Toshiki is doing FANTASTIC!
So, we were really concerned about him earlier this week and this were looking fairly grim. I think I've explained that he's in a really tough spot... erm, I don't think there's much I can reasonably say in a group email. But suffice it to say that being baptized on his scheduled date was seemingly less and less likely as the days approached. Until today, we met with him and talked about the Law of Chastity and the joy we can experience through it, and particularly how we can all build good, strong homes for our families if we are married and especially sealed in the temple. Well, we need to talk to our branch president about doing it for free at the church, but it is very likely that we will be seeing a wedding at the branch in the next few weeks with Toshiki and Yui!! :D
He's always so bubbly and funny and he was doing great at church this week. We're feeling very blessed!
Signs of Christmas? Oh yeah. Saturday was the coldest day of my mission. It rained and snowed pretty bad, and Elder T. Stout and I had happened to be tracting all the way up the side of a mountain in Kamo (we're implementing his sales techniques he learned over the summer and hoping to find more people to talk too by housing!) and the bike-ride home was bitter cold against wind and snow. Not to mention, the sprinklers which melt the snow that are rigged up to all of the roads in Sanjo came on and hosed down our pants. We were so cold we had to buy nikuman (these super good meat filled dumplings that convenience stores all sell here,) and melon pan (a huge fluffy role that tastes like melon, or cantaloupe. Really popular, and surprisingly good,) to warm up... BUT THE SNOW STILL DIDN'T STICK! It looks like October outside, but it snows almost daily. We've heard this is un-normal, and in the next day or two we'll be in pretty bad shape I'm sure ;) Elder Stout and I are really looking forward to it!! We love snow!!
Asako is doing really well too. We've prayed a lot and thought a lot about our investigators, and her case more than any of the others has been something of a mystery. But we've talked with lots of old missionaries, prayed a lot, and finally just had an extremely open conversation with her and brother and sister Kumagai saying in essence, "we sincerely want nothing other than for you to be happy. What do YOU want in order to be happy?" And going from there. She really really opened up about her true feelings about the church and where he concerns are about baptism (the funny thing is, we never once brought baptism up in the last few days. She always brings it up herself. She thinks about it all the time.) I'm convinced she's received her answer and just needs to find the courage within herself to act on it despite cultural and friend opposition. And so we're trying to help empower her now, and the ward is FANTASTIC doing lessons with us and always supporting her! She's also great at supporting the ward more or less already a member; she's playing the piano for the priesthood quorum's performance at the Christmas party on the 23rd (look forward to our musical number which we will send you a video of. It is fabulous. ;) This Friday we're watching the Joseph Smith moving in Japanese (the hour long one,) with her and all of our other investigators. I've seen this movie have a really powerful impact on people understanding how human and yet good the prophet was, and I think it's exactly what she needs based on recent conversations. More to come next week!
I can't wait to skype, too!!! :D Either? Too? I forget how English works. Japanese has one word for (either/neither/too/as well) and that word is "mo." Nice. Japanese. So easy.
Anyway, Christmas is gonna be so fun!! :) Because for missionaries Christmas is more or less the same as every other day, we thought it might be more fun for us to Skype on our p-day, that Monday the 26th, but it'll still be your Sunday the 25th. How would that sound? 9 o'clockish works good for us. Our 10 o'clock AM is your 6 o'clock PM...? Or 7 o'clock. I think 7. Could you fact check me? ;) But I'm super stoked!! Elder Stout and I will make appearances in both our skype call and the Tim and Lanae skype call, so that'll be super fun too. :) This go round there's a for sure rule of 40 minutes on the call. So we can't go over 40 minutes! Any special way you want to do it? Like 2 minutes with each sibling and 5 minutes with the grils, 5 minutes with you and dad and then 20 minutes all together? :) (everyone can and should join each section, but I'll just have a more personal conversation during those?) I dunno. Whatever works!
So, Mark. I love Mark. He is my bestest bro.
We went out to get tonkatsu at our favorite shop "tonkatsu sanjo", and it was super good! He told us all about how he ended up in Japan and about his childhood. It was really heart-wrenching, and we got so much closer. He's such a good kid. He invited us to a charity concert he played in which we weren't able to attend. We asked him to record it so that we could watch it later. His mom actually recorded it with his phone, and at the same time messaged us a few times. Long story short, our hearts melted as she said, "Thank you for always being kind and supporting my son. I look forward to meeting you soon."
We can't wait to meet his fam this week!
Zone meeting was great!
I feel like so much has happened this week... Um... I don't really remember what to talk about though... the work has been good. We've been working hard! I've never felt so close with a ward or group of people, and I've also never felt like the ward respects my opinion or treats me like an adult until now. When we sit in branch council meetings, they sincerely ask my opinion on things, and even though my Japanese speaking isn't quite as great as it will be one day, we can communicate ANY important idea now, and I feel like I've changed so much there. Are you ready to try and speak just a little Japanese on the call again, Mama? ;) I'm excited to hear uncle Tim now too!! I've heard that he sounds Japanese, and I'm finally to the point where I can hear Chinese/Mongolian/Philippine/
Oh, by the way! THOSE PICTURES!!! I got so excited and shared the story with so many people in the ward as well as with several people during lessons. I think it's really strengthened some people's faith. Wow. What a special tender mercy we got to see!! :D I'll keep a sharp look out for more photos of Grandpa!
Love you so much!! Can't wait to hear from you next week, I love your emails and pictures and uplifting thoughts, and I'm mostly excited to talk to you on Skype! :D
Yours truly,
Elder Stout :D
πΊπΈ • π―π΅
γΉγΏγ¦γι·θ ^o^
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