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

March 25, 2013 - Week 2

Pictures of Nago

 

 

So, I always start these letters and don't answer your questions. So, first of all, I bought a bike. It's really nice but hard to take care of because of the humiditiy. I'm working on it though. I love the foood........was that even a question. Haha, honestly, it's better than anything ESPECIALLY the MTC.

 

So, big news this week. We went to zone meeting this week. There was two big announcements. The first was this: There are now 112 missionaries in the Fukuoka mission. By November, there will be over 240 missionaries. Yeah, so the whole meeting was about how we ALL need to prepare to be trainers. That totally freaked me out. What the HECK! They said it will be about 3 transfers and all of us will probably be trainers. I have got to get this language down!

 

The other announcement was that we are now free to email friends. The area seventy made a huge announcement. So, no. I'm not breaking rules. You could probably find out on the internet or something. I would really appreciate some email addresses of my friends. That would be super nice.

 

Elder Gandy and I were in the top 10 in contacting numbers in the mission for this week. It was nuts! However, finding is super hard. The residents of Nago are either leaving or have lived here for years. We only have three investigators right now and now of them have baptismal dates anymore. Also, fun fact, my bishop made the receipes for all the Teriyaki Stix. He cooked lunch for us after church once. He's the bomb.

 

Nago has lots of "interesting people." We run into them daily. The biggest one is actaully a celebrity on Okinawa. He rides around Okinawa on a motorcycle and sits under bridges waving pom poms. He has a helemet with hundreds of flowers on it. You could probably google him because everyone knows him.

 

Yes, it was easy to find a picture of him on Google...

 

 

We went and talked to him. He was super nice. He told us that he doesn't believe in religion and he wants to start a religion of natural science. He says he plans to live to one hundred million years old so that he can prove that there is no God. Other than that, he was super nice and he says he loves talking to missionaries because then he gets to speak English.

 

That was tons of fun though. I'm really sad about Elder Wirthlin. I really miss him.....but there is a good chance that I could be his trainer. That would be a miracle. Also, it's super rainy here. Luckly, I have a SICK rain suit. Thank you so much for sending that. It's been a life saver. The rain is HEAVY. It is also super sudden. in two seconds, you can be baptized in rain and not know it.

 

Anyway, that's all for this week.

 

Me and Brother Brinley, my MTC teacher

 

Love,

Elder Low

March 18, 2013 - First Week in Japan

Hello!

It's nuts over here! I'm don't really know how to begin. I really have had so much traveling the last week that there isn't a TON to report on. Let me begin.

So, I left on Monday morning to the airport and called mom and dad. It was so crazy to hear your voices. I really loved it. Then we got on the plane and left for Seattle. Everyone in my group is so cool! I love my Doki. :)

We landed in Seattle and we were there for a few hours. I had the chance to speak to a few Japanese people with Elder Otani (one of the Native Japanese Elders). It was so fun. I still have lots to learn, but I felt like I was understanding a lot of the Japanese being spoken. We also had our first meal that wasn't MTC food! It was tasted SOOoooo good. I was in heaven.

Then, we had our ten hour plane ride all the way over to Japan. It was kinda hard to not turn on a movie. The guy next to me was only watching movies with vampires.....hahaha, he was watching Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer and Breaking Dawn Part Two. I thought it was funny....cuz he was like....50 or something. It was kinda awkard sitting by him. He also really didn't want to let me out of the row to go to the bathroom, but eventually he let me go. Otherwise, it was a pretty good flight.

When we landed in Tokyo, I was so so so happy. Everyone else was exhausted, but I was too excited. I remember landing in that airport 6 years ago. I was having trouble sitting still. THEN we found out that our flight was delayed because there was a Typhoon and we couldn't fly to Fukuoka quite yet. Haha, yeah, so we spent another two hours in Tokyo.

We finally left for Fukuoka and I slept the entire flight. We landed at about 11:30. It was really late. The APs and the President and his wife were waiting there for us. They took us back to the Honbu. Man, that was the coolest thing EVER. We were sleeping underneath the Fukuoka Temple. It was also a really nice house. The president is one of the nicest people. His wife is way cool too. She had me and some other Elders do some chores around the house the next day......It was actually way fun. I miss homey chores.

So, now I'm in Nago and my companions name is Elder Gandy. He's really nice. and yes......it's pretty hot. But it's pretty. My big worry though: People in Nago have a heavy heavy dialect.....Yeah. The Native missionaries have trouble understanding them. That scene in "The Best Two Years" where Elder Calhoon says "That's not the language they taught me in the MTC"....yeah. That's me right now. IT IS SOOO HARD! They also talk super fast and have a heavy accent. It kinda sounds like spanish. I feel really dumb.

Anyway, I don't have tons of time. I love you all and I will send more pictures soon.

Love,

Elder Randy Kazuhiro Low

March 5, 2013 - Last week in MTC

Here's what happened over here. We got a new group of Natives last monday. They are so awesome. We only speak Japanese to them and they are hilarious.

 

With the natives

 

The Japanese is coming along. I really hope that by the time we leave the MTC we'll be able to speak. Jon says he has been taught by Watanabe shimai a couple times. She's really cool. She's a really good speaker. Her Japanese is really good. For my TRC, I got to teach Brother Brinley. It was so so awesome. He's been one of my best friends here. He's a great teacher and he's taught me so much. Also, yesterday was the last time my teacher Tingey Shimai was teaching. It was really sad. She is one of two teachers that served in the Fukuoka mission. She was also a really good Progressing investigator. It was so fun to teach her. Except, I think i'd rather teach real people. Haha. I'm so excited to go.

 

The District with Sister Tingey

We leave on Monday, and we fly to Seattle.

President Mills came and talked to all the Japanese missionaries about how they need to change their expectations of the mission. We all think that we're going to get no baptisms and that the Japanese people won't listen. He told us all that we were wrong and that we need to fix our expectations. It was really powerful and now I'm super super excited to leave.

Make sure Clint knows that I wish him a happy birthday. Twelve is a big number. I'm sure he'll still be passing the sacrament when I come home because there won't be a lot of deacons.

I hope mom's school is going well!

So, yeah. Elder Wirthlin hurt his leg. Really bad. He has four more weeks here. He's so disappointed. I'm so disappointed. He keeps telling himself that he leaves on Monday, but the doctor says he has to wait for another four weeks.

Anyway, I'm sorry this letter is short. I'm short on time. I love you all. I'm doing great. I can't wait to get out of here.

Love,

Elder Randy Kazuhiro Low