Email #13

James Calhoun	Jan 19
to me, William

Dearest Family,

Hello hello! I had a really great week. I'll start with Tuesday. I need to be way better about writing in my journal everyday, most of the time I get way behind then go back and write it in. I'll try to do better this week! The days are starting to blend together. On Tuesday, we started, as we start everyday, with working out and then study. Those are probably the two areas I need to improve the most. I am so groggy in the mornings that I'm way super bad about working out. I wake up to say my prayer and fall asleep saying it half the time. It's really hard because our apartment is so cold and we can't go outside because of the snow/slush and cold. We do a lot of push ups and sit ups.  Anyway, we studied after that. We have four hours of study everyday: personal, companionship, language, and 12 week. In personal study we read the Book of Mormon, and I read a lot of the study manuals for institute. It's so interesting and gives so many insights, I'm really loving it. In companionship study, we talk about what we studied and we plan for our investigators and read from the handbook. In language study I'm working on my reading, learning a couple of common kanji, vocab, and grammar rules. I really need to be better about using 100% of my study time, but I'm getting better! It's  frustrating that I can't communicate with people well at all. But for all of these frustrations, it's really comforting that I know I'm working hard and really trying to work even harder and be better and that I'm being humbled and that there's still hope to become the person I want to be! I think my insight of the week is how grateful I am for the Atonement. I get caught in the trap of comparing myself to who I could have been if I had started working earlier in high school, done my scripture masteries, prepared better, been kinder, worked out in the morning, and not nodded off in study. But through the Atonement, I can be forgiven for the mistakes I've made, no matter how big or small, and still work on becoming the person I know I can be! I'm also trying to learn more about the enabling power of the Atonement. There is so much I need to work on just for me! Sorry, this has devolved from a play by play of my week to the thoughts of Elder Calhoun, but that's what I've been thinking about A LOT this week. This gospel is so amazing! I am so grateful for it and for the benefits it has in my life. This week was pretty normal, it was really good, but nothing crazy. I really love you guys, I'll probably write another little email in a little bit, I forgot my scriptures again and Elder Walker is bringing them for me. I have the best family ever! 私は私の家族を愛してますよ！カラフ-ンの家族は最高です！

L.O.L (Dad's way),

Elder Calhoun