22nd Week in Japan, 30 Weeks

Yeah !

Today has been a great Pday! We were given the lovely privilege of going to Costco! The Costco here is exactly the same as in America! So it was really natsugashi (nostalgic) and it felt like I was in America! And the best part is, I was able to drink Mountain Dew, eat real American Pizza, a real Hot Dog, and a Costco Churro! Those things are precious. If you have them, thank Heavenly Father for your blessings! 

So this week, we had ZTM! I love ZTM! You get to see all the other missionaries in the zone and usually, pizza from Costco if you can convince the Senior couple missionaries to get it:p  My interview with Nakatsuka Kaicho (president) was a real eye opener. I told him how I really don't like streeting and that it was hard for me because all of the people in the city are pretty mean when missionaries talk to them.  He told me how it is important to talk to people anyways for a few reasons. One of them being upholding our reputation for loving people and being representatives of Jesus Christ, and two is because sometimes people aren't ready to recieve the gospel right now, but will be later in life. If we only talked to people once and called it good, many people would be lost for the rest of their lives and the blame would fall on me. That hit me so hard and I am going to work a lot harder now.  That also lead into our DKK. We are tired of having eternal investigators so we dropped a lot of people and made a new mission goals. If your companions goals and your goals arent the same for that transfer, nothing will work, I am in a baptizing mission and it is possible. It really depends on how much faith you have in the Lord and how obedient you are. 

Cool stuff! We got to do kendo! The picture below describes it all. You have a blown up katana or other weapon of choice and you fight! It is basically the Japanese version of fencing. 

Ok ill write you all next week! Bye Bye

We got to do kendo!

21st Week in Japan, 29 Weeks

Hey everybody! 

This week was a finding week. We put in over 25 hours of finding this week. I was definitely tired this week. But it was fun. In the area that I am in right now, we are used to teaching all the time and not so much finding. But this week I got a little bit of the taste of what country area will probably be like. And because the likeliness of me transferring after this transfer is over is very high, maybe the lord is prepping me for the area I will be going to! 

Our investigators, for the most part, we couldn't meet with this week.Everyone was busy because of the 3 day weekend. But we did meet with Fujimoto san, Soda san, Morikawa san (new), and Ono san. Fujimoto san accepted the Book of Mormon, Soda san has a better grip on the Atonement now, Morikawa san became a new investigator and we taught her about Joseph Smith. I don't know if she is listening because I am a gaijin, or if she is actually interested in the gospel. But for now she is listening so we are gonna find her needs, and teach to those needs! Ono san, Ono san,  Ono san. We have been teaching him for so long. Every time we visit him, a new problem, a new disagreement, a new excuse always pops up. He doesnt want to progress. He really only likes the company of the missionaries because he is alone all the time. Elder Yoshikawa insists on teaching him still, but I think we should drop him.  He wants to be an eternal investigator and we don't have time to waste with those who don't want to move forward with the gospel. I want to teach and find those who are searching for the truth. 

The language barrier was a problem this week. Elder Yoshikawa and I had quite a few miss communications  between the two of us. Because of that we weren't  unified as a companionship, and therefore the spirit couldn't be with us. Being unified with your comp is so important. During Church I had a mini revelation. I need to work harder on the language. I am tired of not being able to  communicate with me comp., my investigators, and the members. I cant make relationships with anyone unless it has been in English. So I am going to work harder.

Oh yeah I might have forgot to mention this but 2 weeks ago on thursday I baptized one of the sisters investigators! It was so cool! The baptism prayer in Japanese is so awesome!

Ok Ill email you all next week!

New tie clip and Baptism!

New tie clip

 I baptized one of the sisters investigators! It was so cool!

20th Week in Japan, 28 Weeks

And......I didn't transfer! yeah.....

	Jul 13 (7 days ago)

I am still in Moiwa! And my companion is still Elder Yoshikawa! This will be my fourth transfer in my bean area! I like Moiwa but their is a lot of street contacting here. I really dont like street contacting. People in the city are really mean and they either yell at you, hit you, or pretend like your dirt or don't even exist. So that is probably why I stayed. I wont leave the city till I like to street. So im going to gombarimasu!

This week we did a lot of housing. A lot of housing. Personally I like to ride my bike to the boondock areas of Moiwa because missionaries don't like to dendo far away from the city. So we went up a lot of mountains and hills this week. My legs are feeling a lot stronger now:p Although we weren't able to visit a lot of investigators this week, we made a lot of appointments.  Hopefully they will all turn out with interest.

Fun stuff, Yoshikawa Choro got hit by a car. Dont worry he is fine. He braked just enough for only a bruise.

Sorry for no pictures this computer is not very good. Short on time gotta run Ill try to email again later today!

19th Week in Japan, 27 Weeks

Hey everybody! 

This week was pretty interesting. At DTM (District Training Meeting) one of the workshops we were asked to practice doing missionary work like a kiyu yaku seisho (old testament) prophet! That was the coolest thing ever! Moses and all those old school prophets were always way bold and didnt care what people said about them. I like that:p Next day we had Nakatsuka Kaicho's intro party in Atsu Betsu! He is super cool! But definitely Japanese. His english is ok, but I dont know if I will be able to explain myself in an interview to where he will understand how I feel. But because he is the Mission President, Heavenly Father will help him. After the Zone conference party, the AP's, Evans Kaicho and Shimai, and a bunch of others (including myself) went and ate okonomiyaki (cabbage pancake thing that is fantastic!). Friday was the 4th of July! We made massive burgers! (They are a little expensive here, but it was well worth it:p) 

Our Investigator pool has been a little small, thankfully, Heavenly Father lead us to some other great people. Kitamura san, is my favorite as of yet. She had been going to some protestant church way out in the boondocks because she liked the idea of everyone praying and being together. She was also thinking about being baptized but wasnt sure if it was the right thing to do yet. She immediately came to the gen kan after we introduced ourselves through the aiphone (camera, doorbell thing). That is like a dream for missionaries:) Anyways we were able to talk to her for a while and she wants to learn. She thinks our religion is a little strict, but when she sees the blessings that come from keeping the commandments, she will see the freedom they bring. We are actually going to visit her today in 4 hours. Unfortunately we will have to pass her to the Sisters because her husband is never home and doesn't want to listen:/  Young san, Nagano san, Ran san, Ono san, Aoki san, Soda san, and Ando san couldnt meet this week. So we visited the NA's:p  The members of the church are way cool here. I want them all to come to church and tell me stories about their adventures. I just want everyone to come to church. Everyone here is so tired from work and the world, if they just came to church, they would realize how rejuvenating it is. 

Tomorrow we have transfer calls! I think ill be in Moiwa another transfer, but we will see.I want to go to an area where I am next to the ocean. Then every p day I can go fishing:)  

This is okonomiyaki at a members house!
(cabbage pancake thing that is fantastic!)

And this is us hanging with some skaters at Odori Koen on splits!

 Friday was the 4th of July! We made massive burgers! 
(They are a little expensive here, but it was well worth it:p) 

18th Week in Japan - 26 Weeks

Heyo!

So our investigators didnt do too well this week. A lot of no shows for appointments and just lack of commitment. Young san was too busy, Tomita san didnt want to answer the door, and Ran san didnt come to church again. But we were able to make some better relationships with the members. It is so important for members to help the missionaries when teaching.They bring power, experience, and a feeling of normal to the lesson. And it is way good if they can invite us to teach their friends. 

Next week on the 8th we have transfer calls! I might be transferring out of Moiwa or I might stay.It is a 50/100 for both. President and Sister Evans left back to America on Saturday and President and Sister Nakatsuka are here! They are 100% Japanese and very nice. I dont know how their English is yet, but I will find out on Thursday at the Zone Conference in Atsu betsu. 

I dont know if you all know this or not but Jehovahs Witnesses are all over the place here. They go out and do missionary work as well. Yoshikawa Choro and I were at the park looking at an NA list and they came up and started asking questions. We were able to teach the first lesson really quickly, but they weren't really listening to the doctrine. But I felt like I should have shared a scripture from the Book of Mormon with them but I didnt and felt really bad afterwards. In Moroni 10:6-7 we know that any good thing comes from Christ. And that thought was definitely from the Holy Ghost and I didnt follow it. I dont know what it would have done, but the important thing would have been to follow that prompting. If a thought or feeling you have is something that leads people to Christ, do it.

Here is a picture of the Nagano Family and friends!