2016-09-26 “A CTR ring”

Week 53

My iPad memory was filling up due to all the mission memories I have collected over the past years. So we went to the Internet cafe to slap the files over to a USB. But instead we spent an hour trying to get the computer to find my iPad and recognize it with no avail. This we threw down some cash to just sit at a booth for an hour. We made the most of it and took advantage of the free drinks and ice cream. Then we left and it started to spit lightly. No need for a raincoat we thought because we planned to visit a couple members and less actives. 4 mins in it’s a downpour. We arrive at the less actives house and they were impressed that we still went out in the rain and at nig so they readily invited us in and gave us food, listened to our message, built food kankei (relationship) and boogied back home in the rain.

 

Tuesday we woke up and it was still raining. We had a lunch appointment with a member who took us to a bakery cafe place called Dominques. He is a French dude who started his own restaurant and every month he makes new food based on a selected country. He has won 5 medals of best pastries. I’m trying to say it was so good I downed 6 plates there. (It was tabehodai aka all you can eat) the months theme was Spain. There was this seafood rice with capsicum and paprika…my mouth is watering. Forgot to mention the rain and wind picked up significantly that roads always had a puddle of water over it. Turns out yesterday and today a typhoon was making its way up along Japan. Got a couple emergency texts from the area, but we had appoints with very important investigators so we kept doing the lords work. Surely blessings came and the typhoon ended as we had to leave for an appointment. The lesson was more of a quick message because we had to write out a form for her in Japanese. She promised she would come to church this time. If she does we will make another date for her 😅

 

On Wednesday aka “Wurger Wednesday” we had a Koukan! (Companion exchange) so Elder Cox, a fresh new missionary and I did some work here in Suzuka. He wanted to know how to train dendo (proselyte on the train) so we engaged a convo with someone gave him a Book of Mormon. Told us he would read it gave it back and promised he will look it up on the internet. We did our best. Visited a recently activated less active, bunch of previous investigators (people learning about church) and then had Eikaiwa. A little girl aged 5 came to kids Eikaiwa had spoke better English than me. After Eikaiwa we did the traditional maccas run. This making it “Wurger Wednesday.” 15 piece nuggets 570 yen? Heck yes.

 

Thursday was a lot of planning for the talent show we will have on Saturday.

 

Friday we had DTM and visited April. Along the way we met a man who told us he had hand power. He got me to put out his hand and he hovered his hand over mine. “Do you feel it?”  I didn’t know how to reply so I said “feel what?” He wasn’t too happy.

 

Saturday we had appointment call through because we planned for the Talent show and missed our train to head back by 3 seconds. So I was pretty salty about that. The talent show was also a bit disappointing in regards to teaching opportunity. No investigators came but 3 non-members came. They were not interested in learning… but the members loved it and wanted to do it again next transfer. We feel that we gained the members trust by planning this activity.

 

Sunday came along and it brightened my mood because it was full of miracles. So our investigator called on Friday saying she couldn’t come to church. So we spent 3 days trying to organize a ride but no one could do it. A less active member we are working with walks in halfway through sacrament, and surprise they brought our investigator with them! We were so shocked. We asked them after how they knew each other. So two-three weeks ago, Masuko gave Sandora (our investigator) a CTR (choose the right) ring. She was at a convenience store and ran into a member of the less active family we are working with. He saw her ring and asked if she was Mormon. She explained she is studying with the missionaries and he offered her a ride to church tomorrow. If that’s not church magazine story level I don’t know what is. Anyway we visited the same less active family that night and they explained that Sandora told them she had a dream, she was wearing white and two elders were too. There was crystal clear water and she got baptized. So she really wants to be baptized. Our minds were blown. We shared a message about family home evening and asked if we could host one for them. They agreed. The mother really wanted to say the closing prayer and she did and stated to cry. After she told us how grateful she is for us. It’s awesome seeing how much of an influence you can have on someone’s life.

 

 

Photo1: Elder cox who is taller than me, is riding Masukos bike (extra small)

Photo2: Yakiniku (Korean BBQ) with Brother Tupa! I love Tongans. So funny.

Photo3: Masuko vs Tupa

Photo4: what lessons with April mostly turn out like.

Photo5: More Mizuki chan! I love her. She runs to me an puts out her hands to hold mine.

2016-09-12 “I gave him a Book of Mormon.”

Week 51

This email is week 51. Yes. That means in another week or two’s time I will hit my year mark in Japan. To answer everyone’s question, no I still can’t speak or understand.

“I just DO things.” – The Joker

Wednesday’s account will give a prime example.

 

Monday was glorious. I found “troli sour gummy worms” (my favourite lollies’) at a shop here in Suzuka. Sorry I was pretty happy about that. The only downside is that it costs two dollars for a small bag. Bracket [if my mum and dad are reading this please send me a large tub] after that glorious find we went finding for investigators. We found none, but we went to a recent convert of about a month to teach her after baptism lessons. After we taught her I felt that I should ask if her brother Robin would like to hear our message. He agreed and came and sat down. We taught the restoration and invited him to baptism. He said yes, but won’t set a date yet because he has things he wants to understand first. But now we have a solid investigator who is preparing for baptism. Sick aye.

 

Tuesday we met with two people who called up on Sunday to start 30/30. (30mins free English, 30min free guide to eternal life A.K.A the gospel) they loved it. We gave them a Book of Mormon each and they said they would read. Foundation is set, we will invite to baptism next Tuesday.

 

Wednesday. We have a lot of side goals and plans we needed to organize. So we ran around buying supplies to make posters, flyers, letters and such. While doing so we talk to people. We can’t find the elect if we don’t open our mouths. This brings me to the “Wednesday account”. In Japanese you can use different words and conjugations to say the same thing in a different way. It’s a never ending language. I talked to this guy who said a word I’ve never heard before, so naturally I just nod along and say my next part. I asked him “if God existed what question would you ask him?” I heard him say “mushi ga nai” (no bugs). Alright…bugs are pretty annoying I guess. So I just gave him a Book of Mormon and contact details and told him he can find answers in this book. He left and my companion says to me, “do you know what he said?” Haha! No. First he said he thinks God hates him and if God existed he wants to feel his “mushou no ai” (his unconditional love). Well… At least I gave him a Book of Mormon.

 

Thursday we had a koukan! So elder Meyers (we were in the MTC together) is now my Zone leader so he came down to Suzuka to spend a day with me. As Masuko and I left to meet them at the Eki, we could see dark clouds coming from the west. We should be good it’s a bit far out. 5 min ride to the Eki, met them said hello. Felt a few drops of rain. “Okay we better go before it starts to rain.” Then from just across the rail line we could hear the pelting for rain. We ran with our bikes to the shelter of the station stairs and it was pouring like crazy. Crazy wind, thunder, lighting in a matter of seconds. Turns out it was a typhoon. We waited and talked to people for 30mins to see if it would let up. It didn’t. So Meyers and I booked it home, shoved clothes in the dryer and had lunch and re planned the day’s activities. After lunch it was blue skies. We found a small steep hill and we both naturally wanted to go down it. Only catch is both our brakes were sketchy. So we did the smart thing…and went down it by turns. I went first and successfully made it to the bottom. “Alright you can go!” I yelled. But, I couldn’t see him, I suddenly hear a crash and bushes rustling and an elder Myers stand up from underneath the bush. I died of laughter. Assessed the damage. He was fine but the pile he hit and bush has seen better days. Met with a less active shared a lesson on faith. He now wants to meet weekly and increase his faith so he can eventually be active. That was cool. Did birthday dendo. (Missionary work). Visited people. Ate sushi. Met a 13 year old Peruvian who wants to learn more, but won’t text us back. Then we met with April again to continue after baptism lessons. Went well.

 

Friday we had DTM about raising our vision. Had a good pump up and talked about how we need to be bold missionaries. Being bold shows our faith. We need a lot of faith in this work. “God can do miracles among the children of men, save it be according to their faith.” People say God isn’t there, miracles have stopped. Nah mate because your faith isn’t there, miracles have stopped. Had to do DKK (weekly planning). Then that night we taught Robin half of the plan of salvation. He brought a notebook and kept notes and told us to repeat things. He is going hard! He wants it.

 

Saturday we met with a couple less actives and taught them, met with members and shared a message and of course (being ever Saturday) we met with Hirose. Invited him to baptism, he stepped the question we asked again, he put two and two together, he was about to give aphis answer then he said, “oh we have not time, see ya next week.” He’s really old. It’s funny. But next week we will ask again.

 

Sunday consisted of a long time at church, meetings and such. Robin and his sister April (the recent convert) came to church. A less active we have been working with came to church. Oh the joys of missionary work. We went out for the remainder of the day visiting people with no luck. We totsuzen (suddenly, abruptly, with no notice) visited an investigator who was a yakusokusha (had a baptismal date) in the past. We felt like we should teach and re invite. We started by seeing where she is reading and hopefully lead into the truth of the Book of Mormon and invite to baptism. That was the plan and that’s what happened with no effort. She opened the Book of Mormon showed where she had been reading which was in Alma 7. She highlighted a scripture from study and shared it. It was Alma 7:14 which talks about baptisms. “What do you think about the Book of Mormon?” “Mm, it’s correct.” “That tells us that we should be baptized. Would you like to be baptized?” “Yes, when’s the quickest I can be baptized?” We set a date for October 2nd. So please pray for Sandora!

 

Awesome week, fun, busy, and hastening the work! I’m grateful the lord is using me to help this area and inviting people to take steps towards eternal joy.

 

Until next week. Peace.

 

Photo 1: Mizuki chan the cutest baby ever. Put out your hands and she will run straight to you to give you a hi five.

Photo 2: The aftermath

Photo 3: April was really excited when she found out Elder Meyers first name is Moroni. She needed a selfie with Moroni.

 

2016-09-05 “Another busy week”

Week 50.

Another busy week.

 

We visited Suzuki Kyoudai (brother) again and shared a message with him. He has been weeding a danchi’s (apartment) complex by himself as it’s his duty. There is so many and it’s the middle of summer. Poor bloke is well into his 60s. Maybe scratching the 70s. So after the message we secretly went to a sunny section and weeded a patch for a couple hours. Another person living in the danchi must have seen us and thought, “these two young blokes in suits are either stupid or dumb” he gave us two drinks each, both breaks the code of word of wisdom. (Is water outdated?) We were thankful, discreetly put it in our bags and went off to another appointment. That night Oota Kyoudai (from Ise my second area) heard the Masuko and I are in Suzuka (Masuko and I both served in Ise) so he wanted to meet. We had gnarly ramen and a tender reunion. I love that man.

 

Wednesday we did some good old fashion birthday dendo. One was for a 10 year girl and the other was for the branch president. We bought a necktie and sweets at a nearby at a nearby store. Gave the necktie to the kid and sweets to the branch president. (Or was it the other way around? Can’t remember.) We strategically placed the tie in a wine bottle bag. Wish we could have seen their confusion.

 

Friday we had zone training meeting and I got to see a lot my douki. We are all grown up. One is my zone leader, the others are district leaders and one is going to be a branch president for Ise because the branch president moved. Funny stuff. Seems like yesterday we were all beans looking up to the zone and district leaders. Now that I’m a leader I hope no one is looking up to me… I’m still a bean. Speaking of Ise, Hayashi San (the woman Wilson and I taught with Ishii kaichou (president) and became a Yakusokusha (baptismal candidate) got baptized the other week! She stuck to her date and her and her daughter’s family (who are members) are so happy.

 

Saturday we had a choice of going to a youth mini mission in Nagoya or to stay in our area. We felt that staying was a better choice and a better choice it was. Found a college kid who is complete interested in our religion and English. Gave him a Book of Mormon and he said he would read. Exchanged details and invited him to come to Church tomorrow. The same day Masuko OYMed a person in his bike. He introduced us and our purpose. They guy on the bike smiled, nodded and kept saying “hai” (yes). After 30 seconds of good ice breaking Masuko asked “do you have interest in English?” He replied staring at Masuko  “yes!” He then proceeded ride away like lighting. Masuko couldn’t help but die of laughter. Neither could I.

 

Sunday the branch president wore a very fashionable necktie. Wonder where he got that from. An investigator came to church. Found a woman willing to fix my suit pants. (Managed to survive 4 transfers on two pants) church finished and we were ready to leave. Being fast Sunday we received a lot of food from the members and had to carry it on our bike back. “バワー長老、待って。パンクがあります.”  (Elder Bauer please wait, I got a flat tyre.) Thus we proceed to walk an hour and a half to a bike store that could fix our bike so we can actually do work. We got there at 4:30 and they said it will be a two hour wait. We made the best of, the situation and visited a member family that have, hands down, the cutest one year old ever. I want it. They were kind enough to feed us dinner and share a message. They also drove us back to the bike shop so we didn’t have to walk again. We then visited a less active and stood outside his door for an hour sharing a message. Sleep last night was so good.

 

Peace.

 

Photo 1: Reunion with Oota!

Photo2: Masuko using my slippers as pencil holders as I do planning.

Photo 3-4: ZTM

Photo 5: order a meal called omerice (egg and rice). The menu said size small extra 200 yen. So I bought it. It was flipping huge!

Photo 6: kid we talked to asked for a photo. So we asked him to read the Book of Mormon.