Elder Zachary Pages address until April

Elder Zachary Page
MTC box 87
JPN-SEN 0412
2005 N 900 E
Provo Utah
84604

Elder Zachary Page tells of his beginnings at the MTC

Well I am officially a missionary in the Japan Sendai Mission, MTC District 27D, Junior Companion of Elder Benson. My first couple of days have been a learning curve to say the least. Getting dropped off at the curb was so beautiful...ha ha, not really. It was sad and very hard. I want you all to know that I love you so much and I hope you are proud of me. It has been pretty hard so far. You really do get thrown into it all and it is just crazy for a while. My companion is from Atlanta Georgia and was at BYU like me in the fall. I really like him a lot. He is a little bit of an oddball, but I love him more for it. We are pretty relatable to each other and I know that the Lord put him with me to help stregthen us both. Japanese is pretty much as insanely hard as you can imagine. 56 of us came in this week which gives us a total of 90 japanese missionaries in the MTC, the most ever in history. My district has 12 total, 10 Elders and 2 sisters. I love all the "choro tachi hatamamata shemai tachi" in my district. (that means Elders and Sisters) We are all struggling together with the language and I want you to know that I am striving really hard to learn and I am working hard. I have learned simple things like "watashi wa Page Cholo des" and Hajimameshite" which is simply my name is Elder Page, nice to meet you. I got really discouraged las night and the first half of today and I wasn't doing very well. I felt like I couldn't do it and that 2 years was just so long. Then we met with our branch and the Branch President had us stand up and tell a little about ourselves and to tell us why we came on a mission. It was then that a lot changed inside me. I know already that this will be super hard and that it will push me in so many wasys, but I can fell the Lord's arms all around me and I know that I have been called of him and that He will give me strength in my weakness. I love you all and keep me in your prayers. "Domo Arigato Kazokv" (Thank you family)

Love Elder Page

Page Choro

Ps. of the 90 of us only 6 of us are going to Sendai.

Elder Matthew Page has a transfer...

Matthew has been transfered after being in the Tucson spanish branch for over 6 mths. He is now serving in 2 singles wards @ the University of Arizona both english speaking. He is excited about having the opportunity to have a totally different experience. His companion is Elder Beck from non other than Salisbury NC. They were just moved out of our stake into the High Point Stake. Can't wait to hear all about his new area and all of his new challenges.

Elder Page reported to the MTC

Well Elder Zachary Page is in the MTC. He arrived on time and with a small parade of friends that dropped him off. We can not wait to hear from him and all the mnay things he will be experiencing in the up coming days and weeks.

A New Year...

It is a new year....again....! What did I do with my last one? I am starting to ask myself this question more often now as it seems the years are flying by. I feel I am coming to a crossroad in my life, where do I want to go and what do I want to be. My kids are growing, three are out of the house now, two at home. I feel I am needed less and less, but at the same time more and more. Does that sound wierd? I feel I have spent so many years raising and caring for my children, now that I have more time for myself I'm not sure what I want to do with it. I don't want to get a job just for the sake of having one. I want to really do something, make a difference, something challenging, something that will make me grow, something that I love. What is it! This is the year I am going to figure that out, I guess right now that is my challenge. I need a very long conversation with my Heavenly Father...who else knows me better :) This life is full of periods of growth and change. I have had alot of these kinds of opportunities this year, change especially. But I'm not so sure that I was ready for it. I better get ready huh! Cause it's here! This year is going to be a year of re-discovery, and I am looking forward to it. Wish me luck and I will let you know how it is going!

Walking in a winter wonderland!

Finally after many many years a White Christmas!!! It was so beautiful...it looked like we had woken up in Narnia. I love how when it snows here life stops. We get to stay at home, no running around, just hanging out together in the snow, eating soup and sipping hot chocolate. And best of all playing in it, sledding and building snowmen. What a merry christmas it has been.

This is Patrick the snowman

Daisy did not like the snow!

SLeDdiNg!

Christmas Day 2010

Christmas Morning at the Pages Elder Smethurst skyping with his family, some of them atleast.

I did a really bad job with the camera this year! I forgot to take pictures of us opening our gifts and having breakfast! Where is my mind! So as the missionaries were leaving and as we were heading to grandma's house we took a few. It was a quiet Christmas morning this year. The missionaries were over bright and early this morning to open their gifts from home and us. This years big gift was a ping pong table. They worked hard trying to get it together but we didn't finish before we had to leave. The best part of the day was talking to Matthew. It was so great hearing his voice and knowing that he was doing well. We sure do miss him, but talking to him helps remind us of what Christmas is all about...our Savior and his gift he wants all of his children to have, and he was spending his time offering that gift to so many there in AZ. Merry Christmas!

Daisy loves Christmas...he snoops around the packages all the time!

Elder Fuller and Elder Smethurst taking their Christmas stash home!

Love is in the air!

Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go!

Christmas and family just go together!

Our drive home from Grandma's....it was going to be a white Christmas after all!