Transitions

Good morning,

I'm doing great. I think I finally did something that helps me more
than anything else. And that is realizing that everything is going to
be fine. And that a mission is something good, and is going to be of
benefit to the rest of my life, but it's not everything. It's only two
years out of eternity. And it's not a saving ordinance. And anyway, I
am here. And I'm doing what I can, so who can ask anything more?
Especially when I have occasionally thought that perhaps just going
home would be a better choice. Who can complain that I'm still here
trying my best?

There are some things that I don't think I will ever get used to about
the mission field. Like just the way that they encourage us and ask us
to do things. Or the way that it seems like we all need to become like
the same person in order to be good missionaries. Or the fact that I
just don't feel like me or my difficulties are understood very well by
my leaders. But God knows. He made a point of telling me that twice in
a blessing that I got a while back. And, I'm relying less on my
judgement, and more on the words of the scriptures, so I've been much
more successful in recognizing bad thinking patterns and replacing
them with good ones.

The senior couple missionaries in our area are leaving tomorrow, so
things are going to be a lot different. And President and Sister
Isshii are going to leave for the MTC this week, and are going to be
going to Nagoya to replace the Yamashitas in two weeks. So a lot is
going to change in the next little while, but it's good. I think I'm
ready for a change.

I really don't have that long left, so I'm trying to make the best of
the time I have. The next five months are going to go really fast.

Transfer calls are this Saturday, and I don't really want to transfer,
but I'm hoping for the best. And I'm sure I'll go or stay wherever I'm
needed.

With love,

Alex