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!