corn can't because the pigs know who did it!

Well to get the "Hello!"s out of the way.
Hello, Hello!
alright!
So, Olsen Choro and I (not the first one but the second) have recently
engaged ourselves in an intense battle of wits... nit-wits.
I'll be cooking myself some breakfast, and he'll stare at the eggs,
screw up his face and grumble: "Well, you can't know that because
science just ain't happy."
And then the battle begins.
I reply: "You can too, because the people remember the revolts... the
time wasabi spilled on his arm, and despite the protests they just...
you know, flicked it off!"
"The pigs don't know it so... corn can't because the pigs know who did it!"
It's pretty intense. We're still trying to come up with rules- weather
someone laughs first, or if there's a specific topic we have to argue
about, but try to make it so the other person can't guess it... Well
my friends! Insanity: the product of hard work.
So with the new year, new things kinda happy. Once again, I apologize
for being cynical about Christmas in Japan, it actually was probably
one of the best Christmas's I've had.
We went out to an all-you-can-eat Japanese Grill for lunch. There just
have patters and jars of raw meat with spices on them lining the
walls. You get a pile of meat, and go back to your table that has a
grill built into the center of it and fire it up. Cook it how you like
it throw it in some sauce, and never stop eating. We went housing, but
did it Christmas style.
We tried to carol. (Boden Choro with his guitar and me with my amazing
voice) We got some interesting responses. A couple of my favorite:


We walked up to a promising  house with a big Christmas     wreath on it. I rang.
The door opened a crack and  the face of a middle-aged man poked out.
me: "hey, we're teaching         everyone about Christ, and     Christmas is
Christ's birthday- so we're        going around and singing to   everyone about
Christmas." (I learned quickly          the explanation is needed because the
first couple of people would     open the door, we'd start        singing, and
they're get scared and close      the door quickly and lock it.- They
probably had never been caroled to before.)
The Man: "No thank you. I'm not interested."
Then he reached his arm around, grabbed the wreath, pulled it inside,
and shut the door.
We bust up laughing.
And now we will have the lesson for the children:
Now kids, remember: when life gets hard- when you trip in front of
your crush, when you get a math problem horribly wrong in front of the
class, when a man rejects Christ and pulls his wreath off the door,
that is not the time to turn all pink in the face- to shrivel up and
shed tears of embarrassment, or to quietly walk away- my dear young
ones, that is the time to laugh. Instantly every problem you had is
gone. You have just turned something that would crush your ego or ruin
your reputation into something that makes the day brighter, and makes
everyone laugh. I believe it is a form of humility. A prideful person
is easily crushed when they are forced into a situation that causes
them to admit that they're not perfect. Rather, one who has already
learned this lesson well, will accept in a moment their mistake, and
laugh it off- realizing full-well that they can do a little better next
time, or having a complete indifference towards others' thoughts of
them.
So... That being said: we laughed a lot this week.
There are those that condemn having fun. Though there is a time and
place to have fun, (the dissgresion of this is deemed maturity) there
is a time and place for it- and it's far more often than not. (The
conditional clause: so long as you are still accomplishing your
responsibilities.)
Next:
We rang a doorbell at an apartment building. No one came, so we moved
to the next.
Just after we rang the next door, the previous door started to open. My
companion got excited, as a lady stepped outside and looked around the
corner to see who had rung her doorbell. He jogged quickly back
towards her, once he crossed her line of sight, a look of terror
flashed across her face, and she scrambled inside of her apartment and
slammed the door right as Boden Choro got to it.
I couldn't help but laugh, and Boden Choro's surprised expression, and
he joined in, laughing for a good minute.
Next:
I see a girl walking down the other side of the residential street.
We often invite people to our free English class, and then once they
feel comfortable, then attack them with the Gospel. It's actually how
we get most of our investigators.
I yell to her:
"Hey! Excuse me, I have a quick question!" She stops, as I walk up to her.
Her: "What?"
Me: "Do you like English?"
Instantly- "I hate it."
Japanese people usually don't say anything directly. So I suppose her
statement should have more force if I translate it over: "I really
freaking hate it."
And, to add to her confusion of being stopped by a gaijin, I started laughing.
I put away my English flyer, and pulled out an "I am Mormon" card, and
said tried my best to talk: "Well, we also teach about Christ as
well."
Next:
We're talking with this lady who was actually studying a different
Christian religion, who used this as an excuse not to hear our message.
Me: "well, I think there's benefit in learning about other religions
for though that we can understand our own better."
Her: "You know, I would... But... My head is just too full right now."
Best excuse I've heard yet. I left her a restoration pamphlet with an
"I am Mormon" card with our number on it.
So needless to say: this week we've been doing a lot of finding.
The Christmas party went well- I told you about that at skype. We also
had a potential investigator show up to church.


(Which was good except
she, despite the fact that she was fifty, showed up in a skirt that
didn't even cover her thighs.   Sister Kimura, with her sweet Obaachan
like face of concern, throws a blanket over her legs and tucks it
around. "There you go. You   must be cold."
We tried to teach her a lesson after Church, and even said the opening
prayer to the lesson right after, but she said some excuse that I
didn't understand, and the        Kimura Fufu (who'd picked her up, and with
whom we were doing the         lesson) stood up with her and took her home.
We were given a great gift by one of the members for Christmas, squid!
Yay! We got packages of sweet and sour squid on a stick! A whole
squid. So Olsen Choro at the apartment: "Well, I might as well smell
it before I throw it away."
He takes a whiff, and gags. I sniff and jump back my nostrils burning.
"I'll give you 14 american dollars if you eat this."
"iijanai" (It means literally "Not good," but I raised the pitch at
the end (just like we do in English!) to show that it was a question-
"Why would that not be good?" that kinda feel. Why not?)
So... I got fourteen american dollars from a Canadian who would
probably have never used them. And I ate a little less during lunch
that day.
I started with the tenticals, cause I figured that'd be the worst.. It
tasted exactly like I thought it would. The hat was the best part.
Squid on a stick





because of how tough the skin on it, it had the
texture of jerky. The rest had that of a tire.
But honestly, wasn't too bad. I pretended it was worse to make Olsen
Choro feel like it was worth it to watch me eat.
I'm almost done with the Lectures on Faith. It's... not what I was
expecting. But it's still kinda good. There's just some false
doctrine in it. Like how it says the Godhead has only two personages;
that the Holy Ghost is only the mind (will) of God and Christ. But I
gave them a break because it was written ten years before the section
130 revelation was received.
But things are going well. Laughing my way though any trial that comes
my way- picking what I need to learn from it, and laughing the rest
off.
I don't know if we have any, but efy songs for guitar? or guitar hymns?
like that you could scan or email?
I'm on a quest for boots because the snow has started coming down like
crazy. (I've been shoving hand warmers in my shoes. GO MISSIONARY
POWER!!!) I haven't found any. And the members are doubtful that I
will with my size. It kinda difficult to find time to get boots too,
despite their importance. We were forbidden by our Branch President to
ride our bikes in the snow, so.. to get to a good store takes a good
45 minute walk. But today we decided to go to a second hand store, so
I'll check out the boots there. If not, I'll sent you an email.
Man, I love the Lord.
I love everything that He's given me, and I've grown closer to Him
every day. Pray for us to find someone- and for our investigators.
Murakoshi san: a sixty something Buddhist woman who is sweet and willing
to do everything to learn, but still a little hesitant about leaving
her traditions. Feels the Spirit strongly. Pray for us to understand
her Japanese as well.
Tsugiyama san- A forty something not-married woman who comes to
English class every week. She's super busy all of the time with work,
but has been applying what we've taught her. She prays for her uncle
everyday to be healed from his sickness.
Takeya san- A late thirty's huge Japanese man. (He's almost as tall as
me) He not fat at all though. He was a cop in Tokyo and saw something
that caused him to quit his job and lock himself away from the world
and go into a depression. One of the previous Elders housed into him
and after he rejected them, to him to "have fun in Hell". From that
sparked a question about the Gospel, and from meeting with us he's
coming out of his depression. He came to the Christmas party and told
us after the prayer for the food that he just wants to pray again
because he so happy. He came to Church yesterday, and he's beaming with
the Light of Christ. He said he came just to see our faces. :) aww...
Kinda...
Pray for them all!! I don't like requesting, but there's power in prayer.
I love you all! Keep choosing the right!
Theran: I wrote you a letter. I think you're amazing. Hopefully I can send it.
Sean: Your a stud muffin. Email me.
Jake: I'm ironically not going to say anything to make you feel guilty.
Other friends: I'm sorry that I didn't specifically name you.
Mom: You're amazing and sweet. I appreciate everything you've ever done
for me. I can even begin to list or express my thanks for everything.
Dad: Thank you for the example you've been to me in Humility and Hard
work. Your worthiness and Priesthood power will impact far more than
you ever imagined.
Skyler: I miss you, and our talks. Good luck with the job hunting. :)
Fang: You're so amazing, and perfect for my brother. You the best
Tai-sister I've ever had. :) I miss your cooking.
Austin: You... Oh you. Thank you for being the excellent example that
you are. :) Keep gaman-ing though life.
Brandon: You beautiful little boy... that's bigger than me. When you
get back off your mission I want to arm wrestle. Study the Gospel now.
From the PMG. The Order of the lessons is far more important than you
think. I've spent almost 6 months pondering about it.
Jeremy: Oh you ginger. I told the other missionaries some of your
jokes They all want to meet you.
Brandon's advice plus- be careful around girls. 
Rachel: you're just the sweetest and the cutest. Thanks for being
amazing to everyone else. I miss our philosophical discussions about
worlds on the other side of mirrors, and other such things. :) Draw a
picture of me.
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

TSURUOKA

Alright. about the area.
You could probably Google it and find more about it than I could being in it.
We live by the other ocean, other the west side of Japan, so we get
some crazy winds from Russia and stuff. It hasn't stopped raining or
snowing (hailing) since I've been here. Okay, that's a slight lie. It
stopped for like two hours once the second day I was here.
(today's not actually too bad)
The wind is what gets me. My umbrella ripped apart. Apparently all of
it's fancy spring action couldn't take the Tsuruoka wind.
The branch is daitai the same as Ishinomaki. The members here are very nice.
Every Thursday two of the Elders go to Sakata, which is a town that's
closer to the ocean, to meet with investigators there. The Sakata
branch closed because they didn't have enough Priesthood holders to
maintain it. (There are about 30 that come to church in Tsuruoka, and
about 200 (or so) less-active members.)
So, here's a little dendo keiken. (mission experience)
So apparently Boden Choro and his trainer Fiddler Choro were housing
pretty close to their apartment and they found this obaachan
(grandma/old woman) named Murakoshi san. They gave her a Book of
Mormon, and she offered them money for it, but naturally they refused.
They taught her a genkan lesson and gave marked some places in the
Book of Mormon to read. (she told them it was okay for them to visit
again)
It was Boden Choro and I that visited again.
She let us into her genkan, and we started teaching her. She had her
Book of Mormon with tabs sticking out everywhere. I shared my favorite
scripture, and she carefully circled it and put a tab there so she
could study it later. (She was so quiet. So gentle. Mostly silent.) We
asked her if she had a chance to read. She said she hadn't read
everything we asked her to, but she started at the first and read four
chapters. WHAT!! That's amazing!!!
I was crazy excited. We testified of Moroni's promise and the Spirit's
power, and I taught her how to pray. I asked her if she would. And she
got nervous. She said "Me?... You want me to pray?" I said she could
keep her eyes open and read the steps from the pamphlet if she had to.
She did. She prayed a sweet and beautiful prayer.
I told her how amazing it was and she got embarrassed. I asked her how
she felt, and she told me she felt peace, just like she felt every
morning when she prayed to Buddha and her ancestors every morning. I
challenged her to pray to God every night...
We'll deal with the Buddha thing later.
Praying to Buddha every morning, and God every night... Man.
Before we left she scurried into the kitchen and grabbed a bag full of
sweet bread. She told us, "Because you won't take any money for the
book, I've got this... Even though it's not very much, please take
it."
She's amazing... I felt God's love for her though me.
Moroni says we must pray for Charity- and that's something I try to do
often, because I'm prone to judge, and hate- but though Christ we can
love where the would be none. That's the scripture I shared with her.
Moroni 10:32... I LOVE IT!
Though Murakoshi san is pretty easy to love, there are always people
that are harder. Love your enemies. Love those who love you is easy.
Anyways, not a super profound insight- but one that's pretty simple. I
don't normally like the basic things that everybody already knows, but
I don't think the Atonement of Christ ever boring, because it
applies to everything. (that was ill-worded)
Anyways, Japanese is improving, things are looking up. I love you all.
I got the package a couple of days ago. Haven't opened it. Does it
have boots? cause that might be nice now. My feet are freezing.
I bought one dollar tiny Japanese gloves. :) they're cute.
Take care everyone

New area

Well!!!!
So. New comp. New area. New... pretty much everything.
I took a bus to Sendai, met my companion and headed on a bus straight
to Tsuruoka.
So I guess the gang's all new so I'd better introduce everyone.
Alright! There's six missionaries. Four Elders and a Fufu Senkyoshi.
(a couple missionary)
First is ME!!! because I'm the most important. 

I'm a chill junior companion! Yay for being a junior!
But my comp is amazing.
So next is- My Companion- Elder Boden
Elder Boden is from Utah. Some where in Utah valley. He grew up on a
farm, so he's not afraid of messy things.
for example: In Japan they don't really have garbage disposals, so
they came up with a clever way to have one, without actually having
one. There's a huge net that sinks down into the depths of your sink,
about the size of a janga tower. You put a covering over it so it
looks like a normal sink. We have a cute frog shaped cover-  all of
the water drains down his happy mouth... yay?
so this bag is contained in another filter that's made of metal.
SO... there comes a point. Maybe once every one or two months  where
you sink decides it doesn't want to drain anymore because there's too
much gunk in the bag. So... Fortunately this happened to me as I was
cleaning dishes.
So, I proceeded to remove the bag that was full of a month's worth of
sink gunk. (curry chunks, and rotting rice.) Boden Choro sees me
changing things, just comes over and slowly
takes the bag from me, and then pulls out the metal filter, which
hasn't been cleaned in probably six months (which was growing black
slime) and starts going at it with his toothbrush... His own
TOOTHBRUSH. (okay, that was a little misleading. Yes it was his
toothbrush, but not the one he was currently using to brush his teeth
every night. His was using his OLD toothbrush. He donated it for
cleaning.)
So he's pretty great. He's concrete in his thinking, which compliments
my free floating thoughts. We balance. He's the type of guy that if
you asked him "Who made God?" would say "It doesn't matter. We're just
supposed to baptize people." It a good thing. I love him.
So. There's the other two.
Olsen Choro- (different from my previous companion) Olsen Choro cracks
me up. He's from Canada (just like the other Olsen Choro). He always
has this smile on his face. He smiles at everything. He has an annoyed
smile, an angry smile, an 'Oh, this is gonna be good' smile, a 'what
are you doing?' smile, etc. He plays the piano, sings, love basket
ball, and he's just all around nice.
Hoops Choro- He's the District Leader. He's new to the area, just like
me. (Olsen, Boden, and me are all from the same doki. All three of us
just finished being trained.) Hoops choro has almost been out a year.
He's a guy who likes things clean {(which is nice, because this
Apartment needs help.)}? and also likes anime, but not in a super
weird way. He's had Japanese companions for the last two transfers (I
think) so he's kinda forgotten how to speak English. But he's way
nice.
NEXT!!!
The Kimura Fufu!
They are my Nihonjin Grandparents.
They're both converts to the church (like most members in Japan) and
they're from Tokyo, but Kimura Shimai grew up in this area.
They're amazing. Kimura Shimai made us curry the first day we got
here. Boden Choro forgot to warn me, and I just scarfed all of it
down as quick as ever. Just as I took my last bite (feeling stuffed)
she scooped up my plate and brought it back, more full than before,
right in front of me. I almost died trying to eat it. But she's so
sweet.
Kimura Choro, when I first saw him, appeared to be a traditional old
Japanese man. Who doesn't talk much and would speak everything in
really respectful old Japanese. But I soon found out that wasn't the
case. Though he prays in crazy old respectful Japanese, when we talk
with him he sounds like a little boy. (like uses chill Japanese. Not
necessarily less polite, but more friendly.) People speak casually to
their friends for the most part, and we're friends so he throws 'yo!'
at the end of a lot of his sentences, and just says some way funny
things. He's trying to learn English from us, and he's actually really
good.
We were driving with them, caroling to the less active members, and in
order to stay up with the car of the other carolers he blasted though
a (barely changed) red light and yelled "UTAH STYLE!" (he's driven in
Utah before, and apparently we drive way different)
We also were listening to joy to the world in some island language
(not Japanese) and he started just singing ridiculously, mumbling
nonsense, and just making all sorts of funny noises.
I left my dictionary in his car and he called me up later and said to
me in English:
"Elder Wheelwright- are you missing something?"
"Um... Oh ya! My denki jisho!" (electronic dictionary.. oh... I bought
one of those by the way...)
"Thank you for my new Christmas present!"
(then we had a hilarious Japanese conversation... because I can speak
some Japanese.)

Anyway. I've been blabbing. I've gotta check some things. I might
write you more!

Angler Fish

How are you?

I'm as excellent as angler fish liver.

This is a Tori Gate.
When you walk through it, it represents you
 achieving a new spiritual level

When we get just a little bit closer to Christmas I'll let you know exactly what is like in Japan. 

SOOOOOOO!!!! 

I'd do this is song format, but meh. You can't hear me. 

I'm getting TRANSFERRED! I'm going to a place called Tsuruoka, which in approximately two seconds of googling you will know far more about it than I do. 

I get the privilege of being the junior companion of someone who is from the same doki as me. (Same Transfer) His name is Boden Choro. 

Okay, now that that's out of the way, we'll move on to food.  

Now, I would've thought that at this point I would've tried everything that's crazy and everything would be normal, but neerp. 

Our branch mission leader invited us out do dinner on Monday night... I understand enough about Japanese (and traditional logic and reason) to realize that I was [めちゃくちゃ]   I got to eat fish eggs (which is actually my favorite- almost up there with squid) and an I also got the privilege of sucking the brains out of a shrimp head. Then we also had this dish called fukahire. It's shark fin. It cost fifty bucks for a dish. We got one and all shared. I don't think I've ever tasted anything that good in my entire life. Then we has pieces of raw fish like usual, but these ones had the skin on them. I ate a lot. Our Branch Mission Leader is such a stud. 

Also, earlier that day we went to sushiro. Which is the craziest thing. Everyone who's been to Japan has probably done this. They have a conveyor belt of sushi just moving past all of the tables. If you see something that you like, you just take it. You can also order something with a touch screen and it will come around to you. It was salmon with cheese, and fish eggs for me. So good. 

So we saw on the touch screen a menu that was the specials for the day. One was Angler Fish Liver.... Google a picture of an Angler Fish.

They aren't cute like from finding Nemo. They are things that haunt the nightmares of children and adults alike. 

So naturally when I see this I look up at my comp and say "I dare to you to eat it." 

He replies curtly "Only if you do too." 

What tact he has! If he would've said no then it would've made him the chicken, but he forced the chickening-out to my side of the court. However, I'm not one to back down from eating Angler Fish Liver. 

"Okay." 

He pushed two more buttons on the screen and in two minutes (or so) our Angler Fish liver was staring at us (all gray and yellow). After a quick personal motivational speech, I was chewing on fish liver. And... It wasn't bad. 

I'm not really sure it it was good ether, but meh. It was just... well it just was. 

Also I got to cut open oysters and eat them raw. Actually not bad. Pre-salted with ocean water. 

I'll send you pictures. 

Oysters

Fish staring at me

Shrimpage

We knocked a lot of houses and let's just say our tactics have improved.

I'll send you pictures. Wish me luck with transfers. 

Brother Hirayama (The blind amazing man)

-Your Son, Cousin, Friend, Brother, Nephew, Grandson, or Stranger (I love being people's strangers) 

-Elder Wheelwright

Mer Letter

How are you?

Good. Thank you. How are you? (Some times I ask simple questions in English to Japanese people, and so this usually the only one they can answer. They always say "Fine how you?" way quickly. It makes me laugh.

Is there a Thanksgiving day in Japan? 

There is no Thanksgiving, but we've got new-years week coming up soon. Apparently it's pretty sweet. I heard Amori has crazy festivals, but I guess we'll see after the transfer date, but my Bean-hood is almost up. (In the Japanese missions we call new missionaries `beans'. 

 What day of the year is that? There is no thanksgiving, just like there is no Halloween. Maybe some people do it, but for the most part, it'd be like you doing Guy Falks (Or however you spell it) day. But our Branch President made us a thanksgiving dinner like I've never had. They tried to make mashed potatoes. It's just not the same. But my skill for eating mashed potatoes with chopsticks came in handy. But the main dish was an amazing fried rice with random sausage in it. Pretty good. 

 How are things going for you?

Our District

Dinner party

Things are good. 

What has your week been like?

Well, it's had 7 days and twenty-four hours in each one of those. The sun sets at 4:30 here, so that's kinda strange.

Who are you teaching?

This week we taught Sean twice. One kaiyobi (Tuesday) we're teaching the Kitami fufu again. 

How is Sean coming along?

Going pretty good. He's feeling the Spirit, but he has a very difficult time believing in things that are 'historically and scientifically' impossible, though he hasn't said it that bluntly.

What about Fred? We actually dropped Fred. We had him make a list of his questions, and we answered everyone and gave him a written list of the answers, so that maybe he'd stop going back to questions we already answered. It didn't work. Our last lesson he ended up yelling at us "WHO MADE THE BAD THINGS?" over and over when we explained that God does do evil things to us. We answered by saying Evil is like cold. It's the absence of warmth or God. But he won't accept anything. So... We dropped him.

What about the Fufu you are teaching? They're doing great. They are really willing to listen to everything that we say, and Mr. Kitami prayed at the end of the lesson. The prayer was kiyokain poi. (Just like a members) Which is amazing for Japanese. They love serving everyone else, and they never stop. They're always making us mugicha and they invited us to a picture show. Which is a traditional Japanese story book reading, but it's totally different. We used it as an opportunity to talk with a bunch of people. 

I am thinking that it is about time for transfers? Yep, next Sunday I'll figure out.

When is the next one? Yep. Tuesday. 

Did you have your zone conference with Pres and Sister Rasmussen? Yep! We're doing a Christmas taikai (conference) this week. We're actually putting on a nativity play. I am probably going to be the guy that sits behind the back curtain the whole time and raises the star. Yay! 

Do you like all my questions? 

Ya. I like them.

Do you think I should ask more?

You know, it's all up to you. I like answering questions because it tailors what I write to what the peoples are wanting. 

Did I type them correctly?

Spell check isn't having a problem. (Spell check works out-side of the MTC)

Did you like it?

Sure...?

Hugh?

MEERNA (That's not Japanese, don't worry)

What do you think? いいえ、どうおもいますか

So... This week eh. I'm not even sure what to say about it. 

So housing is a last resort. Do not allow the missionaries in your area resort to housing. 

Here's a list of the best ways to dendo (personal opinion) 

1. Referrals (There's no disputing this one. When you have a friend introduce their friend to the gospel, you have an immediate support system. President Hinckley gives an excellent talk on it. He calls it 'The Better Way'

2. Having a person find the Church's website and order a Book of Mormon or something. (I've never had that happen so far.) 

3. Having a person come to one of the activities. English Class, the Christmas party, etc. 

4. Every other method. (doing service is probably on the top of this. or maybe above activities.) 

5. Streeting 

6.Housing

I love you all! 

We'll find out about transfers next week.

A trip to the Ocean

We went to the Ocean last p-day! 

It gets dark way quick. The first one was at like 5:00 pm. 

So we cleaned the apartment, etc. Then we some how ended up with an extra hour of time. Olsen Choro looks at me and says "Uh uu Uuh un uu Uuuh" Which in man-language means "What do you want to do?" and I, being the noble person I am, in order to prevent a jungle book vulture scene repeat, I yelled: "I WANNA GO U AH OCEAN!" 

So we went to the ocean. 

I plotted our journey on the map that would take us through busy streets with lots of street lights, and in order to avoid factories, I planned to go though a nice residential area- then right to the ocean. 

So... We started and it looked pretty normal. 

Then out of no where, the huge four-lane streets became empty of cars. Buildings disappeared, and street lights hung, omoniously and alone over our heads; stopping and starting traffic that didn't exist. 

We stopped awkwardly at the light, and waited for it to turn green. A single lost looking little Japanese car drove slowly though. The light waited for what seemed like five minutes and switched. We turned right, which in Japan, is like turning left. 

We turned onto a street, we saw a gray tsunami wall on the horizon, and empty fields full of weeds. I felt a little eerie feeling as I biked down the empty street. Puddles of water settled in the streets off-shooting ours. Then, as I looked carefully at the fields, I made a realization that I should've a long time ago. 

Foundations of houses, broken corners of houses, and twisted metal sticking out of cracked cement, poked out of the weeds. 

These were all that was left of the houses.

The ocean was pretty, and we laughed and had fun (not playing in the water of course), but I felt an awed respect, maybe even a distant tinge of fear as I looked out at the gray waters.

Sorry, funny detail, etc, (I just haven't written a good story in a while!.) 

So yep! This picture is the picture of when we went to the ocean on P-day. It was kinda weird because we biked down empty streets and fields that used to be houses. You could see the foundations of thousands of houses in the fields of weeds. It was a little strange to think about what this place used to be. Four-laned streets with cars, etc. Now puddled roads next to fields of cement and weeds.

We had dinner at Umeharashimai's house with two less active members and the sisters. The two less actives are

friends and they had a cooking contest where we were supposed to be the judges. On regards of who won- we did. We got a lot of food. I love these people. :) 

Fantastic

Konichiwa! 

Alright, this week. 

We had Stake Conference in the Sendai Stake, so we headed to the big city at stayed at the Kamisugi apartment with a bunch of other Chorotachi. 

People live hours away, so not everyone could make it to the Saturday meeting. At one point, one of the councilors had all of the missionaries stand up. Half of the people in the room were missionaries. There's like 80 missionaries in our Stake. Nearly every talk was about using the resource of the missionaries. 

Apparently I was told, and this is just missionary talk so it's hard to tell if it's based on any viable source, but apparently by one of the apostles (probably not one of the currently living) he said that Japan would become one of the most successful missions in the world... So maybe this is just the kick starting of something huge. 

We challenged our English speaking investigator to be baptized but he's concerned with tithing and if he'll get to keep his Catholic insurance. As his conversion deepens, he'll come to realize how small so many trials truly are from an eternal perspective. Not that his trails aren't real, and aren't hard; that'd be emotionless to assume that. They are real, and they are hard. He's going to figure out if the company will let him keep it or not if he converts. He's been praying and he knows how to recognize the answers, I dare say, better than I do. He's been receiving answers to his prayers. 

Fred san on the other hand, has been a little difficult. (He's the guy who had a stroke when he was 25, and can't understand why God would do that to Him, even though he was Catholic and never questioned His existence.)  We work though every thought he has, and we answer it, what I feel to be, clearly. But we just go in a loop. 

Alright. So Fred has a question that I think many people ask. If God loves us, why do bad things happen? Or if God is perfect, then how come He causes us pain? 

Well, the second one is easy. God doesn't cause us pain. If so, He would cease to be God. 

So why do things like strokes, typhoons, and tsunamis happen? 

Well, it goes back to mans' agency. God gave us the freedom to choose. (From that pre-mortal gift we the Devil and the third-part, as lightening fall from heaven.)

Because of this gift, bad things can happen to us in three different ways- 

1. We make a bad choice and have to suffer the consequence. (Drinking excessively our whole life and getting liver cancer, or having an awful family life)

2. Other people make a choice that hurts us. (I get punched in the face by my little brother) (I'm not implying anything Jeremy and Brandon! ;) )

3. Something naturally occurs that makes us suffer. (A tsunami or a stroke) 

'So what?! The third one isn't because of agency. It's not fair!' 

Well actually, every disease, sickness, and jishin (earthquake) comes about because of the choice of another person. When Adam chose to partake of the fruit, because of choice, our bodies and the whole world are now in a fallen state. His body could not die. All thorns, weeds, cancer, ka (mosquitoes), typhoons, and runny noses, happened. When you get a runny nose, it's Adam's fault- it's because of his choice that we suffer, right? Nope. It's true that the choice of a single man brought about all evil, but we also made the choice to come down even though we knew that it wasn’t going to be a perfect world. So actually, it's kinda.. no one's fault.... But then how is that fair! 

Alright, I guess I should've explained the justice in the three, but actually just two, bad things that come about from agency. 

1. is totally, undeniably fair. We make a mistake and suffer. (I guess you could deny it, and I could walk you through things such as 'what if ignorance?!' but I don't have the time.)

2. This one is a little bit more tricky, but still very simple. We suffer because of someone else. But in the end, all of those sufferings will be made just. (This is especially hard for George to accept because he doesn't want to believe in an after-life to come to this conclusion. Which, in order for this to make sense, you need the afterlife. Many people who want to logically debate the existence of God get frustrated because in order for many religions philosophies to make sense, you have to have it in an eternal perspective. But we don’t have time for that ether!) After this life (not immediately after) we will all be judged, and every unjust thing will be made just. We will receive bodies that can't be subject to pain, sickness or death anymore. And we will be rewarded as to our good works, and punished as to our evil ones. Now here I could jump into the Atonement and how that makes sense, or we could debate about what is good and evil, but I don't have time 

So that answers the second question. I hope you're still following. 

The first question becomes quite easy as well; He allows bad things to happen because ultimately they will bring about our growth. We could also get into a discussion where we question why God intervenes sometimes and not others, but we don't have time for that. 

ULTIMATLLY! This is actually very easy if you have faith. If you pray about the Book of Mormon and learn though the spirit, which Alma called an experiment (you know, for you scientifically minded people) then you can know of the truth. 

Man. That wasn't only a tangent, it was a cosine as well! 

So we visited a blind and almost deaf 90 year old man named Hirayama san. (I thought about his name... it means flat mountain). 

He's a member that was baptized the year that I was born. He lives by himself in an old wooden shack. 

We knocked on his door, but he didn't hear, so we went in and yelled. "SUMIMASEN! SENKYOSHI!!!!!"  (indirectly translate: Hey! It's the missionaries!) and he slid open one a paper door and got a huge, mostly toothless grin on his face. He welcomed us in with a loud laugh. 

We sat in seza (on our knees) to be respectful even though he couldn't see us. 

He talked to us about how much he loves church every Sunday, and how much he really loves Jesus. He pointed at a picture of the Savior that was crooked in its frame on the wall. 

He told us about how important tithing was. And he said that sense he doesn't make any money, and he still wants to give, he gives people free massages after church. He laughed and told us how happy he was because of the gospel. 

It touched me. A man whose wife died long before, who lives alone in a little wooden building, who can no longer see or hear, was giving all that he had because he loved a man that visited this earth 2000 years before him, who most people in his country know little if anything about! WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD HE DO THAT?! Is he crazy?... 

No.. I don't think so. He does because he knows, and because though he cannot see or hear, he can still feel. And he still feels it deep in his heart. 

Man... I love these people. 

Take care ya'll. 

Wheelwright 長老

Ohiyogozaimasu

In Japan, whenever someone gets up to speak in church, they start off by saying "Ohiyogozaimasu!" or "Konichiwa!" and everyone replies respectively.  I'm just a little curious why we don't do something similar.  "Good morning everyone!"
"GOOD MORNING!"
I don't know, in English it just sounds a little hen (weird).
Well I forget what I write to some people or what I've already written last week, or what I've written in my journal, so if I repeat myself, forgive me. :)
Questions!
Do you have any investigators?
Yes, we have four right now, with one very strong potential.
Wakarani- he's a 20 something English teacher who we just invited to be baptized.  I'll tell you how that went in a bit.
Fred- Half-Japanese Half-Filipino.  He was Catholic and never questioned the existence of God until one day he had a stroke, and he lost much of his natural mobility.  He has troubles walking and using his hands now.  He doesn't believe that any God worth believing in would do this to him.
Kitami fufu- a member referral who loves the gaijin.  Their 70 years old but work as hard as ever every day.  They're both retired, but they do volunteer work all day, nearly every day. Whether it be picking up trash from the streets, or just going to talk to people in need of comfort.  They're amazing.
Have you had any luck with member referrals?
Yes and no.  Socially there's one amazing and awful governing rule.  They never want to inconvenience anyone.  If you offer your seat to an old woman on the train who's having troubles standing, she'll firmly tell you to get right back in your seat.  It's a really self-less society.  However, because of this, members often have a hard time pushing things onto their friends, because their afraid to be rude.  But, just like in any country, many members feel the 'dendo fire'  (mission spirit) and know that their joy of the gospel is worth pushing onto others.  So we get a good amount of both.
What about housing?
I'd say that it's far less depressing than in America.  That is, unless they use the keko box.
Keko box: keko is a phrase in Japanese that is usually accompanied with a hand gesture of waving the air in front of user's face (like there is a bad smell) that means "I'm good." or "Ya, I'm not that interested." The keko box is usually the box in which you push for the door bell.
You ring the door-bell (which the Japanese onomatopoeia for this is 'ping-pong') and you get to talk to the box.  And they... often say keko.
But normally they answer the door and you offer to help them, they tell you they're fine, you have a short conversation where we all end up laughing, you bring up the gospel, they tell you their Buddhist and they  listen respectful to your beliefs, then you ask them if they know anyone right now, you give them a card and they bow as they receive it, and you tell them to check out the website or to give the card to someone who wants to learn about Eternal Families, or whatever thought you talked about. But we haven't really done it too much.  We mostly street.
Who are your investigators now?
The before mentioned.
Will you tell us some about your English classes?
Well, we're shifting our focus to getting high school girls to come, because their the most willing,  (we got called ikemen the other day, but that's a story for another time) But now I no longer teach the beginning class.  I teach the advanced class now.  Which is way sad and happy at the same time.  In the advanced class, everyone understands almost everything you say in English, so I don't get to do weird gestures and act out random things anymore.  I'ts just a lot of me saying a word in English and the repeating it.  We have discussions on topics like friendship or life, and play games that involve English.  like 20 questions or other crazy complicated, but are really fun.  My favorite student is this guy named Shige san. He's a pilot who loves flying so much that he can think of nothing else he want to do for the rest of his life.  He needs to learn English so he can be a pilot of an American or Canadian liner. (Flight school in Japan costs a lot)  His hair looks like something from an anime.  Jet black, spike-y, and ... all around impossible to describe. What other things take your time?
We have a bunch of church activities, lessons, member visits, less-active visits (our less active member are quadruple our active.) We street and house only if we can't do any of the others.  What American Candy do you want?
Probably Rece's or however it's spelled.  Skittles also sound amazing. Just classic American candy.  Snickers, Milky-way, Starburst etc.  And ya, I've never seen rootbeer or licorice before. But there's a bunch of things I haven't seen.  I could see them disliking that. :) Ohori choro hates anything sweet for breakfast.  I made rice cinnamon and sugar for breakfast once, and I let him try some.  he made the most hilarious face as he tried it. and then told me "That is not Breakfast." I thought it was hilarious, But largely with my attitude, I just tend to find everything funny.  Especially when people erject us or look scared. :) It makes me laugh .

My Dignity

Elder Olsen, Matsuyama san, Elder Wheelwright

So Japanese wise, I hope this comparison doesn't offend anyone, but I feel like a handicapped person who's regaining my mental capabilities slowly.  Out of nowhere the branch president jumped when I replied and started talking to him and said in Japanese, "What! You can speak Japanese?! Amazing.  You've gotten good quick." I'm focusing especially hard on the Language, and with Fred san, who loves to have logical debates about God, I've learned to explain every seeming flaw in the doctrine.  I dare say that the doctrine of this gospel is the most solid thing I've come across.  If you find a flaw, you dig into your scriptures and you'll feel like an idiot because what you considered a flaw fit perfectly, and made absolute sense, and wouldn't have worked any other way.  IT BLOWS MY MIND!  I could totally be seminary teacher. But then I'd be confined to Utah..... No offence, Utah.
GAH! Saddest thing,  So Matsuyama san moved.  I'm not sure I can fully convey what this man meant to the missionaries in words.  He's a member who is about 27 who was willing to do anything for the missionaries.  In everything he did, he thought of a way to benefit us.  He was introducing all of his friends to us, and was always giving us food or even furniture, (t-shirts, beannies) he believes the gospel with a stronger conviction than I've ever seen.  I love that man.  It was the first time that I'd actually seen a Nihonjin sob, when he told Umehara shimai that he was leaving.  She clutched his hand with her old strong hands, and pulled just held it and looked down and cried.  Man.  I love him
Anyway, I'll see if I can send you some pictures.  I love you all
Thanks for all of the support.
Wheelwright

Children of God

Sister Homsead with Umehara and Elder Wheelwright

This week has been a growing week.

Like I probably mentioned I got a new companion.  But now I know probably just a bit more about him.  His name is Elder Olsen and he's from Canada! So I make Canadian jokes all the time, but I realized that I don't have too much to go off of besides Canadian Bacon and Hockey. He's a way nice guy that's about 3 months older than me exactly.  He was transferred from Misawa, which has an American military base on it, so he brought us the priceless gift of real peanut butter.  Oh man... I love it.  Japan only has this gross peanut cream that has a jello consistency.  I mean, Japanese food is amazing for the most part, except for their peanut cream.  We're both hard working, but there are some expected challenges, such as neither of us have been missionaries very long.  We're working hard and trying to find some more people to teach now, and I was reading in Alma about the son's of Mosiah that weren't Ammon, and how they had it pretty rough at first too.  'Pretty rough' is defined as being spit upon, beaten, thrown into prison and being starved .  So I suppose it's really not that bad.  But after they get released and heal for just a minute, they get back on their feet and go out there to preach again.  There are many lessons to be learned from this story, but the one I want to focus on is the part where Mormon says (and I may misquote) "the Lord began to give them success"

Here's one of the many rivers in Ishinomaki

The Lord is the giver of all, and I suppose He's the giver of success as well.  All I can do is work my hardest, invite people to come unto Christ and then allow them to chose. That doesn't mean that I can't constantly improve my methods every day, of course not.   That falls under the 'doing my best'category.
So I'm doing my best.  And things are looking up.  A lot of missionary use the excuse that we're in Japan as a reason not to do their very best.  People are Children of God no matter where you are, and they have a natural desire to be close to Him.  We as missionaries just have to help these people recognize that the thing that they are missing in life, the empty hole in their heart that no amount of TV, Video Games, Work, Alcohol, and all other addictions, can fill.
They've just got to see that the Atoning Sacrifice of a person that they've only heard about in a paragraph of a high school history textbook, is going to make every sorrow, every pain, every ounce of guilt and imperfection that prevails  in this world, better.  It's going to make it better.  You've just got to lean yourself off the cliff of life, trusting that the rope you have will hold.  Because it will.  It always will.
Alright, before I start writing sonnets I guess I'll tell you about my week.
We had big enough to be noticed, earthquakes the first three days Olsen Choro has been here.
Hanzawasan (even though he's not my investigator anymore) has accepted to be baptized.  YES!!
We met Onaderasan at ping-pong (and even though he's no longer my investigator) I got to talk to him about how he's doing.  he told us about how he'd read 3rd Nephi 1-11 and then just shut the book, and rubbed his eyes "zenzen wakaranakatta" (I didn't understand any of it) He said he closed his eyes and prayed "tenno-on chichi, please help me understand." Then he said that every single chapter one by one flashed through his mind, and every one made sense.  He said he's scared now because he doesn't want to give up coffee or osake, but I know he knows it's true.
Man. I love them so much.
Elder Wheelwright