Happy America Day!!!

This week I exploded an egg in the microwave.

HAPPY AMERICA DAY!!!!

Ok, just kidding, it was an accident.  I figured out that scrambled eggs are REALLY good if you just make them in a microwave cup.  But, if you don't mix up the raw egg, then the yoke explodes.

Who'd'a thought?  Not me...

But in all seriousness, Happy 4th of July!!!  I hope you've had an amazing one! :D I CANNOT believe that I've been out for a year.  Realizing that my last 4th of July was spent in the MTC blew my mind.  I've changed so much in this last year.  I hope you still love me! ;)

I'm coming to understand the importance of the Atonement, and the reality of it in my life.  That's gotta be the biggest lesson I've learned in the last few weeks; looking back in my journal and realizing how much I've changed.  I think it's been primarily for the better, and I want to keep that upward slant the rest of my life!

So, fun news of the day!  The way we celebrated the 4th was taking our good friend Matsuoka out to get an All-Japanese meal of Sukiyaki Beef Bowls!  And, since I haven't done it to my companion yet as per tradition for new missionaries, I super sized Elder Taylor's bowl!  We both got "Mega"s, and it was awesome.

Matsuoka is SO golden.  We met him for the first time this week, and before we did we were on the verge of giving up trying to contact him.  But as we went to visit a member (about family history!) we had to wait on the porch for him to arrive home, and as we called Matsuoka up, he answered!!  He'd apparently been in the hospital for an entire week and was insanely busy with work before and after that.  Of course, we understood.  He set up an appointment with us, and here we are.  He's thirsty to learn the gospel saying he's serious about joining if the blessings we promise are real.  He remembered his baptismal date which had passed as he wasn't able to meet with us, and we set a new one for August 20th.  He said, "I want to receive a confirmation before this day." and we promised, "You will, if you are consistent with the commandments.  God wants to bless you, we just need to exercise faith to receive those blessings!"

It was so much fun, we joked and laughed the entire time we ate!

Old Elder Taylor and I are getting along better and better every day.  He's such a funny person, and he's so smart and sensitive toward others, that whenever I overlook a need of one of our friends, he always remembers it right away!  He gave a training this last District Meeting on how confusing the Gospel can be for new learners with no Christian background, and did the first few minutes through interpretive dance. Ha!  It was a really good lesson too!  I love my companion, God put us together for a reason, I learn so much about being a good missionary from him every day that it astounds me!

Also, last night (the night before the 3rd,) he bargained one of the Elders downstairs for a Costco hotdog and then gave the entire thing to me because he knows its my favorite American food, and wouldn't let me say no!  Honestly, that's one of the truest forms of love there is.

(Ps, please note the shirt I'm wearing in that picture.)

We followed up with Brother Okumura, the single brother in our ward who is one of the most amazing missionaries/therapists/non-native english speakers I've ever met.  He's becoming a really good friend of mine, and what's more, is he was an amazing example to us by telling us how he's not afraid of telling anyone he's mormon, and that ALL of his colleges know it, and half of them have a Book of Mormon!  He's an amazing man.  All the other ward members we've been visiting are too, I wish I had time to write about every single visit.

We joined the family history class on Sunday after visiting brothers Kan, Kadowaki, and Yazaki throughout the week (all present during 2nd hour of church, excited to see us join.) We've been strongly wanting to make family history a part of our dendou, so we've been trying to join them!  Mom, they were absolutely in AWE over my tree.  Thanks to you.  They were all gawking with mouths literally wide-open saying, "You have THAT many ancestors with pictures!?" Brother Yazaki scrolled through and started reading some of the stories we have in there, and finally looked up after about 5 minutes.

"Elder Stout, have you read these?"

"Um, not really, my mom tells me some of them."

"Elder Stout.  You have to read them.  It's wrong for you to let them go unread.  You are so fortunate." (more or less directly translated.)

There are hundreds of faithful members everywhere trying to get the work started, and you were admired so much by them!  So, thanks for being an amazing role-model for me as well!  I promise to read all those stories one day, hopefully soon.

Did you get my video of me several weeks ago taking one of the names you gave me to the temple??  That was a wonderful experience as well.  I love taking our family names, and... well, I wonder what they would've thought in this life knowing that one day their celestial work would be done for them strait in Japanese! :D

Mama, I caved.  It was on clearance for only 20 dollars.  ONLY 20 DOLLARS.  So, I'm basically Japanese now!!!   Oh!  I also finally got a haircut.  I didn't realize how long it was, and nobody told me, and compared to Japanese hairstyles I thought it was an appropriate length, but I'll never let it go that long again!  The haircutters here just don't cut it short at all unless you demand it, so today I just had him keep going and going.

LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

スタウト長老! ^o^

Elder Stout! :D

I don't know why we don't have flying sumo keychains in America.