Monday, August 31, 2009

Answering all your questions

Another busy week, I can't believe this transfer is over already.

Monday was p-day. P-day lasts from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM During that time we usually come do email first, then go shopping, then back to the apt. to write letters or my favorite take a nap. Then after 6:00 we go out and do missionary work for the rest of the day. I can't remember what we did last week, nothing special I don't think.

Tuesday was a day full of contacting. No real luck there, it was a super hot day I remember that. We had an appointment with a guy later that night. I think he was from Australia? Anyways we went to his place and he wasn't there. We went out contacting again and do you remember the big guy I talked about that we met 2 times and spoke way good english? Well we met him again. He is really nice but refused to take a book of mormon and said he would try to come to eikaiwa but never did. I think he feels like he isn't good enough or something. I am sure we will see him again soon.

Wednesday we had an exchange with The Kakogawa elders. It went well, I and my new comp. for the day went and taught Iwamura again. It went the same as usual. I asked him to read the book of mormon this week and come up with something to talk about next week. I hope that it gets him reading.

Thursday we had district meeting. During District Meeting we got a call from one of our investigators and he wanted to go to outreach in Kobe. Outreach is ran by Elder and Sister Wade. It is for YSA and is a great place to take investigators to make friends that are in the church. We made Japanese doughnuts. Good stuff. Our investigators name is Ichigawa, he seems interested but we are not 100 percent sure or not so we are going to ask him next time if he really is or just wants to make friends at english class and things. He is a great guy, I hope it all works out with him.

Friday we had another exchange with the elders in our district. Not a lot really happened we went out contacting but no luck. It's always fun to see different styles of contacting from different missionaries and get new ideas.

Saturday we had eikaiwa. Afterwords we went out to a Gajin (forigner) Matsuri (Festival) It was fun but not a very effective place to do missionary work. We got out there went around a bit and went back home.

Sunday was another way busy day. I had to give a talk, I talked about the restoration and what it does for us. I think I made sense, it went better than I thought it would. After that since it was the 5th Sunday they do a big potluck dinner. A member brought a friend with her and I talked with her there at the dinner and gave her a book of mormon. I hope she comes again she was really nice. After Church we went to Nicholas' house. The guy from Ghana, he is a way nice guy and always cooks for us. He gives us food they eat in Ghana its not bad I like it. We taught him about some of the commandments. He told us that he has been praying a lot but received no confirmation and that's why he doesn't believe or want to be baptized but knows that it will come in god's time. I guess we just need to be patient. I hope he get's and answer soon he is a really great person.

Today already has been a little crazy. Usually we study from 8 until 9:30 on p-day then clean until 10:30 but, Elder Fukui had to go to the American embassy in Osaka to get his student visa stuff started up. So we left pretty early and got out there and got it all finished. I thought my area had a lot of people. Osaka is huge there were people everywhere, I couldn't believe it. I hope I get to serve out there some time.

This transfer is over it went by so fast I can't believe it. Tomorrow phone calls go out for transfers. I could end up moving out of Akashi again, there is a decent chance of it. We will see what happens though I like Akashi but I will go where I need to go right? I will let you know what happens next week.

I have been eating well, Elder Fukui is a way good cook and I am trying to learn from him. Haven't been sick yet but, everyone out here is way scared of the flu they all wear masks its kind of funny lookin. We do see little kids walking to and from school. In my last area we had some follow us once, it was funny. I will have more pictures for you all next week. Thanks for sending all the emails to me.

Love you
Cam

Monday, August 24, 2009

Ok so talk about a busy week this week. It was crazy.

Tuesday we went up to Himeji for an exchange. One of the elders is hurt right now and can't go out so I stayed with him in the apt. while elder Fukui went out and contacted a few of their investigators that they hadn't met with in awhile. That took the whole day.

Wednesday we helped a less active family move out of their house. We did that until around 1:00 afterwords we went contacting and taught Iwamura again. He likes to argue a lot and really isn't going anywhere still. I sometimes wonder if he is trying to convert us but it's fun talking to him he is a nice guy and has good intentions. I just need to learn more about the bible he knows it through and through its crazy.

Thursday was really busy too. We had a lesson in the morning with one of our investigators named Lelia. She has been investigating for awhile now and been committed to baptism twice but rejected both times. We had 2 members with us and they really helped us out. We talked about the Word of Wisdom and the Restoration again with her. We committed her to baptism again and she had a lot of concerns but the members jumped in and helped us out a lot. They shared a lot of experiences they had when they were investigators and she accepted for the 27th of Sept. We will have to keep working with her but it was really good.

After that we went to District Meeting which is always good. Then we took the bus back again and had a lesson with the Kondo family. They are a part member family. The father is a member but the wife and 2 kids are not. The wife thinks that baptism is weird and doesn't want the kids or her self to be baptized. I don't know why the dad doesn't push harder but we tried. It is hard with her, I am not quite sure what will happen. We ended the day after the lesson. Way busy day.

Friday was a little more open. We had service like usual. After that we did study and weekly planning. We looked through the area book and called up old investigators and was able to get an appointment with one of them on Tuesday it should be good. We went out and handed out English class flyers for a good 2 or 3 hours hoping to get some new students for class the next day.

Saturday we had english class but no new students sadly enough. After class we went out and did a lot of finding but didn't have any luck there.

Sunday was a great day. Yoshidasan's baptism went really great. He has been coming to church for 20 years but never been baptized.He had a hard time with some commandments and everyone had given up on him except for Fukui choro. He got him all ready and good to go, it took a few months but it happened. A member baptied him it went great he had a lot of support there which is always good too. I will send a picture to you in a separate email I remembered today. He is the older one.
We also had a lesson with a member and her daughter. Her daughter is not baptised because the father doesn't want her to be but we talked with her about it and she also has a date now for baptism in Sept.

We did a short lesson with Arima and he is doing well too. After church and stuff we went out finding didn't find anyone but there was this group of break dancers by the station it was awesome. I couldn't believe some of the stuff they were doing it was really cool.

One of the busiest weeks I have had in Japan so far. It went by fast and the transfer is almost already over. Sounds like everyone is doing well back home too. This week will be busy too we have a lot of exchanges planned to finish off the transfer. I am not sure where I will be after this transfer but we will find out next week.

Love you,
Cam

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Haha (Mom..No I am not joking it really is haha)

Sounds like a busy trip. The plane ride was really long but I just slept most of the time I think a good 7 or 8 hours. I took some dramamine so I would fall asleep or else I wouldn't have been able to do it. Sounds like they are trying really hard to find out what is wrong and its going to all work out. Let me know what happens with everything.

I got an email from Burns this week sounds like he is having a good time in Norway. I can't wait until we all get back and I get to hang out with the guys again those were fun times.

School shopping, no I can say I don't really miss that but this week during our exchange the day was over and Elder Fukui needed a shirt so we went into this mall. One store had pretty good Ingrish (Terrible english what we call it) on them and I found a shirt that has a hand on it that says Index Finger on it and below it it say's "Even Homer sometimes nods" I had to buy it maybe I will get you a picture some time.

This has been a pretty good week.

Tuesday we had a really open day so we went around trying to talk to people but no one was really interested in what we had to say.

Wednesday was open as well and same situation, no one really wanted to listen. We had a lesson with a guy named Iwamura who is christan. He really knows the bible well and we are trying to show him why need prophets and the book of mormon but it's difficult to get it through to him sometimes. I hope it gets better with him. He is a really good person, if he was baptized he would be a very strong member, we just have to get him there.

Thursday we went up to Miki for district meeting and then came back to Akashi and did Weekly Planning. We only had around 1 1/2 hours for contacting. We were walking down the street and this really big guy, big for back home huge over here walks up and says "Hey Elders how are you doing" All in english. I was surprised to say the least. He has lived in the states and I think heard the lessons but doesn't want to take them again. He said all this stuff how he really respects us and stuff, but didn't want to meet. He was a great guy.

Friday we went out to Himeji and went to their District Mtg. and then had an exchange and I got to see McBurney again. We had a lot of fun trying to talk to people even with our broken Japanese but we got a Potential Investigator. After wards we were going to cold stone when we saw that Huge Guy again. We talked to him again for awhile and he still didn't want to meet but was really nice and friendly.

Saturday we had English class and finished up our exchange. We went out the rest of the day but couldn't find anyone with any promise.

Sunday was super busy. We were at church for 8 hours, and I thought 3 was bad! Anyways, we had a lesson with Armia and committed him to baptism and set a goal with him. He has a problem with coffee but, we will try to help him work it out. I don't think I will be here in Akashi when he is baptized but, he will be baptized this year. I also met another one of our investigators on Sunday. His name is Nicholas Attigah and is from Ghana. Really cool guy, he fed us some Ghana food that night it was good. I am not sure how close he is to baptism but hopefully he will be soon. He is a really great nice guy. Miki the other elders in our district also had a baptism in our building because they don't have a font. Their investigator actually asked Elder Fukui to baptize her so he did that and everything went really well. It's the second baptism I have seen so far and next week that should change to 3. We also planned Yoshida's baptism program and got him all ready I am excited for next week it should be great.

That's the week. It was a good one. I can't believe that I am already 4 weeks in to this transfer and its almost over. It's gone by really quick. I got the package this week. Thanks for the coat it looks like it will get the Job done. The food and treats were great too. Thanks

Thanks for everything,
Love you,
Cam

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Hey I got your email from Minnesota. Sounds like you both are running around like crazy out there. I am glad they are taking it seriously and are going to try their hardest to find out whats wrong with her. I got her letter this week the 10 pg one with the pictures. She makes me laugh. Did you say another one was coming? I hope so her letters are always alot of fun.

Sounds like a big mall. In my last area it had the biggest mall in the Kan Sei area. (KanSei area is basically the Kobe mission) it was 5 stories with a garden on the top with a fountain and an area where they do concerts no joke. I have some crappy pictures I will try to send to you sometime. I am sure you both would love it.

Wow, school starts next week for everyone? That is weird. It's gone by fast for me out here, what about everyone back home? I hope everything works out at school for everyone.

Yeah, it will be nice to get the jacket. Actually a typhoon is coming through here this week and its been raining like crazy. It will be nice to get a new one. It's way humid out here I can't believe it half of the time, especially since we are so close to the ocean. It will be bad through august but after it won't be so bad...hopefully.

This week was really busy. On Tuesday we went up to Miki the other 2 elders in our district and went around with them for a bit. Afterword's Elder Fukui interviewed their investigator and she will be baptized this coming Sunday. Really cool, it will be great for them to get a baptism. Miki is countryside Japan it was really weird for me since i am so use to just city. It was nice to see some green and some mountains. After the interview we stayed and helped with their Eikaiwa class (English class) and then went home after that.

Wednesday was interviews with president so we went out to Kobe and did those which are always good. Afterwords we all went to a place called brazilianos just like
Tucano's style. It was really good we also had one of our investigators there so we got to talk to her but, not a lot of progress. After that we went back to Akashi to teach Iwamurasan. He likes to talk a lot so it didn't go as well as we hoped it was all in English so I could understand. Hopefully it goes better next time but we gave him a BOM and committed him to read it and got another appointment. Then we had to go back to Kobe for SMCC some stake meeting Elder Fukui had to go to. I ended up going out with one of the AP's to contact. We ended up staying the night there, way busy day.

Thursday we took Yoshidasan out to outreach where all the YSA people have activities and stuff. So we went back to Kobe again and did that. It was a lot of fun.
Friday we had service and an exchange. For service we go to a place that provides work for handicapped people. We help them package food or make Nabari or Sushi. Its fun and they feed us afterwords so that's a plus for sure. The exchange went well, its always fun getting to know other guys from the mission most of the time.
Saturday we finished up the exchange, had Eikaiwa and went out to visit 5 old investigators that we found in the area book. None of them were interested so we just went contacting after that, but no luck.

Sunday we had a new investigator come to church, we taught him the first lesson and gave him a BOM. Hopefully it goes well with him, I think he liked it hopefully he comes again. Yoshidasan's interview went well and he will be baptized in 2 weeks. He is really excited and can't wait. I don't think I can either.

A super busy week and this one should be too. We are doing exchanges again, and it will be with Elder McBurney a way good friend from the MTC it will be a ton of fun.
The Language is still tough if not tougher because my Comp. is Japanese.They talk a lot faster and more complicated because of it so I am lost 80 percent of the time. When I talk they look at me then look at him and wait for him to talk it makes me laugh. It's a slow process so I am just trying to learn patience, but I hope it comes soon. I just wish I could speak Nihongo (Japanese) but if we have the spirit it doesn't really matter what I say, the spirit is really the only thing that converts people not language or lessons.

Elder Fukui is a really good missionary and knows what he is doing out here. I am learning a lot from him. He is a way good cook too and likes to cook so that's always a plus too :). We are getting along just fine and its nice to have some success.

Anyway's long email this week, everything is going well out here, time is just flying by I can't believe it. Thanks for everything
Love you,
Cam

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Hi everyone,

Thanks for Brian's address. I want to send a letter off to him and see how he is doing. I sent off another letter today to Brandon. From his last letter it sounded like he was having a good time and trying hard. He said that all his Japanese he learned when he was little has come back to him and can say whatever he wants basically. I am way jealous.

I hope everything goes good up at this new place. Hopefully they can find something new about whit. If you can let me know if you get back in time to send me an email. School starts in just 3 weeks? Man that’s pretty crazy. I left when they were still in school so I guess summer is almost over. July went by really fast and this month is going to be just as if not more busy so I am sure it will go just as fast if not faster.

Jake has sent in his papers? Man that’s weird too. Cross your fingers for Japan. Especially Kobe man that would be way sweet. I would laugh so hard if he went to Norway that would be awesome.

Is everyone excited about going back to school? Has anything really big happened back home?

Well this week had a bit of a rocky start but a good ending.

Right after we got done emailing last p-day we went out finished up shopping and were on our way back to the apt. when we got a phone call. It was Enkh's brother and it turns out that Enkh (our investigator that had a baptismal date) up and moved back to Mongolia. It was really weird, we had met with him 2 nights before and he seemed to be doing just fine. He didn't mention anything about moving or anything like that. We aren't sure why he moved but I guess it was an emergency or something because he got out of there really quickly. It was really too bad because he was so close to baptism and wanted it really badly. Hopefully he will look up the missionaries back in Mongolia. That’s all we can really hope for with him, who knows maybe he will move back that would be sweet.

We had Zone Conference this week which is always a lot of fun. I got to see the guys from back in Nishinomiya and talk to them a little bit. It sounds like it might pick up a little bit over there. One guy that we found while Elder Hinton and I were on an exchange has become an investgator and I gave him a Book of Mormon at the Open house we had. Asked him to read and pray about it. Turns out when they asked him if he had read any and he said just a little bit. Turns out he had read from the start to Mosiah crazy stuff huh. I hope he ends up getting baptized that would be kind of cool because I was a part of finding him. I hope things pick up for them.

I also got to see Elder McBurney my best buddy from back in the MTC. Turns out he transferred too, and is in my Zone and we will be doing an exchange because Elder Fukui wants to do one with their area so I will get to do some work with him. I am way excited it will be a ton of fun.

During Zone conference President really focused on this new Study plan that he came out with to help everyone focus both their gospel and Language study. Everyone was really excited about it and it really should help us all out so that we can become better Japanese speakers and know the gospel a lot better. Zone Conference is always good and something I think I will look forward to throughout my mission.

After Zone Conference we had a lessons and things throughout the next few days but nothing really big. On Sunday we were able to meet with Yoshida who also has a baptismal date. He has been coming to church for like 18 or 20 years something like that but has never been baptized. He has had some problems with some of the commandments but is trying really hard and after meeting with him yesterday and going over the baptismal interview questions with him, we are both confident that he will be baptized on his scheduled day (Aug. 23). His interview for baptism is next Sunday. We also taught Arima and committed him to the word of wisdom. He thinks it will be hard and really likes coffee but is going to try to stop or at least cut down on how much he drinks. Hopefully we can get him baptized soon too.

That’s pretty much it for this week. This coming week is going to be way busy. We have to go to another area so Elder Fukui can interview a lady that is going to be baptized by the 2 other elders in our district. We have interviews with president. A few lessons scheduled and an exchange scheduled. It should be way fun I am excited for it all. I like the new area it’s a good place. I will try to get a picture of the bridge and other things to send to you. Sorry I am terrible about sending pictures maybe next week.

Love you,

Cam