With Elder Wirthlin

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My Zone

 

At church, waiting for English class

 

Thanksgiving dinner

 

Christmas decorations downtown

 

 

Sam got braces. OOOhhhhh that's rough. I hate them.....but when they come off, the girls won't be able to stay away from him....be careful.

 

I'm still the District leader. I was so happy when I heard that I got to stay. I love being district leader. Unfortunately, I lost my son. Elder Anderson transferred. He went to NAGO. I was so excited. He was too. He's going to pick up all my investigators and meet Miyagi Kyoudai.

 

Transfer day. Last time with Elder Anderson.

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It's really exciting. Also, I got to talk to Elder Alger when we called Nago to figure out transfers. He's training a bean this transfer.....So, I'm a missionary grandfather.....Kinda crazy.

 

Also, I'm training for the third time. My new comp is Elder Chantry from Orem Utah. He's a pretty awesome guy. He just graduated from high school so he's 18 years old. He's kinda a quiet guy. I worry sometimes that he's getting homesick, but at other times, he won't stop freaking out about being in Japan and how exciting it is. I'm just glad he's obedient and has a testimony and is genki. That's what I want. OH and he eats fish unlike Elder Anderson....so I can cook fish again! :)

 

Elder Low and Elder Chantry

 

 

 

I had the opportunity of Dendo-ing with Elder Tagawa and Elder Coehol. That was transfer day so I spent all day waiting in Nagasaki for our new companions. It was SOOO much fun. They are both super experienced missionaries and I learned so much. I guess that is the down side of being a trainer. I had WAY too much fun working with them. We taught with so much power and people were so interested. We even found a guy from Spain and Elder Coehol talked to him in Portuguese and the guy spoke in Spanish and somehow they understood each other.....It was SO fun. :)

 

Work in Isahaya is a little bit rough. We are getting rejected a lot. Standard missionary life. We taught a ton of lessons on the street and while housing, but nobody accepted the message. It's so heartbreaking seeing people who need the gospel so much...and then they shut it down. "We are Buddhist. We can never change. It's who we are." I am so sick of hearing that. I ask if they knew it was true, would they not change and they tell me it's impossible. It's so sad.

 

However, we will find the people that God is preparing for us. They are somewhere and we are praying and fasting to know where. As rough as it is being shut down and rejected, I love being a missionary. I always would joke and say I wanted to be a super hero when I grew up when I was a little kid.....but I kinda feel like one now. I wear a cool suit everyday, and I help people. It is the best. 

 

We aren't giving up.

Love,

Elder Low

So, I'm sorry you didn't get emails yesterday. Obviously, it's transfer week this week. I still don't know the news. I'm pretty freaked out. I really hope I get to stay District Leader. I seriously love being District Leader. Isahaya District is the best. We have seen so many miracles.

 

This week, I challenged all the missionaries in the district to a 40 day fast. A fast from all distractions. For example: waking up late. Another one is negative thoughts about the language. Yeah, I had an awesome district meeting and everyone was super pumped. This morning during reports, an elder told me that his Japanese just jumped way up and they found 4 investigators in 1 day. The District is killing it.

 

My District

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However, I'm really heartbroken that this transfer is ending. We have had so many great miracles with this district. I really hope I get to stay District leader. I love it here.

Our District spending P-day together in Nagasaki

 

We played soccer with some guys from Nepal

 

 

 

We had a great lesson with S. He really wants baptism......however, he has a couple issues. Actually A LOT of chastity issues. Things he really doesn't want to give up. He lives with his girlfriend and says he doesn't want to get married for 2 more years. So, we're working on that.

 

Did I ever tell you about F shimai? Well, she's a less-active and I love seeing her. She is SO lonely. She doesn't have anyone to talk to. The last missionaries that met her were sister missionaries ten years ago. I really think she'll come back to church soon. She always calls us to tell us how grateful she is that we visit her.

 

Ahhhh! I just love Isahaya. I hope I stay. I guess that might mean that it is time for me to transfer. ;) I don't know.

 

 

I saw the birthday video.......It was great. Also, tell Clint that his teeth will look WAY better when I get home....It will be worth it.....kinda. I hated braces so bad, but I'm glad I had them. Especially after meeting some of the people in Japan who don't see Dentists. Also. PRACTICE THE PIANO! I don't get enough time to play it out here and I miss it tons. You have got to keep it under your belt or you will regret it.

 

Here's something I came up with back in Nago.

 

This week's food moment

 

 

 

Anyway, I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Elder Low

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I had the craziest week. It was super busy and I feel tired. But that's good right?

Before I forget....I just want to say that I saw one of the most formally dressed men Out here in Japan.....and he was in the middle of a field sweeping the road. Out in the middle of nowhere.......He was wearing ....like...a three piece suit. Hahaha, only Japan. I wish I had a photo. It was great. I shook his hand and told him I thought he was sweet....He told me he didn't want to talk about Religion. Hahaha, so yeah.

Kids in our branch who live next door

"How are you?"

"Don't know.."

"Why do you always say that?"

"I think my head's on a little crooked."

"Do you want to ring the doorbell?"

"OK. Be right back."

So, I had to go to Nagasaki to give 2 Baptismal interviews. It was actually a really special Baptism. I got to be there, but had to run right afterwards to get home on time. It was a good one though.

We have a new Chinese investigator. He has lots of interest. He was telling us that right now in his life......There isn't a lot of things he likes. He just works and goes to school and he says he doesn't have a lot of purpose.......SO WE ARE PUMPED TO TEACH HIM! He's super cool. He has an accent that is a little hard to understand, but it's good.

Looks like you are all having too much fun! I hope Jon has a super happy birthday tomorrow.....I guess in two days for all of you.

Elder Tagawa's cooking experiment

Man, I don't really know what else to say about this week. I feel like I just worked my butt off....and now I'm super tired. However, today is district pday and we are going to Nagasaki. I'm glad I can just relax today. I'll send some photos. Keep sending them out for me!

I Love you all,
Elder Low

So, I watched the videos of you guys flying your new robot. My first thought was, "wow....my family are all such dorks...........I kinda want to try flying that thing though...." Haha, looks like fun.

 

However, I no longer recognize the voices of Sam or Clint.....kinda freaking me out.

 

So, this week we had three new investigators. One of them is named Saori. I told her my mom was named Saori and she flipped out. She seems really good. Also, we met two Chinese investigators. One is named Shu. Haha, apparently he called the Jehovah's Witnesses once to ask them about their church and they thought he meant "Shu" as in the Japanese word for The Lord.....A little Japanese humor but he's way interested in Christ.

 

The Sisters in Nagasaki have an investigator who is about to be baptized. She's a 14 year old girl. Her mom is a member but wanted her to choose to be baptized on her own and she's finally ready to be baptized. We are all really excited.

 

So, I'm a little on the edge right now. I'm worried, but I'm sure it will be ok. I had a crazy baptism study session yesterday. Read Moroni 8 and the district leader packet and PMG. It was kinda fun. :)

 

I have a really busy week this week and I'm super pumped. You may have noticed in my photos that I spent the last week with Tendonitis. I woke up last pday from a nap and couldn't move my wrist...It hurt SO bad. I had to go see a doctor from the mission. He told me to wrap it....so I looked kinda　funny all week. People kept asking me what I did and it was a great dendo tool.

 

Me with tendonitis

My companion with his favorite chocolate.

 

 

I also saw Elder Mormon Redd at zone taikai. That was a blast. We went up to Fukuoka and talked about the commitment process....kinda what we did in mission prep all the time. It was a nice review.

 

With Elder Redd

 

 

 

My MTC Group

Fukuoka

 

 

Food of the Week: Purunima Curry Restaurant

"All You Can Eat"

"Incredibly Delicious"

 

 

 

 

Anyway, that's all I have this week. I love you all and miss you.

Love,

Elder Low

Hello everyone! So, I'm not sick this week. That's pretty good!

 

Here are some pics of my sick day last week.

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Haha, however, we did have a bit of a rough week. I'm super grateful for Elder Anderson though. He's super good at keeping up a good attitude. I think he wrote "Kekkou me" ("Tell me 'No Thanks'") on my forehead though.....cuz we are getting denied a lot. It's ok though. We still had a cool miracle this week.

We had the Halloween party this week and we were in charge of planning it with a newly married couple in the branch. It was a blast.....but it was busy. I am glad we don't have to do it again this week, because we didn't have a ton of time to work. We put up all the decorations and stuff the night before and had to shop for treats......(Yeah, I'm taking credit for some of the treats.....but most of the cool stuff was the members)

 

 

At the Halloween Party

 

 

Also, a cool little miracle: Elder Anderson and I found a less active member that had not met missionaries for around ten years. I think I wrote a little about her before. Anyway, we focused on her a lot because we felt like she was a pretty lonely lady. So, we asked her to come to the Halloween party....and she did! She brought her daughter and her friend and they had a blast. It was the best! She was so happy with the branch and she was glowing. I was so happy.

At the party, the branch asked the missionaries to sing a song as "mummies," but we didn't have lots of time to prep......so we sang three blind mice in a minor key....yeah. It was really sad.

 

 

But Okajima Kaicho (Branch President) was super happy that we got her there because he had never met her. He is actually really happy about all the stuff we're doing. He's the best.

Also, yesterday, I gave a talk on Sunday.....They asked me to talk about the word of wisdom. Oh, and they asked me about an hour before church started. Haha, it was a really awkward talk. The members came to me and told me it was cute.......usually not a good sign. hahaha.

Other than that, we haven't had a lot going on. I am loving being a district meeting and tomorrow we are going to Fukuoka for a zone conference. I'm super pumped!

 

Adding new furniture for our two new elders

 

 

Really though, even though I keep on getting denied....I'm having so much fun. I have never been so motivated to work hard. I worry about the young men in the 8th Ward sometimes. I hope they all get on a mission. I wish I had prepared for this more when I was a deacon or a priest. I always wanted to go, but I didn't realize how big of a deal it is. Some of the people out here have NEVER even thought about God. They don't have any of the amazing blessings we get from this church.

I guess I kinda took it for granted when I was at home. We really have the happiest lifestyle on this earth and it is because we are so blessed by a Heavenly Father who loves us. We have the WHOLE truth.

I love this work and I'm working hard.

 

 

A Japanese Graveyard

 

 

 

 

I love you all and miss you.

Elder Low