Week 88

Hey Mom,

 

So to start out.  I was transferred.  I am now in a place called Inage.  It could possibly be my last area...  .................   !!!

But yeah my companion is a guy named Elder Drummond.  He's from Utah and he's way cool.  Kinda into the nerdy stuff like Final Fantasy and Pokemon like me.  He was in my zone 2 transfers ago so I already know him and he's way cool.  We're also in a 4 man.  The other 2 are Elder McGahan (from Utah) and Elder Ribeiro (from Brazil).  They're both the zone leaders.  I went back to being a normal co-senior companion.  And it's awesome!!!  I have so much time at night now!  Like no extra calls to make.  Probably spend some time and catch up on my journal and stuff.  I enjoyed being a zone leader and would not hesitate if I was asked to serve as such again but right now the break, the slight relaxation is kinda nice.

I was way sad to leave Kawagoe.  I know I will miss it very much but we will be going back there when you and dad come to pick me up in October.  My week has been pretty good.  Pretty sad to leave Kawagoe and all my friends though. 

But yeah things are just going terrific for me.  I'm all good and am set for possibly one of the funnest transfers of my mission.

So yeah that's life here for me.  =D

Thanks so much for everything.  Love you!!!

 

Elder Keith

 

PS  in other news.  My mission president goes home at the end of the month.  and we will be getting a new one, President Budge, starting from July 1st.  Am I excited?  Not really.  I love President Albrecht!! But I'm anxious to see what kinda things President Budge brings in.  じゃあね！

This came from Elder Keith's Mission President:

Dear Parents of Japan Tokyo Missionaries:

     In less than a month, we will finish our 3-year mission assignment 

of presiding over the Tokyo Japan Mission.  President Todd and Lori 

Budge will take our place.  They are a wonderful couple whom we know 

well.  He is a former stake president in Tokyo and the former CEO of 

the Star Bank in Japan.  Their daughter served with us during our first 

year here and was an outstanding missionary. We support them completely 

and know their call was inspired.  They will be great mentors and leaders 

to your missionaries.

    The three years we have served have been interesting to say the 

least.  As you know, after being here for a year and 3 months, there was 

a major earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor meltdown that led to all 

the missionaries being evacuated from this and the Sendai mission.  We 

didn't know if or when they would return.  The day we said goodbye to 

the missionaries to send them to the other Japan missions was 

probably the saddest day in our lives.  The two days we were able to 

bring them back were probably the happiest days of our lives.

    We have absolutely loved serving with your missionary.  The 

missionaries in this mission are extremely hard working and 

consecrated.  They are doing their best to learn this difficult language 

and to help the people of Japan, mostly non-Christians, understand that 

they have a loving Heavenly Father and that He sacrificed His Son so we 

could return safely to Him.  The missionaries serving here are extremely 

obedient.  It is obvious that they come from great homes where they have 

been taught the Gospel.  The best days of our mission are the days we 

spend in the presence of your missionaries, either training them, serving 

with them, or listening to their testimonies.

    We want you to know that our responsibility for these great 

missionaries is not over when their missions end.  We hope to have 

life-long relationships with each missionary.  We hope that when they 

need a letter of recommendation, help solving a problem or just want to 

visit, they will call on us.  Your sons and daughters have enriched our 

lives.  They have made these three years a wonderful experience for us.  

May the Lord bless them as they serve, and may He bless you at home for the 

sacrifices you are making to support them.  We love the missionaries 

as our own children.  We will truly miss them when our service here 

is ended and we have to return to America.  May God's choicest blessings 

be with you always.

President and Sister Albrecht