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