How happy are you?

I have about 3 weeks left before i am off to Japan and I honestly am so excited!!!!!  I have been thinking all this last week HOW MUCH I LOVE the MTC and how much i'm going to miss it here and miss my district, but i know that there are SO MANY good times ahead!!!!!  i had an awesome experience with my district the other day....during our classroom instruction we went outside for the last 30 minutes of it with our sensei (teacher) whom i love by the way...and we all sat in a circle outside on the grass amidst beautiful flowers and trees (the landscape is pretty here at the mtc) and we read 3rd Nephi chapter 27 together.  The spirit was SO STRONG!!!!!  That is an amazing chapter, i suggest you read it.  It is all about the doctrine of Christ, and he is Teaching his gospel to the Nephites.  He is teaching them what they must do in this life to obtain happiness.  He teaches them to Repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the holy ghost and endure to the end. He is inviting them to all come unto him. He also says "what manner of men ought ye to be?...Even as I am" is his response.  He says that in verse 27 and it just hit me so hard...how often do we think "What kind of person should I be?" WE should be like Christ.  I changed the words to that verse in my head and said "What manner of a MISSIONARY ought I to be?"the answer is: Even as Christ was.  He is the perfect example, and i'm striving to be like him in all situations and circumstances.  I love him, and i feel so close to him here!!!  It's going to be shocking to go back out into the real world because i've been out of it for so long.  I don't even feel like im Utah anymore..its amazing here.
After we read that chapter in 3rd Nephi, I was looking around at my district and just became overwhelmed with the spirit.  I remember looking at my sensei, and each individual person and thinking "I know these people...these people are my family." There is such a unique bond between all of us, that i know we were all the best of friends before we came to Earth.  It's so amazing to be able to be amongst some of the noblest and strongest spirits of our Heavenly Father!!!

  Anyways, I just love life!!! Everything is so good, because Jesus Christ is at the center of all that I do right now.  Life is simple...if you want happiness, keep the commandments. WE are happy when we keep the commandments.  WE are miserable like satan, when we don't.  It's as simple as that.  So I challenge you and everyone else to evaluate your level of happiness...How happy are you? If you desire to have more joy and happiness in your life then strive to follow Christ more and keep his commandments, that's all that he asks of us. It's as simple as that!!!
The gospel is true. I love everything about it.
I love you all-Sharp Shimai