First Letter From Japan!

Whats up everyone. Right now I'm underneath the temple in Fukuoka typing on my AP's Computer. We stayed the night in Fukuoka, and were going to be here for the rest of the day today. Tomorrow I find out my new Companion and Area and I'll head out. It's 1:43 PM. I slept like unto a rock. Sorry this is so short I'm just supposed to give a quick update and I'll write an email next week. I got my Japanese-tags. Got about 2000 Business Card. And a Helmet. I rode with an Elder Stratford this morning about two miles into downtown Fukuoka on bikes and we tracked. WHAT?!?! Alright I need to go. I'm about to have an interview. Everything is awesome. The people, the President, and Temple. Nothing here makes sense, but aw well.... LATES

I sent a package today with my fish blanket, pillow, scale, 5 white shirts, memory card, duffel bag, and children's hymns/hymnbook in Japanese. I didn't have any more room in any of my stuff so I had to send my blanket home =(. I was talking to one of my Senseis though and he said that it is like sleeping in Hawaii so my blanket would probably not be very comfortable.

Friday 金曜日 - So I have a new best friend here at the MTC. He's name is Sanderson 長老お. He's hilarious. He is the most gangster white guy I have ever met. Everyday he walks into my room and is like "Wassup gurl, how you be doing?" HES SO FUNNY. Me and him have a phrase that we always say "Dat is, Strait Up Out da box, CRAY CRAY!!" He's going to the Nagoya Mission so I wont see him for a bit but he lives in American Fork so I can see him when I get home.

Saturday　土曜日　 - We started the day with TRC. We taught "Yuta-san" (Utah) haha there were so many Nihongo 長老たち/ 姉妹たちthat we weren't able to visit with the volunteers so some of our senseis acted as investigators. our Investigator was Nielson Kyodai. He served in Fukuoka and he's been looking out for me as I've been here. It was very interesting to actually teach him rather than have him teach us.

Later we had 信奉求道者(Progressing Investigator), where we taught Christiansen Kyodai. Something that were very bad at is leaving him commitments that will actually make a difference in his life. So that's one thing that we tried harder to do, from the PMG section of commitments, is try to always leave something behind..

Later that night we had a workshop where we learned about Christ's Atonement. I partnered up with one of the Kohai Da Silva 長老from Brazil. He's awesome. He has such an amazing personality.

Sunday　日曜日- We had a meeting with Krueger Kaicho where he answered any and all questions that we might have with Flying to NIHON, or how the airport would be, or how the first couple of days would be and it was a very relieving meeting lol I felt a lot more prepared for what was going to happen after that meeting.

Later we had a Fireside where the MTC President Spoke, President Brown, Elder M. Russel Ballard spoke, and Archuletta Choro sang. And honestly that song was the best song I have ever heard. 序段じゃない(No joke). Now I see why Shelby liked him so much haha.

In that meeting they talked about how much we have sacraficed and how much we can change people's lives.\

Monday　月曜日 - We had a Japan Culture Meeting taught by someone named President Mills, who actually served as the Fukuoka Mission President. He told us that we need to get any premonitions about Japan and trash them. Forget anything anyone has said about Japan and how hard it is to teach there and throw it out, because people want the church, and our teacher's converts are evidence of that.

He then showed a video with pictures from all of our sensei's missions and they people they were able to teach. and they played the spirit of god in Nihongo. It was amazing. There was one picture actually of Reading Kyodai coloring with a little KODOMO (Child). And my heart just throbbed. I cant wait to meet these people!!

Tuesday　火曜日 - So we had class with Christiansen Sensei and we were practicing teaching Kamisama no Imashime (Commandments) And just a little story, Kerr Choro had to teach about the law of chastity to Chirstiansen Kyodai in front of the class and he said "結婚の前に *sexual* 景観するを穂がいい" (He tried to say that you should not have any sexual relationship before marriage but instead he said "You had better have some kind of sexual experience before marriage" and the entire class busted up.

We had our last Tuesday Devotional and afterwards we had a testimony meeting with the 11 of us in our district. we all bore our testimonies, and Then Medeiros 長老spoke. I'm just going to write a bunch of things that he said:

"We are the best district here. None of the other districts are prepared. they don't know what It is to be dedicated, they don't know how to work, and they don't know how to do all of these things. But we do. We know how important this time is and I have seen it. Just barely, everyone got back from choir and without saying a word you all got your stuff and began personal study time silently. After about 5 min I went out into the hall and everyone was running around and joking because it is our last week here. I came back and everyone was studying silently.... You guys KNOW how serious this is and you know what you're here to do."

"I had a friend that came up to me when I got my mission call. And he told me that Japan would not be good, that I would not be able to help anyone there, because he wasn't able to. And I just thought that's a lie. I can do anything with the lord's help. I have not been sent to Japan to do nothing. I'm going to work. And he did not enjoy his mission because he did not work."

"I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to come on a mission. I was 20 and I just started to fill out the papers. And honestly the one place I wanted to go to was Japan. I actually thought to myself that I don't want to go if it's not Japan. And Then when I opened my call and it said Japan, I was so happy. And then I just felt sick. I thought to myself that I need to do all I can to be worthy and to help those people around me by inviting them to come unto Christ."

(I think I might have mixed up some of those stories, but it was so powerful.)

Wednesday　水曜日- Our last class with Christiansen Kyodai. He shared some pictures of his mission and told some stories but the one story he told was of a friend of his that got back off his mission. His friend said that his mission had just been a waste of time and that It did not help him, and that he could have done other things. and Christiansen Kyodai said "Yeah, you could've been serving a real mission". If we serve as much and as hard as we can we will love everything about our missions even the hard parts. He said

"I know you all will serve real missions"

"No greater joy can come from anything other than this experience."

"But its still work, SO WORK!!"

"Don't use the small amount of time to mess around, WORK!"

"It will be the most amazing part of your life if you allow it."

Christiansen Sensei is an amazing teacher and I'm going to miss him.

Thursday　木曜日　- Today we heard from Readin Kyodai and he did the same as Christiansen Kyodai and he spoke to us about his mission. He told us about why he decided to serve a mission. he said at first he felt this obligation because he was a member and many others were not so he needed to teach these people. But he said that when he got home he realized that his mission was for the "watanabe family, shibuta family, yao ling, mae bo, Osaka 5th ward, Jila Hoshigata, Katai Family, and many other people. He said

"I found out why I served a mission after I did, It was for THOSE people."

"Just remember to open your mouths and dont be stupid."

"Be Strictly obedient and want to do good"

"Make Decisions through faith and miracles will happen."

"I just want to say that there will be hard times. but there will also be times that you will wake up smiling and say "Ilove being a missionary.""

I got both of my Senseitachi no emails so I can talk to them once I get home.

Friday - All we had was infeild orientation and it was super long. It was just how to work with people in the ward and how to better plan how to tract and other mission stuff. Nothing worth sharing, even though it was very important to me."

Well I love you guys. I'll see ya soon.

Wish me luck.

ILL SEE YOU ALL IN THE FUTURE

I love you Dad, Mom, Shelby, Jamie, Meri, Grace, Sophie, Dog (DOg stop biting Sophie!!)

家族を愛してます！！

I love you family!!

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I'll write you Monday from Japan. =)

Travel Plans

I got Travel Plans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will be flying out April 23rd

SLC -> Seattle -> Narita Tokyo -> Fukuoka Japan

I'll arrive in Fukuoka April 24th at 9:50 PM

 

CRAZINESS!!

Flying for basically two days worth of time!!

 

There are 8 of us in our flight group

Us 4 Eigo Chorotachi (Me, Gandy, Woodwad, and Barrus)

2 Nihon-jin Chorotachi

2 Nihon-jin Shimaitachi

 

None of them speak any english so were going to help them in Seattle and they are going to help us in Japan haha.

 

This week was pretty amazing other than starting it out sick.

 

Saturday - We had TRC again, but I was unable to teach because I was sick. They said that I shouldn't teach that way I wouldn't get the Volunteers sick. The rest of the day was just studying and reading.

 

Sunday - Easter Sunday - We had a big Sunday Sacrament meeting where the Sacrament was served in the auditorium of 19M, so about 3000 peoplegot the Sacrament. There were 6 tables where they blessed and about 50 people passing. The special speaker at the fireside was Elder Boyd K. Packer. It was legit. He's actually a really funny guy he spoke with his oldest son, who is a member of the Seventy. During Elder Packer's talk he he said to his son, "Now Allen I want to share this story and you are not allowed to tell your mother I shared it." The entire place just started laughing. Later we had a Testimony Meeting and it was amazing. The first time I was here for Testimony meeting about 10 people bore their testimonies. This time 38 people bore there testimonies in Japanese. People gave most of their testimonies in Japanese and then they shared personal things in English. I was really amazing to hear from most of the people in my zone. There were quite a bit of Nihon-jin shimaitachi / chorotachi who also bore their testimonies and it was amazing to here how they became a member of the church.

 

Monday - Woke up. Kojin Gakushu (Personal Study), Taikukan (Gym), Hirugohan (Lunch), Kurasu (Class), Nihongo Benkyo (Japanese Study), Bangohan (Dinner), Kurasu (Class), Kojin Gakushu (Personal Study), Hibi Keikaku (Daily Planning), Ryo ni mamoru (Return to Residence Halls), Nemu (Sleep).

 

Tuesday - We had a Fireside where the speaker was the Presiding Bishop who was released this last Sotaikai (General Conference), Bishop McMullen. It was really sweet to hear from both him and his wife, they told us that this was going to be there last assignement in their calling so they were happy to share that time with us.

Sister McMullen - Spoke about her experience in Germany serving a mission and about learning a language on her own and following the promptings of the spirit.

Bishop McMullen - Spoke about how we need to not be worried about Jinsei no Mondai (Lilfe's Problems). If we have the spirit and we never back down from an oppurtunity to sere then we will be blessed.

 

Wednesday - Getsuyobi wa onaji desu (Same as Monday)

 

Thursday - 

We had a class taught be Christiansen Kyodai and we were able to watch a companionship of Nihon-jin chorotachi and Shimaitachi teach. We were in one room on the other side of a two sided mirror while they taught on the other. And it was really interesting to see actual Nihon-jin teach. They didn't know we were watching so it wazs even more interesting. The way that they were able to interact with the Kyudosha (Investigator) was very interesting. And you could definantly see a difference in how they teach.

After that we just talked with Christiansen Kyodai and he told us a couple of Mission stories. So in Japan people are always super polite but they dont always want to hear from you. So when Christiansen Kyodai would go tracking they would knock on doors and Nihon-jin would open the doors laughing politely and shaking their heads saying "kekko" or "no thank you", while they crossed there arms in a X. It's kinda hard to explain ill have to make a video of what it looks like but its really hillarious.

 

Friday - We were able to go to the temple this morning and do initiatory. We went with Sanderson, Jones, and Williams Choro, some guys in our zone. Afterwards we had breakfast in the temple and I sat next to Sanderson Choro And hes hillarious. He's about 6'3'' and he's super white but talks like a gangster. I went and sat by him and he was like "Yeah son, sit ya-self down" haha. Me and him have a funny saying that we use all the time, whenever something weird happens. It's "That is strait up, out da box, cray cray." haha It never gets old.

 

Thank you Shelby Trish and the Newbys for the Box of Subway!!! I was so surprised!! I got it and was like SCORE!! My whole floor was trying to buy it off me and I was like "No way getcha own!!!"

 

Thank you Carla for sending those cookies as well =) my district totally wiped em out.

 

And Mom and Dad thank you for the box from whole foods. IT WEIGHED 49lbs~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was "Strait up, out da box, cray cray!!!"

 

I love you all!! Hope everyones doing good!! I saw Keaton Meyer BTW!! He's doing good, he seemded really excited to be here. Oh and I hosted Wednesday!! I keep remembering stuff I did at the very end. 

 

I'll probably send another card home today. And I havent gotten a letter from Shelby yet, I hate the mail here its always so slow. But I should get one later today.

 

Be Safe Dad Mom Meri Grace Sophie *Dog* Jamie Shelby and Everyone else!!!!

 

Ai shite imasu!!! (I love you!!)  

MTC Video April 4, 2012-Outside Picnic

MTC Video April 4, 2012-When guys have too much time on their hands

MTC-April 4, 2012 #3

MTC-April 4, 2012 #3, a set on Flickr.

Set #3

MTC-April 4, 2012 #2

MTC-April 4, 2012 #2, a set on Flickr.

Set #2