Hey,
So the Thanksgiving was
rough... at least to start. We had P-day (Preparation day) last Thursday, and between a gap of
fishing and actually eating Thanksgiving dinner, there were a bunch of
logistical errors. The senior couple missionaries set up Thanksgiving dinner so that
us, younger, missionaries could have Thanksgiving on one of US Air bases. They set it up so
that some districts or companionships would make it on on of U.S. military bases and others would be
treated by military families off base. So my district (excluding Elder Inamori
and Elder Takahashi--whom would have Thanksgiving off base), were to go with
the Patterson's. Elder Boll and Elder Palu were also supposed to go on the base,
but with a family named the Tucket's. The six of us then met at the Okinawan
Chapel to be picked up. Brother Tucket then came to pick up Elder Boll and
Elder Palu. They left, but about 5 minutes later, they came back. We asked them why, and Elder Boll forgot his ID so they couldn't get in, and so after discussing
what was most likely needed to get on the base, I emailed my parents and asked them for some
personal information, and the Senior couple, who are in the military branch,
said that whatever we had should be enough. They split Elder Uhlig and I up from Sister
Gallarde and Sister Hippolite so we would go with Brother Tucket and the
sisters would go with Brother Patterson. When we got to the entrance of the Kadena Air Force
base, and Both Elder Uhlig and I showed our Drivers
licenses, but the base officer couldn't accept it. I asked if he would accept a
social security number (since I am a US citizen) and he still wouldn't accept
it. Elder Uhlig showed a copy of his passport - since the mission
home has our passports with them, they have given us copies of our passport picture
and information - and the man said "We would usually accept all of those, but because of a new policy made 2 MONTHS AGO, we only accept a Gaijin card (Foreigner Registration Card) or a physical passport. Since Elder Uhlig and I came into Japan
with our Japanese passports so this was virtually impossible for us because we didn't need to get Gaijin cards to stay in Japan. Sister
Hippolite (A New Zealander) and Sister Gallarde (A Philipeano) both had Gaijin
cards with them so they got through. We felt so bad for Brother Tucket. He had
all of his military friends over for thanksgiving and they all knew that the
missionaries were coming over. Too bad none of us could get in. Luckily, we
were able to have Thanksgiving dinner at the Okinawan chapel. The Senior
couples put together a Thanksgiving potluck for the branches at the Okinawan chapel, so
we joined in. We helped set up and got to know a lot of the military families. It was really fun. The parents put together a special kids corner and put
on a movie. Do you know what movie it was? Guess! It was Incredibles 2! I
didn't even have to look at the screen to know what movie it was --well, we, the missionaries, are not allowed to watch any of regular movies anyway so that we could focus on the Savior and his work. Anyway, all I had to
hear was the theme, and I instantly knew it. I can't believe that movie is
already out on DVD and digital. That was the 2nd to last movie I saw in
theaters. I can't believe I've been so secluded from the world. I didn't even
realize I've been away from home for almost 5 months. Time just flies when you
are on the Lord's time and giving it your all, I guess.
Yesterday, we found
out that Yonabaru is being whitewashed again. "Whitewashed" is the term for when two missionaries are being transferred out of their areas and two different
missionaries get placed in the following transfer (in 6 weeks). Elder Takahashi
and Elder Inamori just got to Yonabaru, and now they're transferring out. Elder
Inamori was assigned to become the new Mission Supply Manager up at Honbu and
since Elder Takahashi is not only new, he has back problems so he's being
transferred to Itoman (outside of our zone). Yesterday was an emotional day. We
took tons of photos before they left the church last night. It has been a short
time since I've known them but I've grown to love them so much in these last 3
weeks. See the pictures below.
I received so
many packages... I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful family that cares
about me, sends me packages, writes me every week, and is totally supportive of
anything I choose to do. This past week, I've received 4 packages. This latest
package had so many things, I'm not sure if I can finish it all off if I have
to transfer somewhere else in 3 weeks (when the next transfer is). If not, I'll
probably have to give it away or leave it. Oh, BTW, Sister Jorgenson says Hi. I
hear about what my cousin, Elder Jonah Armstrong, has to go through in
Argentina with food and culture and poverty and it truly humbles me and forces
me to thank God for sending me to such a wonderful place, where I am able to
teach descendants of my ancestors. I love Japan so much! Also, unrelated, but I
caught a fish today... guess what it was? A Puffer fish. I couldn't take a
picture of it though because as I was bringing my line over the wall, my hook
broke and the fish plopped back into the water (I have mixed feelings about
this: It's good since We didn't have to worry about getting pricked, It's also
good because I don't think we could've taken it off the hook without touching
it's body, but I really wanted that picture). The fish was still alive so no
harm done.
Missionary work is
fun! Especially when you have the focus of building relationships with the
members, I've seen so many miracles. We are truly trying to flip the way we
dendo now. The last mission president was all about the baptisms, but President
Mack, our current mission president, is all about keeping the sheep in the
heard or as the Savior put it, in Matthew 18:
12 How
think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth
he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh
that which is gone astray?
13 And if
so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of
that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
The focus
is flipped. Totally calling upon the members to be the missionaries as well.
Japan is more commonly Buddhist but when more Japanese people see their
brothers, sisters, mothers, or fathers have a brighter light about them, they
are more willing to accept that then a random 19 year old kid running around
preaching a foreign topic to them. "It is through the members that we will
see the most change" as President Mack puts it. If you want to see more
about why President Mack wants this focus, look up a talk titled, "A Child
and A Disciple" at April 2003 General Conference (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/04/a-child-and-a-disciple?lang=eng).
So, I part with these
last words: I love you! Take Care!
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