Japan Tokyo South Mission: Flesh Eating Fish

Hey guys! Sorry I didn't write last week but this week I have double the stuff and double the pictures! :)

So a lot of my mission has been spent trying to find people to teach. Haha it's a common thing as a Japanese missionary. Most areas I transfer into are struggling in the investigator department. That was definitely the case in Sagamihara, Tokorozawa and here in Yamate. I wish I could teach more but finding is good too. It's tiring, but I think it pays off. I talked to my last companion and it sounds like they are working with a lot of the people we met last transfer, so that's a good feeling. My favorite thing to do is just go around and try to talk to people on the street. Knocking "doors" is so tough. Though since there are a lot of people just visiting Yamate to see everything it's tough to find people that live here on the streets sometimes. So we have been knocking doors a lot. Which actually means ringing doorbells talking through the speaker and being told no two sentences in haha.

Though 2 weeks ago an older guy came to his door named Tai. He has been Catholic his whole life (rare). We shared the restoration and prayed with him. This last week we went back over a few times and met his wife then finally caught him. He invited us in! Quickly told us he can't change his ways quickly because he has been Catholic his whole life, so to take it slow he wants to meet once a month :/ then he proceded to tell us maybe in 3-4 months he can change? Haha it's like he already knows it's right he is just a little hesitant to jump into it right now. We taught him about the priesthood and prayer. We talked to him about how we don't want to push him into anything, we just want him to find an answer from God. He got pretty stoked on that. We asked him if we would follow the church teachings, including baptism, if he got an answer from God and we got a yes :) After our closing prayer he had a different look to him, looked like he might be a little emotional. I hope so and I hope he prays. So cool when we get to be there for someone's first conversation with God since they left His presence when they came to earth. Great experience meeting Tai but some experiences on the doors are a little less positive... I almost got hit by a door swinging open by a man just livid putting his arms up in an X and telling us in Japanese "bad, bad, go home, go home." I just started laughing because it was so rude. That stuff really motivates me so that made my day. Surprising thought because Japanese people are so polite.

So today for p day we played ultimate frisbee with the zone and it was a bomb crew. Had a blast. Last week the reason I didn't have time to write is we went to a popular beach area called Enoshima which is actually closer to my old area Atsugi. It was actually way warm and we had a good time. I will send pictures but the main area is on a small island with a bunch of temples and stuff. The best part was we went to a place called Dr. Fish. It's a tub that you put your feet in and the fish nibble on your feet and eat all the dead skin, it's so bizarre but it works, your feet feel great! Pictures on the way.

We had a crazy zone conference this week. Lots of things changed and president bumped up the expectations a lot. We are supposed to invite someone to be baptized every week. Everyone is pretty excited about it. There were some great testimonies of people going home. One of which is an Elder here I'm friends with who has completely changed as a person on his mission. I have heard some crazy stories about the how terrible he was, it's crazy to see what he has turned in to. I had a good talk with him and he shared some way cool stuff about some of the things I shared with him that helped him. This gospel changes people and it's always for the good.

We have a hoop at the church here and we had a big basketball event this last week. So perfect. We had the mom and son of the Suzuki family we are starting to work with. They are sooo great. A guy working at the MTC now home stayed with them when he was 12 and brought them to church about ten years ago. He has been working with them ever since and we were able to catch them at home and create a relationship. A FAMILY! Really praying for an opportunity to help them.

A few funny last things: I forgot to tell this, in Sagamihara two Americans walked by, I tried to talk to them and they said jokingly, "we don't need you and your magic underwear." Haha lol I was so happy to hear a joke like that, never thought I would in Japan. We taught a man a lot about our church on some benches by the bay. Elder Gailey was really bearing is testimony and a huge boat horn drowned out all the noise for about 5 seconds, right when he started again the same horn for another 5. I was ROTFL'ing on the bunch next to him. Lol Last thing we had a few random friends come to church yesterday. One I really liked, he was way funny but pretty drunk and talked super loud during sacrament. He later was trying to smooth talk the members and proposed to one. Then he tried to talk one of the sister missionaries into dating one of the elders I live with. Classic stuff.

Sorry that was long.. Not proofreading, let me know if you have questions. BUT I heard a little about the disputes with homosexual parents and their children's ability to join the church. My heart aches to hear that people are throwing away their testimonies. Quitting. I don't wanna hear any of you doubting the things you have felt and know to be true because of something so minuscule. I might even say I would have done things differently if I was in charge. That's the thing though.. I'm not a prophet of God. When I received (and continue to receive) an undeniable answer from God that this is Jesus Christ's church, that meant that President Monson is His prophet chosen to make the decisions. I trust him because I trust God. The feelings you have felt (or will feel if you search for them) are no different. Please, please don't ignore your experiences for something so small :(

I love you guys, so does God.

Pics and Vids

1. Gotta love the Yokohama life