I am sorry to hear about your week. It really sounds like you have had a really hard one. Way harder than me. Actually mine was pretty good. I am sorry to hear about Kamas and Bries dog. It is really sad. I am also sorry about your story about the DeWitts but it sure is fumny and i laughed out loud. Hahaha. I hope that you are going to start feeling better. I have been fortunate enough taht i havent been so sick where i start puking. I hope that i dont get taht sick. Japan is too much of healthy country for that. So i am safe. Its cool to hear aobut bug and his papers I hope he comes here to Tokyo. He owuld love it and i would be his trainer.
So my week looking back on it was super good but like you it had its moments. Monday was cool we found a guy named Tamari and he said he would come to church if he had a shirt and a tie. That was the wrong excuse to tell missionaries. We said we could give him a shirt and tie and we commited him to come to church.
Tuesday was a really REALLY special day. We had a Mission Conference with Elder Oaks. Everyone got to shake his hand. That was really cool. I got to shake an Apostles hand. His wifes hand too. It was really intresting, Sister Oaks asked me if my dad had served here in Japan. She read my name and said that she knew and Elder Van De Graaff when she was a missionary in Japan. I told her about Wayne and she just told me that she knew him and how great of a missionary He was. That was really neat. Elder Oaks talked about revelation adn stuff like that and it was just what i needed at the time. It was super good. After the conference, my buddy Elder Nitta ( from the MTC) invited me to go to lunch with his uncle. His uncle is a billionaire and took us to a way nice buffet. I ate so much foood. THey had STEAK!!!! I hate so much of that. It was a great day.
Wednesday we went into babylon pretty much. We went to the middle west part of our area. Let me tell you, it was HORRIBLE. There was whore houses on almost every corner. I remember walkin down the road and looking up at a building and seeing two guys with their shirts off and then seeing a naked girl. Yup it was a whore house for strait and gay people. I was super suprised becasue i have never seen a actuall advertisment showing nudity out in public. It was a way rough area. Nobody listend to us. No suprised there. It was just bad. After that we had to get ready for english class. We also had 2 lessons 30 minutes befroe english class and we had to go give Tamari his shirt and Tie. It was super hectic. But way fun. Running as a missionary really makes you feel like a missionary.
Thursday was a bit hard on me. I got a bit homesick. I was wanting to come home just missing the things. But i got over it.
Friday was also pretty rough. We pretty muched walked to the top of our area while streeeting and didnt find 1 new investigator. That was rough. But it was a beautifl day and we had fun. We decided as missionaries in my area, we are lucky. Because while we are streeting we get to see all the attraction tourist sites and we dont need to travel for it. So that was a good thought. We also watched the Testaments in chinese. THat was a 1st for me.
Saturday was way fun. It was my comps bday. So we met with Panda and his girlfriend and went and played basketball and ping pong. That was my first time playing ping pong against chinese people. They are way good at ping pong. Basketball was way fun too. After that we went and did a lesson about Chastity. It was way good. Let me tell you about Pandas girlfriend. She has just been coming to his lessons and is hearing them backwards. She has heard all the commandments. Elder Crowther taught her how to pray last week. So we asked her to pray at the beginning of the lesson. Even though it was in chinese i could tell she had been prying. I asked and she said she was. It was awesome because we have NEVER tuaght her. THen we pulled out the book of mormon and she pulled one out in chinese. I was agian super suprised and asked where she got it because we didnt give it ot her. SHe told us that she took it and has been reading it. WAY GOLDEN!!!!! She is amazing. Her name is Lili. SHe is way cool. After the lesson we went and got all you can eat Shabu Shabu. Look that up on google it is to hard to explain. It is super good though. It was a good finish to the day. I had tons of fun.
Sunday was incredible also. We had 3 peeps at church. During the Gospel Principles class we were teaching Tamari and Panda about the BOM and then the lesson turned to just teaching Tamari. It was incredible becasue Panda started bearing testimony about EVERYTHING!!!!! He isnt baptized yet either. It was AWESOME. He just told Tamari that his gospel has brought so much happiness in his life and he wants to share it with his family. He is solid. He is going to be baptized next week and he has asked Me to do it. THis is my first one and i am super happy and super nervous. I think i am going to have to do it in Chinese. That should be fun. We also had a lesson with Ini. We cooked dinner at the church and then had a lesson. There were 3 members there as well. We had a grand time. Ini is going to be baptized as well next week. We dont konw who is going to do it yet. She will tell us on Wednesday. But it was way good. On sunday too, while we were streeting, we got a hug from a random dude who had just gotten married. That was pretty funny. He was suepr drunk though. He wont remember it until he looks at the pictures hahaha.
So i am doin pretty good. Life here in Japan is great. I really do like japanese alot. Somedays i feel like i just want to stay here becuase that is how much i like it and want to learn it. But when i go out and speak it i just get destroyed. I cant speak that well. I love reading and writing it though. Like on the computer and on the phone. It is so muc fun. I really do like it alot. I jsut wish i knew it all. THere is alot of words and things i dont know. But as i am gettting older, more and more words, kanjis, and other things are making sense. I love it.
I love you so much. Thanks for everything that you do for me. I love you so much mom. I am so grateful that you are my mother. You are awesome. There is a lady in my ward that reminds me of you and it is great. She is chinese but speaks english fluently. I think i might have her look you up on facebook. She is really funny and ecentric. ANyways. I hope that all is going well at home and that you will start the up hill. I will be praying for you like always. Your name will go on the Prayer Roll when i go too. I dont know what else to say. If i think of something i will put it in my letter taht i am going to write today. Oh, i know my new mission president. His name is President Budge. It is going to be super sad when PResident Albrecht leaves. I really love him alot and really look up to him. Oh less than 2weeks i will be a missionary for 1 year. Pretty cool uh?
Well i gots to go. I love ya mom. Have a great week.
Called to serve in the Tokyo-Japan Mission
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
20 february 2012
So i can totally tell that you are on drugs and taht you had knee surgery. Your email was lovely, dont get me wrong, i love getting emails from mom. but it was different. Anyways, you are always in my thoughts and my prayers. I am glad that your surgery went well.
My week was very good. But also very long. I dont know why it was so long. Maybe because it was cloudy all week and it just looked super gloomy and kinda sad. But it cleared up for the weekend which is always nice.
So Monday night after pday i went on splits wiht a transfer 4 missionary from Seattle, Washington. He is way cocky and super short. It was a good night. We wnet streeting and placed a book of mormon. Then on tuesday it was raining all day. It sucked. We tried to find a members house but failed miserably so we streeted some more. We talked to a guy who had read the Bible so we gave him the Book of Mormon and he said he would read it. We also had a lesson with Panda. Our chinese investigator. He brought his Girlfrend along too. It was a great lesosn. We taught the 10 Commandments. I let them listen to Mercy Me. THey have a song called "Ten Simple Rules" and i used it and they both loved it and looked up the band. So not a bad day. THe younger missionary i think enjoied his time. He is defferent but he is a good person.
Wednesday i became a man in Japan. Yup 20 years old is the 21 in japan. But it was my birthday. So we had planned to go to lunch with Koh, a gator, but he called and canceled at the last moment, It put me in a downward movement because i know he is avoiding us and i dont like that becasue he is my freind. But we went streeting to make up the time and then went to lunch. Lunch was way good and then we went to go get pie with the other girl, chinese gator, Ini. That was super fun too. THe pie shop is american. THey were playing american music and i got super trunky. Some of the songs and bands that played were some of the things i listend to before my mission. It was super fun. We had a lesson with her too. SO check this out. My 20th bday, lesson with a girl, we taughtr the Law of Chastity. Hahaha. I thought that was super funny. That dont happen to often. But it was a super good lesson and she agreed to live ti. After the lesson she gave me a present. it was super nice and it was a picture of us at the pie shop. (our date picture:)) hahaha. We then had a english class and we made the brownies that you sent me for christmas. It was way good. A student also brought us a cake. After english, we went back to the apt. and sang happy birhtdya, i blew the candles out, had cake, and i opend up the package. Thank you so much, THe package was awesome. I love the pic of bug and his beard and his lizard. I want a beard so bad. I also liked the money. Thank you so much. YOu are the greatest. Over all my birthday was a great one that i will remember for a long time.
On thursday we had the lessson with the grandpa, Yoko, and then we went and played basketball with Panda. That was super fun. I had to stop playing after 2 games because i was turning the game into football and i was looking to hit peeps instead of just ahving fun. I talked with panda about the Book of Mormon. It was way good. It was a really cold day too and it snowed that night.
Friday was super funny. We were making lunch and then we got a phone calll from a P.I. he told us he was at the church and he wanted to meet us. Talk about being blessed. SO we went over there and then taght him the Restoration. It was good. We had District Meeting afterwards. This is where it gets intresting. We were streeting and Elder Crowther stopped a grandpa and introduced us. THe grandpa told us he hated God and just bashed on us. I lost intrest immedeatly. Elder Crowther just kept talking though. Well the old man was suepr rich. He had like 10,000 bucks in one pocket and in the oter he had just about hte smae amount. He was loaded. I honestly thought he was going to give us some. Anyways, the conversation turned and we started talking about the Word of Wisdom. We told him that we dont drink Alcohol, coffee or tea. He laughed at us and mocked us and then said What about Hot chocolate? We told him hat was fine and he took us to go get some HOt Coco. Really wierd. WHen we went into the store, he told all 3 of the workers( whichi were girls) that we didnt drink alcohol, tea, or coffee. They all laughed. I was getting upset but Elder Crowther wanted to talk. While drinking the Coco, he started talking about Elder Crowthers virginity. It was super funny. The Conversation turned into him telling us taht he could buy us some girls. We told him that it was agianst our beliefs and once again he laughed and made it known and everybody else laughed. I wsa glad to be done when it was over but i really realized something. We really do stand out in the world as a religion. It also hurt me to see taht all those peopel didnt see any of the sin as sin. They are really blinded here in Japan. Alot of the times i feel like i am in the scriptures among the rich and prideful and blind minded. We then went to a members house and she made us dinner. It was a bday party for me and Elde Crowther. It was super fun and she got us a cake. I was able to give her son a blessing(in englsih). It was a good night and a fun day.
Saturday we had a ward event, Mochi Tsuki, and Panda came. He stayed the entire time and had a ball. We then had a Flower Arragement class. After all that we taught Panda the Plan of Happiness. He LOVED it. He said it all made since to him. It was great. He is so excited for his baptism. His faith is growing everyday. It is incredible to see.
Sunday Ini and Yoko came to church and Panda showed up after church with his girlfriend. Baseball starts this week so Yoko told us he cant come to chruch and pretty much is going to be off the map for a while. That is sad because he is a great man. I like him and will continue to call him. I taught Ini about Tithing and Fast Offerings while Elder Crowther taught panda and his girl about The Word of Wisdom and Prayer. He got Pandas girlfriend to say the closing prayer. The Lessons wehere really great and we have 2 solid baptismal dates for the 4th of March. I am way excited. We went streetign and found another chinese investigator named Won. We will play basket ball with him on Sat.
But that was my week. Pretty good and long and full of great adventrues. I am now 20 too. Next bday i will be at home. CRAZY!!!! It is amazing to me to see the change that this gospel brings to peopel. Ini and Panda were great people before they started taking the lessons but now their eyes are a differnt color and they are even better. I can really tell the difference in them. It is great. I love it. It really makes me happy to see them happy and liking the Gospel. I know that this gospel is true and really does bless people. I have witnessed it in my life and now in the lives of many others. It is an amazing thing. I am thankful for this expirence taht i am having. It is totally changing me for the better. Like you said in the beginning, it is a Win-Win. I am definately seeing the double wins from it.
I love you mom. I hope that you get better quicker. You are in my prayers and i will put you name on the prayer roll. Can you do something for me. Can you see how Nick Keels is doing? I havent heard from him in awhile and i am kinda worried. I hope he is good and doing well. Keep him involved please. I love you guys. Tell my freinds when you see tehm that they need to write me. Like Chris Callender, Curtis and Jared.
I am doing well but still have some struggles. I could always use the prayers. Just want to let ya know that i am for the most part doing great and having a rockin mission. May 8th is coming up quick. Its like 2 months away. CRAZY!!!! I cnat wait. I love ya. I gotta go. If you have any questions or anything, let me know. Love ya. . .
My week was very good. But also very long. I dont know why it was so long. Maybe because it was cloudy all week and it just looked super gloomy and kinda sad. But it cleared up for the weekend which is always nice.
So Monday night after pday i went on splits wiht a transfer 4 missionary from Seattle, Washington. He is way cocky and super short. It was a good night. We wnet streeting and placed a book of mormon. Then on tuesday it was raining all day. It sucked. We tried to find a members house but failed miserably so we streeted some more. We talked to a guy who had read the Bible so we gave him the Book of Mormon and he said he would read it. We also had a lesson with Panda. Our chinese investigator. He brought his Girlfrend along too. It was a great lesosn. We taught the 10 Commandments. I let them listen to Mercy Me. THey have a song called "Ten Simple Rules" and i used it and they both loved it and looked up the band. So not a bad day. THe younger missionary i think enjoied his time. He is defferent but he is a good person.
Wednesday i became a man in Japan. Yup 20 years old is the 21 in japan. But it was my birthday. So we had planned to go to lunch with Koh, a gator, but he called and canceled at the last moment, It put me in a downward movement because i know he is avoiding us and i dont like that becasue he is my freind. But we went streeting to make up the time and then went to lunch. Lunch was way good and then we went to go get pie with the other girl, chinese gator, Ini. That was super fun too. THe pie shop is american. THey were playing american music and i got super trunky. Some of the songs and bands that played were some of the things i listend to before my mission. It was super fun. We had a lesson with her too. SO check this out. My 20th bday, lesson with a girl, we taughtr the Law of Chastity. Hahaha. I thought that was super funny. That dont happen to often. But it was a super good lesson and she agreed to live ti. After the lesson she gave me a present. it was super nice and it was a picture of us at the pie shop. (our date picture:)) hahaha. We then had a english class and we made the brownies that you sent me for christmas. It was way good. A student also brought us a cake. After english, we went back to the apt. and sang happy birhtdya, i blew the candles out, had cake, and i opend up the package. Thank you so much, THe package was awesome. I love the pic of bug and his beard and his lizard. I want a beard so bad. I also liked the money. Thank you so much. YOu are the greatest. Over all my birthday was a great one that i will remember for a long time.
On thursday we had the lessson with the grandpa, Yoko, and then we went and played basketball with Panda. That was super fun. I had to stop playing after 2 games because i was turning the game into football and i was looking to hit peeps instead of just ahving fun. I talked with panda about the Book of Mormon. It was way good. It was a really cold day too and it snowed that night.
Friday was super funny. We were making lunch and then we got a phone calll from a P.I. he told us he was at the church and he wanted to meet us. Talk about being blessed. SO we went over there and then taght him the Restoration. It was good. We had District Meeting afterwards. This is where it gets intresting. We were streeting and Elder Crowther stopped a grandpa and introduced us. THe grandpa told us he hated God and just bashed on us. I lost intrest immedeatly. Elder Crowther just kept talking though. Well the old man was suepr rich. He had like 10,000 bucks in one pocket and in the oter he had just about hte smae amount. He was loaded. I honestly thought he was going to give us some. Anyways, the conversation turned and we started talking about the Word of Wisdom. We told him that we dont drink Alcohol, coffee or tea. He laughed at us and mocked us and then said What about Hot chocolate? We told him hat was fine and he took us to go get some HOt Coco. Really wierd. WHen we went into the store, he told all 3 of the workers( whichi were girls) that we didnt drink alcohol, tea, or coffee. They all laughed. I was getting upset but Elder Crowther wanted to talk. While drinking the Coco, he started talking about Elder Crowthers virginity. It was super funny. The Conversation turned into him telling us taht he could buy us some girls. We told him that it was agianst our beliefs and once again he laughed and made it known and everybody else laughed. I wsa glad to be done when it was over but i really realized something. We really do stand out in the world as a religion. It also hurt me to see taht all those peopel didnt see any of the sin as sin. They are really blinded here in Japan. Alot of the times i feel like i am in the scriptures among the rich and prideful and blind minded. We then went to a members house and she made us dinner. It was a bday party for me and Elde Crowther. It was super fun and she got us a cake. I was able to give her son a blessing(in englsih). It was a good night and a fun day.
Saturday we had a ward event, Mochi Tsuki, and Panda came. He stayed the entire time and had a ball. We then had a Flower Arragement class. After all that we taught Panda the Plan of Happiness. He LOVED it. He said it all made since to him. It was great. He is so excited for his baptism. His faith is growing everyday. It is incredible to see.
Sunday Ini and Yoko came to church and Panda showed up after church with his girlfriend. Baseball starts this week so Yoko told us he cant come to chruch and pretty much is going to be off the map for a while. That is sad because he is a great man. I like him and will continue to call him. I taught Ini about Tithing and Fast Offerings while Elder Crowther taught panda and his girl about The Word of Wisdom and Prayer. He got Pandas girlfriend to say the closing prayer. The Lessons wehere really great and we have 2 solid baptismal dates for the 4th of March. I am way excited. We went streetign and found another chinese investigator named Won. We will play basket ball with him on Sat.
But that was my week. Pretty good and long and full of great adventrues. I am now 20 too. Next bday i will be at home. CRAZY!!!! It is amazing to me to see the change that this gospel brings to peopel. Ini and Panda were great people before they started taking the lessons but now their eyes are a differnt color and they are even better. I can really tell the difference in them. It is great. I love it. It really makes me happy to see them happy and liking the Gospel. I know that this gospel is true and really does bless people. I have witnessed it in my life and now in the lives of many others. It is an amazing thing. I am thankful for this expirence taht i am having. It is totally changing me for the better. Like you said in the beginning, it is a Win-Win. I am definately seeing the double wins from it.
I love you mom. I hope that you get better quicker. You are in my prayers and i will put you name on the prayer roll. Can you do something for me. Can you see how Nick Keels is doing? I havent heard from him in awhile and i am kinda worried. I hope he is good and doing well. Keep him involved please. I love you guys. Tell my freinds when you see tehm that they need to write me. Like Chris Callender, Curtis and Jared.
I am doing well but still have some struggles. I could always use the prayers. Just want to let ya know that i am for the most part doing great and having a rockin mission. May 8th is coming up quick. Its like 2 months away. CRAZY!!!! I cnat wait. I love ya. I gotta go. If you have any questions or anything, let me know. Love ya. . .
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
14 february 2012
Ok. So this week was better than last week for sure. Last week we had 10 lessons total rite? Well this week we had 10 member present lessons and 2 other lessons. A total of 12 lessons. We killed it this week .The average in america is 20 lessons a week. Here it is like 5 or 6. We doubled our average this week. The cool thing is we arent slowing down either. If anything we will have more next week. We are being blessed so much by the Lord rite now. I am so grateful. In His strength i can do ANYTHING!!!
So i will pray for you. I always do. I am so sorry to hear aobut your surgey. How come it is only me and you that get hurt in our family? it aint fair. haha. Well i will pray for you. I know i come home in less than a year for me and 1 year exactly for you. THat is so crazy. Think for you guys it is the 12th and like 10 at night. One year from now i will have been home for almost 12 hours. It is so weird to think. It si going by so fast. I cant believe that bug turns in his papers pretty soon too. WOW!!!!
So my week was super good. Last tuesday i had an interview with president albrecht. It was super good. At the end me and him arm wrestled. I would of won but he was standing up and putting all his weight down on my arm and i couldnt bring it back. SO if he didnt cheat i would of won. But it was way fun and i can see my relationship with him building. I am going to be super sad when he ahs to go home in July. I really love him alot. After that, we had a lesson/ night out on the town with our chinese investigator. He took us to china town and his favorite noodle restraunt. (Noodles dont Noodles???) Thye were super good. After that we went to the church and taught him a lesson. HE is super awesome. His name is Panda. His date is for the 4th March and he will make it. He is just so good. We watched Finding Fatih in Christ and he loved it. His prayers are amazing. Thye are getting so good. YOu can really tell when someone prays by themselves. They get realy good really fast.
Wednesday we met with our Grandpa gator, Yoko. He is a awesome guy. He loves baseball to death. He also loves Alcohol, coffee and tea. So he knew that our church doesnt do that stuff. So our lesson turned into us teaching him about the word of Wisdom. We just promised him blessings and stuff like that. He really likes our church and everything but he likes the other stuff too. But i think he is making the desciton of want he really wants. Please pray for hm. He needs a testimony before march becasue that is when baseball starts. haha. He came to church and i can also see the Spirit working in him. He always comes to church in jeans and tennis shoes. Well this week he came to church with a jacket, black pants, and church shoes. He is getting the hang of what we wear at church. So it is super good progress. He told us to call him also to set up another time to meet. After our english class we were able to snag a lesson with a investigator that we havent met in 2 weeks becasue of college tests and work. It was super good and he rememberd alot and said he still wants to meet. We taught a bit about Faith. His date is for the 25th February but we are going to have to change it.
We met with our other Chinese investigator, Yini, the girl. She is so bomb. Her date is the 4th of March. SHe will make it too. Last week we gave her a book of mormon and she is already in Mosiah with her scrips all marked and stuff. She loves reading the book of mormon. Well we taught her the Plan of Happiness and she really liked it. My old ward mission leader was there and a guy from my old ward. It was way awesome. At the end i was showing the Plan of Salvation puzzle that DeAnne gave me. I thought i said it was a present, but i quess i said it is a present. So she took it. So now she has my Plan of Salvation puzzle, its fine with me. She needs it more than i do. I thought it was funny because i was just showing but then they took it. I am glad she liked it though. After the lesson my comp was sick so he took a nap and i called peeps on the phone and stuff in the Apt.
So this is where it gets super busy. Do you remember my gator from Sendai, Abe, well his lesson was Friday. I was super scared because it was going to be a 2.5 hour meeting and we were going to teach alot. Thursday night we got a call from the member who referred him to us and found out some AMAZING stuff about him. He read the Book of Mormon twice, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. He also quit alcohol, tea, and coffee when he read the Word of Wisdom. Isnt that AMAZING???? He is incredible and so humbled. Its just so sad that he had to loose his wife to becoem that humble. Well we had that old man joint for us to, Watanabe. He has translated for 5 prophets, was the 1st mission president after WWII and is a spiritual giant. He unfolded the scriptures to this guy. I learend so much from him. It was so spiritual in that room. I wish you could of been there. I didnt really teach anything. So that was a relief. The lesson was 3 hours. It was like being in a room with an apostle. He knew the scrips inside and out. It was amazing. Way good lesson. We also found out alittle bit more about Abe. He was in the Tsunami. Him, his wife, and 1 daughter. He and his daughter were being swepted around in the water and he had to save his daughter. Like Oh My Gosh!!!! What an expirence. Unfortuately his wife didnt make it. But it was incredible and now his daughters might becoem investigators becasue he wants them to hear this stuff. After his lesson we had another lesson with yoshitake, a gator. He needs his parents permission but they wont give it to him. So we tauth him about faith and told him he needed to exercise his faith a bit more. So we fasted with him yesterday to get his parents permission. I know he will be baptized this transfer. He is doing way good. His date is the 10th of March. The last sunday of the transfer.
Saturday was aonther long day with Abe. We started at 11:30 in the mornign and didnt get done until 4 at night. Thank heavens for Bro. Watanabe. I would of never been able to do that by myself. The lesson was like friday. AMAZING. I was spiritually, physically, and mentally tired after those lesssons. We found out he had a problem though. His wife and her sister, the member who referred her to us, got in a fight a year before the earthquake and never settled it. Well his wife died and he started taking lesson from us. His daughters are mad at him becasue they feel he is betraying them by going to church with the lady who fought with there mom. It is super sad but i know that they will be able to overcome their pride. He will most likely be baptized next time he comes down to our area. That might be 10th March. Please pray for him. After his lesson we had another lesson with Panda. We taught him the Restoration and he just soaked up everything and loved it. It was way good because he was wondering about hte book of mormon and we were able to teach him about it and testify aobut it. He is way golden and will be baptized. We are realy busy with no finding time.
Sunday Panda, Yini, Abe, and Yoko all came to church. Elder Crowther taught Panda during preisthood about Keeping the Sabbath Holy and said that he accpeted everyting and will live it. After church we taught Yini the Doctrine of Christ and it was super good. After the lesson she bore a little testimony which was great. When she prays it is in chinese and i really dont understand but i sure can feel the spirit.
So that was my week in a nut shell. So much happend this week that i am so grateful for. Wanna hear something funny? So after Yini lesson we were planning when the next itme she could meet. She said that she could meet Wednesday, m bday, but she didnt know that. Tsuchiya, the guy who refered her, said that he could come becasue he didnt have work. Well after all said and done i said that wednesday was my bday. So we decided we are going to go to that delicious pie shop. Its funny though. For my 2oth bday i am goin wit my GIRL investigator to go celebrate. Its like going on a date. hahaha. I think it is super funny. How many missionaries do you knw that can do that?? I am also going to lunch with another investigator. ALl you can eat Indo curry. Look that up. The stuff is so good. Nan is the best. Bug would love it. I am excited.
So that is what is up with me. I am very busy and continue to be busy. We do have more finding time this week whichi is good becasue we need more investigators. Please pray for me that i will not become prideful with all this success. THat is my biggest fear. I want to stay humble and continue to recieve these blessings. I could also use prayers to learn the langauge better. That is still very important and with me being so busy i dont hav etime in my day to study it. I love you guys so much. Thank you so much for all that you do for me. I am looking forward to getting your package. I hope you have a great week. I cant wait for next week to talk with you guys agian. Love ya tons.
So i will pray for you. I always do. I am so sorry to hear aobut your surgey. How come it is only me and you that get hurt in our family? it aint fair. haha. Well i will pray for you. I know i come home in less than a year for me and 1 year exactly for you. THat is so crazy. Think for you guys it is the 12th and like 10 at night. One year from now i will have been home for almost 12 hours. It is so weird to think. It si going by so fast. I cant believe that bug turns in his papers pretty soon too. WOW!!!!
So my week was super good. Last tuesday i had an interview with president albrecht. It was super good. At the end me and him arm wrestled. I would of won but he was standing up and putting all his weight down on my arm and i couldnt bring it back. SO if he didnt cheat i would of won. But it was way fun and i can see my relationship with him building. I am going to be super sad when he ahs to go home in July. I really love him alot. After that, we had a lesson/ night out on the town with our chinese investigator. He took us to china town and his favorite noodle restraunt. (Noodles dont Noodles???) Thye were super good. After that we went to the church and taught him a lesson. HE is super awesome. His name is Panda. His date is for the 4th March and he will make it. He is just so good. We watched Finding Fatih in Christ and he loved it. His prayers are amazing. Thye are getting so good. YOu can really tell when someone prays by themselves. They get realy good really fast.
Wednesday we met with our Grandpa gator, Yoko. He is a awesome guy. He loves baseball to death. He also loves Alcohol, coffee and tea. So he knew that our church doesnt do that stuff. So our lesson turned into us teaching him about the word of Wisdom. We just promised him blessings and stuff like that. He really likes our church and everything but he likes the other stuff too. But i think he is making the desciton of want he really wants. Please pray for hm. He needs a testimony before march becasue that is when baseball starts. haha. He came to church and i can also see the Spirit working in him. He always comes to church in jeans and tennis shoes. Well this week he came to church with a jacket, black pants, and church shoes. He is getting the hang of what we wear at church. So it is super good progress. He told us to call him also to set up another time to meet. After our english class we were able to snag a lesson with a investigator that we havent met in 2 weeks becasue of college tests and work. It was super good and he rememberd alot and said he still wants to meet. We taught a bit about Faith. His date is for the 25th February but we are going to have to change it.
We met with our other Chinese investigator, Yini, the girl. She is so bomb. Her date is the 4th of March. SHe will make it too. Last week we gave her a book of mormon and she is already in Mosiah with her scrips all marked and stuff. She loves reading the book of mormon. Well we taught her the Plan of Happiness and she really liked it. My old ward mission leader was there and a guy from my old ward. It was way awesome. At the end i was showing the Plan of Salvation puzzle that DeAnne gave me. I thought i said it was a present, but i quess i said it is a present. So she took it. So now she has my Plan of Salvation puzzle, its fine with me. She needs it more than i do. I thought it was funny because i was just showing but then they took it. I am glad she liked it though. After the lesson my comp was sick so he took a nap and i called peeps on the phone and stuff in the Apt.
So this is where it gets super busy. Do you remember my gator from Sendai, Abe, well his lesson was Friday. I was super scared because it was going to be a 2.5 hour meeting and we were going to teach alot. Thursday night we got a call from the member who referred him to us and found out some AMAZING stuff about him. He read the Book of Mormon twice, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. He also quit alcohol, tea, and coffee when he read the Word of Wisdom. Isnt that AMAZING???? He is incredible and so humbled. Its just so sad that he had to loose his wife to becoem that humble. Well we had that old man joint for us to, Watanabe. He has translated for 5 prophets, was the 1st mission president after WWII and is a spiritual giant. He unfolded the scriptures to this guy. I learend so much from him. It was so spiritual in that room. I wish you could of been there. I didnt really teach anything. So that was a relief. The lesson was 3 hours. It was like being in a room with an apostle. He knew the scrips inside and out. It was amazing. Way good lesson. We also found out alittle bit more about Abe. He was in the Tsunami. Him, his wife, and 1 daughter. He and his daughter were being swepted around in the water and he had to save his daughter. Like Oh My Gosh!!!! What an expirence. Unfortuately his wife didnt make it. But it was incredible and now his daughters might becoem investigators becasue he wants them to hear this stuff. After his lesson we had another lesson with yoshitake, a gator. He needs his parents permission but they wont give it to him. So we tauth him about faith and told him he needed to exercise his faith a bit more. So we fasted with him yesterday to get his parents permission. I know he will be baptized this transfer. He is doing way good. His date is the 10th of March. The last sunday of the transfer.
Saturday was aonther long day with Abe. We started at 11:30 in the mornign and didnt get done until 4 at night. Thank heavens for Bro. Watanabe. I would of never been able to do that by myself. The lesson was like friday. AMAZING. I was spiritually, physically, and mentally tired after those lesssons. We found out he had a problem though. His wife and her sister, the member who referred her to us, got in a fight a year before the earthquake and never settled it. Well his wife died and he started taking lesson from us. His daughters are mad at him becasue they feel he is betraying them by going to church with the lady who fought with there mom. It is super sad but i know that they will be able to overcome their pride. He will most likely be baptized next time he comes down to our area. That might be 10th March. Please pray for him. After his lesson we had another lesson with Panda. We taught him the Restoration and he just soaked up everything and loved it. It was way good because he was wondering about hte book of mormon and we were able to teach him about it and testify aobut it. He is way golden and will be baptized. We are realy busy with no finding time.
Sunday Panda, Yini, Abe, and Yoko all came to church. Elder Crowther taught Panda during preisthood about Keeping the Sabbath Holy and said that he accpeted everyting and will live it. After church we taught Yini the Doctrine of Christ and it was super good. After the lesson she bore a little testimony which was great. When she prays it is in chinese and i really dont understand but i sure can feel the spirit.
So that was my week in a nut shell. So much happend this week that i am so grateful for. Wanna hear something funny? So after Yini lesson we were planning when the next itme she could meet. She said that she could meet Wednesday, m bday, but she didnt know that. Tsuchiya, the guy who refered her, said that he could come becasue he didnt have work. Well after all said and done i said that wednesday was my bday. So we decided we are going to go to that delicious pie shop. Its funny though. For my 2oth bday i am goin wit my GIRL investigator to go celebrate. Its like going on a date. hahaha. I think it is super funny. How many missionaries do you knw that can do that?? I am also going to lunch with another investigator. ALl you can eat Indo curry. Look that up. The stuff is so good. Nan is the best. Bug would love it. I am excited.
So that is what is up with me. I am very busy and continue to be busy. We do have more finding time this week whichi is good becasue we need more investigators. Please pray for me that i will not become prideful with all this success. THat is my biggest fear. I want to stay humble and continue to recieve these blessings. I could also use prayers to learn the langauge better. That is still very important and with me being so busy i dont hav etime in my day to study it. I love you guys so much. Thank you so much for all that you do for me. I am looking forward to getting your package. I hope you have a great week. I cant wait for next week to talk with you guys agian. Love ya tons.
Monday, February 6, 2012
06 february 2012
Sorry to hear about your knee. Maybe you have the same thing i did. Maybe your knee cap has been dislocated. That would suck. Ill pray for ya. Its good to hear about everyones week. I really appreciate it. Sounds like everyone is doing good. I sent Kendi home a letter last week and i hop that she can get it. I will pray for her.
So my week was the BEST EVER!!! This week really was my best week i have had my entire mission. The only thing that would of made it better would of been a baptism or seeing you guys but that didnt happen so whatever. It was way good. You are going to love it. We set 3 baptismal dates for the 3 March and had 10 lessons total. That number is really high for Japan. the usual is like 4 or 5.
Last monday i met a chinese guy named Panda. He is buddhist just like everyone else but he said he would meet with us and learn. Alot of buddhist people believe iin themselves. They think htat if they believe in Christ they cant beleive in themselves. Wrong!!! Christ wants everyone to have confidence in themselves and believe in themselves but rely on Christ to save them and follow his teachings. Anyways, on friday we met with him and went to a members house. I had really good food. It was sweet and sour shirmp. It reminded me of Panda Express. After the meal we taught Panda how to pray. He said that he would pray every day and come with us to church. Wel he came to church adn i was able to teach him. Before i taught him, he said the prayer. He said a goregeous prayer about how he loved church adn how he made a lot of friedns.He also asked Heavenly Father to bless everyone who had lost a family member. Everyone after me in Sacrament bore their testimonies about that. I bore mine about Kess and the power fo teh resurrection. Back to Panda. I started teaching him the Restoration but it got to me teaching the Doctrine of Christ because of all the awesome questions he was asking. At the end of the lesson is principle 5 which is Endure to the End. I dont like using the word Endure becuz it sounds hard and difficult and the gospel is hard and it is not difficult. Instead i say Enjoy to the End becuase that sounds fun adn easy like the Gospel is. He commit to be baptzied on 3 March. After the lesson he was talking to me and telling me all he wants to do is Enjoy to the End so that me and him can play basketball in heaven and make fried rice and chinese food. He is super awesome. We are meeting hm on tomoro to go to dinner and teach teh restoration. He is golden.
Wednesday we met with an investigator named Yoko. He is intresting. 3 weeks We met him while he was running and gave him a flier and told him to come to church. Well he came to church. He then came a 2nd time. We taught him about josesph smith and then watched the restoration video. His wife is protestant. thats why we taught him about the restoration. We commited to the 3 of March to be baptized. He really needs a testimony befroe then though. HE is a DIE HARD baseball fan and basebal starts in March. So once baseball starts, if he isnt a member or have a testimony, he is long gone. He is super awesome. He is in his 60' and always happy. I like him. He will come to church next week.
Saturday we had a lesson with Koh. ONe of my really good friends. He was supposed to be baptized on Saturday but didnt make it. So that is waht we talkd about. It was a really bitter sweet talk. For a while i have been thinking alot for what he needs and havent had the answer. Well i know now. I asked him if he was taking us seriously and if he wanted to be baptized. He told us that he had been a member of the catholic church his whole life and was comfortale and didnt want to betray them. He also said that he didnt know what the differnce was. It hurt me but at the same time it was good. It hurt because i was hoping that that wasnt way he didnt get baptized. I was really hoping that he didnt have a problem. It was good because now i know what i need to do to help hm. We testified to him about Joseph Smith and the restoration. We left him really thinking about things. We recommitted him to be baptized on the 25 Febraury. My comps bday. I really liek Koh and wnat the best for him. I fasted for him yesterday that he would get his answer. He said he would pray about it.
Yesterday we had 8 people that werent members of the church at church. 3 of them were our investigators. Yoko, Panda, and Yini. Yini is a chinese girl who was a referral from my ward misson leader from my 2nd area Narita. She is suepr nice and i really like her. She is 22. We taught her the Restoration becasue that is what my M.L. said would be the best. At the end of the lesson we invited her to be baptized on the 3rd March and she accepted. We are meetin with her on Thursday. After the lesson we went to a members house and broke our fast and then ate food. It was way fun. We had way good food and then watched teh restoration video. There was 2 families, me and my comp, Yini and The guy from Narita. It really reminded me of home and everyone getting together. After the movie we played some games. It was alot of fun andi havent had a sunday like that in a really long time. Yini told my friend from Narita that she really loved everyone and thought us missionaries were really fun. She also said that she loved how the couples at the dinner sat together. It really showed her that families are important and she like that. She is so awesome.
So we now have 6 baptismal dates with 1 more as a hidden one. Do you remember the guy from Sendai named Abe i wrote about like 4 weeks ago? The one who cried through all the lesson. Well he is meeting us on Friday, Saturday, and is coming to church on sunday. He has read the Book fo Mormon all the way through. President said that if he wants to be baptzed and will follow the commandments and go to church in Sendai, me and my comp have Permission to baptize him next sunday after church. So i might have a baptism next week. THis guy is such a miracle. I am so grateful that i am worthy enough to receive thses miracles and these blessings.
SO my area now has 6 dates and 5 progressing investigators. I got a call form the APs yesternight and they congradulated me and my comp. I have been thinking alot about Ammon this week. I havent done anyting differnt. I dont want this glory. It isnt me. The Lord is just using me like you said. It is the spirit that is doing this all. I dont want to become prideful at all. I kno that is what satan wants. I have to be humble. It really feels good. When i came here there was no progressers, no investigators, no dates, no nothing. The ward didnt like the missionaries. I have alot to be prideful about but i know that it isnt me. I am just doing what the Lord wants me to do and by doing so, he can work through me. I cannot become prideful I am really scared that i will. I try to give glory to God all the tiem. Like Kamas said before. "Glory be to God, in His strength, I can do all things." That is my motto.
Other things that happend this week include: Traded ties with a guy right on the street. It was fun. I told him he had a nice tie adn that we should trade adn he said ok. So we did. Getting handed a full pack of Cigarettes from a crazy dude who chased some high skool girls, so we decided to ditch him. In that process we found a really cool store and i bought a nose stand for my glasses. It is super cool and you will see it when i send my card home. seeing a guy take a pee in the middle of the sidewalk. he then followed us and just kept saying Hallelujah and Amen. He would then bow down to us. Really Wierd. It was a super good week to say the least. Alot of things happend. I had a great time in the city.
So that is pretty much my killer week. My japanese seems to be getting better and better everyday. I still dont quite understand everything but i am trying to be more confident in myself and just accept whatever level i may be on. but it is gettting better. I love you so much. I am so grateful for everything that you do for me. You are the best mother ever. Thank you so much. I have a favor. Can you see how Nick is doing? I really love him and hope taht he is doing swell. He really needs love and support right now as he gets ready for a mission. Be a mom for him too please. YOu are the best. Even though i am doing pretty good right now, i could use prayers. I can use those all the time. You always have mine. Thank you for everyting mom. YOu and dad should be getting something special from me soon. A letter. A special letter. I cant think of anything else to write about right now. I did get both cards so thnkyou. Oh, who won the super bowl? I too am going for the Patriots!! i dont like the giants!!! Well i love you so much. Have a great week mom. YOu are the best ever. I love you so much!!!!
So my week was the BEST EVER!!! This week really was my best week i have had my entire mission. The only thing that would of made it better would of been a baptism or seeing you guys but that didnt happen so whatever. It was way good. You are going to love it. We set 3 baptismal dates for the 3 March and had 10 lessons total. That number is really high for Japan. the usual is like 4 or 5.
Last monday i met a chinese guy named Panda. He is buddhist just like everyone else but he said he would meet with us and learn. Alot of buddhist people believe iin themselves. They think htat if they believe in Christ they cant beleive in themselves. Wrong!!! Christ wants everyone to have confidence in themselves and believe in themselves but rely on Christ to save them and follow his teachings. Anyways, on friday we met with him and went to a members house. I had really good food. It was sweet and sour shirmp. It reminded me of Panda Express. After the meal we taught Panda how to pray. He said that he would pray every day and come with us to church. Wel he came to church adn i was able to teach him. Before i taught him, he said the prayer. He said a goregeous prayer about how he loved church adn how he made a lot of friedns.He also asked Heavenly Father to bless everyone who had lost a family member. Everyone after me in Sacrament bore their testimonies about that. I bore mine about Kess and the power fo teh resurrection. Back to Panda. I started teaching him the Restoration but it got to me teaching the Doctrine of Christ because of all the awesome questions he was asking. At the end of the lesson is principle 5 which is Endure to the End. I dont like using the word Endure becuz it sounds hard and difficult and the gospel is hard and it is not difficult. Instead i say Enjoy to the End becuase that sounds fun adn easy like the Gospel is. He commit to be baptzied on 3 March. After the lesson he was talking to me and telling me all he wants to do is Enjoy to the End so that me and him can play basketball in heaven and make fried rice and chinese food. He is super awesome. We are meeting hm on tomoro to go to dinner and teach teh restoration. He is golden.
Wednesday we met with an investigator named Yoko. He is intresting. 3 weeks We met him while he was running and gave him a flier and told him to come to church. Well he came to church. He then came a 2nd time. We taught him about josesph smith and then watched the restoration video. His wife is protestant. thats why we taught him about the restoration. We commited to the 3 of March to be baptized. He really needs a testimony befroe then though. HE is a DIE HARD baseball fan and basebal starts in March. So once baseball starts, if he isnt a member or have a testimony, he is long gone. He is super awesome. He is in his 60' and always happy. I like him. He will come to church next week.
Saturday we had a lesson with Koh. ONe of my really good friends. He was supposed to be baptized on Saturday but didnt make it. So that is waht we talkd about. It was a really bitter sweet talk. For a while i have been thinking alot for what he needs and havent had the answer. Well i know now. I asked him if he was taking us seriously and if he wanted to be baptized. He told us that he had been a member of the catholic church his whole life and was comfortale and didnt want to betray them. He also said that he didnt know what the differnce was. It hurt me but at the same time it was good. It hurt because i was hoping that that wasnt way he didnt get baptized. I was really hoping that he didnt have a problem. It was good because now i know what i need to do to help hm. We testified to him about Joseph Smith and the restoration. We left him really thinking about things. We recommitted him to be baptized on the 25 Febraury. My comps bday. I really liek Koh and wnat the best for him. I fasted for him yesterday that he would get his answer. He said he would pray about it.
Yesterday we had 8 people that werent members of the church at church. 3 of them were our investigators. Yoko, Panda, and Yini. Yini is a chinese girl who was a referral from my ward misson leader from my 2nd area Narita. She is suepr nice and i really like her. She is 22. We taught her the Restoration becasue that is what my M.L. said would be the best. At the end of the lesson we invited her to be baptized on the 3rd March and she accepted. We are meetin with her on Thursday. After the lesson we went to a members house and broke our fast and then ate food. It was way fun. We had way good food and then watched teh restoration video. There was 2 families, me and my comp, Yini and The guy from Narita. It really reminded me of home and everyone getting together. After the movie we played some games. It was alot of fun andi havent had a sunday like that in a really long time. Yini told my friend from Narita that she really loved everyone and thought us missionaries were really fun. She also said that she loved how the couples at the dinner sat together. It really showed her that families are important and she like that. She is so awesome.
So we now have 6 baptismal dates with 1 more as a hidden one. Do you remember the guy from Sendai named Abe i wrote about like 4 weeks ago? The one who cried through all the lesson. Well he is meeting us on Friday, Saturday, and is coming to church on sunday. He has read the Book fo Mormon all the way through. President said that if he wants to be baptzed and will follow the commandments and go to church in Sendai, me and my comp have Permission to baptize him next sunday after church. So i might have a baptism next week. THis guy is such a miracle. I am so grateful that i am worthy enough to receive thses miracles and these blessings.
SO my area now has 6 dates and 5 progressing investigators. I got a call form the APs yesternight and they congradulated me and my comp. I have been thinking alot about Ammon this week. I havent done anyting differnt. I dont want this glory. It isnt me. The Lord is just using me like you said. It is the spirit that is doing this all. I dont want to become prideful at all. I kno that is what satan wants. I have to be humble. It really feels good. When i came here there was no progressers, no investigators, no dates, no nothing. The ward didnt like the missionaries. I have alot to be prideful about but i know that it isnt me. I am just doing what the Lord wants me to do and by doing so, he can work through me. I cannot become prideful I am really scared that i will. I try to give glory to God all the tiem. Like Kamas said before. "Glory be to God, in His strength, I can do all things." That is my motto.
Other things that happend this week include: Traded ties with a guy right on the street. It was fun. I told him he had a nice tie adn that we should trade adn he said ok. So we did. Getting handed a full pack of Cigarettes from a crazy dude who chased some high skool girls, so we decided to ditch him. In that process we found a really cool store and i bought a nose stand for my glasses. It is super cool and you will see it when i send my card home. seeing a guy take a pee in the middle of the sidewalk. he then followed us and just kept saying Hallelujah and Amen. He would then bow down to us. Really Wierd. It was a super good week to say the least. Alot of things happend. I had a great time in the city.
So that is pretty much my killer week. My japanese seems to be getting better and better everyday. I still dont quite understand everything but i am trying to be more confident in myself and just accept whatever level i may be on. but it is gettting better. I love you so much. I am so grateful for everything that you do for me. You are the best mother ever. Thank you so much. I have a favor. Can you see how Nick is doing? I really love him and hope taht he is doing swell. He really needs love and support right now as he gets ready for a mission. Be a mom for him too please. YOu are the best. Even though i am doing pretty good right now, i could use prayers. I can use those all the time. You always have mine. Thank you for everyting mom. YOu and dad should be getting something special from me soon. A letter. A special letter. I cant think of anything else to write about right now. I did get both cards so thnkyou. Oh, who won the super bowl? I too am going for the Patriots!! i dont like the giants!!! Well i love you so much. Have a great week mom. YOu are the best ever. I love you so much!!!!
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