Week 91

Hey,

 

So first things first. I'm better.  Way better.  Like the sickness only turned out to last a couple days.  Thankfully.  I had the other Elders in our apartment help and they gave me a priesthood blessing.  And I want to also thank you all for your prayers.  I'm like pretty darn sure I wouldn't have gotten better as fast were it not for the added help.  Thank you.

 

So for the what's up with me this past week.  We had a pretty busy week.  We had a grand total of 8 lessons.  It was way cool.  And we had 2 people come to church.  It was awesome.  But there are so many gaijin (foreigners) in this ward.  Like off the top of my head I can count 4 families.  And one of the families had 9 kids.  9!!!!!!  (O_O)

But it's awesome.

 

And today we went to Costco!  Yeah, we hust happened to be there at the same time as a member and they used their card to get us on.  It was way awesome.  But Costco is so darn expensive.  At least here it is.  xD

 

But yeah life in a 4-man apartment is pretty fun.  Sometimes pretty crazy.  Sometimes pretty messy.  But it is way fun.

 

So yeah that was me this past week.

 

どうもありがとうございます。お疲れ様でした。

愛しています。

 

Elder Keith

キース長老

So just what I forgot last time.

President Albrecht goes home this weekend. Next will be President Budge.

My third mission president. Weird.

Oh and next month, which is next transfer. I will be bearing my dying testimony at the next big mission taikai (conference)

...

-sigh-

love you

Elder Keith

Week 90

こんにちは、

Hey Everyone konnichiwa,

 

Thanks for all your letters this week.

 

Responding for me is a little hard right now because I guess you could say that I'm sick.

I woke up on Saturday morning feeling like I had a lump in my throat.

It hurt to swallow.  Sunday came and things didn't get better. 

Now Monday's here and I still feel way below the weather.

 

Hurts a bit more than before to swallow.  I called the mission doctor and mission mom.

Doctor said that because it's just a couple days in right now, we're not sure if there's anything that can be done.

So now I have to gargle with salt water and take ibuprofen.

Eating's not very fun at the moment.

 

Besides my throat I don't feel bad at all.  Well it is really hot here, and since we're still in the 'rainy season' it's really humid.

I'll send you all replies when I get the chance.

In the meantime if you could just remember me in you prayers then I would be most greatful.

Thanks so much for everything you all do in my behalf. And I'm sorry if I forget things (>.<)

Love you all so much.

 

Elder Keith

キース長老

Week 89

Hey Mom,

 

Almost 21...  yepp.  I'm getting old.  A teenager when I left huh?  gee...  yepper.  And now for the statement that will scare you so bad that your hair will turn salt and pepper colour (hee hee hee I'm so funny)

Others who are the same age as your son are now MARRIED!  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Heh heh.  Weird. 

Thanks for passing along the birthday wish from Mary and tell her thank you for me.

Wow the Andersons are moving out too.  Hawkesbury just won't be the same will it.

So quick thing about BYU before I forget.  President Albrecht told me that it's a first come first serve basis, so like I know that the deadline is in October, but does it look like it will be done soon.

Sorry my thoughts are pretty scattered right now.  Just gotta get all the things I wanted to say out, then I'll get the other stuff.

Could I get you to send me a picture of the skydiving?  That would be awesome thanks.

Dad mentioned that you haven't sent the package yet.  That's totally cool and don't worry about sending me the Canada stuff just yet.  I don't want to have to carry it around if I transfer... ( I barely made it with my 2 suitcases last transfer).

eeeehhhhttooooo......

Oh yeah, but would you mind sending me a stick of deoderant?  They don't have any here... it's a pain. 

And then this new apartment is way cool to live  in but in the 7 days I've been here we've seen and killed 6 roaches.  One every day since the first day.  And we have a different way of getting them here.  We use big elastics.  Did you know that if you hit a roach with a powerful enough shot that they will explode?  Like and I mean explode.  Pieces everywhere.  Way fun but way annoying too.  We think it's because the woman below us doesn't throw any trash in her house away.  But in any case, it gives us all a rush of adrenaline as we hurry to kill it.

The four man apartment is good.  It's way fun.  It's helping me to have fun again after having 4.5 months of not so fun.

Church for us, because we're in the other ward, starts at 1 in the afternoon.  It's weird.  My new companion has been out just over a year.  It's cool because he was actually a district leader in my zone the transfer before last, so I knew him well.  We're both Pokemon nerds so we get along great.  We actually went to a Pokemon specialty store today haha.  It was funny.

New investigators?  Not quite.  I'm still getting used to the area and stuff.  We found a couple of cool people with potential but no solids yet.

Spiritual experiences... well the stake has been fasting for us as missionaries recently.  And the things that we've been seeing from it.  Like we talked to this one guy from Costa Rica who said that he had no interest.  Then like 5 minutes later he came back and asked me our stance on gay marriage and I had the chance to testify about how God has ordained from the foundation of the world for marriage to be between a man and a woman.  It was the first time that I've ever testified about that here in Japan.  It was kinda cool actually.

So yeah thanks for everything.  Give everyone my love =D

本当にお母さんを心から愛しています

 

Elder Keith

キース長老

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