1 year mark in Japan!

Hey guys!! Believe it or not I had a pretty normal uneventful week. Well I guess uneventful weeks aren't normal anymore though...

There is a lady that comes to our English class every week from Taiwan, named Yukiko Sato, though she has us call her Maki's mom haha. One of the nicest ladies I have ever met. She came to church last week and gave me a sweater she had bought for her son that was too big, it's a really nice sweater too. She became one of the sister's investigators and has been killing it. We talked about her a lot at district meeting and I have just been so excited about her progression. I have talked to her about church stuff in the past but after English class this last time I just went hard and taught her a whole lesson about prayer and we read a lot of scriptures together. She is soo great. I was tearing up talking and testifying to her, I just feel a ton of love for her! The next day the sisters challenged her to a baptismal date. She declined... For a great reason. For her, family is more important than anything. She wants to get baptized but doesn't want to abandon her family. She wants them to get baptized too, she thinks she would feel guilty going to heaven without them. She said she would rather have less happiness to be able to stay with her family than to be without them in Heaven. What a legit concern! Though as God has promised, every single person will get a fair chance to follow Christ whether in this life or the next. As soon as she realizes that she can be an example to them for when they have their chance I see her getting baptized pretty quickly. She later took all the missionaries out to a thing called Shabyu-yo, hard to explain but it's all you can eat everything thrown into this bomb stew. She ended up paying for all of us missionaries. I felt so bad, but she was really happy she could do something for us. Just a great lady.

This week is transfer calls, I really don't want to leave, this is my favorite area so far. I would be cool with staying here the rest of my mission haha.

Today I got to chill with two of my favorite people in Japan, Ishii and Kohei from Atsugi. Kohei has kinda stopped meeting with the missionaries but I had a good talk with him about church and hope to talk with him more to get him back on track. If I could see anyone get baptized it would be him, love that kid so much. Just out here tryna make eternal friends :) We all went bowling and took Purikura pictures (photo booth). Made me so happy to see them!

Other than that Ken came to church yesterday! We have had an insanely hard time trying to meet with him, so we will have to cancel his baptism this week. He just isn't ready yet. It will take some time to get him ready but I am confident he will get there someday. He just can't understand or remember anything we teach, really hard. Love him a ton though. We also met a kid from Nepal who works at his dad's Indian Curry restaurant. His name is Santos. He asked for an English church flyer so we went back and gave him one. Yesterday we walked by the restaurant and he hustled outside so he could talk to us. He has read some of the pamphlet and said he believes it. He has since been texting us words that are hard to understand. He said once work slows down in a couple weeks we can start meeting :)

Sorry kind of a boring email, but I love and miss you guys!

Spackman 長老

Pictures

1. Dinner with Maki's Mom! (Yukiko Sato)

2. Bowling with Kohei and Ishii! I had the best score of anyone, both games... Nbd

3. Purikura!! Lol

4. Some random guy who came up to Elder Boody and started whispering about how tall I am, I asked if he wanted a picture haha

Still Straight Craziness

Wow. Well things are still crazy here. We are sitting at the train platform right now where a person either fell or jumped in front of the train. Didn't see it but I guess the train went across their hips. (Later on) We eventually got asked to leave the station and some really nice man decided to guide us to a close-by station, Shibuya (which was good to see), and now all the way home (about an hour trip) because he doesn't have anything else to do haha.

Got some sad news this week that the grandpa I'm named after, Grandpa Merrill , passed away. Surprising because he sounded like he was doing really well. I owe a lot to his example and the way he raised his family. I'm not that upset though because I know he's in a great place. I'm thankful for the knowledge and peace we can have with Christ's teachings when things like this happen. Love ya Gramps.

So we lost contact with Shintaro for a week. Then he called us and we had a lesson. We got the bishop over there and he went HARD on him. We told him he probably can't get baptized because we lost contact. When we asked him how his week was he said he went to jail because he got really drunk and fell on the platform on the tracks in the subway. We're like WHAT?! Bishop tells him that's a sign he needs to stop drinking. We start on the lesson. He tells us he is doesn't believe in the resurrection. We show him a video and testify pretty hard, then I look up, he's got tears in his eyes and is definitely feeling the Spirit & truth of what we are saying. We also taught him the word of wisdom (no coffee, alcohol, drugs, etc.). He tried comprising with us for about thirty minutes on what he was going to stop and what he wasn't until he agreed to stop everything. Talked about a bunch of other stuff but we walked out of that lesson in shock at how well it went. We didn't see that coming with him at all. Then the next morning he calls me and says he isn't going to church, I thought he meant for our next meeting, then he says that he is never going to go to the church again then said bye and hung up. I was really surprised to hear that after the lesson we had but to be honest a little relieved we don't have to make the decision of whether we should keep teaching him or not, because he made it. Sad it must have scared him how much he felt the truth though, plus the idea of keeping the word of wisdom seems really hard for people sometimes.

Ken is doing ok... We are still in contact but very limited. We usually meet once a week but not lately. He is just busy and has so much trouble understanding things. So we will have to cancel his baptism next week :( I'm confident he will get baptized someday though. He wants it so bad. Love that kid. We have also started meeting with this older man named Kato, he brought a friend last lesson and we talked about the Book of Mormon. He is awesome but just kinda hard to teach & communicate with. You should be hearing more about him soon.

Alright last thing! So let me just say I love black people! Haha. It's a rare opportunity to talk to any but this week we sent out a mass text to a bunch of the contacts we don't know on our phone, one of which is a Gina. She called us, and we later called her back. She was way weirded out & standoffish. Once I said my name and talked a little she turned into the sweetest lady. She is African-American, in her 60's, moved here from NY about 20 years ago and talks A LOT. Not trying to diss on Jehovah's Witness, this is just what she said. We had an hour long conversation and the bulk of it was about how she joined the J dubs but realized it wasn't the truth and is in a really hard situation because if anyone figures out she isn't a believer they will have to shun her, but most of her friends are J Dub. I guess she used to meet with missionaries and study the bible. We really seem to get along, great lady. Some things came up there about how she believes that we shouldn't follow blindly as j dubs have taught, but that we should make sure with God. She prays. She asked what we believe about the cap on the number of people that can be saved that j dubs believe in. So I talked about how God wants us all to be saved. She said yes when I asked if she is searching for the truth, but said that she sadly doesn't think it's the Mormon church. I asked if she believes God has one true church, she said not right now. She asked if I feel like the church is true. I testified way hard. She asked about the golden plates. So I gave her a quick rundown of the Joseph Smith story & restoration. After that she asked if we could meet again, but without the badges, so others don't know she is meeting with Mormons. Good stuff.

Then get this, last night I'm out with Boody for splits, knocking on doors. A black guy walks by and we manage to stop him. He's a young father from Uganda named Mark. Straight up sickest dude. Just kept telling us how good it is we are serving missions. He is Christian and teaching his 6 year old how to pray. We had a great convo but he eemed like he was in a hurry. He said goodbye but last second I said, hey can we share a message with you? Sooo glad I did! He turned around and came back. The convo went to another level! Said he sees missionaries in Africa too and always wondered what our message was. He loves what we do and wants his kids to serve missions when they grow up and wants them baptized. He said he wants to hear our message like 10 times before the convo was over. When I asked if we could get his number, he looked at me like I'm crazy and said "of course!" Too make it even better Mark said he is actually moving close to the church & where we live the next day (today). Too perfect.

Then just recently I get a call from a guy named Alex who knows Kengo Adachi who is in the Tokyo mission that I met back at USU. He was given our number by Kengo because he is moving here and wants to meet up for dinner tonight! He is Chinese but also speaks Japanese, English & Korean. Sounds like he used to be their investigator or something. Stoked for that.

Anyways! Things are still crazy up here in Yokohama! Hope you guys are doing well. Love you.
Got to see some of Shibuya due to the emergency at the station today.
Place is crazy.

Craziest Story

Guess this didn't send right last Monday. Here is the update of last week.

Never thought I would have a day like I did last Wednesday on my mission and especially not in Japan. Elder Johnson had to go to the mission home, so Boody, Hawkins and I hit up the city area during the day trying to talk to people. The day started off just as one of those days with a line of bizarre experiences. First person we talk to is a nice guy but when we ask about his job he says, "scouting." "For what?" "Girls for Adult Films" ... Uhh. We had a good talk with him but at the end Boody says to the guy what we always say to someone who is working, so it just slipped out (in Japanese), "good luck with your job" or "keep working hard with your job." Hahaha couldn't stop laughing. Then after Boody and I went to the bathroom and as we waited for Hawkins, we had a hilarious convo with a guy who had been waiting for all three of us. We apologized and said that Hawkins always takes forever in the bathroom because he is British. As our new made middle aged friend finally got a chance to head in the bathroom we handed him a church flyer and told him to read it, he said ok & shut the door as he was doing so Lol. After that we went outside and saw some normal looking white guy doing crack head things, stepping out in busy 4 lane traffic with his hand up as if he was stopping the cars, spinning circles, changing directions & walking in an S formation. Another man walking around with a super bulky full face mask, helmet, Boody commented on the safety the man must get by walking around with his helmet on. Those are just the highlights.... Then things got real.

We go to our weekly English class to set up. Boody and I were running a killer beginners class. Then in comes the infamous Baba. Now you've gotta hear some backstory. Baba is in he's 60's and is a recent convert in another ward in the stake. The same ward Sister Suzuki (new sister hear in Yamate) served in. When she came here we realized he is in love with her as he was calling us trying to find her and coming to church trying to see her. The English class a week before he came and there was a good amount of drama trying to get him to leave. He got some words in with her that he loves her, wants to marry her, etc. We told him not to come back. He must have realized we are in his way and he needs to come back prepared. I guess there is some other history, but when we saw him show up again we knew it was trouble. Boody and I froze and since he saw us in the room we were in he determined where she was. We said "no Baba, come here" he yelled in English "SHUTUP!" He then entered the room, slammed the door. I later learned that he then got in her face with some marriage papers commanding her to sign them right then. Keep in mind there are a lot of people that come to these English classes and see all this go down. Her companion poked her head out and called for help. We were a little shocked and didn't know what to do. One of the students, Riyou, that was in the room came out and also called for help. Elder Johnson comes out of his room and goes in the one where Baba is while all the English students were exiting out of it. Riyou then came by us and called the cops claiming there was a knife. We didn't take him seriously because he is younger and its Japan. At this point it was just Johnson and Baba in the room. I was still unaware of what was going on but he had a knife pulled on Johnson for some time just standing there staring at each other. Baba said' "I will use this but I don't want to." He put it away and he came out as if he was leaving. Though once he saw Sister Suzuki again all was lost. He kinda corned her but didn't get too close. Johnson was there ready to step in. We were still unaware, trying to continue our English class, and watching from a distance. I got a feeling I should check it out. I go stand next to Johnson and I don't know what happened but all of a sudden my heart was straight pumpin! Then Johnson tells me, "careful, he's got a knife." Then I start hearing some of the filth he is spitting at Suzuki as she is sobbing. "Marry me, now, if you don't I'll kill your family and myself. I will commit suicide if you don't." I couldn't make out the rest, but you get it. During this I've just got my eyes on his hands and body looking for a knife, which I hadn't seen yet. She continues to tell him no and at this point one of the girl students is standing by her side speaking up for her. Strongest person in the building that night. I was shocked. She was going off and he got real frustrated and close. Right before that Suzuki's companion, Watkins tells me to take the bag in his left hand. Then clarifies the knife is in it. So as he got real close to Suzuki things seem to go in slow mo as Johnson steps in, I reach for the bag while Baba simultaneously does the same to pull it on Johnson. I rip it out of his hands. Game over, he new it too. We used some way strong Japanese telling him to leave, he starts for the exit. The girls go back in the room and close the door. As we go outside with him, perfect timing, a cop is coming in with a 4 foot baton ready to go. He stops him, searches Baba's person and within 3 minutes we've got about 20 cops in the church. No exaggeration, things like this don't happen in Japan so they freak. They later told us this will probably be the craziest thing this year in Yokohama. Elder Johnson and my bodies and hands were shaking uncontrollably with adrenaline. We then went to the police station to file reports and testimony for about 6 hours until 2 am. We are going back again tonight to give more testimony because they are trying to give him the maximum sentence so that she doesn't have to deal with him on her mission... So I was hoping last week we could get a break from the crazies but it just got worse with that.

Speaking of crazies, I will send picture of the notes he draws between every lesson, we might stop teaching him.

Other than that, ever since I did decent on cutting my own hair I've been cutting other missionaries. I have cut all 3 elders' hair in my apartment now. It's actually way fun haha. Good practice for a useful skill. We also had family home evening with an American family in the ward the Sorensons. Though since we brought Japanese people to it everyone needed translation. The other Elders bailed last minute and I had to translate for both parties. I shocked myself with how well I did. Once Bro Sorenson gave his lesson, reading pamphlets and watching videos in English? Game over. Pro translators even struggle with that! I was kinda frustrated but it was a funny experience.

Craziness this week, hopefully that is the climax of what I see out here!

Love you guys

1. Sickest church in Yamate ft. new tie

2. The hallway where it all went down, craziness as they were doing reports and taking pictures of us reenacting
the event.

3. Chillin at the police station

4. Lesson with the homie Ken Kimura over Skype!

5. Before our basketball activity last Saturday

6. Me preachin some knowledge to Boody

7. That pic with Sakuragi tho

8. The Star Wars crew

9. pt. 2

10. Shintaro...

11. He may or may not think he is the prophet/savior