Well i today i just talked to you guys. So i really dont know what to say in this email. Take that back, i do know what to say. . . Talking with you guys and the family was FREAKING AWESOME!!! I love my family so much. I am so grateful that i was able to spend time with everyone and get to talk with them. It kinda sucked that my connection was bad and that you guys couldnt here me that much. I wish i could of told you more about Japan and about me and just everything. But i loved hearing from you guys and seeing everyone. I am so blessed that i was able to SEE everyone this year not just hear your voices but actually SEE. I am glad that everybody is doing well and enjoied Christamas. Sounds like everyone had a great time and sure did enjoi everything. Everyone seemed really happy. Oh man, i am just reminicing just now and it was a great time and i througholy enjoied it. Thank you so much for a great call. Everyone was laughing and it was all just super good. Thank you.
So as you know i got a call from the zone leaders who had a interview with the stake president. The stake president said taht this ward taht i am now servign in is really mad about the missionaries. The last missionary before me was a super wamp and trunky missionary. The ward told the stake president that he always looked tired and didnt have any fire for the work at all. I really feel bad for my comp because he was comps with this missionary. This missionary was SR comp and DL. He wasnt so good. So the ZLs told me taht i have the stake president watching me know. I am a bit stressed about the situation but also very proud. I am stressed becasue i feel like the ward wants a baptism. Something they havent had in a whil. And if the missionaries dont get that baptism, we arent good enough. But after talking to my comp, we had more people on our Mission Coordination List than ever before. Which is reallly suprising to me. So hopefully the ward will see our hard work and reckonigze that we are good. I am also happy because this area had a bad missionary in it. THe only way to change peoples opinions about missionary work is bringing in someone who works hard. When i think about that i feel like president thinks i am a really good hard working missionary and that i can change this ward. I reallly feel goos when i think about it that way. Its amazing how the Lord works. It really is. I am also scared because last transfer i worked hard everyday but i didnt see in investigators or things like that. THats how come I am fasting today. I had my whole district fast on a day that best fits them to fast for the people in their area and to find those who the Lord has prepared. I really am going to fast for these people every transfer. I have made it a goal. I really want to find the elect. It makes work so much easier and funner.
My Christmas was super good by the way. I got up in the morning and opened up presents. I was super shocked to see that you wrapped all the items in the package. It kind of made it feel more like christmas. I then went to church for an hour. Came back to the apartment and did some DL stuff with stats and stuff. We then went to a members house for dinner. They gave us Chicken, Ham, and spaghetti for dinner. It was super good. It was pretty american if you ask me. We then played games with her kids. Her inlaws were theere to and they are nonmembers. I talked with the father in law the whole time. When we were leaving he kept givin us hugs and shaking our hands. I thingk we really left a good impression on him. They want us to come and eat with them again. It was a good christmas. I am glad it is over though so i dont have to think about home and stuff like that anymore. Just focus on missionary work. It makes time go by faster.
I love you guys with all my heart. I am so grateful that i was able to talk with everybody today. I hope that you all enjoied it as well. I cant wait til mothers day to do the same thing. Hopefully the connection will be better. THere isnt much else to say. I could really use your prayers this transfer becuase we are really young missionaries and dont really know what we are doing. I need to get better at the language. I think Pres has something big in plan for me. So please pray for me. I know you guys do already. i love youall and hope that you have a great New Year. Once new years hits, I will have only 1 year 1 month and 11 days til i go home. THat is so crazy. I cnt beleive how time is going by so fast. well i gots to be cutting my hair now. I love you and pray for you always. Keep it reall and STAY CLASSY!!!!
Called to serve in the Tokyo-Japan Mission
Monday, December 26, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
20 December 2011
Oh my goodness!! I dont know where to start this email. THere is so much going on and so much to say. I quesss i will just start by replying to your email first and then going from there.
SO no. I have not recieced your package and so therefore i have not opened it yet. I quess that is good cuz it would of been a huge temptation. I am glad taht you got a hold of Nick Keels. I love him so much and am super excited for this upcoming weekend. I think i will send him an email for sure to let him know what is going down.
Phone Call: So i really think your idea on the phone call is great. I will call you guys on Skype at 7:00PM, Christmas Day for you guys. That is my 11:00AM. In order for me to call you on Skype i need your skype address. So can you please give that to me? Or maybe you guys should call my skype address. That might be better for when you all are ready. My skype address is: yamatemissionaries100. Also if Skype is a HUGE fail, I need you guys to call me on my phone. Here is the extension and phone number:
ext. (011-81)080-2149-6158
I cant call you because it is super expensive so you have to call me first. but those are the numbers and things. I am also way excited to talk to you guys. oh i am exicted. It is going to be so much fun.
So your week sounds like it was pretty good. I am glad taht you went and got Kendi. I miss doing that actually. It sounds like so much fun to go to Tucson and pick her up. I am sure the food was super good to but i have to say wait until you eat some of the food that i have been making here. You will be so suprised and it willa be the best thing that you have ever eaten. I have become quite the chef here in Japan. I wish i could go to the parties with my older brothers but then agian i aint married yet so it would be pointless. You talking about movies and the theaters is way weird. when i read that i just wanted to go and i remember all the good times we had. I cant wait to do that agian. Cookies sound so good. I really want some right now but i have to watch it. We are getting fed so much right now. I have eaten so many sweets and sugary things than ever before. I cant wait to read your letter to. I want to talk to my old primary class. I loved them and loved working with them. Can you tell them i say hi? Mexican food sounds so flippin good right now. I miss Los Hermanos so much. I really want to go there agian. I cant wait til that day comes. Maybe when i come home. Thats a ways away though. It is scary aobut dad and his cancer. I hope that he doesnt have cancer anywehre else. I am happy they solved the problem early. Did you get a picture of how he looked. I would love to see them haha. How is being Cub Master? Do you still have hair left? hahaha How is Kelly and her kids doing? I hope they are all doing well. I love them so much. You made me laugh about Kellys tree and only half of it being decorated. HTat was super funny. Aunt Lynne sent me a package that had a Christmas tree in it. It Is way awesome. SO now i have a little christmas tree. I like it alot. I have been putting my presents under it. Haha
So i have not yet recieved the Christmas Card but i am suepr excited to get it. I want to use it as my family picture. I think it will be a good one. I am glad everyone likes it.
I cant believe this is goin to be Bugs last christmas before he goes on his mission. He doesnt leave for like a year. That is so crazy to be thinking about. Oh so weird. I am excited for him though. My mission party was super fun. All the zones had to play skits and stuff like that. Our skit was based on the Lessons and planting the seed of Faith. I got to play the devil in tempting the investigator. It was great fun. After that we had tons of food. SO much food. SO good. THen we had a Fireside from Kent Derricott. HE served here in Japan in the '70's and then became a TV star after his mission. SO he is super famous in Japan. It was good to hear him and listen to his advice. His daughter was in my MTC group too. My interview with president was good.He just asked me questions like if i was worthy, happy, and stuff like that. He then asked how he could help me. We talked about lovving ourselves too. He said taht he really thought about me when he was giving that training. That explains the last letter from him i sent you. I have realized that i have been out for almost one year. I ahve like 10 weeks before i hit that mark. It is so crazy mom. Time has been going by so fast lately. I am on my 6th transfer now. CRAZY. On christmas day, i will be in Japan for 7 months. Then on January 9th i will be on my mission for 10 months. it is so weird. Thinking about next christmas is just weird it is so far away. I dont want to think about it so i wont.
So my week since wednesday has been pretty full. I have had more all you can eats and more members and a very suprising weekend. THursday we had the christmas party which took all day and it was a blsast. I ahve a cool video of my skit i will be sending home soon. Friday was just a pretty normal day. Then saturday came. Saturday was transfer call day. 3 things happend. 1) i thought i was stayin in my area becasue i had only been there for 1 transfer but the Lord thinks differently. I have been moved to a place called Yamate. It is where the chruch 1st started in Japan. So that is way cool. I am walking whre Heber J. Grant did. I was super suprised. Yamate is also the Beverly Hills of Japan. SO my first area was Shibuya which is the New York of Japan and now i am in Yamate the Beverly hills of Japan. Ya. Here in Yamate is where they film all the Japanese movies. SO it is super rich. We have a really famous movie star in our ward. It is also the smallest area in my mission. I am way excited but kinda bumbed becasue i really liked my last ward. And christmas is my 1st sunday in the ward. I dont know anybody and dont have realationship with anybody so it could be a bit lonely. But it is just a day and i will have fun. It can be way fun if i make it fun which i am planning on doing. 2) I am with a transfer 4 missionary. I am the older missionary.That is really scary. I am only on transfer 6. My japanese isnt that good so i am scared about it a bit. I can really use the prayers. My new comp is Elder Crowther. He is from Sanford, Colorado. We are going to get along great. He played football, worked on a ranch and likes that kind of stuff, and we jsut have a bunch of stuff in common. He is by far the companion that i have had the most in common with. He is bigger than me but this morning i kicked his but in working out and running. Hahaha. It is going to be tons of fun though and i am way excited. He really has fire to do work and that is what i like. I am just a bit scared about hte language. and 3) I am the District Leader. What a christams gift, right? new area, new comp, and DL. I am way nervous about this one.Not only do i have to take care of a younger missionary but a whole district too. I am way scared. I have no clue what to do. I have never been in a position wher i have to train people on being missionaries. It is a huge resposiblity. I could really use some advice from my RM siblings. It is going to be a fun and hard transfer. I quess this is what i get for being with missionaries who have held only high postions. Everyone is saying next transfer i will be a Zone Leader. But how can they tell, That is 6 weeks away. I hope i gave all you guys a laugh and we can talk about it more on the phone.
Well, i sure love you mom. I really can use everyones prayers and all that jazz. I hope to have a wonderful christmas. I have been loving it out here. Yesterday a missionary asked me if i was excited to call my family. Of course i am but i hadnt really thoguht about it. I have been having so much fun doing work and telling people why christmas is important. I havent really htought at all about what is going on at home. I love you guys with all my heart but i fully committed myself to my misison. So in result i have faith that you guys are doing well and dont think about you as often as i did. Sunday i felt a real spirit of Christmas and of love. We went to give a blessing to a lady who has a part member family. I think i told you about them already.They are peruvian. Anyway, they are moving so they wanted us to give the mom a blessing becasue seh was having internal problems. I anointed her and then my comp gave her a blessing in spanish. I could feel the spirit and knew it was good. She was crying also. After the blessing we were talking about her sons baptism and she told us tht he wasnt the only one to be getting baptism and then looked at her husband. THen her husband a nonmember told us that he is going to get baptised when his son does. It was amazing. I just thought about all the poepel that i ahve been able to help that have recieved baptism. Even though i didnt baptize them, i helped them and broughtr them to Christ. Of course i would love to say i baptized someone, but if i dont, saying that so and so number of poeple got baptized taht i got to teach is awesome and that is what matters. How many poeple you HELPED come unto christ. I love this gospel. I love my mission. I love my family and the covenants we have made to be together forever. I cant wait to talk to you all. Take care and have a Merry Christmas.
SO no. I have not recieced your package and so therefore i have not opened it yet. I quess that is good cuz it would of been a huge temptation. I am glad taht you got a hold of Nick Keels. I love him so much and am super excited for this upcoming weekend. I think i will send him an email for sure to let him know what is going down.
Phone Call: So i really think your idea on the phone call is great. I will call you guys on Skype at 7:00PM, Christmas Day for you guys. That is my 11:00AM. In order for me to call you on Skype i need your skype address. So can you please give that to me? Or maybe you guys should call my skype address. That might be better for when you all are ready. My skype address is: yamatemissionaries100. Also if Skype is a HUGE fail, I need you guys to call me on my phone. Here is the extension and phone number:
ext. (011-81)080-2149-6158
I cant call you because it is super expensive so you have to call me first. but those are the numbers and things. I am also way excited to talk to you guys. oh i am exicted. It is going to be so much fun.
So your week sounds like it was pretty good. I am glad taht you went and got Kendi. I miss doing that actually. It sounds like so much fun to go to Tucson and pick her up. I am sure the food was super good to but i have to say wait until you eat some of the food that i have been making here. You will be so suprised and it willa be the best thing that you have ever eaten. I have become quite the chef here in Japan. I wish i could go to the parties with my older brothers but then agian i aint married yet so it would be pointless. You talking about movies and the theaters is way weird. when i read that i just wanted to go and i remember all the good times we had. I cant wait to do that agian. Cookies sound so good. I really want some right now but i have to watch it. We are getting fed so much right now. I have eaten so many sweets and sugary things than ever before. I cant wait to read your letter to. I want to talk to my old primary class. I loved them and loved working with them. Can you tell them i say hi? Mexican food sounds so flippin good right now. I miss Los Hermanos so much. I really want to go there agian. I cant wait til that day comes. Maybe when i come home. Thats a ways away though. It is scary aobut dad and his cancer. I hope that he doesnt have cancer anywehre else. I am happy they solved the problem early. Did you get a picture of how he looked. I would love to see them haha. How is being Cub Master? Do you still have hair left? hahaha How is Kelly and her kids doing? I hope they are all doing well. I love them so much. You made me laugh about Kellys tree and only half of it being decorated. HTat was super funny. Aunt Lynne sent me a package that had a Christmas tree in it. It Is way awesome. SO now i have a little christmas tree. I like it alot. I have been putting my presents under it. Haha
So i have not yet recieved the Christmas Card but i am suepr excited to get it. I want to use it as my family picture. I think it will be a good one. I am glad everyone likes it.
I cant believe this is goin to be Bugs last christmas before he goes on his mission. He doesnt leave for like a year. That is so crazy to be thinking about. Oh so weird. I am excited for him though. My mission party was super fun. All the zones had to play skits and stuff like that. Our skit was based on the Lessons and planting the seed of Faith. I got to play the devil in tempting the investigator. It was great fun. After that we had tons of food. SO much food. SO good. THen we had a Fireside from Kent Derricott. HE served here in Japan in the '70's and then became a TV star after his mission. SO he is super famous in Japan. It was good to hear him and listen to his advice. His daughter was in my MTC group too. My interview with president was good.He just asked me questions like if i was worthy, happy, and stuff like that. He then asked how he could help me. We talked about lovving ourselves too. He said taht he really thought about me when he was giving that training. That explains the last letter from him i sent you. I have realized that i have been out for almost one year. I ahve like 10 weeks before i hit that mark. It is so crazy mom. Time has been going by so fast lately. I am on my 6th transfer now. CRAZY. On christmas day, i will be in Japan for 7 months. Then on January 9th i will be on my mission for 10 months. it is so weird. Thinking about next christmas is just weird it is so far away. I dont want to think about it so i wont.
So my week since wednesday has been pretty full. I have had more all you can eats and more members and a very suprising weekend. THursday we had the christmas party which took all day and it was a blsast. I ahve a cool video of my skit i will be sending home soon. Friday was just a pretty normal day. Then saturday came. Saturday was transfer call day. 3 things happend. 1) i thought i was stayin in my area becasue i had only been there for 1 transfer but the Lord thinks differently. I have been moved to a place called Yamate. It is where the chruch 1st started in Japan. So that is way cool. I am walking whre Heber J. Grant did. I was super suprised. Yamate is also the Beverly Hills of Japan. SO my first area was Shibuya which is the New York of Japan and now i am in Yamate the Beverly hills of Japan. Ya. Here in Yamate is where they film all the Japanese movies. SO it is super rich. We have a really famous movie star in our ward. It is also the smallest area in my mission. I am way excited but kinda bumbed becasue i really liked my last ward. And christmas is my 1st sunday in the ward. I dont know anybody and dont have realationship with anybody so it could be a bit lonely. But it is just a day and i will have fun. It can be way fun if i make it fun which i am planning on doing. 2) I am with a transfer 4 missionary. I am the older missionary.That is really scary. I am only on transfer 6. My japanese isnt that good so i am scared about it a bit. I can really use the prayers. My new comp is Elder Crowther. He is from Sanford, Colorado. We are going to get along great. He played football, worked on a ranch and likes that kind of stuff, and we jsut have a bunch of stuff in common. He is by far the companion that i have had the most in common with. He is bigger than me but this morning i kicked his but in working out and running. Hahaha. It is going to be tons of fun though and i am way excited. He really has fire to do work and that is what i like. I am just a bit scared about hte language. and 3) I am the District Leader. What a christams gift, right? new area, new comp, and DL. I am way nervous about this one.Not only do i have to take care of a younger missionary but a whole district too. I am way scared. I have no clue what to do. I have never been in a position wher i have to train people on being missionaries. It is a huge resposiblity. I could really use some advice from my RM siblings. It is going to be a fun and hard transfer. I quess this is what i get for being with missionaries who have held only high postions. Everyone is saying next transfer i will be a Zone Leader. But how can they tell, That is 6 weeks away. I hope i gave all you guys a laugh and we can talk about it more on the phone.
Well, i sure love you mom. I really can use everyones prayers and all that jazz. I hope to have a wonderful christmas. I have been loving it out here. Yesterday a missionary asked me if i was excited to call my family. Of course i am but i hadnt really thoguht about it. I have been having so much fun doing work and telling people why christmas is important. I havent really htought at all about what is going on at home. I love you guys with all my heart but i fully committed myself to my misison. So in result i have faith that you guys are doing well and dont think about you as often as i did. Sunday i felt a real spirit of Christmas and of love. We went to give a blessing to a lady who has a part member family. I think i told you about them already.They are peruvian. Anyway, they are moving so they wanted us to give the mom a blessing becasue seh was having internal problems. I anointed her and then my comp gave her a blessing in spanish. I could feel the spirit and knew it was good. She was crying also. After the blessing we were talking about her sons baptism and she told us tht he wasnt the only one to be getting baptism and then looked at her husband. THen her husband a nonmember told us that he is going to get baptised when his son does. It was amazing. I just thought about all the poepel that i ahve been able to help that have recieved baptism. Even though i didnt baptize them, i helped them and broughtr them to Christ. Of course i would love to say i baptized someone, but if i dont, saying that so and so number of poeple got baptized taht i got to teach is awesome and that is what matters. How many poeple you HELPED come unto christ. I love this gospel. I love my mission. I love my family and the covenants we have made to be together forever. I cant wait to talk to you all. Take care and have a Merry Christmas.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
13 December 2011
Sorry that this email is getting to you so late. Yesterday was a super busy day and i had no time whatsoever to email. As you can tell this is to the both of ya's becasue i am lacking on time today too. Sorry! Next week you guys should get your individual emails like normal. But i am very grateful to have gotten emails from you guys.
You guys both sounded like you had a awesome week. It sucks for boo and marilyn gettting that big of a ticket right before christmas. Oh well what can you do? I am super stoked for Justin and his new job. That is so amazing. I am so excited for him.
Its way good and such an awesome christmas gift right? What a blessing!
Dad, i bet taht new wall looks really good uh? Dont worry about being bored either. Now that i think of it, i dont think i have ever been bored while being on my mission. besides the MTC. I have been so busy all the time that i dont think about that stuff very often anymore. Mom, I laughed out loud when i read your new calling. THat is so funny. I knew it was only going to be time before you got a calling in scouts. I am so excited for you. Its going to be fun to hear about this over emails. I am sure you are going to love and hate it. Maybe expirence what all of us boys had to go through. hahaha
Sorry you guys spent so much money at the rodeo. I am happy that you guys had a bunch of fun. WHat was one really cool thing that happened at the rodeo this year? I cant beleive taht over a year ago i was at taht. The year has gone by so fast. so CRAZY!!
So the weather has finally gotten cold in teh ol AZ??? About time! It is so flippin cold here. It has been below freezing a couple of times during the day! WAY TO COLD!!! I freeze all the time in the apartment becasue i dont have any like sweaters or coats. It sucks. I have been saving up to buy a sweater to wear in the moring and a night but they are so dang expensive. I dont have the money for it yet. I did have enough to buy a pair of really nice warm pajamas those. They are a bit small for my taste though. guess thats what you get for being big in a small country.
Its good to hear that the newly weds are still together and getting along. I am so excited to tallk to them. And to everyone else too. I had a dream that i met Brie in person and it was super weird. Like she came up ot me and talked to me and stuff and in felt so real. It was really weird. I have been having wierd dreams lately but they are a good weird. They feel so real. Like last night my dream was President Monson was with me at home showing me stuff and giving me advice. It was awesome. but i dont remember much of it. I also had one about Bug!
I am glad that you guys are still being blessed. I know that you will continue to be blessed. I am being blessed also even though they are hard to find, i can find and see them. I also look forward to haivng so many more memories and expirences with you and the rest of the family. Its going to be EPIC!!! The thought of having a eternal family has been really appealing to me lately also. I have had a couple of convos with other elders about it and it just is all positvie and i am super happy for one.
So my week was super super fast. I cant believe how fast its going. I am on my last week in transfer 5. Yup next week is transfer calls again. Came way quick. I can become 3 things now. A trainer, District leader or a Zone Leader. I think i will stay in the area that i am in though. I will find out on Saturday. President sure has been hinting to something special though. You will see in his letter to me this week. I am going on transfer 6. So crazy!!! Going by way fast.
Anyways last week was good but also disappointing. Tuesday i went on splits. It was amazing. I watched the Testemants in japanese. I was really scared at first because it was in japanese and i wasnt going to understand. I was suprised casue i understood alot of it. The best part was when Jesus came to the Americas and starting to minister. I felt the spirit the strongest i have ever felt it in my mission. At that moment i knew that i was supposed to be in Japan. You gotta remember that the video was in Japanese. Just goes to show that the Spirit has no language boundries. It brought me to tears. It was so amazing. I cant even describe it over an email. Thursday i was on splits agian but this time with a transfer 1 missionary. It was way fun. He is Korean. He taught me how to write our name in Korean. It looks so much cooler than in Japanese. Maybe thats becausee i have gotten used to the Japanese way. But it was intresting to see how a first transfer missionary acts and stuff. He reminded me alot of me whn i was a 1 transfer missionary. It made me feel bad becasue i knew i was a lot worse. It was super fun struggling together though. He made me way good Korean food too. I love Kimchi. It is so good. Friday i got up and it was snowing. It totally reminded me of the MTC. I hated it becaus i couldnt go running. There is a rumor around the mission about me and my exercise stuff. Its really funny. no missionary likes going on splits with me because i make them run with me. Apparently i am like the only one on the mission that runs every morning. I think i run 5 kilometers everyday. I run for 25 minutes a day at a very high pace. It is so good and i look forward to it. It is a good time for me to think. I then work out hard core for 45-60 minutes. Its really intense over here in Nihon that the samurai cant even keep up with me. Hahaha!!! I had a interview with President. I love him so much. He is an awesome guy. After that we planned for our week. It was super intense too. We had a family of 4 coming to church so we planned for them becasue we wanted them to get baptized on Christmas. it was intense. We a planned everything. Then on Saturday we called them and they said they couldnt come because theri son got sick. IT SUCKED!!!! It was so depressing. oh well that is life and hopefully they weill come this sunday. We did have 1 gator come to church though. I also sang in Sacrament. It was fun. Monday we had District Meeting and District lunch where we found an alll you cna eat. SO i stuffed my face in and then i had a dinner with a member that night. Yester day i went to hte Temple. It was amazing. I felt super good. We then went to a all you can eat Pizza place in Shibuya (my 1st area) Then we had another all you cna eat at a members house last night too. It has been crzy!!! I need to take it easy for awhile. I have eaten so much food. It is destroying my weight. All is well though. I recieved a package from the Enghs today and it had a christmas tree and stuff in it. I have already set it up and it is BOMB! I also recieved your letter and a card from Grandma VDG. Thank you!!!
So that pretty much brings you guys up to date on everything. I love you all so much. i am so grateful for everything that you guys do for me. I want to let you know one last thing. I have been really feeling Satans inflence and cunning ways lately. I am grateful i have beeen able to discern them though. He really does find stuff that you care about and them turns them into a worry. For example, I was thinking about baptisms and success. (like every missionary does) I have told myself in the past that the numbers of baptism dont matter. Then i started to think about my companions. I have had companions so far that have seeen baptisms. But when i was with them we didnt. THen Satan cunning ways came in. He told me that it was because of me that they didnt see any baptism. The good missionary was with me to fix me as a missionary and taht i was a failure. I know that that isnt true at all. I am so grateful that i was able to shut that door right away and tell him to bugg off. He really does work in cunning ways and we have to be careful. I love this gospel so much and know that Jesus lives. He really is there for everyone of us and knows us and wants to help us. We just have to accept his help.
I love you guys so much. I havent recieve a package yet but it is coming i know it. I have Pday next week on TUESDAY. I will let you guys konw for sure on what goes down this upcoming Transfer Calls. It is such an exciting time. I love it. I love you guys even more. I hope you all have a great and safe week. I look forward to calling you all. Like sadi before. I think i am going to do it on the 26th for me and taht is Christmas day for you guys. I will call over Skype and if that sucks then i will call on the phone. I will tell you guys all hte final details next week. Please tell Nick Keels though. I love you all and pray for ya everynight. God be with you always!!! I know that he is!!!
You guys both sounded like you had a awesome week. It sucks for boo and marilyn gettting that big of a ticket right before christmas. Oh well what can you do? I am super stoked for Justin and his new job. That is so amazing. I am so excited for him.
Its way good and such an awesome christmas gift right? What a blessing!
Dad, i bet taht new wall looks really good uh? Dont worry about being bored either. Now that i think of it, i dont think i have ever been bored while being on my mission. besides the MTC. I have been so busy all the time that i dont think about that stuff very often anymore. Mom, I laughed out loud when i read your new calling. THat is so funny. I knew it was only going to be time before you got a calling in scouts. I am so excited for you. Its going to be fun to hear about this over emails. I am sure you are going to love and hate it. Maybe expirence what all of us boys had to go through. hahaha
Sorry you guys spent so much money at the rodeo. I am happy that you guys had a bunch of fun. WHat was one really cool thing that happened at the rodeo this year? I cant beleive taht over a year ago i was at taht. The year has gone by so fast. so CRAZY!!
So the weather has finally gotten cold in teh ol AZ??? About time! It is so flippin cold here. It has been below freezing a couple of times during the day! WAY TO COLD!!! I freeze all the time in the apartment becasue i dont have any like sweaters or coats. It sucks. I have been saving up to buy a sweater to wear in the moring and a night but they are so dang expensive. I dont have the money for it yet. I did have enough to buy a pair of really nice warm pajamas those. They are a bit small for my taste though. guess thats what you get for being big in a small country.
Its good to hear that the newly weds are still together and getting along. I am so excited to tallk to them. And to everyone else too. I had a dream that i met Brie in person and it was super weird. Like she came up ot me and talked to me and stuff and in felt so real. It was really weird. I have been having wierd dreams lately but they are a good weird. They feel so real. Like last night my dream was President Monson was with me at home showing me stuff and giving me advice. It was awesome. but i dont remember much of it. I also had one about Bug!
I am glad that you guys are still being blessed. I know that you will continue to be blessed. I am being blessed also even though they are hard to find, i can find and see them. I also look forward to haivng so many more memories and expirences with you and the rest of the family. Its going to be EPIC!!! The thought of having a eternal family has been really appealing to me lately also. I have had a couple of convos with other elders about it and it just is all positvie and i am super happy for one.
So my week was super super fast. I cant believe how fast its going. I am on my last week in transfer 5. Yup next week is transfer calls again. Came way quick. I can become 3 things now. A trainer, District leader or a Zone Leader. I think i will stay in the area that i am in though. I will find out on Saturday. President sure has been hinting to something special though. You will see in his letter to me this week. I am going on transfer 6. So crazy!!! Going by way fast.
Anyways last week was good but also disappointing. Tuesday i went on splits. It was amazing. I watched the Testemants in japanese. I was really scared at first because it was in japanese and i wasnt going to understand. I was suprised casue i understood alot of it. The best part was when Jesus came to the Americas and starting to minister. I felt the spirit the strongest i have ever felt it in my mission. At that moment i knew that i was supposed to be in Japan. You gotta remember that the video was in Japanese. Just goes to show that the Spirit has no language boundries. It brought me to tears. It was so amazing. I cant even describe it over an email. Thursday i was on splits agian but this time with a transfer 1 missionary. It was way fun. He is Korean. He taught me how to write our name in Korean. It looks so much cooler than in Japanese. Maybe thats becausee i have gotten used to the Japanese way. But it was intresting to see how a first transfer missionary acts and stuff. He reminded me alot of me whn i was a 1 transfer missionary. It made me feel bad becasue i knew i was a lot worse. It was super fun struggling together though. He made me way good Korean food too. I love Kimchi. It is so good. Friday i got up and it was snowing. It totally reminded me of the MTC. I hated it becaus i couldnt go running. There is a rumor around the mission about me and my exercise stuff. Its really funny. no missionary likes going on splits with me because i make them run with me. Apparently i am like the only one on the mission that runs every morning. I think i run 5 kilometers everyday. I run for 25 minutes a day at a very high pace. It is so good and i look forward to it. It is a good time for me to think. I then work out hard core for 45-60 minutes. Its really intense over here in Nihon that the samurai cant even keep up with me. Hahaha!!! I had a interview with President. I love him so much. He is an awesome guy. After that we planned for our week. It was super intense too. We had a family of 4 coming to church so we planned for them becasue we wanted them to get baptized on Christmas. it was intense. We a planned everything. Then on Saturday we called them and they said they couldnt come because theri son got sick. IT SUCKED!!!! It was so depressing. oh well that is life and hopefully they weill come this sunday. We did have 1 gator come to church though. I also sang in Sacrament. It was fun. Monday we had District Meeting and District lunch where we found an alll you cna eat. SO i stuffed my face in and then i had a dinner with a member that night. Yester day i went to hte Temple. It was amazing. I felt super good. We then went to a all you can eat Pizza place in Shibuya (my 1st area) Then we had another all you cna eat at a members house last night too. It has been crzy!!! I need to take it easy for awhile. I have eaten so much food. It is destroying my weight. All is well though. I recieved a package from the Enghs today and it had a christmas tree and stuff in it. I have already set it up and it is BOMB! I also recieved your letter and a card from Grandma VDG. Thank you!!!
So that pretty much brings you guys up to date on everything. I love you all so much. i am so grateful for everything that you guys do for me. I want to let you know one last thing. I have been really feeling Satans inflence and cunning ways lately. I am grateful i have beeen able to discern them though. He really does find stuff that you care about and them turns them into a worry. For example, I was thinking about baptisms and success. (like every missionary does) I have told myself in the past that the numbers of baptism dont matter. Then i started to think about my companions. I have had companions so far that have seeen baptisms. But when i was with them we didnt. THen Satan cunning ways came in. He told me that it was because of me that they didnt see any baptism. The good missionary was with me to fix me as a missionary and taht i was a failure. I know that that isnt true at all. I am so grateful that i was able to shut that door right away and tell him to bugg off. He really does work in cunning ways and we have to be careful. I love this gospel so much and know that Jesus lives. He really is there for everyone of us and knows us and wants to help us. We just have to accept his help.
I love you guys so much. I havent recieve a package yet but it is coming i know it. I have Pday next week on TUESDAY. I will let you guys konw for sure on what goes down this upcoming Transfer Calls. It is such an exciting time. I love it. I love you guys even more. I hope you all have a great and safe week. I look forward to calling you all. Like sadi before. I think i am going to do it on the 26th for me and taht is Christmas day for you guys. I will call over Skype and if that sucks then i will call on the phone. I will tell you guys all hte final details next week. Please tell Nick Keels though. I love you all and pray for ya everynight. God be with you always!!! I know that he is!!!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
letter to pops on 05 december 2011
Pops!!!
Thanks for your letter and remembering me! I really apprecitated it. I love hearing from you and what went down in the week from your side of veiw.
THis week went by way fast. I think it is going by faster and faster the more i enjoi it. BUt it is awesome. I am loving it. THis week it rained twice all day both days. It was so cold too. Really close to freezing acutally. SO it is super cold in the apartemnt too. I cant stand it. Just way to cold for me. THe AZ heat is startign to sound really inticing. Or i mean summer time. Just heat in general.
I was on splits twice this week adn came to realiment taht i really like japan and the things in it. I really do. It is a really funny place when you take the time to slow down and look around to see waht there is. Like, Mullets are huge here. It is super funny. I really enjoi seeing stuff liek that. I have started a list of things that i like about Japan. It is gettting quite full.
Saturday we went to a spanish speaking party. Once again, i really wish i learned spanish before my mission. IT is crazy to think how useful it would of been to know. There are so many spanish speakers from Peru here. Its amazing. There is one city here called Oizumi. It si just Brazilians. Everythign is written in brazilian. THey say when you walk down the streets you will just see brazilians. It is crzy to see how many people from south america are here. You will have to tell me more about the Air force schooling process and stuff liek that later so dont forget.
So yesterday at church i met a guy who knew Wayne while he was on his mission. You will have to ask Wayne if he knew a member whose name was Akira Amano. He was in the mission presidency or something like that. It was way cool because he sadi taht he had heard my name before and taht he had a signiture from a Elder Van De Graaff in his Journal. Then he spelled out Waynes name for me. It was awesome. I have been waitin so long to meet someone who knew him or Larry. Talk about miracles.
I sure love you with everyting i got. I want to let you know that i am having a blast here in Japan and that i think it kicks the Rodeos butt. But i am excited to hear aobut hte rodeo and cant wait to go again. Have fun there. I cant believe taht was a year ago. Way to fast. You are in my prayers. Have a good and safe week.
Thanks for your letter and remembering me! I really apprecitated it. I love hearing from you and what went down in the week from your side of veiw.
THis week went by way fast. I think it is going by faster and faster the more i enjoi it. BUt it is awesome. I am loving it. THis week it rained twice all day both days. It was so cold too. Really close to freezing acutally. SO it is super cold in the apartemnt too. I cant stand it. Just way to cold for me. THe AZ heat is startign to sound really inticing. Or i mean summer time. Just heat in general.
I was on splits twice this week adn came to realiment taht i really like japan and the things in it. I really do. It is a really funny place when you take the time to slow down and look around to see waht there is. Like, Mullets are huge here. It is super funny. I really enjoi seeing stuff liek that. I have started a list of things that i like about Japan. It is gettting quite full.
Saturday we went to a spanish speaking party. Once again, i really wish i learned spanish before my mission. IT is crazy to think how useful it would of been to know. There are so many spanish speakers from Peru here. Its amazing. There is one city here called Oizumi. It si just Brazilians. Everythign is written in brazilian. THey say when you walk down the streets you will just see brazilians. It is crzy to see how many people from south america are here. You will have to tell me more about the Air force schooling process and stuff liek that later so dont forget.
So yesterday at church i met a guy who knew Wayne while he was on his mission. You will have to ask Wayne if he knew a member whose name was Akira Amano. He was in the mission presidency or something like that. It was way cool because he sadi taht he had heard my name before and taht he had a signiture from a Elder Van De Graaff in his Journal. Then he spelled out Waynes name for me. It was awesome. I have been waitin so long to meet someone who knew him or Larry. Talk about miracles.
I sure love you with everyting i got. I want to let you know that i am having a blast here in Japan and that i think it kicks the Rodeos butt. But i am excited to hear aobut hte rodeo and cant wait to go again. Have fun there. I cant believe taht was a year ago. Way to fast. You are in my prayers. Have a good and safe week.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Quick Words
Kurt seems to be doing so well on his mission! I cannot believe that he has been gone as long as he has. I miss him so much already.
I know that Christmas is just around the corner, and it is going to be so weird not having him around on Christmas morning. I have spent Christmas with Kurt every single year of his life! It is going to be quite an emotional thing to not have him there this year. But I know that he is out doing the right thing. He is becoming the man he wants to be by serving the lord and helping those of Japan find their way. What greater miracle and Christmas gift is there? Than to remember the Lord during this Holiday season.
Thank you Kurt and all the other missionaries serving the lord and bringing true Christmas joy to those around the world.
I know that Christmas is just around the corner, and it is going to be so weird not having him around on Christmas morning. I have spent Christmas with Kurt every single year of his life! It is going to be quite an emotional thing to not have him there this year. But I know that he is out doing the right thing. He is becoming the man he wants to be by serving the lord and helping those of Japan find their way. What greater miracle and Christmas gift is there? Than to remember the Lord during this Holiday season.
Thank you Kurt and all the other missionaries serving the lord and bringing true Christmas joy to those around the world.
05 December 2011
So ya, Christmas is right around the corner. Isnt that awesome. THings here for me too are piling up. I have so much on my plate. Yesterday we got a whole lot of things dumped onto us that will keep us busy. I am glad that you sent me my package. I am excited to get it. I heard Christiaan got his and already opened it. I was thinking about taht this morning while doing sit ups. If i was going to open it when i get it or wait til christmas. I dont know. I think i might. . .
So i am excited for you guys to go to Kendi's concert. I remember going to those. I really enjoied going to them and spending time with the family and getting some free good food. I cant believe that the rodeo is this week. WOW. Time has really gone by so fast. i remember so clearly last year and Kamas and Bug got sick and i had to give my 1st blessin in Las Vegas.Good times. I cant believe that it has gone by so fast. it sucks that Justin and Janalyn cant go. It would of been fun if they could of gone. BUt i am sure boo and Marilyn will have a blast too. I brag to people all the time about the rodeo adn how fun it is. i cant wait to go again.
I am so mad at bug!!! I want to be good at art like him and just get money like it is nothing. It would be an awesome talent to have. I am glad atht he made it home safely adn taht no one in the valley got killed. ANd that your car is safe!!!! I want some pictures to see some of Bugs art and see what he has done.
I am glad that dad made some good food. That sounds so good. I try to expirement with the food i got here. Everyone seems to liek it. I want to make some things taht dad does though. I really want to have some of dads good food. I miss it so much. But i enjoy the food that i get.
My week was awesome!! I went on splits twice. While i was on splits i really came to know that i like japan. There is alot of things here that i like. FOr example, in every food related item, they have the nutrition value of it. IT is really nice. But ya. It was super good. It rained pretty hard for 2 days straight though and it was the coldest days i have expirenced thus far. It was freezing. Saturday i went to a Lunch for a Peruvian half and her family. She wants her son to be baptized when he turns 8 in april but here is teh catch. She wants her husband ot be baptized on the smae day. It was awesome and we gave such a good lesson. The family was so loud and not japanese at all. IT was so much fun. BUt there was a problem, THey spoke Spanish and i dont. SO it was fun to hear spanish with japanese mingled in. I can definatley tell i have improved becasue i was looking for the moments when they spoke japanese.Hahaha it was fun and i loved it. I am learning quite a bit of spanish though. IT is fun. So yesterday at church i met a guy who knew another Elder Van De Graaff in the north mission. Uncle wayne served up in the north mission. I cant believe that i finally met someone who knew my uncle when he was a missionary. THat was kinda cool.
Dont worry mom. I have been thinking about christmas alot. I am so excited ot be where i am this year for christmas. It has such a different meaning to me than ever before. Ya, i really want a package but to tell the truth, i havent really focused on it. Since Christmas is on sunday, i really want to have a baptismal service. I really want to bring these peopel this wonderful message. Yersterday i bore my testimony and i felt the spirit so strong. I was telling them that everytime i am having a hard day and i go and try to tell the people about our church and Jesus Christ, i become Happy. THis work really makes me happy. I could feel the spirit tell me that that was true too. I cannot deny it. So i am way excited to be serving my mission on a christmas. THis year is going to be so fun. I am so excited. It is funny that you were talking about fear. TOdya i finished the Book of Mormon. In one of the last chapters it talks about perfect love casting out fear. Infact it is Moroni 8:16 when mormon is talking to his son about being bold. I thought to myslef that when i have perfect love, i will be bold and not be afraid to share with anyone about this gospel. IT is funny. I apply thta when i go streeting and housing. I will stop anyone. I dont care what they look like or who they are with. THey need thsi message. I am also so glad about your knowledge about me not going astray and having faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. IN Moroni 8 it, Mormon talks to Moroni and says "My Beloved son, MOroni ,I rejoice exceedingly that your Lord Jesus Christ hath been mindful of you, and hath called you to his ministry and to his work. I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end." That is the 2nd and 3rd verse in Moroni 8. I know that you guys are praying for me and are so happy that i am here where i am. I wouldnt have it anyother way. I told you before and i will tellyou agian. I love my mission and i have told myself taht i will not come home. i love you so much. I am really excited for christmas to come and so i can call you. It is going to be AWESOME and EPIC!!!
Thank you for everything that you do for me mom. You really are awesome. DOnt kill yourself with all htat you have to do. Ill pray for you and your safety adn the safety of the family as well. I love all of you guys so much. I am so grateful that you are my family. For the christmas call. I will probably be calling you on YOUR Christmas day. So taht will be the 26th for me. I dont know what time yet. But this is how it is going to work. I will first call you on Skype. adn if the connection is bad and it isnt working, i will call you on the phone. I will let you guys on the further details when it gets closer. But i am for sure i will be calling on YOUR christmas. SO please let everyone including Nick Keels know so taht they can be there. I really cant wait. ITs going to be awesome. I love you so much and am so grateful for you. I hope that you have an awesome week adn taht you enjoi it. DOnt forgetme at the rodeo. haha. I cant wait til next week to talk to you again. God be with you always!!!!
Ai o Komete
So i am excited for you guys to go to Kendi's concert. I remember going to those. I really enjoied going to them and spending time with the family and getting some free good food. I cant believe that the rodeo is this week. WOW. Time has really gone by so fast. i remember so clearly last year and Kamas and Bug got sick and i had to give my 1st blessin in Las Vegas.Good times. I cant believe that it has gone by so fast. it sucks that Justin and Janalyn cant go. It would of been fun if they could of gone. BUt i am sure boo and Marilyn will have a blast too. I brag to people all the time about the rodeo adn how fun it is. i cant wait to go again.
I am so mad at bug!!! I want to be good at art like him and just get money like it is nothing. It would be an awesome talent to have. I am glad atht he made it home safely adn taht no one in the valley got killed. ANd that your car is safe!!!! I want some pictures to see some of Bugs art and see what he has done.
I am glad that dad made some good food. That sounds so good. I try to expirement with the food i got here. Everyone seems to liek it. I want to make some things taht dad does though. I really want to have some of dads good food. I miss it so much. But i enjoy the food that i get.
My week was awesome!! I went on splits twice. While i was on splits i really came to know that i like japan. There is alot of things here that i like. FOr example, in every food related item, they have the nutrition value of it. IT is really nice. But ya. It was super good. It rained pretty hard for 2 days straight though and it was the coldest days i have expirenced thus far. It was freezing. Saturday i went to a Lunch for a Peruvian half and her family. She wants her son to be baptized when he turns 8 in april but here is teh catch. She wants her husband ot be baptized on the smae day. It was awesome and we gave such a good lesson. The family was so loud and not japanese at all. IT was so much fun. BUt there was a problem, THey spoke Spanish and i dont. SO it was fun to hear spanish with japanese mingled in. I can definatley tell i have improved becasue i was looking for the moments when they spoke japanese.Hahaha it was fun and i loved it. I am learning quite a bit of spanish though. IT is fun. So yesterday at church i met a guy who knew another Elder Van De Graaff in the north mission. Uncle wayne served up in the north mission. I cant believe that i finally met someone who knew my uncle when he was a missionary. THat was kinda cool.
Dont worry mom. I have been thinking about christmas alot. I am so excited ot be where i am this year for christmas. It has such a different meaning to me than ever before. Ya, i really want a package but to tell the truth, i havent really focused on it. Since Christmas is on sunday, i really want to have a baptismal service. I really want to bring these peopel this wonderful message. Yersterday i bore my testimony and i felt the spirit so strong. I was telling them that everytime i am having a hard day and i go and try to tell the people about our church and Jesus Christ, i become Happy. THis work really makes me happy. I could feel the spirit tell me that that was true too. I cannot deny it. So i am way excited to be serving my mission on a christmas. THis year is going to be so fun. I am so excited. It is funny that you were talking about fear. TOdya i finished the Book of Mormon. In one of the last chapters it talks about perfect love casting out fear. Infact it is Moroni 8:16 when mormon is talking to his son about being bold. I thought to myslef that when i have perfect love, i will be bold and not be afraid to share with anyone about this gospel. IT is funny. I apply thta when i go streeting and housing. I will stop anyone. I dont care what they look like or who they are with. THey need thsi message. I am also so glad about your knowledge about me not going astray and having faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. IN Moroni 8 it, Mormon talks to Moroni and says "My Beloved son, MOroni ,I rejoice exceedingly that your Lord Jesus Christ hath been mindful of you, and hath called you to his ministry and to his work. I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end." That is the 2nd and 3rd verse in Moroni 8. I know that you guys are praying for me and are so happy that i am here where i am. I wouldnt have it anyother way. I told you before and i will tellyou agian. I love my mission and i have told myself taht i will not come home. i love you so much. I am really excited for christmas to come and so i can call you. It is going to be AWESOME and EPIC!!!
Thank you for everything that you do for me mom. You really are awesome. DOnt kill yourself with all htat you have to do. Ill pray for you and your safety adn the safety of the family as well. I love all of you guys so much. I am so grateful that you are my family. For the christmas call. I will probably be calling you on YOUR Christmas day. So taht will be the 26th for me. I dont know what time yet. But this is how it is going to work. I will first call you on Skype. adn if the connection is bad and it isnt working, i will call you on the phone. I will let you guys on the further details when it gets closer. But i am for sure i will be calling on YOUR christmas. SO please let everyone including Nick Keels know so taht they can be there. I really cant wait. ITs going to be awesome. I love you so much and am so grateful for you. I hope that you have an awesome week adn taht you enjoi it. DOnt forgetme at the rodeo. haha. I cant wait til next week to talk to you again. God be with you always!!!!
Ai o Komete
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