Hello Family,
Sorry that this letter is a day late. We were really busy yesterday and so made today our P-dad which is a very sacred day. I hope this doesn't make me sound selfish but I need pday. It helps me stay focused and have energy for the rest of day. It is a good day. :)
So first off.....GO UTES!!!!!!!!!!! That makes me happy to hear that they won and conquered the cougars. Especially since we won't be playing them for a few years. Back to back years that is what I am talking about. I can't believe that BYU had three chances to tie the game and failed everytime. That makes it even a little bit better. haha
Ok so on for this week. Last Tuesday we had a mini zone conference here in Oyama. What that means is that my whole zone gets together and President Budge and the Assistants come and talk to us and we do interviews with President Budge. It lasts for the majority of the day. This particular conference will not be forgotten because of a certain accurance. So after President Budge spoke to us for a bit it was the assistants turn to talk to us and they started it off by wanting to do an object lesson. They asked for two Elders. One elder was from my District - Elder Ige - the other was Elder Ribeiro (Gabe, you remember him right). They asked them to arm wrestle and they only had one rule. That they had to win three times in 30 seconds. The assistants said go and they started the match. They were both equally strong, the arms were still in the middle and their whole bodies were shaking. We didn't know who would come out the victory when all of the sudden in the quiet everyone hears this very loud POP! The wrestlying match stops and Gabes face turns into a look of shock as he looks down at his elbow and says, "I think you broke my arm." At this point everyone has gasped and all of the sisters have their hands over their mouths in disbelief and some of the missionaries even looked close to passing out. Immediatly someone got an ice pack and had him sit down and Elder Corpus (my previous DL who is a trained EMT and former marine sniper) got up to take a look. They got the car and took Elder Ribeiro to the nearest Hospital in Oyama and then returned and retrieved his things because they were taking him to Tokyo. We didn't find out how he was doing until the end of the Conference when President Budge got a call from Sister Budge updating him on the situation. His bone was broken and it was done by his own muscles. They were debating on whether doing surgery or a cast. And last I heard he was still in the hospital and didn't want to do surgery because it was risky and obvously a bit more expensive. I will update you when I find out more. So that is why this conference will not be forgotten and has probably been told through out the mission. Lesson learned - no arm wrestlying matches.
Thursday I was actually in a car for the whole afternoon and mid evening. A member, Ishizawa shimai, took us all around Oyama to ward members homes so we knew where they were and could put it in our phone. It will be very helpful now. We also were introduced to her friend who isn't a member but is the sweetest lady ever and told us to please come to her house again. So sweet!! After we went everywhere that we needed to go and before we went to music night (that happens every Thursday) Ishizawa shimai took us out to dinner to a chinese resturant. And I need to tell you right now Chinese food in Japan is AMAZING!!! So declicious. I got shrimp that had a hot/spicy red sauce over it that was oh so good. And this particular resturant gives you A LOT of food and it is cheap as well. We put the resturants location in our phone as well. We really want to go back to that place. And I would also like to mention that if we had a car we could be doing so much more work. Oyama is a big area and it takes awhile to go to places on the bike. That day we went to two cities, Mamada and Kogane. Both of those cities are about an hour away by bike. Don't get me wrong I love riding my bike but it would be convenient for a place like Oyama that is inaka (countryside) to have a car.
Friday night we went to Koga to meet the Elders there and to see Kana again and this time she brought a friend with her. We all had so much fun. We went out to dinner to have Yakiniku. It is this type of resturant where they have a grill in the middle of the table and you fry up your own meat. It is quit tasty. I have had something similar to it before but it is a pot and that is called shabushabu. Both types are very good and I very much think America needs something like this. Though this night I did have something interesting to eat that was accidently ordered. Pig intestines. I wouldn't recommend it. It isn't that tasty but the rest of the stuff was very good. Kana is seriusly amazing. She is so nice and so ready to hear the gospel. Both her and her friend. She really wants to come to church with us and we are happy for her to come but we also want her to try to go to the one in Koga. Sister Lundy was able to teach both of them about Prayer during dinner and show them how to pray. When Kana was taking us back to the train station she said that she was very happy to learn about how to pray and that she would do it. WAHOO!!! I love her so much!! I think she added me on facebook so you may want to watch out for her Mom as well as anyone else who may add me. :) I also loved spending time with the Elders. Elder Corpus and Elder Ige are really funny together and Elder Corpus has always been an interesting missionary. This is his last transfer. We all wonder what we will do without him. haha
I am doing fine. My Japanese is very slowly slowly coming but it is coming. It has been hard lately, my own little mind battles. Sometimes it has been hard being with my companion and so there have been times that I have felt alone with no one to talk to, no one to help me. Last night was really hard for example because I didn't feel any support from my companion and felt very judged and alone. I cried so hard to Lord for help. And I did so again this morning. With everything going on around me, with all the pressures last night and this morning I seriuosly questioned if I could do this. And the answer in my head was no, I can't do this. I can't be a great missionary. So I poured out every bit of my heart to my Father, pleading for help. Pleading to feel peace and love. To know what to do. And during Personl study today I recieved some answers that have helped me. One was first talk to Sister Lundy. I was able to talk to my companion and let out all the tears and frustrations I was feeling and after I did that I felt so much peace. She was able to understand how I was feeling and apologized. I felt the wieght lifted off of me and I could breath again. I have no doubt that it will still be hard sometimes these last few weeks to be her companion but I am not dredding it. And I am not saying that I wish I wasn't her companion. I have learned a lot from her and we do have fun together but it has been hard. But it is through the hard times that you learn and grow.
I have also realzied that I need to do better at being exactly obedient. There have been times that I haven't that I regret and shake my head at myself but I have made the turn around and I am determined to be obedient to everything. Not that I have gotten over this bump and have new goals and new ways I want to do things I will be able to quikly progress and move forward. Becoming a better missionary and teacher for the people that I meet everyday. I want to help my brothers and sisters so bad. This gospel is trully the only source of real happiness and peace and I am constantly reminded that everyday as I feel Heaven near, helping me. :)
I am doing better now so you don't need to worry about me. Thank you for your love and support. Sometimes it is what helps me push through knowing that everyone believes in me, even when at times I don't believe in myself. So thank you!!! I love you with all my heart and I am so happy that everyone is doing so well.
Love you,
