こにちわ皆さん！
この週は沢山奇跡を見せてました！
月曜日
I thought p days were for relaxing! Sadly that is not the case at all.
We woke up studied then were called by the sisters as we were cleaning
and making lunch. They needed us to go to the church to help set up
for zone conference with the members. So we rushed to the church and
helped. Then we came home, ate then went to giomes to buy the
groceries for the week. We bought a ton of juice! When we got home and
checked the mail, my companions bike was found! He was so excited! We
then went to D2 to buy shaving cream and then to the church to email.
After emailing we went to go pick up his bike, only we had to take my
bike too. So he ran in the rain and I followed closely in my bike. We
got his bike back it is the same exact bike I have! Whoa! The man
their was kind and helped us try to fix it up. The person who stole it
took the bell, light, lock, and inter tubes! Who takes just the inter
tubes!? So we need to go to asahi now to fix it. We then had to go to
the police station to report it found. The Japanese police system
reminds me of Batman a lot. When you walk in it looks like the total
cliche batman style with big polished stone walls and people busy at
work. We were brought to the second level but then there wasn't room
so they had us sit in the hallway. Then a flurry of activity began
happening in front of us. People running in their rain gear across the
halls with a lot of screaming. We were then ushered backed down to the
first floor. It was an exciting time to report that he has his bike
now. We then came home and made dinner. One of our investigators
called but we don't think he will be getting baptized on the date set
anymore, he has some personal issues to work out. We then went to the
church and called as many Potential Investigators as we could! Sadly
not many even remembered they had met missionaries before, a lot of
them had 5 year old contact info. We then came home and prepared for
zone conference the next day.
火曜日
We woke up early and got dressed and went to zone conference at our
church building! It was great, there was a lot of inspired trainings
given. I am excited to use the new revelation and teachings in not
only dendo but also in my own life, I love how much change in your
life happens in your time as a missionary. You begin to see life
through a new lens. After zone meeting, I went on splits with Elder
Rockwood, one of President Wadas assistants. We went to his area, on
our way their he was busy talking to a sister missionary about
referrals and I kept getting the prompting to go talk to a man who was
sitting a few chairs away. I went and sat down next to him and we had
a great conversation! I gave him a Book of Mormon and taught most of
the restoration right there. Sadly I didn't have a phone or contact
info it was too bad. We then switched trains and went to Hachioji,
elder Rockwoods area. We meet some college judo(ists) who had really
bad cauliflower ear. Then we went to teach an investigator of theirs.
He was way cool. But after the meeting elder Rockwood said that he was
way sad, he saw a change in him from the last time they met. We then
went to 7/11 for dinner to buy some food and talk to the people who
worked there. We then walked to the apartment on the way there we met
a kid and taught him how to pray right there! It was a really neat
experience. We then went to the apartment and planned for the day and
introduced each other's families. Then we went to bed and ended up
talking for another hour. It was really neat to see his perspective on
life, and speak English!
水曜日
During studies we mogied lesson 1. It was really good, he gave me some
much needed feedback. He said that even though my Japanese is funky(my
Japanese is aweful), he can tell what is in my heart, and he said
others know too. That was comforting to know even when I butcher
things. He then told me how he learned Japanese, I readjusted my plan
to get to that point. He told me not to give up, or even dumb down
what I want to say. He said that if I keep translating once it all
clicks it will be really cool. So I'm going to follow the counsel and
hopefully it'll work! We then had lunch and wet out to dendo and
everyone denied us, I kid you not, no one would talk to us. Elder
Rockwood told me that had never happened to him before. We stayed
positive though. We helped a women restart her bike it was awesome,
she didn't want to talk to us though. We then decided to go housing.
We had no avail, at two apartment complexes. But the last door, or
course it was the last door. The last door a women opened it and she
wanted to hear more right then. So we ran to the church and got the
sisters and came back and now they have an investigator! We then had
splits review, it was really cool, i had a lot of neat consul given.
We then switched back companions, it was good to see Elder Naganuma!
He is my buddy! We then had dinner and went to the church for
practicing a song that we are singing for the talent show on Saturday.
We then had Eaikiwa! It was great! I loved getting to know the people
who came to our class!
木曜日
During language study I gave my companion my English hymn book to use
for language practice. It was hilarious, he sang for the entire hour!
It sounded really good by the end! I worked on memorizing how to teach
more. We then had lunch and picked up our dry cleaning and met our
doseki for our lesson! He met us as we were walking back to the
apartment! Great timing! We then walked to fujino's apartment, our
doseki is the most recent convert in the Ward, which was three years
ago! Our lesson was great! We could really feel the spirit testifying
to him. We were able to set a baptismal date for the 27th! We think he
is going to be able to meet it too! We went out to lunch with our
member doseki to a cotsudon place in the mall, it was Ma Ma but it was
good to get to know him better. We then got a call from one of our
other investigators with a baptismal date, sadly we don't think that
he will make it...in fact we had to cancel the date because he doesn't
have a desire to be baptized. With that loss we started weekly
planning, and got a call from another one of our investigators with a
baptismal date. I talked to him for about an hour. He said that he
wants to be baptized this summer probably...that was a
disappointment...we lost another date! But hey trials make us
stronger. So we finished our planning and went to the church to
contact potential investigators. During which we got a call from the
same investigator that wanted to change his date to the summer, it
turns out he is reconsidering maybe, we will see. He is meeting with
the assistants soon. We then came home and made some dinner and went
to the other apartment to Tim tam slam (they are Australian cookies).
Then my companion asked to arm wrestle me again, only this time on the
floor so there was so there was no advantage. To his dismay my farm
muscles still work properly...he then said I am the only person to
beat him! Whoa! He is wayyyyyyyyy strong! All his veins were popping
out. It was fun way to end the night.
金曜日
I decided to try out running again on my ankle! It worked well we
didn't run that far, but it held up okay. The local park actually has
training workouts to do so that was fun! It felt good to be outside in
the morning again. After studies we ate lunch and ran to district
meeting. It was really good. I have to do most the talking for the
companionship because my companion doesn't speak good English. It was
neat to discuss all the great work the district is up to. We then ran
to fujino's apartment to meet up with our doseki. District meeting was
late which was cause for the run. We meet up with our doseki, he was
the same from yesterday! He is really encouraging with my Japanese, so
he is great to have around. The lesson was great. Fujino is so
accepting of the gospel and a better life. After the lesson we
streeted around Tama center, or the gates of hello kitty land... We
stopped a bunch of people and ended up teaching a group of 8 kids the
whole restoration. They were really interested in the message we had
to share it was awesome! While we were teaching them a member of our
Ward came up to us and gave us drinks, it was totally totsuzen but way
cool! We then met Kondou-San at the crepe shop and talked to him for a
little bit, he still has a lot of personal problems to work out. He
asked if we could meet with us that night at the church. So we came
home ate dinner called around the Ward for a doseki and the sisters to
sit in on the lesson. The lesson was great! The sisters are great
teachers, but sadly he has a lot of personal problems still. We will
figure things out though. He is meeting with the assistants tomorrow
so hopefully that will go well.
土曜日
Our studies turned into a million calls back and forth for the talent
show that night, a lesson we had later, and the Assistants. We then
ate lunch and I took a language test for the missionary department.
They are doing a long term study of the mission and testing us
periodically via the iPads to see how our language improves. We then
walked to fujino's apartment! What a great guy! We had a doseki with
the same member from yesterday. It was really good, he is so prepared.
Seeing the change that has gone through him is remarkable. After the
lesson we went to the church to help set up for a relief society
meeting and then upload my language assessment. We then ran to the
apartment ate dinner and then back to the church where we taught a
lesson to Yoichiro. He is kind of an investigator...but at the same
time not. We talked about music it went well. We then started setting
up for the talent show. There are two boys in the Ward that remind me
of Stephen and Henry! I played with them, it was totally natsukashi!
Their mother came up to me and asked if I had siblings, so I showed
her my family pictures on the iPad which turned into me showing the
Ward my family pictures. One of her children thought that my siblings
were my kids! Americans age a lot differently then Japanese people.
The talent show was awesome. We had a member play piano, Yoichiro
played his bass guitar, some of the older sisters in the Ward hula
danced, the youth did a skit, and all the missionaries sang! It was
way cool! We brought Fujino with us, he had a great time there. After
getting home we planned then as soon as 10:30 hit our phone was off
the hook for almost the next hour getting calls from all around the
mission about a million things.
日曜日
When we got to the church we put the lessons from yesterday into our
area book then stayed for about ten minutes of DCS than literally ran
to fujino's apartment. He sort of forgot that we had church again. I
think somedays he doesn't think we are coming to get him. But he was
up and ready! He bought a new white shirt this week! He looked great!
We then ran with him to church. Or rather we ran after him to the
church, we insisted that running probably wasn't a good idea but he
didn't want to be late! I can only imagine the scene that we were
causing. Haha! We got to church a little late, but it was great that
we made it though. After the normal three hour block, we talked with
Ward members and Fujino (oh! I figured out his kanji! Fuji means
wisteria like the plant, then no means field or plains. It looks like
this, 藤野) snuck out on us! We think he was probably tired. I am now
best friends with the most rambunctious kid in the Ward! He is two and
a half years old and his name is Aduma (in English it is Alma). He is
always running around punching the air and yelling...he reminds me of
my siblings...So him and I began to play and his mom came up to me
apologizing for his rambunctiousness, but I told her he reminds me of
my brothers. I feel really bad for her, most Japanese kids are
silent...but he is in no way quite, I feel like she is embarrassed
sometimes for having to take him out...if she only knew how it was in
american wards haha! I talked to her for a little bit, and when it was
time for us to go Aduma said "bye bye Dunn chourou" it was great! So
now my best friend in the Ward is two and a half! After church we went
home for lunch then off to Fujino's apartment. During lunch we tried
aimlessly to find a ride to take us to machida for a conference where
Elder Nelson and Elder Evans were speaking at. Sadly we couldn't find
anyone, so we biked to fujino's apartment to tell him that we couldn't
go, but just as my companion began to say it, I kid you not, our phone
began to ring. It was a member of the Ward asking if he could take us!
Whoa! Boom! Tender Mercy right there. We then arranged to meet at the
church at 5, we were a little worried since he forgets things easily,
I think it is mostly time though. We housed around his apartment
complex a little then went back home to have dinner, and then get
ready for the conference. When we got to the church at the set time we
waited for Fujino to show up....he didn't...so we decided to drive to
his house and on the way guess who we saw as we were at a stop light!?
That's right Fujino walking in a blue suit! Whoa! Boom! Another Tender
Mercy right there. We got him into the car and drove to machida. That
was the first time I have been in a car that long since being driven
to the MTC! It was weird but way nice. Every Japanese car has a sat
nav for two reasons, backing up (you always back into a parking spot),
and for directions because the 4 lane highway turns into a 1 lane road
in some parts. The conference was great! It was in my old area. It was
a broadcast from hero. The translating was really neat. The person
speaking and the translated would stand side by side and alternate
speaking every other sentence, it was really cool. Elder Evans was a
mission president in Japan, and part of the area presidency in Japan.
So Elder Nelson asked him to speak in Japanese so the Translator
translated into English it was pretty funny but really cool. Elder
Nelson had some really neat counsel of being able to explain church
doctrine very simply to our friends. This upcoming week all the
missionaries have a conference in Kichijoji where the north mission
will also be! After the conference we were dropped off at the
apartment then guess what started to ring!? The phone, only Kawasaki
was calling...we don't know anyone in Kawasaki. I called them back and
it was an Elder in the mission that found my bread recipe and had
questions about it! It was really funny. When I told my companion in
broken Japanese he gave me a funny look and said, "zen zen
wakarimasen" or I really really don't understand. It was a dang long
but eventful day!
気をつけてね！
愛してます！
ダン長老
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