22 May 2012::

I love you so very much. I am glad that i was able to read your email today. I cant believe all that is happening at home. I cant beleive that Bug is in his final year of High School. THat is so weird. No more kids in High Skool for you. I was telling everyone how you are an AMAZING Mom!!! Everyone thinks the same thing.

 

I am very happy for Nick and him going through the Temple. I love the temple so much. I actually get to go on the 29th as a mission. Its not the same though as going with the family because there are so many people but it is still fun.

 

So my week was good. Tuesday was a really good day. We went to Tokyo for a All mission Conference with a member of the 70. Elder Clarke. He was super enthusiastic and sarcastic. It was way funny. Definalty different than what i thought General Authorities were like. He gave great advice that i want to pass onto Bug and Nick when i get home. I then went on splits with my Zone Leader Elder Miura. Ya he is japanese but i lived with him when i first came to Japan. SO it ws super fun talking with him and seeing how his mission has gone and stuff like that. I also got to sleep on a bed. 1st time in over 5 months. I was suepr happy.

 

Wednesday after splitting back we had a lesson with Sister Suzuki. We taught her aobut the Restoration. It was such a spiritual lesson. She told us she just didnt understand and went on like that for like 5 minutes. Then another 5 minute pause with nobody saying anything. THen i was able to testify to her just about how that is all how it begins. In order to grow, we dont and cant konw. If we already knew, then we wouldnt grow. It was amazing. Really good Lesson. After our English class we had about 15 minutes. I usually go in but i felt like we needed to keep going. Good thing i did that. WE found a referral for another area. He was suepr nice and wanted to learn.

 

Thursday was probably the hardest day in the week. I was super sick. My throat hurt, my nose was clogged, and i had the biggest headache ever. Despite all that we still did work. I have a thing, if i am healthy enough to exercise and do stuff i want to do, then i am healthy to do the Lords work. It was still hard though. We made flowers for the Bishop and our Mission Leader adn then took it to them. I think they liked that because on Saturday night, our Bishop brought us donuts, Krispy Kreme too. We streeted pretty much all day on Thursday and didnt find anyone. THat is what made it hard. Elder Chen really likes talking about Kess and really wants me to talk about it with poeple alot. Well after he tried to get me to talk about it with somebody who had no interest, i told him i didnt appreciate him sharing my life expirences. I said that if i feel i need to share it, i will. It isnt his expirence to share. Well i think i could of handled it alot better than i did, with more love you know. Well i really didnt feel the Spirit anymore and thats when the day started getting hard. I apologized like 2 hours later because i felt way bad and i knew i needed to.

 

ON friday we had planned going to the temple with Panda to do baptisms for the dead but the temple only does it at night and Panda has work at night. So instead we went to a all you can eat meat place. It was super good. I didnt eat that much though. I got full fast. I aint complaining. It as fun though. We then streeted for like 3 hours and visited a member who just had a baby. It was fun. We didnt find anybody to teach though. I went on splits with a young missionary too. I think he really enjoied. it. I hope he had fun but worked hard too. I really believe in having fun but working hard. He told me his thoughts aobut me were way different. He thought becasue how successful i have been in Yamate that i was a missionary who was just work, work, work. Like 15 minute lunch and dinner, no breaks, strict, etc. WAY WRONG!!!!! I like having fun. We have to be ourselves right? I do what works for me and apparently he liked it too.

 

Saturday was way busy. We had a lesson with a gator who i havent seen in 2.5 months. He saw us on friday and told us he wanted to meet today at 1. We jsut pretty muched talked and asked how he had been. (reading the BOM, praying, etc). He is way good. He wants to meet us once a week and we are going to start reteaching him everything. Then we had to go and meet a Korean who we called. He took us to get Udong, super fat noodles. It was pretty good. We split back and me and elder chen had dinner, then went to chinatown because there was something going on. Chinese holiday. It was a pretty fun day and i enjoied it.

 

SUnday was a miracle. My testimony for sure grew. THis is why it grew.  

I fasted because we dont really have anyother investigators expect for Suzuki shimai. I really dont want to be transfered and leave Elder Chen with nothing either.  SO I fasted so we could find some new ones. The testimony builder is I know fasting works. Today we were doing a kubarikai at Yamate eki and a chinese girl came up to me and we just started casually talking about where english class is and why its free. That got into me talking about me being a missionary. I told her that I am a missioanry for our church and we believe everyone is sons and daughters of God. She was fasinated. She just kept saying how cool that was and so on. Then she asked if I am a missionary where do I get money. SO I told her about tithing and of course how I saved. She was once again facsinated with tithing. She kept saying how sweet and how awesome that is that the money we give to God helps the poor and needy. She then really wanted to come to church and see. She knew there was lots of churches where our church is and asked why. SO I told her we have a great message that can answer that exact question. She wants to hear. Elder Chen heard she was chinese and came over and just started bearing his testimony and how his life has gotten better from coming to church. She soaked up everything better than a sponge. She asked Elder Chen if she became a member, would she have to come to church everyweek. Well of course Elder Chen said ya and she told him that she will start coming. I then started talking to her about Eternal Families. She was just agreeing with everything i was testifiing about. She is awesome. I really feel that she is so prepared by God. OF course I have a lot more things I wish I could tell you aobut her but that would take so long. At the end of the conversation her friend came up and long story short is now planning on going to go to Kamiooka's eikaiwa and meet the missioanries. That was my testimony builder. How great is that? I really feel like one of the missionaries out of the Book of Mormon. Prayed and Fasted much. Her name is Lee shimai. She is a very AWESOME person and our newest friend. God really does see our faith and will bless us. It was an amazing expirence for sure. THe only bad thing about Sunday was Lili didnt get confirmed. I am trying so hard to get her to be confirmed but she doesnt come. Please pray for her.

That was pretty much my week in a nutshell. Alot better than the week before. This week i hit my 1 year mark in Japan. I cant believe that i have been away from America for 1 year. CRAZY!!!! I love you so much mom. I am so excited to get to call and find our where bug is going for his mish. My quess is here in Japan. I can totally see him here. I hop that you hve a great week. SOunds like you are goign to have a busy one. We are going to dinner wit Jenny on friday and i think they are goin to do something special for me. THey were tlaking in chinese about it. Elder CHen has something up his sleeve. I have something up my sleeve for him too. We have a base couple here and i am going to get Elder Chen 2 12 packs of AW Rootbeer before i leave. I think it will make him happy. I only have 2 weeks left here. Time goes by so fast. It really does. I will be calling for Christmas in no time at all. I love my family so much. I cant wait to see and hang out with them all again. I love you mom and dad. THanks for all you do. I gotta go but you have my prayers and my love.

Love ya. . .

07 May 2012::

I am so jealous. I really want to go to the cabin so bad. I hope that there is still some stuff for me to do when i go there. I really want to help restore it. I hope there are now fires either up at Graham this summer. Ill be praying for the rain here to go to AZ.

 

So what part of CA is Nick Keels going? YOu didnt tell me. I am so going to visit him upon my return to the USA. GO AMERICA!! I am so excited for him. He is going to get fat. Missionaries who go state side get fat becasue they get fed all the time haha. He better run and stay in shape haha. I am so happy for him. I couldnt be mad today because of this news.

 

I am so excited for dad about his weight. He was telling me that he was feeling really good about it. I am tryign to loose weight as well. Or at least my love handles. I really want them gone. But i dont htink as a missionary i will be able to do that. I will tell you why. Because i go out to eat with people to much. All you can eat's are cheaper than most restraunts so that is where people take us and i eat my moneys worth. IT is horrible. THis week was my worst week by far. I will tell you later why. But i need to get away from this city and go to the countryside where there is no all you cna eat. I am managing to maintain somehow though?

 

Bug is going to GRADUATE!!!! That is so cool and he is going to get his mission papers. I am so excited for him. He is so going to come to Tokyo Japan. I am going to train him. It is done. There has to be someone in the family i can communicate with in Japanese. I am praying for

 

Talking about calling home. 6 or 7 is really early in the morning here. Last itme i called it was like 10. Ya if i call at 10 A.M. it will be 6 P.M. Sunday night for you guys. You have my skype name so you should skype me first. But i really belive that i need to skype you on my monday morning at 10 AM. We shall see. But i am looking forward to it too. I really want to talk to Kelly and her kids too. So please help me out with taht.

 

Ok my week was pretty crazy. Ill start off with the details. It was raining all the way up until friday non stop. I HATE THE RAIN. It is so hard to do anything in the rain. NO one wants to listen to you. NO ONE!!!! It makes it so hard. Well, Tuesday we had interviews with President Albrecht. I love that man. I am going to miss him os much. I really love him so much. It was my last interview with him until the new president comes. He told me that i was going to be transfering. (no duh, i have been here for 6 months) BUt he gave me a papaer to read when i go home. It is jsut a bunch of stuf he tells returning missionaries. That was that day. Kinda bitter sweet day. Oh, I had to translate for a couple missionary. It was really hard. But it was my first time and i did it. I translated from Japanese to English. It is super hard because Japanese is backwards than englsih. FOr example, we say the dog went to the store. In japanese you would say, the dog the store to went. Its kinda like Yoda from Star Wars. I will be able to understand him way better when i get home. But i thought that was cool. I alos got a new Japanese Grammar book. I thought i would neveer be happy to say that but i am. It has so many helpful grammars in it. I am way excited. But it cost 60 bucks to buy. That is the only downfall. It should help alot wehn i come home though.

 

Wednesday we were planning and Lili called us. Remember, she got baptized but not confirmed. Well she wanted to go to lunhc. So we went to a All you cna eat Pizza place.  THis is why i dont think i will be able to loose my love handles as a missionary. All you can eats are way cheap here and people go to them alot. Well we wnet and 4 other members showed up too. IT was like a party. It was way cool. WE found out her problem. She is super busy with skool here. Skool here is 7 days a week. THey kill themselves. WEll she has to go to skool 7 days a week adn cant come to church for about 2 months. She said it is really hard for her. We ahd a member share a expierence about how he had to choose between God or his work/skool. He said that when we put our trust in him,He will help. I hope she accepts this. She didnt come to church this week either. REally sad. THe Ward is really trying to get poeple to fellowship her. IT is way cool to see.

 

Thursday we met with our other chinese investigator, Wang. He doesnt speak englsih or japanese. So elder chen translated for me. We met at 5 and Wang to us to a all you can eat chinese restraunt in Chinatown. Once again, this is the reason i will never be able to loose my love handles. THankfully, reall chinese food is not like American Chinese food. THey are completely different. Real chinese food is packed with vegietables. But they have one American like dish. It was all so good. I didnt eat to much becasue i didnt want to dissappoint myself when i weighed. It was fun. I really wanted to eat at a all you can eat in chinatown before i left too. So now it is done and i am happy. After that we went to the chuch adn played Ping Pong. I am happy to say that i beat a chinese person in Ping Pong. I am happy. I have gotten really good at ping pong. We are meetin him again this week. He ahs interest in church alot.

 

Friday we got caught in the rain so we housed. Upon our return, i bought a new bag to carry my stuff in. It was needed. It is really nice. But it was 40 bucks. I am feeling so quilty right now for buying it. But i know when the money gets restored i will be happy i bought it. It is really nice. We were coming home and i was saying hi and stopping people. Well i saw a guy, drinking a Jack Daniels bottle of Whiskey. I simply said hello and he called me Bakayarou!!! You can probably quess wehre  this was at. Yup. You quessed it, it was in HELL!!!! That area is just way sad. It was a good laugh for me and elder chen though. Friday night we spent calling peopel up for 2 hours. From 7:30 to 9:30. It was tiring but way good. Saturday morning we had a BBQ so that is why we were calling. We called Former Investigators, Potential Investigators, anyone. It was way good. On our BBQ on Saturday, 3 Formers showed up, 6 Englshi class students, 1 investigator. We also contacted 2 referalls. Oh, a family came too. It was great. ALl the people we got to go said they are going to come back to our eikaiwa and start learning agian. Slowly but surely we can get them to come to church. It was super good. The BBQ was good too. WE actaully had Hot Dogs. My first time in Japan. It was great. REally good day.

 

Sunday we had a normal day. I made the Mothers Day gifts but i jsut need to send them now. I hope that you like them. They shoudl get to you sometiem next week. There are eight. 1 for you, kendi, kelly, janalyn, brie, both grandmas, vicki. So please pass tehm out. We then went ot an americans for dinner. It was good. TOday was great too. We went out in the moring time to do work. AT 11:30 we met with our whole zone to go to a all you can eat Taco place. I really dont like all you cna eat anymore. Everytime i go threre it turns into a competion and i have to be the winner so i always over eat. I had 12 really big tacos. I out numbered everybody by 6 tacos. GO ARIZONIANS!!!! It was worth it. I really wanted to go tehre before i transfered too. It was suepr good. THey were homemade tortillas. So good. AFTER eating we went to the top of Landmark tower. It was fun to talk with everyone. We went running this afternoon too. I felt really fat. So i went running. BAD CHOICE. It was the most painful run i have ever been on. It was just cramps the entire time. I was determined to burn some of those taco calories though. But ya. I am trying my hardest to maintain 175lbs.

 

I have decided i need new running shoes. THe ones i have now are from 1 and 1/2 years ago. THey are trashed. My right running shoe has a whole hole in the side of it where my pinkie toe hangs out. I also need some new workout clothes. ALl the ones i am currnetly using are getting really bad and are no good anymore. Running shoes here are about 120 bucks for a good pair. I really need some.

 

Mom, can you send me some pictures of me in my senior year and even after i graduated. I really want to sow poeple what i looked like before i started the diet and lost all my weight. If you could send me my ones from Facebook. It has my before picture. That is the best. But i want some from before my diet and after my diet. That would help alot. I would love it.

 

I am doing really good. Just trying my best to be the best i can be. I hope that i am making someone happy! I could really use some prayers on the langauge. I really feel like i am not good enough at it. Or at least speaking. Please pray that Lili will come to church to get confirmed. We are trying so hard for her. I really dont want her jsut to move on without the confirmation. Please pray for her. We are going to the tmeple with Panda and Suzuki in 2 weeks. It should be fun. I am way excited to go with them. I am in pretty good shape and still working my best. I love you so much. I am so excited to talk with you on Mothers Day. I should be calling at around 10 Am my time and 6 PM your sunday night. I am so excited. Have a great week. Always remember you are in my thoughts and prayers. Stay Classy!!!!!

 

30 April 2012::

Hello dear mother of mine!! It was good to get your newsletter and the brief paragraph of your week. Sounds like you are just being an otsukaresama and doing your best. I love you so much. It sounds like dad had quite the week going to the cabin and all. I want to go so bad. My time will come though.

 

So i think your prayers are being answered. YOu said that you are praying for mine and ELder Chens success here. Well I think they are being answered. Please dont stop praying whatever you do. We found 5 new investigators last week. It was amazing. We talked to a lot of Chinese poeple too. haha. almost 1 out of every 5 was chinese. But i will start from the begining.

 

THe past 2 weeks have been nothing but clouds and rain. I hate the rain as a missionary. I told you last week that it was raining a ton. Well it carried over into this week as well. It rained all week. I think i might of seen sunshine once or twice. I dont like it. Its no wonder why everyone here is so depressed all teh time, The weather sucks!!! AZ weather is so much better. Anyways, monday like said was raining so we went and housed inside china town. We had to buy bananas too and they are cheaper in CHinatown. Well It was super funny. We were on the 5th floor of a 10 floor building adn we had just knocked this door and then all of a sudden the door next to it opened up and a bunch of guys came up. They lined teh hallway to the elevator. THen a guy walked out of the elevator and all the lined up men bowed and said something. THen they all went inside the house except for 2. THey came to our door and opend it up and it was the same room and building. After all said and done Elder CHen looked at me and told me that that was a Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) Boss man. We housed his house. hahaha. Way funny right!!!! COol story. ANyway, on the 3rd floor a lady opened up and she was of course chinese. Elder CHen adn her talked for like 40 min in chinese adn i was just smiling and saying yes to everything. Turns out that the lady had been converted to a different Church but hasnt been going. She loves Jesus CHrist and she wants to be the better person. She seemed really cool. I cant tell you everything because i dont know but htat was pretty much the whole of it. We said a prayer with her and exchanged info and then left. She is  a super good P.I. as of now. We are having a BBQ on Saturday with the ward and she said she would come. So it should be fun.

 

Tuesday we had a nice talk with a member about Faith. He converted about 11 years ago. He is one of my favorite members. We shared expeirences and stuff like that. It was fun. It rained tonight too. But i liked it. It was a thunder storm!!!! It was the first one i have been in since coming to Japan. It was so cool and the rain was coming so hard. It looked like an AZ rain storm. It was really cool and i really loved it so much!!!!

 

Wednesday it was raining like usual. We had to be at the church at 4 for some preparation and then a lesson at 4:30. Well it was about 3:30 and we were more than 1/2 an hour away. We just got done stopping somebody and ELder CHen said we should go. Well i thought we still had time and i stopped one more man. Good descion. His name was Komuro. He had just moved to Yokohama from Sendai. His entire family of 18 died in the Tsunami last year. Thats why he moved here. He ahs been to prison too for 3 years. He spends all his days drinking sake. We met him when he was drunk but he liked us and told us he wanted to meet us again. We met him on friday and had a great lesson with him. But hard work pays off. Hopefully he will be a good investigator. 20 minutes before English started a 60 year old man walked in the door and said that he wanted to study the book of mormon. WHAT???? He had met the missionaries a year ago and they gave him a flyer for eikaiwa and he lost it. Well this mans hobby is studying the bible. He really wants to study the book of mormon and the bible at the smae tiem. He found an english flyer in a gas station and he came. It must of been an old flyer because the type of flyer he showed us, i havent had in over 5 months. Pretty crazy uh? The Lord sure is blessing us alot here. We quickly set up a lesson with him for this week on wednesday.

 

Thursday we ahd a zone meeting and on the way home we went and did work in the very north part of our area. Of course it was raining. Well everyone was super nice. We met a 21 year old who said he would meet us again for Ping Pong and to hear our lesson but he never showed up. It was good for Elder CHen though to finally see some success right after success. It sure makes a mission easier. That night we had a lesson with Tamari. We taught him about Repentance and the Atonement. I thought it was a good lesson. Tamari isnt too smart so we teach through lots of examples. I was thinking of a good one when i stumbled upon one in the Aaronic Priesthood tecahing manual. YOu have  a bag. YOu tell them that they always have the bag. You explain that in your bag of life you have nessecary things like clothes, food, water, etc. You dont want any unnessarcy stuff in the bag. But when you sin you put bad things in your bag. and then you add rocks and heavy things into the bag. But you then tell them taht through Jesus Christ Atonement, our bag becomes light because He takes all our rocks away. I thought it was a good example but i didnt have any rocks at the church. So i loaded my bag up with all my wieghts and then started the trek to our church. It is a 20 minute walk. It was SO HEAVY!!! Elder Chen fell down trying to put it on. It was so funny!!! But Tamari understood the lesson really well. I was happy.

 

Friday we went out and worked in the morning and found a super nice chinese man who had been to church before but has a bad image of church. Someone told him that all churchs hate eachother and he didnt like that. He really wants to go to a church too.  Well we told him we liked all churchs but we just want to add knowledge to what he already has. He liked that. He said he would have to talk to his wife. He was super nice. I had such a good feeling when i was thinking after talking to him about him and his wife and family getting sealed in teh temple. It made me super happy. Friday it was of course raining. Our 21 year old didnt show up for his lesson so we went streeting. I saw a guy walking behind me, so i turned around and started talking to him. Turned out he was chinese and didnt understand anything so elder chen took over. THis guy had been to 2 different churchs but didnt like them. He was cool with meeting us again and we are going to meet him agian on thursday. He is looking for the right church i feel. Our lesson with Komuro was great. He commited to read the book fo mormon, come to churc and pray. He also said he wanted to meet us 3 times a week.We shall see how it goes. After his lesson we had dinner. A new PIZZA shop opened up and it is super good. Just like america. Well i decided taht me and Elder CHen are going to do Pizza Friday. GOod mission memory right? SO we had pizza for dinner and i was suepr happy!!!!

 

Saturday we were in our apt pretty much all day planning and doing stuff on our computer. But we also had FHE at teh church. It was super fun. I am getting good at ping pong. I can beat japanese and chinese at ping pong I am dangerous ahah.

 

Sunday was super great but super sad too. Lili got baptized last week and her confirmation was today, but she didnt come. I was super bummed about that. Her and Panda broke up and i am wonerign if she will come to church again if he is there. I hope that isnt the case. I think i overthought a bit much and it made me sad adn kinda depressed. I really like Lili and want the best for her. Now the good part. After sacrament, we talked to a lady who had recieved a english flyer adn thought the class was on sunday so she came for all of sacrament. Well she turned out to be chinese from Hong Kong with a 16 year old son. We talked about when eikaiwa was and all that. She made friends with all the chinese people in our ward. There is a chinese corner and it is super fun to sit in. haha. She was about to leave and i asked Elder CHen to invite her to the Gopsel Principles class which she came. She really enjoied it. She read teh G.P. Book alot and told Elder CHen that she had tons of interest in the stuff we were studying and that she wanted to come to church every sunday. CRAZY!!!! Chinese people are so GOLDEN!!! When china finally opens for the work, it will be crazy, i just know it. Hopefully before the transfer is over, we will have enough chinese members to make a branch. How cool would that be? It makes me happy!!!! We spent the rest of the day streeting and doing work. But ya church was super good!!!

SO that is my week in a wrap up. WAY BLESSED!!!! Hopefully we can see another baptism by the end of this transfer. We have a ton of good PIs that we are working with that will hopefully become gators and get baptized. We shall see. With all this success i still feel really down about something but i dont know what it is. I have a interview with president tomorrow and i will talk to him about it. This will be my last interview with President ALbrecht. I am way sad. I love President so much. I am planning ot keep in touch with him for a long time. I love him just like i love dad. Of course i love dad more though!!!! I will really miss President Albrecht though.

 

So i think i have sent you home 2 camera cards! If you could send them both back to me. I really need them. I sending you one back in a letter for Kendi tomorrow. Please send it back as soon as possible. I want to send them to you once a month. I am sending them at the very begining of the month. But ya. Aprils camera card is way good. You will like it. I love you so much mom. I cant wait for Mothers day. Only 2 weeks. CRAZY!!! TIme is really going by so fast. I hope that you have a great week at home. Thanks for everything. YOu are amazing. YOu are probably done reading this now, it is super long. haha so i will go. I love you so much. Stay classy!!!

23 April 2012:::

お母さん、

愛しているよ！！！本当に感謝しています。あなたのメールが大好きですよ！！！送ってくれてありがとうございます！！大変な週みたいですよね！！ごめんね！けど、僕は本当にあなたのメールが大好きです！！

I really mean it mom!! I really love your emails so much. I love reading them. I am sorry that you had a hard week. But dont you just love moving people around. I really wish I had the oppurtunity to help move people out of their house or even do service. It is super hard to do that here in Japan. The Japanese people are very to themselves. Someone was telling me that since Tokyo is so populated, people just get sick of eachother. That is why they are quite, shy, and dont want to do anything with other people. Sad right? But I really want to do service. You are lucky. Maybe that is why I got sent to Tokyo, to learn how to love service. Haha. Good lesson I think. That is crazy that our stake is splitting but it really doesnt matter to me beause I never really did stuff with the Stake anyways. What I think is really really cool is that Dad and you have lost some weight. I cant believe that dad has lost 12lbs already. I am so excited for him. I hope that he continues to loose the weight and has more motivation to do more exercise. I know that is how it was with me. I am his son too so maybe. Mom, I dont think you need to do a diet because you are already skinny but congradulations. I am excited for you. Maybe I should do this diet when I get home. I am kinda doing a diet right now. I really want to loose my love handles and the belly pouch that I have. I still weigh 177lbs but I really want to loose that fat. I quite buying soda last week and drinking it. I also quit drinkin so much milk. I am trying to eat more vegies and fruits too. I cant do to much of a diet becaue I am a missionary and it is super rude to decline somebodies food here in Japan. I also quit eating sugar. I never was a bigger eater after the first diet I did but I got off track. I am tryin to get back on track. So we shall see.

My week was again hard as usual. We went out finding for hours on end at least over 25 hours this week and didnt find one person to teach. I dont know why it has been this way. I think it is because the Lord is teaching me a lesson that this is His work and that it all depends on Him. It is a really good lesson that I needed to learn. Maybe He was testing us to see if we would still be diligent even if it was hard. I hope I passed. I think that this upcoming transfer we are going to be blessed for our efforts. The blessing always comes after the trial right? That pretty much tells you of the week. It was also cloudy and raining all week. Actually, it is still raining right now. I hate it. I dont like rain as a misisonary. I quess I will tell you the details of the week now. On monday, we went to the huge slide and messed around over there. I really wanted elder chen to have fun and we went to that park. We also played some badmitton with some college students. It was pretty fun. Then we went to Jenny's house to give her s a present because she is so nice to us all the time and I really felt like we needed to do that. I dont know when the last time the missionaries just went to visit. SO it was good I think. Tuesday we went to temple. Wednesday we had another full day of streeeting with no success. We had eikaiwa or englsih class and I have something funny to tell you. So there is a really cute girl there. Well all japanese girls love american guys. Well it is a dangerous situation now. I think she really likes me. We were walking home and then she came up and started walking with us. It has slowly gotten that way I think. When she first came I noticed her mom would pick her up, then she would ride her bike, and then I noticed she was walking. Dont worry! I am not stupid. Ya, she is really cute but the thought of doing something stupid and ruining this great blessing called a mission almost made me puke. I dont want to ruin it because of some girl. I am not dumb. I just think it is super funny. It feels good to be admired every once and a while. Haha. Thursday was tons of fun actually but very scary. So we have Lili, our gator. Well we wanted to meet her one last time before her baptism but after her interview. She is super busy with skool and work and crap like that. Well she told us that on thursday after 6 she can do something. So we decided to do a sushi making party because that is her job. She makes sushi. So we went and bought the fish we wanted to eat, seaweed, and vegeis. Then we went back to her house and did it. She taught us how to do it. It was super funny because everytime I would do it wrong she would yell at me. There is a certain way that you have to do it. But it was super fun to make and then eat your own sushi. I now know how to make sushi. It isnt that hard. But we had Wasabi eating games. We played rock, paper, scissors and the loser had to eat a piece of sushi with tons of wasabi on it. It sucked. You will love the videos. Here is the scary part. We asked Lili if she lived with anyone like 2 girls because missionaries cant be in one room with one girl, there has to be a priesthood holder or 2 girls. Well she said it was fine and that she lived with her friends and they were both home. We went in a met them. Quess what? One was a chinese girl and the other was a chinese man. They were siblings and Lili was living with them. Well gators cant be baptized if they are living in the same house or apt. of the oppisite sex if they are not married. I was so bummed because I didnt want to tell Lili she couldnt be baptized until she found somewhere else to live. I was thinking about it the whole night, how I would tell her. Well we left and I called the Zone Leaders and they calld president. President told us it was ok to baptize dher because they are friends and she is living with a family. The other thing is it is a huge economical thing here in Japan. SO we got the OK. I sure was relieved and full of thanks. Her friedns want to meet us and have dinner and play ping pong too. SO it was a great night. Friday we had another full day of streeting in the rain with no success. Jenny had us over to see her friend from England and a RM sister from Russia. Then we went to District Meeting. Well our DL was going home so it was a Farewell party. We had a missionary couple who works on base bring some american pizza and we partied. It was so good and fun. Then we did a sleepover because transfer calls were the next day. So now you are wondering about transfer calls. I am now in . . . .. Yamate!!!! Yup I didnt transfer. I am still in the same area. This will be my 4^th transfer in this area. 6 MONTHS here. That is a very long time. I was kinda bummed because we dont have any investigators because they all got baptized. I really wanted to move to another area too. But I got confrimation from the Lord that there is still work here for me to do, so I am happy. But ¼ of my mission here in this area. WOW!! Saturday night we did a launch of our FHE. It was the 1^st time this ward has done FHE. We had a great turn out. 1 Recent Convert, Suzuki, and 5 non members came. 1 nonmember just happened to be that girl from english class I was telling you about. We played Ping-Pong and had a great time. Sunday was AWESOME but very very scary. Panda called us at about 9:30 and told us that Lili wasnt coming to her baptism. We called Lili and she didnt answer. Well church started and Lili wasnt there. We were way bummed. Well Lili showed up at about 10:45. She forgot her white bra for the baptism. I thought I would never here that word Bra on my mission but there it is. That is a good reason to be late I thought. Her baptism was great. Panda did it. It was all in Chinese too. It was AMAZING!! I felt the spirit so much. We now have 10 chinese members in our ward. 3 of the 4 people that have been baptized are chinese. I feel honored that I have a part in the work for China. I just think it is funny. With all the work with chinese people we are doing, we can start a chinese branch here. It would be the only one in Tokyo. How cool would that be? We only need about 5 more people. Pray please. Haha.

So those are the highlights of my week. It sounds really fun doesnt it? It sure was, but at the same time it is very hard going forth and doing the work for the Lord. I have wanted to call it quits a couple of times this past transfer because of nobody listening. But I stuck with it and now it is a new transfer. I am excited. Everyone tells me that next transfer I am going to be ZL. Thats in 6 weeks, so we shall see. I love you so much Mom! I am very excited for Mothers Day and to call you! I have been working on a Mothers Day gift for all the girls in our family. I just have to finish it and send it off in time. It might come late but this is something I have wanted to do ever since I got my call to Japan. 3 weeks and I will call. I am so excited. I hope that everyone at home is doing good. I sure love my family a lot. They are the best anyone could ask for. Thanks!

Well, I cant think of what else to say. I am all out of ideas. I hope that you have a great upcoming week. You better konw that I pray for you daily. I love you so much! Tell bug he needs to write me and draw me a cool picture haha. I tell everybody he is a artist. He is going to come here to Japan. They love art. How is Kendi doing? I havent heard about her in quite awhile. I cant wait to get home and hang out with her if she is not married. I love her a lot. Well, you have my love always! Stay classy!!!

17 April 2012::

Have i told you how much i love you. I feel like i havent told you that in a really long time. I really mean it. I love you so much. I really miss you alot too. I really cant wait until mothers day to talk with you and the rest of the family. Thank you for all that you do for me. I really appreciate everything. I LOVE YOU!!!!

Sorry taht i havent written you yet. TOday was pday not yesterday. I emailed dad at dinner time cuz i knew that my email time was going to be scarce. But I am totally fine. Just been super busy.

It was super good to hear about everything that is happening down in the AZ!!! I cant wait to go back. I love Japan. I really do. BUt i love AZ even more. SO about the questions. I didnt get the girl baptized!!! Not yet!!! I did get ahold of CHirs Callender and he sent me an email back so we are now in touch. an answer to my prayers. I know that i have been really blessed here in this mission. I am grateful for it so much. I just hope i can always remember that it is the Lord working through me and it is not me doing all of it. I cant forget that.
I am so glad for all of my freidns. I love all of them so much. I cant wait to hang or do stuff with them again. I really want to. I miss them alot and the memories that i have made. But i also love hanging out with my brothers as well. They are awesome. I think i like doing stuff more than with my freinds. I cant wait.

ANyway, my week was pretty much the usual. We had tons fo finding time but no new investigators. It is driving me crazy. I know that this is the Lords work and it is all up to him but i really feel like i am doing something wrong. I havent done anything different than i have done before. It is just a super hard time on me right now. Tuesday was probably the worst day. We had a white day. We decided to go to the store buy some snacks for a member( Recent Convert, Ini) and visit her. I wanted her ot feel that we, the missionaries, still love her. ANyways, we went and started streeting. Well nobody was listenign to us at all. It was like a 2 hour walk. We talked to at least over 80 people and not one listened. Then we finally get to her house and she isnt home. SO we had to leave a note and then start our trek back. I was wasted at this time. I went up to a guy, he stopped, and then i introduced myself and pur my hand to shake. Well he was going to shake then everything registered in his head and he pulled his hand away from mine as if i had a disease and then ran away. I was so frustrated. I do not like those kind of people at all. They think church related things are horrible and they dont even want to touch it. I was frustrated.

Wednesday we did have a lesson with the girl, Lili. She is super cool. Well the lesson was super good. We found out a ton of new information. We taught the Sabbath day holy and Commandments. Well what we learned is this, SHe leaves here in Japan by herself. She has to pay for EVERYTHING herself. Japan and Yokohama in itself is super expensive. Her parents dont support her and they have a way bad relationship. Well in order for her to support herself she has to work alot. She broke down in tears and just told us how happy she has been since meeting us and how she wants to come to church and be baptized but she said that she has to work on sunday after 5pm to go to work and that she has so many billd (school, food, phone, etc.) That tithing would be way hard. We didnt even teach tithing and she knew it. It was a great time for us to bear powerful testimony and just promise her tons of blessings. It was super good. She commited to be baptized this upcoming Sunday after church. It might be my last sunday here so it will be super cool. But ya, I really love Lili alot. She told me that when i get married, she better get a invitation. She is definetily someone i want to hang out with after my mission. She is super cool. I wish you could meet her. SUper funny too. Ahh, I love her.

Thursday i got graded as a trainer as we had a new missionary conference. It was fun to get together and stuff.

Friday we had DM and then another full 3 hours of streeting. We went up to Yokohama train station. Up there, there is a all you can eat Pizza place. We met our investigator Suzuki there for dinner at 4. It was pretty fun to street up to there. We talked to some people from Scotland and it was fun. We met with Suzuki and then pounded down Pizza. I think everyone was suprised how much i ate. I know i was gettin looks from all the girl workers. Hahaha. THey are so attracted to americans here. It is so funnY. Japanese people eat a lot differently than americans. I didnt even eat that much but yet they were blown away because it was liek 4 times there amount. I just loved the looks i was getting from girls working at the place. They were looks of they wanted me. haha. After that we went into a shop and looked around with Suzuki. It was way fun. We looked at knives and stuff and i felt like i was back at home with dad or my borhters. Looking at knives. I have decided i want to buy a Japanese knife before i come home. They are sweet looking. I then took Chen choro to the pie shop so he could have the deliciousness. I didnt get anything. I was then again looked at and talked about by all the girls we were next to. This is a very common thing for me. Haha. Elder Chen has told me some girls he stands to in trains look at me and just admire me for my hair, muscle, skinny, being american, etc. Way funny but super dangerous.

Saturday was another full day of streeting until 4. I met some americans doing a thing called "Semester at Sea". Look it up. It sounds super funn. Anwya at 5.30 we had a baptism. Suzuki got baptized. I was able to do the performance and he sure was grateful. Apparently he has changed so much in the last month and a half and his own mom is usper suprised. He is going to be a great member. I just know. I really love him alot. SUnday was church. Yesterday we had another full day of streeting. I took Elder CHen to the park with the HUGE slide. THen we went and visited Jenny Shimai.

TOday i am super homesick. We went to the Temple and did a session and then went into SHibuya for Lunch. Well SHibuya you see, hear, and smell everything about home. I just saw clothes i used to wear, music i used to listen too, girls i wanted to date. It just isnt healthy. On top of that. I havent been feeling super good. I think i am getting super stressed about nonesince stuff. I am really worried about my Japanese for my age in the Mission, I am worried about Transfers, and i am worried about my weight. I have also been thinking about my past misison and now and feel it is different and just feel miserable. I konw this is from a bad source. I think i am just not feeling very well. I havent eaten alot either. We went to a all you can eat after the tmeple and i just had a little. Oh, do you any of my brothers or dad know about a movie that deals with the Titans. It looks super cool. It is avbout a guy going and fighting all the different Titans of the ancient Greece Gods. YOu should let me know. It looks super good.

Ya transfers are in 6 days. I really hope that i get transfered. I really love it here in Yamate but the area is super small. Everything is getting really old and i need a new thrill. I have been here for 4.5 months now. I need to get away from the city too. THe city has lots of all you cna eat restraunts and country doesnt. SO it will help with my wiet. Also, i think there is a girl in english class that really likes me. THat is a bit dangerous. I really hop ethat i do get transferd. I really want to. I need a new thrill of a new area. I love Elder Chen but he is a fantastic missionary. They are opening up a new area that hasnt been open since the big earthquake. That is over a year. I really hope i go up there. It is called Mito. I really want to go.

I love you so much. Sorry this is all over the place. I dont have alot of time. I just want to let you know that i care about and love you with all my heart. I cant wait till i get to see you agian. YOu can tell that i am having a bit of a hard time. Please pray that i will get the strwength that i need to Endeavor to Persevere. I love you so much mom. I will let you know if i get transfered or not. I hope i do. I love you lots. Stay classy.

08 April 2012::

So your email about Kamas was really funny and it made me laugh out loud. haha. that is so kamas. DO you want ot hear something really sad? I will tell you. I forgot that this weekened was Easter. haha. Does that answer your question for you? THey dont really celebrate Easter over here. Not at all actually. I was at Jenny's house on Friday for Dinner and she wished me a Good Friday and i was stunned. I totally forgot about that. Then on Saturday another Elder told me that Sunday was Easter. I was blown away. I totally forgot about hte Holiday of Easter. They really dont have a spring holiday but right now all the Sakura or Cherry blossoms are blooming and it is super pretty and smells super good. So everyone goes and sees those. I am trying to get a few laminated. Also in May they have a week called Golden Week. IT is jsut a bunch of holidays reight in a row. SO that is is about Holidays in the Spring time. Or at leawst that i know of. I really dont know has a missionary because the only day i "get off" is p-day. It was good to hear about the campout. I think i was a bigger winner htan Bug! haha. My egg (Card) has $200 in it. haha. I just havent gotten it yet.

As far as the music goes, i definatley want the birds. The rest is up to your choice. I never really listned to "church music" before my mission so i dont know what there is. It just has to invite the spirit and be good. Cant be like Mercy Me or Jericoh Road.

So conference was super good. We had our investigator, Suzuki, go. We both loved it. He is divoreced from his family and alot of the talks were about Eternal Families and stuff. He told me that he loved that. I did to actualy. I love the talks about family but i dont think it was my favorite. It was super cool to have conference on Easter too. But since Japanese dont really celebrate the holiday it felt like a normal day. ON saturday after the first session, our Zone went and got some ramen. It gave me some WAY bad gas. I was murdering poeple haha. THen after the 2nd session we went and got meat and rice. Japanese fast food called gyudon. It was way good. I havent had it in like 8 weeks. Missionaries here usually have it like once a week because it is fast and cheap. During Preisthood, iw as really impressed with Elder Hollands talk about working in the Vineyard. I loved how he ended it too. So bold. For Easter I tried to make Elder CHen an omolet but i failed miserably so we had scambled eggs and meat and vegeis. haha. But it was pretty good. My favorite session was the 2nd session. My favortie speaker was M. Russell Ballard or O. Vincet Haleck. I really liked both of their talks. Elder Ballard talked about the Spiritual GPS and then Elder Haleck talked about our struggles and stuff. It was like the 2 went hand in hand. I also like the Speaker who talked about missionaries and getting LETTERS!!!! What he said was true. You should tell that to my siblings. IT was super good.

I cant belive that Bug is becoming an Elder. THat is so crazy. I was thinking the other day taht he is goin to get his misison call pretty soon. I am way excited to hear where he will go. I am hoping he comes to Japna. It is a great place. i love it here so much.

My week was pretty good. It was pretty normal acutally. On Monday i had splits and went ot another area. 1st time i have slept in anohter apt. in over 8 weeks. so long. On tuesday it started raining and we went to Yokohama train station (way big) to meet up wiht the others elders. Well the storm got so severe that they closed the trains down and then we got mail from the APs telling us to go in to our apts. becuase it was to dangerous. Well we were in a train station. SO we went and got all you can eat pizza and then went window shopping. haha. It was pretty fun until we had to go. THe subways were still going so we went to the closest train station to our apt. It is about 20 min walk. Well we started going and the storm got really bad. We were drenched. It was so much. I took some pictures and a vidoe that you will see. Then on Wednesday some random dude saw us and ran into the middle of the street to stop us. He met the missionaries 20 years ago and totally changed his life. He was super happy and super nice. He took us out on thursday to a all you cna drink place. it was pretty fun. They had all sorts of drinks. But this place was in HELL. yup. He took us to the worst part in that area i was tellin you about a couple of weeks ago. We just had to look down or at ourinvestigatos face the entire time. Friday we had district meeting andthen the zone leaders asked us to joint for a 45 minute lesson. We had dinner with Jenny at 5. Well hte lesson wasnt 45 min. It was like almost 2 hours. We got out of the lesson at 5:30 and were aobut 45 minutes away from our area. So we called Jenny and told her we were going to be late. We ran. Got the fastest train and then rain to Jennys house. Elder CHen was dead tired. Jenny was AWESOME. We had MEXICAN FOOD!!! I was so happy. It was so good. I love her so much. She is the best. She wanted me to teach them how to make tacos cuz i was from Az. I taught them how to cook the tortillas on the stove and warm them up. THey loved it. Well we got out of her house at 8:53 pm and curfew was at 9. So we ran agian. haha. We made it with 15 seconds to spare. haha. I dont htink Elder Chen likes me. haha. Saturday after conference we ahd the same issue and had to run home. Running in church clothes really makes you feel like a misisonary. Sunday after conference we had a dinner/lesson with suzuki about his Baptimal Interview which is today. It was so good and he will pass which means he will be baptized on saturday night. We had curry for dinner. THat was my Easter Dinner. We then had a lesson wiht Panda's Girlfreind Lili. I really like her and she is awesome. Super funny. She told me ahta when i get married she better get a wedding invitation. We talked about marriage and bad sexual stuff becasue we had to teach her the Law of Chastity. She is so awesome. I hope both Panda and Lili can come to America to visit. Anyway, we told her that we wanted her to be baptizd on 21 April. She said she wanted to. So in her prayer she asked God to help her do all she can that she can get baptism on that day. Way BOMB~!!!!! Today we went and played football and ulitmate frisbee with our district. It was so fun but super windy. That was about my week.

Dad gave me Chris Callenders emial address and i wrote him an email. I am so happy. THank you tahnk you thank you. I have been praying htat i could get into contact with my freidns and that is an anser to my prayers. The only one left is Curtis Christensen. I hope he si doing good.

So i am doing vvery well and keepping praying for the gift of tongues. the longer i am here the more i love Japan. I really do. The thought of coming home has gotten scary. But i do need some things. I need Cologne if you want to send some. haha. I love you so much. I hope that i didnt forget anything in this email. I was thinking about alot of things i needed to tell you but i forgot. Guess they werent important. But i love you so much. I cant wait til mothers day! Only 1 month left. its coming so fast. Oh today i have been on my mission for 1 year and 1 month. Crazy. Happy Easter!!!! Take care and know i love you.

Your American Samurai,

02 April 2012

Thanks so much for the pictures and the email. I have not looked at them yet but i am way excited. Thank you so much. THe new pup looks way cute and i can understand why you wanted her. Too bad she waont be a new pup when i come home. Jared WHipple has been sending me emails too. I am so grateful that he has gotten in contact with me. This week he asked when i was coming hom because he has really missed me. He said the day i come home he is coming to AZ to see me. Haha. I am grateful that he finally got in contact with me. I dont know how Michael Rider is doing. He doesnt answer my phone calls or emials. But i send them every 6 weeks. I hope he is doing good.

So you sound like you had a very full week. In the new families in the ward are there any cute girls??? haha. you can hve them start writeing me. haha. I bet bug is on that right. I read what you said aobout dad in the Newsletter. Since i had fast sunday yetserday i fasted for him. It really scared me. That has been one of my biggest fears while on my mission, someone getting sick or having life threatening problems. I know dad can do it. It really isnt hard to exercise for 1 hour or 30 minutes a day. I wish i was at home to help him out but i am where i am supposed to be and ji am going to trust in the lord on this one. it sucks that you all got sick. haha. I am as healthy as ever. I have to be healthy, i mean i run for 25 minutes everyday. i dont think i can get sick. I am way excited for conference too. I love having conference as a missionary. It is like a party being with the other missionaries. I am way excited. I need to start praying and asking for something special and something i can take from this conference. I really wnat to be able to take something out of it.

My week was pretty much the same as last week. We had lots of finding time and really didnt find anyone to teach. It really sucks. That is two weeks in a row where i have not found 1 investigator from my own finding. It is so hard. I was telling dad that it is really hard. I love my mission dont get me wrong. I love being here in Japan. There are days where the thought of going home back to Az are really scaring and it almost makes me cry. I have put so much time and effort in learning this language for this people that i dont wnat to go back. The life here has become my life nad it is super scary to think about leaving. I can speak a little bit of japanese and that makes me super happy. I know that i can only learn more. That makes me super happy too. I dont want ot go back and then forget waht i have spent so much time on to learn. It is super hard to say. But, thn i have days where i just want to call it quits because it is so hard. I go out almost everyday and try to talk with people. I have a great message to share with people but no one ever wants to listen. Once i say the word "church" they are gone. It is super hard. They have such a bad thought about Jesus Christ. They dont wnat to learn either. Elder Chen always says he wants to love his mission more. I dont blame him, how can you love a mission when people dont wnat to talk with you that you hold so dear? He didnt have the same problem i had when i was a younger missionary. My problem was homesickness and not being able to speak japanese. He is already fluent in the language so he doesnt worry about that. I really just want to find somebody on the street with him to show athat htere are people here in this country that have interest in Jesus Christ. I know it is possible. I have done it before. But i know that it is up to the Lord. We just have to be patient and Faithful through this trial and then the blessings will come. I just hope that it is sooner than later. I am gettign way tired and somedays i dont want to do it. It is hard having the smallest area in teh mission. Really hard. But it has its ups too.

Your email really made me laugh. Are you voluntaring me to sing in the ward choir? haha. my singing days are over. Its all about hte human body once i get home and maybe japanese. I started reading hte book of mormon in Japanse for my personal stdy. It is going to be way hard. I read for 30 ,min and only read 15 verses. The japanese book of mormon is so hard. But i really want to understnad it. So i am going to endure and do it. Yesterday was pretty interesting too. We had Testimony meeting right, well there is an american family in our ward and their dad is the translator for anyone who comes to the service. ( we are in a highly populated area of tourists) Well the youngest is a red head and he thinks it is funny to call himself Elder Van De Graaff and take my glasses and my tag. Well yesterday he got up to bear his testimony and asked me to translate for him. I was way scared. Lets just sya that the Japanese ward members didnt get a perfect translation. I think i learned like 6 new words in 30 seconds. The boy made it difficult on purpose or maybe it was just another american boy testimony. Anyways, it was way hard but super funny. I thought i did a pretty good job. THen i bore my testimony. Afteer i sat down everyone around me startd giving me pats on the back and i was red. Then i looked up and the american girl was up at the pulpet just loooking at me with a look like "arent you goin to come up here and translate for me?" look. Once again, i dont think the Japanese members got a perfect translation and it was even harder than the first. I think they did it on purpose. I think they look up to me as an older brother and like me. It was pretty fun and difficult.

Oh one of my friends is in the Kawamitsu's ward in Machida. I saw him on Friday because we had a 5 Zone Conference and i was talking to him aobut the Kawamitsu's. Well he has been there for 3 transfers and is going to be transfered. That means somebody is going to be going in. I hope it is me. haha. I gave him my business card for them. Hopefully he is there when they get back. If they get that card, it has all my info on it. It would be suepr good.

Well not much else to report. I could really uise the prayers on the Language. It is super hard and i dont want to start stressing aobut it. It is super hard too because my comp is alread fluent and brand new and i have been here for 10 months and still struggle alot. I really hope that one day i can jsut say stuff like i do in englsih. We shall see. I dont think there is anything else to write. I saw a man walking a cat for the first time in my life. that was pretty weird. The cherry blossoms are starting to bloom. It is going to be way pretty like next week. I will make sure to take lots of pictures. I love you mom. I hope and prya for your safety. Mothers day is only 1 month away. I am so excited. Cant wait. Hope you have a great week. Ill talk to you next week. Stay classy. . .

Love ya. . .