Slow week for investigators. It's time to "find."

光陰矢の如しですよね！さいきんはすごく早いですが楽だよ！ちょっと、皆さんのＥメールに自分の漢字を待って下さい。だれも分からないとおもしろいですね (; 愛しっているよ！！

Hisashiburi desuyo ne!!  I miss you lots!  This week has been pretty good.  Well, pretty good と言うか、ふつです。Pretty normal.  Actually really annoying between none of our investigators answering their phones and a misunderstanding with a member... There's been almost no contact with Takahisa Kun and its making me really sad.  I saw Elder Hibino last week and his last words were telling me to take care of our golden person.  But I guess in the end we need to remember that annoying little thing, agency. (; Whether or not a person accepts the message is up to them.  But I'm just so sad because I know how happy it will make him, and I have no idea why he stopped meeting with us because its been over a month seen we've seen him last.  I know he is a very busy college student, so we're not losing hope!  Please keep him in our prayers.

I guess I don't have a whole lot to say this week... This might be a slightly shorter email (:\

So, although we haven't been able to meet with our investigators, we have had quite the experiences with helping members this week.  First we went to visit a member named Brother Sugiyama.  We rang the door bell and his son/business partner poked their heads out of different doors (big house!) and told us he wasn't going to be home until much later because he had a busy day.  Just then, his car pulled up and we were able to help him with quite a few things, fellowship his mother, meet his inactive son who is almost never home, and then share a message to which he was able to respond with a really powerful testimony (which is actually our hope with talking to members, because the more we get them to bear testimony, the more opportunities they have to feel the spirit :) and he told us he felt much much better after having the chance to talk with us.  He'd had an extremely long and stressful day and was driving all over Japan for work/church business.  The miracle in this, is that if we had arrived just a single minute early, we would have missed him and assumed he wouldn't be home until late because of what his son thought.  We happened to be running just a couple minutes late ourselves, and it was a miracle we caught him when we did.

Second miracle is much simpler: at family night this last Friday, a member with heavy depression who hasn't been to church has just decided to start coming again.  He lives almost an hour and a half away on bike and he rides a bike to church on Friday's and Sundays now.  Anyway, he wasn't talking to anyone, but after starting a conversation with him and asking some questions which seemed random at the time, but now I realize were inspired, he expressed a strong desire to go to the temple and to feel happy again.  We've begun working with him to make his wish come true!

So, more along the lines of a simple travel-log, I had my first real Indian Curry with Naan (the HUGE peace of bread you use instead of utensils,) and it was one of my favorite foods of ALL TIME.  I hope I get to eat lots more Indian curry before long (;

I didn't take any other pictures this week, so... well, I took this one of me writing in my journal!  Guess what!? I'm almost finished with my brown journal, and I'm about to start on the super cool turquoise one!!

We talked to our district leader this week and told him about not having any luck contacting our investigators and I asked for his advice.  Without hesitation, he said, "Find."

This week is going to be a lot of finding, so please pray for us (:\

Lastly, I love how you mentioned President Anderson's quote (Obedience brings blessings; exact obedience brings miracles), because this week I've really been focusing on improving Exact Obedience.  Anyway, please pray for me and my companion.  I need your prayers.  Love you lots!!

スタウト長老! ^o^

Elder Stout! :D

Temple P-day

Heyo! :D

Sorry, I forgot to mention last week that there's been a change in the temple p-day schedule: instead of going as a big group of Sisters and then Elders, we go by Zones now.  So, my temple p-day came early.  Sorry!  That's why I'm late sending this email.

Yeah, Narita got SUPER cold recently! ("Mecha Samue," as Elder Kitagaki used to say, but I don't know if that kinda slang is appropriate ;) I definitely was not prepared for biking so much in this kinda weather, but I bought some gloves, and I wear my sweater and scarf every single day.  The sweater is pretty tacky because it wasn't made for a Sunday Shirt, but we make due with what we can (; Plus the scarf usually covers it up ok!  I've been meaning to buy this stuff called "Heat Tech" which is apparently way warm long-john type stuff Elder Kitagaki (er, I mean, Brother Kitagaki,) always told me to get but we never had time for.  But I mean, winter's almost over and I'm still alive... although, if I go to Niigata, like I plan to for Grandpa, I'm gonna need to buy a lot more winter clothes (;

Things with Elder Crosby are awesome!  He's the nicest guy.  It’s still super weird not having a Japanese man with me 24/7.  I feel a lot less on edge all the time knowing that my companion understands every word I know, but at the same time, I really think my Japanese comprehension skills' acceleration has begun to slow.  We've had a lot of fun together!  He makes this really good stuff called Okonamiyaki, which is like bacon and cabbage in pancakes... SO GOOD!  I'm sure you've had it (:  He's so funny and knows so much about the gospel that I'm really rusty on!  (I think he was a better seminary student than me.)  He's also going on his last 3 transfers, so he has a lot of experience and a lot to share when I ask for advice.  Honestly, I should ask for it more: 1) I know that he has a lot to say to help me 2) I know it makes him feel good when I ask.

Funny side-comment, when I don't have time to share the gospel with someone on the train, sometimes I'll just ask them for directions to start a quick conversation, complement them, and then leave them happier than I found them!  Because spontaneous compliments are the best kind, and plus they give an opportunity to serve a stranger in a super easy way, and that makes everyone feel good.

Americans get a lot more distracted talking to each other than one Nihonjin and one American, though.  So, that's been a bit of a trial thus far in the transfer.  But I absolutely LOVE our apartment "kankei" (relationship)! Everyone is so funny.  Elder Cardon is the other new Elder, and he's absolutely historical (that's how cool kids say hysterical.  AKA, spell-check is a cool kid.)  He laughs at everything, so he makes everyone feel good about themselves.  It’s also really nice to have Elder Jacob's around: I can always talk to him about the good times and we have lots of inside jokes whenever one of us needs to laugh.

I love getting to talk to lots of people, but I am still struggling with this language so hard.  I have this special talent where I can listen to an old man talk while saying, "Uh.  Uh... Hai... Uuuh~Uuh.... Hai.  Uh.  So desuyo ne!!  Haha!  Hai.  Unn..." after catching nothing more than maybe 1 in every 20 words and reading his expressions, and keep him going for well over 20 minutes.  I know it's a talent because I've done it 3 times this week.  Nobody can tell that I don't understand them except me, but it makes me so frustrated!!!!  I can talk well enough (kinda...), but understanding others... Esh.  I'm so bad at it.  I know I need to be patient because I'm brand new, but Japanese just feels smooth to my ear now.  I listen to every word and my brain tells me I should understand it, but there's just an empty space in my mind where absolutely nothing got from their head to mine.  But everyone thinks I understand them... and sometimes Elder Crosby just lets me handle old men who basically speak Kego when I don't even understand children.... its tough.  But those are just my absolute worst feelings on the matter, I love that people think I'm fluent, and I love that my companion trusts me so much!  And I love having to throw myself out there, because I relied WAY too much on my last companions.  That was definitely a weakness I'm improving.  Anyway, I'm holding out for when, like Grandma said, I'll wake up and understand everything, because I feel like that day will never come.  Then again, there was a point in time when I couldn't play the trombone OR Smash Bros (;   ~~~

We ALMOST met Takahisa kun but he had a report come up last minute and couldn't meet!! ): Yesterday, we completely filled our schedule and EVERY event fell through (visiting Goto, Nakamoto, doing basketball, and seeing Takahisa/Frank.) But we handed out a lot of Eikaiwa Chirashi and I talked to lots of people!  Haha, high school students are so funny.  Well, they think they are anyway, when the leader of a pack of boys will respond to my, "Hello!  Do you like English?" with a bold, "NOOOO!  Hahahaha!" and everyone will laugh and then he'll grab a flyer and quietly say, "I amu jasuto jokingu" (“I'm just joking” with a bad accent,) or a girl will grab one of my flyers and say, "Senk yu, I wirr rearn Engrish now!" and all of her friends will cheer.  But every once in a while I run into those kids who say, "Nah, I don't need one.  I lived in LA for 4 years." I try to invite them to church sometimes (;

Also, right by the Eki there's a bread shop that sells the cutest Melon Pan (bread) on the planet that I bought so that I could take a picture for Lylah!

Here's a super nice guy I met who spoke no English and as much Japanese as a first year American highschool student, but was so sweet and one of my most meaningful contacts yet! (: He asked for a picture of me, so naturally I needed on too (: His name was Jama (unfortunate when you live in Japan ;)

So, remember that one time when I sent a super funny picture of a bag I saw at a convenience store near a member's house?  If not, here it is again: 

Anyway, since then I've passed that place and the bag was gone.  It made me so sad!

Fast forward to Saturday when a member agreed to go visit less-active members with us to show them some love and invite them to come to an activity!  Here's how the trip went:

1) I found out where the bag went

(That's him. ;)

2) I got super car sick just like I do every time I get a lift in Japan.  Everyone says that Utah drivers are bad.... you have no idea.

*The light flashes yellow and we're still some 20 yards back.*

*He gently pumps the breaks.* "Eh?" He says, his mind pumping as he's already stressed by how late we are.

*Pumps them again, a single drop of sweat rolling down his face.* "EH."

*Completely stops the car by slamming on the brakes, throwing us all forward* "EH-!?"

*The light turns red.*

*Pounds the gas and cruises through just before being hit by nearby cars.* "EH!!! MO CHOTTO... GOMEN!!!"

3) We knock to no avail at 4 homes and then hear a lot of words from a lady who didn't much care for her husband's religion...

Her: "Wakarimasu ka?!" ("Do you understand?")

Me: "Chotto... Hayakatta desu ne..." ("That was pretty fast...")

4) We visited a mostly active member who really appreciated our brief talk and was gracious but looked very sad when we first arrived.  I think he was the reason we went out there (:

Moral of the story: things don't always work out the way you want them to.  But The Lord knows what he's doing.  Somehow, someway, with someone, he'll make all of your efforts count!

LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! (:

Your Favorite Son and Child,

スタウト長老! ^o^

Elder Stout! :D

I've begun my transfer with Elder Crosby!

Kitagaki Chourou is gone and I've begun my transfer with good ol' (er... good new) Elder Crosby!

It was really sad to send my companion home, but he was so awesome to the end.  During our last personal study time, he airdropped me a bunch of inspirational stuff, and in the middle of it was this: 

Elder Stout is awesome because :

1 he is happy person!

2 he loves to talk!

3 he always make person happy.

4 he is willing to accept someone's favor even if he is busy.

5 he loves to do dendo!

6 his Japanese are great.

7 he is good at teaching Eikaiwa.

8 he is sweet like a chocolate that he likes.

9 he always try to talk people as much as he can.

10 he is always positive :)

11 he work hard so that he overcome his fear.

12 he try to help people as much as he can.

13 he knows his weaknesses but doesn't blame about it.

14 he try to stay in healthy!

15 he is good at teaching and have good smile!!

16 he is so trying to overcome trails he face.

17 he is willing to accept someone's advice and act.

18 he is good at to singing.

19 he take good care of his body with drinking water, taking Ushijima's medicine.

20 he is hard worker.

21 he strives to be exact obedient.

22 he always has desire to improve himself.

23 his Japanese is awesome more than he thought.

24 he love to dendo.

25 he is good singer and can read the notes which is jealous!!

26 he is awesome dude because he is good men

27 he loves peanuts and apple so much.

28 he is doing way hard to stop eating sweet for investigator.

29 he loves his family and his families are awesome which I definitely love it. 

30 his Japanese is getting super good. Oh my...

31 he loves dendo and have fun.

32 his atmosphere make people relax and relief.

32 he is positive and doesn't stay in frustration.

33 he loves Christmas so much so, he doesn't want to clean Christmas tree. His Christmas Day never gone.

34 he is health men.

35 he is so good at making many sounds. I love Star Wars one and Donald Duck.

36 he is funny

37 he is strict himself and wants to improve.

38 he understands and knows why he is here.

39 he is my homie G!!

40 he is one of the best companion ever!!

Thank you, my brother!! Love you!        

Elder Kitagaki

I'm sending it partly because I don't want to lose it, and partly because it was just SO nice.  I've committed to, from now on, do the same thing for my future companions.  Every day, write one or two things I love about them.  I've already written quite a few for my new companion!  There's so much power in writing down little inside jokes, funny comments, and things you like about other people to share with them.   One of my District members in the MTC wrote a note for me with about 50 such comments, and I've cherished it and will cherish it the rest of my life.  I think everyone would do good to do more of this kind of communication on FaceBook, but also just in daily contact: giving each other nice notes and such.  I'm always astounded at the power that comes through sincerely giving little gifts that seem goofy or childish when you discuss them in leadership meetings.

And now.... my new companion!

ELDER CROSBY!

He is an awesome missionary; he's super funny, has lots of experience, and is beyond kind.  To every person he meets, he is so sweet.  He is also so good about trying to contact every person we run into when he has the chance.  He's so good!

I have been the senpai for the last little bit!  Its been terrifying.  During planning I have to take the lead, during travel I have to talk the lead... I feel very grown up at least (; But its been really good for me.  I know I'm growing a lot along with all the stress.  Lots of stress... (;

Honestly, on a daily basis I go from feeling extremely confident in Japanese to feeling like I still can't speak a single thought of my mind.  It's such a roller-coaster, I have no idea.  But I'm doing my best, and that's all The Lord asks of me! (I just hope that before long I'll become fluent.)

It's funny how the gift of tongues is designed to work.  If God wanted to, he could send extremely qualified middle-aged men and women who were already fluent in the language, (or whom he would cause to speak fluently without any effort.)  However, he sends the young ones for a reason.  I know the gift of tongues is real because it has come through my mouth in all of its glory when The Lord knew I needed it (and on few occasions when I thought I needed it.)  And yet, I know that it is always slowly working on me so that I can profit from the experience of struggling, toiling, making mistakes, and growing.  My testimony only grows stronger every day that this gift is real.

Takahisa kun has been a little hard to contact in the last few days.  I'm only a little worried, but I know he is so so busy with college.  I hope he can meet his baptismal date, but its been pretty difficult to meet.  I'll keep you updated!  However, have I mentioned Sugano kun?  He's 24 years old and is just graduating college as a masseuse!  He took half the lessons from the missionaries a year or so ago, but had to stop because he had no time.  However, in the last two weeks we've been able to meet with him and he wants to have all of the lessons!  He's expressed sincere desire to learn the truth for himself, and we're going to do our best to help him!  Our lessons have been super good so far.  Today we had an insanely tozuzen (unplanned, spur of the moment,) lesson, but it ended up going so well.  To be honest, as far as my ability to speak Japanese goes, I felt more inadequate than ever before.  But like we learned in church yesterday (while I was sitting in with the youth class helping out!) the spirit is the real teacher.  And it's so true.  I'm not being humble when I say my Japanese was almost impossible to understand the entire lesson, but the spirit was so strong.  OH!  Also, we got him chocolate for his birthday the other day!  That was super fun, he wasn't expecting it at all (:

That's me with Unari Kun, Narita's mascot!  He's a bird-airplane!  He's basically everything Super Man never was.  Cool, huh?!

スタウト長老! ^o^

Elder Stout! :D

We drew each other! (Originally that stick was a tooth pic, but I spat it out...) 

 Fuma Kun is my favorite person in the world, by the way.

Mochi tsuki (a traditional Japanese ceremony where they pound sticky rice into a paste and mold it into rice cakes).  I think these pictures of me are hideous, but you'll probably like them, so douzo (;

English Class!

Elder Stout & Elder Kitagaki went to the airport to meet an investigator,
and ran into Sister Nagano and the newly arrived missionaries from America.