Haha...I cut my hair last night...

Sorry no picture today...actually here is me doing something weird...I look so dumb...but today is pouring rain and really cold. But to Tobin and Chee Yeun: That is soooooooooooooooooo awesome!!!!!! I can't wait to see her!!!

Aja: Yes I did get your letter! Thanks so much!

Anyways...so about my adventures this week. We just about had a baptism interview. So close! So we have been talking to Ko-shimai (sister) about the gospel and stuff, she has been meeting with us for some time now and we told her that we were going to go over the Baptismal Interview Questions with her so that she wasn't totally surprised at the interview...it all went so good except for the last question. Before we went over the questions we talked to her a little bit about the Atonement. She had some worries about "what happens if I accedentely break a commandment, will God be mad at me?" and other such questions of the soul. So we went over the Atonement with her and how Jesus Christ accomplished the atonement specifically for that reason! He died so that we could return from our fallen state, only if we relyed on Him! So then we got to the 6th and last question and she had a little bit of a problem with the commitment of something along the lines of "Are you willing to always strive to follow God's commandents for the rest of your life?" and she was a little bit worried about the "what if I'm not perfect for the rest of my life!!"...so she got a little bit of uneasyness, and said she will have to discuss it with her parents. Tonight We Will Find The Results! ahhh! I'm so excited and scared out of my mind! I'm pretty sure that she will be totally fine, cause of some things she was saying before, but I hope it turns out! Then if it does, we're good with an interview and a Baptism! Anyways...yeah, as for other investigators...they are coming along quite well.

For the most part, this week we have been trying to pick up some of the old potential investigators that other missionaries have had. It's getting a tad bit difficult because everyone is going crazy about New Years! For those of you that don't know...New Years is pretty much the biggest celebration in Japan. There is literally Sake all over the place! And every one is "busy", or at least that's what they say. They also do their "Spring cleaning" before the snow comes in Japan. So everyone is so-called "busy", but we're still doing just fine. After Jan 1st it will all be over and Dendo will speed up again. (missionary work). So yeah, all is well over here in the wonderful region of Tohoku Japan. We are having a good time! And our goal of 180 baptisms is in sight! Hopefully we can get it!

And to end I wish you all a merry merry Christmas and a Wonderful Shogatsu! (New Years) Thank you for all your prayers and support and Everything! Good Luck with 2011!...I guess I'm probably going to say something before then, but yeah...you know what I mean!

Snow snow snow!

Konnichiwa! Hey everyone! Well I hope everybody is doing good! I'm doing fantastic! It's a wonderful Christmas season here in Japan! Christmas is great isn't it! I'm not exactly sure where I left off, but we are still teaching Koei and she is doing way good! She has her interview scheduled for next week, so we should be having another baptism here soon...which is exciting! Shes not Japanese and hardly speaks it, but she is totally prepared! The one thing I'm worried about is the Sabbath Day. That seems to be the hardest thing for her to keep but we haven't had a Sunday since we last taught her so she still hasn't broken it yet! We'll see how Sunday goes! Umm...all the others are doing really good. It's getting a little bit cold so they seem not to want to meet as much, but so far so good. This week was pretty crazy it was transfer week...I think. We didn't get moved at all, but my comp is now the District Leader so we got to go back to the Honbu (Home office) and I got to dendo there with the AP's. When we were there I got to see Inoue Kyodai, my 1st baptism! He's doing way good! He hasn't been able to get to church much because of work but he still meets with the missionaries there! So that was refreshing! For the most part, we have just been finding really really cool people that won't give us any contact information!!! haha...yeah, but they are way cool people! Some of the people that did give us contact info were pretty cool to.

For example...there is one guy that we knocked on his door and the second he saw us, he let us in to the house...I was kinda weirded out by it, but he told us to come in and he brought us some apples and tangerines. He told us that some old missionaries from before learned how to play the Japanese flute from his dad. He said he wouldn't convert or get baptised, but he would listen to our message. He is a pretty "hard-core"...I dunno if thats ok to say...Buddhist. He ACTUALLY knows what he's talking about when he says he is Buddhist! It's amazing! So I asked him a bunch of questions about Buddhism...haha, and of course told him our message and how he could add on to the truths that he already had from Buddhism and find the fullness! I think it ended up pretty good. Like I said...he said he wouldn't convert but we'll see!

We also found this one lady that has been studying Jehovah's Witness for 1 year now and she says she believes in the Bible and Jesus Christ. But hasn't been baptised in that church...who knows why! She's been studying it for a whole year! But anyways...we told her about the Book of Mormon and she said she'd read it...who knows what will happen. Ohhh, but one Question I have, is that I was wondering, in the US can the Jehovah's Witness females shake hands with males??? Cause here in Japan I it's against their religion...but I wasn't sure if that was true in the US?? But it's funny...she was hesitant to shake our hands...but she did anyways and it was way awkward probably for all of us...haha.

Last night we found this kid who was 19 works at McDonalds and his cousin is a Half...he was way cool! We gave him a tour of the church and talked about different stuff...he said he had interest but wouldn't give us his number! Aghhh! The cool people always don't give of their contact info!!! But it's all good. He'll come around eventually!

So yeah...December 15th was the first fall of snow! Everyone in Tsuruoka says that the snow is way bad! I'm kinda not excited...but hopefully it'll be alright...I hear the snow gets above your head here....crazy! But sorry this email was not very spiritually uplifting. We were pretty much in Sendai this week...next week maybe we'll have some "awesome" news! As aposed to good, cause everyday is good news! The gospel is good news!

Hiltbrand and my apartment...

I figured this one was a good one of Hiltbrand choro and a good one of my suitcase and closet as well as the kitchen. And there you have it! My whole apartment! I hear its the smallest one in the mission, but yeah!

As for the week! It's been a pretty good week! I'll keep it short cause we have to go pretty soon here, but we have been teaching Koei-san and she is crazy! She's a chinese girl and she goes crazy on the Book of Mormon. Other people's problem is that they don't read the Book, but she's reading it like crazy! It's awesome! I hope she doesn't get too into it, cause she's reading faster then we can teach her! But she's awesome! anyways...that's the jist of this week! Hope you like the pictures! Ohh and we taught a Singapore family who, when they prayed for us it was crazy! They were awesome! anyways...we got to go!

This was my halloween...sort of...

Check it! this totally looks green screened, but I promise it's not!

All-american....fatness

So this is my comp Elder Hiltbrand and this was a crazy fatening meal! I this I got fat from this meal! Hope you can see it! There is Mister Donuts in there too...

Pon-de-lion!!!!

Yeah so here in Japan there's a little place called Mister Donuts and this is their mascot! It takes 1000 points in order to get the Big one and then like 700 for the medium...which doesn't exsist anymore...sad, and then like 500 for the little one...and when I was at the Honbu we got the set together! I still haven't gotten one yet, but maybe I'll get the big one in a year or so!

check out the fishys...

This was all WAY cheap stuff...I loved it! If you go into one on the grocery stores after 8, the sushi is all like 80% off...everyday! So yeah, good stuff!

Me eating Ramen...haha...

This was good stuff...hope the picture works...

Sorry...short little post cause we dont have much time

Hey! What's a-pu! haha...well sorry about this week. We are getting pretty busy meeting with people! Tis crazy! Anyways so Miracles for the day and here we go. Wednesday the 24th. On wednesdays we do Eikaiwa...it's like a free English class and we teach this one guy in Eikaiwa that is really good at English and he loves coming but he is totally against the church, but this week I think we are finally getting to him! But for the miracle on Wed that's what it was...he is beginning to grow which is a way good thing!

Thursday.....umm, lets see...I don't have my journal with me today, but we got a bunch of Potentials as far as I can tell from my Planner...haha. All the lessons we had that day spoked...but we have been trying to meet with this couple that seemed really interested and they haven't been home recently...

Friday...Ohh yes! That's right...we go to Sakata about twice a month and we decided to go this week. There is a "less active" kinda that lives there...he comes to church occasionally but he made this database of all the less actives in the ward that live in Sakata and everytime we visit them or do something with them he updates it...so he is helping out like crazy! It's awesome, but I don't know why he doesn't come to church. But on Friday we had a little time to spend with him in the car and he told us his conversion story and why less actives are the way they are. (He used to be Branch Pres)...but yeah, so he has changed like crazy! But his testimony is way strong! Even though he is a Lessactive...kinda his conversion story was way good!

Saturday...So a while back we found this Chinese girl on the street and gave her a chinese book of mormon...which, by the way, we give out about like 3 a week...it's ridiculous how many gaijins are here in Tsuruoka! But we exchanged numbers with her and then we found out that we wrote the number down wrong. Well it just so happens that one of the investigators that we have is this Chinese girls (Koei) roomate! So we met Koei again and now she is an investigator! A way strong one at that! She said that in China she lives right next to one of our churchs! Chinese people are crazy! They are so pure, and totally prepared! Koei is no exeption! I love Chinese people! They are so awesome!

Sunday...our miracle today was that we got the Standard of Excellence again! if you don't know what the standard is out here in Sendai, Japan...look at one of my other posts and you can find out!

Monday...We set a baptism date with Koei! It was a way good lesson. One of the main problems with her is the language barrier...but we're teaching her, little by little. She met with us on Sunday too...crazy chinese people...ahhh I love them!

Tuesday...so we found this PI that told us that she would call us from her phone...as you may not know...when someone on the street says that they will call you from the flyer it means they are not going to call! But low-and-behold! This PI called us...so that was a pretty awesome miracle!

Wednes...so we had Eikaiwa again...and the same Saito san's heart is opening up way good! He asked us how to pray and at the end of Eikaiwa he said the closing prayer, and it was WAY good! We were way surprised! It's awesome to see people progress!

Thurs...ohh wait...thats today...haha, we met with Mizuguchi kyodai and it was a good lesson kinda...he doesn't remember ANYTHING! He has been an investigator for 30 years and he still doesn't know commandments and stuff...so we'll see if we can get him remembering, so that he can get baptized...we're thinking he might have Alzheimers...but yeah!

So yeah, hope all is well with everybody! I love you all! But yeah, we have to go now so bai-bai!

Fam: Yes I got the package! Thank you so much! Those pretzles are ridiculous! I love them! Are there other flavors? The weather here is just fine...everyone's been saying that it's going to start snowing, but so far so good. It does get pretty cold in the night's but it's not that bad. When we use computers we have to go to the Kokusai centa...so we travel like 15 minutes to use the computer. As for Keenan's letter...just send it back to the address...I've been doing that, and he gets them...so doso! And Mom, you are a tsukaresama! I hope teaching the classes don't wear you out too much! Say hi for Aja to me, and ask if there is anyone else you know that is in the classes that knows me! Say hi to them too! Umm...and what do you want for Christmas? Cause I have no idea...let me know! ummm...yeah, next week we'll send some pics! Peace!

Sashiburi desu ne!? Sorry this is so long...2 weeks is a killer!

Sashiburi desu ne!? (untranslatable...thats for you pap's!...haha) Well it's been like 2 weeks since I last sent an email, and the reason is because we are just so exited about everything that's happening here that we kinda forgot to email last week...my bad. But it's been so great here in Tsuruoka. I love it! My hands are not really loving it, but the rest of me is! It's starting to get cold and the fluffy gloves I bought for 100 yen are too small...(I think they are girl size...haha) But at any rate. So last week we had Zone Taikai (conference) and it was awesome! So the goal in our mission is to get 180 baptisms by the end of the year, and we pretty much need 20 baptisms this month and 30 next month and we got it! This mission is growing like crazy! 2 years ago the year count for baptisms was like 3 for the whole mission, then last year they got on the ball and tryed to get 90 baptisms, and they made it, so this year it's 180, double, and we are on our way there! So starting on Thursday.

Thursday the 11th's miracle was that we got a good lesson with this girl named Jo Ilong...her american name is Sodium...but she is hilarious. From China and is way good at singing! But we got a good lesson in with her about Baptism and about her concerns with it. She is so scared of responsibility and she has a hard time accepting that you don't have to go through EVERY expirience in order to have a good life...for example...she likes drinking...just started to drink, and is telling us that she has to go through that expirience in order to have a good time....I'm starting to get a little bit sick of people saying that...it almost sounds like they are telling us that because we are mormon's  we don't have any expirience. I'm sick of it! People just don't get it! But I love her to death, and I hope the best for her always...we are still working on here.

Friday's miracle was we taught 5 lessons on the street today which was way cool. We teach lessons on the street in order to strengthen the people and maybe get them to be a Potential or to just lighten their heart about who we are. It's actually helping the people a ton, we've found.

Saturday. just another regular day, but we did a ton of street lessons and got some PI's again so that was a blessing!

Sunday, Miracle was the Standard of Excellence again! We found another 3 investigators, and it was crazy! SofE consists of 3 new investigators and 20 lessons.

Monday, We met with another Chinese girl that we've been wanting to teach and we set a baptism date with her. She is crazy! She comes into church wanting to be a good person and pretty much wants to join the church...it's crazy! She is actually some sort of a rare breed in China...haha, she is like half Korean Chinese Some other race...I guess she is a minority in China...but she is ridiculous...so prepared!

Tuesday, We found another family PI! I love family PI's and teaching families! It's amazing! Here in Tsuruoka we get tons of family PI's recently. But we found another one so hopefully we can pick them up and teach them!

Wednesday, we found another way good family PI and Kim said she wanted to come to Yamagata with us. Yamagata is 2 hours away and we had Stake Taikai on Sunday but she said she wanted to come, so that was great! I also ate at this really good all-you-can-eat yakiniku place called Kintaro Sushi...and they had LAMB!!! It was da best! I ate so much lamb...it was crazy! We also found some really funny Phillipine's...haha Chinese people are ridiculous and Phillipines are hilarious! I love how Gaijin (foriegner) this place is! it's so great!

Thursday, k, so one of the family PI's that we met a while back we went back and picked them up...it was the greatest feeling I've ever felt in my life! So we showed up just to say hi and see how they were doing, and we were talking a bit, and then they invited us to eat dinner with them, so we said sure, and then at the end of dinner we did a lesson about God and Familes and then invited them to pray as a family, and the spirit was cho crazy! I was blown off my seat about how much spirit was there! It was so thick you could've probably cut it with a knife! I love this family though! Mom, 15 year old girl, 12 year old boy, and 5 year old little boy, and they are so awesome! I was so excited to hear that they prayed together as a family. And the mom told us that she felt something that she's never felt before and that praying was way awesome for her!! I want to see this family get sealed so bad!

Ohh and then earlier in the day we set a baptism date with a 30 year old investigator, so hopefully that one will go through.

Friday, so yeah at Mcdonalds they have this really cool thing called "shaka-shaka chicken"...yeah well you put the cheese powder in the bag with the chicken and shake it, and my chicken and I got in a little joust...it exploded all over the place and it was pretty much the funniest thing ever! I'm sure people thought we were crazy...not that they don't think that already! But the miracle today was that we set up an appointment with this guy that wants to have an eternal marriage...so hopefully we can meet with him

Sat. We taught Kim another lesson today about what church was all about. We accedentally showed her the intro to our church video that pretty much covers EVERY doctrine of the church and it was kinda scary...we watched it in Chinese at first so I had no idea what was going on...So now Kim knows like EVERY point of doctrine in our church and she has only met with us twice...haha. We have also been teaching a guy from Uganda and Ghana and they are pretty Catholic people, but we are learning a ton about how to teach those type of people! They are pretty awesome though!

Sun. We went to Yamagata for Stake Taikai and Kim came with us. We pretty much had to translate the whole thing for her and she seemed way tired after the meeting, but hopefully she's ok. 4 hours in the car and 2 hours at church...I but I bet she was cho tired! But we had a good disscussion in the car about God's existance and such...good times. Sunday, we also met an Athiest from Colorado...and now we can say we talked, testified, and prayed with an Athiest. She was way funny though...had tons of jokes about Mormons (especially missionarys) and about Jehovahs Witness's, but we had a good talk and she was glad we didn't try to shove religion down her throat...cause we really didn't...we were way nice. She said she had a good time talking to us and would've invited us back, except for she hates missionaries, so she said we couldn't...but she was way funny!

Mon. We talked to a guy at his house and we talked to him about how we are all part of the same human family so then we asked him if we could call him brother Sugawara, and he took it pretty well...at the end of the contact we accedentally said Mr. Sugawara, and he corrected us..hahaha...he was like "Wait wait...Brother Sugawara.." haha, he was funny. Maybe we can teach him sometime! Hopefully!

But this month has been great! We got 3 weeks of Standard of Excellence this month which is way good! Me, Hiltbrand choro, and the Holy Ghost are a pretty good team! We are doing great and living off of American food...haha with japanese ingredients.

For my family: Yes, I know someone named Clint. Did he send a letter or something?? It's crazy how much the family is changing in like 6 months! Wow!!! I'm kinda not gunna lie...I can't really believe it! Sounds like Thanksgiving is going to be a blast! Send some pictures my way sometime...preferably in the mail...cause these computers are way slow! You attach maybe like 1 or 2 pictures, but send a bunch in the mail for me would'ja!? I need more kazoku (fam) pics!

Rain rain go away...actually, do whatever you want!

So since coming to Tsuruoka I've been so happy...like ridiculously happy...almost on a high. Then to make it better, I got 3 letters today...like right before coming to this Gaijin Community Center...and they really really made my day! 3 of my best friends wrote me about how life is going back home and one of them FINALLY wrote me back! It's really warming to the heart to hear how good life is back home! Well lets see...first off, Thank Renee for saying hi! Tell her I say hi back and then tell her that she's awesome, and that she needs to "nihongo o manabanakereba narimasen". Then...it's too bad I missed the Rodgers...I miss them all! And finally, about the hamsters...we have a Recent Convert here that has hampsters and we always joke around about them, so when I read that Kami's hamsters are having babys...I busted up laughing...My comp says that you need to start getting them out, or else....get a snake! Or else they will keep multiplying...hahaha.

 

Anyways.....so yeah, life here is great! Tsuruoka is da best! So I'll try to start with last week. So I've been writing down "miracles of the day" in my journal and I think it's working better! So week of my transfer I just got a little bit settled in I quitly observed my amazing comp and how he conducted things...ohh yeah, I was called as co-senior comp, but yeah, I watched him a bit and tryed to remember as many people as I possibly could...cause Hiltbrand choro knows pretty much EVERYONE in the city...it's kinda ridiculous...On the Sunday after transfers I introduced myself and then after church we had a lesson with this really cool Chinese girl...Jo ilong...way awesome! That lesson went crazy good! Then on P-day we emailed and then afterwards went and looked at the 3D tv's and I gotta say...WOW! So cool! Do they have 3d tv's on display back in Utah? Cause they are way cool! Then we spent some time at the dollar store...which btw, you can buy pretty much anything at. And the Melon pan here in Tsuruoka is ridiculously good! Especialy the catchy theme music to Melon pan...so yeah, we have been teaching a guy from Uganda, Jamaica, China, and we always see people (friends) from Vietnam and Indonesia...so it's crazy gaijin here, but thats just because there is a university here. So...Wed.

 

We met a girl on the street from China named Kim and she is so cool! We were going to meet with her that week to try to teach her a lesson, but it fell through, but she is way cool and I hope we get to teach her. She canceled because it's been raining crazy hard here and it's pretty cold when you don't have gloves on, riding in the rain...it's actually pretty close to Tsunami's here every once-in-a-while, but it's still so much fun! Me and Hiltbrand choro have a good time in the rain...it's kinda weird, but we are the happiest when it's raining for some odd reason...

 

Thursdays miracle was that there was random guys, at 2 instances, that pretty much came up to us and randomly gave us their numbers so that was kinda weird...one of them just quickly said he has been to utah, but then ran away...so it was kinda a miracle.

 

Friday...miracle was with Godfrey...the man from Uganda...he is pretty Catholic, and has been reading so much anti-mormon stuff online, and had concerns about poligamy and militia and president running, and we totally took a contentious situation and brought the spirit in, and taught one of the best lessons EVER! It went way smooth! I was amazed! and We couldn't get a date out of him, but he said that if he sincerely found out that our message is true that he would be baptized...so who knows what will happen, but I thought it was a way good lesson!

 

Saturdays miracle...oh yes...so we were on the other side of this one street and we see 2 people cleaning their driveway with toothbrushes, so we decided to say hi! It was great...it was a mom and her daughter and we talked to them a little bit about where we are from and stuff, and then while hiltbrand choro was talking to them about Eternal families...I talked to the girl, Nene, about sports and stuff...she said she liked karate and was a 2nd degree black belt, so that was cool. then the mom really seemed like she had intrest in the message and all the sudden it started raining and when we were about to leave they let us take an extra umbrella and they gave us some Kaki and some Negi...so all day I had a big plant of negi in my backpack...haha, people looked at me funny.

 

Sunday. So I didn't think we were going to get the standard. We were only 1 new investigator off, and it was coming around 8:00pm, so I thought we were done, but I prayed and prayed all day to get it and finally at the last minute we picked up a family PI and made them an investigator (Q)! So we totally got the standard and I was super excited! I wanted to get it to raise Hiltbrand choro's faith. Cause he has lost faith in the area, and when we came and got the standard I hoped that raised his faith that there are people here! So then out of the blue about 9:30, some person that we had taught before called us and wanted to meet with us, so we actually ended up with more than the standard which was pretty cool. That was the miracle that day.

 

Yesterday, we had 3 hours of dendo and we got 4 PI's so that was a pretty awesome miracle! And since it was P-day we chilled a bit and talked about intrests and we wanted to make some cookies or something for the family that gave us Negi and Kaki and the umbrella...which I accedentaly destroyed...haha oops...but we were too lazy and didn't get to making the cookies, but we did buy chocolate chips! So next week we can make them! We've been slowly getting all the ingredients week by week and now we have all of them!

 

Anyways, hope all is well! Japan is great in terms of food and stuff, but sometimes peoples excuses just kill me! Well thank you, thank you for all the prayers and thoughts! It's really paying off! Hope everyone is happy, cause I AM! And Happy Birthday Cody! I sent you something yesterday, so hopefully you get it before December...haha...let me know! Thanks a million everyone! ^^v

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Tsuruoka!

Hey, so my emails from now on will probably be really short and stuff...cause there is no place to email here except at the electronics store...haha, so im in a store emailing from one of the really nice display computers...they are way cool computers, at any rate...my comp is pretty good. He is an Idahoian and he has been here for like a year, so im learning a lot form him...Tsuruoka is pretty awesome...there are tons of foreigners here and I haven`t actually taught a lesson in Japanese since I`ve been here, which is pretty weird. We have been teaching chinese and jamacian and african people...so its pretty cool. but i decided that my japanese is going to fall pretty bad cause of the area and the companion. but ohh well...sorry for grammatical errors...i cant really see the screen cause its in an unpleasent place. But I:ve just been moved in and the apartment is way small but we are working pretty hard. It seems like the members here are really in need of some help. There are like 40 members and thats like it...and it seems like none of them are really strong so hopefully we will do good here in this area. Anyways, this place is starting to feel kinda kimazui, so thats all today, maybe we can find a better computer next week. But comp is good and the area is ripe for harvest whether it be foriegners or japanese people...there are people really close to baptism here so well let you know how it goes next week. For mom, letters can go to honbu still, so no worries...microfiber blankets are great, but its only gotten a little chilly lately...so aynytime...thanks bai bai!

Atonement is Amazing! (The picture is not suppose to be related to the atonement in any way...haha)

Hey! Sorry I couldn't post anything last week. I was just busy...no really huge excuse, but guess what! This week I'm getting transferred...I'm not suppose to know that yet, but President told me yesterday, so I'm going to be going to Tsuruoka, and I have a gaijin companion (not japanese). So I dunno...it's going to be totally different! Well this week has been great, and last week was too, but I don't have a ton of time, cause Transfer week is crazy! Well for the most part, we have been focusing on the Atonement this week and teaching everybody about the Atonement, so that's been real fun. So last week I watched the Testament...i guess it's an "again", but it was really great! That movie was really good, I thought...I watched it in Japanese when we were teaching Inoue about Christ. I studyed a bunch about the Millenium last week too, so that was fun. The end is at hand! Last week Takaki choro was sick and Sis Tateoka made him Dendo anyways...haha, funny stuff. He was totally out of it when we were dendoing. There is this Kinjin less active that always calls us and wants to do mogi lessons with us and we finally met with him the other day...it was pretty cool. He got baptized when he was in his teens and he hasn't been going to church for like 15 years, but he always calls occationally and wants to hear some lessons. I went to Miyako last week I think it was...good times. One of our investigators is Shikama and he is pretty awesome. He can't open his left eye and he has a cane, but his clothes are always osshare! He talks slang all the time and it's great. I can't ever understand what he's saying cause he smokes and some of his teeth are missing, plus he speaks Sendai-ben, but at first he didn't believe in God, but now we're getting him to the point where he says there could be a God. But zan-nen nagara, we are transfering, so who knows what will happen to him. Umm...k, this week we got Standard! Good times...we actually found 3 investigators by thursday or something like that, so it was a way fast week! I'm glad we got to get the Standard on our last week here in good ol Nagamachi. It's so great here! There is so many people to find and teach. So awesome! On Saturday, we went to a Halloween party thing for one of the members who teaches English, to help them out with English stuff, and it was great! Just like back in US. Everyone was wearing costumes and they even went trick-or-treating!....it was only two houses though...and at the houses they got a bag of candy with their name...so that wasn't even the same at all, but haha...They don't do Halloween here at all, besides acknowlege that it exists...so Enjoy it! There was also this clip that President had me listen to before I went out to Tsuruoka that was about Planning and becoming a Master Planner. Planning is really super important even in regular life, so if you have Preach My Gospel then by all means read chapter 8, if not then consider learning how to be a better planner and in setting goals! Cause it's super important! Planning is the part of the work where you show the Lord that you can be trusted. It's the part of the day when you get to use your accountability and agency to decide how well you are going to use your time and what accomplishments you want to show the Lord you can do. But it was a good clip...very cool. Anyways so the Atonement is pretty awesome! Have you ever thought about the Atonement deeply? If it wasn't for the Atonement then our existance here would be useless! Think about how the Fall of Adam and the Atonement relate. Then when you think you're done with that think about the crazy pain the Lord had to suffer for our petty mistakes. God doesn't allow the slightest degree of sin to enter into the Kingdom, so he gave us a way!!!! Why don't we just take it! He gave us a way back and some people don't take the help. We're all stuck in a pit and God put's a rope in front of our foolish eyes to help us out of the pit, so why in the world don't we grab it!? What are we thinking! We decide that maybe we can get out of the hole ourselfs, but MURI...you can't do it alone. There are too many Sins on the sin list for anyone in the world to not have one. How many drops of blood did the Saviour have to spill for you? Think about that sometime. It's great stuff! Zehi, everybody think about the Atonement really deeply and ponder about How many He spilt for you...and just maybe it'll influence you for the better. Anyways, Sorry, thats about it. The only picture I've got is one of my feet, so I'll post those! Haha...Bai-bai!

Conference Weekend!!

Picture: Me at Furukawa...

Hello everyone again! Welcome to another fantastic day! Thanks for EVERYTHING! Thank you for the encouragement and thanks for the trees and the electricity and thank you for Prophets that guide our souls to eternal welfare! Thank you! And if you haven't taken advantage of the internet or your TV, and you didn't watch this recent General Conference you better do it. I loved it so much! And I know that this is like 1 week old for the rest of you, but Japan gets conference a week after America does. We get to watch it off of a DVD. I really loved them all! Some of my favorites were Elder Christofferson: Concecration, Pres. Uchtdorf: Simplify our Lives, Elder Anderson: Never Leave Christ, Elder Uchtdorf: Pride, Pres. Monson: Agency & Consequences, Pres. Monson: Gratitude!. They were way good! I also decided that if you don't watch the Saturday Sessions most of the time you miss out on the most important talks! Anyways, How was everyone else's conference!? So this week was pretty good. Not much to write cause we were on spilts and it was conference weekend, so we only had like a day to do any dendoing. So I guess you knew that already. k, I think I left on on Thursday. Ohh and Thanks Morgan! Your encouragement is invigorating!

Thursday, I got to split with Shaw choro again! It was great! He came to Nagamachi and we taught two After Baptism lessons and then did some housing. We didn't find anyone, but the lessons were so great! Me and Elder Shaw have such good unity! Yeah, all the district leaders came today so it was crazy. But way fun! I'm going to be sad, when I'm not in the middle of all the action.

Friday, So there is this investigator that the Shimai's passed to us and he is a little bit seishinbyo (mentally handicapped) but you know...we teach him anyways. We're not really sure what his motives are though, because everytime he prays he ALWAYS says that we wants a ton of friends and a girlfriend....hahaha, so it's kinda awkward, and we're not really sure if he's meeting with us for the right reasons...haha, but I guess we'll just keep on teaching him...maybe he'll get the right motive. But today I've just noticed that because we talk with so many people that have a strong opinion about religion I'm starting to get to the point where no ones opinion makes sense to me...but I love them anyways! <3 There are a ton of Jehovah's Witness's here too, and we were going to trade our Book of Mormon for their Bible sometime soon!

Saturday, Amazing...it's conference, what more can you say! But I really do appreciate it more as a missionary! You really do learn so much more as one! Big theme this year was Following the Prophets or pretty much spiritually die...haha...but seriously. Pres. Monson really cracked down on Repenting this time didn't he!?! We must be doing something wrong.

Sunday, Amazing...again. But after conference we did a lesson with Shikama-san and it was a really good lesson. Our testimonies were ridiculous right after General Conference. We showed him the Restoration video and then pretty much akashi-punched (testified to) him so hard that there was no way you couldn't believe that the restoration was true....but alas he was drunk that night when we taught him the lesson...haha! So we don't know if he even remembers meeting with us or not...haha, but it was none-the-less an amazing lesson, for me anyways...haha.

Today, we went to Imano Families home for an AMAZING meal! So good! And we did a cool lesson, not a lame one like other missionaries might do, but a cool and entertaining lesson! Then we ate Guratan, and Rice and some other stuff, and it's ridiculous that everyone thinks it's amazing that I can eat anything! They're always like "What you're gaijin, you shouldn't be able to eat that..." etc...it's kinda annoying...I might just have to start saying I don't like stuff, just to PLEASE them all! Anyways, hahaha...well dendo is great! Hope school is going good for everyone and in the pictures you sent me (Mom) it looks like Cody and Kami don't love each other or something...haha, they are standing like really really far away from each other. What's up with that? I wanna see a picture where they are hugging each other! That's your commitment! But South looks WAY suteki! Atarashi poi! Ii ne! Domo domo! That's great that Cody is in the Chess Club. It's too bad I quit...I would've loved to keep going! Do a good job Brotha! Yes, Aiura choro's teeth are doing good...kinda. The one on the bottom is still out, but they fixed the chips in his top teeth. No I don't need the microfiber sheets yet. Yeah, it's getting cold, but I can barely sleep with just a regular sheet on me. I get really hot at night...sometimes I don't even put 1 sheet over me. I'll let you know if I need them. Thanks! Bai-bai! Ohh I got the package you sent me on October 7th...4 days ago...and the cookies were delicious! Thank you! I don't know what the purpose of the notepad and the taffys and the cotton candy and the popcorn ball were, but Thank you! I Love you all! Kami's cookies are pretty much gone. Anyways, Bai-bai!

Picture: Me and Takaki in the office!

Hello hello! Hope everyone is doing great! I'm doing just wonderfully! It's been great! Japanese food is the worst! It's so good that you have to eat and eat and eat and then you suffer the consequences...it's a horrible cycle...haha.

On Tuesday I went to Furukawa and did splits with my good buddy Shaw Choro. He was my MTC companion, so it was a good time! His Doryo, Aiura Choro was with Takaki Choro and it was really bad. At about 10pm they came back to the apartment and Aiura Choro was in an accedent and he lost one of his bottom teeth and the front two teeth on the top were chipped way bad. So he was in bad shape. He hit one of those block things on the side of the sidewalk and since it was really dark he couldn't see it, plus there was a car coming the other way, so the lights were making it too bright to see and boom! So it was disgusting, and I decided that I don't want to loose teeth...EVER! I actually starting feeling sick in the stomach just thinking about loosing teeth. But other then that, Furukawa was way fun! We taught English to a bunch of little Elementary school kids and entertained them for a while.

Wednesday, Not much...just came back from Furukawa and then did another Eikaiwa class, English class, and it was pretty good. Not amazing though. This week is going to be amazing...FYI.

Thursday, Hahaha...ok so when we were out finding, there was this High School Girl that I think I totally changed her life plans...and it's not a good thing. So we stopped her and come to find out, she wanted to be an English Teacher and so I was all excited, you know, cause she must like English! Come to find out she has been to Guam and so I was like, ok I'm talking to her in English for sure, and so I ask her what her name is, in English, and she says her name, and I was like ok your English might be pretty good, so we talk for a bit, and I eventually ask her to do a jikoshokai, introduction, for me and she went all quite and we waited and waited and then I was like "c'mon, your going to be an English Teacher, right?" and after countless minutes of silence I was like, ok you don't have to do a jikoshokai, and then it was all awkward and then I'm pretty sure she left with the impression that she didn't like English anymore...hahaha, so yeah, I felt guilty for the rest of the night, because I shattered someones dreams or becoming an English Teacher.

Friday, Today we met a really strange mom on the streets...I didn't understand her very much, but she was really "touchy", one of those people...and it was just funny cause she was like correcting us, and she seemed like she was drunk, but it didn't smell like it, so I'm not sure. Anyways, Inoue kyodai bonded with the rest of the recent converts, and it turned out pretty good I think they did a little Akashikai, testimony meeting, and Inoue kyodai's testimony was pretty strong...rashii (so I heard).

Saturday, today for some reason I totally lost the spirit, and while we were doing a mogi lesson with Somea kyodai, for some reason I couldn't talk at all, so I just sat quiet and let Takaki choro do the talking. I think it was because we had an appointment with one of our investigators and he really really likes to talk, so we saw him by accident earlier in the day and didn't want to stop and talk to him because he really really loves talking and we didn't have time to waste, so we didn't stop him and later on in the day when we had our appointment with him, he didn't show, and I felt guilty for not wanting to stop and talk to him, so I was overcome with guilt that day.

Sunday, Fast Sunday is always wonderful! We get to ride our bikes up a ridiculous hill with no food in our stomachs! Haha, no, it wasn't that bad today. But we taught Inoue kyodai about Temples and Family History, and it was a good lesson. If you haven't read this months edition of the Ensign I would strongly suggest you do! It's amazing! I especially love the pictures! So today I talked with one of the return missionaries that came back from Nagoya a while back and he told me a bunch of new ways to find people. They are pretty cool ideas, and hopefully they work out.

Monday, P-day, I actually got an hour to write some letters, I also printed out a talk by someone...don't remember his name, but it was about the Atonement and it was pretty fukai (deep)! A good talk, and really fukai, so I loved it...all I remember was that it's about the Atonement, so yeah, it's pretty cool.

Tuesday, we went on splits again today in Kitakami and did splits with Kaneshiro and Ohira choro. It's only a branch in Kitakami, but the members are ridiculous, so it's all good. They are all so strong! They say that on Sundays there is only like 25 people that come to church, so it's pretty small, but yeah, the members have dendo-fire like crazy! So that's where I was yesterday. There was a weird O-bachan on the streets that would like walk a few steps and then crouch down, and then get up and walk a few steps and crouch down again...I think she is a little seishinbyo, but she would just do that all day, up and down the streets. We decided to talk to her and give her a chirashi (flyer) and she didn't say anything to us...just kept doing her thing...so it was a grand time in Kitakami!

Next week were going on spilts again somewhere, not sure, but yeah, it's been awesome! I'm kinda excited and scared for when I transfer...hopefully my next companion is good, and the area is awesome! Ohh, wait, it's Japan, it's awesome all the time! Haha. Mother: I am probably not going to be here in Thanksgiving... definitely going to get transfered. Yes I can read Kami's blog comments! It sends me an email with the same message in it. Thanks for the English ideas! I love you! Bai-bai!

First week we came to Honbu!

After Inoue's Baptism...

Welcome welcome sabbath morning! not really, it's not the sabbath, but I like that song...so this week was so Awesome! Loved every minute of it! Let's see, what did I do...journal...

Wednesday...lets see, today was Eikaiwa (English class) I've decided that I'm a pretty boring English teacher! Does anyone have any ideas about how to spice up teaching English?? Like any good American games, or any games in general. I'm so boring!! I can't think of the games that I played back in US...it's hard to think of past stuff like that when you're on your mission for some reason. Anyways, comment on this blog or send me a letter cause I seriously need to spice it up a little bit...

Thursday...So it's been raining forever here which is like the best thing ever! I love the rain, and the other night I got to sleep with the rain hitting against the roof! I haven't had that opportunity in FOREVER! I lived in the basement in Utah, so I never got to hear thunder or rain or anything, so thats been so awesome!

Friday...went to Kamisugi on splits with Funaki choro. It was great fun! I learned one major thing from my split and that is how to explain God. I think I am just explaining him too complex all the time, so that's a challenge for everyone is to sit down and write in simple english, how you would explain the nature of God. See how you do. It's a good time. Funaki choro is really good at finding people too. So bold with everything it's kinda funny, but thats what's necessary! So while I was in Kamisugi, Takaki choro did the mensetsu (interview) with Suzuki choro and Inoue kyodai and he passed! Yay! So he's getting baptized on Sunday "fur suir".

Saturday...came back to Nagamachi and hahaha....so the Shimai's in Nagamachi don't hug each other at night, so we got on their case...haha, it's funny. At night everyone says their prayers and then goes around giving each other hugs and saying good night, and I guess it's missionary culture, but the Shimai's haven't been doing it, so we got on their case. AAAnyways....So today I got to eat a real American meal! the Tateoka's had a bunch of the Bishops over for dinner and then when the bishops all left they told us to come eat the left overs and it was the best thing in the world. Corn, Steak, Beans, Rice, Cranberry Salad, and a Humongous piece of cake with Ice cream! Best thing ever! I felt like throwing up after that meal...ahhh...good times.

Sunday...Yay! Inoue kyodai got baptized! Good times! I got to do the baptism and I kinda didn't memorize the prayer in japanese so when I got in the font I was kinda out of luck and there was like 30-40 people standing there watching, so it was kind of hopeless...haha. But then I started saying the prayer and then messed up, so I restarted the prayer and then baptized and it was good! So I only messed up once, but c'mon! That's pretty good with memorizing the baptism prayer in japanese in like 30 seconds! Only had to baptize once, which is awesome! The spirit was definitely there...I mean if it wasn't there was no way I could've said that prayer in japanese with only hearing it said to me once! Then after church we had to get one more investigator to get the Standard of Excellence, and there was like 3-4 really really really close people, but then decided to drop out on us at the last second, which is a bummer...for them. But then when all seemed lost we went to an apartment building......and then did housing there.......and one person answered their door........and we talked to them.......and we testified........and we promised blessings........and then asked if we could meet again........and then!!!!!! He said no......., so we went to another apartment and we found someone that said yes! Woo! So we got the Standard of Excellence this week and all was well! My companion is so good at finding people that say yes! He is awesome! And for your information, I was praying all day to get the Standard this week and We got it again! So there is another reason to add to the "Prayer's are answered" category...as well as the Diligence category, as well as the endure to the Very Very end category. Picture: After Inoue's Baptism with some people and the missionaries...I wonder if it'll let me put videos up...

It's "mother's question's answer time":

I'm going to try to put more pictures on here soon...don't worry...Mister Donuts is the best! I have to eat 13 donuts every month in order to get the medium size Pon-de-Lion. Do you know Pon-de-Lion?? the Pon-de-ringu donut is so good! I think it's made out of mochi! No I have not bought the best T-shirt in the world yet. I dunno know if it's worth the price...probably before the end of my mission I'll come back a get it. Yes my talk on Sunday was in Japanese. Yes, we go out to eat sushi all the time...And it's really putting a dent in the wallet. That's so awesome Cody and Kami are getting A's! Keep up the good Work! Love you! Finally Cody got glasses! Wow...does he look like an otoku? haha...Kami is playing the Oboe??? What even is a Oboe? That's pretty cool I guess...you'll have to show me what an Oboe looks like...cause I can't remember...I kinda know what it is, but I don't really remember. MESA is great...hmm...maybe they should do NAL too....I bet it would really help. I kind of regret not doing it in Jr. High. Only if you want to though. Shabu-shabu...is a no go. I haven't eaten it yet. But we have Sukiyaki. Takaki choro said it's not the same as shabu-shabu, but as far as I can tell the only difference is that you either cook it all at the same time, or separate....so yeah. Tell Oldemar hi for me! Conference here is...I don't know, I haven't had a conference yet. Isn't it in October?? So ask me again in october sometime. Tell Angela Congrats! California, eh? I can totally see her getting her call to California...for some reason. Anyways, thanks for everything! I Love You! bai-bai!

Baptism! Inoue Kyodai

Me and Comp and the AP's

Me and Takaki choro (at castle) number 2

Me and Takaki choro (at castle)

1st real P-day (at castle)....

Awesomeness...I dunno know...

ok, so I think that I kinda messed up a little bit last email. I don't think all the pictures were on there, only the fridge one...which is kinda the most boring one...haha. But I'll see if I can put the rest of them on here in a little bit. This email is going to have to 3 or 4 trys to get it all the way done so yeah. First off, everything is going grand! Umm...I don't remember where I left off last time, but I got a hair cut! Woo! So yeah, I don't know if anyone has ever heard of Mister Donuts, but it's like the best thing ever! It's like Krispy Kreme and like every dounut place you could ever think of, mix together the deliciousness, and there you have it! Yes, I just had to get that off my mind...Anyways, so last week was great fun!

Friday Sept 10th I got to where normal clothes for an hour which was way weird! We were helping some people move furniture into the Honbu, so yeah, it was intense, but not really...haha. Hinckley choro got transferred this week which is a bummer, but Yatsunami choro took his place and he is awesome! Yatsunami choro's nickname is Doraemon...for those of you that know Doraemon! Cause he looks just like him and acts just like him too! We also had a Sports Taikai which was great fun! I also got to wear normal clothes for an hour here too! I played badminton forever and then basketball, and then I did a handstand contest with Imano kyodai from church. He is a breakdancer and he thought he could beat me...alas he didn't. Muahaha! Anyways, I'm just going through my journal right now, so...ummm.

On the 12th we found some Jehovah's Witnesses and we did some scripture study at the genkan (front door thing), it was a good time, then on the 13th for Hinckley choro's last P-day here we went to a castle for like an hour, and that was pretty awesome! I found the best T-shirt in the world there, so yeah, it was a pretty big deal! I was kinda freaking out, so I think I'm going to go back there before I get transferred and buy it. And we did Hinckley choro's last lunch....This week was transfer week so we didn't really get much teaching and finding done cause of all the office work that needed to be done, but yeah. I also got to see the new missionaries come in, and on th first day I got to teach him how Finding is done! It was awesome! I got so genki that day...good memories. Ohh yeah, we did this really cool presentation for them too. Where I got to be Nephi and I did a speech in the pouring rain, then at the end of the road, the new missionaries were in the forest and they got to say a prayer!

On the 18th, we made the new missionaries Pokemon cards...haha, it's that cards that the Mission President uses to keep track of who is where, but it looks like a pokemon card so thats what we call it. OHHHHHH, and on the 17th I sang a song called "Let it Be" by the Beatles (I'm sure you know the song, if you don't....) Anyways, so yeah I totally made a fool of myself in front of the Nagamachi ward and it was a blast! I couldn't hit any of the high notes, so yeah, I think someone got a video of it, but it's horrid, I would not suggest watching it...EVER.

Umm, 19th  We totally found 3 investigators! I was so devestated! We found 3 investigators at like 8:30, so we had 30 minutes, but Takaki choro had to call people before 9, so we couldn't get the 20 lessons that week and alas, we didn't achieve the Standard of Excellence, I was devestated, but I got over it quick...pudding here is the best! haha, actually all food here is! Ohh yeah the 19th was Sunday, and I gave a talk in church on Mercy! It was great.

20th! I actually got a P-day today kinda...it started at about 2pm so I got 4 hours! But I didn't really do much fun stuff. I deep-massage-cleaned the bathroom and some of the kitchen for those 4 hours, so it wasn't that interesting. But we had FHE and it was loads of fun! Sister Tateoka's desserts are the best! So much fat...so much sugar...but tis delicious. But yeah, so then today we did more finding so that was great! Ohh and btw, we are going to have a baptism on Sunday! Yay! Inoue kyodai is the best! He's getting baptized...we've been working with him for like 3 weeks. Totally kinjin, so yeah! Sorry this one wasn't that spiritual. I promise, the mission is WAY spiritual, but this week, we didn't have much chance to do anything but get ready for transfers and new missionaries, I'm so SORRY!
The church is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Personal Revelation is reality, and Jesus Christ saves through the atonement! I know this to be true!

Picture: after Family Home Evening (FHE)

Finally Pictures!

k, so I have a little bit of time right now...haha! Well I'll tell you about this week I guess. Honto ni Totsuzen kedo shoganai ne. It's last minute but I'll try and think of stuff that happened this week. So on August 30th, Monday we had a FHE night! It was pretty awesome! You can only go to the FHE if you're bringing an investigator with you so tryed to bring some people. One of them told us they were coming, Takahashi, but didn't end up showing up...but we had a recent convert with us. Takahashi kyodai is probably going to end up being a dropped cause he's not really progressing at all. Anyways, I helped come up with the game for FHE. I felt pretty good about myself...haha! It's that one game called Apostasy...I'm not going to explain it, but yeah, we played that with all the investigators and missionaries. Tateoka President talked about the Restoration and our game tied right in with his talk. Then Tuesday we went to a buffet...worst idea EVER! Hinckley choro, one of the AP's, took us there so it was, shoganai...I couldn't do anything about it. It was like 20 bucks for lunch, and they didn't even have the beef that Hinckley choro wanted to eat in the first place...so I decided to get my moneys worth out of the buffet and then I was ridiculously stuffed and then couldn't Dendo effectively...worst idea EVER! So yeah, Hinckley choro and Kina choro had an investigator named Abe and he got baptized this last Sunday...way awesome story! He started out with nothing and now he has such a strong testimony! It's crazy! He was smoking and has depression and all-the-sudden he totally swiched his life around and now he's baptized! Awesome story! Anyways, I've been working SOOOOO hard trying to improve my finding skills! Cause let's face it...I can't talk to people, so yeah, all week I've been working on my finding skills, and praying and fasting...(since it was fast sunday recently), and I'm getting it, but I still have a huge curse! I can find people but I can't ever make them a PI!!! It's driving me nuts! So pretty much all my finding is going to waste! Well not really, cause I'm "planting seeds", but really! C'mon, I'm out here to harvest the wheat, not plant seeds! So yeah, Finding is driving me nuts, but I'm getting better! This week has been crazy at the Honbu! We have 4 days of splits in a row, which means were pretty much getting 0's on all our kekka's, so yeah. The first couple days I was on splits with one of the Japanese elders in the MTC with me, and Takaki, and then I also got to see Dick choro, who was in my doki! I pretty much get to see EVERYBODY which is pretty awesome! I love it. We have an investigator Inoue-san and he is awesome! He's sucking the gospel up! He came to church on Sunday and he stayed for the 3 hours, plus Abe kyodai's baptism, and then like an extra 2 hours...crazy! And he said that next week he's wearing his cool suit, so I'm pretty sure he's getting baptized. Umm, so yeah I was on splits today and yesterday with Hinckley choro and Ellis choro from a different Zone and he is hilarious, but anyways, so everybody we talked to while finding was ridiculously close to giving us contact information...I was seriously dying! The first guy was part of a Buddist place and he told us that it was against his religion to read the Book of Mormon, then the Girl we talked to next said that she had always wanted to go to Eikaiwa (English Class) and then we told her to come and gave her a chirachi (flyer) and then she told us strait up that she was interested in learning more about God! So of course we tryed to make an appointment and she was too busy so I went for the contact information and she was just about to pull her phone out, but then hesitated....so we testified and told her that she needed this message and then asked her again and she pulled out her phone a little more, but then hesitated again, so it was ridiculous...I decided that I'm cursed and can't get a PI...but everything else was so smooth! I don't understand. Then there was two other people we tryed to contact and they also either couldn't remember their number or pulled out their phone and hesitated. So yeah. Anyways, tomorrow I'm going to be Sempai for some other missionaries so I'm scared out of my mind...well not that bad, but I'm nervous, I better get over this curse fast, cause I'm sick of it! Haha...Anyways, sorry for the mixed up thoughts...I'm going to try to put a picture or two on here right now....Ohh yes, and this week is another week without P-day...Wait, what even is P-day?? haha...one of the pictures is of the AP's and one of them is of me and Comp, one of them is just my comp diligently working, and then one of them is my room, with the fridge with my reflection, one of them is when I first arrived in Sendai...I think you get the gist, Hopefully they all loaded...anyways, Bye!

Zettai Futoru!!!

K, sorry for not being able to send anything last Monday...No time to do anything! Anyways I only have a little bit of time cause the Aomori Zone and Morioka Zones are doing training here at the Honbu and we are going on Splits with some people. I've been told that splits are when the miracles happen! And it totally is true. I went on splits in Kamisugi a few weeks ago and it was ridiculous, I tell you! We found like 7 Potential's and we taught a lesson to like 5 of them...that is crazy good! So after that day I realized the truth of the statement of Splits bring Miracles. But today is not really a split but it kinda is and I'm sure all of you are comprehending my vocabulary greatly...haha. I wouldn't understand me if I wasn't on a mission! Anyways, so yeah life in the Honbu is great! I can't compare it with anything, but I get to see and meet pretty much every missionary. Anytime they have a Leadership Training with the Pres EVERYONE comes and lives in our apartment, so this morning we had like 18 missionaries sleeping in our apartment...haha, so yeah, anytime we have a training or if missionaries are leaving or if missionaries are just arriving or any reason they need to come to talk with Tateoka Kaicho (President Tateoka) they come live in our apartment. Another benefit (or anti-benefit) of the Honbu is that you live with the AP's and they have the car, so we can hitch rides and stuff. But most of the time they take us out to eat all the time and waste all our money! So I've been eating out a lot since we don't have time to go back to the Apartment and make food stuffs. Anyways...this last week has been really hard to find people. We go streeting for hours at a time and find 0 PI's and 0 New Investigator's, so it feels like we just waste the hours away trying to find people. Hopefully the Lord will bless us with some people soon! What we are doing for the most part is trying to strengthen the Less Actives and work with the Investigators we already have. We met Abe Shimai the other day and when we visited her she didn't answer the door for a while, then as we were leaving she opened the door and she is this really sweet, old lady but she doesn't have a voice box, so I was pretty much stranded and let Takaki choro talk to her cause I can't read the lips of japanese grandma's yet...not yet!...haha, but yeah so she said that she has felt the devils power so strongly and she was so happy we came to visit her. She hasn't been going to church lately so that was the original reason we even decided to go visit her, but it was good, I think! I couldn't understand much, but the spirit was there...as well as countless mosquitoes...I decided that I hate "ka" (Japanese for mosquito...) for some reason ka's love hands I've found out...my hands are ridiculously chewed up...so I don't like them at all! Anyways, yeah all is going well! One thing is for sure, that if I keep eating out like I am I'm definatly going to gain some kg's...but I think I've decided that Japanese food is too good, so I'm don't know if I can constrain myself...Anyways, I wish I could have more time to take some more pictures or something...words aren't fun at all, are they? Hopefully next monday!

Dear Mother,

I'm pretty sure I've have answered all of your questions already, but I will attempt to answer them again and answer your new questions...haha. Sato-san, the English lover, we are meeting with him on Sept 10th so I don't know much about him other then that. In order to become a new I you just need to teach a principle of the gospel and pray and set a SPECIFIC yakusoku, so our yakusoku is on the 9 gatsu 10, so yeah. Do I do lessons? I don't know what that question means. Yes I teach lessons...I also teach English class. I taught the Beginners class the other day, but now I'm teaching Intermediate, so yeah, I pretty much go where ever they need me to teach. Yes, there is grocery stores everywhere and we always buy veggitables so don't worry! Haha...ummm, lately we've been going out to eat so we don't do much cooking, but usually when we do cook. I cook the food while Takaki choro calls people and does his Leadership stuff. Yes, we live in the only apartment that has more then one doryogumi living in it. We live with the Ap's and then us. I bought a used bicycle for 100$. It was Elder Aida's bike and he left on the transfer I got here. I bought a dictionary for 1 man 2 sen gurai. So it was really cheap, but it's really cool. Cody and Kami have their own locker! Cool! So they don't have to share? No I can't look at the SOJH website...I don't have time to do it. Take some pictures with Cody and Kami in front of the school and send them to me. What is Cody's Eagle scout project? I don't even know what it is...He hasn't written me back!!! Why is Humidity good??? Humidity is Horrible! haha...just kidding, it's not horrible, but I'm getting used to it now, so it doesn't really bother me. Wow, Brandon and Linsay got married...it's about time! Haha...Cool news, thanks for the update! Love you!

Finally some time!

K, so today I was almost not going to have a P-day today, but thankfully I got to have one!!! Woo! Cause we were going to have some office meeting that Takaki needed to be at but I guess it got canceled....btw for anyone who cares, I'm using Dvorak again!!! It's been so long so I'm a little rusty but it's amazing to be able to type right again!!! Tonikaku...so I'm going to try to put some pictures up here and see if they work. I haven't had time to take any pictures of Japan besides the Honbu but I'll put some of the MTC. Umm...yeah, so this week pray worked out for me amazingly! So we were Housing or doing something...Dendoing, and we needed to get one more New Investigator for the week to get a Standard of Excellence, and we had 3 former investigators papers. Since former investigators are the easiest people to become new investigators we decided to go and find them. Our quest began and (btw, the hills here are ridiculous...mixed with the humidity...really ridiculous) So we searched and we went to the first house and no one answered the door. Traveled across town a little ways to the 2nd house and tried them. Nothing. Then I was like k, we need to pray or something cause I've never gotten a Standard of Excellence before and we were only 1 person away from it. (Standard of Excellence = 20 lessons in the week and 3 New Investigators). So we prayed and I prayed that either this last person would become a New Investigator or God would send someone in our path that would become a New Investigator. We ended the prayer and nothing super special happened. Just like an ordinary prayer. We went to the 3rd house and alas no one was there! But we didn't loose hope! We decided to start heading home and while we were heading home we would try to look for a bunch of apartments so that we could house them. We went a little ways and finally found one. Parked our bikes and knocked on the first door of this little 8 house apartment. The 1st door we knocked on, answered the door, we told them who we were and asked his interests and stuff. He said he wanted to be and English teacher...so using that as a little advantage I talked to him in English and asked if we could come back and he accepted! Woo...miracle! So we got our New Investigator and all was well in Bethlahem. We got Standard of Excellence this week so I felt good! New Investigator is when you give a lesson, commitment, pray, and set another appointment, so we did it and it was grand! Anyways, good times. I'm going to attempt to answer my mother's questions now so...take whatever information you want to out of is, umm and the camera doesn't work in this computer so I'm going to have to get something so that you can all see pictures...Anyways, Love you all!

Okasan,

Ashimine Choro came from Provo so he is not going to be on the Liahona list. He is japanese, but he was living in Provo when he was 18 and 19. While Takaki choro works, I study Kanji and Tango ect. Occationally, like today, I help with office work and put in dates and names into the computer so it's good fun. No, no one cooks for me. We have nothing in the fridge except for Natto and Tofu and occationally we will have Tenkasu that I snack on, but it's so busy that we don't really have time to buy food. I've been gaishoku-ing (out to eat) for a few days. We went to Sushi ya san, and they had this really crazy machine that brought the ordered sushi to you...crazy! And we went to Ramen & Gyoza eating and we went to Okonomiyaki store. And then I guess I lied, but we have rice in our apartment all the time, so we eat that. I made some stew/rice stuff the other day and one of the other elders made something good one time, I can't remember, but if we had more stuff to cook with then maybe we could eat better, but we don't have much food, so we try and scrap up what we can. But Restaurant's are great! Yes, I bought my bicycle. I got it for $100 so I didn't have to use the credit card. But today I think I am going to finally go and get my Jisho (dictionary), so I'm going to have to use my credit card for that. Hashimoto-kun hasn't gotten a good answer from his dad. No he is not our investigator, he is the AP's, but he really hasn't had a chance to really talk to his dad. His dad doesn't exactly say no, but he just says to wait, so probably he just doesn't want to talk about it now. We have like 5 Investigators or so, one of them has a date and could be kinjin (golden investigator). Sounds like you are having a ton of good times! Accapella Stock sounds fun! Good luck with teaching! Tell Cody and Kami good luck with South! I want to see a picture of the new school, can you email me a pic? No I don't remember the shaved ice thing that Bro Fuller is talking about, but maybe someday I'll see it! Ohh no, is Lia alright!? That doesn't sound good at all! Hopefully she is doing better! Good luck with your singing in RS. Tell Kami to get over it! And Yes, my P-day is Monday. Or Maybe I should just say my P-time is monday....haha, anyways Love ya!

Sorry, There is just no time to write...haha

This is what I just went to my Parents...so yeah take all the info out of this that you want...haha!

Hey, yeah we aren't all in Sendai. Me and Shaw Choro are the only ones in Sendai. Everyone else is elsewhere. We had a Zone Conference meeting and I saw him and then Shaw choro is sitting next to me right now cause he was just on splits with me so that was fun! Today was great! I think the first week was just really difficult but now everything is alright. It's great stopping people on the street and talking to them about stuff they don't want to here about! (Jesus Christ isn't that great of a subject to other people...haha!) Anyways yeah Takaki is great! He's so much fun! We get along well. No we didn't eat Natto the first day, but I've pretty much eaten Natto everyday cause that's the only thing in the fridge. Yeah Takaki choro is always in the office until 1 oclock but then after that we eat lunch and go dendo. Yeah I speak Japanese to Takaki all the time. There is no english unless I'm talking to American's. Cause I can speak japanese better then the japanese people can speak english, so it's just easier if I suffer through the Japanese. I'm going to Nagamachi ward. there is tons of members...like 111 last week or something. And then there is a kid in our ward that has been investigating the chruch for like a year and the only reason that he's not baptized is because his dad is against it. But yesterday we all fasted, including him and tonight he is asking again so hopefully his dad says yes. His name is Hashimoto-kun...he's sitting next to me too and he wanted me to talk about him...haha!

Anyways...Love ya!

So yeah The mission is so awesome! Except for I really don't get a P-day...I have like 2-3 hours total for today then it's off to work again! But today was oh so joyous! You really have to just see yourself as a gaijin and since you know that everyone thinks your weird anyway you might as well yell across the crosswalk to get their attention. But yeah our zone had 90 baptisms last year and this yeah we are trying to get 180 and so far we are at ~90 so its going great! we might be a little off target but for the most part we are ready to go! So this is definatly a Baptizing Place. Hopefully Hashimoto-kun gets the ok tonight! Anyways hopefully everyone is doing good, cause I'm ridiculously worn out. And I don't have time to write anyone back so I'm sorry for not if I don't, but when I get a breath I'll get around to it. Anyways hope all is good. The hill I have to climb is super long and steep and I come back everyday looking like I just went swimming...imagine the horror! After coming here I totally have stopped caring about what I look like, cause after one minute of being outside I'm drenched and I don't think I look that great to anyone...haha! It's great fun. I've been meeting so many people going in and out of the Honbu. It's so busy here! My kanji is coming very good too! I'm getting most of what's out on the streets. Anyways, as for investigators I think we only have 1 that we know of here and he didn't end up coming to church yesterday so we are worried about him. He said he would get baptized, but as of yet he doesn't believe in God, so thats kind of a problem, but the Members here are so strong so they've been helping him out and it's been great! Anyways I think that's all the time I've got. Maybe next transfer or so I'll be able to get to post some pictures of everything, so sorry, but there is just no time at the Honbu! Have a great end of summer vacation everyone! I actually don't even think I've taken any pictures while I've been here...haha...weird. Love you all!

Nippon

Hey, thanks so much for all the support from everybody! I appriciate it so much! umm...I've got so little time...like 10 minutes, but I just want to say that the mission is hard. Really hard. I hope I can get to a point where I'm comfortable here. It's coming, but it's slowly coming...umm. My first companion his name is Takaki choro and I'm in Yagiyama Sendai. The others went to different places but I'm right at the Honbu. I live exactly where the address is on this website. Which is pretty cool I guess. But I've been told that my first place being at the Honbu is really rare. I live with the AP's and my companion is the district leader for our district. I've also been told that my mornings are so much different then if I was at the some other place. And my Prep Days are way different too. So I guess I'm starting out at a really different place then the rest of my doki. I dunno, I can't really tell, but it's been fun. Hard, but kinda fun...haha, really I'm still trying to get used to everything and hopefully it comes really soon cause I need it to come. Anyways, I have 2 weeks to fill but I doubt I have enough time. The plane ride was great!...haha, maybe. I sat next to this Korean Lady and she only spoke tiny bit english. It was a good time. I couldn't sleep at all on the plane either, but it was nice that our whole zone was on the same plane. Anyways, I get to Japan Narita Airport and then go through without any problems. The train ride to Sendai was great fun....I slept the whole way there, but the bathrooms on the train were pretty intense. Anyways, yeah so we get there finally and the AP's and Pres Tateoka find us and take us to the Honbu! And the first two days I was with my doki (my MTC group) and then by the third day everyone was gone and the day began like regular. Also another thing that's really weird is that Takaki choro is also a new transfer to this area so we are pretty much whitewashing it. He has no idea what to do and where to start and I obviously have no idea, but it's been getting better. Church on Sunday was great! I loved it. People are great. I also want to know what part of Osaka you are from MOM. Everyone asks me, but I have no idea. Anyways...yeah! It's great fun so far and I sincerily hope it's going to get better. As for investigators, I'm totally not sure cause we have no idea who was investigating before we came...So I really think that we are going to be lost for a few weeks. Anyways, I'm probably out of time. I might have limited computer access cause the AP's and the Office Assistant (Takaki choro) need the computer so much...so I'm convinced that I'm in a really different situation then most brand new missionaries. So everybody have a great week! Maybe next week....maybe....I can say some more but maybe not.

Last Prep Day at the MTC!

Hi People! Well today is my last Prep day at the MTC!!! So everyone is so excited to get outta here! Anyways

Tuesday last week, I finished transforming my Book of Mormon! It's pretty awesome! I've got a little book of mormon inside of my japanese one, and it's awesome! The devotional on this tuesday was pretty awesome! It was on Faith and how faith is the foundation to everything. There is a reason that Faith is the first principle of the gospel! And from being here I've learned that concept pretty readily. It's the foundation for everything! Without it your not getting anywhere. The devotional review that night was really good too. We all bore testimony and the Spirit was ridiculously strong. It was a good time.

Wed. Today we got to host for the new missionaries coming into the MTC. I got to host a few of them so that was pretty fun! You get to take them around to the different places on campus and show them their classroom and stuff. It was pretty fun! We also watched a movie of Elder Holland giving his missionary talk from way back when, but it's ridiculous. He is obsessed with his mission and you can really tell! Obsessed in a good way, but he really sticks it to the man, like he always does. I also finished reading the Book of Mormon again. Our district goal was to finish it before we leave for Japan, and I finished on Wednesday, so that's good.

Thursday. Travel plans came today and everybody was freaking out! It was crazy! Everybody is so excited to get outta here. I leave on August 2nd and I go to SLC airport and fly strait to Narita airport in Nippon! Then I get to take the Shinkansen to Sendai! I'm stoked! Usually people don't get to take the train, but our group gets to! Woo! It's going to be awesome! The TRC was today too and it turned out pretty good. Pretty regular if I do say so. Felt the Spirit and taught our best, but nothing too amazing happened. We're also hearing a ton of our teachers stories about Japan and it's getting everybody even more excited! So it's going to be awesome.

Friday, I learned that if you have the spirit of contension with you, you can't feel the spirit, and if you try the best to supress the contention then the Holy Ghost can really calm souls. We also reviewed all of the super-awesome Analogys me and Shaw choro have for the Lessons. We have like 20 different ones, it's crazy! But so helpful to explain.

Saturday, Not much happened. We had our last Teaching Evaluation with Durney sensei and it was awesome! He is a "genkisugiru hito", but he is great! The TE went wonderfully.

Sunday, Always the best day of the Week! Priesthood was about Lesson 3 in PMG and we pretty much just went over the concepts, it was great! Then Sacrament, the talks were on repentance, and I did NOT get called up to speak! Yes! Muahaha...just kidding, but seriously, I didn't so I was happy! ^^ We also had a travel meeting today about Pre-departure stuff, and that got everybody even more stoked to get outta here! Great advise for traveling and it was good. The fireside this night was on LDS Homefront comercials. Well it wasn't on the commercials but we got to watch a ton of them and some of the ol' school ones are hilarious! It was a good time! He talked about Bad cultures that we get from home, and anything that is not Christlike culture should be surpessed or better yet gotten rid of. Things like contension and lazyness etc. It was a good talk non-the-less. I love the Homefront commercials too, they are the bomb!

Monday, In the morning we had another meeting about Japan, but this one was a much more spiritual one. He talked about how if we don't think we are going to baptize then we won't. It's amazing how much they emphisize this fact here. But they are not lying about Japan being a baptizing country! Japan is going to boom! It's on its way as we speak! There have been prophecies about Japan that have been made, that are only going to happen if we make them happen! Elder Grant...first Elder in Japan, made so many prophicies that are being fulfilled right now! We just have to believe we can baptize and we will. If there was even 1% of the people that are ready to hear the gospel thats like...well I can't do math right now, but you can do the Math. It's tons of people! Even .01% of the people is tons of people, so the Elect are waiting and they know not where to find it. They showed a slide show of Japan and the Japanese people and my heart burned. It burned with a fire like I've never felt before. i dunno if anyone else in the room felt it, but it was real. There are people waiting that God has prepared for me, and they need to hear the message. I'm getting so excited. The LGM was on baptizing people too, so all the meetings were set up specifically for us to have Faith in our work, have Faith in the Lord, and have Faith that we will have success. It's great here, the zone is awesome, the district is awesome, and my companion is awesome! I can't wait to get to Japan and find the people that have been waiting for decades for this message of hope. I wish you all farewell and good luck with life! Kami, good luck with your talk! Maybe it was last Sunday, but I hope you did good!

I think, 2 more weeks left!

Hey Everybody!!!! It's bright an early in the morning and a great looking Prep day! 6:15 doesn't look so good! So I hear that I'm getting a Chinese cousin!!! That's so awesome! I'm so excited! Thanks for the news Tobin!

So Tuesday of last week. A brother Halverson spoke to us about finding people. There was a young missionary who was complaining that "My job is not to find people, it's to teach people" and Brother Halverson being the mission president said something like, "You can not teach those you can not find." We are the Fishers and Hunters of men. Our job is to find people and to teach people whether they be in flocks (fish) or individually (hunters). I just remember that part from Bro. Read's class, but yeah. He did talk about that scripture too. So we have to be really good finders. He told us that if we want to see baptisms on a regular basis that we need to keep our investigator pool big! Always look for people. Always try to find people even if you thing you have a ton of investigators! And he also taught that if you open your mouth, words will be put in by the Spirit. So yeah Talk to everybody was the lesson here.

Wed. We gave a blessing to Morrison Choro, the aussie, and he is going to have surgery tomorrow, so yeah, we gave him a blessing and we are all praying for him and hopeing he will do good.

Thur. TRC was today and it was good. We were answering tons of his questions and he was talking a ton so that was good. Today in class Bradley and Baba sensei were telling us stories from their mission and it was just so cool to see all the miracles and blessings. I'm always praying for miracles to happen on my mission and I have a hope that they will.

Fri. So today I got the opportunity to skip class and help Morrison Choro study. So we were sitting there eating lunch and I was just trying and trying to figure out what he needed help with, because we talked about it before a few times about what exactly he needed. So I tried and tried and we just weren't getting anywhere! So he decided to go get a drink a this moment and I decided to say a pray helping me to know what help him with. A simple prayer, and right when he came back we instantly found the exact thing he needed. I all-the-sudden figured out exactly what I needed to do to help him in pretty much every aspect of learning Japanese! We went over conjugating verbs, grammar patterns, speaking the language, translating the language, particles...in the same tecnique. Amazing way to study! and to make it better, he was in a wheelchair, needed the "drowsy" pain killers for his leg, just had surgery and he managed to stay 100% focused for 3 hours strait. It was so crazy. So I officially count it as a miracle whether or not it anyone else thinks so.

Sat. I learned today that closing with a prayer when teaching really puts a stamp on what you teach. Me and Shaw choro always have trouble remembering to open our lessons with a prayer and always forget closing with one too. So today I remembered to close with a prayer and really felt the spirit put a stamp on what we said. So we decided that opening prayers can be optional, but closing prayers are a nessecity! Anyways...I really felt the power.

Sun. fireside was on Inviting and Helping people come unto christ. Our job as missionaries are to Invite and Help Nothing more, nothing less. It's the investigators job to Come unto Christ and Recieve. Our purpose is plain and simple. We invite and help people. He also told us a bunch of things about how we need to be more of a Preach my Gospel missionary and the MTC is working to change the way we teach drastically from the olden days!

Mon. LGM was about helping people recieve the restored gospel. It was pretty much about testifying. You don't wan't to bible bash, you don't want to argue. Our job is to Invite, if they don't accept the invitation then move on. The elect are waiting and the people around you are watching. The only thing you should do is to testify, and this can be applicable in you lives as well. If someone decides to argue with you about the doctrines, then don't argue back, just testify and walk away! I also learned last night that God answers questions to things you never knew you had questions too. I got an answer to something I didn't even know I had a question too last night and it was pretty awesome.

Anyways, one extra thing I have learning just from everyday is how important working with members is. And this is really applicable to everyone. Be kind and friendly to new members and investigators. They really need someone to help them out. They need a friend to help them feel welcome. A good example of this is my Dad, I just always remember him saying hi to new members and being friendly to them. I really appriciate the example, but we can all do better! Really fellowship them, because that's the way to help them feel the spirit in their lives even more! Anyways, someone is messing with my laundry, so I gotta go! Peace and Eternal Families!