Place: Shizuoka
Companion: Elder Taylor and Elder Handley
We met mister miyagi again
Soooooooo. A ton of stuff has happened and I don't even know where to start.
Ok so all of the madness started with Zone Conference, two weeks ago. Not gonna lie, preparing training for the whole zone can be pretty nerve wracking, especially when you know that President Ishii and the APs are going to be there. Zone Conference went very well though and right afterwards we had our exchange with the APs. The APs brought their giant Book of Mormon stand and we hit up the train station! Shizuoka 2 and the sisters came (they were also on exchange that day) and so we had a total of 8 missionaries! We passed out over 30 Book of Mormons in 2 hours! It was so much fun! Elder Baldwin and Elder Coleman are awesome guys. I love our APs.
Book of Mormon Destruction at the train station!! Also some random lady that got sucked into taking a pic with us haha
The next day I got sick and was laid up for a few days. Elder Wilson and I were both losing our minds of boredom (One thing I've learned on my mission: If I spend more than two or three hours trapped behind a desk, I start to lose my mind). By Friday I was feeling well enough to go to english class. After English class we came home and suddenly, got a surprise phone call from the mission president. I wondered what it could be about as I answered the phone. President Ishii asked for Elder Wilson and then I knew. ELDER WILSON BECAME THE NEXT AP! So two days later the APs came and picked him up and stole him away to the mission home. The sisters were way thoughtful and threw together a cool bye bye present from the Shizuoka missionaries. Elder Wilson has been a very influential companion in my mission. I'll miss him but he'll make a great AP! Because APs transfer a week earlier than the rest of the mission so they can be trained, I've spent the week as a trio companionship with Elder Tayler and Elder Handley WHICH HAS BEEN AWESOMELY FUN. I love these guys!
We had a lot of random stuff happen. I had to go to Numazu to do a baptismal interview. Unfortunately their baptismal candidate got overpowered by the Jehovah's Witnesses and his wife. He has a testimony but everyone around him put so much pressure on him that he was pretty much forced to stop taking the lessons. So sad! I felt way bad for the Numazu guys. They were pretty bummed. And then I came back to Shizuoka and was reunited with the guys for a little bit.
Then I got to go on splits with Brother Sasaki. Wow that was an adventure! Bro. Sasaki is an elderly member. He's a good hearted, simple fellow and is willing to help the missionaries with anything! As I was leaving with him, I asked him if he was a priesthood holder (We can only go on splits with Priesthood holders). He told me he couldn't remember in his gruff, 900 year old Japanese man voice. I LOVE BROTHER SASAKI! Haha we had a great time visiting less actives together and had some great adventures in his tiny japanese utility truck. There was a bunch of stuff that he kept in the front seat so I rode the whole way with my knees pressed against my chest. We got a lot of work done! Also we did confirm that he is, in fact, a worthy Priesthood holder. Also he likes bananas.
Then the next day all three of us went to Fukuroi to do another baptismal interview. We got pretty lost on the way from the train station to the church but we found it eventually. Their baptismal candidates car broke down and he ended up not being able to come so we ended up sprinting all the way back to the station in order to make it in time for the train. We got back in 15 minutes! It was a miracle! We ran onto the train just as the doors were closing. We made it home before 9:30!
And then transfer calls came! Nearly every companionship in the zone changed! Two of our District Leaders became zone leaders in other areas and we are transferring pretty much everyone to the Kanazawa zone. THAT'S FAR AWAY. So transfers are going to be an adventure tomorrow!
So as far as news for the zone, Hamamatsu 2 is opening! We are getting three new bean chans straight outta the MTC. Elder Dana has finished his mission and will be returning home :(. I'm gonna miss him so much. We have all new District Leaders and all new Sister Training Leaders. Elder Taylor went District Leaders and Sister Tsujimoto went Sister Training Leader! Haha so a lot of the zone leadership is very concentrated in the Shizuoka area so coordinating things will be A LOT easier!
Last one with Elder Dana. Man I'm gonna miss this guy
MY NEW COMPANION WILL BE ELDER NAKATSUKA!!! I'm so excited! It seems like not that long ago that we were both young missionaries in Matsumoto in the same situation, only now its flipped! We were both junior companions living with the zone leaders. Now the roles have changed. And the sister missionaries in my MTC group go home at the end of this transfer.... That's so weird. As much as I hate saying it I'm becoming "one of the old missionaries."
I'm so blessed to be serving with the guys. Man there is nothing greater than missionary work. My trainee, Elder Gubbay just got a half baked bean chan,which means I'll sort of be a grandpa! He went straight from being junior companion in Inuyama to being senior, District Leader and trainer all at the same time in one of my old areas! He's going to Kariya! I'm happy for him.
So as far as actual dendo goes, we taught Morita san for the first time this week. Elder Taylor and Elder Handley are both masterful teachers. We gave him a tour of the church and he really felt the spirit in the Chapel and at the baptismal font. He didn't accept the invitation to be baptized yet but don't worry, we'll get him. Hara san came to church! The members made good friends with him and he loved it! Keep praying for him! He's progressing so well and told me that he reads the Book of Mormon every day and is praying so he can find God. Also we taught Nonaka san this week and he came to church. I still am really confused about his situation but we reset his baptismal date for Christmas day!
Anyway life is beautiful, Christmas is coming, Elder Nakatsuka is coming and we are working hard.
Just do the basics. Read your scriptures. Go to church. Pray.
It works every time. And when i say pray, ACTUALLY PRAY. Pray like you mean it. You'll get answers.
Aight I gotta go
Love Y'all!!
Elder Johnson
