Week 14: My Broken Bike

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Hey,
   So my bike is broken... I got it less than a month ago and the back wheel broke. Elder Uhlig and I were walking back from shuri (which is 5 km away from our appartment) since we were at volleyball with the Young Single Adults and had to get home by 9. It was 8:45 and we ran to our bikes. We hopped on and there is this super steep hill that we had to climb/descend from. So as we were biking down this hill, Elder Uhlig is already WAY far ahead and I didn't have a front light (Since I gave that in to sports depo last week. Earlier in the day, Sports Depo called and said to come pick up the light so we were planning to go to this sporting goods store anyway). I put on my brakes (Which were really bad anyway) and the back wheel skidded as I got to the bottom of the hill. I didn't think anything was wrong with it so I pedaled a bit and stopped since the back tire was hitting something. I checked it and thought it was the bike basket so I moved the seat up... that wasn't the problem. I moved forward again and still the wheel was hitting something. I thought it was the back light... nope, not that either. I was super confused at this point. By this time, Elder Uhlig rode back and asked me what's up. I said I wan't quite sure but my back wheel was hitting something. I walked my bike to a tunnel that was lit really well and saw that my spoke was bent and my back wheel was warped.  So, we called the zone leader and told him that we'd get home late (it was 9:05 at this point) and I had to walk my bike all the way home. It took us an hour to walk home.

    I then went and took it to sports depo the next day and they said it would take 3 days to fix. Elder Uhlig and I walked to the Naha elders' appartment and they said that they would give us an old bike that was not used and was really bad. So When we got to the appartment, they told us to get the missing parts and put the gears together. I left some stuff at their appartment from the last Splits we went on and Elder Uhlig fixed the gears (I could've but it was a one person job and he got to the bike first). He stuck the gear on the bike and we stood it up. I rode this trash bike home. It klunked like crazy and the chain got stuck 4 times but at least I have a bike and don't have to walk everywhere. The bike also, BTW, moves as fast as a leisurely walk. If I change the gears, it gets stuck so It's on the 2nd setting.

  On tuesday, we had Zone training meeting so The zone leaders prepared a message for all of us to listen to. Elder Uhlig and I got to the Chapel early to help with the set up and we were all scrambling to get this video, that they were going to show, to work. We got it working and the zone training meeting went really well. We did some role playing and I was paried up with Eldder Barlow. He's 1/2 Japanese so he's realy good at Japanese. We were supposed to show this new flyer we're trying out and I went the bold route (I got to know the -made up-person and I went for the first thing that I thought related to him. He's like, "nah, im not interested in that" so I'm like oh well we also have this other one where we teach english and he's like "I love english". The timer then sounded and we finished but afterwords, he tells the group as we gather together, "I like how Elder Wilson is BOLD! He's Super bold and is such a great missionary! Everyone should be as bold as him!". I could only laugh. After the Zone training meeting, he tells me "Elder Wilson, you're cho pera (Which means super fluent)! You're super good at Japanese! I didn't think you were this good!". I was like "Nah, I'm still not that good. My siblings are way more pera than I am." He's like "You're so good, so good."

That's all i'll write. I don't have enough time to write more but I do want to write about the miracles that come from positivity. I think optimism is super important in our ability to become perfect. As we put our attitude more towards the good things in life, we cherish those around us and tend to be more grateful and full of love. Keep the positive attitude! You can do it! There is always a better way.

 
 In front of a Whale Shark made out of plants  at the Naha Art Museum.

Elder Uhlig and I in front of the art piece

Elder Uhlig and I Dendo-ing

Chef Elder Uhlig

My First Package!

Zone training lunch bike ride over (our convoy)

Bamboche Yakiniku BBQ Restaurant with the zone


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