Place: Shizuoka
Companion: Elder Wilson
This has been the absolute awesomestest, most insane week of my entire
life! We met with Suzuki San, a guy that we met while walking to the
church on my second day here. He's just a cool, crazy old grandpa who
lives right next to the church and loves to travel the world and play
his Shakuhachi (Boss Japanese Flute). So we went over to his house and
he ended up teaching us old Japanese traditional stuff like how to
properly kneel, bow and present yourself while playing the Shakuhachi,
Samurai style. It was AWESOME. He handed each of us a flute and we
practiced for a bit. I couldn't get any good sounds out though haha!
Also he happened to have a Didgeridoo from Australia! THOSE ARE NOT
COMMON IN JAPAN. It was way cool and Elder Wilson played a little for
us. It was so cool! His wife is really nice and fed us awesome
Japanese food. I think she has more potential as far as learning the
Gospel goes. We had fun but I don't think they have a ton of potential
right now. We'll see.
life! We met with Suzuki San, a guy that we met while walking to the
church on my second day here. He's just a cool, crazy old grandpa who
lives right next to the church and loves to travel the world and play
his Shakuhachi (Boss Japanese Flute). So we went over to his house and
he ended up teaching us old Japanese traditional stuff like how to
properly kneel, bow and present yourself while playing the Shakuhachi,
Samurai style. It was AWESOME. He handed each of us a flute and we
practiced for a bit. I couldn't get any good sounds out though haha!
Also he happened to have a Didgeridoo from Australia! THOSE ARE NOT
COMMON IN JAPAN. It was way cool and Elder Wilson played a little for
us. It was so cool! His wife is really nice and fed us awesome
Japanese food. I think she has more potential as far as learning the
Gospel goes. We had fun but I don't think they have a ton of potential
right now. We'll see.
We taught Suzuki Kyodai that night at the church. He's awesome! I love
him and he has a rock solid testimony. His wife and kids are not
members so please pray for them :).
Also that day we went to an
Ukulele shop and made friends with the owner. He's a big Jake
Shimabukuro fan and has a ton of really high end, actual Hawaiian
ukes! He isn't interested in the Gospel but he did agree to advertise
our ward music night and even offered to lend me an ukulele for it! We
jammed to a couple of Jake's songs and left. It was really fun!
Ukulele shop and made friends with the owner. He's a big Jake
Shimabukuro fan and has a ton of really high end, actual Hawaiian
ukes! He isn't interested in the Gospel but he did agree to advertise
our ward music night and even offered to lend me an ukulele for it! We
jammed to a couple of Jake's songs and left. It was really fun!
On Wednesday we went out to lunch with one of our YSA's who is
studying at a college near here. He hasn't been to church in a while
because he's busy with school but he wants to go on a mission! We went
to the famous Shakey's (It's pretty much Pizza Pie Cafe - AMERICAN
FOOD YEAH!) and we just talked about how awesome missions are and got
him excited to serve.
Then we biked all the way out to Mihara San's house and we attempted to teach him a lesson. He's an interesting
case. He's an artist and a very deep thinker and so wrapping his mind
around religion is hard for him. We'll see how he turns out.
case. He's an artist and a very deep thinker and so wrapping his mind
around religion is hard for him. We'll see how he turns out.
Thursday
We just prepped for ZTM and went and met with our Ward Mission
Leader. On our way there we knocked on a few doors. No one answered
and we were about to leave when Elder Wilson just said, "One more
door!" so we did and found someone! It made us late but we found
someone who listened to us!
Friday
Today we had an insane day! ZTM went really well. I felt the spirit
and I think others did too. It felt good.
Afterwards we started the
koukan with Numazu Elders. Elder Wilson went with Elder Iwaasa and I
got elder Otsu. We hurried and cleaned up the church and then booked
it for the apartment. Elder Wilson called and told us that he forgot
and took the key with him! So we were locked out! None of the windows
were open so we were stuck! But we had an appointment to be to so we
booked it for shimizu (it was really hot today). On the way there,
Elder Otsu's bike seat completely fell off! So we stopped by at a
local mechanic shop and they let us use some tools. Turns out it was
completely broken and not fixable so elder Otsu just rode seatless the
whole way to shimizu! We were forty minutes late by the time we rolled
up at 池山's house. We asked to see his parents so he took us the rest
of the way to his house and asked his parents if they wanted to meet
us. They didn't sound real happy and said no. So then he asked us if
we wanted to go to the college that he wants to get into. He said it
was kinda far but he was on a Mamachari so I figured it couldn't be
too bad. IT WAS BAD. We never made it to the college.
koukan with Numazu Elders. Elder Wilson went with Elder Iwaasa and I
got elder Otsu. We hurried and cleaned up the church and then booked
it for the apartment. Elder Wilson called and told us that he forgot
and took the key with him! So we were locked out! None of the windows
were open so we were stuck! But we had an appointment to be to so we
booked it for shimizu (it was really hot today). On the way there,
Elder Otsu's bike seat completely fell off! So we stopped by at a
local mechanic shop and they let us use some tools. Turns out it was
completely broken and not fixable so elder Otsu just rode seatless the
whole way to shimizu! We were forty minutes late by the time we rolled
up at 池山's house. We asked to see his parents so he took us the rest
of the way to his house and asked his parents if they wanted to meet
us. They didn't sound real happy and said no. So then he asked us if
we wanted to go to the college that he wants to get into. He said it
was kinda far but he was on a Mamachari so I figured it couldn't be
too bad. IT WAS BAD. We never made it to the college.
He decided he
wanted to go to a art museum instead and so we road all the way to
Higashi Shizuoka MAMACHARI speed! So it took an hour and a half. We
got there and taught him a lesson. The lesson went really well. He
prays every day and has a Book of Mormon. We taught him about what it
was and the laws and commandments contained and how they could make
him even more happy. He accepted it all! We taught very very simply
and he agreed to come to church! He has a better understanding of the
Book of Mormon now.
wanted to go to a art museum instead and so we road all the way to
Higashi Shizuoka MAMACHARI speed! So it took an hour and a half. We
got there and taught him a lesson. The lesson went really well. He
prays every day and has a Book of Mormon. We taught him about what it
was and the laws and commandments contained and how they could make
him even more happy. He accepted it all! We taught very very simply
and he agreed to come to church! He has a better understanding of the
Book of Mormon now.
Then we left and finally went to get something to
eat because neither of us had really eaten anything all day. We barely
had time to stop at The Big and grab some pudding and bentos. Then we
booked it for the church for Eikwaiwa. We ate quickly and then I made
a ton of phone calls trying to get us into our apartment/trying to get
permission to sleep at the church. We weren't able to get into our
apartment but Everything worked out with getting permission and all so
that we could stay at the church! ITS BEEN AWESOME! Elder Otsu isn't
terribly happy about the whole thing. But I had so much fun! It's been
a crazy, weird adventure. We found some rugs and stuff that we laid
out on the ground and slept on. I used a seat cushion as a pillow. I
spent the whole night just wondering how long that seat cushion had
spent underneath other humans and now I was using it as a pillow. Haha
I slept surprisingly well! Which was good because we didn't have any
time to be tired the next day!
eat because neither of us had really eaten anything all day. We barely
had time to stop at The Big and grab some pudding and bentos. Then we
booked it for the church for Eikwaiwa. We ate quickly and then I made
a ton of phone calls trying to get us into our apartment/trying to get
permission to sleep at the church. We weren't able to get into our
apartment but Everything worked out with getting permission and all so
that we could stay at the church! ITS BEEN AWESOME! Elder Otsu isn't
terribly happy about the whole thing. But I had so much fun! It's been
a crazy, weird adventure. We found some rugs and stuff that we laid
out on the ground and slept on. I used a seat cushion as a pillow. I
spent the whole night just wondering how long that seat cushion had
spent underneath other humans and now I was using it as a pillow. Haha
I slept surprisingly well! Which was good because we didn't have any
time to be tired the next day!
Sat
We got up, I did a little of training
and then we hopped on train for Numazu. We got there and I was
reunited with my beloved Elder Wilson and went to a Sushi place to eat
lunch with the Numazu elders. It was my first actual meal in like two
or three days so that was good! Then we hopped on a train back home.
and then we hopped on train for Numazu. We got there and I was
reunited with my beloved Elder Wilson and went to a Sushi place to eat
lunch with the Numazu elders. It was my first actual meal in like two
or three days so that was good! Then we hopped on a train back home.
We found a cool guy from Kyoto who had just climbed Fuji that night.
He's super nice and actually asked for our number! We'll see if we can
hand him off to the guys in Kyoto. It was way cool!
And I was so tired
that I wanted to die. We got back to the church finally and were about
to ride home so I could finally shower and brush my teeth (by this
time it was after 4pm) but then we discovered that Elder Wilson's bike
had a flat tire. So we literally sprinted home, I took a wet wipe
shower and changed clothes and then we sprinted back and ran onto the
bus as it was about to pull away! We made it to the station on time
for our appointment with the Fu family! They are our new Chinese
investigators. We went and had good chinese food with them and invited
them to church!
Then we finally went home.
that I wanted to die. We got back to the church finally and were about
to ride home so I could finally shower and brush my teeth (by this
time it was after 4pm) but then we discovered that Elder Wilson's bike
had a flat tire. So we literally sprinted home, I took a wet wipe
shower and changed clothes and then we sprinted back and ran onto the
bus as it was about to pull away! We made it to the station on time
for our appointment with the Fu family! They are our new Chinese
investigators. We went and had good chinese food with them and invited
them to church!
Then we finally went home.
Sunday
We had so many people come to church! We had Iwano Shimai's son, who
is not a member, so I went and sat with him while Elder Wilson sat
with the Fu family. Then Okumura san came after Sacrament meeting and
we were completely outnumbered at this point so we asked Chikano
Kyodai to make sure he felt welcome.
The Shimai have been working
really hard and they also had two investigators in church! Shizuoka is
going nuts! Also Sister Wilcox, who served here a while back, came
back to visit with her parents. Then we went to the Bishop's house
with the Wilcox's, the shimai and their investigator. It was so fun!
really hard and they also had two investigators in church! Shizuoka is
going nuts! Also Sister Wilcox, who served here a while back, came
back to visit with her parents. Then we went to the Bishop's house
with the Wilcox's, the shimai and their investigator. It was so fun!
Aight sorry this email is super long and I feel like I haven't even
covered all of the stuff that happened this week but I should probably
send this now.
covered all of the stuff that happened this week but I should probably
send this now.
I love Shizuoka! The Lord is blessing us so much. For the first time
in my life I can actually feel the Spirit ALL THE TIME. I've grown a
lot in the last two weeks that I've been here. We haven't even had
time to dendo really but stuff just keeps happening. We just work and
stuff just happens. This is the most fun I've ever had!
Also I forgot
to mention that Elder Wilson and I are pretty much the same person and
we get along really well and have tons of fun while we work!
to mention that Elder Wilson and I are pretty much the same person and
we get along really well and have tons of fun while we work!
Love you guys!
Elder Johnson - THE SECOND HARDEST WORKING MISSIONARY YOU KNOW
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