October 6th, 2015

Hello mina San,

To be honest, I cannot remember what I talked about with you all, so if I repeat forgive me please. Where to begin...this week has been crazy and I am worn physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Kind of like a tire that has been on the bike for a few too many weeks. It's good though. I'm tired in a really good way. We have stepped up over the course of the end of this transfer and really worked to show the Lord that we are here to change the world. This week we had temple p-day today so that's why my mail is a little late.

So last week we managed to find four people who were willing to give us contact info and meet again, and several more that became Facebook friends and are in contact with us right now.  On Monday we met a Phillipino named Jason who was on his way back from the store with a can of beer to keep his one man party going, he was drunk, when we yelled out to him as he rode by on his bike. He was really happy to talk to us and knew some basic English. We talked about meeting again and became Facebook friends since he didn't have his phone on him. He's young and right in the sweet spot. Later this week we got his phone number and expect to see him on Saturday to talk more. 

The next day we had zone conference. It was so great. The theme was extending the baptism commitment in the first lesson. We would break out into groups and practice extending the commitments after different lessons. We focused on how we can relate the commitment to the lesson we just hypothetically taught, and how we can continue to teach and calm fears or worries when rejected. It was so helpful because as of yet I really have only taught one lesson since getting here where we sat down and really taught principals and extended invitations. That will change though. That night when we returned to Kamagaya we were on our way to ping pong night and we ran into a high school student who expressed a desire to meet again. We got his contact info as well.

The next day we went to eikaiwa (English class) and after while talking to the students Horne Choro approached a man who talked about how he had been baptized Catholic thirty years ago because of how much the missionaries helped him, and how he wanted us to come and visit him. Of course Horne Choro was all over it and, beings how he is blind, we bought an audio set for him at the temple book store. We will talk to him again tonight and see if we can meet him earlier than what he wanted, so that was awesome.

The next day, Thursday we had new missionary training...wait...okay so we had new missionary training on Tuesday and then last Thursday was Zone Comference. Sorry. This transfer has seriously blown by so fast I can't remember what happened. That reminds me of a funny story. Of course we got lost on the trains again on the way to Nakano for new missionary training hahaha. I gave us a huge grace period so we ended up being okay. I think at one point we walked out of an Eki and saw Tokyo Sky Tree right there and said, "Yupp..lost again." I felt so bad I lost us again after the disaster at the Elder Whiting conference. We eventually made it though hahaha. Anyway, the new missionary training was great. I discovered all the things I was doing wrong for Horne Choro and found how I can better serve and help him. The list is endless really. It was a good day though and we had fun in Nakano with the other trainers. As far as trainers go I am the youngest so I didn't see any of the people I went to the MTC with, but Horne Choro met up with his companions from there and really enjoyed that.

Last Wednesday night I got called by one of the assistants, Hughes Choro, saying that his companion, the other assistant Elder Chugg, was going on splits with our zone leaders, and he had nowhere to go. He told us that after zone conference he would be on splits with us! Pretty rare to have an assistant come to good old Kamagaya and work with us. It seriously is a speck on the map compared to the other areas. Anyway, after the conference on Thursday we all went back to Kamagaya. That night we had weekly planning, or rather we tried to have weekly planning. Horne Choro wanted to keep hearing stories about Huges Choro, who really did have some great stories, but we got nothing done. I was really stressed because the week before Horne Choro had been so sick and we didn't get to plan, and I felt such a difference from that I really wanted this week to go better. But, it didn't happen. Anyway the next day was pretty fun. Hughes Choro took us out to eat and then we went out and worked together. He really has locked in some really great attributes that Horne Choro and I both were able to learn from. That day we ran into the nicest Nihonjin (Japanese native) I have met thus far on my mission. He is a high school student and you may have seen the photo of him with me, Horne Choro, and Hughes Choro on Facebook. Such strong potential and wants to meet again if he has time. The poor guy is worked to death by school and sports. Anyway, working with Hughes Choro was what we really needed. He talked about how they (assistants and president Nagano) had just dumped us here and let us go at it on our own. After a while they realized they might need to come help us out a little, and the split with our zone leaders offered the perfect opportunity. Anyway, I really took a lot away from his example. There are so many amazing missionaries here. I swear everyone has rejected Harvard to go on a mission to Tokyo. I have met about five elders who have done that as well as several military academy cadets who also gave up their postings to serve. Crazy. I'm so lucky to work with such amazing people.

Saturday was good I guess, I couldn't tell you what happened because I forgot haha. Monday we had splits with the zone leaders so we met up Sunday night and Horne Choro went to Matsudou to work with Maki Choro, while I stayed here in Kamagaya with Morishita Choro. I'm really glad Horne Choro got to work with Maki Choro. He really is the all around best missionary I have worked with as of yet and Horne Choro really needs to actually LEARN for a change rather than deal with me hahaha. Working with Morishita Choro was awesome. He doesn't act like a Nihonjin, which I love of course. We had a good Monday of finding because we still don't have any regulars yet, but it was really good. We talked to a ton of people and invited as many as we could, but everyone chose not to partake of perfect happiness, eternal salvation, forgiveness of sin etc. What else can you do? Anyway, of course I learned a ton from him, and working with a Nihonjin meant we spoke a ton of Japanese which is always good for learning. 

Yesterday Horne Choro and I went to go see the recent convert from May who comes to all of our activities. He is a sweet man named Yoshida Kyodai. Anyway we got to his house with a few snacks because he is poorer than poor, and the first thing he does when he opens the door is ask us for one yen. People who have served in Japan or been there understand how worthless one yen is. I think it is worth maybe one hundredth of a cent. It was a pretty funny question. Apparently his bike had been booted by a bored cop and he needed one more yen to get it out. We could tell he was pretty stressed so we just gave it to him hahaha. He said he was super busy and had to go so we said good bye and walked back down to our bikes. We were chatting when he yelled from the top of his apartment building, ran down, and gave us chocolate milk. Right after that he took off down the road. Probably to retrieve his bicycle hahaha. From there we did some bike dendou and ran into a guy who had met us before. He is about twenty two and I didn't know who he was at all, but of course when he said we had met before I acted like we were premortal brothers. Anyway, he rejected our message the time before, but we asked about whether or not he remembered what we did. He said no and we talked a little bit. He was far more open to us this time, but was on his way to work so we didn't have much time. When we asked if we could contact him and talk more, to our surprise he gladly gave us his phone number. So we got him to contact as well now. So great to be able to do that. We talked to a bunch of other people that day and then tried to visit a member. That's a pretty funny story.

They live right on the edge of our area and we had no idea how to get there. The streets that show up on google maps are dirt paths and dead ends in real life, and before we knew it we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere. It looked like the jungle really haha, but we just kept on pushing forward. Eventually we got out to a more open area and saw the Tokyo Sky Tree all lit up again far off in the distance. It was night so we could make out the lights all the way around it. However that also told us how lost we really were. You are not supposed to see Sky Tree from Kamagaya hahaha. Anyway we called the zone leaders and explained we would be late getting back and then pushed on to find the member's apartment building. Eventually after about thirty more minutes we found that place. On the way back we discovered that all we really had to do was make three left turns and bike a huge distance to get there from our apartment. Whoops. Of course I was guiding us...stupid. Anyway it made for a fun adventure.

Today we had temple pday. Of course it was wonderful and I love the temple so much, but getting to Nakano just doesn't agree with me. We got lost on the way there. This time we only got lost for ten minutes in Tokyo station, and we only took one wrong train haha. I feel like such a scrub. We barely made it in time to make our session, but we made it and that's all I care about. After that we went to the gorgeous park they have right next to the temple and took some pictures. It was so pretty and there were several groups of preschool kids walking around with leashes attached to their teachers. So darn cute. We then ate some awesome ramen, and started the challenge of getting home. Once again, Tokyo station proved the bane of my existence and we got lost there, but no wrong trains! 

We really were so busy this week, and I am feeling it now. We had to wake up around five or earlier seven or eight days in the last week for training, conference, zone meeting, temple pday, seminary with the youth and other things. Of course you all know we don't stop till we get back to the apartment and then it's calls, and reports, maybe a little study, and then bed. Poor Horne Choro, he puts up with me all day and then just crashes when we get to the apartment. The guy goes out like a light every day. I feel like I may push a little too hard, but I just crave the feeling of leaning back in my chair after a day of work, study, calls, rejections, invitations, and visits, and feeling tired to my bones. I LOVE that feeling. That is when I feel closest to my Savior, only after I know I have done all that I can do. I think things are slowly changing in Kamagaya. When I first got here, and even now, every older missionary has talked about how 'special' Kamagaya is and how difficult it can be. Whatever. They just weren't up to the task of changing the culture here. Hopefully next week I won't get transferred. I really want to keep working here and seeing it change. It's so slow, but I really think it is happening. 

From here on out we have more disaster cleanup and then conference. Nothing else too great to report. What a week. So much more has gone on and I can't even think about what I did.

Danielle congrats on the med school. I sure am happy for you guys! You are a wonderful, mother, cut yourself some slack. I know I gotta eat my own words too. 

Krisitin thanks for the update on paradise. Sounds like a good time! I'm glad John got out to do some gunnery.

Lisa the update was hilarious hahaha. Thanks for all the stories

Brittany thanks for the story about the anniversary. Sounds like you had a BLAST. Come to Japan next time...

Sorry if I leave you out of shout outs. My brain is slowly quitting on my. I love you all so very much and miss you all so much this time of year. Halloween, Thanksgiving, the tenth, Christmas. I don't think this time will ever be the same again for the rest of my life. You are all in my prayers.

Love,

Viehweg 長老

Garden near the Tokyo Temple

Choro Home

September 28th, 2015

Hey everyone,

Kristin thank you so much for the army shorts. I think I loved your ghetto "card" more than anything else!

Once again, please do NOT message me on Facebook. If I can't even follow any of you while here, messaging me is NOT OKAY.

Ma, if you haven't sent a package already I would like another t-shirt or two, and maybe another pair of jeans. You may be able to find some in my boxes. Just casual stuff I can work out in and do service in. Thank you so much and if you can't do not worry about it!

So I want to start of with some pretty hilarious things from this week. First off you know how Horne Choro sleep talks at exactly the same time every night about Jesus Christ? Well, he still does it. But there is some new information that just makes this hilarious. I woke up the other night to him teaching about Christ in full blown nihongo! (Japanese)  I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I laughed for a few minutes then rolled over on my futon and went to sleep. The next day I talked to him about it, and he looked at me and said, "I woke up at the same time to you answering questions in Japanese!!"   So we are now practicing teaching about Jesus Christ, while sleeping, in a foreign language. If that doesn't help us then I don't know what will!  So funny though. I always new I slept talked, but this is a new high point for my career. 

Another funny story: each day in companion study we sing a hymn, recite the first vision, and read from the white bible (missionary rule handbook). The other day we read about bike safety. Horne Choro is an absolute goonbag and he loves to pop wheelies and try to get air off of curbs and sidewalks while we blitz around Kamagaya. I always hear his chain rattle, and his tire hit the pavement behind me. It looks ridiculous but we are ignorant gaijins (foreigners) anyway so whatever right? Anyway, he always follows a little too closely behind me and I have warned him several times about it to no avail. The day we read about bike safety and not riding to closely, we go out to work for the day, and I come to a stop at a crosswalk crowded with lawn mower sized cars. Out of nowhere behind me I hear bike tires screeching and have just enough time to know exactly what is happening, before being rammed into by Horne Choro. I turn around and he is tilted over trying to pick his bike back up. He leaned it over trying to avoid me, but it didn't really work hahahaha.  He had such a sheepish look on his face and all the people around us were laughing I'm sure. It was pretty funny. He's a great kid, a little immature, and a little easily distracted, but a really good missionary in the making.., if I don't break him.

Last p-day we decided to visit a temple we found while out running. Kamagaya is basically all small Ekis and houses. There are no cool parks or tourist spots so most of the temples are kind of in bad disrepair and not really worth seeing. The other day we jogged past a small, but very pretty temple and decided we would go check it out. It turned out to be pretty cool. We got to this cleansing area where some crystal clear waters pools into a marble basin, where you are supposed to cleanse yourself before entering the premises. We didn't know how to do it, and we're just about to turn and leave when a tiny adorable obachan (elderly lady) wanders around this small building and beams a huge toothless smile at us and proceeds to explain how we can cleanse our hands and heart. She was super sweet and after washing our hands and sipping a little cool water, she then gave us a tour of the temple and explained all the shrines and gods and how to pray to each of them. I'm pretty sure she thought she was converting us hahaha. Anyway it was cool to learn about and I have some pictures I'll send.

Throughout the rest of this week we have had so many different responsibilities and things to do that we haven't really had a lot of solid finding time. Because of conferences, service, eikaiwa, and other things the whole transfer has been that way, and now we are already in week five. I feel bad for Horne Choro and wish I could get him out with the people more, or find more opportunities to teach for him. We are doing the best that we can, and we find good contacts each day, but we still can't seem to climb the wall they have built against meeting further with us. We'll figure something out I'm sure.

Wednesday was the church building's thirtieth anniversary so they planned an activity for that. It was a fun slide show, and the father of the CEO of Microsoft in Japan lives in our ward so he had his son come and address all the people who came to the event. It was okay..old people planned it so it was pretty boring. Horne Choro and I actually left and did some dendou (proselyting) while everyone else sat in the chapel. The bishop told us he had wanted to do something fun, he's a younger adventurous guy, but got outvoted by the old timers haha. Anyway we returned just in time to eat some food and talk to a bunch of people. The sisters managed to find a few contacts through that, but we did not unfortunately. It was still a good experience though.

Thursday Horne Choro got really sick. I felt a little crappy Monday night after doing the service, but since then I've been pretty genki (in good spirits) and haven't had any problems. But right after study Horne Choro basically passed out. He had some really bad head pain, and a lot of nasal congestion and a little bit of a fever. We called Nagano Shimai and she told us not to go out and work that day. So I became his nurse for about twenty four hours. Nagano Shimai gave me a list of things to make and do for him so I was busy doing that a lot of the day. It was funny, I felt kind of like a mom hahaha. I felt really bad for him though, he really wants to work and was pretty frustrated with himself. The guy must have been exhausted because he slept for like six hours. During that time I attempted to plan for the week on my own, which was okay. It's hard to do without a companion. I also went through the entire area book again and tried calling people. This transfer I have slowly become able to talk on the phone with people. I'm super awkward and have to have them repeat themselves a lot, but I understand and we make it through. Anyway, I have called so many people in the area book, when the next elders come through they will see my name and report on every dropped person and potential investigator I swear. It felt good to work though despite being in the apartment. I about went nuts after three hours of that at which time Horne Choro dragged himself out of bed and tried to help me plan. After about ten minutes I look over and he is passed out on the floor. I just told him to go back to bed hahaha. From there I studied a bunch. I have been learning a lot of kanji (Japanese writing characters) and trying to read and comprehend the Book of Mormon lately, so I worked on that a lot. It was really helpful. I'll read one or two verses at a time, break them down, look up definitions and then move on. Since then I have noticed that I actually understand most of what is happening, which is nice, because I remember how when I first started, I could hardly make sense of one or two ideas per page. Gotten through the first three chapters of first nephi. Such a struggle hahaha.

After that Horne Choro again dragged himself out of bed and we tried housing and working at an Eki for the evening. I would look back at him from time to time to see him staggering and looking pretty dizzy. After a while we called Nagano Shimai again because I was worried that his head was hurting so badly he couldn't even walk strait. She had the area physician call him and after talking just prescribed him a ton of ibprofen. Since then he has improved and is about normal again.

Saturday we had eikaiwa and then study, then went back to the church to set up for an activity the sisters planned. We played ping pong with some members and non members and ate some food with them. After that we played games and did other fun things. At the end of the activity the sisters came up with a great idea to do book of mormon skits. We split into groups and read the story together, then chose roles we would play. My group decided I should have the role of Ammon in teaching King Lamoni about God, it was pretty funny. Everyone of course acted ridiculously and we all had a lot of good laughs. At the end the sisters gave a small thought on the Book of Mormon and what they learn from it. It was such a productive non-threatening way to introduce the gospel. Really effective I thought. From that activity the sisters were able to make a few contacts and set up an appointment with someone and we handed out several Books of Mormon. It was a good night. From there we cleaned and set up the chapel for Sunday.

Sunday was a pretty good day. Horne Choro is really good at the piano and he has an awesome arrangement of IF YOU COULD HIE TO KOLOB. We had called and planned with bishop to have him play in sacrament meeting several weeks ago and he had the opportunity to do that yesterday. Out of the blue an area seventy and the stake presidency showed up right before he played so he was a little nervous, but he did really well and the members drooled over him for it of course. We have really been able to strengthen a lot of relationships with the members lately and this was definitely one way to help with that. All of you at home, I was a HORRIBLE member missionary. Please go out of your way to help and work with the missionaries. Refer EVERYONE to them. It is such a blessing to have members do missionary work with us. We see so much more success when that happens.

After church a nice older woman invited us to come to her house and meet her non member friends she had in town. We showed up and there was a good crowd of people there. Unfortunately she asked that we not teach anything (not right in my book, but we have to respect what the members want), but simply be happy and show a good example. It was really fun and I ate sooooo much good food. I kid you not I woke up this morning and still felt full of food. I'm not exaggerating it was incredible haha. Anyway one funny thing was we ended up a little behind on the ride out to her house (a good fourty minute bike ride ) so we just started booking it. I think we made the ride out to Shiroi in record time, like fifteen minutes or something like that. We were sweaty and puffing when we rode up, but we were on time! And that's important here. After that I had to go to the church and do reports for the week on key indicators and my letter to the president about the district, so that ended the night. 

Of course there are always so many things I forget, and what I describe doesn't do justice for how busy we really are. We still don't have any investigators. All three transfers I have been here we have been cleaning out the area book. It is full of people who don't want to learn and are not committed. It's been frustrating because before I got here they taught plenty of people weekly, but now we are struggling to find just one person to teach. The sisters are really doing well and have a progressing young mom who they will invite to be baptized tomorrow! Please pray for Suzuki San! Despite the challenges our faith is strong and things ARE changing. 

I love you all very much and I appreciate all your letters. Lisa I have seen the Mormon video a lot! I use it to practice listening to Japanese. I talked to Takara bishop and he was happy to hear about his friend. Sorry it took me so long haha. Thanks for all you love and support.

I love you all, and I love my mission. I really do love Japan and these people.

Viehweg 長老