April 29, 2013 - Another week goes by

 

Congrats to Jake and Jess for graduating. It looks like it was quite a fun time. I wish I could have been with you.

 

So, not much to report on this week. Elder Gandy and I still just bike around and talk to people. Not a lot of people respond. Our only hope for investigators is college students because they haven't lived here as long as everyone else in Nago that have met the missionaries a million times.

 

Also, transfers were this week. President sent my best friend in the mission, Elder Chung away. I was really bummed. He was the only other person in my zone who couldn't speak Japanese. He flew to Japan with me and now I'm the baby of the district. We have two new bean missionaries, but they are both native and can speak fluently....obviously. On the other hand, my district leader just finished his mission so we got a new district leader: Elder Kurose from Hokkaido. He was my zone leader last transfer, but now he's my district leader and he's training a bean. I'm super excited. He's an amazing missionary and the coolest guy.

We are done with all the lessons with M-san. He's beginning to change. He's a lot happier and he is getting along with the ward. This week's big project is getting him a baptismal date.

Also, we're still teaching our investigator from China. We teach him in English so that's always a pleasure. He's amazing. He has a huge desire to do good and he was freaking out when we told him that Joseph Smith was killed. Haha, he actually had a problem believing in Joseph Smith. I told him that the only way that he could know for sure was by reading the Book of Mormon, but I also mentioned that I didn't think Joseph Smith would endure all he did if he was just making everything up. He really wants to know more about Joseph Smith so we're going to watch the Joseph Smith movie with him.

I really am trying to send pictures. They are super stubborn. But I have them. I'm doing my best. Click on any photo to enlarge:

 

 

Our Zone trip to the bowling alley where I won the contest last week.

 

 

The Okinawa Zone

At Nakijin Castle

The beach in Okinawa

 

 

I'll keep working hard and I love you all.

Love,

Elder Low

April 23,2013

I'm really sorry that this has taken so long to get to you. Nobody told me that P-day this week was going to be on Tuesday until Sunday evening. I'm just glad I didn't miss mom's birthday! I hope it's great and I miss you mom!

 

Other news, I loved all the photos from you! I hope I can get more photos to you. I wish I could have been at the family party. Those are the best. I miss everyone tons!

 

News from here: We have had a rough week. Let me start from a week ago

 

We had our zone p-day which was a blast. We all went bowling and I won this huge prize thing. The entire bowling alley shut down for a few minutes while this guy came out and said that the first person to get a strike would get a huge prize. The lights all went down and lazers were shooting (totally Japanese style) and then we began.....I was the first person to throw the ball....and my first ball was a strike. The lights came back on and the guy ran over to me and I got my picture taken in this huge Bowling pin suit and I have my picture on the wall at the alley and I got some fun other stuff! I'll try and send you pictures. It was way funny.

 

Then we returned to Nago. Elder Gandy's bike has had a puncture the entire week so we walked all week long....which is rough in Nago because it takes about 30 minutes by bike to get into the city. I've been super stressed because we wouldn't see people for such a long time and then when we finally did, they would just reject us.

 

Here's the good news this week. We taught our investigator from China and it was super successful. At the beginning of the lesson he told us about the bombing in Boston (which is super scary) and then we taugh him about Joseph Smith and the importance of the Book of Mormon and praying to know if it is true. When we closed we didn't have the chance to ask if we could pray. He just said "Would it be alright if we pray right now....maybe we can ask God to help the people in Boston". Elder Gandy and I were shocked....He's amazing.

 

We walked in the rain for a few hours on Saturday (If I didn't have my rain suit I would have been 100% wet). It was extremely unsuccessful, but we did run into one guy that ran back into his house after we gave him a BOM and he came back with towels. He told us that He would read the book and said that he admired us and thought we were amazing and that he could tell our message was from the heart. He was the sweetest man and he kept apologizing for not being able to give us more. BUT HE GAVE US TOWELS! He was way too kind.

 

Other than that, today, a member took us to Nakijin castle site.

 

Nakijin Castle ruins, from the 14th Century

 

 

It was way cool....but I really want to get out and Dendo because we only have 2 investigators and one of them is not progressing. I don't know. I'll keep working hard.

 

I miss you all and hope this school year is ending well.

 

Love,

Elder Low

April 15, 2013

Lots to talk about this week.

First, I told you that the president told us to spread Eikaiwa (English Class). Well, we did, but there was lots of confusion so we weren't able to go to Ishikawa and help the elders down there. BUT on Tuesday we had the Zone Leaders and the Ishikawa elders come up here and they helped us pass out 2200 flyers in 4 hours. It was crazy. We talked to everyone and it was tons of fun.

 

2200 flyers (Click photo to enlarge)

Our sign advertising the class

 

 

Then this last Friday we came down to Futenma for General Conference. There are six Elders staying the the Futenma apartment right now. It's crazy! So fun though. And yes...Conference was amazing. We are actually still down here because we have a Zone P-day today. I'm stoked! It'll be so fun to be with the entire zone.

 

A couple things I wanted to tell you about that were kinda important

 

1: We had Conference and our investigator came down. He's still not retaining a lot but he has such a desire to be part of the ward. On Sunday we ate lunch as a ward and he was just another one of the members. It's the first time that's happened since I met him. He just has trouble learning. We don't set up any appointments or ask him to come to church. He does that on his own.....We just got to keep praying about him and see how things work out with him.

 

2. I got to go on splits with Elder Ogita.....He speaks very little English. It was Awesome! I feel like the language is finally coming along. But anyway, here's the situation that happened. We went to a door in the pouring rain, (in our rain suits of course) and a man answered with a smile. We then told him that we were misisonaries for The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints. His smile disappeared. He told us to leave because he knew who we were. I asked what he knows about Mormons. He said he doesn't know who the Mormons are. He only knew Christians. Then I asked him what he knows about Christian Churches. He then yelled at us and told us that we were terrible people that murder and killed people. I was shocked. I said that our church doesn't do that. Then his wife came over and said something along the lines of There are not more horrible people on this earth than us and that we should be ashamed of ourselves and that this world would be a better place if we were gone. Then they slammed the door.

 

That happened last night. It's been bugging me ever since. She doesn't know us. I just wish she could give us a chance. I hated it. She didn't let us speak and until she found out were Christians, she was totally genki. So, I've really been thinking about that.

 

Anyway, no much else happened. Conference was more fun than the Super Bowl though. I loved it. It's weird....I'm kinda sad about Sister Dalton and the presidency being replaced even though I was never in the Young Women's program. Haha

 

How's the house doing? I'm missing the house and my car.....but this is getting to be too much fun. I'm actually speaking Japanese now. It's really broken and sometimes people look at me like an idiot but it's fun. I got a letter from Sarah Parker. That was so nice of her. I need to write her back. I don't have tons of time this P-day though cuz we're about to head over to the zone p- day.

 

Anyway, I love you all and I'm going to buy a new card reader this week. Also, hopefully a Dictionary. I know the one I want now.

 

A really great bowl of ramen

View of Nago

 

I'm doing great. I hope you all are too.

Love,

Elder Randy Kazuhiro Low