10 minutes to write this, so I am trying to type as fast as possible.  Love you all and enjoy these pictures.  The last photo is some missionaries in Sendai Japan in 1985. 

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Halverson Chourou