"It's Christmas!" (11 Days!)

I received the package from you, family, on Thursday! Music to my ears, and decadent treats for my partaking! (Well, I GUESS I will share a little with Elder Bronner ;). Elder Bronner was very thrilled by seeing "Companion" on some of the presents, and said that he loves you forever!

This last week threw us a few downs, but a whole lot of really good ups! Zone Conference was amazing, and once again, answered the questions that I have been pondering, and what I need to be doing to help things in Kurashiki progress.

One of our Philipino investigators appears to be REALLY close. She has been to church four times now, and has shared some amazing experiences with us; things that look like they are bringing her very close!

I've been feeling more opposition as of late, but probably because we've been working out some more bumps in the companionship and are more unified, and also because our investigators are doing so well. Please pray for them, including:　Rosalie, Aiko, Shinichi, Tomoko, Makoto, Hidenori, Hideatsu, and Jacianna.

Oh I love the Christmas CD, and those Billington Family Chocolates are as divine as always! I'm saving most of the packages, especially the labeled ones, for Christmas, but we've been opening an unlabeled snack-like present every few days. Thank you so much!

We've only got around 26 days or so till the transfer ends, and we're in the midst of a mission Goal for 15 Baptisms for the Month of December. Please pray for us to be able to accomplish this. I know, it's not about the number, or baptizing someone to boast about it. This is a real serious cause, helping people come unto Christ, and changing their lives. I think Rosalie is the closest among those we are meeting with. Please keep her in your prayers.

I am SO Happy! We got to watch the First Presidency Christmas Fireside last night! I feel the Spirit of the Season! I LOVE Christmas! And don't worry, I'm still not trunky. I change the words on that CD to "I'll be home NEXT Christmas!"

I love and appreciate all of you oh so much! I feel good! I feel wonderful, and loved, and cared for! THANK YOU!

Till next week! (11 Days!!! :)
Love,
Paul

All I Want for Christmas...

Don't worry, I'm not getting homesick. And, even with Elder Bronner counting down the days (33 left) I'm not getting trunky. . . not really.

So we were walking through the amazing two-story dollar store megaplex recently, and Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" was playing on the radio. That brought back good memories ;)

Elder Bronner and I are doing great! We have been receiving a LOT of apples lately. WAY too many to eat, so we've made a few apple pies to give slices away to investigators and less active members. Wow, it smelled kind of like Christmas. We're feeling very optimistic, especially since one of our Philipino investigators looks like she's really close to baptism. She has been in contact with her member sister and brother, coming to church, and is still interested in learning more. We talked about baptism last time, so we hope to have a date set this week.

I think having Elder Bronner around is good for me. It's helping me get used to the teasing of an older brother (didn't really have that growing up). We're pretty unified, and are trying to be obedient and work hard. We have a goal to see a baptism before Elder Bronner heads home. I'm excited! We spent some time today with our other two Philipino Investigators, translating for them at a Job Assistence center. Things didn't really work out, but we took them out to eat at a REALLY delicious Indian and Tai all you can eat restaurant. So delicious!

Not too much to report on this week, but I am loving life.
Please keep me in your prayers. I'm doing okay, but the opposition is trying to rear up again. No worries, in the strength of the Lord I can and will do all things! Zone Conference on Wednesday! Yea!

We might be over at a member's house for Christmas.
Hey, is the 'Lude still alive and kicking? Or has good ol' Rusty passed away? (The car)

I'm thankful for you and your love. Yes, this is much more bearable thank boot camp. And wow, I keep having military dreams, once a week or so. I need to write Sergeant Walker, probably today, for my Annual Muster.

Anyway, you are amazing!

Love,
Elder Peterson

And The Transfer Announcement Is.... (Part II)

Drum Roll Please. . . . . .

I'm staying in Kurashiki with Elder Bronner! He leaves for home in January, so this is his last transfer. Don't worry, as I've told him before, I'm a tough cookie. I haven't gotten really homesick. Even listening to the Family Christmas CD, I get good, spiritual, nostalgic feelings of Christmas, and the true reason of why we celebrate it.

I didn't really want to transfer anyway. There are a lot of people in our teaching pool right now. I think we'll be seeing some baptisms very soon. We have a goal to have Elder Bronner baptize before he heads home. Here we go!

I had a few ups and downs this week. We've been teaching an increasing amount of lessons, but should still be teaching more. But, as we discussed last night, we haven't been really unified. Even though my Japanese skills are growing, I still haven't been opening my mouth as much as I should. I've been trying, and sometimes it's just hard for me to jump into my companion's train of thought, but things are going to be better. We talked about a lot last night, some little problems that were keeping us from being completely unified. We haven't seen a whole lot of miracles lately, but after yesterday, I'm not worried. We both have things we're working on, and I feel Elder Bronner's concern and support. I'm excited for this transfer, and remain optimistic!

We had another Fiesta de Brazil (I know that's not proper Portugeuse. . . I think it's Spanish. . .) with our Brazilian investigators on Saturday. DELICIOUS!! And we even met a new potential investigator who speaks a little Japanese (which could help me communicate with him).

Well, today was pretty interesting. . . Brother Takata came over to teach us how to make "Nabe" using "Horumon" (Pig guts - YES, pig intestine. . . that's right). I must say that it didn't taste nearly as bad as the guts smelled, but it was a little weird. We had received A LOT of food from a less active family we went to visit, and had no idea how to use it. Yes, they even gave us the horumon. . . I could probably eat it again, but I didn't really go for seconds.

But guess what! Cucumber - OKAY! Mushrooms - also okay! Tomato - I'm just about there! I can eat them! I'm conquering my picky foods!

Happy Turkey Day (and Happy Lacey Day!!)!!!

Love you so much!
Elder Peterson

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" :)

A Whole New Transfer ...

... a dazzling place I never knew ;)

Dear Family,
I love you and miss you!

Yes, as the subject line suggested, a new transfer started today. My new companion, Elder Atkin came on Thursday. Wow, watching Elder Kobayashi ride off in a bus was another one of those really weird experiences! I then rode back to the apartment with a ward member where I stayed alone for a whopping 10 hours till Elder Atkin arrived. It was long, but I survived.

Oh yeah, I'd like to set up the phone call that's coming this week. Make sure you get everything figured out so we can enjoy a nice conversation, up to an hour I believe. :) I am SOOOOO excited! Oooh, and I'm going to be sending out a little mother's day package today, with a few of my favorite Japanese goodies (Hi-Chews and Black Thunder) and the tape I'm just about done with. It probably won't get there in time for Mother's Day, but hopefully not too long after.

Okay, onto the week's events:
Wednesday night, Elder Kobayashi and I went out for sushi before FHE. I actually tried the raw squid, and it wasn't too bad. I'm getting more and more used to raw fish. Sushi bar trips are so much fun!

At FHE we watched Labor of Love, followed by a powerful testimony from Elder Kobayashi. I couldn't understand everything but as with most spiritual experiences, I guess spoken language doesn't always matter very much. And we had three non-members there, including one of our investigators that we had lost touch with, Miura-san. Our last lesson with her was at the end of March, but she has appeared again, so hopefully we'll start up with her again soon.

Well as Elder Atkin and I walked back to the apartment with his luggage we were talking a bit. He looks really familiar. I told him that and he said he was famous. I know he was probably just joking, but I guess his family lives in Oklahoma and has an Atkin line of beef or something. Maybe. . . Hah, anyway.

I can tell that this transfer is going to be completely different from the last one. For one thing, even though I'm the junior companion, I'm the area senior so that means I have to know where I'm going. . . And like yesterday, I got us a little lost trying to find Miura-san's apartment, which we never did find. Yes, we found it on the map, but the map is really hard to read, especially since the helpful over view map was ripped out of the book and we can only find half of it. . .

So, looks like Elder Atkin and I are going to be starting up a Kid's Eikaiwa class this week, (Eikaiwa = English Conversation). It's supposed to be one of the most effective activities to find people to teach here. Izumo's Eikaiwa kind of died back when there was a Brazilian and a Japanese elder, and then two Japanese elders in the area. Yeah, they had one Friday night a month for Eikaiwa, which I taught last month, but I think I was a little boring. Anyway, Elder Atkin loves kids, and he's a pretty "genki" (upbeat or energetic) person, so this Kid's Eikaiwa thing should work out pretty well. We even got a couple of our investigator families interested in the class, so this could lead to more interaction with them!

For our weekly service, we had been going to a rest home to talk with the obaachans and ojiichans (grandmas and grandpas), but it looks like that's probably going to change. I feel a little bad, because there were a couple of people in particular that Elder Kobayashi and I had a pretty good relationship with. Kuruma-san, this nice old grandma was even a little sad to think that Kobayashi choro would be transferred.

But, I guess as far as people to teach from service efforts goes, it wasn't all that effective. Looks like we're going to try and start working more with some of the schools around here, like English tutoring and such. We'll see how it all works out.

Wow, we did a lot of walking this weekend -- especially when my tire popped on the way back from a far-investigator's house. . . Hah, I'll tell you more about that when you call.

Well my dear family, I am greatly looking forward to talking with you this coming weekend. I need a phone call, it'll be a nice emotional relaxer for me. Even though this whole experience can be a big emotional stress every once in a while, I'm glad to be here. I'm undergoing a lot of valuable training and learning a lot of things that I know will help me later on in life. I'm learning more about how to rely on the Lord, and how to let him really take your pains and worries.

My study is improving, it feels a lot better!

Thank you for your prayers and love, I need them so much!!
Hear you on Sunday!!

Birthday and Zone Conference

My dear marvelous, spectacular loved ones!

I got the birthday packages on Thursday April 16th, the morning after we got back from Zone Conference. Thank you soooooo much! It's fine that I didn't get them on the 14th because technically it wasn't really the 14th yet on the American Timeline anyway, so it's all good.

Last Monday night, we had a little birthday dinner at a nice Japanese Family restaurant "Joyful". Kobayashi Choro payed for my meal!! What a swell companion!

Okay, Zone Conference was AMAZING! Even the 4-hour bus ride was spectacular. I sat there staring out the window almost the whole time, drinking in the beautiful Japanese scenery. I think I'm over the dream phase, but still, I'm living my dream every day.

So we get to Okayama, it was nice to be back in the big city scene. Not as big as Hiroshima but lots of tall buildings. We stopped at a little imported foods store and bought some goodies. I selected BBQ Pringles. . . mmmm. . . :)

We met up at the church in Okayama and had a meeting about General Conference. It was so much fun! There were three zones there, I think. We split up into groups of 6. Some of the groups talked in English, but I was the only "bean chan" in my group so it was in Japanese. BUT I did pick up some of it. Still, the hardest part is listening, but I'm getting better, slowly.

That night was so much fun. There were so many elders in one apartment. . . don't worry, in spite of all the fun I still made it to bed on time. . . But I had forgotten my pajamas, but that's okay. I ALWAYS forget something whenever I go on camp-outs or overnighters.

The next morning, Elder Evans gave an awesome conference. He talked a lot about referrals, especially working with recently baptized members. Well, we don't have any recently baptized members in Izumo, but that will change soon. I left the conference with a new resolve to be better and try harder; life is good!

I wish I could remember more from the conference to say. I did take notes, but they're at home. Just know that I am starting to gain a greater testimony that the leaders in our Church really are inspired with what to say to us, and how to help us.

Yes, thank you for those DVD's, I was SOOOO excited. And the CD's are amazing. Really, holy cow. Those Birthday packages were so wonderful, and I am very thankful and appreciative!

I loved the tape. Thank you for your love, and know that I have nothing but love for you!

Okay, so a bit more about the sights and sounds, descriptive stuffs, etc. On Saturday, we went with the branch president to take invitations for Branch Conference to less-active members. Some of them lived DEEP in the Japanese mountain side. What a blessing it was. Oh my goodness, the mountain air, the little mountain villages nestled among all the lush green trees and rivers, wedged up into the mountain sides. And we had to travel through a really long tunnel to get there. I got so excited as we neared the end of the tunnel for some reason. And then we exited; it was breathtaking. I am in paradise. My mind was brimming with story ideas. I just have to write them down, and save them for use after the mission I guess.

Sorry for the short length of this email. The science center was closed today and out of the thirty minutes the library gave us, ten were spent waiting for the connection to the LDS mail service to go through. I really will send more in the future. I love you, and I promise that next week's email will be brimming with color, sight, sound, smell, and description.

Thank you my dear family, and please let Sister Green know that I love her!

Love,
Elder Peterson