Another week closer!

Hello Friends and family!

I leave for Japan in three weeks!!!  AAAHhhhh!!!!  The next batch of nihonjins(japanese natives) came yesterday and they leave with us.  I haven't seen them yet, but I am so excited to meet them!  I love Japanese!

Funny Moment:  Yesterday at dinner we decided to assign everyone in our district an animal based on their facial features and personality.  I guess I'm a chameleon because at meals I just sit and people watch.  (Darty eyes?)  I can't help it!  I like observing my surroundings.

Spiritual Moment: The beginning of this week was horrible again because everything felt wrong (again!).  I honestly wrestled with the Lord like Enos did in the Book of Mormon.  The answers two my two questions came in two separate, yet personal ways.  I know the Lord knows us personally and perfectly.  He answers righteous prayers and concerns.  I found solace in the scriptures and fortitude in my prayers.  The answers were personal so it wouldn't be appropriate to share but know that I received both answers.  I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly FATHER who knows me so well and cares about little me so much to answer my pleadings.

Ah-ha Moment:  I'm still vegetarian!  I realized that yesterday standing in the salad bar line.  I have been so blessed here.  Do I still want to have a nice long talk with whoever is in charge of food here?  Yes.  :D  But I have been so blessed.  I'm pretty sure that my blood is about 40% soy milk now.  :D  And I love it!  Yes, Mom, I will be reasonable in the field, stop fretting.  ;)  I am just so grateful to the Lord for the energy I have!  I never get brain fog and I'm always energetic!  Mock me all you want for doing this blood type diet, but I have never felt better.  I feel like I'm doing my part so that the Lord can bless me.  I have seen His blessings so much just at the MTC.

Cultural Moment:  The Japanese version of onomatopoeia is great!  They are called phenomimes, psychomimes, and some other mime word.  They have way more then English.  They sound so fun, too!  They use them for every sound.  Like the sound of something shiny, sticky, rolling, thinking deeply, and whatever!  We don't really focus on them but they make your speech so much more natural and exciting.  Oh, I also learned this week that statistically Japanese is the second hardest language for English speakers to learn (Finnish is #1 and Russian is #3).  I have DEFINITELY seen the hand of the Lord and the gift of tongues at work.

Well, time is up again.  I love you all!  Have a wonderful week and know the Lord loves you personally!!

Onward, ever onward,

Elder Preston Jenkins