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

July 16, 2013 - Waiting For Transfer Calls

Today, our transfer calls are supposed to come. I have the phone sitting next to me right now and I'm FREAKING out!! This is my third transfer in Nago so it is very very likely that I leave. However, President said he wanted me to train this transfer and I don't know if he trusts me enough to whitewash an area. That's a LOT of work! I'll do whatever he asks.....but it's terrifying waiting. If we're still in the church when the call comes, we'll let you know.

First order of business, I found some things that I could use. First, a family photo album would be nice. I realize that I only have the ones from email. maybe some pictures of all of us in disneyland or things like that. Something to think about.

 

Also......I hate to do this to you, but it's so hot out here and we sweat.....a lot. I was thinking, maybe I need some machine washable pants. What do you think? Let me know.

 

I hope Clint is having a good time. I had a dream that He and Grandma surprise attacked me here in Nago. I hope he's having lots of fun.

 

Also, I got Jake's engagement photos. Looking Slick. Kinda weird thinking that it's really happening and that I won't be there:( but looks like they are super happy. So that's awesome!

 

Ok, enough of all that. Here's what's been going on this week:

 

First, I have Jon's card. I've taken good care of it. I'll send it soon.

 

Today, I'm a little late because Elder Jolly and I went out to eat Sushi with a ward member. Yes, you'll get some photos of it (and I got a haircut as soon as I returned to Nago. Elder Jolly and I both needed it bad). It was super good. Elder jolly kinda struggled with the Natto sushi. I liked it though. Mom would be so proud. I actually eat it for breakfast every morning. Somebody told me it's really good for your skin so I decided to get used to eating it. It's kinda grown on me.....which scares me because you can't really eat it in the states. I won't know what to eat for breakfast when I get home!!!

 

Eating Sushi. Click any photo to enlarge

 

Note the squid embryo sushi...

 

 

 

This week, our numbers were a little.....low. We had splits in Ishikawa this week. It was so fun, but that killed a whole day of Dendo. Also, we had a training meeting about working with the wards in Okinawa on thursday. It was a good training, but it also killed our numbers.

 

The day in Ishikawa, I worked with Sugimoto Choro. He's a BOSS. He can't speak english, but it was so fun. He's only on his second transfer, but he's an amazing missionary. We just barely heard that he is transferring to Hiroshima.....We still don't know where we're going.

 

With Elder Sugimoto

 

 

Sorry, this email is kinda crazy. I'm freaking out right now because I WANT TO KNOW WHERE I'M GOING!

 

Ok! Despite the fact that we had low numbers, the ratio was pretty good. We found 3 new investigators this week. One of them was a woman who said she used to have a religion. Mahikari is that name of the religion. I know Jon is super familiar with it.

 

Also, we continued with Y-san. She's doing a great job of keeping her commitments. She is amazing. She's been reading and praying every day. She said that she feels closer to baptism. She says she's considering it now. We're giving her a date this week. We would have given her one earlier, but we had the whole ward problem. We're really excited to work with her towards baptism.....that is if I don't transfer (still don't know).

 

We had Sister H take us out to lunch earlier this week. At lunch, she corrected me for using a scripture that Jesus gave to his apostles. She said that it wasn't for us. It was for his apostles. Haha, I thought it was kinda strange. (It was in 3 Nephi 13:28-30)

 

Anyway, that's been our week. Yes, I'm drinking lots of water. I carry about three water bottles to last me from 12:00 till 5:00 and then three more to last from 5:00 to 9:00. It's so hot and I always feel disgusting because we're always sweating.

 

I emailed first today so you might get transfer info in about an hour. If not, I'm really sorry. It should come in the next hour.

 

I love you all.

Elder Randy Kazuhiro Low

 

This just in: Transfer news:

I am..........................

 

Not transferring. BUT!! I am.............

 

TRAINING! I'm getting an american bean this thursday. I'm kinda nervous, but it will be a great experience. The President just called and said that he really needed me to stay in transfer because we are getting 13 elders and 16 sisters. CRAZY! Anyway, gotta run. I love you all.

July 8, 2013 - Hot in Nago!

So, I didn't have time to respond to a lot last week. Sorry about that. We had Zone P-day. First of all, it is hot. I know you were saying that you checked Nago and that it is 83 degrees or something. Yeah, that's crap. I don't know where you looked up that weather but that sounds like it would be beautiful right now. At about midnight, our little thermometer in our room gets below 95. It's hot and humid and I think I do laundry every day. We have to take showers up to three times a day. It's almost always above 95 if not 100 degrees. I've never been so hot in my entire life. I never thought that having the water heater off is still too hot to shower in. It is HOT!

 

So, our P-day was a blast, but we had some problems. The P-day was all the Okinawan missionaries. The Ginowan zone and the Naha zone. It was lots of fun.....but one elder broke his wrist right before the p-day. He got hit by a car and broke his wrist. It was pretty bad. He sat in the heat while the Williams couple drove around Okinawa looking for him. Poor Elder Grimmer has to have surgery tomorrow for his wrist.

 

The Ginowan zone....and the food. The poor Williams couple did so much for us AND had to deal with Elder Grimmer's arm. They are the best. P.S. they are from Fruit Heights. They keep telling me that when I get home they want to take me to Wingers.

 

 

A self timer photo on the beach of Okinawa. Everyone got crazy sunburned.....except the Nihonjin......and Elder Low. Just looking really dark. :)

 

Me and Elder Hammond (ZL) on the beach.

 He's pretty much the best!

 

 

Then, this week, four missionary bikes were stolen. Don't worry, mine wasn't one of them because I lock my bike. Unfortunately, two of the bikes WERE locked. Those two bikes were the two Okinawan sisters bikes. And another one of the bikes was Elder Grimmer's.......yeah, he had a really rough week this week. The fourth bike was my district leader's...........he just didn't lock it. Haha.

 

So, bad news this week. I think we've lost one of our investigators. He stopped coming to church and he told us to cancel his baptismal date. He doesn't want to think about life after death or baptism he "just want to keep praying and meeting on Wednesdays". Then, on Wednesday, he left a message on our phone ten minutes before our appointment and told us that he's tired and isn't coming. When I called him back to try to schedule another day, he told me "I'll just see you next Wednesday, k?" Needless to say, I'm pretty disappointed. He was getting so excited and I KNOW he's felt the Spirit.

 

On the Up-side, we have another who is going SOOO well. She still hasn't come to church because of her sick mother but she is keeping all her commitments and always getting excited to meet. She says "It always brightens my day". Although she's moving very slow (because she still can't come to church) she's moving. And if it keeps up, she'll get baptized for sure. The sad thing is I'll probably transfer before that happens. Do you realize that I've spent this WHOLE time in Nago?

 

I'm on transfer three which is usually the killer. By the way, next week is transfer calls so my p-day will be on Tuesday. So, we'll see what happens. Maybe I'll be an eternal Nago missionary. A lot of missionaries on Okinawa have been here FOREVER. My zone leader spent five transfers in Futenma and now is the ZL and has been for the last 3 transfers. He only has six more months on his mission. He's had 3 areas total. Two of them have been on Okinawa. I might be on this island for longer than I expected.

 

We have another investigator who will be baptized this month. When this month? I'm not sure yet. However, if he gets more excited, he might die. Haha, he tells EVERYONE. He's a delivery man and we saw him talking to this man by the bus stop......he was talking about his baptism and how excited he is. Hahaha, he makes me smile. I'm really excited for him.

 

Anyway, that's this week. Next week, I have a day in Ishikawa, a day in Okinawa, and not a lot of free time to Dendo.....which is weird. Usually we just ride our bikes around for hours in the heat. I'm really excited for it and can't wait to tell you all about it.

 

Me and Elder Monson.

 

 

Until next week. I love you all

Elder Low

June 4, 2013

At Nago Falls

Click on any photo to enlarge.

 

 

Another week in Nago gone by...but I'm dying right now. Today, we receive our transfer calls and I'm getting so anxious! Elder Gandy and I pretty much hate everything about waiting for transfer calls. A lot of people in the zone know what's going on because they found out early from President. I feel like everyone in the zone knows what they are doing except Elder Gandy and I. Also, we have NO idea what's going to happen. Last transfer, we were both pretty sure that we weren't going anywhere......and we didn't.....but now we don't know.

 

So, the rain has been so mild recently that we don't put on our rainsuits......that sounds really dumb, but we usuallly get more wet from sweat than rain when we put on our rainsuits. Yeah.....the weather is pretty much the worst part of the mission right now. It's really hard. Haha, we usually take two or three showers a day because.....we have to.

 

This last week, we had Stake conference. At stake conference, President Gustafsen came with two general authorities. The only two Japanese general Authorities. Elder Aoyagi and Elder Nakatsuka. They were really awesome. Also, we had our investigators at Stake Conference. One of them drove us. He's really progressing. I hope I can stay in Nago so that I can Baptize him. :)

 

I talked to president about Elder Wirthlin. He's super excited for him to come......but I'm freaking out right now. I can't wait! My zone is going to have four beans.....so there is slots that Elder Wirthlin can fill!! If he's in my zone, that would be so awesome.

 

Really quickly.....you said that I probably won't be Elder Wirthlin's trainer.... I was thinking I wouldn't go trainer this transfer, but President called Elder Gandy and said there was a mix up in the Honbu and long story short, he was wondering if Elder Gandy thinks I'm ready to be a trainer........That's another reason why Elder Gandy and I are freaking out right now. I might have to go trainer. I'm super nervous. However, on the upside, I'm super happy that President even considered me to be a trainer.

 

Other than that, not a lot happened this last week.

 

This work is really moving along. In district meeting, we had our farewell to Elder Kurose and it was so so sad. He had everyone bear their testimonies. He's an amazing missionary and I'm very grateful I had the chance to work with him. Haha, I also was very happy that I could understand what he was saying. The gift of tongues is working miracles out here.

 

With Elder Kurose

 

 

The spirit of coming on a mission is really strange. I never thought that I could feel like I'm constantly feeling the spirit. It's amazing and all thsoe who still are not planning on going on a mission......if they don't come, they are missing on the biggest testimony builder possible. I'm so grateful for all the prayers from home and I guess you'll all find out what's happenening with transfers soon.

With the District at the Aquarium

Elder Kurose made Kimchi Nabe

It was sooo good.

 

Okinawa Shaved Ice

 

 

Love,

Elder Low

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