Week 54

こんにちは！(Konnichiwa!)

 

Yes all is well in my end of the world! 

Ahhh, the KFG Keith Family Gathering, or in this case, the Keith Family Gourgefest! How I miss those days and those feasts and how I look forward to them upon my return home!  Rolling out to the car, oh yes.

Nope no thanksgiving celebration here.  I had one sister send me an email (it was a coordination email about a mission prep activity that I'm kinda like organizing (at least from the missionary side) so don't worry I don't break rules. xD) and at the end of it she said, "oh yeah happy Canadian thanksgiving.  So that was the extent of my thankgivingness. xD  There again I do spend all of my time giving thanks and giving people the gospel so I don't feel bad haha.  Some of the National Holidays... O-shogastu (new year-->This is a HUGE holiday here in Japan).  Golden week --> a string of holidays that gives everyone like a week off.  Christmas(although it's not as big).  and yeah that for the most part is it.

My new area is good I guess.  I like a lot of the people already.  The rest I just don't know yet.  My new companion is a way nice guy too!  I think though that since my 5th transfer (I'm on 8 now) that President Albrecht has been putting me with certain companions for certain reasons.  More on that to come in a later letter.  I love being DL too actually.  I just love to have so much interaction with so many missionaries.  It helps me create friendships with them that could otherwise be a little harder.  Yeah it's more work but I do feel up to the challenge.  And we had a district leader conference the other day, and in it I resolved not only to be a district leader but to be THE district leader.  I want to be the one that people talk about and remember, I want to be the one that changes peoples lives.  And so I do my best! 

Yeah I really miss the Leulu's (Vonnie and her husband Roma) too.  And their 2 kids Edyson and Alejandra.

They have a special place in my heart.

 

Do I need anything?  Not really.  I actually just bought a new suit.  xD  It was a pretty good price and very stylish xD.  So yeah no I'm doing good.  Although maybe some more socks, like the ones you sent last time... Yoroshiku onegai shimasu (I desire you to be nice to me-  very common Japanese phrase)

 

Yes conference was terrific!  I loved every bit of it.  And it went by far too fast.  I remember when I was young I couldn't wait for it to be over, and now I am startled when I realize that there's only 1 speaker left.  Funny how people change eh?  And yeah President Monson is a bucket of laughs. heh heh.

 

So you know how we used to talk about touching people's lives.  Who was I supposed to touch.  Well until now I've realized some of the people that I came here to help.  I wanted to share it with you. 

-a SPAM container wrapped in paper with pictures and messages written by 2 little girls from Seto ward.  They are Maho and Shio.

-a letter from a boy named Sam from Tama he wrote me and I received the letter while I was in Kofu.

-a postcard from Koji and Aya. Aya was less active in Seto and Koji her boyfriend.  Through our visits, they got married and he was baptized. 

-a picture in a glass frame from Kazushi from my last night in Tama

-some money given to me by Vonnie, I couldn't refuse it because she said in their culture it's rude to refuse a gift. They gave me the money because they didn't have time to get a gift.  Roma then leaned in and told me that it was so good to have me do FHE with them.  He said it was great to have all of us present but that I was the one that helped them strengthen their testimonies the most.

-some email excerpts (from 2 letters) from a woman named Sharmeen that I had the privilege of finding and teaching while I was in Kofu:

"So happy to read of all the great things going on in your life.  You have been a blessing to me."

"Today is my birthday, October 10th and thank you for being one of the best gifts I've received in my 37 years of living.  Big hug, Sharmeen :)"

That might sound kinda weird unless you know this woman.  She is so full of love and when we found her she was actually going through a harder time in life and we were able to help her out. 

It's things and gifts like these that make any little bit of suffering that I have to endure as a missionary worth it.  I don't think this is all the people that I have been able to help but, but these are the ones that I know for sure.  I have made friends here that have become friends for life.  This mission has been a truly wonderful experience for me. Thank you for guiding me to it.  Love you so much!

 

Your Son

Elder Keith

キース長老