I've eaten octopus and sticky goo-ey booger looking stuff and all sorts of random things, but my favorite thing is Indian Nan. OH MY GOODNESS!

Minasan Konnichiwa!

 

It's good to hear your wonderful typed words said in my brain this day!

This week was a little taihen at first, but it turned out much better at the end. I got into the rut of saying " I cant do that" when my doryo assigned me to do things and I was just miserable because I was scared. That went on for a couple days and i read about faith during my personal study and I decided that I was sick of being scared, so i changed my attitude and now anytime I have even a hint of fear or get assigned something I just yell "I CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It's way more exciting and fun that way. So that was the thing I overcame this week.

 

I was talking with Davis Choro about my neices and Nephew and they're going to be so old and big when I get back! It's crazy! I'm so excited to see them though. Tell Everyone i love them!

Hmm...well I'll definitely be praying extra for Grandpa. It's good to hear about everything else though.

One thing I really miss is the grass and gardens and stuff like that. I'm in the biggest part of the biggest city of Hokkaido and it's really cool, but I'm excited for the time I get to go out into the back country of Hokkaido. For now though I'll enjoy the joys and excitements of the city. It's a different kind of beautiful, but beautiful none the less!

 

So you wouldn't even recognize me anymore if you saw me eat. Something changed when I came here and now I can eat anything. Literally! I've eaten anything put in front of me and usually I love it! I think I just love eating so much and I'm always so tired from working that I can eat anything in any amount. I've eaten octopus and sticky goo-ey booger looking stuff and all sorts of random things, but my favorite thing is Indian Nan. OH MY GOODNESS! Nan is so goooooooooooooooooood! We ate it the other night with a possible investigator and a ward member that just got back from his missin (Abe Kazutomo Kyodai) and it was so fun! We met at the church and showed him around right at first then went and ate and it was the best thing I've ever eaten. No joke. And what's even better, He wants to come to church! He's busy on sundays and stuff (his name is Sugawara Shin San) but he totally wanted to come. We're going to play basketball with him saturday thougha nd hopefully get a lesson in.That was the highlight of this week.

 

Actually! On tuesday Davis Choro and I went to this big meeting thing for a company called JCI at the Prince Hotel and it was soooooooo cooooooool! It was an Omoiyari meeting (like, open thought and speaking to encourage giving other peoples ideas a chance. Learning to accept others ideas kind of a thing.). It was so big! Like 300 people and my companion and Iwere at different tables talking to people. There were like 25 tables with 10 people at each table and a bunch of big CEO type of people and geijins as well. It was very interesting and didn't get too much chance to share opinions, but through their activities we got to show leadership and my companion spoke in front of everyone like twice and told his table about God and it was just an amazing opportunity. Crazy stuff. The whole meeting was just a beautiful thing because it was Japanese people trying to be more open minded so that they can change the world through understanding each others points of view. Amazing how the Lord is preparing people.

 

Other than that this week was pretty interesting. All of our lessons fell through, but we found 17 people we're going to talk to this week so I have high hopes for that! We were so blessed by the Lord in finding this week and now we have to do our best to hold onto our fruits and help them recieve the blessing of baptisms!

It can be pretty tough and frustrating with a new language sometimes. Your thoughts have to connect from what you want to get across to putting it into english to translating it to Japanese and that can be way taihen. But slowly I'm learning and doing my best! I'm learning 6 words a day and constantly practicing and talking to people and teaching all the time. Its so crazy and awesome!

 

A lot of weird things happened this week for transfers. An elder in our apartment had to leave (Kogure Choro) all of a sudden and we got a new Elder who is so crazy! My companion was his junior companion when he was still a really young missionary. He is always talking whether it be to us or himself and is always such a genki fellow! I love him! haha. His name is Yanez Choro and he has ADD and slight Terrets so he clears his throat a lot and his eyes twitch quite a bit but he's such a blessing! His genki-ness is contagious and makes everything very light hearted :) Love him. It's interesting for Asai Choro as his new compnion though. 3 geijins and him as the only nihonjin but his english is great and we're always talking to each other and helping each other out. last night we had a great talk and helped each other out with the language and right before we went to bed I shook his hand laying next to each other on the floor and felt such a strong bond. So we ended with a meaningful "Ai shite imasu" and went to bed with a smile :)

 

I love this :) It's so incredibly hard sometimes and I've been pushed beyond what I feel I am capable of quite often, but when that happens I just find out what foundation is really supporting me. It's a wonderful life it is. Constant trial and growth leading from grace to grace and greater and greater things. I love you all and I miss you so much! Take time to slow down and smell the roses while they're still in bloom! The Lord made this world to be enjoyed so find a way...Just sang happy birthday to Yanez Choro and didn't even know it was his birthday...tonikaku haha. Take time to look around and be thankful for everything. It will bring so much happiness :)

 

Love you family! Till next time!

 

P.S. My companion and I clean every P-day while the others go shopping. It's a good system :)

Also, to Dad, I know that the Lord has guided you to where you need to be because you constantly seek his guidance. I've seen that looking back in my life. I was always where I needed to be because of your willingness to follow the Lord so thank you so much :) I love you!