Some Scary, Some Miracles, Still Loving Japan

Good news, we're at the Science Center! So that means more email time. I had a chance to read through emails for once! Please send my love to the Greens. I am so thankful for this gospel. Losing loved ones is still hard, but we know where we're from, why we're here, and where we're going! This life is not all there is. This knowledge has kept me going. I remember one night back when I was in elementary school. I couldn't sleep, thinking about death. I was so scared, so afraid of dying. . . So sad about the ones I loved dying. . . I don't know why, I was only in elementary school but still. . . I guess the Plan of Salvation just hadn't clicked with me yet. But now it has. Now, I'm not deathly afraid of death. Now I know that I will see the ones I love again.

Last week started with a "District" Preparation Day, a trip to Izumo Taisha. Yeah, Elder Kobayashi and I had been there before, but this was the first time that everyone was able to come to Izumo. And we got to go to the museum this time; there is a lot of rich history here. Oh, and we were crossing this small bridge to get to the main Taisha area, and it was just so. . . so JAPAN! Green everywhere, a little river/canal running north and south in between a tunnel created with humongous trees on the sides, leaves everywhere. . . mystical!!!

That night at FHE, we had the same non-member who's been coming every week for quite a few weeks! She's one of the ward member's friends. We watched Testaments. I hope she felt the spirit, because I did - every time I watch that movie. Now we just have to find a good way to invite her to be taught.

Tuesday, while coming back from a member's house (who fed us a truly cultural lunch; look up daikon and renkon, see if you can find some pictures. Slightly interesting, but delicious, ooh takenoko (bamboo shoots) too.

I had a slightly scary experience. We were biking down this hill. On the way up, it was like the hill of death. SO steep, but we kept biking and overcame. . . Anyway, we were going maybe a little fast. . . But suddenly, from my upper peripheral vision, I saw a shape break loose from the branches over my head. I thought it was a branch, and ducked for some reason, but looked up to see that it was a bird, a big hawk or something. I had this. . . prompting(?) to pay attention to the road, which snapped my head instantly downward in time to see a car speeding around the bend, hidden seconds before. I slammed on the breaks, as did they I hope, and didn't make contact. Don't worry, I'm usually safe but I have been making a more controlled effort to not go too fast since. . . Scary.

So, it's not really a ghost story. BUT, kind of freaky (yeah, this week was filled with interesting experiences). I think I told you about Tony (the man from China) a few weeks ago. He told us he was moving, and had given us the address of his friend's house where he would be living. On Tuesday, during the exchange, Elder Kobayashi and Elder Mahoney went to try to find the new place. They found it, but no one was home. They found a man before hand that had said something like "Yeah, you should probably get headed home, before it gets dark." So yes, maybe I went in with a pre-conceived notion that it would be scary. . . But on Saturday, after biking 30 minutes to get to this awesome, mountain-side country area (it had been raining hard earlier in the day, by the way). We biked under this huge, tall train track bridge, sweet. . . Oh, and it was dark the whole time. We get to the hill by Tony's new residence. Too steep to bike, so we walked our bikes up. Perhaps it was the noise of dogs barking in the distance, the abundance of Japanese grave sites, or the creepy far-from-civilization feeling, but I started to get a little nervous. We got to the house, the light suddenly turned on (making me jump a little). And then I jumped again when I saw two figures behind us, only to realize it was just our reflection in one of the street mirrors that are everywhere here in Japan. Yeah, I felt as if I was in one of those horror films or something. Thankfully someone was home - Tony's friend. He let us know that Tony hadn't moved yet. Getting back to our bikes, I looked a bit further up the hill to this tall building. Elder Kobayashi said they had handed out a book of Mormon at a house near the building last time. He also said the building was some kind of factory. Part of me wanted to check it out. . . But the bigger part was saying "GET OUT OF HERE!" So yeah, maybe I'm dramatizing things a bit. . . But it kind of felt like there were eyes following us as we rode down the hill, I didn't feel comfortable until we had gotten back to the main road. . . Whoah. . . Creepy.

Onto more happy subjects! Yesterday we had Branch Conference. The Stake Presidency was there. Stake President Swaysey! He's an American! He looked familiar too. His Japanese was flawless though. He's probably in his late 50's. As usual, I couldn't understand a lot of what was being said, but I picked up parts. And there was a prior Izumo-serving Missionary in the congregation, Sister Utsumi. She lives in Kobe, and it turns out that Elder Everts, my first district leader at the MTC, is serving in her area, and home ward. Small world!

After the meeting, they had a Branch lunch. Awesome! I was able to chat a bit with some of the various visitors from Okayama who were there (Izumo Branch is in the Okayama Stake). I mean, I'm still not very good conversationally, but I am actually able to talk with people! Like this nice Stake Presidency Member that went to UVSC ten years ago. I'm still not very skilled at contacting though. I'm trying to look for ways to be better, and speak more naturally. To not try to just force some repetitious schpeel out, but to really try to talk to people. I don't know how, but I made a resolve to just have faith and say "I can" in my head as opposed to "I can't".

So, we went housing afterward. We found a 16 year old boy named Hirai, who just happens to have the same birthday as me. AWESOME!! He had interest in learning about Christianity, he had studied a bit in school before. We gave him a Book of Mormon. It might be a little difficult because of possible opposition from the parents, but I will go forward with faith!

Then the miralce! After an awesome contact which ended with handing out a Plan of Salvation pamphlet to an interested woman, we housed along the complex with not too much success. But then we found Sakioka san. We asked her if missionaries had ever come by before. She said yes. It turns out that quite some time ago, she was an investigator. The Missionaries had given her a Book of Mormon, but then had returned to America. She wasn't in the area book, it must have been a LONG time ago. She was a little busy, but honestly said that we could come back later. Then, on our way down the stairs, her daughter came running out to give us a bag of fruit and wish us good luck! AWESOME!!

I am happy to be here. Yes, I get a little down at times but then I pick myself back up. Please pray for me as I try to work on my contacting skills. I love you so much!!

It's All Good!

This week has been so wonderful. Not the least of which was getting to watch General Conference yesterday and the day before in English! I hope you paid special attention to Elder Holland's talk on the Savior and His atonement, what a power house. Oh and Dad, President Uchtdorf's and President Eyring's talks from the Priesthood Session were my favorites. I felt as if they were directed at me.

So this week has been filled with a lot of bugs in my eye, brought on by the recent increase in temperature. Along with the bugs, the local politicians got out and about, broadcasting their positions over loud speakers as they drove around town. Really, it was quite funny. I've never seen or heard anything like it in Utah. I don't mean this in a negative way at all. I love Japan! The loud speakers did kind of remind me of Big Brother (from the book Nineteen Eighty-Four) though. Heh. . . And in some of the Politician Pictures the candidates had a fist along with their face, "determined" or something. I love it! I love these people! I love being in Japan! And when that adversary with his myriad of sinner's tricks tries to fool me into focusing on "burnt-out light bulbs" or think that I'm not good enough to be here, I just say a prayer, look around and remember where I am, and why I'm here.

Miracles. So remember how I wanted to start talking to more people? Well, Tuesday I set a goal. I had just been passing by a lot of people, so I decided to try and stop just two people who would have been difficult to try and talk to. So I did it, and no, they didn't talk to us. But then we found Tony - yes, it was in the night, and might be seen as unconnected, but I think it might be because I started making more of an effort. Tony is from China, here at the local Shimane University working on some doctorate research. He speaks English really well, and just about as much Japanese as I do, so we talked in English. Looks like he remembers some missionaries from about two years before. He was really friendly, and seemed to be interested in what we had to say. He said they had given him a book, but he couldn't find it. So we went last night to give him a new copy of the book of Mormon. . . And it looks like he's moving. . . BUT! The good new is, that it's only about 30 minutes away by bike. And, he seemed interested in coming to church! So who knows!

The next day I upped my goal to six people. Then BOOM. That night we were housing and spoke with Mr. Miura, a former investigator from six years ago. He had taken the discussions, loved the missionaries and ward parties, but upon being challenged to be baptized, stopped meeting with them for some reason. He was really nice, so we're going to try to meet with him some more. We went back to try and visit with him last night but he wasn't home. His wife came out, but didn't roll back the door (sliding doors in Japan by the way, usually). "Who is it?" Elder Kobayashi started to say, "We're Missionaries from the Church. . ." She responded with "Ii desu," which literally means "I'm good," but which can be translated to mean, "I'm not interested, please go away." So. .. we don't really know how this is all going to work out, but it will.

I fought a little bit with despair. Satan would love for me to give in to despair, but I won't. I know that if we do the best we can, the Lord will provide a way. These precious people will be able to come unto the Savior, if they are ready, and if they want to.

Tomorrow, we're taking a four-hour bus ride to Okayama for a Zone Conference on Wednesday. I'm excited, I love the meetings here! And I love President Isa. Every time I meet with him, he prays with such power. He prays in Japanese, so I can't always understand what he's saying, but he's always filled with the spirit and love for me and for this work.

I was having a problem with my debit card. . . hah. . . turns out the only problem was that I was inserting the card in upside down, because that's the way you do it in most machines. A big panic for nothing. . . . Heh, it's all good!

Oh, family, can you snail mail me some info about George Albert Smith? Some stories? Knowing some stories about ancestors is a big deal here. Ooh, and sometime in the future, send some taco seasoning packets?

Till next week, I hope you all have a wonderful time enjoying the spring that has sprung upon us (at least in Izumo anyway).