Last MTC P-Day

October 16, 2014

Dear Family,
In case you missed it in the previous emails or this email's title, it’s the last pday. Finally. This week has been good. It wasn't much different than any other week other than we had a meeting this week by one of the MTC head office people about Japan and how we can make our missions better. Basically the talk was about how much our expectations matter in the things we do as missionaries. If we expect a no, or a rejection, it will show, and to us it may not be noticeable but to the contact or investigator it will be. He also talked about if we convert .01% of Japan that would be 130,000 new members! Since a few weeks in I have been studying my scriptures really really hard and now I am starting to read my Nihongo scriptures and actually understand. But through my study I have learned about a lot of cool stories like one of the apostles who converted 2000 ish people the day after Christ had died. Since I read that story probably 6 weeks ago I have made it my goal to be the kind of missionary that is able to convert 2000. (i know numbers don't matter, but that type of ability is my goal) So as I have been going through the MTC my faith has grown significantly as a result of that goal. It is cool for me to see the changes in myself, and I don't know if you can see it (other than my spelling) but I have changed a fair bit. So this week our goal as a district is to have perfect SYL so that our teachers will be blown away. We learned a cool lesson about goals and how if they involve others it is much easier to accomplish because we think about them and don't want to disappoint (yes the d word, and thus my extreme effort for perfect SYL) them. Tomorrow we have an orientation in the same room from 7:30 am until 7 ish. I might die, because it is the same thing as the very first day, but I’ll try and make the best of it. So I had to say the first of the MTC goodbyes yesterday to our service guy, his name is Jesus (hispanic) and he somehow finds ways to give us a spiritual experience from cleaning the toilets, he is a convert and has amazing stories about life and the church, not to mention he has shared some very good messages with us after service. He's a cool guy. I have become good friends with my teacher Stratford Kyodai though, he has helped me a lot with all kinds of things from the gospel to nihongo to life and my mission, he's just been a great friend to me.

I got the packages you sent and the donuts, thank you very much, I appreciate it a lot! Today I am getting my shot by the way, I finally got it taken care of. Thank you for the calling card, we do need them for the airport so that was a very pleasant surprise! If everyone in an email could send me their addresses in case I want to send you anything that would be much appreciated. That was a great letter to President Wada, thank you Mom and Dad. I also got the sweaters, and they are a little bit big, but I will wash them next week (i forgot to today...) and see if they fit better, which I think they will. They are great by the way, I really like them. I don't know if I told you yet, but I have FINALLY seen all the temple movies, when you have seen all 3 they really build on each other and I learned a lot, it was pretty cool! I am really excited to go to Japan, we are stopping off in Portland before Japan, We leave salt lake at 11:30 am Utah time and then fly to Portland, for an hour layover, then straight to Narita airport in Japan and directly to the mission home (an hour away). My phone call will most likely be between 8:00 am and 11:00 am before my first flight, because the layover is so tiny. That is pretty much sums up my travel plans, I forgot the flight numbers but if you want I can send a letter or maybe another email later.

I love you all, and I miss everyone like crazy. My mission has already proved tough, and I know it will get tougher, however, it will be worth it when I see that first investigator and when I come home knowing that I have done all that I could for a full 2 years to help the gospel move forward. I love the work, and I hope everyone can see it hastening. I miss all of you, but have an amazing week and I will send my next email from JAPAN!

Love,

Elder Gailey

P.S. I'm going to Japan!!!