Hello Family,
Wow!! Sounds like everyone had an amazing weekend and enjoyed conference. I will be watching it this weekend and hear the official announcement from the prophets voice then. But we did hear the announcement. President Budge put it on our portal and had the zone leaders tell everyone to take a look. It was a big surprise. I decided to serve my mission when I was 19. I would be home by now if I went. But I am happy how it worked out because I wouldn't be meeting the people the I am meeting if I came two years ago. Saying that I am so proud of you Megs and your decision to serve a mission. It made me so excited to hear that. Going on a mission really does make you grow a lot and you find your extended family. That is what is happening to me, I am finding people that are my family. People that I know I knew in the pre-existance. Someone is waiting for you. You are an amazing woman who has a very strong testimony that will touch many lives. And the time will go by fast between now and when you start your papers and when your papers are in and you leave. And the three years that we won't see each other will feel like nothing. And we will just draw closer together becasue we will be serving missions at the same time together. I am so proud of you!!!
Ok so for this week. I know you are all dieing to hear what happened with transfers. Well....you will have to wait a little longer. haha I will go over the week first then let you know what happened. So last monday we went shopping with Narumi and then went out to dinner with her and a member, Dani (american). Narumi took us to an amazing resturant. It was huge and looked like a Japanese old style estate and we were in our own room that looked out a garden and the best part, the food was cheap. So nice!!!
Tuesday we went to the temple and boy was that an adventure on the train. We missed the first one then when we had to transfer trains we got on the wrong one that took us bascially back the way we came (not my fault this time) and then when we got to the right eki (station) where the temple was we went out the wrong exit and had to walk all the way around to the Temple and at this point we were rushing to the temple and barely made it to the second session so when we sat down my heart was still pounding really hard and fast and it took me awhile to calm down. I would rather not repeat that kind of experience. It doesn't do well to invite the spirit. I did see Gabe at the Temple and he is doing really well. His surgery went well and we had to stay in a sling for a week and this week I believe he is starting physical therapy this week. But he is back in the field working hard. :)
After the temple we had exchanges and I went to Senzokoike which is the city and I had a lot of fun there. It was my first time really streeting because in Oyama we can't do that because there are not people on the streets. I found that I actually kind of like streeting. Stopping to talk to people, getting to know them, sharing with them why I am here. It was really fun, even if I couldn't speak or understand that well.
Wednesday we changed back. Thursday visted an investigator in the hospital (Sachiko) and had music night. Friday distric meeting and practice the taishoukoto at Ishizawas house.
Saturday was really fun. We went shopping again with one of our students from Eikaiwa-Tanaka and I was able to get things for everybody and sent it off. The package will take two months to get to the states so it is the christmas package. I hope everyone likes what I got them. It isn't a lot. Not like what Justin did but Japan is very expensive and I have limited funds. But I really wanted to get everybody things. :)
That night we had the music concert and I performed the taishoukoto with Sister Lundy and Sister Ishizawa. It was a lot of fun even though I messed up a lot. haha but I still enjoyed myself. The whole night was amazing!!. My favorite part though was when Dani and Sister Lundy performed. Dani sang a song that Sister Lundy composed that is about her mom. Her mom passed away three years ago and the song is about her. After they performed the song one of our investigators, Kaori (who also performed that night) asked me what the meaing was because it was in English. I explained to her what happend and then shared about the Plan of Salvation. It was amazing the spirit I felt. I told her that is why I was in Japan. Was to share this message that brings me so much happiness and peace with everyone else. I loved baring my testimony. It is such an amazing feeling.
Ok so on to the topic of transfers. We got the tranfer calls on Friday morning. I have been transfered to Shibuya and my new companion is Sister Nishihara (japanese). Say what!!!???!!! It was such a surpise. Not that I was being transfered, but that I was being transfered to Shibuya. It is the total opposite of Oyama. Shibuya is the city that people typically think of when they think of Tokyo because it is the heart of Tokyo. It has the huge cross walk - the scramble cross walk - Tokyo Tower and it also has the Temple. Ya, exciting right?! :) So that is where I am right now as I write this. So far I love it. I love Nishihara shimai already. She is so cute and sweet. And I am so grateful to have the oppurtunity to have a Japanese companion. It will really help my Japanese improve. A LOT!!! Shibuya is huge and exciting with sooooo many people. Japanese and foreigners a like. It will be so much fun. So in Shibuya there are 6 missionaries. 4 Elders and 2 Sister. 2 of the Elders are in charge of the Japanese ward and focus on the Japanese. The other Elders are the English ward and teach foreign investigators. The sisters cover both. So everyother week for church we rotate. Last night we had a dinner appointment with an american family living on the army base and we went with the elders who are our ZL's as well. One of them graduated from Olympus 2011 and says he knows Megan, sort of. His name is Elder Hogue. Do you know him Megs? He and his companion are way awesome. The family we visited was the Rob family and they are converts of 3 years. It was really fun being with them. They made us taco's. Boy it has been a long time since I have had those. They also shared with us their conversion story. They have such a fire for missionary work. It is really amazing. Shibuya. I still can't believe I am here. It is crazy. I am so excited to get started and work so hard here. We don't have a lot of investigators but I have faith that we will find those preapred people that the Angels are working with. :) Here goes nothing!! :)
It was very very hard to leave Oyama. I was crying through out the weekend (even though I was excited to come to Shibuya). Sunday they had me bare my testimony in church and that night Sister Adachi had a dinner party for me and the younger Tauchi (he too got transfered). That was soo much fun. Narumi was able to come and there were a lot of other people who are all precious to me. I did pretty well through the night not getting emotional, even when I started saying goodbye to people. But then Taguchi obaachan came up to me and said good luck and gave me the hug (she never hugs usually). So that was the end for me. I started crying so hard when I saying goodbye to her daughter and everyone else. My heart is just so full of love for all of them. I am so very very grateful to have met them all. They are my Oyama family.
Yesterday I finished packing and the Bishop and his wife took us out to eat lunch before going to the eki for us to catch the train. Sister Yanada is soo sweet and has such a big heart. She was tearing up during lunch when we were talking about the transfers. She is so very sweet. At the eki I felt so loved. There were a lot of people who came to see us off. Tanaka, Fusako, Narumi, Sachiko, Ishizawa, and of course the bishop and his wife. It was a wonderful send off. Oyama is truly a wonderful place. The people there are just so full of love and dendo fire. They are such a wonderful example to me. I learned a lot from them. :)
I want to encourage the family to get involved with Missionary work. Jen and Jareds new calling is so wonderful. It really is through the members that people trully come to Christ and not only that, they stay converted. So I urge you please get involved. Call the missionaries. Ask if they need joints for lessons or help in any other way. Or just have them over for dinner and let them practice teaching. We need it, trust me. Sometimes I don't even know what I want to say in English which makes translating difficult. haha Or if there are no missionaries working in the ward ask the bishop who the less actives are and help them come back to church. Sometimes it just takes a smiling face and kind words to get people interested in coming back. That is my advice for this week. Help the mission effort. It is a wonderful cause!!!! :) I like it.
I love you all so much and can't believe how quick the time is going by. It is wierd that in just three months it will be christmas and will be talking with you. That will go by like a snap of the fingers. Crazy!!
I am so glad that everyone is doing well. Have a good week this week!!
Love always,
Kenzie
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