I've Got Sunshine... On a Cloudy Day

Wow I needed that phone call this morning! It was so good getting to hear and talk with you all! Sundy, like you said: I'm starting to feel that I'm closer to all of you now than I was at the MTC. It's funny, I was there ten minutes away but it felt a whole world away. And now that I am actually a whole world away, I don't feel so far anymore!

I still have things to talk about even after that wonderful phone call, so I'll start with last week.

Last week's email probably seemed a little down because I was feeling down. . . Probably more than a little. Part of it might have just been the "Second Companion Syndrome" but something was tearing me up inside. And then I figured things out. Things clicked. . .

Here's what happened: I realized that I was dwelling on the things I thought my companion was doing wrong, his imperfections, and judging him without really realizing it. I was having a hard time giving him the brotherly love that companionships need because I wouldn't let go of those thoughts and feelings that were giving me grief. But then I made a resolve and became determined to love him somehow! Ever since then -- when I decided to just love him -- it has been like the cloud of inner turmoil just dispersed and whisked away. . .
So I'm doing fine! Yeah, sometimes he says a few things that bug me a little but then I think about Christ's example; how he loved everyone even though some people spit upon him, beat him, rejected him, and crucified him. If he was still able to keep perfect love for all men in spite of all of those things then there must be a way for me to love my companions, even if it's hard.

Don't get me wrong, my companion is amazing! Just listening to him teach has taught me a lot. Elder Atkin is smart, quick, and is able to tie things together and keep the people we're teaching entertained. I have been learning a lot from him, and have been able to realize once again that the Lord is in the work; that every missionary is where they are for a reason. The Lord has specific tasks for us.

Looking back, Kobayashi Choro and I really did work hard, even though I got those thoughts that I wasn't doing enough. However, it wasn't until Atkin Choro came that one of our investigators finally started progressing. It was like she just needed the right elder to come along with the right personality. Umetani-san -- we had two lessons with her last week! The first was a little unexpected because she thought we were coming on Thursday, but she let us meet with her anyway. Atkin choro asked her to read from the Restoration Pamphlet he had given her and to pray, ... lo and behold, the next day she had done what we had asked! AWESOME!!

Well, I am now the proud (in a good way ;) owner of a new bicycle! After the tire from the hand-me-down bike I had at the start was punctured, walking over an hour to get back home, and borrowing a ward member's mama chatti (a granny style bike with a basket in the front...) I finally have a bike that fits me. Can you picture it? Elder Peterson wearing a big white helmet on a granny bike with a basket in the front. . . Very stylish. . . Hah, I got some weird looks; if the looks could be translated into English they would have been something like:

"Whoah. . . who's that weird American riding a granny bike. .. HA!"

But, everything is fine!! A new bike! Hopefully it will last me all the way through the end of the mission here in Japan!

This week is Zone Conference at Okayama again. Then Atkin Choro will be riding back with a Japanese Bean-Chan (Tanaka Choro, from Chiba, Tokyo - he is really cool, I talked with him a lot before and after district meeting last week!) to Yonago for District Leader Exchange. Elder Gatchell from St. George will be riding with me back to Izumo. And then next week, we're doing Zone Leader exchanges, so I'll be headed back up to Matsue with Elder Mahoney this time. Sweet!

I'm looking forward to the packages that are on their way! Mmmm. . . Taco seasoning! And Kobayashi Choro left his tortillas in the freezer so we'll really be able to have tacos; this is exciting!

Hey, have you heard anymore news about Elder De Menezes? His companion after me in the MTC wrote to me and said he got put in the Salt Lake City South Mission. If that is the case, can you tell the Leatherwoods / Petersons / Aunt Sylvia to keep their eyes open for him and to give him baked goods if they see him! (Okay I guess you don't have to tell them about the baked goods, but it would be cool if you could send a little home-baked love to Elder De Menezes for me :)

Ooh, could someone try to find some cool stickers to send to me? Umetani san's 9 year old daughter saw the cool scripture stickers that Kobayashi Choro and I had and wants some. I gave her a few and I don't want you to buy her that particular kind because it is expensive, I hear. But if you can find any other type of sticker that is similar (slightly see-through. . . if possible. If not that's okay too) and mail them here so I can give them to her? I imagine she'd just like any kind of sticker that 9 year old girls would like, maybe disney or princesses. . . Thank you! Sorry for the trouble :)

Wow, it's just so funny to see how much a person can learn from serving a mission. I mean I still don't know a lot (at least that's what it feels like), but I'm constantly having new insights! I even found a new appreciation for washing the dishes. It's good thinking time, maybe that's why Dad does the dishes so much (or maybe just that I wasn't as willing to do chores as I should have been. . .)

I can't think of a better place to be! I need to be here right now. This mission really is something that I needed to do. And it seems like the more time that passes, the more I lose those slight feelings of wanting to go home. "To lose is to find, and to find is to lose" (a concept from the scriptures that was actually used in one of my favorite video games. . . tee hee).


Just know that I really do love all of you, and that I'm doing okay! Life is beautiful! Every day is a gift, that's why "today" is called "the present" :)