September 30, 2013

September 30, 2013

Hey Everybody! I hope things are going well!

So not a whole lot of time today, so there won't be a whole lot of commentary today on the week's activities, but I'll do as much as I can!

So Monday part 2: So once we finished emailing last week, we walked to a train station and got into Sapporo to the Honbu. We then had a little bbq and went to the baseball game. The baseball game was pretty cool, and the fans were very different than in the States. In Japan, no one boo's at all and all the cheering is positive which is very different but cool I think... Sadly I was so tired during the game that I actually fell asleep a few times ;)  We then made the trip back home on foot from the Atsubetsu train station since we had to walk K Choro's bike back because of the flat. On the way we made a stop to buy groceries since we were basically out of food. Like really out of food... So we grabbed that, ran to the apartment to clean, planned, quickly ate food, and then I fell asleep immediately! It was great! ;)

Tuesday: So Tuesdays we have our District Training Meeting. My companion is the District Leader and he planned a great one. He had us introduce our companions in our opposite language, so the Nihonjin Sisters had to introduce their companions in English, and all of the Gaijin's(foreigners) had to do it in Japanese. We then had a little lesson on prayer, and how we can teach it and it was very well done. After DTM we went to a sushi place where I spent $15 on sushi, which is about 1500 yen so it was pretty expensive, but it was good. I guess that's just what happens when you've got a big stomach, but small wallet... ;) We then had Eikaiwa prep (English class) and so we figured out what to teach and how, and we made it good. English class is a blast and I think it's great! But that may be because it's in English and I don't have to worry about Japanese... ;)

Wednesday: So today it was pouring rain. It was fun to bike in the rain, but kinda slick... I also figured out that the brakes for the bikes here are switched. The left hand brake is the back wheel, and the right is the front. It almost made me crash, but I saved it and I'm doing ok! So one of the weird things in Japan is the doorbells. Everyone has intercoms and no one actually comes to the door right off. It kinda stinks cause it's hard to get them to listen when we can't even see them, but we're making it work. Also while biking, I feel pretty good. I keep up just fine, and actually have no problems which is a huge blessing - a miracle because of the MTC since that basically made me a slug...

Thursday: So Thursday I was pretty tired. We used our lunch time and went to a cheap candy store that is actually pretty good, and mostly just streeted the whole time. We saw this crazy guy who thought that God didn't exist because of Quantum Physics. See if you can figure that out... We couldn't... But it was a pretty basic day... Good, but long, and full of just hard hard work! So we get pretty exhausted each day. But it's the way to do it!

Friday: Today was a kinda rough day. We did however find some lemon and pineapple Hi-chews that are absolutely amazing! We also got an odometer for my bike so I can try to calculate how many miles I ride on my mission, which would be way, cool! We had dinner with an investigator who we committed to baptism but she just said she'd think about it so that was kinda sad. But Japanese was making me struggle a little bit today, but I'm over it now and I'm just working hard!

Saturday: So today there was some good news and some bad news. The bad news was that we got a text from the investigator who told us she'd think about baptism and asked if we could meet. We got all excited thinking that she was going to agree, but when we met with her she just had a bunch of reasons why she couldn't, which really was a bummer. Good news was that we had an appointment with one of D Choro's old investigators who agreed to be baptized so that was perfect! We need to reteach him the lessons but he'll do it so that's way nice! We did some service which was kinda boring, but it helped some old people and we were able to have some good times. So for the service we basically moved clothes and food into this old people's rec center for some welfare thing and it was only old people other than us, so we helped out a ton!

Sunday: Today was my first day at church since we had Stake Conference last week. I had to introduce myself and bear my testimony during sacrament meeting which was scary since I don't really know a whole lot of Japanese, but everyone kept telling me that my Japanese was Jozu(skillful) so that was kind of them. I was so tired from the week that I accidentally fell asleep for a tiny little bit during Sacrament meeting, which I felt terrible for and repented for, but I still felt pretty bad about it. We had a little lunch thing at the church after church which was cool and got the fruits basket. Basically the ward pitches in and gives the missionaries some food. It's great. I learned that if you need to, you can actually carry two dozen eggs home on a bike over bumpy roads and you can actually not break a single one if you're skilled enough. Naturally I'm talking about myself and how I did that so don't be too disappointed if you can't... ;) hahaha I definitely don't recommend it, but it is possible if it's absolutely needed. Two scriptures people should look up if they have time are D&C 76:5-10, and 3 Nephi 5:13, cause they are super awesome!

Well because of time, I'll just do today's little summary next week. So I hope all is well back home, and I love you all! I'd love letters if people have some time, but if not I totally understand! I'm about the same way so don't worry about it!

But ya, this week was great, I'm expecting the next to be as well, and I hope yours is too!

Love,

Bickel Choro

Answers to questions:

President and Sister Evans' are so awesome! I think they're absolutely great! My companion is on his 13th transfer so about a year and a half. He and I are very different but we're getting along great and we're having a lot of fun, while working hard of course. ;)

Time zone is very different, but I'm basically adjusted. and we've got 4 in our apartment, and 9 in our district, all in our area too actually. So we've got 5 Shimaitachi (Sisters) and 4 Chorotachi (Elders). As for in the mission there are 119 missionaries. We are in a ward, and we had no investigators but since he was trained here, we're trying to pick up his old investigators who weren't baptized.

So I haven't gotten your letter yet, but it should be coming any day now! I'm very excited to get it, however I did get the one that you just sent earlier and it was just sitting at the honbu for me so that was a great little surprise, so thanks!!

I am still sleeping great which is very nice, and the futons are giving me a few bruises since I'm a bit heavier than the normal Japanese person, and I am bonier as well ;) but I'm enjoying it!

We do cook all of our food most of the time, but we've had Yakisoba, Mabudofu, Udon, Somen, Oyakodonburi, spagetti, and just basic foods mostly. We also went to a sushi place which was good!

I like my bike well enough, but I do miss my road bike... ;) but that's to be expected! ;)

It's been pretty nice most of the days, but it has rained a bunch, including today which kinda stunk since it's P-day... but it's been enjoyable nevertheless.

I'm glad you saw some pictures of the bbq and game cause I completely forgot my camera with all of the crazy things going on last week! 

Stephen is in the back on the left

At the mission home barbecue - on the right to the back