Letter to Mom - 17 July, 2014

How do I write just one email to the woman that has changed my life forever? Mom, I love you. I miss you more than I could say. This week has been really good and really hard at the same time. The spirit is amazing here and is so strong. There is no way that I could survive here if I did not have the spirit. For example . . .day two? We teach an investigator completely in Japanese. And he only responds in Japanese. Thank heavens for my companion Elder Nagano!! He is part Japanese and lived in Tokyo for 5 years so he can understand quite a bit. He is such a cool guy, and I'm glad that I have someone who can push me to excel. We got to hear this amazing devotional on charity the other day. It was SO good!! The speaker was Richard Heaton and he was amazing. He helped me realize that I really need to have more charity in order to be an effective missionary. So I am working on that. :) I love the things that we learn here and the spirit that we feel!! I challenge you all to strive to live worthy constantly of the Holy Ghost, as I will be striving to do the same thing! 

I will admit that this week has also been very hard. It is such a cultural shock and it was really really hard to not hear from anyone for an entire week. I'm beginning to see why letters in the mail are so loved by missionaries! I would love some if you guys have time to send them. It would do me a lot of good to hear from you in the middle of the week. Mom, you are such an example to me. You are so amazing and your strength is such an example to me. You are such a beautiful woman inside and out and I am the luckiest guy in the universe to have you as my mom!! Um . . .I think that I may have left my rain coat at home. We need to check that, and I'll double check here but as I was unpacking I didn't see it. haha :)  I am learning to focus more and more every day. Needless to say, the power of prayer is absolutely incredible, and I never realized how divine it really is. I am doing great though, so don't worry about me. :) 

Ammon and Audrey's house looks so nice!! ahh, I wish that I could have been there to help. In case I don't have enough time to write them back individually as well, please let them know that I am quite envious of the game room! ;) haha How is it this week with only Britta at home? Is that pretty insane? I hope that you are still doing okay! Mom, don't forget how much I love you. You are the most amazing person, and I don't know how I got so blessed!! Also, I want dad to know that his example of a worthy priesthood holder is so amazing, and that I love him so so much. I could not ask for a better father. I love everyone at home! I just don't know how to express it all.

As far as a schedule here, it is basically: Wake up and work out for an hour, have breakfast, then study your guts out for 3-4 hours, then have lunch, then study your guts out for 3-4 hours, then eat dinner, then study your guts out for 3-4 hours!! haha ;) also, we always teach an investigator as one of the study sessions, and then just do whatever we feel like we need to study. Also, on P-day if I spread out my time on my email I may actually be able to respond to another email!!

Mom, as a closing note I love you all. You guys are so incredible and I don't think I actually realized how much I love you until I came out here. It is hard to be away, but I know that I am doing what is right and that I will be strengthened through the Lord. :) I love you mom!

Love, Elder Livingston