First week in Saijo (Week 55)

So I was transferred to a place called Saijo in Hiroshima.  The first week was exciting I guess.

I have met a few investigators now. A mother and her three children. They are very kind people and the mother is really looking for the truth. She is a very good person. I still don't know much about them and they speak a lot of Hiroshima language so I have a very hard time understanding them. I was just getting used to Kumamoto language. Why does Japan have such different ways of speaking across their country? That just makes my life harder. But maybe I'll learn it sometime. I've got Yamanashi 長老 to help me so it should be ok. He's great and fluent in english. So I have already learned a lot from him. So this mother and children. One thing I am worried about is she said her husband, who lives in Germany right now for work, said he would divorce her if she joined a church. So that's slightly worrying. I hope it all works out.

So just to help you understand Elder Yamanashi's personality a little I want to tell you a small experience I had with him. We housed  into a scary old man that just went off on us and how we are wrong and how he hates churches about Jesus Christ. And then Elder Yamanshi waited for him to finish and gave him a pamphlet about the Restoration and set up an appointment to come again and kept saying on the way home how much he loves that kind man. Another experience I had with him was when Elder Gandy and I were walking behind him side by side and he turned around and just smiled really big. I asked him why he was smiling and he said because there are two angels walking behind him. And he is absolutely sincere when he says things like this. Elder Yamanashi is a very different person. He is the most pure and wonderful person I have ever met. I am very privileged to get to work with him and Elder Gandy. They are wonderful.

And we ate at a members house last night and they were very kind wonderful people. I really enjoyed myself. And the husband is a kind of doctor and helped me out with my hurting knees and back. I don't know if I told you about my back but there was a day when I couldn't even walk this week because of it. But I'm doing better now. I feel better after last nights appointment but we didn't have much time so I couldn't get it all done. Maybe later. I still hurt a bit. But whatever. If I die I die. And then keep dendoing in the spirit world.

Well I don't have much time today. I did leave my pants in Tsuboi in the trash so I don't have them now. And I really like the tan ninja jammies. But don't worry too much. I won't die. And I do have one more pair of pants for my suit.

I love you. Have a good day.

Love Josh

Good Morning (Week 54)

Hello. So its Saturday for me but Saturday just became my P day for next week. We are taking a bus to Fukuoka with Y_____ and Momoko and Kancho and an American girl whose name escapes me to see the temple. And to get permission for that we had to make today P day. So I'm emailing.

So I wrote that other email on an iphone. And it was way hard so I didn't really give much information. About the bike crash. It was crazy. I flew into a wall. It was kind of like cool runnings when they crash their bobsled. It could have been really bad. But I'm not hurt. I just bruised and cut up my hand and my knee. My head is fine. It didn't even hurt. Elder Morris was riding behind me and said he wouldn't have been surprised if I didn't get up after. It looked really bad. But I am quite alright. Just a little achy. And my hand is funny colors. And I ripped my pants apart. That was my favorite suit. And it even went through my tan ninja jammies. Now there is a hole in the knee. There is a hole in my skin too but that will heal. My ninja jammies won't. So I'm pretty sad about that.

So the baptism didn't happen. Y_____ couldn't get permission. I am very sad. And she is too. She cried. We all got together and started preparing for the baptism and everything because she was going to try one more time to get permission. We even started filling the font. And then she called her mom and her mom said no. And then she cried. It broke my heart. But she said she will be baptized someday. We don't know when. But she said she will absolutely get baptized. And her dad called our zone leaders telling us to back off and not teach her. And I hear he told her she can't go to church anymore.

So we just had transfers. Elder Morris and I stayed together again. That almost guarantees me another transfer after this one here in tsuboi. And President made me a senior companion now. So Elder Morris and I are both senior. which means next transfer I will probably get a missionary younger than me. I'm pretty scared about that. But whatever. Tanoshiku ganbarimasho! I'll be fine.

Other than that things are pretty normal. I don't have much to report. But Tsuboi became my favorite area. I love Ishigaki and it will have a special place in my heart forever. It is such a wonderful place. But Tsuboi is now my favorite. I love it here. And I hope I can stay for a really long time.

I love you all. Sorry if I didn't answer any questions you may have wanted answered. I don't have a lot of time. If you want them answered then ask one more time and I will answer them next week. I promise. I love you all. Have a good week. I'll talk to you later. I'm going to go party in Fukuoka now. Bye bye.

Love Josh

Hi (Week 53)

It is a week long holiday here so the email place is closed. So this will be short because I'm using an iPhone. The baptism didn't go through. Y_____ couldn't get permission from her parents. And her dad called our zone leaders and told us to stop teaching her. We have taught her everything so it's ok. Her dad just thinks we are moving way too fast. So someday she will get baptized. She said she will keep going and absolutely get baptized someday. So it's sad. But ok.

And can you see if I can get new pants for my striped suit? I crashed my bike pretty bad and it ripped through my pants on the knee and thigh where my keys were. It was a pretty intense crash. I was going really fast and flew over a sidewalk and then landed and slid at high speeds head first onto a stone wall and slid along it for a few seconds until I stopped. And I probably would have died if I wasn't wearing a helmet. But I'm ok so don't worry. I didn't really get hurt. Just my hand.

This is way annoying to type on so I'm going to stop now. I love you. You will get a better email next week.

Love josh.

Watashi wa Geridoru desu. (Week 51)

So it has been yet another week. Very very busy. I never seem to have any time to do nothing. Which is how it should be I guess. But it gets pretty tiring.

Well Y_____ chan is still progressing very well. She is getting excited for her baptism. I am too. Its just in ten days. I can't wait. She is so cool. I love Y_____ chan. When we talk our conversation is mostly about nose picking and poking people's bums. Just so you know. We have a good time. I'll have stories to tell you when I get home. We should be hearing like today ish what she wants to do for her baptism like who prays and stuff and who will bapitze her and stuff.

M_____ chan is still doing really good. She is just so awesome. We watched Finding Faith in Christ with her this week and she said it was an answer to her prayer. She is just so cool. She is so sensitive to the spirit and she really cares about what God wants her to do. She's so cool.

I have opened up four presents now. They have been good. I appreciate them. Things are getting pretty Christmasy in our apartment now. The flash drive did work. So don't worry about that. We listen to it all the time. We love our Christmas.

So for my entire mission it has been a difficult thing to get people to at least just take a Book of Mormon. One or two a week is what I  have thought was a successful week. Usually only one. But this week we found a new way to get Book of Mormons out if we can't do anything else. We wrap it in ribbon and tell everyone its a present. In one hour we gave away 6. This week we did around 20. We are almost out of Book of Mormons in the apartment. The church doesn't have anymore. Hopefully more will come soon. We need to take advantage of Christmas time. And we heard the mission home is running really low too. So I don't know when we will be able to get more. But realistically we only have like a weeks worth of Book of Mormons left. So we'll see. That has been really exciting this week. Elder Morris and I split up and went on either side of the street to see who could pass out the most Book of Mormons before we met up at the other side of the street because even people with no interest start taking the Book of Mormon if it has ribbon and you say its a present. Its been really fun. I can't remember who won. But I won for the most lessons taught on the road. Yeah. I'm just the best I guess.

This coming week we are going to dress up like santa and go singing with a member at some place. I don't understand what it means. It might be an old people place. That should be fun.

And one other highlight this week was when we went out with an old member in our ward to visit less active people we stopped to take pictures by a bamboo forest and we looked like models and stuff. And he just loved it. Kawamura Brother. And we got him to be in a picture or two. And I called him Ikemen Brother. Which means like Brother Really Handsome Guy. He was just loving it. It was so funny. He was a happy man. That's what I get to do as a missionary.

Well I'm out of time. Skype next week. My Christmas day. Your Christmas Eve. My 10:00 in the morning. I think your 6:00 at night. I can't remember how to use skype very well. So if you could email me some information that would help me locate your computer when I try to do it I would appreciate it. I can't remember what is needed and I can't find out before I have to leave. So thank you. I love you. Talk to you next week.

And I appreciated your email mom. Thank you. I love you.

Love Josh.

Sorry I'm late (Week 50)

Its pretty cold here right now. So I'm wearing my ninja jammies under my suit too almost every day. That's for dad.

So. Just a quick update on the knee to get it out of the way. Its not good. I'm still talking to President and trying stuff. Haven't gone to a doctor yet. I might have hurt it this morning and made it worse. I'm not sure if it will be only temporary pain or if this pain will be until its fixed. We'll see. Don't worry though. I'm fine. We are coming up with ways to dendo without standing.

I got the package. as far as I know everything is there but I haven't opened the presents so I don't know if anyting would be missing. I think all of the days are accounted for. We'll see.

We would like to do our Christmas calling on the morning of Tuesday on Christmas day. For you that should be the evening of Christmas Eve. I don't know yet on times. We have to get in contact with our member who is going to be allowing us to use his computer. That wonderful soul.

So It has been a pretty good week I guess. We get to keep teaching these wonderful people. They are so awesome. They keep progressing. And its awesome. They keep coming to church and they are reading the Book of Mormon and they have testimonies and they want to keep learning. And when the members went to meet M_____ chans parents it went really really well. Dad wasn't home so we are still worried about him. But it went well with mom. Momoko, the one who referred all these people, was basically in tears because it went so well when I talked to her after. The Shimizu elders have an investigator with a baptismal date who is also named M_____ and they just set another baptismal date with their investigator named M_____. All are high school girls. And Y_____ has her baptismal date for just after Christmas. And M2_____ might have one soon. So we'll see. We also found out that M2_____ wants to go to the temple and do baptisms for her ancestors and Y_____ wants to go too. We would really love if they could all get baptized soon and then all go to the temple together. And us missionaries would probably go too. I think that would be the best thing ever. I would love that. And I think it can really happen. Just pray that all will go well with parents. Y_____ is nervous about her parents I think and M2_____ was told she can't get baptized. so pray for these people. I love them so much.

So I got to see the First Presidency Christmas thing. It was in Japanese though. So I really didn't understand anything. It was difficult Japanese. But the music was great. I felt very Christmasy. but I had a lot of time to just think during the Christmas thing. I really miss my family. And I kept thinking about that. I really wish I could be with you for Christmas. Especially mom. I keep having these flashes of intense homesickness out of nowhere. It is difficult for me. This is the most homesickness I have ever felt. I just miss my mom.

Well I'm out of time. Tell Erika Happy Birthday. Tanjobi omedeto! Junana sai ni nata! sorry I can't send you an email specifically.

Love Josh.

I love this place! (Week 49)

So before I forget. Mom. I sent you a letter last week. And it has stuff in it. But one thing is missing. I forgot to put it in. So you will get that someday. And maybe you won't even get your letter. I sent Julie a letter at the same time and I might have mixed up the envelopes but I didn't want to open it to find out. So. Yoroshiku ne.

I love being here. I am having so many cool experiences. Yesterday we had both of our investigators come to church and two new people came to church. It was really cool. A girl named I_____ chan and a friend of our lovely member Kancho kun named T_____ I think. By the way don't edit out Kancho kun's name. Its already a code name. And I know he reads these and I wanted to tell him I love him. I love you Kancho kun. You know who you are.

Also yesterday we got to teach Y_____ chan. And that was really cool. We asked her to share her testimony with us. We have been focusing on getting everyone to realize that they have their own testimony and we are getting them to share them. And she shared a scripture with us and everything that she really liked from the Book of Mormon. It was so cool. And then I shared a scripture with her that I found yesterday morning and then asked her about baptism. I asked her to get baptized and she said yes. Then I told her that God is happy right now and that God loves her. And when I said that I almost started bawling. I could feel the spirit so strongly. And I know she could too. It was so good. And then she chose December 27 to be baptized. So that was the highlight of my week. And another highlight of my mission. Pray for her. I really want this to work out for her.

Yesterday was fast sunday so we all fasted. And we got together with the Shimizu elders and with Kancho kun and Momoko shimai to have a big fast for our investigators and friends. And one thing I wanted to fast for was a testimony that fasting and prayer really make a difference. And I now have that testimony. We fasted that Kancho kun's friend would have interest in the church and then she came. And then Y_____ said she wanted to be baptized. And it has just been really good. This week we got together with M_____ chan and Y_____ chan and the Shimizu elders and Momoko shimai and Kancho kun to decorate a tiny Christmas tree. And we made our ornaments and wrote a small testimony on them. And then asked everyone to share their testimonies. And it was so good. The spirit was very strong. And I think it was really good for our investigators. We also made an ornament that said what testimony we want to get. And mine was about fasting. So I fasted and got my testimony. I hope everyone else gets their testimonies too.

For Christmas we are planning on going out with the Eikaiwa students and some members to sing Christmas carols at a really busy road. On Christmas night. I am really excited. I hope it goes well. I'm excited. I think that would make me ok about not being with my family on Christmas.

Also I we can skype our families for Christmas and that it can be as long as we want. So probably like an hour would be appropriate. And I heard a rumor of member here who will let us use his computer for skype. So I am pretty sure I can skype you now. But I need to make sure.

And just so you know we have plans in motion to get in to M_____ chan's parents that I think will work out really well. So I am hoping all is going to go well there. Just to keep you all in the loop.

Yes I know Fontanet 長老. I have met him a few times and I met him and his parents the other day. They were very nice people.

I am really happy about all the things that are happening here. I love this place and never want to leave and I am really glad I get the opportunity to spend Christmas in such a wonderful place with so many wonderful people. I am so happy. I love you all. I love you Kancho kun. I'll see you later.

Love Elder Liddle

Just another day in the life in Kumamoto (Week 48)

So I'm back again. It has been a good week. Our investigators are progressing so well. I really don't doubt that they will be baptized. I think its just a matter of when. And there are some things we have to do like get to the parents so they can trust us and stuff. That will be the hard part especially for M_____ chan. Her dad may be difficult. If she doesn't get baptized it will be because of the parental permission. In Japan you have to be 20 to make that decision on your own. And she's only 17. So pray for her family that all will go well. Also things look like they could get kind of complicated with her living in the Shimizu area and having us Tsuboi missionaries teach her. We really have to be the ones to teach her so we can't pass her off to the other elders. And the Shimizu ward might be a little difficult when it comes to teaching her sometimes. I can sense tension. This poor girl needs what we have and I don't want anything to get in the way of that. So pray for her. She is way amazing though. I love her so much. I can't believe how amazing she is. She asked if in her next lesson she could hear everyone's testimony because she likes learning from testimonies and she wants her own testimony to be strengthened by them. She is just so awesome.

Y_____ chan is doing very well too. She is very easy to teach and very interested. She tries what we ask her to do and I think she will progress to baptism quite well too. Not much to really report with her.

The shimizu elders have another investigator from Eikaiwa that is progressing really well. We keep hearing rumors that she said she wants to get baptized but we haven't heard it directly from her and we know that right now she has no idea what baptism is. So we don't know where that is coming from. But she is awesome too and I think she will get baptized. All of these friends will probably get baptized together.

So my knees. I appreciate the prayers. I really do. I don't want to go through too much with them. President said that if I need surgery they will not do it in Japan. That is an absolute you're going home thing. So we'll see. The mission only has two cars and they are in the mission office. And I really can't be transferred there because quite honestly my Japanese isn't good enough. I have to be able to call people on the phone and stuff and communicate and understand clearly. I still can't do that. So realistically I think I am stuck out here in Tsuboi. And I may go to the doctor soon. I am still talking to President about it. But don't worry. I will be fine. I will do whatever God's will is.

I had a pretty good thanksgiving. We just worked like normal but then went out to eat at a sushi place that has the sushi on the moving thing next to your table so you choose what you want. It was really good. I have had ok sushi a few times but that was the first time I had really good sushi. I'll take dad there when we come to Japan together. It was good.

And just an update on how much I love this place. I love it so much. I love Tsuboi. I am so happy here. If I could I would finish my mission here. I love it. And I love the people. I get to work with so many wonderful people here. I love it. And there are always people to talk to on the streets when we have time to do that. You don't have to look hard. And the awesome thing is that we don't even have time to do that. We are too busy doing things for our other investigators and our other more effective ways of finding investigators. I love it. I am so happy. This place is amazing. I can't speak Japanese worth beans but that doesn't even matter anymore. I can get a point across and feel the spirit. That's all I care about now. So life is good. Stressful. But good.

Yes I do use my rain coat a lot. all the time. It snowed a tiny bit today. The members say it snows every now and again but never sticks. It mostly rains. And gets cold. Its more of a fall season here right now. All the leaves are falling and changing color right now. And it still isn't that cold. I hope it gets colder. I need something to cool me down after that summer in Ishigaki.

I love you all. Don't worry about me. This last week has been the best of my mission. Have a good day.

Love Elder Liddle