Week 96

Hey,

 

Tell Grandma a Happy Birthday and give her a Big Hug for me when you see her next if you would.  And let her know that she is in my prayers.  Thank you. 

.

That's a bummer about the drought conditions too.  Looks like I picked the right time to be on my mission then huh?  xD  Sorry I don't mean to make light of a probably serious situation. 

So things with Elder Pronk are going well for the most part.  I think totally adjusting to the lifestyle of  a  missionary is a little bit of a change for him.  But he's doing well.  Yeah things are going pretty well if I do say so myself. 

 

So a couple things that happened this week.  One of them was that we went to go visit this family named the Ohyama's.  Way nice people.  They asked me when I was in the MTC.  When I told them it was in September of 2010 they said that they were there at the same time.  Then I realized... I had been reading in my journal not too long ago and we had this thing called the TRC where missionaries go and teach volunteers a lesson.  My companion and I one time had a Japanese woman named Ohyama-san (-san meaning mr or mrs).  Then when I asked if they had volunteered and they replied yes, I put 2 and 2 together and realized that it was the exact same Sister Ohyama that I taught almost 2 years ago.  It was so awesome.

 

Then the other awesome thing that happened this week.  Before now I never really considered how much influence 1 person could have in a big group of people.  So with our new mission president comes our new theme.  "Shall we not be united in so great a cause..."  So a while back I heard that our mission was going to be having 2 big half mission conferences as opposed to one full mission conference.  I was way bummed about it.  It didn't make sense with our mission theme in my head and at the same time I wanted to hear some people in my doki bear testimony and I wanted some people to hear me bear mine.  They wouldn't have if we still had the 2 half conferences.  So in my letter I wrote to President Budge and explained what I thought about having one conference and being in harmony with the mission theme and I also wrote my reason about bearing testimony.  The next day I had a reply from him.  He said thanks for the suggestion and that he would consider it.  So seeing his reply made me feel really good.  Not because I thought it was going to happen but because he took the time to consider my feelings.  When I read his response, I worked on just accepting the fact that my testimony would be heard by some and that a half conference would do.  A couple days later (ago) we heard the news that the 2 conferences would become one, a full mission conference. I was ecstatic.  But I figured that there were probably many people who asked for the same thing.  Then, today, the zone leaders (who are in the same apartment as us) came out, one of them said, 'Elder Keith you were mentioned in the conference call this morning!'  I asked about what and he said that President Budge mentioned me in connection to the 2 conferences becoming one.  I had never considered that my one letter my one thought, my one drop in the bucket would end up creating a wave.  1 person really can have an influence on what happens.  Even if they feel that they can't.  That was kinda my awe moment this week.  Yeah!  =D

 

And about extending too.  I think that I'm going to just keep my date for October.  I really would have liked to extend.  But I just think that at the same time, that time before school starting and everything, being around Adam and Thomas, and Grandma, not to mention my dearest parents of course heh heh.  xD.  But I've already promised myself that this will not be my last time in Japan.  I've grown to love this country too much to let it go.  But yeah you can go ahead and book the flights.  My finish date is the 9th and so if we could do a post-mission tour until the 19th would that be ok?  I think that would be sufficient time to go everywhere and do everything.  Thanks so much!

 

So because this has once again, zannen nagara (meaning unfortunately) become a chapter book, I will close.  Thank you for the upates and everything. Love you to bits and pieces!  And all those bits and pieces are put together and held there through the glue of the gospel!  (Just came up with that myself just now.)  xD  Love you

 

Elder Keith

キース長老

Week 95

愛する両親へ、

 

こんにちは。メールしてくださってありがとうございます。本当に私は二人からメールを読むときはとても嬉しいです。たまたまメールを読む時にトランキな気持ちを少し感じます。だけどこの残りの二月半でぜひメールしてください。

But yeah not, just a little  ;)

 

So with the bank...  yeah not quite sorted out yet.  Soon though.  We've been in touch with the Honbu and we're in the process of getting things straightened out.  Haven't quite been able to call yet because we don't know the number for the operator here in Japan.  (-_-;)  The honbu had a couple of suggestions but all them didn't work.  So we're probably gonna go there tomorrow or something and see what can be done.  Yeah haven't quite taken anything out yet.

 

So about my new companion.  His name in Morgen Pronk.  He's from Calgary.  He's got a family of 7, he's the middle child.  He's currently 19.  Turned so on April 1st.   Before his mission he was way into snowboarding and longboarding.  AND he did parkour (free running).  He pretty much has no fear when it comes to stuff like that.  Like standing backflip, corkscrew, then he jumped on the stage and did a backflip with a full twist off of it. Then we were in a park and he climbed up a shade tree they had (like 10 feet) and then proceeded to do a backflip off of it.  It was so cool to watch.  However he's still very green.  Still just kinda picking up on everything that it means to be a missionary and stuff like that.  He's got a way awesome desire, to learn the language and be a great missionary but yeah.  Is this what it's like to be a parent?  xD  The thing with me is I have a hard time having the 'hard talks' or telling someone they're doing something wrong.  Soo.... yeah.  But I love him.  Way nice guy, way fun to be around.  I've been with him just a little under a week so I don't really know too much more about him at this point.

Does it remind me of when I was brand new?  Absolutely.

So about extending.  I'll probably have to get back to you on that.  Probably later on today.  I have prayed about it but I'm not quite sure yet.  On the one hand I really really want to because I know that this opportunity probably will not happen again.  At least for another 40 or so years.  And even then It'll be a couples mission... xD.  I really really want to extend.  But then there's some days when I feel that by the time the time comes, I'll be ready. 

I'll think about it and pray about it some more today and write you again tonight to see if anything has changed.  But in between now and then I want to ask, how is grandma doing?  If I were to extend, I would be getting home in  like november.  probably near the 13 is when I would end, then the post-mission tour would put us home probably around 20th or so...  

Yeah I just don't know.  I feel pretty strongly about both options...

 

I know you don't want to influence me, and ultimately it will be my decision, but what do you think?

Your advice would help greatly.

 

So yeah besides that, there's not too much happening in Inage.  Life goes on good =D

Thanks so much for your letters and support.  Love you!!

 

Elder Keith

Week 94 or there abouts!

Hey Mom and Dad,

ﾂ

So...ﾂ A drought huh?ﾂ Yikes.ﾂ That's pretty legit.ﾂ We don't get droughts here.ﾂ The moisture in the air is enough to prevent that.ﾂ Level 2 out of 3 huh?ﾂ eeehhhhhh!ﾂ Sounds like we're having pretty similar summers though.ﾂ Granted mine is probably more humid, but yours is probably hotter right now. xD

Well I gotta say that I'm getting better at killing those roaches too!ﾂ In fact, I'm so good that I go to other people's houses and kill them.ﾂ We had a dinner appointment on Sunday (our second of the transfer) and during it, a big roach ran out on the floor.ﾂ So I went and got their dishsoap and trashed the bug(ger).ﾂ Then as I was about to put it in the trash can that the mom was holding.ﾂ She yelled at me!ﾂ Something to the effect of, "DON'T BRING THAT HERE!!!"ﾂ Or something.ﾂ I wasn't really sure.ﾂ So I paused rather confused.ﾂ Then she apologized profusely and said "I'll do anything."ﾂ She was really greatful that I killed the roach, but she just hates bugs and so... yeah.ﾂ Then they ended up giving us half a watermelon, and the rest of the food that was left at dinner (which was a lot).ﾂ So yeah that was fun.ﾂ

And I'm training.ﾂ We had transfer calls this past weekend andﾂI was called to be a trainer once again.ﾂ And I gotta say that makes me way happy.ﾂ I'm staying in Inage.ﾂ And training.ﾂ And I'm told that there's a Canadian in the group that's coming!ﾂ Keep your fingers crossed.ﾂ We go and get our new missionaries tomorrow.ﾂ

Did I doﾂa lot of streeting?ﾂ Not really.ﾂ I did a lot of walking around though.ﾂ (-_-;)ﾂ The size of Inage?ﾂ uhhhhh maybe like..... ummm I dunno maybe like 600 000 or 700 000 people?ﾂ It's pretty big.ﾂ And we have a university really close too which has a lot of international students.

So yeah tomorrow I get to go pick up my new companion.ﾂ And we were told that there are no Japanese missionaries in the group coming in.ﾂ So that means almost certainly I'll get a foreign companion and odds are good that he won't know a thing about Japan.

I'm totemo (very) excited!ﾂ

Thanks for all your letters and pictures!

Love you!!

ﾂ

Elder Keith

繧ｭ繝ｼ繧ｹ髟ｷ閠・br>

Week 93

Hail to the Bat Villa from the Roach Haven.

(-_-;)  Yep those roaches just a keep coming.  We're down to like one every other day kinda thing.   But yeah roaches in bed and baby roaches under the microwave and in the sink and ay caramba!  Did you know that the song "La Cucaracha" is all about a cockroach?  That's actually the title of the song too.  "The cockroach" in Spanish or Portuguese, I don't remember which.

My week?  Well.  Things are going good with my companion.  Kinda gotta take on a day by day basis sometimes.  We got a new mission president.  That's cool I guess.  We have a conference this coming Friday with him.  Seems like he's still getting settled and into the hang of it right now.

Oh and we got to go the temple again today.  That was way cool. 

So me and my companion were walking around and this guy calls out to us from behind.  He's bikes up to us and says (and this is all in Japanese by the way) "Hey do you know where Shinkenmigawa station is?"  We did and we kinda tried to explain it to him using landmarks but he didn't know any of them.  But we realized that asking for directions was not his main reason in stopping us.  Because as soon as we kinda finished he basically forgot about it.  But his next question was rather startling "Can you burp?"  Yeah imagine the look of confusion and surprise on my face too.  So he's like "You know like swallow air and make yourself burp kinda thing?  Can you do that for me?"  So we're kinda like "Uhhhhh yeah.... sure....."  So I do one and then he turns and gets my companion to do one.  Then He turns back to me and has me do it again.  Then again back to Elder Drummond.  So then he turns to me and say "How about 10x?"  I say "No that kinda makes me sick you know?"  Then he's like "ok just like 3-4x more?"  I was still kinda hesitant so he's like "ok just like 1 or 2 more."  Then he reaches out and touches my throat.  I stepped back a bit and asked him not to do that.  It wasn't threatening, just really weird.  Then he's like "It's becoming all the rage in school right now and I wanna learn how to do it, but I can't do it.  Will you do it again?  A big one?"  So I do one last one.  My companion doesn't.  Then he looks at our badges and says, "Oh yeah and I have interest in Christianity too."  So I pull out my phone and trade numbers with the guy.  Then  he thanks us and jumps on his bike riding back the way he came.   ... (?_?)  Figure that one out.  So then he texts us and we end up meeting with him again on Friday last week.   And our meeting went much the same as the first time.  With the burping and stuff.  We ended up giving him a Book of Mormon and talking for a little bit, then we had to go.  So he's kinda like a new investigator.  Kinda but at the same time not quite.  But yeah that was definitely a first for me in Japan.  ... In anywhere for that matter. 

Great huh?  Funny the stuff that happens.

Love you =D

Elder Keith

キース長老

Week 92

Hey Mom (and Dad),

 

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!  Haha, yeah my celebration was sending a text that said Happy Canada Day to the other Canadian elder in the mission.  You played dominoes with the missionaries?!  Awesome.  Yeah somtimes that's me at another member's house.  Not quite yet in this ward ... =(  but hopefully sometime soon.  Depends on the outcome of this transfer.  We've only got 2 more weeks left.  ...  ;D (^_^;)  haha.  naw we'll see. 

They're going to Young Men's camp?!  That's so awesome.  I want to go when I get back.  Maa dekitara ne?  That means if I can.

That's right no Primary right?  Hm..  Yikes.  Get those Elders some referrals!!  xD

Our investigators... well we have one who's doing terrific.  Then we have others who were doing well and then they stopped making contact with us....  =( 

The gaijin are mostly American but there is one from Australia.

The four man is going well.

So we officially have a new Mission President now.  And no one, save the assistants pretty much, have seen hide nor hair of him.  haha.

And our conference isn't scheduled until not this Friday but the next Friday.  So yeah we'll see what happens.  Everyone's all kinda nervous and jumpy about the changes that are gonna happen.  I'll let you know when I know.    We'll wait and see haha.

Thanks for a great letter. Love you tonnes.

 

Elder Keith

キース長老