tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91874562752020025432024-03-12T22:59:29.884-07:00Elder Kai Johnson mission blogElder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-42286841119207019072017-05-21T13:30:00.000-07:002017-05-21T13:25:43.122-07:00Back to the edge of the earthDate: 5/15/2017<br />
Place: Ise<br />
Companion: Elder Buchanan<br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Wrote part of my weekly on the train ride home from Udono since we had about four hours. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">I'm sitting on a tiny</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> diesel local train headed for Matsusaka. We came down this morning on a fast diesel train and got off at Kumanoshi. Our appointment with Akasaka wasn't for 2 hrs so we made a desperate attempt to bike two pocket towns north to go visit the only other less active we hadn't visited in the area. We quickly ran into an impassable mountain and couldn't get anywhere so we pulled off and practiced for Akasaka's lesson on the cliffs by the ocean (a place called 鬼ヶ城). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Then we went and found Akasaka's house. Turns out her mom was the one that we had talked with on the phone and she was friendly but Akasaka herself was extremely hostile and wouldn't give us the time of day. She informed us that she had joined a Protestant religion and couldn't even talk to us. Never mind the fact that we had just spent over a hundred dollars and an entire day traveling just to see her. She wouldn't even open the door for us but just kekkoed (shut the door on) us through the window. Her mom apologized to us with her eyes as Akasaka asked us to leave and never contact her again. To be honest I was pretty angry that she wouldn't even talk to us for a second after we had just traveled over a hundred kilometers to see her. We left a nice note and a Restoration pamphlet and left. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">As we were riding and trying to figure out what the heck we should do with our lives now</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> a car stopped and someone rolled down a window and asked us if we were Mormon missionaries. We were very excited and thought "this is the reason we came down here!" and she pulled over and we started talking. Turns out there used to be this little branch in the Kobe mission </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">(</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">not far from where we were</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"><span style="color: #454545;"> called Shingu. </span><span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_1781_1884" role="button" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(95, 188, 162); cursor: pointer;" tabindex="0">She used to go to their Eikaiwa and Christmas parties and such and also took some lessons at one point.</span> <span style="color: #454545;">She told us the names of a bunch of her old missionaries and we were really excited to find someone who wanted to talk to us! We then asked if we could exchange numbers and maybe meet up sometime but she pretty much just said no and wouldn't give us her number. So we gave her an Eikaiwa flyer and walked away feeling really down and confused. Maybe it will turn into something later. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"><span style="color: #454545;">Members of Ise Branch</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"><span style="color: #454545;">We had some time before our train so we decided to punt it out about 20 kilometers down the coast to hit the last less active in the area that we still had not contacted. We booked it down as fast as we could </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">(</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">I nearly died. That was definitely one of the hardest rides of my mission</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> and finally got to the area where he lived. We only had about 20 minutes before the train came </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">(</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">they come about every two hours out there</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> so we booked it up the side of the mountain in the crazy unorganized mess of Japanese roads. The roads proved to be too tangled and we couldn't find his house in the short amount of time that we had. We had to abandon our idea of finding this guy and scrambled back to the station just in time for the train. We got on and I started talking to some high school kids. They were some of the funniest guys I had ever met and we had a really good time while they were on the train. It cheered me up after a really hard day. After a while they got off and we stayed on the train for another 3 hours as it stopped at all 31 stops. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">About three or four hours later we finally rolled into Isuzugawa and booked it straight to the church for our appointment with Bro. Hamaguchi. He was actually really nice</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> had a testimony</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> prayed with us and set a next appointment. We were both so hungry and exhausted that we could barely string sentences together but we had a good lesson with him. What a good way to end the day. By then it was 8:30 and we hadn't eaten anything since that Sukiya we had at 11am so we pounded it over to the ramen shop by the apartment and asked for the biggest</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> hottest</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545;"> fastest bowl of ramen they could whip up. We ordered our </span><span class="currentHitHighlight" id="0.6770426164926688" name="searchHitInReadingPane" style="background-color: white;">kai</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545;">dama in advance</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> pounded it all down and got home before 9pm. Win. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">The next day we taught a temple prep class to Bro. Ota. Way psyched for him. Then we went out to ramen with John and he finally became an investigator! Sort of. We'll get him though. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">We had a good DTM with the guys in Tsu</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> then we cycled clear back up into the mountains to our appointment with Fukumura</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont";"><span style="font-size: 17pt;"> another less active. He stood us up and wasn't home. So we ate another combini (</span><span style="font-size: 22.6667px;">convenient</span><span style="font-size: 17pt;"> store) dinner sitting on the curb in the parking lot of a Circle K up in the mountains</span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> then booked it home </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">(</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">probably 1hr and a half ride</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">So far we are about 1/140 contact attempts in the less active department. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Saturday we spent the day trapped at the church and got a ton of planning</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">, </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">organizing</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> data input</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> record keeping and everything in between DONE. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Sunday was the usual Sabbath day madness. We got up</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> went to church and did the usual Presidency meeting and stuff</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> set up the church and had sacrament meeting. We probably had about 8 or 10 people or so. Then we had ward council meeting and planned a bunch of stuff with Kashima Kyodai </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">our high counselor</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> for </span><span style="font-size: 17pt;"><span style="font-family: , serif , "emojifont";">Branch Conference</span></span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Apparently we are getting a senior couple this weekend and I will be released! Then we went to go visit Bro. Hayashi but he wasn't home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">On the way out to another members place we found a Vietnamese kid. He was really nice and we took him all the way back to the church and played ping pong. He said he will come to church next Sunday! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Life is good. Life is real good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Elder <span class="highlight" id="0.4245418239357297" name="searchHitInReadingPane" style="background-color: #ffee94;">Johnson</span> </span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-46002615666668606242017-05-21T12:49:00.001-07:002017-05-21T13:04:52.279-07:00Transfer 16. Still Alive!Date: 5/8/2017<br />
Place: Ise<br />
Companion: Elder Buchanan<br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Hey all! Sorry I've been lost to the world for a bit! P Days are seriously the worst. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">I'm pretty sure this futon was ours....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">So here's a quick life update: transfer calls came last week or two weeks ago </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">can't remember</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> and I will be staying here in Ise with Elder Buchanan. Sometime during the transfer I will be released as Branch President because we are getting a Senior Missionary Couple at the end of the month and he will take over Branch President duties. I GET TO BE A NORMAL MISSIONARY AGAIN! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">So we had trainer's review two weeks ago. It was great to see all of the old guys </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Elder Taylor is the new AP - the third in a row from Shizuoka!</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">. I'm not surprised at all. What a great guy :</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">. Then President and Sister Ishii came all the way down to Wagu and visited the Dejis. They prepared a feast from the sea </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">the best sea food I've ever had</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> and we had a great lesson about prayer. The Ishii's worked their magic and the Spirit was so strong! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">The boat ride out to Wagu</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">We have started trying to teach this kid we found at the Oyaji Band. He's cool and open to listening to what we say. He's 20 and is really cool. We went out to eat with him twice. We talked about God and the Book of Mormon. He accepted a Book of Mormon so we'll see how things work out. He's part of some kind of ancestral worship group so he's not a real investigator yet. But we'll get him :</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"><img autoid="_ad_2" src="https://attachment.outlook.office.net/owa/roll_panna@hotmail.com/service.svc/s/GetFileAttachment?id=AQMkADAwATExADQ0ADgtNzEwNC1mMjIAYS0wMAItMDAKAEYAAAOZVkrYYzgsS60EbUrwNmsRBwC5uJGwlI8vQobJv4GExZYlAAACAQwAAAC5uJGwlI8vQobJv4GExZYlAAAAyg%2FzgwAAAAESABAA4gqTqIVMx0S0EYZThniCBg%3D%3D&X-OWA-CANARY=qWSLkk1lZUqTKuNHKb90x-BqpiiDoNQYyCwglssIkhncDLq8_h9FThz37LyVKiPMCk2ydGn-kuU.&token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsIng1dCI6ImVuaDlCSnJWUFU1aWpWMXFqWmpWLWZMMmJjbyJ9.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.mwwXPqG9xbj8x_-8-eWxdEzi8fzlRBVHuAVWdQ0V42SRx6KnIGBHvoZX96rLNu-wTTkJNexEf0DQrG5mavmOmP7pR-W5kjBPHArtFuc72_6aUx19r751DCojpXE1-ZiWim8JSbqotRPG9Dh1GPKnxq5GmL9nWnlY_8zYAViDT__LDWgoxhuO0IMmdzu5wFpVAhqwefW1O8xq8RxcCvItQFKBxHDGpV7WbyG2BvCyM8rWUaO_08H3XmGfbyuVfQuQfHI5Prfe8lAQqIJCdBN5uIPs1gYK-E1j4JvlKBJ4q6G-cgYYgsEkAb0ztTANcrHbS01288VPlODRNxe9lgVLng&owa=outlook.live.com&isc=1&isImagePreview=True" style="max-height: 456.57px; max-width: 1024.39px;" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">The crew meets the Dejis</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">We went over to the Yamazakis and hung out with Enoc for a bit. He's 16 and is the only youth in the branch. We played ukulele for a while and then talked about anime for a bit. Then we cut down all the weeds in the Yamazaki's back yard. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Then we had an exchange with Elder Meyers and Kojima. Elder Meyers helped me with some branch president stuff and suddenly everything clicked. I don't know why this hadn't occurred to me before but church leadership is exactly the same as missionary leadership. Branch president is the same as district leader. Zone leader is the same as stake president. APs are general authorities and auxiliaries. I came into Ise with a Zone Leader mentality</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">, </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">thinking that I had to build something</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> build a direction and training based on the Area Plan. Nothing was quite clicking in my head and I was having a hard time laying down a solid direction for the branch. Nothing was working or progressing and for two transfers I felt kinda lost. Finally I realized that as a branch president I don't need a Zone leader mentality but a district leader's. I'm not supposed to build anything new</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> I'm just supposed to personalize the stake goals for Ise. So on Sunday we had two Presidency meetings and made plans for the branch to accomplish all of the stake goals. It feels really good and everything feels right. As a branch we are planning family history workshops and a temple trip in August! We are also trying to get everyone to read the Power of Everyday Missionaries this month. We have also had a ton of interviews this week. I love interviews. It's really fun to get to know the members and help them on a one on one level. I finally feel like I know how to be a branch president. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">On Monday we went to the national candy festival with Bro. Ota</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">! It was pretty cool! The next day we visited Sis. Nakamura. She's cool. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Then we went back to the church and we called almost every less active in the church records. We called over a hundred people and most of them kekkoed us and said they didn't want to have any contact with the church because they had reverted to the traditions of their fathers</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> which are not correct. It's sad to see so many people who no longer want to be with us. We have about 150 members living within Ise boundaries but only about 15 or so are active. But the good news though is that we were able to get appointments with about 5 people. Most of them live pretty far out past the edges of civilization so this will be a fun week. We have one lined up for each day of the week and it's going to be a full day trip to see each one. I'm way stoked! We are so blessed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">We got to spend a little time with Tetsuya. He's a lot more mobile than I thought. He can actually leave the house and go around town so we went to Geku with him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">On Friday we had the stake </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">大運動会</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> (Sports Day) at Yokkaichi dome. The church rented out Yokkaichi dome! It was massive and hundreds of members came from all over the mission. I got to see a lot of old friends from Inuyama and Nonami</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">, </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">which was so fun! It was great seeing everyone. Some of these friends I haven't seen since the beginning of my mission and I was way happy when they still remembered me! It was such a fun time. We were able to convince two of our members to come from Ise and we had a great time with them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">On Saturday the new Rogue AP's</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> Elder Porter and Elder Bradshaw came down for a visit. We went out on splits and Elder Porter stayed at the church with me and I interviewed Bro. Tou and the Yamazaki family. Elder Bradshaw and Buchanan got to go do some finding which sounded way fun. We had a good night catching up and talking about old times in Suwa and Kariya. Then on Sunday they gave the branch a training fireside</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> which was awesome! The branch loved it! Then we got on a train to Kashikojima and took the little boat out to the Wagu peninsula</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> where the Deji's welcomed us with a seafood feast. We taught them how to pray again </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">they like praying but they're old so it's hard for them to grasp the whole concept of prayer</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> and then taught them the importance of coming to church</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;"> reading the Book of Mormon and praying. They love listening to the Gospel and feeding us tons of fish. It's a great situation :</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Anyway it's been a good start to the transfer. I'm hoping once I'm released that we will be able to do some more finding. Before I get released I hope to do what I can to lift the members and help them find the joy of living the Gospel and dendo. Life is hard out here but it's so so rewarding. I love Ise! I love helping these people. I love being a missionary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Have a fantastic week </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext" , serif , "emojifont"; font-size: 17pt;">Elder Johnson </span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-36804826181472613172017-04-19T14:58:00.000-07:002017-04-19T15:07:22.009-07:00Nose Hairs, Tree Lady and more Old People<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Date: 4/17/2017</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Place: Ise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Companion: Elder Buchanan</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sorry folks, I got myself sick again so this week's mail might be kinda all over. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Haha I've reached the "ripe old age" of mission life where your body just starts falling apart. And also all of you gear starts falling apart and all of your clothes are destroyed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our public relations activities in Ise are really starting to take off and get us some traction. We went and did service in the rain at Tree Lady's place. It was kinda cold so all of us huddled around a wood burning stove under a plastic/wooden shelter they had built while we carved branches into wooden mallets. It was way fun! Some of the guys there are deaf and it's really fun to try communicating with gestures and stuff. I love our Tree Guys :). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next day we had a curry party at our hotel Eikaiwa! But they didn't bring a Tachiai (we've been talking about this to them for a bit) so we still need to get that worked out. Afterwards we went to the church and had another intense round of ping pong with Shinji. Then we ate the best ramen in the world and made it back to the church in under thirty minutes, in time for Eikaiwa! Our Eikaiwa continues to grow. And by that I mean that all of our moms keep inviting more moms. We need sister missionaries here so bad! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545; font-size: large;">On Thursday we went to Nagoya for Zone Conference. Since it was a combined conference with Yokkaichi and Fukutoku zones, I got to see a lot of old friends. Sometimes in Ise, you forget that the rest of the mission exists. It was really good to see everyone and to hear from our leaders. Our leaders truly are, "mighty men of God." On Friday we got to go help the Yamazakis move a bed down the stairs and then did a bunch of work out in their rice field! It was way way fun and it felt good to be back out in the dirt again. My mom told me several years ago that I'd be dumb enough to get sunburned really bad at least once a year before I would remember to wear sunscreen. So far she has proved to be prophetic on all accounts and this year was no exception. So after getting roasted at the Yamazakis we ran home, showered, and then turned around and booked it out to a far away FI and invited them to next months stake 運動会(athletic meet). It's going to be epic. Then we went to Oyaji band (Old guys band) practice. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545; font-size: large;">The next day we went to the city hall and one of the oyajis (old guys) picked us up and took us out to the old folk's center where we got to perform with the band! It was so so fun! This is definitely the hand of the Lord. The Oyaji band is simply a band of random musically talented peeps who just get together and put together concerts so they can go perform for residents at old people homes. We had a great performance and, since Elder Buchanan and I are foreigners, they LOVED us and we made some friends. Turns out that one of the workers at the old folks center used to be an Eikaiwa student! She asked us for our flier so she could come this week. Also one of the band members took the missionary lessons twenty five years ago! We'll see what we can do;). All in all we have made a lot of connections and those connections are making more connections and we are starting to get our faces, and the church, out in the open. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And then we had a good jam session with Tou Kyodai. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And then we got sick and had to stay inside for a whole day :(. We didn't even get to go to church on Easter! And we had to cancel our appointment with the Dejis and with Hayashi Kyodai. It's ok, we'll make up for it later in the week. There is so much to do! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I seriously love being a missionary! This is the funnest, most rewarding thing I've ever done. The Lord has changed me and rescued me time and time again. I'm grateful for a loving, merciful God that lets us keep trying over and over again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ok love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Elder Johnson </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ps: they sell these jelly sodas in the vending machines here and I'm totally addicted to them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Aight love y'all</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Peace </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh hey random funny experience! Last week after emailing, we went to get hair cuts. While we were there, I saw a sign advertising their nose hair service (where they rip out all of your nose hairs. Yeah. That one.). This is Elder Buchanan's first haircut in Japan so he didn't really know what was going on. So I ordered a nose hair service for him without him knowing 🤣. And because it was cheap I got one too. It scared him so bad! Haha seriously the greatest haircut I've ever had. Elder Buchanan forgave me afterwards haha. I love this kid. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ok sorry I'll shut up now </span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-31459590032807335852017-04-16T16:44:00.002-07:002017-04-23T15:20:06.447-07:00Shark in my fridge<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Date: 4/9/2017</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Place: Ise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Companion: Elder Buchanan</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well it was another grand week here on the Pacific. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">On Tuesday we tried out a new service activity that we picked up from an NPO fair we went to a couple weeks ago. There's this family that is restoring a forest and is running this NPO that cleans up trash</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> cuts out dead bamboo trees and is turning the place into a park/campground of some kind. The lady who runs it is really nice and she LOVES us! I call her Tree Lady. So we went there on Tuesday and helped pick up rocks and stuff. We made friends with the guys who work there and invited some of them to eikaiwa. Tree Lady loves us so much that she took us out for lunch afterwards and we got to have some very legit Japanese food. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Se5Fm-oWaCc0EOraSHiVDxY2FOaROEey5nuperYvlVq4t21RkEEr2gxQDVTy4Z4P6wxFd7is7tNelD88HbVi9ctPCGSuUyv4PRqkpksdlLOFFi9_UelZye-bxjcOslWJ9l97FKIm6h8/s640/blogger-image--338238266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Se5Fm-oWaCc0EOraSHiVDxY2FOaROEey5nuperYvlVq4t21RkEEr2gxQDVTy4Z4P6wxFd7is7tNelD88HbVi9ctPCGSuUyv4PRqkpksdlLOFFi9_UelZye-bxjcOslWJ9l97FKIm6h8/s640/blogger-image--338238266.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then on Wednesday one of the workers that we invite actually came to Eikaiwa!! This is going to be a great service activity! It was so fun! Other then that we just did a lot of branch president stuff in the office. </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">And by Branch President stuff I mean I spent a ton of time trying to decipher the emails that the stake presidency keeps sending out. WHAT THE HECK DO THESE SYMBOLS MEAN</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">?</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">!</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> We had a koukan with Tsu. I got to teach their Eikaiwa</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which was actually really fun!! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then on Friday we had our Hanami party! ONLY WOMEN SHOWED UP. This is our biggest problem in Ise. WE HAVE NO MALES. All of our dudes bailed on us last minute so we just had moms and grandmas. Also it rained so we couldn't really do a proper Hanami. The flowers were breathtaking though. The members spoiled us with tons of food from the street vendors so that made it worth it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then the next day we had Conference. For the first session we had 7 people. By the second session we had a solid 4 people. By priesthood it was just us and Brother Higashimoto so we played ping pong for a bit and then watched priesthood. General Conference was the best! But as Imura Shimai says</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> "The same people who always come</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> come. And the same people who don't come</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> just don't come." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We had a better turnout for Sunday conference but by the end of the second session our numbers had still waned just a bit. After Sunday conference we had planned to go to see the Dejis with Jone Shimai and Takayuki Kyodai but he said that he had worked night shift the night before and felt it wouldn't be safe to attempt such a long drive through the mountains. I can't blame the guy. So they went home and we decided to go teach the dejis on our own. We got lucky with timing and caught a high speed train dreaded south. It took us to the end of the line in Kashikojima. The Dejis still live clear out on the Wagu peninsula</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which has no public transportation. So we waited at the boat dock until a boat came and caught the last boat of the day out to the peninsula. For those of you not familiar with the Shima region of Japan</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> let me explain what Shima is like. Shima is home to Mikimoto pearl</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> the worlds first and largest cultured pearl company in the world </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">or some I'm told</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">. Shima is a tangled collection of crazy</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> puzzle piece shaped islands</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> guarded from the open pacific by the Wagu Peninsula. So we got on the boat and headed off for Wagu. We were the only ones on the boat so the driver let us go sit up top! The we got to watch the sun set over the mountains and the ocean as our boat dodged pearl rafts and wound its way between the little islands</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> some of which I think were not much bigger than my high school campus</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> as we made our way out to Wagu. Seriously the best ¥610 (about $6) I've ever spent. The Dejis picked us up at the little dock and took us home and fed us a luxurious</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> home style Japanese meal. It mostly consisted of various forms of seaweed</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> rice</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> bamboo shoots and fish. Some friends of theirs had gifted them a fresh Katsuo fish that morning so they gave us some incredible sashimi</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and also treated us to a local Wagu delicacy</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">;</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> boiled cat shark. It was really good! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">The conversation naturally drifted to religion and we shared the message of the Restoration with them. They listened very carefully and accepted everything we said. That's incredibly rare among older Japanese people. They're so prepared! It's going to take a while to teach them but I believe they will change! The Spirit was present and the lesson felt very natural and comfortable. They gave us the leftover shark to take home. We gave them a Book of Mormon before we left. Deji san took us back to Kashikojima station </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">a good 20 minute drive</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and we barely caught a train as it was leaving. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Since we were the only ones in the station</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> the attendant opened for us a special gate and rushed us aboard just as the train left. We were told to purchase our tickets aboard. So we wandered the entire train to see what there was to see. This was easily the nicest train I've ever been on. We sat in first class deluxe seats until the train attendant came to sell our tickets. He then asked us to sit one car back </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">we were literally the only ones on the entire train!</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> so we went one car back which happened to be the "saloon seats." I thought they were nicer than our original deluxe seats. Haha so we traveled home in style. What an incredible day. God truly knows how to give good gifts. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Love you guys </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">;)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">If you didn't watch Conference</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> don't be a shmeag! Watch it! It will help you in ways that nothing else can right now. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have a great week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Elder Johnson </span><span style="font-family: "sf ui text";"></span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-51365899674012957602017-04-15T16:51:00.000-07:002017-04-23T15:20:57.120-07:00Like it or not, YOU WILL WATCH CONFERENCE<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Date: 4/2/2017</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Place: Ise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Companion: Elder Buchanan</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was just another insane week in the life of a missionary. We've been getting way blessed lately. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">This week was pretty full of various teaching</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> service appointments and we saw plenty of miracles. A month or so ago</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Elder Brown and I found Shizuya. He's 17 and he's pretty cool. We had a lesson scheduled with him this week so Elder Buchanan and I practiced his lesson and prepared really well. The lesson was picture perfect! We took him to the church where we played some ping pong and then taught him Lesson 1. At the end we showed him the 20 Minute Restoration video </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">I love that video because it brings the Spirit like no other video</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">. After the part of the video that relates the First Vision</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Shizuya turned to me and said "I feel something. It feels warm and good." After the video ended Elder Buchanan sealed the deal with a commitment to be baptized and we set his date. That was quite an amazing miracle lesson! All we need to parental permission. I'm really glad that Elder Buchanan got to have that experience in his first two weeks as a missionary. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We also had interviews and Zone Training in Yokkaichi! So we got to see President and Sister Ishii and all the guys from around the mission! It was so good to see other missionaries! Seriously</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> in Ise we are in deep isolation. After the training we hopped on another high speed train headed south and went home. Kitamura san picked us up from the station in his car and took us out to go buy ping pong paddles at this tiny</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> remote little shop clear out in Meiwa. Again</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> we tried the Gospel on him and again</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> he blocked us at every turn. It saddens me to see such good souls who are so blinded and confused by the philosophies of men. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Anyway we got some dope ping pong paddles for pretty cheap and then he dropped us off at the church and we got set up just in time for Shinji </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Nicknamed John</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> to show up. We had a furious round of ping ping with our new paddles and had a great time together. We tried watching Meet the Mormons together but we had played too hard and were too tired for it to be really effective so we stopped halfway through and went home haha. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_2135_2246" role="button" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(95, 188, 162); cursor: pointer;" tabindex="0">Oh also my grandparents came down on Monday and took us out to sushi at the Kitamura san's brothers sushi shop!</span> <span style="color: #454545;">We did the </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">踊り食い</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "sfuitext";"> (swallowing live minnows) again and they bought us Ise Ebi (shrimp)! It was literally the best thing I've ever eaten.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext";">This week we were also asked by Hayashi Shimai to give her son a blessing before he went into surgery. So we went to their house and we got to finally meet more of the family! We met the husband and daughter who are not members and of course</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><span style="color: #454545;"> her son who is also not a member. They treated us as guests of honor. Wow that was quite an experience. We got to give him a blessing. The surgery went very well and he's already out of the hospital apparently. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #454545;">Yesterday was a typical Sunday. </span><span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_2833_2947" role="button" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(95, 188, 162); cursor: pointer;" tabindex="0">And by typical Sunday I mean an absolute train wreck or stress and trying to organize and run meetings on the fly.</span> <span style="color: #454545;">That's another thing I want to change about Ise. Literally just about everything we do is kinda on the fly. There's not a ton of organization. We had much better attendance is week. We had about twenty members or so and had a great fast and testimony meeting. Haha </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><span style="color: #454545;">on Saturday we had come to the church and set up everything for the Women's Session of General Conference but NO ONE CAME! I was so disappointed but it's ok. We're going to spiritually nourish this branch</span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext";"> even if it takes a little force feeding. So we watched the Women's conference for 3rd hour in church. After church we stayed at the church for about five hours and got a ton of stuff organized</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext";">coordinated and planned. Then we went to the Fujitas! Fujita Kyodai and Shimai warmly welcomed us and we had a fun evening together. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This week is looking to be another awesome week of adventure and dendo (missionary work). Being a missionary is seriously the funnest thing I've ever done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Oh! Also we went and visited out flute man who lives across the street from the church and he gave me another Shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) lesson! Haha he's a way cool Japanese guy and pretty much told me I have to practice</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> practice</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> practice or I'll never live up to his expectations. I love this guy </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">;)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I gotta go practice this tradition Japanese bamboo flute thingie now I guess. Love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have a great week! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Elder Johnson</span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-73751733940062385172017-03-26T14:30:00.000-07:002017-04-23T15:15:46.143-07:00Ninjas, transfers and spaniards<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Date: 3/20/2017</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Place: Ise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Companion: Elder Brown</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">On Monday after we did our mailing, </span><span style="font-family: ".PingFangSC-Regular";">大田兄弟</span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"> (Bro. Ota) took us out to Azuchi Momoyama Castle! We got there and the place was pretty empty. Turns out there's a ninja theme park that the castle is part of and Brother Ota took us in. The park was an old fashioned Japanese town with various attractions in each of the buildings. We had fun going through the various activities, getting lost in a maze, going into the castle (this one's a replica) and eating Ise Udon. But what really made the park awesome were the performers. There was a swordplay/dance group called Kenshin in town and they put on a very impressive show. We got to hang out with the crew just a little bit after the show and they we're really cool. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then we went to the ninja show. It was honestly the coolest thing I've every seen! The show house didn't have any seats but you took your shoes off and sat on the floor. At the front of the room there was a low stage, half of which protruded clear out into the audience. And since you're sitting on the floor, you can sit really close. The ninja show was an amazing, two-man performance complete with plenty of comedy, backflips, intense swordplay, people dropping in from the ceiling (right above our heads!), disappearing stunts and pretty much everything you could ever want or hope to expect from a ninja fight. I almost wet my pants and then vowed to become a ninja when I grow up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After the ninja battle (it was really long, maybe 30 minutes or more of straight fighting) they had a great comedy routine which involved a blow dart gun and they actually let me up onto the stage to shoot it! Of course it was just a toy but it was way fun. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway it was actually a very good, uplifting experience and it really did a lot to pick me up after a really stressful few weeks. Also I became a huge sucker for any ninja/samurai/old Japan merchandise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This week was Elder Brown's Senpai week, which means that I got to play Junior Companion ;). It was fun and he did really well! He made phone calls, taught at appointments and such. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On Tuesday we went and saw Tetsuya. He's still feeling sick and is still smoking. He's going to need some time and a lot of prayers but he'll be ok. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wednesday we had a koukan (exchange) with the guys from Tsu and they went with us to our Toba Hotel Eikawa. (English class) It was really fun and the students loved it! Afterwards we had lunch with John (he's Japanese but asks us to call him John). John is an interesting character. He's very broad minded and open to a lot of things. He is studying Spanish and wants to travel the world. We were going to introduce the Gospel in our first time eating with him but the conversation took a wild turn and we weren't able to bring it back in track :/. My bad. I'll get him next time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then me and Elder Meyers went to the apartment and made some quick no bake cookies to take to a member. I had a lot on my mind and ended up just venting everything to him. Being Branch President isn't too hard, it's just dendo (missionary wrok) in Ise that's kicking my butt. He listened very well and then gave me good, down to earth advice. Actually things are going well. I perhaps get stressed too easily about things that aren't too important. He said, "just take whatever God gives you and run with it. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just work with what you have." It actually eased my mind a lot. God doesn't demand the impossible. He doesn't demand 110% of you or anybody else. Just 100%. He doesn't give us imperfect abilities, imperfect tools, imperfect circumstances and expect us to achieve perfection. He just asks us to do what we can. To take what we have and run. I had a good exchange with Elder Meyers. We rode out really far, delivered the stuff, then booked it back for Eikaiwa. (English class) Miraculously, a ton of new people came! Three business people in suits came, along with a mom wanting us to teach her two kids. It was awesome! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next day we went out in the morning with our new friend Shizuya. He's 17 and he already believes in God! He really has a desire to follow God and to do what it takes to become happy. He's really innocent and believes everything we say. We just met at a park and hung out for a bit. We prayed together and he said he felt something. He's going to be a great investigator and a fun one to teach I think :). We had some good OYMs home and then stopped at the drug store across from the church to get some allergy medicine for Elder Brown. We ended up becoming great friends with the grandpa who owns the shop. We got to talking and then I looked behind him and saw that he had a pile of Shakuhachi Japanese flutes! Those are super expensive and rare so I asked him about them. Turns out he has been playing for quite a while and is actually really good and now he makes his own flutes for fun! He offered to let us borrow one of his flutes and told us he would teach us how to play it! So now we have a super legit bamboo flute just chilling at the church. I can barely get it to make sounds haha! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We had a good weekly planning session and got everything lined out and organized for missionary and branch presidency work in Ise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next day, transfer mails came. Elder Brown will be bouncing out and going to Takabata with Elder Pope. I will stay here and IM TRAINING AGAIN! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So after that transfer packing and stuff began but compared to other transfers, this on has been a very quiet one. It's kinda nice. We just went to see Tetsuya one last time and then ate out at Elder Brown's favorite restaurant (Champion Curry). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Also we went to the city hall for a NPO gathering of sorts and we made a ton of friends and got a ton of phone numbers! It was actually a huge miracle is undoubtedly going to lead us to a ton of good opportunities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today we had a great Sacrament meeting and then afterwards an awesome shokijikai (potluck). The members spoiled us way hard and brought tons of good food! We had to peel out a little early and hop on a train up to Yokkaichi for a stake bishop's meeting. On the way up, I was exhausted from Sacrament meeting and was dozing in and out of consciousness. After head bobbing for a bit, I suddenly woke up and smacked my head against the window. As Elder Brown and I were laughing about that, a kid sitting not too far from us who was also falling asleep, suddenly jerked awake and smacked his head against the window too! The lady sitting across from us got to see the whole thing and we all had a good laugh together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The bishopric meeting was good. I learned a ton and was blasted with a ton of high level Japanese. It was amazing to feel the love and the trust these guys held for me, even though I was just a kid in the room. They went out of their way to make sure that my voice was heard. I got a much better sense of exactly what it is I need to do in Ise and felt a lot of guidance. Also I ate their sandwiches and drank their peach water. THAT was awesome. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today we went to Spain mura, a Spanish themed amusement park, for district activity. It was pretty fun! We went with one of our Eikawa friends and had a good time. They had a circus, that was kinda over hyped, and a new rollercoaster which was cool but also overhyped. But they did have one actually big rollercoaster there that was awesome! We had a good time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tomorrow is transfer day. Elder Brown will be making a quick transfer to Nagoya. Then I'll go be homeless for a couple days until my bean chan (brand new missionary) comes to Japan! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Elder <span class="highlight" id="0.45705333263485337" name="searchHitInReadingPane" style="background-color: #ffee94;">Johnson</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ps: sorry I can't respond to any iMessages right now. I tried factory resetting my iPad (its been pretty messed up for about a year now so I thought I'd finally do something about it) and it might have fixed it but it also messed up a bunch of other stuff. Hopefully I'll have it back to normal by next week :) </span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-88736017310073072062017-03-26T14:15:00.000-07:002017-04-23T15:16:14.455-07:00"So, you just eat them while they're alive?"<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Date: 3/12/2017</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Place: Ise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Companion: Elder Brown</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This week was an interesting one. We still kept our focus on visiting members and we met most of the branch. They gave us lots of food so I think that means they like us. One of them still gets upset and flips a lid when I ask her to speak in Sacrament but other then that we have a great relationship with our active members. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We went to the disability daycare center as usual and had a good time with the guys there. They are asking us to give them all American names, which is fun! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On Wednesday we went and taught Toba Hotel staff English. That was fun. Then we had an insane adventure on Thursday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">One of our Eikaiwa students decided to take us out to go tour Shima! So he took us out to lunch at his brothers sushi restaurant (it's been handed down in the family for about a hundred years) and we had the most legit sushi I've ever had! The best part was the appetizer, which was a small bowl of live </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">白魚</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">(little squirmy fishies). You just pour a little soy sauce and ponzu in the bowl (and they all start losing their minds and flipping out) and then slurp down the whole wriggling mess! It was actually really good! They also brought out good cuts of tuna, mackerel, barracuda and whatever else is in season. He even reached down into one of the fish tanks and snagged a couple of shrimp for us! We ate the tails while they were still twitching. They barbecued up the heads and we ate those too. It was so good! But then we had to pay for it which was expensive. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He also took us over to he Toba Kanko hotel which is where they had the G7 Summit last year. We got to go sit in the chairs where President Obama and Prime Minister Abe sat. So that was pretty tight. Then on the way home we checked out Meoto Iwa which is really famous but turned out to be really small and boring. Haha we saw it and just started laughing! Kitamura san (the guy who was driving us around) wasn't a huge fan either. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We tried talking to him about the Gospel on the way home but he wasn't having it. He said he doesn't like to be told stuff, he just wants to find out for himself. He's read the Book of Mormon and believes it's true but also believes that every church is true so he doesn't have to change anything with his life. Way sad :(. There are many people who think so much that they forget to feel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next day we went on an exchange with the guys in Tsu. It was good but honestly it just left me more drained than anything else. The next day I could barely move. We went and played basketball with some new friends that we made. They are AWESOME! We had so much fun and became good friends with them. They are seriously just a nice group of good, honest, clean guys. That was enjoyable. I hope we can get them to come out to some activities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Afterwards we had a jam session at a park with Brother Tou. That was fun! Also it was freezing cold. He plays the guitar and solos really well so that was tight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then Sunday happened. Before, church was a rejuvenating experience but lately it just leaves me absolutely exhausted. After church we talked with the guys for a little while, cleaned the whole church and then had Ward Council. Ward Council here consists of the missionaries, the two councilors and the relief society president. Not everyone could make it so we just had four people this week. I was so tired and made Elder Brown announce a couple of the things we have been doing. He did pretty well! His Japanese is coming along. He's a quiet guy but when he speaks up he does very well. I'm still not very good at organizing or running meetings yet. And also I haven't had time to train Elder Brown very well at all so I feel really bad about that. It's a good thing he's mature and can handle a lot on his own. We are so busy that we barely have time to even do our studies in the mornings (not good, DONT SKIP STUDIES). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After church ended and then all the meetings ended and then everyone finally left, I just kinda collapsed into a coma and couldn't move for a couple hours. After I could finally get myself together we planned out some of our PR strategies for the week and then went home and finally got something to eat. That something else that I have learned on my mission. If you don't take care of your body and take time to feed it stuff, it'll run out of gas and you'll die. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In life, there are always ups and downs. I spent the last six months in Shizuoka on a spiritual high and now I guess it's my turn to go through some trials and crap. That's ok. Everyone goes through trials and crap but it all gets better in the end. This is the last week of the transfer and I presume that things will get better here in a few more weeks or so. I'm trying hard not to get down on myself. There's a lot weighing me down and though so it all kinda just mixes together and turns into a giant ball of "meh." But that Meh is a whole lot better than being depressed so I'd say I'm doing ok. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah I'll be fine. Life is good. Also I still have half a jar of Nutella left on the shelf so I think I'll be able to pull through. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life is good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have a fantastic week! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Be good. Be crazy. Eat tacos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Peace</span><span style="font-family: ".applecoloremojiui";">✌️</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Elder </span><span class="highlight" id="0.8529077001562284" name="searchHitInReadingPane" style="background-color: white;">Johnson</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W3kLaihDBpY" width="560"></iframe>Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-20704630099662166262017-03-26T14:07:00.001-07:002017-04-23T15:16:46.131-07:00To the Edge of the Japan Nagoya Mission - Our train breaks down<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Date: 2/26/2017</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Place: Ise, Mie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Companion: Elder Brown</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This week we had the grandest of adventures. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We decided about a week in advance that we would set aside Thursday as our "Adventure Day." You see, Ise is one of the larger areas in the mission and there a few less actives that live clear down on the very southern edge. The populated part of the area is in the north, where we live. I don't know if anyone has ever attempted to scout out the southern tip of Ise but decided to have a go of it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We set off first thing in the morning and went to Isuzugawa, the closest train station. There we took the front wheels off of our bikes and put the whole thing into a bike bag and carried it with us onto the train. We went north to Matsusaka (ever heard of Matsusaka beef?) which was a station that would give us our connection from Kintetsu Rail to JR. There we boarded what I like to think of as a "real inaka" train, which means it's really old, really loud and is diesel powered because they don't run standard electric train lines that far out. So we got on our special "limited rapid express" (it had some really long name that made us think it was going to be really fancy and fast when we looked it up). It ended up being quite a nice train, meant for long distance travel, but still was not quite as fast as some of the electric express trains we get so spoiled with in Nagoya. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So we stowed our bikes and tied them up so they wouldn't fall all over the place and then sat down, intending to study, but soon discovered that that would be nearly impossible. The train had great big windows which provided an excellent view of the breathtaking views as we popped in and out of mountain tunnels to see little pockets of old Japanese fishing towns nestled in between the sharp green mountains, huddled up against the ocean. It was incredible! But there were so many mountains that we spent a significant amount of time in tunnels. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After we came out of the mountain range, we were faced by a long, flat shoreline that stretched all the way to the bottom of the peninsula. We got off in Kumanoshi, the last major station within our area that the express train would stop at, right on the edge of the mountains. We had two less active addresses there and one more just a little way south so we put our bikes back together and set off in search of our addresses. Specific location are nearly impossible to find in Japan but thankfully everyone knows everyone else in a small town so after asking a neighbor we were able to find our first place quickly. He wasn't home but we were able to confirm his address so that was a success. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We went out to the other less active and found a house with the correct last name,Okazaki, but that's it. No one was home and the phone number we had was wrong. So we headed a few kilometers south along the shoreline and found our third less active's house. We think that it was probably the wrong guy though and our less active no longer exists. These records are really, really, REALLY old I might mention. So then we bagged our bikes again and hopped on the next local train ( they come every hour and a half or so out there so if you miss one it pretty much ruins all your plans) and headed down to Udono, the farthest south you can go in the Japan Nagoya Mission. By then we had gone a good 150 kilometers that day. We got off and realized that we hadn't eaten anything so we found a conbini (Convenient store) and got some food. Then we found an awesome park, pretty much right on the border of the mission, with a really cool roller slide. We ate there and, out of pure childish impulsiveness, rode the big slide (of course). The slide, instead of being slick metal, was a track with a bunch of metal rollers so I thought it would be fast. But instead, all it did was try to munch my pants and was NOT fast. Also it ripped my last good pair of pants :( #oldmissionaryprobs. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We found both of the less active addresses we were looking for. One of them kekkoed us and the other wasn't home but the miracle was that WE FOUND THEM. Then we caught the next train headed north and went up along the coastline all the way back to Kumanoshi, unpacked our bikes and visited our less actives up there one more time because we had an hour before the next fast train would come through. Turns out, we went to the wrong house looking for Okazaki! A kind neighbor showed us. We actually got to meet her and she told us her story. She was converted when she was 20 years old, back in Tsu. She was only active for about a year or so and then moved all the way out to Kumanoshi. She hadn't been contacted by missionaries in 40 years! She was really nice but had reverted back to the traditions of her fathers and asked us to remove her records from the church. Darn. But at least we found her. The likelyhood of a couple of clueless gaijin finding this lady in a tiny blue shack tucked away behind a bunch of other buildings and a mountain and stuff, 100 kilometers away from Ise and after 40 yrs of no church contact is not very likely. I know that the hand of God lead us to her house. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We successfully took apart our bikes and got packed up in time for the next fast train, the last one that would be coming through that day, at about 6:45pm. We got on the train and we're just congratulating each other on an extremely successful day of confirming nearly every address we had gone looking for, when it happened. There was a loud sound of impact, the train shook and the lights flickered. It was as if the rails of the track had sunken and the entire diesel train had just fallen an inch. They immediately hit the emergency breaks and we came to an emergency stop. At first I thought we had hit a deer or something but the impact it made on the heavy diesel train was much too large to have been an animal. We were stopped inside one of those long mountain tunnels and the train crew frantically ran back and forth trying to figure out what was going on. The train passengers just whispered to each other in confusion and we sat there in the train tunnel for about another hour. They finally decided to move the train out of the tunnel so we could get some cell reception and tell the world that we were still alive and that we would be getting home very very late. We sat there for another two hours or so and then they announced that this train would stop at Owase and then we would have to get on the next train. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We were sitting in engine one, which is the one that broke, so they pushed the train from behind with he back engine. We limped along at a crawl for a long time and finally pulled into the next train station. Everyone got off the train and we hopped on the next local train (the last train for the night was scheduled and hour ago but we backed up the whole line). So we got on the emergency local train and 30 stops later, finally got off in Matsusaka. We took the last train scheduled out of Matsusaka (11:06pm) and finally rolled into our station at midnight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've never been more exhausted in my life! It's taken a bit of recovering to get over that Adventure but man it was so fun! It was just another crazy day in the awesome experience of a mission. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On Sunday we had a couple of visitors from the Stake! A couple of my favorite people in the world, Brother and Sister Ray from Inuyama, as well as Sister Hibino from Ichinomiya came and spoke to us!! It was awesome! Then we watched the Elder Holland Broadcast for Sunday school. He talked of how God is invested in fixing broken things. Our little tiny branch here is Ise, living in the shadow of the great Jingu, has a lot of broken that needs to be fixed. Elder Holland gave a promise of healing that our little band of members needs so desperately. Many tears were shed during the conference. I hope everyone was lifted and given courage and faith from this Sunday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Afterwards we a shokujikai. Everyone brought out plates of food and we started eating. Then the Dejis showed up! They brought us amazing sea food! One of the perks of living out here surrounded by ocean ;). It was awesome! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty down for a good part of this week. There's a mountain of things that need to be done as a branch president and as a missionary and sometimes I feel a little lost. But I felt comforted after a lot of prayer with a quote from a good friend of mine, Elder Coleman. "God doesn't ask for 110%. Just 100%." That helped me a lot. Also the words of Elder Holland, promising healing to this broken nation through the power of the Atonement, helped lift my spirits and gave me hope for our little band of members out here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know that God has a plan and a purpose for each and every one of us. Even the sheep who live far away from the rest of the fold are important in the eyes of the Master. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love this Gospel. It works. It actually makes people truly happy. I'm grateful for a God that is invested in healing broken minds, broken relationships, broken hearts and broken dreams. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Love y'all </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Elder Johnson </span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6UH3JRW2Ngk" width="560"></iframe>Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-47599606487338693052017-02-23T21:10:00.002-08:002017-02-25T18:16:43.684-08:00And Then Elder Holland HappenedDate: 2/20/2017<br />
Place: Ise, Mie<br />
Companion: Elder Brown<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">I can't remember a whole lot of what happened before the Elder Holland Conference but I'll see what I can report. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">On Monday we rode all over Ise with Bro. Higashimoto. We introduced Elder Brown to Village Vanguard and he got some lightsaber chopsticks. Legit. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Dinner with Light sabers. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">On Tuesday we did service at a disabilities center and played games with the guys there and it was SO FUN! Then we had a lesson with the Nonaka family. They are a slightly older couple and are a lot of fun. Shimai likes to talk a lot so we had a good time with them. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">As always, Wednesday was NUTS. We got up, hopped on the train to Toba and the hotel shuttle came down and picked us up and took us up to the top of a mountain where we teach an english class in the nightclub which overlooks all of Toba, the bay and all of the islands. Dope. We made lots of friends there! There are a handful of really good potential investigators that we are really excited about. We went straight home after that and changed into normal clothes and went out to play ping pong at a gym with a couple of our Eikaiwa guys (goeigo, the normal one), Blake and Takase san. They destroyed us a ping pong and we had a great time! Then we dropped some cookies off at Sis. Sugimoto's house and then went straight to teach Eikaiwa at church. It was way fun and we had two really full classes! There are a few really good PI's at normal eikaiwa as well. I'm so stoked for these guys! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Our English class. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">On Thursday we actually had a really good planning session and got a lot done. Then we biked out to Sis. Hayashi's house and taught her a lesson. She's a really sweet grandma who got baptized last year. </span><br />
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Then the real madness started on Friday. After changing plans about 6 times (we were going to go to the Elder Holland conference, then it got cancelled, then we were going to go to DTM and have an exchange, then suddenly the Elder Holland Conference got uncancelled and a lot of other stuff happened), we went to Tsu with the Salmon Missionary Couple and visited Bro. Yamazaki (our ward mission leader) in the hospital there. He's doing a lot better than he was before. He can walk, hold basic conversations and move about so he's doing a lot better. He will probably be coming home here in a couple weeks but he will likely never be the same after the stroke. Then we came back to Ise, packed a little bit and cleaned the office a little bit, then we went to Suzuka to stay the night there. </div>
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<span style="color: #212121;">Oh! Crazy miracle I forgot to write about. So on the way to Tsu we found this kid on the train. Then on the way to Suzuka (Like 8 hours later) we met him AGAIN on the train! He's way cool and loves us. I think we could make him an investigator. </span><span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_2672_2749" role="button" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(95, 188, 162); cursor: pointer;" tabindex="0">We are going out to eat Karaage with him tonight so keep him in your prayers!</span><span style="color: #212121;"> We stayed over with the Suzuka Elders, got up at 5am and went to Meito for the Elder Holland Conference.</span></div>
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It was the most incredible experience of my life. Elder Holland invited each of us up and shook each of our hands. The conference started with the hymn, Called to Serve, and I immediately lost it and cried like a child. It brought to my remembrance the faithful service of other elders before me and the fervor they sang that song with as they finished their missions. Then they resurrected the Mormon Show for one more performance of Savior, Redeemer of my Soul. I felt the Spirit in a way that I have never felt before and felt a very real love from my Savior. Once again I completely lost it and had to be rescued by Elder Banks and a handkerchief that he lent me. </div>
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We heard from President Ishii, Elder Yamashita, Sister Yamashita, President Whiting. And then Elder Holland stood. He expressed his love for us. He told us that a mission is our opportunity to be apostolic (lowercase a). We get to spend this slice of our lives being like Peter, Ammon, Alma, Amulek of old and spend every waking minute working for one goal: to save a soul. He told us how our missions should mean everything to us. He told us how, 50 years later, he still thinks of his mission every day and cannot speak of it without tears. He talked about how the mission is real life and when you go home you have to deal with other stuff, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. He shouted, pounded the pulpit and taught us from the scriptures. He answered our questions and gave us a very personal experience in the little Meito chapel. He helped me to realize just how much my mission means to me. This experience has changed my life. These last 19 months have changed me in a way that I don't even know how to express. Elder Holland's words and the Spirit that I felt that day lifted me and reminded me of a God who is very, very real and very, very aware of me. I felt the actual love of God in a way that I have never felt before. And I know that if God loves me so much, then he loves you at least as much. What a wonderful experience it was to be taught at the feet of an Apostle. </div>
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I got to meet a lot of old companions and old friends at the conference, many of them probably for the last time. There were also a few fallen heroes that I wish I could have seen at that conference. </div>
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All missionaries who has ever been to Matsumoto. </div>
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I'm a grandfather! Elder Gubbay, my trainee, is now training again! My grandson is from Brazil, Elder Silva. He's way cool! Elder Gubbay is such an inspiration to me. He's doing such good work for Kariya. </div>
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This Sunday was my first time conducting Sacrament Meeting. Haha I don't think I did a very good job. I gotta practice for next Sunday because we have some visitors from the Stake (Ray Shimai's coming from Inuyama!!!!). After church there was the usual scramble of me and the two councilors trying to convince the computer that a missionary can hold a calling in the branch presidency and that the councilors are the same as last time. Then we rushed off to Wagu with the Dejis. Deji grandma and grandpa became investigators!!! We taught them the Plan of Salvation and they were very very open to it and loved the idea that they could be with their son again. </div>
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Ise branch chapel</div>
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Guys, Eternal Families are seriously the best and everyone should know that. The Deji family gets it! Also they took us to the beach and to this really cool shrine, clear out on southernmost peninsula of the Japan Nagoya Mission. It was a beautiful day, the Pacific is way blue and clean and the plum trees are starting to blossom. </div>
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Life is good. Life is real good. </div>
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Love you all! </div>
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Elder Johnson </div>
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Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-17223170261593845552017-02-15T19:04:00.002-08:002017-02-15T19:20:41.982-08:00TransfersDate: 2/13/2017<br>
Place: Ise, Mie Pref.<br>
Companion: Elder Brown<br>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Well it's been an interesting week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">On Monday we went out to lunch with Parma Shimai and her daughter and son in law. They were way cool and we had such a good time! I'm way sad to be leaving just as Parma shimai moved back into the ward! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Elder Nakatsuka and I finished packing our bags and had them sent off. Me, Elder Nakatsuka, Taylor and Hovorka went to the famous Tsukemen Bachan noodle shop for our last meal in Shizuoka together. I got the classic Sanshou flavor (Japanese prickly pear) thats spicy and turns your face numb. Elder Nakatsuka got the same thing but for some reason his was twice as hot as mine! #sketchyramenshop </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">We got up the next day, said goodbye to Elder Taylor and Hovorka and then went on our last ride through Shizuoka to get to the train station. After six months of watching the seasons change and watching missionaries come and go, it felt really weird to be leaving. I was the longest missionary in the zone and had watched everyone come in, get new companions, change companions, learn and grown and gain experience. I felt like I had become part of the place. It was really sad to leave. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">We met Inouye Shimai and Brown Shimai at the station. This is Sister Inouye's first transfer so we got on the same train together. Some members were gathered at the train station to say goodbye. Man I love Shizuoka. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Then the three of us, Elder Nakatsuka, Sister Inouye and I, hopped on a train for Nagoya. We talked about all that we had learned and the experience that we had in Shizuoka. I finally had my turning point, my greatest learning experience, in Shizuoka. I finally reached the point where I feel like I "get it." Elder Wilson taught me and prepared me for it and then Elder Nakatsuka helped me finally understand it. I realized that the single biggest, most important thing that one can come to understand is this one fact: When you want what God wants, you both win. It is possible to sacrifice what you want for what God wants and still miss the point. It is not enough to sacrifice a behavior. You must sacrifice the very desire to that behavior. In other words, your desire to do the will of the Lord should overpower the desire to do anything else. We talked about this all the way to Nagoya. Elder Nakatsuka gets it. Sister Inouye gets it. Man I wish I would have understood it earlier in my mission. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Inouye shimai stayed on the train to Gifu and we got off at Nagoya. I hate saying goodbye to friends. As always on transfer day, we bumped into quite a few other missionaries as they transferred. We spent some time at the Golden Clock waiting for the guys from Ise. They arrived and it was time to say goodbye to Elder Nakatsuka. That was hard. Man I love that guy! We had so much fun and learned so much together. He will do great things with Elder Handley up in Ueda. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">We all parted ways and Elder Brown and I headed out for the Honbu. Upon arrival we discovered that we had received the wrong time for the meeting so we were half an hour late for trainer's training. Oh well. ELDER GUBBAY WAS THERE!!! I HAVENT SEEN HIM SINCE AUGUST!!! It was so good to see him! He's training a brazilian bean chan! I'm going to be a grandpa! It was so good getting to talk to him after the meeting. I seriously love that guy so much! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">We headed off for Nagoya together. As we got on the train, Elder Gubbay walked over to the other side of the train and started oyming people. Just like old times. Man what a beast! He's seriously the best. It reminded me of the train ride home from the honbu when I first picked him up. He OYMed all the way home to Inuyama and he had only been in Japan for one night! He's become such a powerful missionary. What an honor it was to be his trainer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">At Nagoya we said goodbye and Elder Brown and I hopped on a kintetsu train for Ujiyamada. The train system is different so it was difficult to OYM anyone other than the guy I was sitting next to. We got to Ise at night and went home and unpacked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Elder Brown is cool. He's a chill guy, right outta high school and comes from Ogden Utah. He's my first American companion since June, last year. He's been in the mission for 8 weeks so I will be half-bake training him. He's quiet and he's really nice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Ise used to be a four Elder area but they closed down a companionship and brought Elder Brown over from the other companionship so we are basically whitewashing. We spent the majority of our energies this week cleaning up the area's records and maps. There is still a mountain worth of cleaning and organizing to do. We messaged everyone in the phone but didn't get a whole lot of responses. I have a computer now (that's weird) so we used that to get all of the records put into a missionary ipad friendly note file. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">On Sunday we had our first Branch Presidency Meeting. Then I spoke in Sacrament Meeting. We had 11 people in attendance. The Stake President and his first councilor also came down and visited for the meeting. Afterwards I was set apart and then we had meetings until about 4ish. After that we went with one of the Tsu Branch members to visit the Deji family that lives about an hour away by car. They live in such a remote area! It was way cool to meet them. We will be going back next week to teach a lesson! Hopefully they can become investigators.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">There is so so much work to be done here and this branch needs all the help they can get. Due to some bad things happening in the branch as of late, we are going to need to do a lot of work to cheer them up. The meeting house here is a really cute and small. "Fun sized" you might say. We live right in between the inner sanctuary and outer sanctuary shrines of Ise Jingu. Our competition is the biggest Shinto shrine in the world. Ise is more of tourist town for people coming to see the shrine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">The branch here has about 10-15 active members. We have no real investigators yet but a few good potentials. We are going to try to visit every member in the branch this week. It's going to be fun! Ise is beautiful. It's seriously Jurassic park out here. It's all a bunch densely wooded little green hills poking up out of the ocean. It's very beautiful here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Ok sorry gotta go! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Love yall! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Elder Johnson </span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-20035440299134722462017-02-11T18:22:00.001-08:002017-02-12T13:10:41.954-08:00My Last AssignmentDate: 2/5/2017<br>
Place: Shizuoka<br>
Companion: Elder Nakatsuka<br>
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<span style="font-family: .SFUIText;">Probably my last assignment... not sure </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="color: #454545;">Well. There's been an unexpected turn of events. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_98_199" role="button" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(95, 188, 162); cursor: pointer;" tabindex="0"><br></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_98_199" role="button" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(95, 188, 162); cursor: pointer;" tabindex="0">Elder Wilson, Elder Holman and President and Sister Ishii came to Shizuoka for a meeting on Thursday. </span><span style="color: #454545;">Elder Nakatsuka and I had just gotten off of an exchange with the Fukuroi Elders and met the guys from the mission home at the church. We talked a bit about transfers and, of course, they didn't tell us where I was going. I've been in Shizuoka for six months and Elder Taylor has been here for four so both of us were expecting to get transferred and Elder Nakatsuka would train a new Zone Leader. As for myself I was expecting to probably get released from being a Zone Leader maybe go train somewhere. It was good to see Elder Wilson and Elder Holman. They're such good guys and both really good missionaries. And as always, being with President and Sister Ishii was the best. They truly are amazing people. We have such a great mission president! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Elder Nakatsuka and I went on exchange with Fuji the next day and Elder John came to Shizuoka with me. We had a lot of fun and got work done. We woke up on Saturday morning and got our transfer calls together. After hearing what the APs had been discussing, I was expecting an interesting change in the mission and a lot of interesting transfer assignments but I was not at all prepared for what came! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Elder Nakatsuka and I will both be transferring and Elder Taylor will stay and take my place as Zone Leader! Elder Ence will come in and be his Zone Leader companion. Elder Holman will be coming in to be with Elder Hovorka. Elder Nakatsuka will be assigned to the Ueda branch (he's going back to Nagano!) and he will be with our beloved Shizuoka Raptor, ELDER HANDLEY! He will be serving as Nagano district leader and laying waste to the forces of Satan up there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawxCLKxKXONHjhQeM4YGzYT4SQgULT5b12d1VKRBjR-9S7xDR2BM53NBqTwR55rGiMF1KIZcE_bdWeFA3iOyxVFIb-3LvoqpFOruboL82KGNBD3_3hCTszXjojcFbQbn-QYFC0GUkz8c/s640/blogger-image--1594463584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawxCLKxKXONHjhQeM4YGzYT4SQgULT5b12d1VKRBjR-9S7xDR2BM53NBqTwR55rGiMF1KIZcE_bdWeFA3iOyxVFIb-3LvoqpFOruboL82KGNBD3_3hCTszXjojcFbQbn-QYFC0GUkz8c/s640/blogger-image--1594463584.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">I have been released from mission leadership and will serve in the Ise branch as branch president, likely for the rest of my mission. My companion and trainee will be Elder Brown, who has been in the mission for 6 weeks (we call them half baked beans). When we got the transfer mail I was absolutely shocked! I still have no idea what's going on. Ise 2 will be closing so it will just be me and Elder Brown. As far as Shizuoka goes, a lot of big things happened. Every companionship has changed! In the mission there are six new Zone leaders and 12 new district leaders! They have changed the system so that we have younger Zone leaders and some young district leaders. Then they try to have all of the old experienced guys train and be District Leaders because they have the biggest effect on the mission. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjCapEpofRW4_zY4AvEgRj0glDlCx3fw3vzWbYRNn8HzvRxbO7blL34MheV9jrun-i6fKQOIS1tXrFXVpWnis3tBWNjORTBYqMXMywB6PvYjflaOxIuAEFT2C5SJ5BpDYuQIQhD5p2Xs/s640/blogger-image-1255225134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjCapEpofRW4_zY4AvEgRj0glDlCx3fw3vzWbYRNn8HzvRxbO7blL34MheV9jrun-i6fKQOIS1tXrFXVpWnis3tBWNjORTBYqMXMywB6PvYjflaOxIuAEFT2C5SJ5BpDYuQIQhD5p2Xs/s640/blogger-image-1255225134.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">On Saturday, Bishop Shibahara took us to the gym in </span><span style="font-family: .HiraKakuInterface-W3;">Kusanagi</span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"> and we had a good lift (Bishop is HUGE). We would bench something that made us sweat and then he would get under it and toss it around in one hand! </span><span style="font-family: .HiraKakuInterface-W3;">We got a lot of attention from people. lol</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">It was way funny! I love bishop so much. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1htfgmLdwcdHL2Pj-BggnhGYAvPSzojqliVImE96Mbth4vb7dzSZuWYgxJ9WnCBWqw9mMPZWayUVo0a9UOCJgK0COnijX_jTvZVSesRgVuGqBQfBe1O-IDn9bSx3o1wwDS-792VgCycs/s640/blogger-image-2122159656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1htfgmLdwcdHL2Pj-BggnhGYAvPSzojqliVImE96Mbth4vb7dzSZuWYgxJ9WnCBWqw9mMPZWayUVo0a9UOCJgK0COnijX_jTvZVSesRgVuGqBQfBe1O-IDn9bSx3o1wwDS-792VgCycs/s640/blogger-image-2122159656.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">On Sunday we had a Fast and Testimony meeting full of tears and goodbyes. I've never connected to a ward like this before. In a weird way we are all super close. After six months it's like we have become family. I'll miss these guys a lot. The congregation has grown just a little since my first talk in sacrament meeting in Shizuoka, which is all I could want. The sisters taught Sis. Kato and she got baptized. Bro. Kita announced that he was ready to be an active member again and came back to church. Hara san was sitting in the congregation. It was little a dream. I feel like my whole experience in Shizuoka has been preparing me for my next assignment. I've learned a lot about leadership and love and patience. I've been privileged to work with and be guided by some of the best leaders. The leaders of Shizuoka Ward and Stake are "mighty men of God" and they are inspired to know His will. </span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">But I know from my Shizuoka experience that God will magnify those that He calls. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Fms64VYJi7UuCajx2dsduoz2arqWfpY5ORZtFc1N2s9HVmoMemaJpuN34fsoO-zrOpJCEdpN8WeVNPAlGzBNmUCHXbt9oA1oOOpDvFEuU_lxOLfsEU5jZOrD_S7NP0aQFE6SFaWhGz8/s640/blogger-image-848877020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Fms64VYJi7UuCajx2dsduoz2arqWfpY5ORZtFc1N2s9HVmoMemaJpuN34fsoO-zrOpJCEdpN8WeVNPAlGzBNmUCHXbt9oA1oOOpDvFEuU_lxOLfsEU5jZOrD_S7NP0aQFE6SFaWhGz8/s640/blogger-image-848877020.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">I thought I knew what to do when I came to Shizuoka but through my experience here I have learned what it means to be a missionary. I'm sad that it took me this long but I now know what it actually means to be a missionary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvjLD3bXDrdlvLkfd8eWz2L-hSdGA0doONBMkIaIEQzc0euFsFqnRxdcoFPQkcWcaNNWquWB62tuqc59uyv3sZFh-YKHuNNVe-wb2YkU0UMbsZR8f2oMzWnu9P5UDgPtuMJ6HpSAEB9A/s640/blogger-image--1964087425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvjLD3bXDrdlvLkfd8eWz2L-hSdGA0doONBMkIaIEQzc0euFsFqnRxdcoFPQkcWcaNNWquWB62tuqc59uyv3sZFh-YKHuNNVe-wb2YkU0UMbsZR8f2oMzWnu9P5UDgPtuMJ6HpSAEB9A/s640/blogger-image--1964087425.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">It's not about just being obedient. It's not about just working hard. Hard work, in and of itself, is not enough. It's about who you are. There is a difference in working hard and being a hard worker. There is a difference in doing missionary stuff and being a missionary. There is a difference between being a member and being a disciple. The difference is our will. It's not about doing the will of God, it's about doing the will of God and LIKING IT. It's about wanting to serve God more than wanting to do anything else. That means wanting to go out and OYM in the rain if that's what God wants. That means wanting to quit your job in order to come to church if that's what God wants. I would hope not to come home and find out that I had given two years but hadn't given my heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"></span><br></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpdHivReEQ52bcu9H3CozodCqFFBmYbdUvag7aaQnBniLMpvuI3o0dzfKHi1MMAkaeKrw0NmWp1v05-R9xhtwEYJhEs21Oxov0bOpFECG6wl-TVdGFOCeIgBETaCWMMYdpoR0tRILNcA/s640/blogger-image-1625969899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpdHivReEQ52bcu9H3CozodCqFFBmYbdUvag7aaQnBniLMpvuI3o0dzfKHi1MMAkaeKrw0NmWp1v05-R9xhtwEYJhEs21Oxov0bOpFECG6wl-TVdGFOCeIgBETaCWMMYdpoR0tRILNcA/s640/blogger-image-1625969899.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><br></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">I believe in a God of miracles. I believe in a God of mercy. I believe that God "will provide a way that we may accomplish the thing which he hath commanded." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">So even though I'm nervous, I'm not afraid. I don't know what the future holds and I have no idea what Branch Presidents are supposed to do. In no way do I think of my assignment as branch president as an accomplishment. It's not something I earned. By the sounds of this branch, leading sacrament meeting will be like leading a medium sized District Training Meeting every Sunday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">I know that as to my strength I am weak and can do nothing of myself but with God we can do all things. God will not let me down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">So in all humility I can look forward to the future with great hope and say</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Bring it on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Elder Johnson </span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"></span></div>
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Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-44302398966575765112017-02-11T18:02:00.000-08:002017-02-12T13:04:39.558-08:00When God Gives SuccessDate: 1/29/2017<br>
Place: Shizuoka<br>
Companion: Elder Nakatsuka<br>
<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrNhDE7thBbHr2LCJZmpIdMVw9a1QPuBOQF_CdsUYVzGPGipMznKnqMplzLGUcJ-FzPKoSO9fVMbY5ntNru_0jluwkoSdgFHxHtk0IMDxHpnhtKCw3mF29s91hhyphenhyphenYcZv_HSFV1GGH9vA/s640/blogger-image-247131759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrNhDE7thBbHr2LCJZmpIdMVw9a1QPuBOQF_CdsUYVzGPGipMznKnqMplzLGUcJ-FzPKoSO9fVMbY5ntNru_0jluwkoSdgFHxHtk0IMDxHpnhtKCw3mF29s91hhyphenhyphenYcZv_HSFV1GGH9vA/s640/blogger-image-247131759.jpg"></a></div><br><br>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Aight sorry folks its gonna be a short one this week!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">We had a lot of cool stuff happen this week! We went out with Hitoshi and his friend from New York to go see a few tourist sites in Shizuoka. We went to Nihondaira and Miho no Matsubara. It was way cool! You could see Mt. Fuji so well! We were way lucky because there was not a cloud in the sky. We also got to play around on the tetrapods out in the ocean and take lots of pictures. It's also Chinese New Year so theres tons of Chinese people everywhere. We had a great lesson with Hara san. He's progressing so well and feeling the Spirit! Thanks everyone for your prayers. He will come to church this week and tell us when he is ready to get baptized. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiij3atIoVFP6J1isPAbZOSQZEZ0DYpoqbBrjxqgeHQ0WevK9wUpUioVuwWSeUi_j36fRZBmVGQYsr2tq0zN83W-MSRqfzzLwSoDjSAv3Lg1yKwQGmWZsuMh49yqJmY5hAUAcXTeXbnaoA/s640/blogger-image--1861373508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiij3atIoVFP6J1isPAbZOSQZEZ0DYpoqbBrjxqgeHQ0WevK9wUpUioVuwWSeUi_j36fRZBmVGQYsr2tq0zN83W-MSRqfzzLwSoDjSAv3Lg1yKwQGmWZsuMh49yqJmY5hAUAcXTeXbnaoA/s640/blogger-image--1861373508.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYB9ctLFxCu-pdMIfD5-N-g_YKKs6CpTroXrKb3CCi8mTuCo-QFOmK06TzQ5mLzyveL6PiYL-SrsDD-TjklDXdHaCg0__HrmSpG0bBsiPKr-b2Htp5i_q84Z2sLnAVtEDQ0TUeizEfWpo/s640/blogger-image-1468336671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYB9ctLFxCu-pdMIfD5-N-g_YKKs6CpTroXrKb3CCi8mTuCo-QFOmK06TzQ5mLzyveL6PiYL-SrsDD-TjklDXdHaCg0__HrmSpG0bBsiPKr-b2Htp5i_q84Z2sLnAVtEDQ0TUeizEfWpo/s640/blogger-image-1468336671.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">We met with Shu san a few times. He's really fun but he needs to get serious about investigating the gospel or we will probably have to put him on the back burner for now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKb5Lqp3BWDruG6JgubHhaGnvOh6QmphTGsswM68pLtroMIrpGPObMLViYnSCxCKseyV2GZfxE_g8GcZ-7MhX5mwo7VbZff3HytFRz91JLhgZxEi9aB94J2c5F1yxcx-i9f8BW6_X9Z9c/s640/blogger-image--124599311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKb5Lqp3BWDruG6JgubHhaGnvOh6QmphTGsswM68pLtroMIrpGPObMLViYnSCxCKseyV2GZfxE_g8GcZ-7MhX5mwo7VbZff3HytFRz91JLhgZxEi9aB94J2c5F1yxcx-i9f8BW6_X9Z9c/s640/blogger-image--124599311.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="color: #454545;">OH ALSO YOU PRABABLY ALL HEARD BUT THEY CHANGED A BUNCH OF STUFF ABOUT P DAY AND THE DAILY SCHEDULE! </span><span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_987_1019" role="button" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(95, 188, 162); cursor: pointer;" tabindex="0">So now P day will start at 8 am.</span> And also nightly planning is no longer a thing! <span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_1068_1120" role="button" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(95, 188, 162); cursor: pointer;" tabindex="0">We will be doing all of our planning in the morning.</span> T<span style="color: #454545;">hat's gonna be so weird! Way excited for the change though. Change is way fun. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="color: #454545;"><br></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="color: #454545;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqt3SCnuYAc4BEsUvpujOsYTdxqsIkSo9oVIBYeAikUVkk8AIi3WrcRqAWUGA72ai3HOrVIlOFvW8l-S0ja2HRZoXKP4qAL_oMJEvm3OxRpsi_15vE4ulQEcNUX5OlxfenkJm-Ud-MVg/s640/blogger-image-611267836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqt3SCnuYAc4BEsUvpujOsYTdxqsIkSo9oVIBYeAikUVkk8AIi3WrcRqAWUGA72ai3HOrVIlOFvW8l-S0ja2HRZoXKP4qAL_oMJEvm3OxRpsi_15vE4ulQEcNUX5OlxfenkJm-Ud-MVg/s640/blogger-image-611267836.jpg"></a></div><br></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="color: #454545;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFANt4di8RUk0t6STVYjOLezbd463qpQXiFembzcU3t3uURHpCegGH9Rjgf5AH_AyznpUQ0AVGL61hrapWFBa6gIy-0oVDaidtzaQeQz8fwc_1ici-RPXy-ghOAA_bUUZWUkcWYYZZv9Y/s640/blogger-image-1935832171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFANt4di8RUk0t6STVYjOLezbd463qpQXiFembzcU3t3uURHpCegGH9Rjgf5AH_AyznpUQ0AVGL61hrapWFBa6gIy-0oVDaidtzaQeQz8fwc_1ici-RPXy-ghOAA_bUUZWUkcWYYZZv9Y/s640/blogger-image-1935832171.jpg"></a></div><br></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="color: #454545;"><br></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Of course, the highlight of the week was Kato sans baptism. So many miracles led up to her baptism. She is a friend of Matsunaga shimai and was invited to come to the ward Christmas party a month an a half ago. She came and talked with the members and was very impressed. She attended church on Christmas and then made a new years resolution to come to church every week! A couple weeks ago, after Sunday school she made an appointment to take the lessons from the sister missionaries and Matsunaga shimai. Elder Taylor got to baptize her yesterday and it was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. All of us missionaries here in Shizuoka have been working hard to see a baptism. We have labored much in the Spirit and prayed hard to maybe see just some kind of success. We originally had three baptisms scheduled for the 29th but two of them fell through. Kato San's baptism was incredible! It was a great reminder to me that all we have to do is do our best and do everything we can to be worthy of a baptism and then leave it up to the Lord to let us see success. This time He let the sisters see a baptism! It was amazing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrdDFd7uk19BAExIcL8AboSABcOQWqJBlTmFP6btgLhkoc2wLHsCej3arThV6lNqVxdcNrUJImQLAsdAVvivPjdSRuQk221GLJ_hQIFH-HuHn54wwLakyqhBic8gxyRiB8Q_yK_gSVXzU/s640/blogger-image-1207645280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrdDFd7uk19BAExIcL8AboSABcOQWqJBlTmFP6btgLhkoc2wLHsCej3arThV6lNqVxdcNrUJImQLAsdAVvivPjdSRuQk221GLJ_hQIFH-HuHn54wwLakyqhBic8gxyRiB8Q_yK_gSVXzU/s640/blogger-image-1207645280.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphoXUDxD8wGKPPIRUUOtrY-C9IKz_VuRVdF724R81nDk0v3M2S0Lw4vAvNmn3jOAksyyDmcEv7KL3GAUtGZ72Q-IbrFd4H7cF4sLgOCdXkPBlP_B0z4wS_d-pyUu8Vt6U4wxIFH3nCbw/s640/blogger-image--1287132680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphoXUDxD8wGKPPIRUUOtrY-C9IKz_VuRVdF724R81nDk0v3M2S0Lw4vAvNmn3jOAksyyDmcEv7KL3GAUtGZ72Q-IbrFd4H7cF4sLgOCdXkPBlP_B0z4wS_d-pyUu8Vt6U4wxIFH3nCbw/s640/blogger-image--1287132680.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBNDD4xjtgC-aB4QVETsbgsKRMFh-fESngG2pmp5rk0fPqi0C9d4eHPc3m8Qbo6tClgAbJ7WVIXHtTY53C7oMkPC3g6Y-3ea89yaIS4bhsLbzB3I0sfpK7d6tydFuRdOoS_QfbIfyPV8/s640/blogger-image--1547333307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBNDD4xjtgC-aB4QVETsbgsKRMFh-fESngG2pmp5rk0fPqi0C9d4eHPc3m8Qbo6tClgAbJ7WVIXHtTY53C7oMkPC3g6Y-3ea89yaIS4bhsLbzB3I0sfpK7d6tydFuRdOoS_QfbIfyPV8/s640/blogger-image--1547333307.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Well. Next week is transfers and Ive been here for six months now so I'm probably going to get transferred. I love Shizuoka. I have grown a lot in my other areas but I feel like here is where I finally learned to be a missionary. I have learned the importance of giving up our will and wanting what the Lord wants. Only then can we ever be free. And not just for missionaries but for everyone.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhln_4DJ4SVST1_1HjODSZyToq_Scfp6REFegqC4XBh7JejkuxmVYP007ayQ58e98eQKDywy3oBTc3yYHv-aqbQU6YMfS1fVjj7BSRYYLR8mWi1brgATi300VVLcnnh7eqgXUmaWlVkHhM/s640/blogger-image-674434120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhln_4DJ4SVST1_1HjODSZyToq_Scfp6REFegqC4XBh7JejkuxmVYP007ayQ58e98eQKDywy3oBTc3yYHv-aqbQU6YMfS1fVjj7BSRYYLR8mWi1brgATi300VVLcnnh7eqgXUmaWlVkHhM/s640/blogger-image-674434120.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"> Many missionaries and members have things that they want to do but they put those off so they can do what the Lord wants. But in order to truly be happy, we must change our desires to God's desires and our wants to His wants. Anything else will lead to unfulfilled membership in the church. Desiring what God desires for us will bring us greater joy and fulfillment and we will become happy in this life. That's what lets missionaries ride for miles in the rain with a smile on their face. That's what lets you overcome any trial. All you have to do is sacrifice what you want for what God wants. The Gospel is awesome. The mission is awesome. Life is good. God is good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"></span><br></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2KBJ4fp5gKWCRNcvGk9axW1dHsyY-Dk16Bjy-FGUp00AXftjC0_rDrjibaqHjpWwNV1hPjVfkxZmJ4faiRFhgknPNC4jNLwXHEnLKNJ6pe4IYcSEHbCkAbGpy5kMGVbGgqR_s31CyCM/s640/blogger-image--645270373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2KBJ4fp5gKWCRNcvGk9axW1dHsyY-Dk16Bjy-FGUp00AXftjC0_rDrjibaqHjpWwNV1hPjVfkxZmJ4faiRFhgknPNC4jNLwXHEnLKNJ6pe4IYcSEHbCkAbGpy5kMGVbGgqR_s31CyCM/s640/blogger-image--645270373.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><br></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Sorry for the random rant. I gotta go. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Elder Johnson </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Ps: I'm starting to think of ways to do member missionary work when I get back so if any of y'all have any good ideas let me know. </span></div>
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Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-9578070636180864772017-02-11T17:55:00.002-08:002017-02-12T12:54:26.229-08:00"Get in the Van"Date: 1/22/2017<br>
Place: Shizuoka<br>
Companion: Elder Nakatsuka<br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Hey all!</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Sorry I don't have a ton of time to write a proper weekly mail so I'm</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">gonna just write stuff down as fast as it comes to my mind!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I apologize in advance for all who read this.</span><br>
<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPu6CeBA_WFZTt4HqSfYYCtS1McUqLGoB2A0sNUE6y-J_1EIQJiCCTRs-Uf3qzuu9Tb_m8VVNhF-Nn3KDNgkN0weGpqbHkFiOvHAxbvbvyU3go54v3DS1oa2SrQoJvv06Trix2M9wxzw/s640/blogger-image--292684229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPu6CeBA_WFZTt4HqSfYYCtS1McUqLGoB2A0sNUE6y-J_1EIQJiCCTRs-Uf3qzuu9Tb_m8VVNhF-Nn3KDNgkN0weGpqbHkFiOvHAxbvbvyU3go54v3DS1oa2SrQoJvv06Trix2M9wxzw/s640/blogger-image--292684229.jpg"></a></div><br><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">So on Monday we had p day (I'm way conflicted on how I feel about p</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">days) and then we taught Hara san at the church. It went way well!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">He's super prepared but he has work on the 29th so we gotta move his</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">baptism back a week or two. Then on Tuesday we had a phone conference</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">with the APs and all the zone leaders in the mission and we talked</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">about a lot of big changes coming to the mission next transfer (in two</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">weeks!! Yeet!). A lot of cool stuff will be happening with the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">leadership of the mission. I'm excited to see what happens. </span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrbwP8pHmoKnfUO0t_cpwLLjDJG3hvPYHQfKejZpXdKf20s3ULeQ6jiuHol-KxhOs1K2bEPL8-taQvg879YWONkqOBmdYBeK15xsL8Lc66mEUNsh8ee1uyK3WbMGGLkH3UxQRtU3oKFY/s640/blogger-image--1866302934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrbwP8pHmoKnfUO0t_cpwLLjDJG3hvPYHQfKejZpXdKf20s3ULeQ6jiuHol-KxhOs1K2bEPL8-taQvg879YWONkqOBmdYBeK15xsL8Lc66mEUNsh8ee1uyK3WbMGGLkH3UxQRtU3oKFY/s640/blogger-image--1866302934.jpg"></a></div><br><br></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">After the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">phone call a lot of random stuff that I can't remember happened, we</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">visited a feisty less active with the sisters and then went to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Japanese class. Then we went to Krispy Kreme's (WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">with some of the guys from the class. That was cool. I for some reason</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">thought that paying ¥500 for 3 donuts was a good idea. After I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">purchased them I realized that that was NOT good idea. Oh well. We got</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">to make some friends with the guys at the Japanese class.</span><br>
<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNbfqhX4V-HfCDqjphTNOrAzrJG0so3rIDANMuYQrCoxoXDWddYzgexeeCf6jcX1lKCzvzssUa3qm4t4UcAJxmJzk3QUehQGmHGaL0d-83x4Fgy2Jl5PkprhKIHNg_rBaDbK7CbBedho/s640/blogger-image-914065763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNbfqhX4V-HfCDqjphTNOrAzrJG0so3rIDANMuYQrCoxoXDWddYzgexeeCf6jcX1lKCzvzssUa3qm4t4UcAJxmJzk3QUehQGmHGaL0d-83x4Fgy2Jl5PkprhKIHNg_rBaDbK7CbBedho/s640/blogger-image-914065763.jpg"></a></div><br><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Wednesday we had what we called "The Sketchy Ramen Guy." Basically</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">what happened was we OYMed a guy a week before and then his friend,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">whom we've never met, calls us and says that he wants to meet us</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">instead of his friend (the guy we oymed). What's more, he wanted us to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">get in his car and he was going to take us to ramen. We were both way</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">creeped out and if I wasn't a missionary I definitely would not have</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">taken this appointment. </span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONHNg1Z8-ut87cC0PGBeOoBi9HWIxU789piovNPuOeO6lWE2kc9gRSeKmUMJyHE6aKgCmjtxM7xHWB_R9krE9QU-v3B0if5t0EmimQb1JdiB_XMFnDZmJZKApsMHrTEYg2d3KdZDFD8Q/s640/blogger-image--732434246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONHNg1Z8-ut87cC0PGBeOoBi9HWIxU789piovNPuOeO6lWE2kc9gRSeKmUMJyHE6aKgCmjtxM7xHWB_R9krE9QU-v3B0if5t0EmimQb1JdiB_XMFnDZmJZKApsMHrTEYg2d3KdZDFD8Q/s640/blogger-image--732434246.jpg"></a></div><br><br></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Anyway we agreed to meet him at the church,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">put our lives in his hands and get in his car, so that we could go get</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">ramen. Well on Wednesday we actually met him. His name is Yabuta Shu</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">and he is not a crazy Nichiren Buddhist priest or a serial killer, as</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I had suspected. He didn't even try to kidnap us! Ok but all jokes</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">aside this kid is legit. He's 21 years old, likes American movies and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">ended up taking us to one of the best ramen shops I've ever been to!</span><br>
<br><br><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">On Thursday he came to Eikaiwa, then on Sunday he came to church! He</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">absorbed everything during the meetings and classes, accepted a Book</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">of Mormon and even watched Meet the Mormons with us after the meetings</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">were over! We have a next appointment with him tomorrow. The members</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">have been doing a Baton Fasting Relay and on the 21st day of the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">month, Shizuoka Ward fasted for missionary work. Shu san's random</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">appearance and absolute willingness to meet and hear the Gospel is</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">just one of the many incredible miracles that we have been seeing! I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">love our members!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">They are seriously the best. </span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I'm so blessed to be a missionary here </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">in Shizuoka. This is seriously the life.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Thanks for all your prayers and support!</span><br>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Love y'all!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Elder Johnson</span>Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-87811780723999429192017-01-29T15:37:00.002-08:002017-02-12T12:49:26.774-08:00Elder Pelado (Bald)Date: 1/15/2017<br>
Place: Shizuoka City<br>
Companion: Elder Nakatsuka<br>
<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0wmXsS6xFt-9lKun51Vmol5WadcoKmyqjsMhqPXFgvWnJGRGFYtoq_nwDfjiTQzccqUxtBHjRjkXWqbp7dfxZVj_KVEmbjOqDzR2iT5wOT-WpkT9DaWK9IzkU2mOR_wWr4y83PCHTyA/s640/blogger-image-1481460043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0wmXsS6xFt-9lKun51Vmol5WadcoKmyqjsMhqPXFgvWnJGRGFYtoq_nwDfjiTQzccqUxtBHjRjkXWqbp7dfxZVj_KVEmbjOqDzR2iT5wOT-WpkT9DaWK9IzkU2mOR_wWr4y83PCHTyA/s640/blogger-image-1481460043.jpg"></a></div><br>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Ok so this week was interesting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">It started off with me getting sick and being stuck in the apartment for a few days</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which was not awesome. My companion was way patient with me and we just chilled in the apartment for 3 days or so. STAYING IN THE APARTMENT MAKES ME LOSE MY MIND. I hate staying inside. So while I was out of the action</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> I decided to try cutting my own hair. BIG MISTAKE. The last time I gave myself a haircut was a year ago in Matsumoto and I have tried avoiding it ever since. It turned out ok that time but this time was bad! I started off by cutting the sides good and short</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and it worked. Then I went to cut the top but the clippers weren't cutting for some reason </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">at 20mm</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> so I tried taking it down to the next setting which was 12mm. After about 2 and a half seconds later I realized my mistake but the damage had been done. My companion laughed at me for about an hour and finished shaving the rest of my hair off. My first thought was</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> "Shoot I can't teach ZTM like this!" Now every time I meet someone they tell me I look like a high school baseball kid. Haha but I love it! I don't have to worry about helmet hair</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> or bed head or even gel anymore! Haha I guess you haven't really had the full mission experience until you've done something stupid with your hair. Well I had mine</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> just a year late! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YHo1MsrP-lwln_WuuILlMYRr092rZCnYNMaCKpJL1wH3L_eXZP-EFc09zCgaQ4s7RQFykkJiirMfzhJEVIsiCFmFJ2GaJfUq_7hwk2t7Lf88eHzpRp7U8FcbRM9XjGGWKk8IAOmI8rY/s640/blogger-image--1325774111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YHo1MsrP-lwln_WuuILlMYRr092rZCnYNMaCKpJL1wH3L_eXZP-EFc09zCgaQ4s7RQFykkJiirMfzhJEVIsiCFmFJ2GaJfUq_7hwk2t7Lf88eHzpRp7U8FcbRM9XjGGWKk8IAOmI8rY/s640/blogger-image--1325774111.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">I finally got better</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> just in time for a day full of appointments. We went to Yakiniku King with the YSA</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which was way fun</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and then that same day we went out to dinner with Hitoshi and ate at Sawayaka. I seriously ate too much that day. Both appointments went very well! I love Hitoshi san. He's such a bro. The next day was ZTM. I had been feeling like I needed to talk about OYM for the past couple days so we taught on OYM and I think it went pretty well. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57i15HUUBhSkw1NhRXSXdwJy_PlCZay5tb91KmHyZlPSeKmq0IJAqBU2OgiBWLJoyvphsdXGqV2SLXzF7PLPhh6ZV_pO_czyn-GWewGuhAjX2DtS4tVF6xpc4mT7aiCLYpfdJDT36wkI/s640/blogger-image-581717453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57i15HUUBhSkw1NhRXSXdwJy_PlCZay5tb91KmHyZlPSeKmq0IJAqBU2OgiBWLJoyvphsdXGqV2SLXzF7PLPhh6ZV_pO_czyn-GWewGuhAjX2DtS4tVF6xpc4mT7aiCLYpfdJDT36wkI/s640/blogger-image-581717453.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuM9x1UbjW1cW8zCf3iDz3YBq61C4cTP17nEdtRA_zi9WeekHTSehdioarofvJ5Qh2m_hOJqwdPSmAQc3hEu8aenOtDyrsvt3Mxjm3vsshG9SfMZiQA5OPunUdSNQY7yOF4QHlfy5iBQ/s640/blogger-image-1994647601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuM9x1UbjW1cW8zCf3iDz3YBq61C4cTP17nEdtRA_zi9WeekHTSehdioarofvJ5Qh2m_hOJqwdPSmAQc3hEu8aenOtDyrsvt3Mxjm3vsshG9SfMZiQA5OPunUdSNQY7yOF4QHlfy5iBQ/s640/blogger-image-1994647601.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then we went on an exchange with the APs and I got to bike bag down to Hamamatsu with Elder Porter. We talked to a guy on the train and he was pretty cool. I love train dendo so much now. We got off at Hamamatsu and IT WAS FREEZING COLD. And the apartment was far away from the station and we had no idea where it was but we set off in search of it. An hour later we finally rolled into the apartment </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">it was like 5pm!</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and we finally got to start our split with Hamamatsu 1. I went with Elder Tanner</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> a young missionary</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and we did a little bit of finding as we bounced around between less active people's apartments. We were able to find anyone good though. We then joined the Hamamatsu 2 Elders</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Cirqueida and Nelson</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> for their member lesson and it was awesome! Elder Cirqueida is a master teacher and used a funny object lesson. We had a good time and warmed up over some hot chocolate for a little bit. Then we went home. But We got home with ten minutes to spare and I really wanted to give Elder Tanner a good finding experience so we dashed up towards the church on our bikes</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> looking for anyone we could possibly talk to. We found one guy and started talking to him in the freezing cold night. He actually ended up being really really cool</span><span style="font-family: .HiraKakuInterface-W3;">. </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Elder Tanner got to bear his testimony in Japanese and we had a really good experience! The guy said he would come to the church to study about Christ. It was a cool little finding miracle! The next day the APs took off in their car for the mission office and finally got to take Pday. They work so hard! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Elder Nakatsuka and I bike bagged it up to Fujieda and got off at the wrong station 3 times before finding the right one. It was Fujieda's futsal day and we made it there kinda late. But We played hard and had so much fun! Elder Espinoza</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">, </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">of course</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> completely wrecked us! A lot of missionaries and members came but some less actives as well as some nonmembers came as well. There were a couple of diehards who were really really good at futsal. It's so cool to see them just stand in absolute awe of Elder Espinoza. He's good at soccer yes</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> but he's also just a really good</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> personable guy so they all flock to him and he's kinda like their leader. He's so so cool! And he's just a way good missionary and a way good trainer for Elder Carvalho. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6T-58NUT_AOgacy2s7-Etxfk8m-HGR00BCeYpxEfTlX2uWwPDug4YzWA_eRfq0Enal91OULmpCEgUEsUZN4SwGsqDZ_C0vI0UQQYupBXedAYeWouPuRM_hO0I9TuX5FzguGoGLydUtu4/s640/blogger-image--188548656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6T-58NUT_AOgacy2s7-Etxfk8m-HGR00BCeYpxEfTlX2uWwPDug4YzWA_eRfq0Enal91OULmpCEgUEsUZN4SwGsqDZ_C0vI0UQQYupBXedAYeWouPuRM_hO0I9TuX5FzguGoGLydUtu4/s640/blogger-image--188548656.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We had a good round of soccer and my legs got destroyed</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> then we hopped on a train and at long last were on our way home to Shizuoka when Elder Taylor got a call from the Omura family inviting us to a mochitsuki at their cabin! So we dashed home from the train station</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> showered and changed as fast as we could and then dashed over to the church for them to come pick us up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">They drove us about an hour and a half up into the depths of the Shizuoka mountains</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> where there was pretty much no civilization. I can't believe people live out there! Haha I've become such a city boy</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> living here in Japan with our heated toilet seats and high tech doorbells. I FINALLY GOT TO SEE A WILD MONKEY WHILE WE WERE UP THERE! And now that I have monkey hair</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> I looked like it too. We pounded mochi and deep fried a ton of stuff with them and all of their friends while listening to Okinawa music. It was so so fun! Seriously one of the coolest experiences of my life. I will remember that night forever. The guys there were really funny and we talked and laughed about random stuff. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Sunday</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> we weren't planning on anyone coming to church but a few surprise people came</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which was good. We haven't been able to meet Hara san in a long time but we are going to finally meet him tonight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0nLtikbzvHO8heV5Shi5enDx8kRMokm0EcWjijtSHTpaBRzNNNiCJC9xvSmp9nWXB5aK3etzGf0lRGbtDAa6gGli-T_uNWlnMiy6LqlmvtLn3xZYqUKpyZREYJrKNDupg6lPrbt42PM/s640/blogger-image-385684286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0nLtikbzvHO8heV5Shi5enDx8kRMokm0EcWjijtSHTpaBRzNNNiCJC9xvSmp9nWXB5aK3etzGf0lRGbtDAa6gGli-T_uNWlnMiy6LqlmvtLn3xZYqUKpyZREYJrKNDupg6lPrbt42PM/s640/blogger-image-385684286.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">The Zone is seeing crazy success! Our guys are working so hard and they are being blessed! Two more people accepted the invitation to be baptized and set a date this week! Listening to the call in reports is like a dream right now. Everything is going so well and all of our guys are working so hard! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">I love being a missionary. It's the life!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Love you guys! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Have a good week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "sfuitext";">Elder Johnson</span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-81612297681432072762017-01-23T15:08:00.001-08:002017-01-23T15:16:01.987-08:00Drunk guys, tech support and Brazilian companion exchanges!Date: 1/9/2017<br>
Place: Shizuoka City<br>
Companion: Elder Nakatsuka<br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">This week has been awesome! President Ishii has been asking us to use</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Family History in dendo for a long time but none of know the first</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">thing about using family history to find investigators so this week we</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">went on a little quest to find out how to make it work. We had briefly</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">tried it as a mission about a year ago but it didn't really work so</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">everyone stopped. The APs had a phone conference with the other</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">missions in Japan and asked if anyone was doing anything with family</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">history. We weren't able to get a lot a useful information out of that</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">either it seems so we were pretty much left on our own to figure this</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">hint out. So we borrowed elder Hovorka's mad computer skills and</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">printed off a bunch of family history fliers that he helped make while</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">he was in the mission home. By recommendation from Elder Coleman in</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Toyota, I printed off a ton of family pictures and remade my 'My</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Family' booklet (my last one got ruined by the rain in Inuyama) so</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">that I would have something to show people when I OYMed them.</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">ADD moment: We're sitting at the church right now emailing and Brother</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Sasaki comes in and asks Elder Hovorka to help him fix his laptop.</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">After he finishes fixing the laptop, Brother Sasaki reaches into his</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">bag and pulls out a tablet for him to fix. Then he pulls out ANOTHER</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">tablet! Then he pulls out ANOTHER tablet! So currently Elder Hovorka</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">is fixing a lot of devices. Haha anyways. Sasaki is current favorite</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">human.</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">So back to family history dendo. We had two exchanges this week. I</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">went with Elder Hovorka, armed with a bunch of family history dendo</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">materials that I had no idea how to use, and we headed out for Shimizu</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">in search of a less active kid. We talking to people on the street</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">along the way and the family history dendo actually worked really</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">really well! We got one! We oymed this guy that is actually interested</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">in making a family tree with us at the church! We'll see what comes of</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">that later. We never quite made it out to see Jun kun (the kid we were</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">hunting down). It was a cold day but we saw a lot of success! Then the</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">next day I had an exchange with Elder Ribeiro from Fukuroi. We saw</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">crazy miracles! I picked him up from the train station and we went</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">straight to the Old Folk's home and talked with Jichans and Bachans</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">for a couple hours. Then we went home and did some training and talked</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">about his area's dendo. </span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Then we booked it out to Shimizu and found Jun </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">kuns house, </span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">only to discover that the apartment was vacant! He must</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">have moved. After calling a bunch of ward members we confirmed that no</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">one has any idea where he disappeared to. Darn. Then we went home and</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">changed and got ready for basketball dendo. All four of us went to the</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">city's gym all ready to play some ball and meet some folks and then</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">discovered that we had misread the schedule and also open basketball</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">is not really a thing at that gym. That was way sad and we bought some</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">17 ice cream at a vending machine to console ourselves and then we</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">went home and changed back into missionary clothes. </span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Elder Ribeiro and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I went through the city center to go hunt down another young less</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">active but the OYMs were so good that we never quite made it! We saw</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">way funny miracles! We found a cool guy by our apartment, then this</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">guy that we talked to in the center of town ended up being way drunk</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">and invited us into the tavern he had just come from to meet all of</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">his friends. So we went into the tavern and talked to everyone there</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">and even got to hand out a family history flier! It was way fun and</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">really weird! </span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWx6Wcv5c-x7-sLx7d_vborKJwKchmq0PvVQolaptpgbe05xgFsehyphenhyphen2-k-u9_wG0M5tNeBAwaO37qEtARgBnVyBWTJof8vR6f9XJde-4Kutpth52f_et5gcPPZxOxB2xeEK_hRz7ItOY/s640/blogger-image--796629683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWx6Wcv5c-x7-sLx7d_vborKJwKchmq0PvVQolaptpgbe05xgFsehyphenhyphen2-k-u9_wG0M5tNeBAwaO37qEtARgBnVyBWTJof8vR6f9XJde-4Kutpth52f_et5gcPPZxOxB2xeEK_hRz7ItOY/s640/blogger-image--796629683.jpg"></a></div><br></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Then on the way back Elder Ribeiro and I were talking</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">about American and Brazilian pop culture and of course, pineapple pen</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">came up. We were stopped at a light and started talking to this high</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">school kid behind us about pineapple pen. We ended becoming friends</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">and got his number. We laughed about that one for quite a long time</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">afterwards. It was such a weird, funny day of dendo! I love Elder</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Ribeiro and Elder Hovorka. Way good guys :).</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">The fun part is that this time I got to stay in Shizuoka and just go</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">finding. We found around 4 guys I think. Not bad. It's been a good</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">week.</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Sunday we saw insane miracles! We had a bunch of people we were really</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">hoping to see in church and four of them made it so that was cool!</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Tatsu kun came, Kato san (Matsunaga 姉妹's friend), Hitoshi san and</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Nakamura (Shizuoka 2's Toothless Wonder miracle investigator!). I got</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">to sit next to one of our elderly members during sacrament to help</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">prop him up. He has a bad track record of falling asleep and falling</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">out of his chair during meetings. </span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">In Sunday school Kato san and I </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">talked a little bit and she expressed that </span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">she wants to study </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Christianity as a faith! So as soon as class ended she and </span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Matsunaga </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">shimai and the sisters set up a day to meet. She's going to start</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">taking the lessons! I think she could get baptized very soon. Elder</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Nakatsuka had a long talk with Hitoshi san while all of this was</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">happening and when I came back, they were setting a baptismal date for</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">him! My companion is a beast. I'm way excited for Hitoshi.</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">One thing I love about my responsibilities here in the zone is that I</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">get to hear about all of the success happening in Shizuoka prefecture.</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Elder Yamazaki and Elder Cox in Numazu had a baptism this Sunday!</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Brother Sudath is the first baptism in Numazu in three years. The</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Elders and the Sisters in Fuji both saw a lot of miracles this week</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">and I think we might be hearing about some baptismal candidates really</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">soon. Fukuroi is also seeing some incredible miracles happening with</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">their less active guy they have been working with. Some very</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">unexpected blessings came from his return to the church that may also</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">lead to some baptisms. The Hamamatsu 2 elders baptized Ishigure san</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">about a month ago and now his mother is asking to be baptized as well.</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">More cool miracles happening throughout the zone. Elder Taylor and</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Hovorka were able to meet up with Nakamura san last week and he's back</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">on track for baptism at the end of the month! It's been a really good</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">week for the zone and this week should be even better! Keep praying</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">our missionaries! They're working hard.</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I learned a lot this week about praying always. Elder Bednar gave a</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">really good talk about praying always in October 2003 that I like.</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">There is a power that comes from actually praying always. And the cool</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">part is that you can even pray for help to remember to pray always! We</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">are being blessed incredibly as the mission continues the Baton</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Fasting Marathon. Please keep praying for us!</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Love y'all!</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Elder </span><span class="currentHitHighlight" id="0.3824616760007553" name="searchHitInReadingPane" style="background-color: white; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Johnson</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Ps: if anyone has ANY ideas on how to use family history in missionary</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">work please let me know!</span>Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-69831119282431469102017-01-23T14:44:00.001-08:002017-01-23T14:59:24.549-08:00Christmas miracles! A Week Late SorryDate: 1/2/2017<br>
Place: Shizuoka City<br>
Companion: Elder Nakatsuka<br>
<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KKIMYw-0fnvlzIMliC1E60FFoOWEPV5zilIhBCNdRjNDQY1Pv_J2oESJjviExIhrRKbCk2hYvOASMnWe6D_lsnXG4Z9Xs_2Qs6LUg8LLpEKG8aVx3nYKIlrxy68Zl7y9XxlZqacrfzk/s640/blogger-image--796781241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KKIMYw-0fnvlzIMliC1E60FFoOWEPV5zilIhBCNdRjNDQY1Pv_J2oESJjviExIhrRKbCk2hYvOASMnWe6D_lsnXG4Z9Xs_2Qs6LUg8LLpEKG8aVx3nYKIlrxy68Zl7y9XxlZqacrfzk/s640/blogger-image--796781241.jpg"></a></div><br>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Sorry I didn't have time to write last week! The holiday season has been insane and we are seeing incredible miracles! So last week we were finally able to meet with Hara san. He's still way golden and still wants to get baptized! We set a date for the 29th of January with him. The only thing that is hard for him is getting enough time off of work to come to church. Other than that he's good! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We had a lot of good activites arranged by the members leading up to Christmas. We went caroling at several Old Folks' homes with the members</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which was way fun! I love caroling! The Tsuchiya family also invited us over for food</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which was great. I love that family so much! We also had a huge miracle with Brother Takahashi. After caroling one day</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> he decided to take us out for dinner. So we went out to Sawayaka </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">THEY SELL MEAT</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and it was good. Then afterwards he decided to drop in on Kita Kyodai because we were close so we popped in on him and had a good discussion about why he's not coming to church any more. Takahashi Kyodai is amazing. We just got to watch a master at work as Takahashi Kyodai used scriptures to teach Kita Kyodai and answer all of his questions. And all of it was in beautiful Japanese of course. Then Elder Nakatsuka bore a powerful testimony</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> also in beautiful Japanese. I thought I'd give it a go so I bore my testimony in what little Japanese I could muster and Kita Kyodai got a little irritated. Haha dang it. Anyway Kita Kyodai promised to come to church on Christmas anyway so it all ended well</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> thanks to Takahashi Kyodai. </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">On the way out we popped in on Mostofa</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Kita Kyodai's neighbor from Bangladesh. We invited him and his wife to the sacrament on Christmas and then went home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuQvkAQGZ3SDp_7ceCezOF9Spmzkv2XQXApTAKsOYL6JfmbErIcxTzinb8zvliBSVSKR3Hums40CZcvQ8UXXHP9c2dSiydxMjshYBSarKapqw7mGSdD9kqD8K6wdIyuGtaHBz2H-vTek/s640/blogger-image-662394045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuQvkAQGZ3SDp_7ceCezOF9Spmzkv2XQXApTAKsOYL6JfmbErIcxTzinb8zvliBSVSKR3Hums40CZcvQ8UXXHP9c2dSiydxMjshYBSarKapqw7mGSdD9kqD8K6wdIyuGtaHBz2H-vTek/s640/blogger-image-662394045.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We spent the rest of the week busily inviting everyone we could the sacrament meeting on Christmas. Then on Christmas Eve we went out to Indo Curry with Nagakura Kyodai and the Elders from Numazu. Nagakura Kyodai has been less active for a little bit and we have been working with him but now he is moving to Numazu so we handed him off to our guys in Numazu. It was great! We finally found a decent indo curry place here in Shizuoka!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">And then we went home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgak77Lg6jLcUUVazHR6f2TPwIa5BT8iXliBjLcZtKhJ41DVxd3zQvi7TzwxYAp53uNS6RLO_UwrnWG_XFBYaPtPXdvSqDr-6G-D-m2pRnCfOb1cW0CUunx8vzjKH6QSowF8aEFRzWhXmo/s640/blogger-image-1187190706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgak77Lg6jLcUUVazHR6f2TPwIa5BT8iXliBjLcZtKhJ41DVxd3zQvi7TzwxYAp53uNS6RLO_UwrnWG_XFBYaPtPXdvSqDr-6G-D-m2pRnCfOb1cW0CUunx8vzjKH6QSowF8aEFRzWhXmo/s640/blogger-image-1187190706.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">This Christmas Eve was far different than any Christmas I've ever had. We were so busy calling people and arranging rides and sending text messages that we didn't really have time to eat or do anything until 10:30 at night. We woke up early the next day and started frantically writing Christmas cards for the members. Then we went to church and the miracles began pouring in. Mostofa and his wife came! Then Hara san came. Then Reiko san came with a friend. People came pouring in and filled the Chapel to capacity! I've never seen it so full. It was getting to the point were there was no more room for people to sit and if any more came</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">people would have to stand somewhere on the sides or at the back! We asked Atsushi Kyodai</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> our ward clerk</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and he told us that 88 people were in attendance. We had over ten non members there and a ton of less active members! Most of them were invited by the members. Our ward, which usually has around 50 to 60 people attending every week, saw 88 people on Christmas. The best part was when they ran out of water during the Sacrament. I almost cried. THAT's the meaning of Christmas.</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> It was such a great miracle and completely as a result of the members faith.</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: ".SF UI Text"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3wTFEP46cE-yQfUiv77ZwwnIsffLi815bFOlnku5boM7-8-V0jPpUJpU_IGkb2ubobMxrgCaGO77dCtP9sz1L-ac1IOnRuUuhPd7lwx5LjxEJTTjlT9jqsPc6zX3DqlXsDL13ULK6PU/s640/blogger-image-1667243319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3wTFEP46cE-yQfUiv77ZwwnIsffLi815bFOlnku5boM7-8-V0jPpUJpU_IGkb2ubobMxrgCaGO77dCtP9sz1L-ac1IOnRuUuhPd7lwx5LjxEJTTjlT9jqsPc6zX3DqlXsDL13ULK6PU/s640/blogger-image-1667243319.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">That night all six of us missionaries</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> with the help of our beloved cohort Sasaki Kyodai</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> took a bunch of the church's Christmas banners down to the eki and we passed out Book of Mormons. It was the funnest Christmas ever! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Ok that was last week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">This week has been a little bit slow but still really good! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">On Wednesday we had interviews with President Ishii</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which was awesome but took a really long time. He was interviewing for ten hours! Our mission president is the hardest working guy out here. Seriously he's the best. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then we had an exchange with Fuji and I got to stay in Shizuoka with Elder Reis! It's been a while since I got to just stay in Shizuoka on an exchange and it's also been a while since I had someone to teach me Portuguese so that was good. Elder Reis is awesome and we had a lot of fun! We went on a Spirit Adventure and found a cool guy that we are meeting this week. Way excited to see how he turns out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Nothing really happened for New Years. We stayed inside and read the Book of Mormon like we were asked to. Then we went to sushi with Nagakura Kyodai. And then we read the Book of Mormon some more. Man I love that book! It actually does have all the answers. You just have to find them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Anyway life is good! I'm excited for New Years to be over so that all the people will come back and we can start working again. Missionary work is seriously the funnest thing in the world! Love you guys! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Elder Johnson </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oh wait I just remembered! Yesterday Numazu's investigator, Sudath, passed his baptismal interview! He will be getting baptized next Sunday! Fuji saw their first baptism in 5 years last week and now Numazu is going to see their first baptism in 3 years! Keep the Shizuoka stake members in your prayers! Everything is just going to get more awesome from here.</span><span style="font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-34539403003447188042017-01-23T14:08:00.001-08:002017-01-23T14:32:09.181-08:00Homeless Missionaries- We Live out of a Backpack for a WeekDate: 12/11/2016<br />
Place: Shizuoka City<br />
Companion: Elder Nakatsuka<br />
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Mt. Fuji squished<br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">This was probably the craziest week of my mission so far! It was SO FUN! We saw ridiculous miracles! Elder Coleman and Elder Pennington came on a super exchange and stayed the week. Elder Nakatsuka and Pennington stayed and </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">伝道</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">ed in Shizuoka for the week and Elder Coleman spent the week training and sending in various areas throughout the zone. On Monday after Pday</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> I packed my backpack and we rode down to the train station. We met Coleman and Pennington Choro there and I went with Elder Coleman to Numazu with our bike bags. On our way there we ended up talking to an interesting Canadian chap. We got off in Numazu and then I realized that I couldn't remember how to get to the Numazu elders apartment. Haha we rode around a bunch in the dark until eventually we found it. We got home really late! So we camped out with the Numazu Elders that night and I got to work with Elder Legault for a day! The last time I got to work with him was when I follow up trained him back in Kariya</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> almost ten months ago. I LOVE ELDER LEGAULT. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">The legendary Pokémon himself, Elder Coleman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">In the morning we got up and I gave them the zone training. We discussed missionary work in Japan and the reality of our situation. We talked a lot about personal conversion and giving ourselves to the work. Then we biked all the way to Mishima and visited a bunch of folks and had a lot of fun. We stayed one more night with the Numazu guys and then headed off for Fujieda. The Numazu guys don't eat as much rice as we do so they were kind enough to give us 10 kilograms out of their massive stockpile. So we packed all of our gear</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> bikes and 10 kilos of rice down to Fujieda. I got us lost on the way to the apartment again</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which lost us a little bit of time but we got there! We did training quickly and then I went out with Elder Carvalho </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">say Carvalyo</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> to dendo and hunt down some less actives. I love Elder Carvalho! He's a small</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> cute little guy from the Amazon. He's been in the mission for just a few weeks! His english is pretty good and his Japanese is getting there. We had fun together! Then all four of us</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">;</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Me</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Coleman</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Carvalho and Espinoza to a members house to give his mom a blessing. It was reminder to me of how important it is to have the blessings memorized in Japanese. I should probably get on that</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> haha. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">THE FUJIEDA ELDERS MADE US BEANS! I haven't had BEANS in almost a year. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then we went to a Peruvian birthday party at a less actives house. IT WAS AMAZING! I'd forgotten how much I love South Americans. It reminded me of all the South American dendo I got to do with Elder Gubbay. IT WAS SO FUN!! The Dad of the family is a master on the classical guitar and he serenaded us with lot of cool Spanish/Peruvian folk songs and we sang happy birthday in spanish for the birthday kid. And then we ate an absurd amount of delicious Peruvian food and layered chocolate cake covered in something that resembled brigadero topping. IT WAS GOOD. One of the funnest nights of my mission for sure! Then we booked it home and barely made it back on time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We got up the next day and headed out for Hamamatsu. There were six missionaries in Hamamatsu. So we went with Hamamatsu 1 and I guess Fukuroi was also having an exchange with Hamamatsu 2 so it turned into a huge mixing bowl of missionaries from other areas! We got everyone together at the Hamamatsu apartment and did zone training. There are so many ideas and things that we are trying to push through and get people to learn this last transfer and Hamamatsu seemed to absorb it all pretty well. I love those guys! We had a great discussion on what needs to be done in order to make missionary work go in Japan. We started with the reality of the situation of the church in Japan and then we moved on to what we need to do to fix it. We talked about how we need to increase overall personal conversion in everyone</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> starting with us. We talked a lot about how we can increase our faith and help the members. It was a really good discussion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">The Zone</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then we all went out and dendoed! Elder Montoya and I had plans to hit up Daiso for some stuff we needed and then go and visit members to follow up on a ward project that they are doing. But we really wanted to go hard on finding people so we talked to everyone we could. It was AWESOME! We started seeing miracles right away</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> so much so that we never made it all the way to the members houses. We spent all of our time actually having good conversations with people and even found a golden investigator! He's a less active Jehovah's witness so he already believes in God! He accepted a Book of Mormon and a next teaching appointment. We taught him the Restoration right there on the street. Then we went and taught Eikaiwa. Afterwards we had seven minutes before we had to be in the apartment so we dropped our bikes and set off on foot to try to find someone before 9 oclock. We ended up talking to these really cool guys in front of a photo studio and they both became potential investigators! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We went back to the apartment and had a little bit of time to hang out with Elder Coleman. He has so many crazy ideas and dendo plans and so much dendo fire! We talked about a lot of things we want to change in the mission and how we can make things work better in the zone. I learned a lot about what has been working and also not working in the zone this transfer. I've now exchanged with everyone companionship in the zone except one. It helped me see how much information flows down to the guys and what they understood and didn't understand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then we got up the next day and went to the Shizuoka Specialized Zone Training. President Ishii and the APs were there </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">btw ELDER PORTER IS THE NEW AP</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">. I was pretty panicked because I wasn't able to go home like we had planned so I didn't know what we had planned to train everyone on. But Elder Nakatsuka and the STLs got everything well taken care of! They were so prepared! It went really well! I had been praying really hard that I would be able to say something meaningful at the conference. I hadn't even seen my companion or been home for a whole week so I was pretty out of the loop but God gave me the words to say and the testimony to bear at the conference. That was another tender mercy. After the conference we took the whole zone over to Hamamatsu Eki where the Mormon Show was setting up for one of their final performances before they break up the band. They drew quite a crowd</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which was great for dendo! We talked to a ton of people! And the Mormon Show CRUSHED IT. They get better and better with every show and they really are professional level. It was incredible! I love those guys. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then we hopped on a train and finally returned to Shizuoka! We booked it to the church and set up for the Eikaiwa Christmas concert. It went really well! Also Hitoshi san</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> a guy who called us up earlier in the week</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">, </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">came to the concert! He travels the world and bumped into the sisters at temple square</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and then attended church in Germany and met the missionaries there. He called me up out of the blue and said he wanted to meet and learn more about the church! After the Christmas concert</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> we taught him a lesson and gave him a Book of Mormon. He's SO PREPARED! Please pray for him! He wants to come to church</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> he wants to learn more</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> he's just really busy with his job. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">After all that</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> I finally got to go back to our apartment and get rid of that 10 kilograms of rice. Just in time. We were running out haha. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then on Saturday all six of us went to Fujieda for a PTA performance thing. Basically Takai Kyodai in Fujieda hooked us up! We got to perform Christmas music and talk about the reason of Christmas </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Specifically Christ</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">in front of a few hundred kids and a bunch of parents! It was awesome! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">I LOVE JAPANESE KIDS!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcSJ-TopdBhNJBiNA2AL8PkQVAZVk-MjK8TGSU36bufsggEqG3XnKCskBdgr9fHI97D-6JcVWV8lUEvAy63RKpSzEXgimargcgbZVYWh4xT1uKXVT7CKAQQd8mSHvK0EyLbejXooBq4Y/s640/blogger-image-387822199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcSJ-TopdBhNJBiNA2AL8PkQVAZVk-MjK8TGSU36bufsggEqG3XnKCskBdgr9fHI97D-6JcVWV8lUEvAy63RKpSzEXgimargcgbZVYWh4xT1uKXVT7CKAQQd8mSHvK0EyLbejXooBq4Y/s640/blogger-image-387822199.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">More PTA madness!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then on Sunday</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> President Ishii came to our ward! We had three investigators planning on coming but two of them bailed last minute. But we did get to meet Ou Haku San after church and taught him a lesson. He's doing really well</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> just needs more time off to take the lessons and such. His lesson cut about an hour into Stake Missionary Coordination Meeting. After we finished with that we went to the meeting. President and Sister Ishii were there as well. Our new stake president is Suzuki <span class="currentHitHighlight" id="0.1445526870945193" name="searchHitInReadingPane" style="background-color: #d82300;">Kai</span>cho and he's such a boss! We discussed member/missionary relations and talked about Ward Council. Basically we need to just get members and missionaries to understand each other more and communicate. We learned a ton of stuff in the meeting and felt incredible support from the stake and from the Mission Home. There are a lot of things that we want to help missionaries do better and the stake is helping the members with a lot of things as well. There's going to be a lot of changes coming from both ends and I'm so excited to see the outcome! It's quite an experience getting to see ward leadership and missionary leadership working so hard for each other. Our leaders are great men of God. Afterwards Elder Nakatsuka and I took a couple of whiteboards and hashed out all of the ideas discussed in the meeting and decided on the direction for the zone this transfer. We also made plans for our area. </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">It's going to be an exciting transfer! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Oh</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> also we had transfer calls! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">I'm staying here with Elder Nakatsuka</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Elder Taylor and Sister Inouye are staying. Elder Handley will be going to Ise! </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Good place to be for New Year's</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> And Sister Tsujimoto will be going to Toyota to train AGAIN and be in a trio with her best friend</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Harada Shimai. It's going to be a great transfer for those guys! It's way sad to see them go. Sister Brown is coming to be with Sister Inouye and Elder Taylor will be killing Elder Crippen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Anyways it's been an incredible week! My faith has been strengthened so much by this awesome experience. I learned so much from Elder Coleman. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Have a great week! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Elder <span class="highlight" id="0.05107075625781876" name="searchHitInReadingPane" style="background-color: #ffee94;">Johnson</span> </span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-1918191153206211132016-12-05T15:53:00.001-08:002017-01-23T14:08:36.850-08:00This week<div>
Date: 11/27/2016</div>
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Place: Shizuoka</div>
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Companion: Elder Nakatsuka</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On Monday we celebrated Inouye Shimai's birthday! Then we started an exchange and I went to Fuji with Elder John! He's a way fun guy and we had a good exchange. This was easily the best I've eaten on an exchange in a long time. Elder John likes to cook :). We woke up in the morning, did our studies and went outside and talked to people as we visited less actives. It just happened to be a cool, clear day (Shizuoka is usually cloudy) and I got to see see Mt Fuji up close. ITS BIG. ITS REALLY REALLY BIG. ITS HUGE. It was capped with snow and looked like something from a Japanese postcard. It was awesome! We ended the exchange and Elder John went back to Fuji with his Trainee, Elder Reis from Brazil. Elder Reis is a nice guy but he doesn't speak a ton of Japanese or English yet so it's a little hard to communicate. But he's cheerful and works hard so I'm not worried for him :). After ending the exchange we rode back to the apartment and dropped off my exchange bag. Elder Tayler had a minor medical procedure done on his foot so he was laid up for a day. He's ok! Then we rode up to our appointment at the bishops house with the shimai. We got lost in the maze of danchis and so did they haha! Eventually we both found each other and the bishops place and they fed us amazing chicken katsu. We talked about sharing the Gospel and used Elder Christensen's 7 Lessons on Sharing the Gospel. We talked about step 2, which says that in sharing the Gospel there is no correlation between the closeness of the relationship and the likelihood of them accepting the invitation to hear the Gospel. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The bishop's family is amazing! Love those guys. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Right now I'm in Fukuroi on exchange with Elder Orellana! He's the Chilean legend of the mission. We had a good day of training and hunting down more less actives. Today we experienced a bit of a cold snapって言うか IT WAS MISERABLE COLD! And it was raining too so my hands almost froze and fell off while we were biking. It was worse than Matsumoto cold because it was wet! We came back and taught Eikaiwa, which was fun because it was mostly Brazilians so we just talked about feijoada and Brazilian Christmas parties. I was surprised to find Imamiya Shimai teaching kids Eikaiwa! Her English has gotten really good and now she can teach lessons in English! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A few things I've learned: if you want to learn a language, don't be afraid to make mistakes. Just talk. Also learn how to pray and then pray as much as you can in that language. Something that elder Taylor said was, "Your Japanese can only be as good as your prayers." </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We had DTM in Fukuroi and then I got to go back to Shizuoka with Elder Nakatsuka. Dendoing with him is a dream! It's so fun and we work really well together. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On Saturday we went to the gym with Naoki (our new investigator)and had a good lift. He's a way nice kid and he started reading the Book of Mormon! Then we went to a park with all six missionaries and I played violin while everyone handed out Christmas concert fliers (the sisters made us some awesome fliers) and it was way cold. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This morning we biked up to the top of a mountain to do our studies! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Life with Elder Nakatsuka has been grand :) </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It's helping my Japanese so much! We're best friends and have a ton of fun together. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sorry it's short but that's all I have time to write for the week! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Elder Johnson </span></div>
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Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-13547782945424432802016-11-15T20:05:00.000-08:002016-11-20T18:24:31.461-08:00My companion gets stolen by the mission homeDate: 11/14/2016<br />
Place: Shizuoka<br />
Companion: Elder Taylor and Elder Handley<br />
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<pre class="_ad_Y1" style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">We met mister miyagi again</pre>
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The Last Run<br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Soooooooo. A ton of stuff has happened and I don't even know where to start. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Ok so all of the madness started with Zone Conference</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> two weeks ago. Not gonna lie</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> preparing training for the whole zone can be pretty nerve wracking</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> 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 </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">they were also on exchange that day</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> 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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><pre class="_ad_Y1" style="color: black; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book of Mormon Destruction at the train station!! Also some random lady that got sucked into taking a pic with us haha
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">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 </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">One thing I've learned on my mission: If I spend more than two or three hours trapped behind a desk</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> I start to lose my mind</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">. By Friday I was feeling well enough to go to english class. After English class we came home and suddenly</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> 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</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> I've spent the week as a trio companionship with Elder Tayler and Elder Handley WHICH HAS BEEN AWESOMELY FUN. I love these guys! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">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</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> simple fellow and is willing to help the missionaries with anything! As I was leaving with him</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> I asked him if he was a priesthood holder </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We can only go on splits with Priesthood holders</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">. He told me he couldn't remember in his gruff</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> 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</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> in fact</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> a worthy Priesthood holder. Also he likes bananas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Bro. Sasaki!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">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! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">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! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Mt. Fuji</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">So as far as news for the zone</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> 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 :</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">. 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! </span></div>
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<pre class="_ad_Y1" style="color: black; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last one with Elder Dana. Man I'm gonna miss this guy
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">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</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> 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." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">11/11 was Pocky Day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">I'm so blessed to be serving with the guys. Man there is nothing greater than missionary work. My trainee</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Elder Gubbay just got a half baked bean chan</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">which means I'll sort of be a grandpa! He went straight from being junior companion in Inuyama to being senior</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> 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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">So as far as actual dendo goes</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> 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</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> 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! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Anyway life is beautiful</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Christmas is coming</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Elder Nakatsuka is coming and we are working hard. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Just do the basics. Read your scriptures. Go to church. Pray. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">It works every time. And when i say pray</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> ACTUALLY PRAY. Pray like you mean it. You'll get answers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Aight I gotta go</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Love Y'all!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Elder Johnson </span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-6242140157763307422016-10-31T15:49:00.001-07:002016-10-31T16:10:35.069-07:00The Swim Team<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Date: 10/31/2016</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Place: Shizuoka</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Companion: Elder Wilson</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">日付:2016年10月31日</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">赴任地:静岡県静岡市</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">同僚:ウィルソン長老</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Well. Existing has been fun lately.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">We went on a walk with Brother Kita at about 6am earlier this week. He</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">really enjoyed the company so we walked all the way to the ocean with</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">him! It was cool and we took some good pictures with him. I love that</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">guy! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Bro. Kita- love this guy!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">We also got to meet with Sasaki Kyoudai this week and help him</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">with his computer.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">The halloween party was this week! We decided the be the Shizuoka</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Synchronized swim team and had a great time! We got some swim caps and</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">goggles at Daiso and put them on. Pretty quickly we realized that we</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">looked more like thugs than swimmers but oh well. It was fun. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">The crew</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">All six missionaries and Airi chan</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">The </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 13.3333px;">Halloween party was awesome! Okumura san brought his wife and son! I</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">want to teach them so bad! I think the trick for them will be working</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">through their 17 year old son. Some Eikaiwa folks came as well! We</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">played games and did a trunk or treat (we just passed out candy from</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">our helmets). Japanese kids are adorable enough normally but they're</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">SO CUTE when their parents dress them up for Halloween! Haha we tried</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">playing a game with them but I think the swim caps and the goggles and</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">the fact that there were four weird looking white dudes over six feet</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">tall kinda freaked them out a little. (In japan we are scary enough</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">without the costumes) They didnt cooperate to much haha but it was</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">fun. The member had a great time as well!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">We also spent an entire day inputting all of them member records for</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Shizuoka into our maps program. THERE WAS A TON OF THEM. We put in</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">over 400 records but we got it done!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><pre class="_ad_Y1" style="color: black; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our less active map #gottacatch'emall
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<span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_1514_1584" role="button" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(95 , 188 , 162); cursor: pointer; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;" tabindex="0">Also we continue to go on morning adventure runs for our workout time!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Today we went all the way to the top of a mountain nearby and took</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">pictures in someone's tea field. It was awesome! Good views of Fuji</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">from up there. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><pre class="_ad_Y1" style="color: black; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mount Fuji on the way out to Brother Kira's place </pre>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Other than that we have been spending our time trying</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">to convince our investigators to stop being busy and meet with us.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">We had an interesting encounter with a kid from Thailand. He just</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">showed up at the church! Turns out he is a recent convert and is here</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">on an exchange program of some kind! Way nice kid! So we taught him.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">We also finally found Ikeyama san. We taught him twice this week and</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">he is progressing slowly but surely. Hara san has just been really</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">busy and cant meet. But we did have an interesting meeting with</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Cheryl, our South African less active member. Long story short, we</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">spent several hours with her at the police station while she was</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">trying to talk to the detective about some guy that she used to know.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I still have no idea whats going on.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Also we went as a big group of six missionaries down to the main train</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">station and handed out a ton of fliers for english class! It was way</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">fun! I got sworn at in english for my first time! Two new people came</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">to english class this week! One from that and one was an internet</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">referral.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Anyway life is going well out here! Its starting to cool off a bit and</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">get kinda cold some today we are going to hit up the recycle shops and</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">look for sweaters for all of us.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Oh! Also we are starting to teach Iwano Shimai's son! He's 17 and has</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">quite a personality so please pray for us and him as we start teaching</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">him.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Love you all!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Elder Johnson</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><pre class="_ad_Y1" style="color: black; white-space: pre-wrap;">Homeless hair + Fuji san 🗻
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Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-30676934863097569562016-10-23T20:21:00.003-07:002016-10-28T19:43:41.142-07:00Iranian Karate MastersDate: 10/24/2016<br>
Place: Shizuoka<br>
Companion: Elder Wilson<br>
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日付:2016年10月24日<br>
赴任地:静岡県静岡市<br>
同僚:ウィルソン長老<br>
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Tsukemen (noodles)with the guys #pday</div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Wednesday</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Hey friends and family I still exist! Sorry I haven't written in a long time. I'm making this entry from Fujieda right now. I'm on an exchange with Elder Espinoza. He's transfer 5 and he's one of the best guys the Lord's army has to offer. We pretty much had a whole day to ourselves with no appointments so we hit the pavement and visited a less active Brazilian lady (Patricia) who lives really far away. She happened to be home and we set up a next appointment. We talked to just about everyone on the street and found a good handful of people willing to meet and got a lot of phone numbers. We did some housing and found another couple guys willing to listen to our message! It's was great! Also we stopped at a Brazilian store for dinner and had some great sandwiches and guaraná. </span></div>
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The district</div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Sunday</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Ok back in Shizuoka! This week was crazy! We had two exchanges so I was in Fukuroi on Monday and Tuesday, then I came home and stayed the night at our apartment and then went to Fujieda Wednesday to Thursday. I got to exchange with Elder Banks and Elder Espinoza this week, both of whom are awesome missionaries and fun guys to work with! Lately I've been feeling the Spirit more strongly in the work. We had one particularly good OYM where we both felt the Spirit testify to this college kid as we talked to him on the street. He actually had genuine interest in improving his life through the Gospel and the Spirit backed us up as we testified to him. It felt really good! He was a little too apprehensive to give us his phone number but he asked us for a pamphlet. I know he's being prepared and when he's ready, he'll give us a call. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> He next day we taught a Chinese guy named Ohaku. He was found by Elder Mitchel a while back and we picked him up through the phone. We got to know him and then taught him about God and the Book of Mormon. He was very interested and said he would read the Book of Mormon and get baptized if he felt it was true! The Spirit was also very strong in that lesson. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We have been meeting with quite a few members lately, which has been really fun. I love this ward! On Tuesday, on my brief break from exchanges, we visited the Nakayamas who live out by the ocean. They were really nice and we had a good Gospel discussion. We will be going out to visit some less actives with them next week. We also got to meet with the Tsuchiya family on Thursday. They were so fun! Sister Tsuchiya can make a mean chicken katsu. Brother Tsuchiya is really funny and we had a great visit with them and a good spiritual message afterwards. Then on Saturday we met with Nagakura Kyodai. We played guitar and sang old Beetles songs with him and then had a Spiritual thought. He's a great guy but he's going through some tough times and so we're trying to get him moving along the covenant path. We also met with Kita Kyoudai who was found and baptized just a couple years ago by Elder Jacob Yamada. Kita Kyoudai's also going through some rough times right now so we're trying to help him out. We nice guy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> One of our YSA guys, Okada Kyoudai, came back from Okazaki yesterday and came to church in Shizuoka! I got to talk to him a little bit and found out that he spent a year studying in Spain and actually speaks pretty good Spanish! Haha so we had a good time hanging out in Spanish after that, him with his Japanese/European accent and me with my garbled, broken Portuguese/Spanish. Haha that was one of the weirder experiences of my life. I love Brother Okada! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> The zone is doing way good! The guys in Fuji are busy plowing through tons of less actives (There's a TON in Fuji due to some special events that happened back in the day). The Numazu guys had a Sri Lankan family come to church along with a few other Japanese investigators which has gotten the ward really fired up to help out! The Fukuroi Elders have a Brazilian guy they were teaching and this week his whole family decided to get baptized! We also had two guys wreck their bikes and go to the hospital this week but everyone is ok and still working hard. Everyone seems to be doing pretty well :). Shizuoka is a pretty warm place so we don't really get winter here. Right now it's cooled off quite a bit and it definitely feels like fall but all the leaves on the trees are staying green. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> We have been going on "Adventure Runs" in the morning as a 4</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">人</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and it's been way fun! We live next to a little mountain so we usually run up that a few times every week during morning exercise time. Today we started off early and made it to the top, stopped by at a little shrine and met this grandpa that we have decided to call "Mr Miyagi." He climbs that mountain every day for exercise because Japanese grandpas and grandmas are indestructible. We saw Mt Fuji and the ocean from the top! </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Also we hit the city gym with the bishop this week, which was way fun! Elder Tayler and I did burnouts on the bench so now I can't move my arms. </span></div>
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<pre class="_ad_Y1" style="color: black; white-space: pre-wrap;">We ran up a mountain in the rain for this mornings exercise! It was fun and we almost died </pre>
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The good stuff</div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We met a lot of interesting people this week. In Fukuroi we talked to this Nepalese guy, who was a bro. Then on the way home we talked to some Iranian guys at the train station. They all had this blue uniform on so we asked what they were doing in Shizuoka. They said that they were here for a karate world tournament of some kind. It was then that I turned around and saw a massive wave of Iranian karate masters converging like a giant blue wave on the Japanese train station! Scariest thing I've ever seen. They were all way nice guys. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Also we ran into a guy from Bangladesh last night. He was cool. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Anyway it's been a great week of hard work, good weather and missionary success! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Elder Johnson </span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-22083406769830038842016-10-13T19:43:00.002-07:002016-10-13T19:49:33.387-07:00Pics from this week! 今週の写真Date: 10/10/2016<br />
Place: Shizuoka<br />
Companion: Elder Wilson<br />
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日付:2016年10月10日<br />
赴任地:静岡市<br />
同僚:ウィルソン長老<br />
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Watching General Conference<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Some dudes we met on the train and ate muffins with!</span></div>
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Mission Leadership Meeting </div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-89733018379545607112016-10-04T16:05:00.001-07:002016-10-09T13:17:34.399-07:00Reinforcements 助っ人Date: 10/3/2016<br />
Place: Shizuoka<br />
Companion: Elder Wilson<br />
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日付:2016年10月3日<br />
赴任地:静岡県静岡市<br />
同僚:ウィルソン長老<br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Sorry I haven't written in a while! Life has been really crazy! So the highlights of last week is that we had the Mormon Show</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Interviews and the ward concert! The Mormon Show is a traveling band of missionaries that President Ishii has put together</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> and they all came to Hamamatsu and did a performance! As always</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> it was top notch. We have a lot of great talent in the mission! Interviews went well</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> even though we took the wrong bus to the Hamamatsu church so we had to walk for a kilometer or two to find the place. The Hamamatsu church looks like a giant block of tofu. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">And then after the concert we had AP exchanges</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which was really fun! I love our APs! Then we had the ward concert! A surprising number of people showed up! 11 nonmembers came and 3 of them even performed in the show! We played several hymn arrangements</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> a Beatles tune</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> the Shimai did a dance to a Disney song and the members played a few songs as well! Tatsu kun played a rock song on the guitar that was awesome! He got a good response from the audience and I think it made him feel really good. He came to church the next day in a white shirt and slacks</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> just like he promised. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Elder Wilson bought him a really nice tie</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> which Tatsu kun LOVED. It was awesome! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">This week we saw a ton of miracles! </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Cue the Prince of Egypt music</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We sent out a text to every person in the phone asking if they wanted to talk about Jesus. A 19 yr old kid named Hara did! We taught him on Sunday</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> then again on Wednesday</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> then on Friday he accepted the commitment to be baptized! </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We also found three investigators for the Fujieda elders! We have had a lot of success through finding this week and have been doing a lot of work with members. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We had two exchanges and then had transfer calls! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">We are getting reinforcements! We are becoming a six missionary area! So Elder Wilson and I will stay</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">,</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> as expected. Elder Taylor will be joining us and getting a trainee street outta the MTC! And then Sister Tsujimoto will be getting a trainee </span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">(</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">again</span><span style="font-family: ".hirakakuinterface-w3";">)</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">as well! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Sorry a ton of other stuff has happened that I just don't have time to write about! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Love y'all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Elder Johnson</span></div>
Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-28210913830168204032016-09-30T20:59:00.001-07:002016-09-30T21:10:01.343-07:00Pics from Shizuoka 静岡からの写真Date: 9/26/2016<br>
Place: Shizuoka City<br>
Companion: Elder Wilson<br>
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日付:2016年9月26日<br>
場所:静岡県静岡市<br>
同僚:ウィルソン長老<br>
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AP exchanges! APの長老たちと交換!</div>
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Nice folks. </div>
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Colorful apartment building とってもポップな団地</div>
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Got lost in Jurassic Park looking for the Hamamatsu church building.</div>
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浜松の教会堂に行く途中、ジェラシックパークで迷子に。</div>
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They did a Mormon Show in Hamamatsu and I got to meet Elder Sheppard </div>
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浜松でモルモンショウがあって、そこでシェパード長老と再会</div>
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and Elder Johnson ジョンソン長老とも会いました。</div>
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Bro. Goto - He was my mom's youth leader. </div>
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ステークの伝道調整集会で、お母さんの若い頃の指導者だった、後藤兄弟と会いました。</div>
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<br>Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187456275202002543.post-27044344721484999022016-09-21T20:22:00.000-07:002016-09-22T21:21:55.720-07:00More interesting things to look at in the zoo in Japan<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Date: 9/19/2016</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Place: Shizuoka</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Companion: Elder Wilson</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">日付:2016年9月19日</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">赴任地:静岡県静岡市</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">同僚:ウィルソン長老</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Hey guys! Sorry j don't have any time to write today because we're</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">going to the zoo with Nagakura 兄弟! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">永倉兄弟と動物園に行くので、今日もあんまり書く時間がなくてごめんなさい!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBVrudDiYSdavqgKbhXkVWzEFOfRTuwD1erv3_a_PA_s6yVHUigIe5ptNJm8PHRupk0N-6ozQ96Ax04u1GN0XECqzP1c_3AJYomOK5am4JCBQXzm5VzxCcwmph72TxtMu8WuQG90Wni0/s640/blogger-image--1679582241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBVrudDiYSdavqgKbhXkVWzEFOfRTuwD1erv3_a_PA_s6yVHUigIe5ptNJm8PHRupk0N-6ozQ96Ax04u1GN0XECqzP1c_3AJYomOK5am4JCBQXzm5VzxCcwmph72TxtMu8WuQG90Wni0/s640/blogger-image--1679582241.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">The weirdest thing at the zoo? White people. People probably looked at us as much as they looked at the animals!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">この動物園で、一番変な生き物は?それは、白人です。お客さんたちに、かなりジロジロ見られました!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurjTqsWRMDCJpkL3lPY3mR4aFU3mRuKHJCy13RRub7Sce4mtqfrTjhnptdqIxDV0T1PdaoQNgg0pVhl01hUqAvlxlwvAVlz0kyKJ8kvRERVfzRtowixJ6iK47XkwGwovxRWhRRh3kLck/s640/blogger-image-332947444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurjTqsWRMDCJpkL3lPY3mR4aFU3mRuKHJCy13RRub7Sce4mtqfrTjhnptdqIxDV0T1PdaoQNgg0pVhl01hUqAvlxlwvAVlz0kyKJ8kvRERVfzRtowixJ6iK47XkwGwovxRWhRRh3kLck/s640/blogger-image-332947444.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9O9u3PcH0hGW8hu1JcqCkn2V4KtaQ0ZejqUABLTJBwDiQTuovoGL72iXxHS3aa2g4j8Ps8lshdn8v85jVO88UX_0EG9A-LdpOVCCPZXDJwFyI6h3W2oBNXGL7dBOcQWGdQpQi6Jd4Yo/s640/blogger-image-1501761371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9O9u3PcH0hGW8hu1JcqCkn2V4KtaQ0ZejqUABLTJBwDiQTuovoGL72iXxHS3aa2g4j8Ps8lshdn8v85jVO88UX_0EG9A-LdpOVCCPZXDJwFyI6h3W2oBNXGL7dBOcQWGdQpQi6Jd4Yo/s640/blogger-image-1501761371.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Bro. Nagakura + orangutan 永倉兄弟とオラウータン</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">So basically a lot of great stuff</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">has been happening this week! We met with Moe, our Swiss friend, with</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Brother Chikano on Tuesday! It was way cool and chikano 兄弟 bore the</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">strongest testimony I've ever heard in his simple English. He's a</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">boss! (And he has a superman jawline, which is also awesome). Moe went</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">back to Switzerland so we are trying to get into contact with church</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">leaders there. Haha this is weird! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #212121;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.3333px;">今週もたくさんいいことがありました!火曜日、近野兄弟と一緒に、スイス人の友達、モーさんと会ってきました。近野兄弟が、簡単な英語で、とても素晴らしい証をしてくれました。彼は最高です!モーさんは、その後スイスに帰ってしまったので、彼の地元の教会の指導者と連絡を取る予定です。</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWOmBIkEZrb7O1U0VtLIBOy-tEtmMrt-4Dqgfr9HW3Jz_g66oC1cwobHU8tNtfnIIZD3fmaSIoytMuancbuA_-63lidlDfmUl4sWcI1dvOXMdLozYbTpz2kKijNztEtX3nmcxsxQ5SjU/s640/blogger-image--1534083178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWOmBIkEZrb7O1U0VtLIBOy-tEtmMrt-4Dqgfr9HW3Jz_g66oC1cwobHU8tNtfnIIZD3fmaSIoytMuancbuA_-63lidlDfmUl4sWcI1dvOXMdLozYbTpz2kKijNztEtX3nmcxsxQ5SjU/s640/blogger-image--1534083178.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Nagata family! Love them. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">大好きな永田家族と!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Then we visited Ikeyama San with </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Suzuki 兄弟, who is a psychiatrist, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">so we could learn a little bit more </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">about his situation. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">It went over super well and we're super grateful</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">for Suzuki 兄弟. Lately Ikeyama San hasn't been meeting us or coming to</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">church so we have been a bit worried. But after this lesson we are</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">starting to understand his situation just a little bit more. He's such</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">a nice guy! </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">We had some great finding experiences this week as well! On Saturday</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">we found a couple new PIs who are way cool.</span><br />
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そして、精神科医の鈴木兄弟と一緒に、池山さんを訪ねました。<br />
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I WANT TO HOLD A BABY MONKEY SO BAD (my first son will probably look something like this)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZ1QsZrR62F0r0XSGe6Ruj9gFrXEgpJGJ4V2EbQJGZINPbncvnrYjpH2xFR6242wmOcL5mlQ0jWCgr-T95MvXuczYjfLfGT7IfvThDKAzM8vx6JfTyfsbaOlbgv0WFbeqYNw4cbaydKU/s640/blogger-image-1870908425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZ1QsZrR62F0r0XSGe6Ruj9gFrXEgpJGJ4V2EbQJGZINPbncvnrYjpH2xFR6242wmOcL5mlQ0jWCgr-T95MvXuczYjfLfGT7IfvThDKAzM8vx6JfTyfsbaOlbgv0WFbeqYNw4cbaydKU/s640/blogger-image-1870908425.jpg" /></a></div>
A lot of fish </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">One of the biggest things that happened this week is all of the phone</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">calls and communication that has been happening between us and the</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">APs, and then on to the District Leaders. THIS MISSION IS CHANGING SO</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">FAST. Especially starting from next transfer, things are going to</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">change a lot. The bar is being raised and our vision elevated. We are</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">cleaning out everyone's iPads, cleaning up language and Japanese use,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">elevating effectiveness and pushing for consecration. The new</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">missionaries are going to grow up in a very very different Japan</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Nagoya Mission than I've known. We've kinda just stopped speaking</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">English lately as well. The mission, as a culture, is changing and</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">it's awesome! All of this is coming from the honbu.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Ok I gotta go!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Love y'all!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: , "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Elder Johnson</span></div>
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Elder Kai Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13064337153784510975noreply@blogger.com0