Monday, July 30, 2012

I have a new companion!

Hola Gozaimasu! that`s Spanglanese for I love being a missionary! :P
Hello! It`s so good to hear from you!
Well it sounds like you`ve had a pretty busy week! You`re an o tsukare-mama! (usually o tsukare-sama but I thought mama was clever haha). It`s always fun to here about your adventures at work. What made you want to start working again? Just all the kids being out of the house?
I can`t believe camp is basically over! I don`t know how it went for you, but the time here blasted by for me. I`m almost 1/4 into my mission! I don`t feel like I`ve accomplished enough! I need to work harder! ;P It`s an interesting feeling. I`m studying, preparing, and going out everyday, but I never really feel that prepared haha. I`ve never studied more in my whole life and I feel way less prepared. I`ve actually been getting up an hour early to do some extra study for japanese usually or whatever the day has in store. Still not feeling prepared :P But that`s why there are so many wonderful scriptures with promises about just opening your mouth and the Lord will fill it. I`ve actually been in situations where I had no idea what to do...so i just opened my mouth...unfortunately I think the Lord wants us to say something too. I imagine it looks pretty weird seeing a 198 centemeter tall gaijin biking around with his mouth open :D surprisingly I havent swallowed any bugs yet. They do like to fly into my eyes though. Not sure why...that was a pretty random thought...well tonikaku :P
Say hi to Wren for me! Ask him for any advice as well! Love you!
 
I`ve had the opportunity to give one or two elders in my apartments blessings for health, but other than that just trusting the Lords promises and praying a lot. The Blessings are always ana mazing experience though. Everytime I am about to give a blessing i feel very humbled. Not inadequate, but very reliant. I realize how little power I have alone, but how much power and responsibility the Lord has given me. It`s a very interesting moment.
 
I could definitely use those Dad! the way I usually hear the surprised one though is Bikkuri shita. It`s pretty common. There is actually a restaurant called Bikkuri Donkey (surprise donkey) that`s everywhere! I`ve never been to it, but it always gives me a laugh when I see a big donkey sign haha.
I love your insights dad. I was actually looking in D&C 138 the other day and found it very interesting. I didn:t think about that though. That`s a very interesting thought. I find it harder to think really deeply here because there is so much to think about all the time, so sometimes I write all mly thoughts on paper and then prioritize which ones I can think about when haha. I love thinking about the pre earth life though. What our life was like, our relationships with others, our ability to grow, events we were involved in...crazy stuff.Sister Hall (Mens Chorus Teacher) actually talked about how she thinks she was one of the angels that sang at Christ`s birth. I liked that :) Well I hope you have a wonderful time at camp! Work hard! Love you!
 
Well, I`ll try my best to get in everything before I have to go! We`re going out to get goched (fed for free!) by an investigator. I haven`t met her yet but she apparently isn`t terrible strong. I`ll get to meet her at a yakiniku grill in her yard tonight though! We don`t have too much going on here right now but we`re really going to work hard to build up everything!
We have an investigator that has heard a lot and understands but doesn`t believe a lot of what we say about God and Christ. We`re having him test out commandments right now though. So far he`s doing good with the word of wisdom and we`re going to teach him again next week.
As for other adventures, we`ve talked to a lot of nice people housing. We met a lady in her garden and told her we were missionaries and she just kind of blew us off, but then I noticed she was doing some gardening so I complimented her on her garden and she opened right up! She let us come in, look at her garden, eat some strange but delicious berries off of her bush, and even let me cut a little piece off of her tree to help! (I told her I missed doing gardening in Boise :P Which I really do! I want a garden when i get back). She listened to lits bits of our message but said her head was too hard to understand it and didn`t want to meet :( She was so nice and I`m sure we`ll see her again so maybe next time :) 
Also yesterday there was a man who came to church by himself and so we stuck around with him at church! It was great and he wants to hear more! He came to a church party thing afterwards for another 2 hours as well. He seems like he may have a couple hard things in his life, but we`re going to do our best to help him come closer to Christ and feel that love and healing.
The Lord really does answer prayers and bless us more than we ever realize :) what ana mazining thing. All of the things I was taught as a child are really becoming real now. I understand more than ever that the Lord is there and very involved in my life. I have to rely on him everyday in so many ways. I`m learning how to trust in His promises. It takes a lot of work though I`ll tell you what. It`s never been so hard to pray in my life. After planning at night you`re just ready to die on the futon, but I`m doing my best and realizing how important the effort is. I`m trying my best to show the Lord I am worthy of the blessings that He`s pouring out on my head.
 
Just a few other things. I have a couple pictures I want to put on. Just some adventures. For excercise the past couple mornings I`ve biked to the beach in the morning with another elder in the apartment (Elder Sims). It`s been really fun getting to know him :) Also my companion loves pokemon, so today we got a picture with a very special person. You`ll see...I was kind of excited too :P We also talked to a worker there who lived in california and might come to eikaiwa! That`s all I can remeber for now.
I love you all sooooooooooo much! Tell collette and the kids and jill and kellie and everyone I love and miss them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Bye Bye!

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