Why hello there

I'd like to thank my dad for "blinging out" my blog.  I can't
send pictures that I've taken over email here at the MTC, but I will
be able to once I'm in Japan.

In other news, the new Kohai (juniors) are here!  there are 3 shimai.
There were going to be 4, but one dropped for some reason.  We assume
she got engaged or delayed for 3 months.  Either way, there are only
3.  It's kinda weird.  One is a Japanese Minor at BYU Hawaii, and
probably knows more Japanese than me (though she doesn't know any
church words).  One took it in highschool, and it was probably a
better program than mine.  The last told me last night that she feels
like the japanese idiot.  Poor girl, we can sure sympathize with her,
because we've all felt like that.  I'm excited, because them coming
means I'm one step closer to leaving.  There is one solo sister (solo
means she doesn't have any other sisters in her district, so she's
stuck with a bunch of other Elders in her class all day) that has been
here forever.  We've watched her go through 4 sets of companions (they
still need companions to do laundry and stuff).  It's very sad.  But
she said she leaves next week.  When she leaves, that means that we're
that much closer.  Pretty soon, the next set of nihonjin (natives)
will be here and then I'll be even closer!  w00t!

I do feel a little trapped here in the MTC.  It's like a weird cabin
fever.  Our only escape is the temple, but we're not even allowed
behind the temple.  That's not part of our mission boundaries.  Isn't
that weird.  People said that's okay, because that's where people go
to make out anyway.  My companion and I joke about pushing each other
down the stairs and stuff so we get to leave the bubble to go to the
hospital.  One of the Elders in my zone tore a ligament in his knee
playing volleyball and left to get surgery this week.  He got out of
the bubble (even if he did come back seriously stoned).  Then there
was someone from Arizona who couldn't buy winter stuff there (and I
think he's going to somewhere really cold) so he got out of the bubble
to buy some winter stuff.  Hmmm, maybe I should buy my rainboots here
after all.....

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