So, I really don't know what to say. I kinda feel sick. I'm saying goodbye to Japan and finally going home.....however I don't really feel like I belong at home. It's a really scary thing.

Anyway, this last week I have been working hard as ever. I start getting excited about listening to music and being able to take my tie off....but I love working here in Japan. I don't want to lose this connection that I finally found with my mother country. I love these people and the culture and the language.

However, the one thing about this country that makes my heart hurt is the lack of Christmas.....mostly the lack of Christianity, but Christmas has always been the best time of the year for me. EVERYONE is happy. People in Japan just hate the cold and seem a little down. SO, it's a great time of year to be a missionary. We are going around and giving out Book of Mormon's as Christmas presents again and inviting people to try getting into the Christmas spirit. Haha, it's kinda fun. I kinda feel like Buddy the Elf. "Christmas is the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world!"

In other news, we have been working with our investigator T san. I know that mom said to stay away, but get this: we had a crazy miracle. We have been teaching her about God and church and how she can rely on God to overcome her trials. AND she quit her job. She says she wants to change her life and be a better person. Whatever her job was, she's done and wants to be better. The Branch knows her situation and how what kinda work she's been doing and we're going to try and help her get back on the road. She's had a pretty awful background.

Other than that, I had the most famous Ramen in all of Tamana.....and possibly all of Kyushu. It's a tiny little place run by a family and it's been around for YEARS. The Ramen stinks....like literally. It smells SOOO bad. I was shocked when I walked into the shop. Also, there is no menu. You get Ramen....or more Ramen. Pictures are against the rules. The Ramen recipe is a huge secret. It was like visiting the Queen of England....I didn'T know what was allowed and what wasn't.

Then they brought out the ramen. It was the most unreal experience of my life. You know the seen at the end of Ratatouille, where the Critic takes the first bite of his meal and the camera zooms into his eyes and he has the flashback of his childhood. Yeah, it was kinda like that. It was Way freaking good. I'm so blessed to have been able to eat Tamana ramen.

Well, I think that's it. I "Weekly planned" for when I go home. I already set goals and made plans for when I'm getting job and stuff like that. ;) I'm going to work my hardest and then see what happens when I get back. I'm so grateful for the support I've had on my mission. I didn't have the money really to pay for this experience and I'm so grateful that I had such wonderful parents to help me out. Thank you for every single letter and email throughout it all. All the packages. I know mom spent a lot of money and time on each one. I love you all and I'll see you in a few days.

Love,

Elder Low

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