April 27, 2014

Transfer 6:  Week 5

As far as food goes, I have to cook everything.  Apparently my companions can't cook worth a darn, so I do it.  But I kind of like it so it's good.  It also keeps me from having to do the dishes very often, so I am happy about that.  We eat a lot of stir-fry, yakisoba, udon, fried rice, stew, curry and spaghetti.  It's really not all that hard, just takes some time.  We make rice for almost every meal, but we eat spaghetti a fair amount, so not only rice.  I like to make curry or stew with rice the best because I don't have to cook dinner, just make enough for both meals.  Very convenient.  But I have also made chicken or pork tonkatsu (like fried but a little different; really good).  We eat sushi sometimes, but only when we go out with members.  We try not to eat out all that much.  

The main event this week was the arrival of the bike (Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Halleeluujaaaaaah!!!)  So we got to visit lots of people who we haven't been able to lately (because they're farther).  

So the investigators son who brought us food last time (shu) was there again when we went on Friday, but she was asleep.  But that didn't stop him; he ran in and told her the gaijin came (foreigners).  She must've been completely out 'cause she didn't budge at all.  Then he decided to play baseball with us while we waited for her.  We played for 20ish minutes and then decided we had to leave.  It was way fun.  Shu is hilarious.  

Also contacted a lady who is 40 or 50ish but loves video games.  We decided to teach through video games (something that Knighton choro and I could do) and ended up teaching about Christ and His atonement.  We actually had a pretty good lesson and I think she understood it really well.  

On Sunday we went to the Relief Society to see if we could arrange a home for a lesson later in the week.  They like to pray for our investigators so we told them about video game lady and they all started laughing when we said we taught through video games.  

I don't remember getting any letters recently, but I will check again.  Sorry to hear the mail system still sucks.  In Japan it is lightning fast.  You send something and two or three days later it arrives on the other side of Japan.  

The black fence does bring back memories. (we painted a wrought iron fence during a community service project, Iain has painted ours at home in the past) I was actually thinking about that the other day.  We saw an old man painting his fence black and I thought about it.  Then I smelled the fumes and everything changed colors.  It was nasty how bad and strong that paint was.  

We don't get a lot of opportunities to serve.  Japanese don't really like accepting service and the city doesn't really organize anything for us to be apart of/help out with.  But we are working on a lot of eikaiwa dendou and trying to get lots of people out to our english class.  Pres. Gustafson wants us to grow to 50 people which is huge.  Right now we are at 22 but still have a long way to go.  But we have grown just since I've been in Iizuka, so there is hope.  We're going to visit city hall and a newspaper service today to see if we can't spread the word a little more.  Maybe go to some schools and talk to the clubs and english classes.  

I don't have anything I need particularly but I'll let you know.  Thanks so much.  I love you.  Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Lee

April 21, 2014

Transfer 6: Week 4

We should be able to pick up the bike today so finally we won't be walking, but recently we have gotten really good and will probably be fantastic hikers when we get back.  The weather has been warming up and then getting cool, warming, cooling, but overall it is getting hot.  I suspect in the next couple of weeks we will be sweating like pigs.  

I don't have a lot of time but I wanted to share a couple of funny stories.  Japanese are very interesting and since we talk to everyone, we meet some interesting people.  

Yesterday we got to teach our investigator, ai-san.  She has four kids all of whom are quite rambuncious, but the youngest boy (shu, 5yrs) is hilarious.  Everytime we come over he runs over to us and says hi, asks what's in our bags, and yesterday he started just bringing us out a bunch of food.  It was so funny.  But he brought out this squid jerky that was made in beer or something (I don't know exactly what's up with that) but it was nasty.  Hard, chewy and some weird salty gross flavor.  

But we were able to have a great lesson with her.  We decided to actually read some scriptures with her, which I have been hesitant beforehand because I was not sure she would understand them, but when we read about the Atonement, she was really able to feel the Spirit I think.  

Afterwards we were able to meet with a potential investigator with a two year old daughter who is super cute.  She had these shoes that squeaked when she walked.  We got to use some new visual aids about prayer and teach her why prayer is important to her.  

Recently we one of the sister missionaries in our district made everyone some visual aids to use while teaching.  She is an amazing artist, so they look really good.  

The other day we ran into a British man who doesn't speak all that much Japanese.  When we started talking I didn't realize he was a foreigner, so I started speaking in Japanese.  He said something in english that I didn't catch to I started to talk again.  It was really funny because he walked inside to get his Japanese wife and then walked back out and asked if I spoke english.  I was really embarrassed.  But he said that religion was the essence of evil in this world and asked us to leave.  He was polite, but we didn't get to talk much.  He just seemed like a depressed old man, given up on the world.  

The other week we talked to a man who seemed like he would have listened to our message, but his wife came over and took over the conversation.  She gave the common excuse that she had a different religion so she couldn't listen to ours (no kidding).  We asked her what religion but she said she couldn't say.  She very abruptly turned us down at every turn and was really funny to watch (her husband was silently laughing the whole time).  He seemed cool, but she was just in a knot.  So we left.  

We taught a great lesson to a guy through his kitchen window.  He told us to come back so we're excited to talk through his window again (window to baptism).  

Our laundry is done at home and we hang our stuff out to dry.  I haven't been able to see many of my past comps but when I do it is great.  sometimes I email, but I haven't gotten the opportunity lately.  

All right, I have to go (email time is cut short today, we're going to the Fukuoka zoo as a zone p-day).  Love you, hope youe guys are well.  

Elder Lee

April 7, 2014

Transfer 6 Week 2

Sounds like you guys had a great weekend, week, whatever in Utah.  You all made sure to say hi to the cousins for me right?  So I am still on foot.  We have been walking everywhere and it takes forever so I will be so happy when we get bikes again.  Unfortunately because Knighton choro is so tall, we needed to get a big bike and ordered it.  But we won't get it for another week, so going to continue to walk for a while. 

 

We decided that this trasfer we are going to see a baptism, so we have been working super hard to find an investigator who will accept baptism.  Of course, right after setting this goal we lost the use of bikes (as previously stated) and haven't been able to meet with most of our normal PI's and Investigators.  I, at least, have started to become desperate (like Christensen says in his book) and I hope the "Law of Desperation" will set in.  We think that this weekend is the perfect opportunity for people to come because it is General Conference. 

 

This week we are working on faith and believe that if we try our hardest we will be able to see results. 

 

What frustrates me right now, is something that up 'till now I have thought was a good thing.  So we talk all the time to people on the street and we get to teach lots of little lessons and I feel like we are really changing some people's hearts.  But at the same time, we haven't seen any results and nothing is changing.  So although I love talking to people and sharing the gospel a little, I also feel like it is pointless because in the big scheme of things, we aren't doing anything.  I still haven't really gotten people to come to Sacrament meeting, I haven't really ever taught past an overveiw of Lesson 2 (Plan of Salvation) and I am starting to get the feeling that if we can't see a change soon, it isn't going to happen.  Maybe this area, Iizuka, will never see anything beyond investigators, no Recent Converts, no baptisms.  I feel like we can change this area with God's help, but I almost feel like He doesn't want to change here just yet, so I feel useless.  If God wants to see a change He obviously can, He doesn't need me for that, but if He doesn't want to, than what am I here for?  Am I just stalling?  I feel like we can and should see success, but we don't and then I just think, "what the heck?!?!".  But I guess I just need to be patient with God's timing. 

Love you, hope your week goes well.

 

Love,

Iain

Elder Lee

RHM

BROhanz

March 31, 2014

Transfer 6 Week 1

Well, this week was interesting.  We didn't really get to meet with many of our investigators.  But on Thursday we did get to meet our new bean chan.  His name is Knighton Choro.  He is way cool, from Gilbert AZ and speaks pretty good Japanese for a bean (he knows more words than I did).  We have done some good work in the past couple of days but it has been limited by our lack of bikes (Knighton choro still doesn't have a bike).  So we have been walking everywhere.  But yesterday we met some awesome people who invited us to come back, so we are hoping to gain some new investigators this week.  My main concern is whether we will be able to meet with our investigators at all.  But we will work that out.  Otherwise life has been pretty normal.  I am not sure what I am supposed to do as a district leader, but I am sure I will figure it out. 

 

By the way, it turns out my district is a lot bigger than I thought it was.  I was told originally that I would only be leader of three people, but now I am over 11.  Little bit of a difference.  I just hope I will be able to help them achieve their goals this transfer and be able to see miracles.  I really think we can see a baptism this transfer, so we are praying really hard to find someone.  But either way, I know the Lord is directing His work.  We will accomplish whatever he wants us to. 

 

By the way, Jameson choro recently got a book from his mom that he read and then loaned to me so I could read it.  It is called, "The Power of Everyday Missionaries" by Clayton M. Christensen.  It is about member missionary work but it is amazing.  It has completely changed to way I am going about missionary work.  It is a great book I and want you guys to get it and read it for FHE or something.  I know you would enjoy it.  The great thing is he acknowledges the difficulties of missionary work but still helps you see how it is obtainable.  At the very least, it will help you veiw the gospel differently.  I really think everyone should read this book. 

 

I hope you guys are having a fun time in Utah and say hi to everyone there for me. 

 

Love you,

Elder Lee

RHM

BROhanz

March 16, 2014

It is officially the last full week of the transfer.  Next Tues. we will be receiving transfer calls, so don't be surprised if my email comes a little later than usual.  I already have a guess at what is going to happen.  But first, last week we had Zone conference.  Gustafson Kaicho did a lot of training himself about how to dendou and stuff.  It was really good.  He did a lot of problem solving by asking questions and helping us figure out how to resolve investigator's concerns.  Now if my investigator has any questions or concerns I know what to do (better at least). 

This week we got 2 new investigators.  They were people we had met a couple weeks ago but only recently had been able to teach again.  But now they are learning and we hope soon to be progressing.  We are so excited.  I have realized lately that since I have been in Iizuka I have done around 1.2 thousand contacts or talked with 1.2 thousand people.  That is a ridiculously large amount.  But out of those only three have been willing to listen (one of the investigators came to us, so wasn't really a contact on our part).  Fender Choro and I spent the entire first four to five weeks housing and trying to talk with our PI's, but with no avail.  But after our hard work, after suffering through a seemingly endless amount of time trying and trying, we finally have people to teach. 

One of our investigators is way cool.  He just graduated high school and is about to move to Fukuoka (which is a bummer for us) and is going to the Police Academy there.  He is so cool.  Last week we asked him to pray and when we asked him how his prayer went, he told us this.  I was taking my drivers test and I said a prayer to help me get through it.  I was able to pass.  When we heard this we were so happy.  He understood how and when to pray.

 

The next new investigator is a college student going to Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) and is from China.  He is way awesome and is investigating all the churches to find the right one.  He has a lot of amazing questions.  We get to teach him again on Wednesday.  But the great thing is he found us.  We were leaving the church and one of the members called us and told us to come back.  We met him and he said he was looking for a church and wanted to know why ours was different.  Needless to say we were shocked.  It was probably one of the greatest shocking things I have seen on my mission.  There aren't a lot of times when I am at a loss for words because something was so great.  But that was one of them. 

Also, one of our investigators came to church.  It was awesome.  He brought his whole family too.  Overall there were six of them (including 3 kids).  They couldn't stay for long, but we got to introduce them and show them around a little bit.  He said he would try to come again next week.  I think one of the greatest things was that it proved to the members we are doing something and that we can change and grow this ward. 

 

I have seen so many miracles and I love this mission so much.  I love it here (I have thought a lot about moving back to Japan after BYU).  The people are great.  I think Fender Choro and I will be here again next transfer together, so I will get to continue seeing the growth Heavenly Father has in store for this ward.  I get to see the Lord's hand every day and it is magnificent. 

 

At the moment there are no Spring Festivals, but we are about to get into festival season.  Next week or the week after the Cherry Blossoms bloom.  I am sooo excited.  I have heard so much about how awesome they are.  But for Japan Spring is still a week or two away.  But it is definitely getting warmer.  We are so much happier now.  The sun makes housing so much easier.  Also the fact that we have seen so many miracles lately inspires us even more. 

Oh, and yesterday I gave a talk.  I just talked a little about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how when you simplify it there are three steps: Opening(Faith), Changing(Repenance), and Acting(Baptism, Keeping Commandments, etc.).  Through those things we gain the happiness of the Atonement. 

 

I like how in your emails mom said there are 17 missionaries serving from our Stake, but dad said 14.  You guys should probably figure out which one is correct. 

I am glad Kristin Kimball is alright.  I remembered to pray for her this week, so hopefully that helped.  Also it is a good thing Mom is better because that would have been really bad if she was still sick.  Wyatt has a lot of work to do though, right?  So his sickness could turn into a real problem for him.  Maybe if you guys take some of Dad's super human immune blood and squirt it at him he will get better. 

 

Super excited for my package.  Thanks.  Love you guys lot's.  I like the glasses by the way (Kelly got some new glasses, sent a photo to Iain for his opinion). 

 

Love,

Elder Lee

Lee Choro

RHM

Bromine

February 24, 2014

Last week we worked really hard but it was a lot of fun.  We have been meeting a lot of people on the street and in houses.  Unfortunately we were not able to meet with our investigators last week and didn't actually have a lot of dendou time.  But when we did we worked hard.  I have recently come to a new phase of wanting to work really hard and get stuff done.  We are going to just steam roll through people until we find those who are prepared to become investigators.  It means talking to a lot of people, but it has really just become fun.  When I started my mission it wasn't fun at all, for lots of reasons (not the least of which was the language), but I have come to really love teaching and find lots of opportunities just to teach simple messages.  We are opening their hearts!

Gustafson Kaicho (Iain's mission president) visited us last Friday when we planned for the week.  It was a great learning experience and I am excited to apply some of the things we learned.  I want to start meeting with more members and "borrowing faith" as Kaicho said.  We ask them to pray for us to find people in the area and then we house and when we are done we tell them some people we found to pray for.  I am excited to try it out. 

Apparently there is a lot of stuff that Kaicho has had past missionaries do that he wants us to do too, but we are young missionaries and don't know what it is, so next month he is having a conference to train us on how to do things.  I think it will be fun. 

I think the EFY will be great for Wyatt.  I loved it and it helped me understand the gospel more.  Plus they are focusing EFY on preparing youth for missions which I think is great.  I don't think I understood the gospel like I should have before my mission.  I guess that's true for most people thought.  Teaching as a missionary is all about mastering the basics but as a youth we move past the basics fast and so you come out and you have to figure how to teach on your own.  Teaching is way fun once you get the hang of it though.  Hopefully Wyat can learn that kind of stuff, 'cause it is way helpful. 

Just make sure you feed the missionaries a lot when you have them over.  And if it is unique and tasty, that is good too. Missioaries usually like to serve the members too.  If they seem like good missionaries, don't hesitate to make an appointment. 

Love you, hope you guys are well.  Thanks for all of your emails, I love reading about your lives (Wyatt could write a little more I think). 

Iain

February 17, 2014

Being a missionary has totally changed my perspective of missionaries.  It is way fun, but while at our zone p-day today I realized how much I like just the regular mission schedule and doing real hard dendou work.  It makes you feel good, even if it is rather tedious at times (like when you house 50 doors and no one wants to listen).  But I have learned to love it so much.  It`s just a missionary thing too.  After my two years ends I can`t stop people and just preach anymore.  The changes.  This has just sunk in so much more recently.  Missionaries use the atonement so much each day.  I have at least.  It has been so important for me so that I can keep the Spirit with me at all times.  Without the Spirit this work has no hope for success and I need it so much to know the things I need/should do.  I have learned to love the Savoir so much personally.  And as I have read Jesus the Christ I have learned so much about his life.  It is way cool.  I understand so much more now.  I love it.  It has given me so much more of a desire to share that I didm`t realize could happen.

  

We gathered this weekend for zone p-day in Fukuoka.  It was fun, we played sports and checked out castle ruins.  Yesterday was Stake Conference so we came for that with a member and then stayed all day doing streeting (approaching people on the street and sharing a message) and other dendou.  It was fun but tiring.  We are emailing here in Fukuoka and then going home and finishing shopping and stuff.  Fun times but I want to go back to the normal schedule really bad now.  Transfers throw everything off.  

Tenney choro went to a place called Kure, which is in the Hiroshima zone.  He is there with Parker choro my best friend from Amami.  So now my two best friends in the mission are in Hiroshima without me.  Darn!  Sounds like so much fun though.  

I feel like it`s been forever since being at BYU and miss it at times, but I also feel like my life is change, the constant change of missionaries and areas and stuff.  A missionaries life is change.  It`s fun but stressful sometimes.  But I think this transfer will be fun.  We're starting off this transfer with some investigators now, still working hard.  Our new investigators are young and we might be able to have a couple baptismal dates by the end of next transfer.  We are excited for the success we have found recently.  It comes of course after weeks of hard work.  

Love you so much.  I can`t think of anything else for you to send, but I feel like I have forgotten something due to the recent stress and lots of stuff to do and no time and stuff, so wait for me to think another week please.  I love you, be safe. 

Iain

Lee 長老