July 29, 2013 - Crazy week. Things are looking great!

 

I had a lot happen this week so listen in carefullly.

 

First, training the bean. I didn't realize how much I could have improved my relationship with my last two companions until now. Yes, I got along with them and I love them both....but Elder Alger and I have so much fun working. He's a blast. His Japanese needs work but I'm so grateful that he laughs off his mistakes and keeps pushing forward. He doesn't get discouraged very easily which makes me want to work with him more. This week gave him lots of chances to be angry but he was great. Here we go!

 

On Monday, we spent P-day going to Okinawa to buy him a bike. He's been using a bike that belongs to a missionary who went home before Christmas. It's a piece of Junk. So we took a bus to Okinawa. The stupid bus took 3 hours though. It's normally an hour and a half but it was super long on Monday for some reason.

 

We finally got there and met the Williams couple and bought Elder Alger the same bike that I have. It's a good one. The Williams then drove us back to Nago (which only took 45 minutes by car) and then we worked hard that night.

 

The next day at District meeting, we went out to eat with the district. When Elder Alger and I walked back to the church to get our bikes, Elder Alger's bike had been slashed. Yep, he had the front tire slashed the day after he bought it. So today, we have to go buy him a new tire. On top of that, Elder Alger doesn't have any rain gear.....and on Tuesday, we had a crazy surprise rainstorm. It was so bad that the upper part of my shirt got soaked. I had my rain suit and everything. The rain just leaked down my neck all day.

 

Keep in mind that Elder Alger was still pretty happy and pushing hard the whole time.

 

One Wednesday, we taught Y-san. She committed to come to church finally, but canceled on Saturday. I was super bummed. On top of that, she's going to be in Kin every day from today until the 14th so we can't meet her. I told her I was still going to call and make sure she's doing good......but I'm really concerned about her....She's still very optimistic and keeping other commitments so that's good.

 

On Thursday, Elder Alger and I went down to Futenma to meet the President for a training meeting. It was awesome. I love being with President. THEN, after that, President had to go meet with the Stake President of Ginowan Stake so he assigned Me to go with Sister Gustafson and the Williams couple to translate for them for the day. Sister Gustafson had to go talk to some of the sister missionaries in Okinawa and then I had to help her check into a hotel. That was SCARY. I don't know any hotel vocabulary. It went ok though. After that, the Williams took us back to Nago to meet President and our investigator M-san so that President could interview him one last time.

 

President showed up while we were teaching Eikaiwa. The Stake President drove him up to Nago. I went and grabbed M-san and showed President a room that he could interview M-san in. After that, I asked if the Stake President was going to sit in on the interview as well. Then President said, "No....you are".

 

I was kinda surprised. I had to leave Elder Alger to teach Eikaiwa which kinda scared him but he did fine. Miyagi was very open with President and at the end of the interview President turned to me and asked why we were still waiting for him. He's ready and anyone can see it.

 

So we'll have a baptism this week. :) As the President left, he shook my hand and told me that he was really impressed with me which made my Dendo Fire go through the roof. It was an excellent day.

 

That's the big stuff of our week though. I'm having a lot of fun with Elder Alger. Good things are happening. My biggest concern is Elder Alger's Japanese. But he'll learn. He always says, "I can't Sprekkin" (I don't know how to spell that exactly but....he's so fun).

 

A dang good bowl of Ramen. (Click on any photo to enlarge)

With Elder Alger

 

We'll keep working hard. I also bought a pair of machine washable pants and I LOVE them. :) I got the package from Clint. Thank you so so much.  :)

 

Thanks for sending the new tie.

We had the Nago festival which had lots of fireworks. It's kinda hard taking a picture of fireworks.....it's like taking a picture of a movie. Makes me miss 4th of July.

 

 

Love,

Elder Low

July 22, 2013 - Training a bean . . . it's crazy

The Night before transfers. Last night with ALL the Okinawa Elders. It was so much fun. :)

 

 

Some ice cream and hot fudge we had that night. :)

 

The reason I'm making that face with Elder Sugimoto is Elder Hammond was behind me trying to make me laugh.....It kinda looks like I'm angry though

With Elder Zimmerman

Me and My Zone Leader Elder Yamanashi

 

 

 

I would go buy pants today but I have to go to Okinawa to buy my bean's bike...so let me tell you about him.

 

His name is Elder Alger. He's from Eugene, Oregon and he's a pretty great guy. He's still getting used to the fact that he's in Japan. He's kinda quiet, but I'm trying my best to make sure he's smiling lots. I remember my first week was rough. I think he's doing good though. As far as his Japanese .......it..... needs help. It actually wears me out because I have to do most of the talking. It's a little diffficult but it's helping my language tons.

 

Elder Alger and I both had talks yesterday. The subject was Kami no Yogensha (prophets). It was really difficult for me. It was even worse for Elder Alger. I felt they both went pretty well though. Elder Alger gave a brief testimony and I talked about the prophets words in the last year about missionary work and member work (because our members don't help us a lot). It went well. After the talk, a couple members set up some dinner appointments. :)

 

M-san has a baptimal interview with the Mission president on Thursday. I called the Bishop and told him that we wanted to be prepared for the baptism on the following Sunday.

 

P-san is gone. We can't get a hold of him at all. We can't go to his house because it's on the college campus and we can't go. He won't answer his phone. It's heartbreaking. I feel like we should have been more bold but at the same time I feel like we did everything we could. He just....stopped.

 

Y-san had a great-ish lesson this week. The lesson was on Obedience. We started talking about it and she brought up the word of wisdom. Then our Joint-members started talking out about it.  At that point, I realized that she doesn't have a strong enough relationship with her Savior to do that yet and that maybe we should have talked more about Jesus Christ. We committed her to continue reading and praying and she's excited to do so.  BUT Y-san also said she wants to be baptized but that she's just not ready to commit.....so that's good. :)

 

Other than that, our other investigators are struggling to keep commitments and to meet. It's a little rough, but we're having fun in Nago......It's hot but fun. Elder Alger was pretty surprised by the heat.....and the language. He's a great elder though and I'm excited to train him.

 

The language is still difficult. I feel like only crazy people speak Okinawan Hogan though. Basically, we'll contact them and then they get really mad.......AND I don't have a clue what they are saying. Then Elder Alger asks why they are mad and all I can do is say "Hogan". We don't hear Hogan a lot though.

 

That's all I have for this week though. I would love to see pics of Clint.

 

I'll keep working hard.

Love you all,

Elder Randy Kazuhiro Low