Holy COW! We got completely soaked yesterday, EVEN with our rain suits on. . . The rainy season really is intense here, and I think the rain is daitai onaji (about the same) with Irish Rain. . . Wow.
Well, Umetani San will still be baptised, but turns out that her husband wants her to wait a couple of months to see if she's serious about joining the church. He doesn't seem opposed to it though.
My relationship with Elder Kajiuchi seems to be doing alot better. We had some good, honest conversation this week, and I feel that we are on very good terms right now. And wow, he makes SUPERB ramen noodles. No, I don't mean the store-bought dry kind. I mean, REAL ramen noodles! He didn't make the actual noodles, but he got a package from his family a little while ago. SO gourmet, really, you have not eaten Ramen noodles until you have tried fresh Ramen from Japan! We ate at a Ramenyasan (ramen restaurant) a few weeks ago, and wow, it was delectable too. Sugoi!
We were finally able to meet with our Mongolian investigator (fluent in Japanese) this week. It seemed to go pretty well. I've been trying to participate more in lessons lately. I'm understanding a little more now adays, but it's still a bit tough to understand what's being said, and respond. I'm working on it!
On Saturday, we biked out to Lake Shinjiko. We've been spending a lot of time around central Izumo lately, and I wanted to try to find some good locations for naturally conversing with people. Wow, the ride was a lot longer than I expected. But it was a good trip. And we stopped every once in a while along the way to talk to people. We knocked on a couple of doors, talked with a 20-ish year old man. . . As we approached Hirata Town (close to the lake), we asked for directions from a woman tending a road-side graveyard. Wow, she's been to Kajiuchi choro's hometown, and she has some kind of connection to Utah. She recognized us as missionaries, thanked us for coming to this part of Japan, and wished us good luck. She had met missionaries before, that greeted her friendly. Cool. The lake was beautiful! I don't know how often we'll be going out there, probably not too often. . . But hey! It was a good day!
I made Pizza this week. I messed up on the dough some how (too much water?). I tried the 60min. roll dough recipe mom sent me. Wow, it was SO good, almost like Dad's! Just. . . a little different. But hey, Japan seems to get the "Pizza" sauce right. Too bad the bottle wasn't bigger. . . But hey, I tried some Roasted Sesame Seed Dressing as the sauce for part of the second pizza, and wow, that worked out too!
Thursday was awesome! Brother Junior (the unexpected Brazillian member that moved here last week) had us over for lunch, some DELICIOUS brazillian strogonoff. . . Mmm. . . And he shared with us some of his amazing guitar ability! Wow. I feel connected to some of the people here.
Church: Elder Nakatsuka from the quorum of the seventy and Brother Watanabe from the stake presidency (he came to Branch conference a while ago too, the one that lived in Utah and went to UVSC) came. I was asked to speak before them. . . I was a bit nervous. . . My topic was the Love of a Family or something like that (In Japanese: Kazoku no Ai). I tried to translate A Family is Forever, and sang it at the end of my talk. It was a good experience. Wow, Elder Nakatsuka was awesome, and I actually understood parts of his talk!
Sunday night, we had dinner with the Sato family. Pres. Swaisey built their house, it was American-style, and once again like stepping back into America. They have this cute little 3 year old daughter, Yuria-chan. What a beautiful family.
Well, I better go, but I love you, and who knows, maybe I'll be writing from a different location next week (transfers are on Thursday) Take care, Elder Peterson
Showing posts with label Sato. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sato. Show all posts
Monday, July 20, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
1st E-mail From Japan: Pinch Me
My Dearest family, loved ones, friends, and whoever else might read this:
こんいちは！！！ （Ｋｏｎｎｉｃｈｉ ｗａ）
(sorry if there are repeats - writing English on this keyboard is a little tricky. Yes, it has English letters, but it's designed for Japanese.)
So much has happened in the last week, so many awesome and crazy Japanese adventures that it's hard for me to believe that this is real. Please, pinch me, I must still be dreaming.
Well, I'll start off with a request: Please write! Every letter I get is like a Christmas present. Family, you're exempt because of the email thing :).
Here's my current address:
Elder Paul Gregory Peterson
Izumo-shi, Watarihashi-cho,
469 Loftee KS 202
693-0004 Japan
So, we arrived at the Tokyo Narita airport a little after 3:00PM. We had a little layover before boarding the flight to Hiroshima. There were a lot of marines on our flight. I guess there's a military base near Iwakuni/Yanai. I'll let you know if I ever get transfered there.
I had my first contacting experience while we were waiting for the Hiroshima flight. There was a teenager sitting next to me, so I started up a conversation using my "Kikuchi Card" (they pick the most important item on the card, and we relate it to the gospel). It's still hard for me to express myself as much as I want to, but it was a good experience. I gave her a pamphlet for the Plan of Salvation. Sugoi!
So, we got to Hiroshima, and I smelled the poignant sea air as we walked from the plane to the airport's interior. I love that smell, it brings me back to those wonderful Ft. Monroe days.
We approached the baggage claim and saw our welcoming party - a group of Elders holding a "Welcome to the Japan Hiroshima Mission" sign. We couldn't talk to them because they were beyond the point-of-no-return glass doors, and we had point-of-no-return glass doors, and we had to wait for our luggage. That part was kind of awkward, but then all was good, and we proceeded. They were the Assistants to the Mission President. One who was heading home a couple of days later (whom I later found out was from Brazil) spoke almost no Japanese or English at the start of his mission, but then became fluent! The same will happen for Elder De Menezes! I know it!
President Isa is amazing. Wow, he is a spiritual rock. I wish you could meet him. I really am so lucky to be here. And to be here at this time. Everyone keeps saying that miracles are happening all over the mission. They don't know what it is, but that now is a good time to be here.
Sister Isa got your email mom, she told me to say Hello. Wow, she's like my new mom. My Japanese mom.
Ah! We got to go to the Hiroshima Peace Park. That hadn't been done with new missionaries before. Again, I got lucky! The feeling there was, wow ... It was very solemn. It made me think about the atonement in a different light. It made me think a bit more about how much Christ suffered for us, and how he felt all of the pain that those at Hiroshima felt.
Here's my spiritual thought portion: There is no pain, no fear, no worry, no grief, no heartache, and no struggle that the atonement cannot heal. Yes, some things might be more difficult to overcome, might take a little bit more time, but in the end, through Christ, all can be made whole.
That night we found out about our new areas and trainers. (After doing a little streeting, I went with one of the AP's - Elder Nielsen. We found two people who gave us numbers!!!! No way! One of them from me pulling out the kikuchi card semi-randomly, and then the other was a former investigator from a different area, but he moved to Hiroshima. AWESOME!
The next morning, I was accompanied to the station and rode the bus by myself to Izumo. Funny story: we took a pit stop somewhere. I thought the driver said that we would be taking a 33 minute break. It was actually that we'd be leaving at 9:33. haha good thing I went back to the bus anyway.
I talked with a nice man next to me. I was so afraid for some reason. It seemed like he would be kind of gruff or unfriendly. Nope, quite friendly. I gave him a pass-along card after talking a bit about families.
The Branch President was there (Yamane Kaicho - kaicho is the title for branch president) with Elder Kobayashi to pick me up! Elder Kobayashi is so cool! Sister Isa said he doesn't speak very much English, and yes, we mostly speak Japanese, and sometimes I understand ... but that's ok. I want to immerse myself! Even though I can't completely understand everything that's been said.
Yesterday at church, I felt as if I had come home. Wow, the people are so amazing. The branch is a little small, but the saints here are rock solid. They're all so familiar, and I feel their love. I'll try to send pictures of these beautiful people sometime: Hamamura, Sasaki, Sato, Kozumi, Maniwa, Maejima, Yoneda, they are all so warm and welcoming! (those are just a few names)
There's no way that I'll be able to tell you everything that's happening here. That'll have to wait for when I get back. But don't worry, I made a goal to write in my journal everyday, and I'll keep it!
Really, every day feels like a dream. I'm living in a Japanese apartment, sleeping on a futon on the floor, eating real Japanese food, seeing real Japanese scenery, and interacting with real Japanese people. I don't want this to end. I have never been happier. I am home.
Love, your son who just might be turning Japanese
P.S. Feel free to send packages of cookies or goodies to Elder De Menezes. He hardly ever got any mail, and he would love that!
こんいちは！！！ （Ｋｏｎｎｉｃｈｉ ｗａ）
(sorry if there are repeats - writing English on this keyboard is a little tricky. Yes, it has English letters, but it's designed for Japanese.)
So much has happened in the last week, so many awesome and crazy Japanese adventures that it's hard for me to believe that this is real. Please, pinch me, I must still be dreaming.
Well, I'll start off with a request: Please write! Every letter I get is like a Christmas present. Family, you're exempt because of the email thing :).
Here's my current address:
Elder Paul Gregory Peterson
Izumo-shi, Watarihashi-cho,
469 Loftee KS 202
693-0004 Japan
So, we arrived at the Tokyo Narita airport a little after 3:00PM. We had a little layover before boarding the flight to Hiroshima. There were a lot of marines on our flight. I guess there's a military base near Iwakuni/Yanai. I'll let you know if I ever get transfered there.
I had my first contacting experience while we were waiting for the Hiroshima flight. There was a teenager sitting next to me, so I started up a conversation using my "Kikuchi Card" (they pick the most important item on the card, and we relate it to the gospel). It's still hard for me to express myself as much as I want to, but it was a good experience. I gave her a pamphlet for the Plan of Salvation. Sugoi!
So, we got to Hiroshima, and I smelled the poignant sea air as we walked from the plane to the airport's interior. I love that smell, it brings me back to those wonderful Ft. Monroe days.
We approached the baggage claim and saw our welcoming party - a group of Elders holding a "Welcome to the Japan Hiroshima Mission" sign. We couldn't talk to them because they were beyond the point-of-no-return glass doors, and we had point-of-no-return glass doors, and we had to wait for our luggage. That part was kind of awkward, but then all was good, and we proceeded. They were the Assistants to the Mission President. One who was heading home a couple of days later (whom I later found out was from Brazil) spoke almost no Japanese or English at the start of his mission, but then became fluent! The same will happen for Elder De Menezes! I know it!
President Isa is amazing. Wow, he is a spiritual rock. I wish you could meet him. I really am so lucky to be here. And to be here at this time. Everyone keeps saying that miracles are happening all over the mission. They don't know what it is, but that now is a good time to be here.
Sister Isa got your email mom, she told me to say Hello. Wow, she's like my new mom. My Japanese mom.
Ah! We got to go to the Hiroshima Peace Park. That hadn't been done with new missionaries before. Again, I got lucky! The feeling there was, wow ... It was very solemn. It made me think about the atonement in a different light. It made me think a bit more about how much Christ suffered for us, and how he felt all of the pain that those at Hiroshima felt.
Here's my spiritual thought portion: There is no pain, no fear, no worry, no grief, no heartache, and no struggle that the atonement cannot heal. Yes, some things might be more difficult to overcome, might take a little bit more time, but in the end, through Christ, all can be made whole.
That night we found out about our new areas and trainers. (After doing a little streeting, I went with one of the AP's - Elder Nielsen. We found two people who gave us numbers!!!! No way! One of them from me pulling out the kikuchi card semi-randomly, and then the other was a former investigator from a different area, but he moved to Hiroshima. AWESOME!
The next morning, I was accompanied to the station and rode the bus by myself to Izumo. Funny story: we took a pit stop somewhere. I thought the driver said that we would be taking a 33 minute break. It was actually that we'd be leaving at 9:33. haha good thing I went back to the bus anyway.
I talked with a nice man next to me. I was so afraid for some reason. It seemed like he would be kind of gruff or unfriendly. Nope, quite friendly. I gave him a pass-along card after talking a bit about families.
The Branch President was there (Yamane Kaicho - kaicho is the title for branch president) with Elder Kobayashi to pick me up! Elder Kobayashi is so cool! Sister Isa said he doesn't speak very much English, and yes, we mostly speak Japanese, and sometimes I understand ... but that's ok. I want to immerse myself! Even though I can't completely understand everything that's been said.
Yesterday at church, I felt as if I had come home. Wow, the people are so amazing. The branch is a little small, but the saints here are rock solid. They're all so familiar, and I feel their love. I'll try to send pictures of these beautiful people sometime: Hamamura, Sasaki, Sato, Kozumi, Maniwa, Maejima, Yoneda, they are all so warm and welcoming! (those are just a few names)
There's no way that I'll be able to tell you everything that's happening here. That'll have to wait for when I get back. But don't worry, I made a goal to write in my journal everyday, and I'll keep it!
Really, every day feels like a dream. I'm living in a Japanese apartment, sleeping on a futon on the floor, eating real Japanese food, seeing real Japanese scenery, and interacting with real Japanese people. I don't want this to end. I have never been happier. I am home.
Love, your son who just might be turning Japanese
P.S. Feel free to send packages of cookies or goodies to Elder De Menezes. He hardly ever got any mail, and he would love that!
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