TOKYO!!!!

Well hello there!  Guess what. . .

 

I'm back in Tokyo!!!!  I am in an area called Kofu (long o) and oh my, it is BEAUTIFUL!!  We are way to the west of the mission and in the mountains!!  I cried a lot (:P), because I really didn't like leaving the amazing branch in Itoman.  Alas, so it will be for the rest of this earth life.  Anyway, this ward is AMAZING!!  Since the missionaries have been gone for the last two months they have done the following:  called thirteen ward missionaries, have had a couple Preach My Gospel trainings, they completely cleaned the missionaries' apartment (dry cleaning the futons and sheets, scrubbing things down), they restocked our fridge when they heard we were coming back, they made us a list of people to contact, and the ward mission leader came by to introduce himself.  They are incredible.  This is an awesome area!!  This makes in four transfers: my fourth area, sixth companion, fourth prefecture/zone/stake, second mission, and third island.  :D  Now I'm in the mountains!

 

My new companion's name is Elder Fowers.  He is from Bountiful Utah, and he has been out for eight transfers.  :)  He just hit his year mark.  Oh, I forgot to say this.  Half the ward is Brazilian (PLEASE HELP GRANDMA, GRANDPA, and BECCA!!!!).  This will be very interesting.  :D

 

Well, I don't have much time because this isn't a complete P-day (we have two lessons today and English class).

 

Cultural Thingy:  Japanese people have this compulsory behavior of giving gifts.  When the Itoman branch found out I was leaving they gave me many gifts.  They're crazy!  Recycle shops are big in Japan because people buy stuff to give stuff.  The receiver usually doesn't have room to keep it.  This is what I am told and what I've observed.  Don't quote me on that.  ;)

 

Spiritual:  Kyan shimai again.  We told her about fasting and she didn't like how it sounded.  She said it was hard and nervously brushed off our invitation to pick a day for us to fast together.  The lesson ended quickly because her restaurant got busy really fast.  She is so amazing. . .  The next week at our next lesson, we asked her about fasting.  She said that she tried to fast during the week but she had a drink of water at four in the afternoon (once) and she thought that that ruined her fast.  I stared at her with my mouth open.  What?  We assured her that her effort was valiant because she thought she was a bad person for taking one drink during a self-committed fast by herself when she was surrounded by unsupportive people at work and that work is at a restaurant!!  Isn't she awesome!?!  I cried because I knew it was my last time seeing her.  She didn't know though.  :(

 

Funny Moment:  Elder Jordan can make the funniest voices; he should be a voice actor.  Elder Angell was trying to tell us a story but Elder Jordan kept randomly adding the same line:  "And he bit off my toes, one by one!"  He used an oldman-British accent.  It almost sounded like golem`s voice.  I was crying I was laughing so hard; poor Elder Angell couldn't finish his story.  It became a joke after that to randomly say that phrase.  We're goofs.

 

Flashback:  Dad was driving that horrible old truck again (I don't like that truck), and I was in the passenger seat with my head out the window.  Dallin sat in the middle.  "Dallin, want to drive?"  Dad says.  I immediately pipe out, "I don't think so!  You are not letting him drive!!"  Dallin of course is down for it.  Dad offers him the wheel by letting go of it completely.  I  start screaming and yelling, "Don't Dad!  This isn't funny!!  Let me out!!  Dallin, stop it!!"  Dad and Dallin just laugh; I start crying.  I thought I was going to die.  Dad almost gets angry as he says, "Would you calm down!  Look, he's not driving; I have my knees on the wheel.  Dallin wasn't driving this whole time."  Dad and Dallin laugh as I smile in realization.  "That's not funny!"  I stuck out my tongue.

Lesson Learned:  How many times do we, almost screaming, tell the Lord, "Don't let him drive!  I don't think so!!  Take the wheel back!!  Don't let him drive!?!"  I've said that a lot since coming on my mission, almost screaming and often crying.  Don't let him drive!  Yet I have reflected on that experience many times.  God still has complete control of the wheel.  It may seem someone else is driving, but they are not.  I have kind of felt God's disappointed statement, "Would you calm down!  I'm in control here, he's not driving."  God is driving.  We should take comfort from that thought.  :)

 

Well, I got to go!  I love you all!!  Have a great week!

 

Still alive,

 

Jenkins Choro