Happy Mother's Day Song for Sister Margetts

The elders in Sam's district made a song for Sister Margetts for Mothers Day.

Sister Margetts Mothers Day Song

Some Videos

Here are some videos that Sam sent us this week.  If you have motion sickness, which I do, they might make you sick, which they did.  The train ride was nice!


Bike Ride in Kitakyushu #1

Bike Ride in Kitakyushu #2

Bike Ride in Kitakyushu #3

Bike Ride in Kitakyushu #4

Train Ride Kitakyushu

おーは世ございます！！！ GOOD MORNING!!!!!

Im really sorry to hear about Grandpa Thad. I Didn`t read moms letter first I read dads. So when I was reading it, it said `I want to share some stuff about grandpas funeral and I was like HOLY COW!! No one told me he had passed away! But I read some more and then I understood. Im really going to miss grandpa. He was amazing. I knew the story that you told me dad, mom shared that with me about a year ago, he was just amazing. Tell Grandama Babara I love her. This week went by just as fast as the other ones!! Its so crazy! Monday - After Pday we were able to go out to dinner with a member of the ward named Kimura Kyodai. He took us to a sushi joint and made us eat SO MUCH!! I shared a little message with him and then we asked what we should do when it comes to getting the ward united. And he just said to visit everyone and get people excited about dendo! So thats what were gonna do! Tuesday - We had district meeting and then afterwards we had a lesson with Nakamura at the church. Ooshima kyodai cae to the church unexpectantly and helped us teach the lesson! It was so great (Theres a pic of him in here with us his wife daughter and friend, hes the one sitting down).　

we tried to visit a family in our ward called the Sakuragis. They have a bakery in Shii city so we tried to ride our bikes there and find it but we couldnt find it forever, it kinda sucked. And then after we found it it was closed for the night... Which sucked.

Funny Story = So in Japan when little kids cross the street they look both ways and put there hand in the air as high as they can and cross the street. So the night we were returning home from Shii, we had to cross this street as the cross walk symbol turned on we began to cross and a car ran the light right in front of us. SO Villalobos put his hand in the air as he began to cross and everyone in the other cars waiting for us began to laugh. As we were crossing an old lady was crossing from the other side and she just said ``NE?!`` which means basically in japanese ``I KNOW RIGHT?!?!`` hahahaha. Wednesday - We returned to Shii city and were able to meet the Sakuragis at there bakery, we bought a ton of stuff and they were very grateful. We taught 3 lessons and were able to meet a lady in the ward named Okahara shimai who is a Philipinjin (philipeno). We asked her if she could help us with a talent show were trying to do for the ward and she gladly said she would. Funny Story = Whenever we see kids between 8-16 years old they always try to speak as much English as they can to us, espicially when theyre in large groups. So as we were heading home we meet like 7 15 year olds guys and they were all trying to speak english. So we gave them some eikaiwa chidashi (English Class Flyers) and we talked with them in English, and they were like `WAKARANAI!!!` `I DONT UNDERSTAND!!`. So we were like buh bye see you... and then Villalobos Choro yells ``MY MOM HAS A HUGE REFRIDGERATOR!!!`` And they were like MY MOM HAS A HUGE REFRIDGERATOR back. hahaha Villalobos then explained that they have no idea what were saying so no matter what we say theyll try to repeat it and think that it means like a way that American people say goodbye. So if anyone goes to Japan and a kid walks by and says ``my mom has a huge refridgerator`` that was our bad,. Thursday - We helped teach English to like 100 kindergarten kids with Okahara Shimai. THEY WERE ALL CRAZY!! We played the English version of ``Jon ken po!!`` or ``Rock paper Scissors`` it was really fun. Later that night at Eikaiwa to new students came who were actually both Chinese. The husbnad speaks fluent chinese and Japanese but his wife only knows Chinese so were trying to help her out. His daughter recieved a chidashi from missionaries about 8 monthes ago and he kept it because he wanted to come but he had been too busy. But then he came hahaha. They are called the Oushimas. Friday - JUNKAI W/ YAMADA CHORO!! MY ZL!! What a crazy experience. I junkai`d (Splits) with elder yamada this friday and it was amazing. He speaks only a little english so we talked in Japanese all day and I loved it. We had suchs a great time we visited 1 member and taught 8 lessons on the street. We taught a lesson to one guy from like 810-920 on a street curb. He knew both english and Japanese so Yamada and I taught him in both. SUCH A CRAZY NIGHT!! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! Theres a pic of him in here as well the one holding my photo album. Saturday - Villalobos and Edwards Choro returned from Fukuoka and Villalobos and I went and taught Eikaiwa. The Oushimas returned!!!! It was legit!! Afterwards we went with some Eikaiwa students to go sight seeing and we tried to teach them some stuff but they just werent ready to hear it. Sunday Tashiro Choro of the 70 came and visted the ward!!! He was so cool. He was one of the best speakers Ive ever heard and he was super loving. He knows the kitakyushu ward very well so there was one part of the meeting where someone stood up to leave and he stopped and said, in nihongo ``Sister Imi do you have to go?`` and she was like yeah sorry I have work and he said ``thats ok but I want a hug first`` So he runs off the stand hugs her runs back up and continues haha it was so great. Afterwards the Ooshima invited us to there home where we were able to teach a friend of there`s a lesson. WAY WAY WAY FUN TIME. They have a daughter named Erin who is sophies age and she is just like Sophie but the Japanese version haha.]

Well thats it for me. I got letters from Abi Busath and Mike Young this Week. ANOTHER CRAZY STORY - Shelby, if you read this, youll have to let Samantha Bunderson know that Im will Villalobos. She wrote him a letter and was like ``if you meet a Sam McConnell I was his girlfriends roomate`` and he was like ``HOLY CRAP DUDE SMALL WORLD!!`` Befre he started reading the letter Iwas like ``Im pretty sure the name sam bunderson sounds familiar...` and he was like ``you probably dont know her......wait your name is in here`` hahaha I love you all!!! MOM DAD SHELBY JAMIE MERI GRACE SOPHIE DOG!!! Youre all wonderful.　Have fun sleeping!! my day

just started haha. みなー産におやすみなさい！！らい主またね！！ Goodnight!! Ill see ya next week!

Japan #2

Japan #2, a set on Flickr.

Second Set of Pictures from Japan

Japan #1

Japan #1, a set on Flickr.

First Set of Pictures from Japan

Moshi Moshi

KITAKYUSHU IS YOKATTA (good) This week we have not dont much. We had cleaning checks this last Thursday, and because the last 3 sets of Elders before us didnt do any cleaning (for like 6 monthes), we spent about 2 1/2 days cleaning haha crazy right? Monday : Cleaning / Mothers Day Call / Cleaning / Nakatsu Elders stayed the night for District meeting (Mitton and Barrus 長老) Tueday : We had district meeting with the 北九州 (kitakyushu) district. Then afterwards I went on junkai (splits) with one of the Yahata elders, Unice 長老. We arrived in Yahata and did some 伝道 (dendo). We taught two lessons and visited one LARC (Less active member). Then we ended the day with 英会話　(eikaiwa!!) We played scattergories and then a fun sentence game. All-in-all it was way fun! Afterwards we headed back to the apato and just swapped some stories and then we headed off to bed. Wednesday : We woke up, worked out, 個人楽手　(personal study), then we headed beack to 北九州。 We had Junkai review and then we all headed back to our homes. Villalobos 　長老 and I then spent the rest of the day cleaning the apato. Thursday : Judgement Day... WE PASSED!! The people who came and checked the apato our called the Christensen fufu (couple). They were in Villalobos` old district so they are way good friends with him. We all went out to dinner afterward and then we headed to the Church for our 英会話. We taught, and then we had a Mexican Night. We made Quesdillas for all of the students (Because they dont have cheddar cheese or tortillas or any kind of mexican food in 日本. They loved it!! We also made some Horchata as well and they couldnt get enough of it. That night we got a call from Mitton 長老 and he asked if we could come have an emergency Junkai so that him and Villalobos 長老 could talk with the bishop in Nakatsu and work out some problems that had come up in ward. SO.... Friday : We went to Nakatsu. And we Bean Dendo`d. And it was とても大変 (totemo taihen) （very rough). Barrus 長老 and I talked to 16 people, and only taught 1 lesson but hey, not bad for beans desho? (right?) We basicallywalked around for 5 hours and tried to talk to people, only those 16 actually stopped, and only one wanted to keep talking after we said who we were haha. But hey, it was great!! After the whole day we headed back to the Nakatsu apato (which is on top of the church) and we went downstairs to a English Book of Mormon reading class. All of the students were very kind and they all complemented me on my 日本語 (Japanese) haha people are very nice when they see me try to make an effort haha. Afterwards we headed to bed. Saturday : We headed back to 北九州 and went straight to 英会話. We taught the students and then afterwards everyone was leaving except for this lady named Maeyumi-san who is about 36 with two young kids and this one Korean girl whos name I cant remember (It was her first time coming to class). They met each other for the first time that day and were already good friends. We were leaving and they asked a little about the church building and if they could have a tour and we said ofcourse! So we walked them around downstairs and Upstair and just as we were about to head downstairs Maeyumi said `I have kinda a weird question for you guys, and I dont know if you gys know, but whats the purpose of life?`　And we were like `やった！！` (score!!) .　We　talked to her for a bit with the korean girla dn they both wanted to meet again!! Maeyumi has been coming for a while but she usually comes and then leaves early so see never talks with us but yeah, saturday she did!! It was great!! Sunday : Study Time / and Church and then we went to a fun Priesthood thing at our dendoshunin`s house. We played games and all just got to know each other better ( a student from eikaiwa even came!) But yeah, it was way fun!! Lots of random stories so I wont share them all haha. Dad = Since Ive been in 北九州 ive probably riden the train at least 30 times haha. Because everything is so spread out. I dont have to take them for district meeting because we meet at the church in our area but the rest of the elders in our district have to. We ride bikes everywhere as well. Just Saturday we rode our bikes an hour to Tashiro Shimai`s house to bring her dinner haha it was pretty fun.　 Im gonna keep sending cards but you guys really need to send em back. I only have 2 left because ive been sended them and I havent got anything back. I gave a little jikoshokai (introduction) my first sunday in church and shared a scriptures and talked about it haha it was way kowai! (scary). They usually always Villalobos and I to pray at the meetings as well. Members are awesome!! They are really starting to open up and ask us if they can come teach wuith us!! Villalobos 長老 said that they were not like this at all last transfer. They are inviting us to parties where they are bringing friends that they want us to teach and everything!!! Its so great!! The language is a little bems (bemiru, slang for missionaries, it means sketchy haha.) but you know it coming. It was a reall eye opener teaching with Barrus 長老 and not having someone to back me up when I dont know what to say in Japanese, it made me really stretch in the language and I realized I can say a lot more than I thought. I got a piece of paper that said I got a package but in Japan if your not home when a packagae comes they wont leave it, you have to call and tell them to redeliver it. So we did and I should get it today around 2. It said it was from Lake Point, so Im guessing that was you guys. Well I hope everyones good!! I love you Dad, Mom, Jamie, Shelby, Meri, Grace and Sophie, and big sweetie dog thing!! Aishiteiruyo!! 愛しているよ！ I love you (in a cool way!) haha Alma 26:26 呼んでください！　（Please read!!)

A Letter from the Future

Dads Questions Me and my comp are awesome. We are struggling to find investigators but were trying our hardest. My area is pretty ghetto, at least where I live. Actually, fun fact for you, right before I got here like a day before there was a shooting where a Yakuza member shot a cop in the leg haha. So theres cops every and theres little kids always walking by our apartment because were right next to an elementary school so there are like 10 cops guarding the streets to the Elementary school. Crazy Stuff. The ward is legit. Villalobos says the its `bean charm`. Crap I just realized that I havent explained what a bean is. So when you plant rice you have to start out with just a tiny bean right? Well in Japan they dont call new missionaries greenies, they call em beans or green beans haha. So in my ward everyone calls me Bean Choro (mostly because people cant pronounce my name haha). But the ward loves bean choros, so everyone is getting really nice. They called us a dendoshunin or ward missionleader finally!! Which is awesome. theres about 40-45 people in our ward, its pretty big. In Nakatsu which is part of our district there is only 7 people. So were pretty lucky. Weve only had two investigators: Nakamuta and Eiko, we havent been able to meet with Eiko because shes been busy, and we finally found Nakamutas baptismal record so he went from a investigator to a LARC less active recent convert. So right now we basically have no investigators haha so we gotta work!! P-days are actually pretty boring. We usually just do shopping. Actually something that really makes me mad. I bought a jisho or dictionary last P-day in Kokura which is the city and about 30min from the Apato. We buy it, get back to the apartment, open it and realize that its a Japanese to Chinese Jisho. I WAS LIKE ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! So today we went back and tried to return the Jisho but they said because I had openned it I could not return it. And I was like ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!? So now we gotta find a pawnshop and sell it to get some cash and then buy another Jisho. Which sucks. I have not gotten a video card. It goes to the honbu and then to the apato so I might not get it for a while. Could you send peanut butter and taco seasoning haha they dont have those things here. The food is CrAzY. Its going to take a while to get used to. Espicially Mugicha. Its this nasty drink that every drinks and if I dont drink it Im being rude so it sucks. It tastes like a liquified ash tray haha. Missionaries get transferred many different ways here. My Trainer was in Okinawa for the first 4 transfers of his mission. So who knows. Ill probably be with Villalobos it Kitakyushu for two transfers but Ive heard tons of different things. I dont have a list of names on me right now but I should have them next week. I have some Missionary buddies and also my MTC senseitachi. I havent gotten my bike yet I ordered it and it wont get here until next week because of Golden week. So I had one of the members bikes, its a fold up, we call it the mama chatei. I got a flat tire though so I have to fix it haha Remember last week when I said the language was alright? ITS KICKING ME IN THE FACE!! haha its rough, I fell like I am able to understand most of what they say, but when it comes to responding im just like `derp....` So I need to study a lot more. NOW FOR THE REAL LETTER Monday Mitton Choro and Barrus Choro came over from Nakatsu to stay the night. We have district meeting on tuesdays and since they live so far away they stay the night before. We stayed up talking with Mitton, hes a hillarious guy. Tuesday I studied a talk called the 4th Missionary.. Check it out He had district meeting where we just studied from PMG and made some district goals. I walked around with some one in our district named Swasey choro whos japanese, but hes peds in eigo. He was just talking to me and was really nice and offered to helop me with anything that I needed. Hes a really soft spoken guy. Kitakyushu District Villalobos DL/T McConnell Bean Mitton T Barrus Bean Unice Senpai Swasey We went to a tabetehodai or all you can eat restaurant. They just had piles of raw meet everywhere and you got tongs and took the meet to your table where there was a grill built into the table lol. It was legit. Afterwards we had a lesson with Nakamuta and we called him and asked if it was still on, and he said he couldnt meet. So we were like dang, and started walking back to the apato when he called again and was like, actually I can meet today so we were like nice!! So we taught him the 救いの計画 Plan of salvation!! After that we walked around did some housing and then headed back for the night. Wednesday We housed for 8 hours and everyone kekko`d us except a girl we began to teach who turned out to be a Chugakusei or middle school student, so we were like crap, give this pamphelt to your parents haha we taught a ramen shop owner where we had lunch. We started eating and he was like, Whats with the tags? and we were like ......nice! So we taught him and got his number so we were going to give him a call later. And then we met THE BEST GIRL EVER! Her name is Ida Maiko, we were housing in the complex and we had been kekko`d by everyone and then we were like its late we need to get back so we decided to do one more door, and we met her. Shes a college student up here in Kokura and she kept telling us that everything we were teaching her was stuff she believed and was really interested so we were like YEAH!! But she would take a　モルモン書　because she said that she would feel bad if she took it and didnt read it so we left but were going to go visit her again. Thursday We were in the Apato all day with study and weekly planning it kind sucked. But then we had eikaiwa and it was pretty fun. Everyone that comes to eikaiwa is a riot. We got a ride home with one of the students named george who is about 21 has a tatoo on his hand and he doesnt have a pinky.. so he probably was yakuza haha. Friday We had a ward picnic up in the mountains of Kitakyushu. We went up to this area they gave us bags, we went and picked random roots and leaves that we found that we were able to eat and then we made tempura with them haha it was crazy!! It was way fun, the ward is very funny, and they are always trying to help me out with 日本語. Nakamuta actually came too which was cool because hes starting to make friends in the ward. Later that night we went into Fukuoka by sonic train for district leader counsel and then I junkai`d or went on splits with our ZL Edwards 長老 from　Austraila. It was way cool. The APs ZLs and honbu elders just barely bought a house between the six of them so we stayed the night there and it was way fun, they had actually been moving in that day. Saturday AP Ahn Clement ZL Edwards Yamada Honbu Oba Usui Sorry Im running out of time but quick story. With Edwards in Fukuoka we taught 17 lessons and got 9 numbers in 3 hours! ISNT THAT NUTS?!?! We seriously just talked with everyone. Edward`s Sensei was actually Christiansen Kyodai as well. Hes an awesome ZL. The most ive taught in Kitakyushu was like 2 lessons a day. It put my work in Kitakyushu to shame. So me and Villalobos are going to crank it up!! Sorry that I ended this so suddenly but Im outta time. I love you all. I sent a letter with a memory card to Shelby so she should bring it over to you guys once shes down with it. LOVE YOU ALL BYE!! Talk to ya Monday!!