The Breakfast of Champions - Sausage Skin Fruit and Tea

First off I want to apologize for my picture I included last week that was non-legible and blurry. 

I also didn't talk much about my experience at the temple last week. So here are a few things that I thought I should add in:

-The temple is truly the house of God and I really felt that when I was on the temple grounds and inside of it. If you ever have the time or ability to go to the temple then DO IT! Even if you are not a member. It's a beautiful place. 

I was able to go to the Jordan River Temple.

-My dad gave me this awesome book called "Preparing to enter into the holy temple" and that book is amazing! Highly recommend it.

Back in June when my hair was long!

-I went through the temple with three other missionaries that day and they are all super nice. Also, Alex and my dad were able to come with me and it was so awesome seeing them too. 

It had been several months since I had seen Alex so this was extra awesome to see him at the temple.

Dad, me, and Alex

Saying Goodbye to my family:

Family picture at Pacific City beach in Oregon in June.

On the morning of the 27th, my family and I left around 3:30am and drove to the Yakima airport. It was really sad saying goodbye to everyone... but I know that what I am doing is the right thing and that the two years will go by fast. 

I then had a 40 minute flight to Seattle and while on that flight I talked to this nice lady the whole time. Turns out she knows the Locke's pretty well so that was funny. Then after we landed I helped this lady carry all of her bags to get gate and we talked about her life and what I was doing wearing a suit at 6 am in the morning. She didn't speak very good English so I even talked to her in a little Spanish, haha. That was fun. Then I walked all the way over to my gate and read the whole missionary handbook twice because I wad so bored. I even studied some Japanese too. I also ate some McDonald's which was pretty yummy. Then I flew to Utah and that flight wasn't very crazy. I just read the scriptures and looked at the sick Washington and Oregon mountains for one last time. Then I landed and so many people said "hi" to me in Utah and there were tons of members of the church. It was weird. Then I met up with some other missionaries and did lots of training for the rest of that day and most of the next day. 

Here are a few more updates on my life currently:

- I gave a blessing to this lady that said she needed some help and guidance in her life and that was super cool. She is the mom of the boy, Keenan, that we baptised last week. I love their family. 

- My comps drink so much soda it's crazy. I'm still on that water diet, though. All they bought last week on pday was soda and Taki's haha. One day Elder Seachriest drank 7 Dr peppers... woah

 

mugicha (barley tea)

- Me and my companions drank 麦茶 (mugicha (barley tea)). Shootout to Elder Scow for sending it to me before he left for DC. Mugicha is a barley tea that is super common to drink in Japan, and it's one of the only tea's that we are allowed to drink. Everyone says that you eventually end up liking It but I guess if might take me a little. It was not very good but I am hoping it will make me more fluent.

Yummy Japanese sausage skin candy 

- I love visiting the Japanese members of the Dai ichi ward! They are so kind and fun to talk to. One member gave us these really interesting Japanese candies that basically taste like you take the fruit out of the fruit and then put it in a sausage skin hahah. Sounds gross but it's actually good. 

- Sunday was elder Leon's birthday so we did a little celebrating

New Kanji!!

- This week some of my studying has included learning some new kanji! It's been super fun, interesting, and hard

-IT SNOWED ON SUNDAY! Yayy I am excited to shovel people driveways. We went up to Bountiful and Roy area and it was so cool. We even got to stop at the temple up there and I took a killer pic on my camera...BUT I guess you will have to wait to see that when my mission President hopefully approves the app to transfer pics from my camera to my phone. I'm psyched for the snow.

We helped start a new branch!

A few days ago we got this call saying that the Granite Stake is creating a new branch. I also gave a talk in the new branch (small church congregation) that is completely full of elderly people, haha. It was super cool and the whole point of the branch is to try to keep the people at high risk for covid separate. Also, during the elderly branch we attended, this old guy named Brother Ashcraft was leading the music and the mic was still on the whole time. So it was basically a solo by this 80 year old guy. It was so epic. I love Brother Ashcraft.

Weird selfie and weird glasses (Seachriest is in the back and Leon is driving)

One thing that I have really been focusing and seeking to do better is doing better at finding new ways and better ways to teach others and find new people to teach. So if you have any suggestions or fun ways you think Elder Seachriest, Elder Leon, and myself could try, then I would love to hear! I really want to make some videos to share with others. 

Okay, well this email is getting long enough so I will cut it here. Thank you so much for every one that reads these emails! It means so much and I hope some of my experiences here in Utah are able to help you all out too. I love you all and you guys means a lot to me! Keep up the good work everyone! Oh and just a heads up: the mission i am in right now has a few weird rules that i don't understand and one of those is that basically if you want to contact me then email is the best way and basically the only allowed way. So if you want to send me a message then email is the way!! I would love to hear from you guys. tyler.ditto@missionary.org

Scripture of the week:

Helaman 7:7-9 - 

7 Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have ^ajoyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, ^bfirm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—

8 Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.

9 But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with ^asorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.

This scripture is found in the Book of Mormon. It's when Nephi is thinking about how he wishes he was alive during his father's time or a "better time" because then he could have lived a better life and it would have been easier. This is very applicable to me right now and many people at this time. 

I have found that just like when Nephi realized that this is the time he is supposed to be here and that he is here for a reason, I have found the same. I have been able to teach and serve many people already while here in Utah. Even though I wish there were less restrictions on how and when I can serve, it has still been so, so uplifting. Serving others makes me happy and I promise it will make you happy too😊

Song(s) of the week:

Called to Serve by The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. Such a good song. You should also listen to the Japanese version. It's even better. Also super applicable haha.

Down to the River to Pray by The Lower Lights. I have always loved this song. Mom loves it too, so shout out to her for showing it to me and always jamming out to it. 

Love,

Elder Ditto

ディットー長老