Missionary Moments

.... sorry for last week (no letter). That was a very sad day. We started it off with a celebration dinner with the 4 of us at an all you can eat buffett style place, where we then lost the phone, and Elder M. and I spent the whole day trying to locate it. It hit about 6:30pm and we just continued as usual, but the other two Elders didn't make the 9:30pm curfew, which we got a little worried about, it then hit 11pm and we went out to find a pay phone to call them, they got home close to 12am after having hit a scooter (both of them...?) on the way home, and spending 2 hours with the police. We had also went to the police that day to report the phone missing, it was the same officer. Also on a funny note, the week before, M. (2 days after his Baptism) went to Jail, because of his annoying neighbour (big story, but it wasn't really Marcos's fault). So we had been talking and in contact with the police all that week (for jail visits and sorting things out). Needless to say the Kusatsu office probably has our photos stuck all on the wall now...

So 2 weeks ago Elder M. and I were going really well, then we lost the phone and it seemed like everything was about to explode under us last week. So much crazy stuff happened on Monday through to Wednesday (the washing machine broke, the curtain railing broke, our bikes are falling apart, etc). The Zone leaders decided we should suddenly do an exchange as well... not sure why, but I enjoyed my break in Shimogamo area for a day and a night. I came back and then Elder M.and I started seeing some good results again. We now have 3 people lined up for Baptism with two more on the way, and a group of other investigators that are becoming more and more solid. Finally, the time to start the harvest has begun! And I am being transferred.

We were all so nervous in the apartment this morning, waiting for the sisters to ring us with the transfer results. We had all survived one round of transfers together, and it was inevitable that at least one of us was going (probably me). We were all praying that Elder Ma. would stay, because his Portuguese is proving to be extremely useful.  Our prayers were answered and he and Elder M. are staying, and getting new companions, while Elder W. and I are being transferred all the way across the mission to Okayama zone. I will be with Elder H. (a good friend who was in this district two transfers ago) and living in Kurayashiki (I think). I am pleased with the choice of companion, but I think my new area is kind of country-ish, so hopefully not a repeat of Miki for my last two transfers. I will probably die there (finish my mission), so need to make it good!

I have really enjoyed it here in Otsu, despite all the challenges we've had recently, and the enormous distances we have to travel (I hit 4000km two days ago, making it like 3000km and a bit for my 4 transfers here). Being with Elder M. has really elevated my Japanese understanding, and also speaking (on a good day). It will be quite a change to settle down again with a companion who speaks less than I do. 

The highlights of the last two weeks are many. Participating in M's confirmation was one. It was delayed a week because of the small going to jail problem. We also had snow! Lots of snow! New years we weren't really able to get out and do too much because everything was snow and ice, Kusatsu wasn't ready for a big snow storm and the whole city just stopped. New Years is a common holiday for Japanese people, but it was extended by a couple more days for some because driving and even taking the trains were all dangerous and nearly impossible in some areas. Elder M. and I took the train through our area, just two stops from the station close to our apartment, and it just stopped in the middle of the line and waited for half an hour. It was impossible to ride our bikes too. We got to play in the snow a lot, like build snow men and snow ball fights and stuff. By half way through last week it had all melted though, and was replaced with rain. Which then turned into snow this morning, which then melted again. I think it is warming up, but it is doing it in an unusual way. 

M.-chan, the 12 y.o we are teaching is progressing along well. There is a member family that has a daughter that is the same age as her just 2 minute walk away, who we asked to come teach the lessons with us. She came and she was literally a better more effective teacher than both me and Elder M., everytime anything we said was maybe not clear she would explain it, and she would always add a 12 year olds simple but matter of fact and true testimony to everything. It is thanks to her that M.-chan will be baptised in February. I won't be there, but I look forward to seeing the pictures....

 Not having a phone for the last week and a bit has made things interesting, but it has also made our dendou a lot more targeted, as we have no way of contacting any of our investigators without actually going to visit them. I have relied so much on phone calls, emails and sms my whole mission that without this technological aid, I thought things would completely fall apart. Thankfully however, the Lord has answered our prayers in a different way, not by helping us to find the phone, but by making our investigators more receptive and willing to the point that we do not need to call and text them every-day to get things done....

the place where we lost our phone