April 28, 2014 email

Mom and Dad,

I don't have too much time to write this week because we went to one of the castles in Tottori area. Tottori Castle is by the eki. It's actually just the ruins of Tottori Castle--there really isn't any more castle left. After all that hiking we got to look out over all of Tottori from the top of the super big hill, so it was cool.

Tuesday was one of the busiest days I've had in a while. We scheduled a couple lessons that day, neither of which were planned or mogi'ed. The day was spent basically planning and mogi'ing the lessons. We met with the Christian guy and the other two seishinbyo guys. Both lessons ended up going pretty well despite the lack of time. That day we also had an exchange with the zone leaders, which didn't make the schedule any easier--but we all felt pretty accomplished. For dinner we scrambled around to konbibi's to buy melon pan and ice cream, then ate the ice cream-filled melon pan--probably the most unhealthy dinner I've had, but it was delicious.

 

Thursday we had another lesson with the Christian guy. He's doing really well and is progressing toward baptism.

Friday was district meeting! Weeks don't last long enough. I feel like I'm teaching a district meeting every day! I've adjusted to it and can plan a fairly solid district meeting within a limited time because the Lord helps me do it. He knows I'd crash and burn if I did it all on my own. Last prep day we found this video called "Be Not Afraid," which actually used to be a training video for the Japan Kobe Mission. It's about an elder who served here in the early 90's and was a super-star missionary, but started out like any normal trainee does. It accounts his story of when he served in the Maizuru area. It's a pretty rural area. At that time, the branch was only three women and the two elders. Now there are about 10 or 11 active members, if I remember correctly. The video is about how he and his companion did all they could to work hard and rely on the Lord. They found a male convert that would become the branch's first priesthood holder. It was honestly a great video and I'm disappointed they don't still use it. I feel it could help a lot of missionaries--not just in this mission either.

One onegai I have for this week: Could you send instructions on how to tie various tie knots (half-windsor, full-windsor, double-windsor, etc.). With all the ties I have of different shapes, materials, lengths, and such, there's no knot that really works for them all.

That's all I have to email this week! I look forward to emailing again next week. Until then, give my best to everybody!

愛、

～ウィルソン長老

April 21, 2014 email

Mom and Dad,

 

Things worked out well this week. We visited a lot of former investigators. All of those whom we met with were super nice, but weren't interested in investigating. One of them, an old gentleman, talked for quite a bit of time about a variety of topics. At one point he talked about fighting in the war (not sure which, probably Korean) with planes falling from the sky and crashing around him. We managed to teach some gospel principles into our conversation.

Thursday we had a lesson with the christian guy and the two seishinbyo's that always meet together. The lesson with the christian guy went very well. We didn't  have a lot of time beforehand to prepare as much as we wanted, so we taught off of our general notes. The lesson ended up being guided entirely by the Spirit and, therefore, went great. At the next lesson one of the members walked into the room in the middle of the lesson and sat down to be the member present, although we didn't request a member or anything for the lesson. Anyway, our two investigators both accepted a date to be baptized!

Friday, we had district meeting--yes, I taught it. It was pretty fun, and went very well. Adequate preparing beforehand makes a big difference. The last one I did, I only did some of the prep because most of it was already prepared by the assistants; I don't think it went as well as I wanted it to. This time, I made sure to plan as best I could. It certainly paid off. Everyone enjoyed it! We also found a high school student who said we could come back the next day to share more!

Saturday we met with the Christian guy again. He accepted a date, too! His date is May 24th, but I'm almost certain it'll end up being sooner. He understands everything we teach. He understood the need for priesthood authority before we even taught him what the priesthood is! It's great! When we first extended a date, it was May 25th, but he said he was busy that day. Then I said the 24th, and he just went "Ya, that works."

Saturday night we went back to visit the high schooler and his family. When his dad came to the door, he was super nice about it but turned us away. That's one of the hurdles with almost every housing contact in Japan. The kids say it's fine to come back, but then the parents just laugh and say no. One time in Kitarokko, I rang the video feed and a high school age girl answered. I heard her on the other side laugh and tell someone else that she was talking to someone who wasn't Japanese. Then the dad pulled up in his car and asked what we wanted. At the same time, the daughter came out and was like "missionaries?!" in a way excited way. Then the dad said that his family didn't have any interest.

Sunday we went housing for several hours straight. Nobody showed any real interest. That's dendo for you: one day will be super great and the next day not so much. Can't be helped, I guess, but that's basically what happened this week.

Thanks for all you wrote me this week! I really do appreciate your efforts to write me no matter how frequently--or infrequently--you manage to find time. どうもありがとうございます！

愛、

~ウィルソン長老

April 14, 2014 email

Mom and Dad,

 

It's been an interesting week due to more bike issues, but the Lord helped us out quite a bit because we had less time to dendo as a result.

Since Eversole Choro's bike's shifter gear fell off, we left it at the shop and borrowed a mamachari from the recent convert guy. Mamachari's are terrible bikes, just so you know; in addition this one was too small for Eversole Choro and way too small for me. The real story of this week begins on Tuesday. We were at the church emailing, when the PI who's way interested in Christianity and grew up wanting to be a Christian came way early for eikaiwa. We usually have DCS right before eikaiwa, so we rearranged our time things around so he wouldn't have to wait around. We also had a follow-up appointment at 6:30, so we had to leave early to make it before eikaiwa. As we're going to the appointment, my tire popped on something! We got there and the guy was just leaving because he apparently had some other thing going on....so we turned around and went back to the church.

After patching the punk, I found another! I patched that one and then found another punk after that one! I think I ended up patching 7 punks.We finally got that done, but a lot of our day was spent.

 

But anyway, we met with the less-active guy: he's becoming closer and closer to reactivation. We had a very spiritual lesson with him. It was also very interesting because he decided to do a role-play of what his childhood would've been like if he'd grown up in the church, and the inevitable argument that would've ensued between him and his mom on Sunday morning. You have to know this guy for it to be as funny as it was.

Friday we had mensetsu's (interviews)! As always, it was awesome. Zinke Kaicho is seriously the best. I'm not looking forward to when he leaves in a couple months and is replaced. He talked about how for us, as the Lord's missionaries to astonish the world, we have to first astonish ourselves. I've yet to truly astonish myself on my mission, so I'll have to work fast to get around to astonishing the world in the next 13 months.

Saturday we got to watch General Conference. Before that, we went to the nearby sports park and worked out with the PI. He's one of those people who are into fitness and what not. It may not be winter anymore, but at 6 in the morning it's still kind of chilly outside. After we worked out with, we studied at the apartment, then went to the church to watch GC. For the hour breaks between the sessions, we went out and dendo'd on the street in front of the church. We didn't find anyone that had was interested, but it was still good. No effort is wasted when it comes to missionary work, even when the members do it. Everything prepares people to eventually receive the Gospel.

Sunday we had more General Conference sessions, to which a couple investigators came as well as the Christian PI. He really seemed to like it and the other people found it interesting. I can't decide which one was my favorite, but there were some that I enjoyed more than others.

Sunday night we finally had a lesson with the PI. He is very interested in learning more. It's awesome to have a person who's listens so intently and grasps what we are teaching him. He's a very spiritual guy. It was a great first lesson with him.

愛、

~ウィルソン長老

4/7/14 email

So it's cherry blossom season here in Japan!

Mom and Dad,

Sakura's--I'm sure you've heard of--are these pinkish, white flowers that bloom on trees. They only last a couple weeks, then they die. It's so special here in Japan that McDonald's sells sakura-teriyaki burgers and sakura soda. I ate them for the experience. :)

We had to completely replace the brakes on our bikes because none of them were working. Eversole Choro doesn't really know how to do it so I did all 8 brake pads. My hands were waaay dirt by the end, but I liked it. You know how I am with taking things apart and putting them back together. Like the BYU ME motto: If it's not broken, take it apart and fix it!

We had a couple lessons with the two seishinbyo's that meet with us regularly. We need to search and find more people that want to follow their Savior. We also had a lesson with the recent convert. Explaining patriarchal blessings in Japanese is very difficult--much harder than I thought it'd be. Just saying it in Japanese is hard: shukufukushi no shukufuku (pronounced 'shkufkushi no shkufku); however, he was thrilled at the idea of having a personalized guide just for his life.

Friday we had ZTM. Basically this mission is surpassing all the other missions in Japan. After the training plan to help us learn to work by relying on Christ and then the two week training plan to teach us who Christ is, we're now starting the training part based around then-Elder Heber J Grant's 1903 prophesy that one day the work in Japan will astonish the world and it will be one of the most successful places for the work in the world. Now, using our knowledge of the Savior and how we can rely on Him, the next plan is to "astonish the world." If you look at everything that's been happening in Japan, especially in the Kobe mission, Kaicho really believes that this is the start of it all. Not to mention that "Kobe" means "God's Door". These next three months are going to be intense.

Another crazy change that's come about--I don't think it's that crazy because I've thought about this a few times before--is the shimai missionaries are going to focus basically all their efforts on reactivating less-actives. On Shikoku, the big island in our mission, they've been pushing to make a stake by reactivating LA's to get enough active members for a stake. Some missionaries are even assigned as "stake missionaries" to do just that. In the last few months it sounds like almost all the necessities have been finished and the stake will be here soon! Now, since there are so many LA's all around Japan, Kaicho has decided shimai with focus on bringing them back. Hopefully it won't be long before there will be an announcement in GC for a Kobe Japan Temple!

Oh yeah, on Friday we had to take Eversole Choro's bike to the shop because one of the shifter gears completely fell off and got lost. It'll take a week to replace.

At church, this couple who are good friends with a few people in the branch came by. The guy is actually from Holland and he's half-Turkish...or maybe a quarter? Not sure, but he's probably one of the coolest people I've met. After Sacrament Meeting, we talked with him during Sunday School and Priesthood Quorum,and then another hour and a half after church! I don't know if he's interested in becoming a member, but he really likes Mormons. He has many philosophies/outlooks on life that are the same as what we believe. Today we went with him, his fiancee, and the shimai to the yakiniku place.

Responses:

 

" I guess the scripture "men's hearts shall fail them" is literally being fulfilled."  Holy cow. 

Yes, we have to wait a week for general conference. It all has to be translated to Japanese, then sent to the Stakes.

I'm excited for President Grant's prophecy to kick in and that I'm part of the force that's kick-starting it. I hope I can see it in much greater scale before I go home. It'll be my dream come true!

愛、

~ウィルソン長老

March 17, 2014 email

Mom and Dad,

Yep, I'm almost done with my 6th transfer. I've almost hit the year mark for my mission! It's crazy: I don't feel like I've been out that long!

We had district meeting on Friday. I was kind of nervous for this one as well because it was only my second one. We haven't had one since my first because there have been tons of other taikais and training going on. Well, right before we started, I sent a quick text to one of our investigators to see if we could meet sometime. He mistook it as an invitation to come to the church right then. We tried to tell him not to come right then, but he was already on his way. Right in the middle of district meeting--which we told him we had--he arrived. Calder Choro and I had to step out to have him sit down and read the Liahona while I finished the meeting. I had to leave out a bunch of stuff because there was no longer time for it.

Following district meeting I went on an exchange with Page Choro back to Kurayoshi. Before we set off I told Calder Choro and Thomas Choro to try and get a lesson with the guy. Apparently he talked with them for 15 minutes or so then ran out saying he was going to miss the train that would pass through a half hour after he left. Yeha, Tottori is pretty fun.

In Kurayoshi, we met with their yakushokusha. He's a pretty cool high school student that's all for being baptized, but his parents won't let him because he's not an adult. That's one of the biggest challenges in this mission: parents not letting their adult children be baptized. The other biggest problem is people wanting to be baptized, but won't because one person in their family is opposed to it. Following that lesson we waited for the Kurayoshi Shimai to finish their lesson with their yakusokusha because I had to do a baptismal interview. Yeah, you read that right: baptismal interview! I was very excited since it was my first baptismal interview.

Sunday was another interesting day this week. I had ANOTHER baptismal interview. This time with the Tottori Shimai's yaskusokusha. I also would've had one with the Kurayoshi one, but since his parents are opposed to it, there's no need to interview him. Also, the two people I interviewed asked me to actually perform the baptism, so this week will be pretty incredible. One of them wants to get baptized in a nearby lake! She almost chose the ocean, but a lake is almost as cool.

We did, however, finally have a lesson with our investigator that showed up during district meeting. It was with these two other seishinbyo guys that are best friends and really funny. Love 'em. The doseki for the lesson was a less-active guy that's also their friend but sometime preaches incorrect doctrine during the lesson. I think I already told you about him.

WAIT! There was an earthquake! I don't know where it was centered, but we felt it in Tottori! I woke up at 2 in the morning to my body being shaken back and forth, feeling like I was in a big washing machine. After the tremor stopped I rolled over to look at Calder Choro, and he was sitting up a bit. The following ensued:

Wilson Choro: "Was that an earthquake?"

Calder Choro: "Ya!"

Wilson Choro: "Cool!...well, goodnight."

Calder Choro: "Goodnight."

I'm thinking of writing a movie called "My First Earthquake." I also had a quick thought of "hmm, I wonder if a tsunami's coming?" Nah, we're fine! even though we're next to the Sea of Japan.

愛、

～ウィルソン長老

March 3, 2014 email

Mom and Dad,

Not much time to dendo with all the travelling.

Last Monday we had a lesson with the most recent convert in the branch (he's only been a member for a month). This guy is awesome. He's very strong in the church, way cool, and he was taught by two other elders in my doki. We're doing the AB lessons for him since there are only 20 or so people in the branch--a handful of which are youth and quite a few that are younger than this convert (and he's only 31)--and everyone lives kind of far away. We live almost in the same block as he does.

Tuesday--Before our Eikaiwa class, we were streeting on the main road in front of the church, inviting people to come. We got a random call from our social security investigator. He said he was on his way to the church and was expecting a lesson right after Eikaiwa. So, after the class we grabbed the recent convert to be the doseki for the lesson. The convert empathizes really well with this investigator. After we said the closing prayer, the new member asked if he could pray too. He prayed really fervently for the investigator. He got a little emotional as well. After the lesson, as we were biking home together--he's recently been coming to church and stuff on a bike rather than in his car, since he really wants a missionary experience--he said he was going to go to the eki to wait with the investigator and talk with him before the train came. He's so awesome with missionary work!

Wednesday we, the Tottori shimai, and the Kurayoshi choro and shimai all went down to the Okayama area for the conference with Elder Whiting that was on Thursday (we had to spend the night there since it's so far). I brought a bunch of the candy from my Christmas/New Years/Birthday/transfer presents, and the eight of us as a district 'pigged out' on it on the bus to Okayama.

Thursday morning we had the taikai with Elder Whiting. He's in the Asia-North Area Seventy Presidency. He talked about a lot of really great things, several of which had a big impact on me. Conference wasn't exactly like what Zinke Kaicho said it'd be like. After reading this weeks mission email, it was that way because Elder Whiting was so impressed with our mission. Usually the GA comes and inspects the mission as he goes around it. Well, after the very first day of his tour here, he was very impressed! Japan Kobe Mission's #1!

That same day, it was kind of a crazy process deciding how to get home. There was a bus back from Okayama to Tottori 20 minutes after the closing prayer, so we wouldn't have been able to catch it. The next bus would've left 5 hours later, putting us in our apartment at midnight. After searching several different ways, we found a bus leaving for Yonago at 5. So, after the bus got to Yonago at 8, we took a two hour train back to Tottori. That train had the 8 of us from the district again, so I passed around the candy some more. Towards the end there was one college student that we talked with a lot who seems to be very interested in Eikaiwa and taking the lessons.

After arriving in Tottori, the recent convert picked us up and drove us to our bikes. We were kind of scared that they'd be towed because we parked at a mall since it was pay to park at the eki. Luckily, we found our bikes untouched. I decided on parking in front of a 24-hour McDonald's that's part of a 24-hour shopping mall. It was then a 15-20 minute bike ride back to the apartment, so we got home at 11. not very usual for missionaries, but from all the recent travel I've had a couple late nights in the last few weeks.

Saturday we went out and dendo'd with the recent convert! Seeing how much he seems to want to have missionary experiences, we asked if he'd like to come with us and he accepted. He seemed to really enjoy it! He said it wasn't scary at all! We streeted around the church for 2 straight hours. That actually isn't that long compared to some days we've had where we did nothing but finding. But, for a member, especially one of one month, that's probably a big deal. We found this really cool Vietnamese guy who speaks English, but not Japanese, and his friend who can speak Japanese, but not English.

My last story this week was on Sunday. It was Fast and Testimony Meeting. He got up towards the end and testified of the help he got from the missionaries and the members before his baptism, then went on to talk about how the one investigator needs the same help. He then said he wand to pray for the investigator, so he said a prayer right then with everyone. Not a very common thing to happen in F&T Meeting, huh? I thought it was a pretty awesome and Christ-like thing for him to do, personally.

So yeah, there's my week!

I've talked in kilos for a while actually; after all, I'm an engineering student; I think America should change to the metric system.

Oh, a letter from the Tanaka's from my last area! You can open it and if it's in English you can type it up and send it as an email. If it's in Japanese, maybe taking a picture and sending that.

That's just about all I have for this week. I'm still trying to find a package the correct size to send to you guys.

愛、

~ウイルソン長老

February 24th, 2014 email

Mom and Dad,

There's so much that I'm not sure where to begin.

Wednesday morning the ZL's had us come over to Yonago to do an exchange so I could receive some DL training from them--and then we would all leave for Kobe for DLC. They wanted us in the Yonago church by 10 and it's a 2 hour train ride, so we had to get up very early. Once there, we split off and I, along with the other DL in the zone, received training from the ZL's. Then the four of us went to lunch at a way cool sushi place. I'll admit it now: sushi is a way good--real sushi. Then we had a bit more training, then we caught a bus all the way to Kobe. There was some wreck on the highway, so we spent about a half hour or so sitting in one spot without moving the slightest. We were in transit about 4 hours on the road, but we made it to Kobe before 9pm.

After spending the night in the Kobe apartment, we had DLC the next day. Holy cow, it was incredible! I'll just say that I'm honored and way nervous to be a DL--especially for the first time--at this point in the mission. Kaicho decided the missionaries are having a difficult time using the current training plan designed to help us rely on the Lord because we need to have a 'higher' relationship and knowledge of Christ. So, he decided to put a different, brand new training plan in place for the next two weeks. This has never been done before and nobody knew about it until DLC. Usually these things are done at ZLC, but Kaicho said there isn't time to wait till then. For the whole afternoon part of DLC, Kaicho went through the new training plan with all of us. It's basically designed to make every single fact about Christ, who He is, what He did, and what He can do resonate in your mind and soul until you understand it completely. That's kind of where it got scary, because Kaicho told us that we, as DL's, have to present it to our districts the very next day at district meeting.

Oh yeah, Thursday morning we had a lesson appointment with the guy who called on a payphone and came to church last week. Obviously, we weren't in Tottori to do it, so we had to have the shimai teach the lesson for us.

Anywho, following DLC we went and caught a bus back to Yonago. We got there way late, about 10pm, but we had permission. Then Calder Choro and I had to catch a train back to Tottori early the next morning to make it to district meeting, which I already had to postpone an hour since I was coming from Yonago.

So, after going from Kobe to Tottori at transfers, I had to go right back to Kobe, then back to Tottori within a week for DL training. I spent $200 on travel! Best part: I have to spend another $60 to go to a taikai where a GA is speaking this week, then back to Kobe and back again next week for Trainer/Trainee Training Meeting. Boy, I'm glad that travel is reimbursable. :)

At district meeting I presented the new, temporary training plan to the district I've never been over before, in a part of the mission I've never been before, at a position I've never been before. You can imagine I was way nervous. I had seen how serious Kaicho was about this and the sense of urgency in his presentation, and I was doubting I could present it with the same power and urgency.

Fortunately there's a little thing called the Spirit. My district didn't know what was coming up, just like we didn't before the training meeting. I was praying in my heart the whole time leading up to it that I could somehow convey what Kaicho conveyed. After the presentation, I asked everyone how it was. One of the district members mentioned that I was noticeably nervous at the beginning, but as things settled in the Spirit took over and taught to them what needed to be taught. I can promise anyone that it truly wasn't me that was teaching the new plan to the Districtees. There's no way it would've turned out as well as it seemed to had it been solely up to me and my ability. I love it when those sorts of things happen; when the Spirit does the work.

Basically that's all I have to say about my week. It all covers the space of 3 days and the expense of 200 bucks! So Worth it!

Answers:

 

Yeah, the jello ended up making a lot of the stuff a little more red--including the tie--but I wrapped that up in plastic wrap and dropped it off at a dry cleaners today. It should be almost perfectly fine after that. As for my other birthday stuff, yes I like it.

Yep, Elder Calder speaks Spanish. Sometimes in prayers he'll go from Japanese to English to Spanish, and jump randomly between the three. He also does that in his counting during his morning workout.

We actually live just a couple kilos away from the coastline, so if we ever dendo out by there during the day we could definitely get some good pictures.

愛、

~ウイルソン長老