Friday, June 28, 2013

21 May 2013 - Week One at the MTC

From now on, I will be posting weekly emails and pictures we receive from Elder Bloomfield as well as a little of my own commentary.

Well first off, I absolutely love my Elders in the District (this is the group he is assigned to). It takes us about a half an hour to fall asleep every night because we can't stop laughing and enjoying each other. Do you remember the Hawaiian kid in my ward going to my same mission?  Yeah that's my companion now. Small world right? The very first day was great. Our sensai (teacher) just talked to us in nihongo (Japanese language) the whole time and no one understood a thing except for those who took Japanese in high school. We also had pretend investigators and it was great. You literally can feel the spirit here 24/7, it is crazy. Day two was all about learning the language. One of the sisters started to cry because she couldn't understand but it was only the second day. I was like come on seriously? It's day two you're not expected to know this yet. You will eventually learn. It is a lot more confusing than I expected though. I didn't know everything was so backwards. I know Jesus Christ is my Savior. In Japanese that would be Jesus Christ Savior I know is. Makes perfect sense to me in English. The language is coming along though. I have already given three lessons. It is frustrating having to read to the investigator because we don't know the language yet but it feels like we are just lecturing to him and not actually talking to him about him. The spirit always comes back stronger when we are bearing our testimony. I can already say my prayers, bare my testimony, introduce myself, plus some other stuff in the nihongo. subarashi!   The elders and I have a great time. Makes learning much more enjoyable. Our sensai is super cool too. We heard some talks on Sunday one of them was from Elder Bednar and it was super strong. all about not being selfish. It was like boom hit you in the heart your a dead man take that missionary. 

Also I've seen Tucker like three times and I see Hilari every single meal.  (Tucker and Hilari are first cousins that are in the MTC at the same time) haha. It is awesome. Hilari is actually emailing right next to me right now and Tucker is about 7 seats away. I see lots of friends here too. I haven't seen Mio (another friend of our family that is teaching Japanese in the MTC.  She just returned from the Fukuoka mission in December) yet. I don't know if she is currently teaching. Beats me. 

Our practice investigator has already committed to pray and read the Book of Mormon and we are challenging him to get baptized next lesson (tomorrow). It is cool to have these experiences and get us ready. I know they will get harder though as we start to learn the language more and the pretend investigators become more difficult. 

Oh also, microfiber towels!  Yeah the best thing since bottled water. Even when the thing is soaking wet I still get perfectly dry! It's awesome! Oh and also mom I still pick my nose. that hasn't changed either. I at first thought about being really serious since I am a missionary now but I am pretty comfy with my district now and I'm a goofball still. They tell me they wonder what goes on through my head. I tell them well most the time it comes out so don't you even worry elder. 

Um mm what else....... We eat as a district every meal, that's a fun time. Oh the food I'm tired of it already. It is just the same sickening food from the Cannon Center and I poop like twice a day. I can taste the cheapness and it is just nasty.  Oh also I just took another pic with Tuck and Hil. So talk to Darci next week and you can get those. Oh also temple walks are real neat. Getting out of this place was just exhilarating! 

Um mm what else to talk about.... Waking up at 6:30am is a dandy time. I can't get enough of it. I'm getting used to it already though. Not yawning too much anymore probably because I am such a man. I am just like the manliest man you know. I  adjust like there is no manana. Oh also every time someone says something to me in Japanese that I don't understand. I just respond in Spanish to confuse them back. It makes me feel like a winner. Its all good in the hood though. 

Umm Dad yeah it sounds like you have some work to do- 5 families to Home Teach. You're prolly working even harder than me here in the MTC.  Mom you could like bake some cookies or something that's always fun. Kyle you're a winner too. You should probably start working out though to prepare for tryouts. Agility work outs are key. Also we could maybe work out some way for you to sneak your suit to me because I can dry clean them for like $8. I think that is cheaper than where you would go but who knows. I'm new to this stuff. 

Ummmm what else, what else. Dear Elders get to me everyday so you can send those whenever and then I can just respond in my emails. That way I already know what to say before I start typing. Mom sounds like your plane ride home was a fun time (It was delayed for a long time and I had to just sit at the airport). It's all about the memories that's what I always say. Also I see Sedge Downing all the time. He's on my same floor cause he is Japanese too. 

Ummmm well I suppose that is all for now. I can't really think of anything else so I will have to get back to you later. Keep up the good work. Livi don't be selfish. Mason be sure and take care of Hershey. Cassi you could prolly help out around the house a bit. and keep up that 46 on the test girl.  You just do your best- you go girl. You're goin places in life with that 46 I just know it. Kara try not to get sick. Kyoshi try not to let Kara make you think she is sick. jk ;) and Erin you just keep doin your thing. Imma do me, and you do you. 

Dai sukidesu! Ai shitamsu. Iesu Kirisuto no mina ni yotte o-inori shimasu, amen.
Also don't forget your culture and respect your Elder (me).
All for one and one for all!

Just noticed there were some things here that I didn't address. My daily routine is wake up at 6:30am . Then go to our classroom for prayer with our district. Go to breakfast. Have some personal study time for an hour, language study for an hour, gym time for an hour, then lunch, we have classroom lessons from Willard Sensai for 3 hours then we will prepare a lesson and our other 3 hours of classroom time we teach a investigator we have named Harukawa. Dinner is usually around 5pm.   We plan for our next day around 9pm then go back to our rooms at 9:30pm and write in our journals, shower, brush teeth, do some push ups, whatever until lights out at 10:30pm (we then laugh till about 10:50 and then fall asleep).  I couldn't have asked for a better Elders in my District they are great. I love my companion too. It is kinda crowded but the meals they have scheduled meal times now so everyone isn't eating at the same time so it isn't bad at all. Just on Sundays when we eat about the same time. I see lots of my friends from school everyday. It's cool.

Well love ya. See you tomorrow.
Elder Bloomfield


1st Cousin -Elder Tucker Bloomfield (going to Argentina) and 2nd cousin on the Ford side -Hermana Jessica Reed (going to San Jose, Calif. - Spanish speaking) that were in the MTC at the same time as Travis.
The District

Elders in the District
                                      



1st Cousin- Hilari Bloomfield going to San Fernando, Calif. Spanish speaking.  At first Travis went to put his arm around Hilari for the picture, but was reminded by the other missionaries that they could only shake hands.  Thus the hand shaking and the laugh.


Thought for this week:







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