Senpai (Upperclassmen)

Konnichiwa kazoku!

So being sick is yoroshii masen. I keep getting bad headaches and bad runny noses haha and a sore throat. I get to sleep next the humidifier now. Ki ni shinaide kudasai (don't worry about it).

So we had our kohai group come in, right? So now I'm a senpai!  Haha it's crazy, I leave in like 3 weeks. There are a couple cool kids in the kohai group. Most of them aren't very social and just seclude themselves. We wrote letters to them the day they came in just for confidence and what not, and the shimai I wrote mine to is super weird. She found out I sent her the letter and hasn't spoken to me since. Let's be honest, it doesn't bother me that much haha. There is Elder Adams, he played ball at Salem Hills and the U. He's way cool, I've dubbed him my prodigy hahaha. He's a really cool guy and he has a cool story about coming. He didn't really wanna come and just play ball. But his friends told him to go and his parents said he had to. So he prayed and got an overwhelming feeling to come on a mission. It's great for him.

So yesterday, Elder Dinkel was telling all the kohai he was alpha male. I told all of them to ignore all alpha male comments. As he was saying this stuff he spilled milk all down his suit and table haha--it was just him not paying attention. He just snowballed the rest of the day, losing his keys, tag, card, leaving his notebook in the bathroom. Thanks for the pictures and pyramid of success papers! I gave them to everyone in my district and they all enjoyed them, so thank you again.

Things are going well though, I can´t complain of course. I taught the second lesson on the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement this morning with no notes! it was so awesome. I am finding it easier and easier every day to use the language and figure out how to apply it. I know it´ll be so hard and I´ll wanna cry in Japan, but if I can make it better then booya. Haha.

So Aschroft Choro and Ellsworth Choro are trying out for special auditions. They´re trying out for a special musical number during a devotional. Ashcroft Choro is playing More Holiness Give Me while Ellsworth Choro sings. He´s got such an amazing voice, it´s truly incredible. And Ashcroft Choro is trying out a piano piece he has, it's the Renaissance Song by Jon Schmidt, it sounds amazing! I love listening to it. They made the song part! They said Ashcroft Choro's song was too loud, but Ellsworth Choro's song made it! How awesome is that?! They get to sing at a devotional!

We had an awesome devotional on Tuesday. We had Elder and Sister Hammond from the 70 speak. They spoke on love of the Book of Mormon. It was so great! They said they have a goal to read the Book of Mormon once a year. I'm gonna do that the rest of my life, I think that's so awesome. They told a story about a missionary in their mission when they were mission presidents. His name was Scott Peterson and he played for the National Championship BYU football team. Sports Illustrated came and interviewed him and they asked him why he left. He said, "because I love God more than I love football." It was such an awesome story. SI had a picture of him baptizing someone the next week! Thats crazy!

Elder Evan Folland and Braeden Wilson came in this week! it was great to see them and they seemed excited to be here!

Could you guys send pictures of how my room looks now? Haha Sam told me what it's like and I'm kinda curious to see it. Thanks for the stamps, postcards, and the Derek Jeter article! They were great :)

So I've had some really cool experiences the past few days. I have been blessed with the gift of tongues. I have been able to create my own sentences, and apply them to the lessons. It's such an awesome feeling. It's hard to describe other than I can just speak what I'm trying to say. It's helped motivate me harder to just work even harder and get this language down. The language is an adventure, so grab it by the horns.

So quick thing, before I head out, could you send me a few Old Spice Deoderant sticks? Sam knows what I like. They don't sell deodorant sticks so i wanna take like 3 or 4 before I go, but I don't wanna have too much weight. Thanks for the letter dad. There was a lot in there that I really needed to hear. I just need to be even more patient. Thanks a lot. You always know what I need to hear and when I need to hear it. Thanks for everything you do for me mom. I love to brag about you here all the time. I was nervous I wasn't gonna get a letter from you this week, but you swooped in yesterday. Haha I hope you guys have enjoyed my journal! And thanks for all the support you give my friends. They love it and feel so blessed. Thanks again and I'll send you another next week!

One Love, Elder Parry

p.s. If you have any questions, send me an email or send them in a dear elder and I can answer them for you! LOVE you all!