Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Going on transfer 9! (Week 59)



Thank you for the emails. I really like to read them. And mom. Thank you for the names you send me. I thoroughly enjoy reading them. And I'm glad everyone now knows about my ninja jammies. They are a wonderful thing and everyone should have them. And I am glad you got the pictures from Kiribayashi Kyodai. He and his wife are very nice people. And his english is actually quite impressive. But I really only speak to him in Japanese. And I did get your letter. I plan on writing a letter in return when I have time and stamps. I am very busy today and may not have that kind of time.

So today we got transfer calls. That was scary. I didn't know what was going to happen. Anything could have happened. Either one of us could have transferred. And to be honest I wanted to transfer. I have had some wonderful experiences here but this is still the hardest part of my mission by far. And I really wanted to transfer. But we both stayed. I was slightly disappointed. But its definitely not the worst thing that could have happened. And now I just want to go be the best I can be and own Saijo like no one has owned it before. So I'm ready to just go work hard the way the Lord wants me to work and stop thinking about me. Tanoshiku Ganbarimasho!

Yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting on standing in holy places. That was one of the scariest things I have ever done in my entire life. The ward here is very large and they expected me to fill ten minutes. I still don't speak Japanese very well. Its a great struggle for me every time I open my mouth. And I only had notes to look off of in English. I didn't write anything down in Japanese so I had to translate it all immediately. That was just a lack of planning on my part. But it went ok. And a lot of people came up to me after and said it was good and that my pronunciation is wonderful. And they said my Japanese was surprisingly good. Those kind people. Telling me lies to make me feel good. But in truth it is getting a little easier to speak Japanese. And I am starting to understand how Japanese works a lot better. Its starting to click in my brain. And I told a story about dad. They all think dad is cool now.

I also received the news that my beloved Ishigaki is closing this transfer. We are losing missionaries right and left with people finishing their missions and no one coming back out. But hopefully it will reopen when all the new missionaries come. They say it should be like in June. So we'll see.

Last week we had a conference with Elder Ringwood of the 70. He was really cool. It was a very cool conference. And I got to see my beloved Kusakabe 長老 before he went home. And I also got to see Elder Munro again. And Elder Trane. That was good. It was very fun seeing them again.

To update you on my strange bodily functions my knee is bad and my back is not good. So no change there. But my hand has turned back to normal skin almost all the way now after my conflict with the stone wall after I leaped from my bike at overzealous velocities. So that is nice. But its still not a normal color. And I might not even get a cool scar because its right on the lines of my palm. Lots of pain and annoyance with no pay off. Except for a cool story about how God protects missionaries when they are doing everything they should so they don't break their necks and shatter their heads. So I appreciate that one.

So. This past week has been quite difficult. I have had cool spiritual experiences recently but its still way difficult here. But. Now I'm ready to go and tear it up in Saijo. Lets go save some people! Also Erika. Ask Mr. Park if he went to Hiroshima on his mission. I feel like he talked about Hiroshima but I can't remember. I don't remember what mission he went to. And if he has ask if he knows the names of some places he went. Anywho.

Let's get rockin! 

I love you all. Have a good week.

Love Josh

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