The Parable of the Recorder

I wanted to start off this email apologizing for last week's email title. I have gotten some "backlash" regarding the choice of wording, and also some confusion that comes along with that. Just to clarify: I was not called to speak Spanish. I am still learning Japanese and will continue to study that even in my temporary reassignment. And yes I still sorta speak English. Anyways, sorry for the clickbait title...I just saw the perfect opportunity and had to seize it😜

It is SO crazy to think that this next week is my LAST week in the MTC! Excited to finish strong!

This past week Elder Lowe and I were able to teach some great lessons, and I love the different people we have taught. I really feel like I am starting to understand Japanese well, but the hardest part is trying to formulate sentences with the same passion and depth that I would in English. This will continue to be a battle for who knows how long, so I'm getting used to it, haha. 

Here are some quick highlights from this past week:

- Helping Coop and Nate build another fun quarter pipe to add to the slowly growing home-skatepark

Skating with my bros

- Penny boarding, scootering, and skateboard shesh's with my bro's

Nate with his new sweet board

- Watching General Conference with my family! I absolutely loved this October's General Conference and am excited to continue to re-listen to and study the messages that were shared. 

Watching General Conference with Chloe and eating treats with my chopsticks

- My district has discovered and enjoyed the new zoom update that allows for some more video effects, etc. (This is just one example of how being locked up in the basement can make even the simple things funny and entertaining).

Simple entertainment via zoom

- All the boys went golfing while the girls watched the Women's Session of General Conference. Sadly this just reaffirmed that old men are "good" at golfing. I’ll get you next time dad.

Big C= Cooper, N8= Nathan, ヂットー= Me, Ni hao= Dad

- Getting in some much needed practice with the recorder. Just you wait - one day I will be playing in front of all my fans. And yes Belle, maybe I will even play "Despacito." 😏 Also, speaking of recorders...Elder Scow in my district shared a great parable about how playing the recorder is like the gospel. I, sadly, don't remember exactly how it went, but I can assure you it was great.

Serenading my family on the recorder

Overall this was a great week! I am super excited for my last week in the MTC, and I really am going to miss it. 

ALSO I do have a quick FAVOR to ask of all of you! I will be done with the MTC this Friday or Saturday (I can't remember which day we actually end), and I won't be leaving for Salt Lake City until the week of Oct. 27th (I still don't have my flight plans yet so I don't know exactly when I am leaving yet). So I have got about 2.5 weeks with no scheduled classes. SO if you guys (especially you missionaries on this email list) have any suggestions or tips on how to keep busy and keep studying the language while I have this strange in-between time before I officially leave, I would LOVE to hear them.

Quote of the week: (by M. Russell Ballard)

- "Prayer combined with action leads to miracles." This quote was taken from Elder M. Russell Ballard's talk in this past General Conference. I have been thinking a lot about prayer and how important it is and how I can better my prayers. My goal and challenge for all of you is to make your prayers more personal and genuine. I know that as we do this and act upon the things that we desire, we will be blessed and feel God's love for us.

Song(s) of the week: 

- Intro by The xx. My brothers and I would jam out to this song "back in the day," and Alex sent it to me earlier this week. I felt like it was only right to add it into this week's email.

- Give Said the Little Stream. This song is getting a shoutout because my siblings and I spent a whole morning trying to think of what the name was of this song, and the only hint we had was that "it reminds me of string cheese." Don't ask why. It just does.

- Use This Gospel by Kanye West. This album is crazy. Especially as a missionary. I attached the live version, even though I still think the original is the best. Gotta love the car alarm song😁

Love,

Elder Ditto