July 20th- Toyko

Konichiwaaaaaa,

Hey family! Another week down. And with this one the first transfer ended. How the heck did that happen? I feel like thirty seconds ago I was walking off the train to Kamagaya for the first time with my doryo. So strange, but I guess that means we were busy, and busy is good.

So we cannot teach women because of a few bad eggs here in Tokyo. It really is a shame, because I would say of the few people we actually do talk to, women make up ninety percent of them. But all we can do is a small intro, give them material, and refer them to the sisters. Kinda frustrating, but we feel good that we can help the sisters find people to teach. The rest of Japan can teach women as long as they abide by the rules in the white handbook. 

So today we had zone pday in Matsudou, where we found out they are combining our zone with another.  With that change me and Tsuchida Choro will take over ALL of Kamagaya and its investigators. It's a huge load of work, but I sort of knew the Lord was gonna lay one on us when he allowed me and Tsuchida Choro to stay together. I am so happy I get him for another two weeks. I really do have the greatest trainer in the entire Tokyo mission. I feel so blessed to be here with him. Also not having to sleep on the kitchen hardwood floor and study in the genkan (entry) will be nice too. The genkan is the area near the door where every one puts their shoes, and my desk has been on the edge the whole transfer haha. We have one of the smallest apartments in the zone so it's been a tight fit for six weeks. At zone pday we played ultimate free for all dodge ball. It was so fun. You restrict the game to half court and have one ball. If you pick up the ball you can take two steps before you have to throw it. The only way the game can end, is if one person gets everyone out, each time someone is out, all the people THEY got out go back in. It's really fast paced and chaotic, and lasts for a long time, so that was fun. Other than that we had transfer calls. Our District Leader Kuwana Choro, from Sapporo, dad, will transfer out so that was kind of a bummer, he is always happy and positive and suuuuper funny. Good missionary. But we are excited for the opportunity to work more.

What else happened this week...it's so hard to remember it all. So this past week we had a typhoon nearby, so we had super high winds that were HOT. It felt like a car heater blowing in your face, while it was already one hundred degrees with ninety percent humidity haha. I would compare it to driving the Acura the last three years of her life in the summer. Danielle, Shannon, dad, you know. The week before that it got suuuuper hot and humid, and the week before it was freezing sideways rain. So the weather has been crazy. It's consistently hot and humid now. I thought I would hate it, and I suppose I do to an extent, but I am so tired I just don't even care that I am always sticky and sweaty hahaha. I'll need to find some mega bleach for my shirt collars...

I forgot to talk about this but I did have my first earthquake! It was pretty fun. I woke up in the middle of the night to the ground shaking back and forth, it felt kinda like someone was shaking me awake and once they got me up, they gently rocked me back to sleep hahaha. Was just a tiny one. 

This past week we had one lesson with an investigator over Skype. He is kinda crazy and treats our lessons like free English lessons. He won't commit to anything but loves the Book of Mormon and the missionaries. That's the problem here, people love the missionaries, because we patiently teach them, and they love the stories and principles of the Book of Mormon, but they never commit to anything hah. Pretty tough, but everyone tells me stories of how people met with the missionaries for years before finally committing, so we patiently try to get to his heart. This last time though, we had a member present and things went a little crazy haha. The member got really passionate when talking about temples and got a little preachy, we knew he meant well so we let him have his time, but our investigator got mad and felt he was being preached at. Called him arrogant and such. The spirit ditched at that point so we just ended the lesson. Fortunately he will still see us, but not that member haha. We tried to explain through email that he really is a wonderful person and such, I guess we will see what he thinks now.

Other than that it was finding, housing, streeting, pamphlets and over and over again. This week we finally made the goal and the mission standard for placing Books of Mormon given, which was Ten. We managed to do well and get twelve so that felt good, but you are always hungry to find people who are gonna stick around. Not just those interested in a record of people from America and learning about what God is. The only thing we can do is continue to work and invite.

On a funny note I am becoming Japanese. I am really awkward now for an American, vey soft spoken and such, but it's normal here so I don't notice it till the end of the day when I look back, look at Tsuchida Choro, and say, "I'm such an awkward person now!!" He just laughs and says that is the life of a senkyoshi. One awkward encounter after another hahaha. It's so funny because you won't be rejected outright or rudely, most of the time, but people will pretty much ignore the fact you exist. At the park the other day, we were talking to some college kids who were NOT interested, but would not flat out tell us to get lost, so I refused to get lost! After ten minutes of the quietest most awkward conversation ever, we finally gave them a Book of Mormon and left. Hard to put into words, but I'll be a weirdo when I come home, if I come home? Haha just kidding, but it's hard to imagine doing something else, I mostly delude myself into thinking this is my life now.

What else happened this week...oh the once fearful Jehovah's Witness missionaries have found all the ekis (train stations) that we work at and have decided to set up shop at all of them, throughout the week. That's been tough. They just sit there with their arms folded not looking at anyone while their fancy podium poster board thing plays some kind of recording about their church. It's so strange how they do missionary work. It is all passive, they don't try to seek or find at all. That's been a little frustrating though. People often ask if we are Jehovah's witnesses and we have to explain and assure them we are not, I don't know what their message is, but people seem to be pretty wary of it here. 

Oh I remember I wanted to tell you one story about a member we visited this week. His name is Hirukawa Kyodai. He has some serious health problems, he can hardly walk and can only say a few words at a time before he clenches his eyes and sucks his breath. I think it is some kind of pain. I have no idea what his problems are, but my heart breaks for him. I wish I could help him, ease his pain somehow, care for him. I hardly know that man, but when I think about him my eyes fill with tears because I feel so much love for him. Every single week he calls a cab to come take him to church, rain or shine or snow and slowly hobbles into the church, when we could easily take him the sacrament. His conversion is one of the most solid I have ever seen. We visited him last Friday. When we rode up to his house, we saw that the big earthquake several years ago liquified some of  his foundation, and his front porch sunk a little into the ground. Because of that you can only open the door enough to squeeze inside. And the brick and stone on his house is in pretty bad disrepair. When he called for us to go in, my heart broke into a million pieces. He can hardly care for himself, so his house is a pretty big mess. There are a lot of broken things, a lot of trash and garbage all around. We stood in his genkan and read the Book of Mormon with him and talked about how our desires and actions help us become better people, and how that secures our conversion in life. Continuing to feed our righteous desires. He then told us that he was going to the temple to do some family names. He can't afford a new air conditioner, new glasses, or repairs for his house, but he budgets so that he can go to the temple for his family. As he sat on his floor talking with us I could see his pain and suffering. In my mind I think about his body being draped in chains and weights, but despite all the heavy adversity he continues to slowly put on foot in front of the other and keep his eyes toward Christ. It really is inspiring. We thanked him for his example and promised to return. Tsuchida Choro and I both have decided we will return and begin to clean his house for him. It's such a funny thing that I can feel so much love for him, and really not know a thing about him. I read again about Christ healing all the Nephites when he visited them after his resurrection, and thought about how wonderful it would be if I could ease his pain, even just a little. But I know that his faith is strong enough to ensure that he will receive that gift of eternal life in due time. Such a wonderful man.

There are so many examples, and experiences in a mission that simply testify of the love and influence of Christ all around us. It's hard to explain in words..especially in very poor English. But once again I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here. 

Kristin thanks for the letter. I'm sorry the army is such a joke and can't tell which way to put those pants on in the morning. I really hope that when I choose something oriented in that area, it isn't such a horrible experience, it literally is the only thing I have ever wanted to do. Oh and stop saying kids ruin everything, we need more nieces and nephews haha. Seriously sounds like you are having tons of fun, so thanks for the update.

I haven't heard from a lot of you today, but if you wrote and I forgot I am so sorry!

Preston that's sweet that you served in Singapore. Nihonjins loooove Singapore and go there all the time it seems like. I am pretty much wet all day every day and sometimes at night too haha. We definitely bike EVERYWHERE, it's nuts. But I like being out and active so even in the heat I am grateful for it. Thanks so much for the emails man. Keep working hard with Lance, is he still doing  foreclosed homes? That job got pretty nasty at times hahaha.

I sure do love you all very much and miss you. 

Viehweg Choro

July 6th 2015

Hey family and friends,

I haven't heard from any of you yet, so I am sure that you ware celebrating America the way you should. With all your heart! Living away has made me very grateful for the country and culture I come from.

What a week. Each week has its own unique challenges and difficulties, accompanied with its own unique miracles and tender moments.

We finally found someone to teach early in the week. He was a twenty five year old who worked at a business next to the eki (train station) where we were street contacting. He was really kind and was interested enough to have us meet him at the same spot in the park the next day. So we arrived there and he was nowhere to be found, we were about to head out when he came walking around the corner. We sat down and talked about his life and set up our expectations and what our purpose is. After that we taught the first lesson. It was really good. He was engaged, and participated the whole time. At the end we testified and he thanked us for the lesson. He talked about the calm he felt and how he had been looking for some religion. We then started to set up a future appointment, and he just looked at us and said,"daijobu desu" which means I'm good or no thank you in some situations, and he walked off. We never saw him again. We were both pretty heartbroken and couldn't understand why that had happened. We just talked about how we cannot change his heart, and at least he has the Book of Mormon and its message in his heart now. Still, he was basically a kinjin right up to the end (golden investigator). It was good to teach the lesson though so I am grateful for that.

Later this week we were doing some jitensha dendo (proselyting) on our bikes when Tsuchida Choro, who was ahead of me, was stopped by this adorable little Asian girl in her school uniform. She said something to him, and then hurried over to me and said,"ame ga furu yo!", hahaha she was warning us that,"it was going to rain!"  As people grow up here in such crowded conditions they value their space and quiet, which is why they ignore you all the time and never say hi, but I could see that this small child was not yet influenced by her culture. She saw us in our white shirts without raincoats, and wanted to help. When I looked in her eyes I could see Christ's light shining through them. I am a firm believer that when  you look into the eyes of a child, you catch a glimpse of the face of God. They are so pure, and innocent, and loving. It was a small miracle wrapped in pig tails, smiles, and kindness. I was so thankful for that one small gesture that helped carry me through this week.

We visited some members and taught the restoration which was good to do. I got fed by them again which is always good :). We also did companion exchanges this week. I went with Kuwana Choro who is awesome. He played football at his high school and also did gymnastics, so he is athletic and resembles a rubber band at times. Anyway he has so much energy and happiness when he works it is really cool. Different from Tsuchida Choro, but great all the same. Unfortunately that day I had a difficult time speaking. Some days you just can't do Nihongo, or English, and it was one of those haha. I learned some good stuff about attitude and happiness while you find people, which was good. We also got taken to a ramen shop by a member which was awesome of course. Food here is so great.

The other day we found a bunch of referrals for the sisters. In the Tokyo mission we cannot teach women, but they are always the ones who are receptive to the gospel. So, we always introduce the gospel and they ask us to return, but we never see them again hahaha. Kinda tough. But that day going house to house we ran into three separate women who wanted to know more, which was great. The last door of the night, we met the most well prepared person I had ever talked to. She loved God, and really liked talking to us. We were just about to give her the Book of Mormon, when her son and his girlfriend came home. He took one look at his and angrily said I don't need this and started to close the door after he went inside. The woman was intimidated and scared by him, I could see it, and my heart ached for her. She had a desire, but her fear overpowered that desire. She looked at us and said, "ah isogashii ni natte imasu!"  Like, "oh we are now busy" or something, dad my Japanese is probably very wrong so sorry about that, and she closed the door on us. We were frustrated. That would have fulfilled our goal for books of Mormon and contacts on the day. But we always try to tell ourselves that our purpose, is to invite, teach, and provide the spirit. We did all of that. The rest is up to them. But when you start to love these people for the small, strong faith they show, it makes it so hard to see things get in the way of their salvation.

This Sunday was crazy hard! It was a good experience though. It was fast Sunday and Tsuchida Choro bore his testimony. I didn't understand much, but I felt God's love so powerfully while he spoke. He has such a special, tender, sincere, kind spirit. I am so lucky to have him as a companion and I love him so much. 

After church, as usual, from all the Japanese I couldn't even think of how to speak English haha, and we had a lesson with a crazy old super nice Buddhist man who has a very vocal and happy forty year old handicapped son. I tried so hard to listen and understand him, and participate, but he went off on tangents in politics, and space and I was lost. That, combined with the background one man choir, was about all I could handle. We left the lesson and my brain felt like it was going to implode hahaha. For those who don't know, there is normal Japanese, and there is old person Japanese. And they are TWO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES I SWEAR. Hahaha. Good practice though, the only way to improve is to tear down what you have and build it up stronger. Still, I wish I could improve faster.

So the church that I sent the picture of is all one church. Every floor. I call it the castle, or the battle station hahaha. It has a full size gym, chapel, classrooms, and such all packed into six stories.

"When they are older, they will remember the hymns they sang with you. Even more than recalling music, they will remember the words of scripture and testimony. The Holy Ghost can bring all things to their remembrance, but the words of scriptures and hymns will last the longest. Those memories will exert a pull that may bring them back when they wander for a time, possibly for years, from the pathway home to eternal life."

Read the talk "A Priceless Heritage of Hope" by Henry B. Eyring - reminded me of how often I think about reading scriptures early, singing hymns, doing family night, always making conference a priority, etc. Thank you.  That's a random thought, but I read this talk and was so grateful for the influence this had in my life growing up. Thank you parents for always doing this by example.

Not sure what else to say. Oh! We had one more awesome miracle. So this college student named Shouta who is such a great person finally was able to meet with us. He supports himself, lives alone, and goes to school so he is always isogashii (busy), but we read third Nephi seventeen about Christ's love for the Nephites. I love that chapter, how Christ weeps when he looks at the people, and blesses the children. Anyway we talked about how that love is available to us today. And through our obedience we can feel that same love. It was good. I struggled to teach, but made it through with Tsuchida Choro's help. We also had a member present which was great. He answered so many questions. We decided to call him each night and read the Book of Mormon together, and he agreed to start looking at baptismal dates next time we meet. He keeps all of the commandments except going to church, because he has to work. Please please please pray for Shouta San. He would be such a great member, please pray for him to be able to come to church.

Okay I think that's all. Sorry for my bad English and random thoughts. I love you all and feel the prayers and love.

Your humble servant,

Viehweg Choro

Brother and Sister Okamoto

June 28th- Toyko

Hey family!

Man what a week. Not gonna lie it's been a toughy. We have biked all over, talked to tons of people. Studied for hours on end, planned, prepared, taught, all that jazz. In essence we did what missionaries do week to week.

We had exchanges this week. In keeping with tradition in my mission things have been very unusual for me. We had a super long zone conference last week to say goodbye to the Budges, then this week I had my first exchange, which is very unusual to do with a zone leader this early on. But I was grateful for it. Our zone leaders are Higby and Lofgren Choro. I got paired with Higby Choro. He is a twenty year old from a tiny town in Nevada, and an incredible missionary. He is on transfer sixteen and I am on transfer one, so we are at exactly opposite ends of the spectrum for missions. But what a great senkyoshi (missionary). I learned so much in such a short time period.

We taught a lesson to an old man with only one tooth, I taught a little about the creation and restoration, and with his help I was able to get through fairly mediocrely. Hah. He was a great man, and I think he will be a member soon. Oh by the way I went to Matsudou for the exchange so it was all new turf for me. More epeople and more buildings. After that we did a bunch of finding. We worked together to introduce the Book of Mormon, and I was not saying much, because I was not able to say much hahah. He then turned to me and said it doesn't matter what you say. Japanese doesn't matter, and then he threw me right under the bus missionary style and left it to me to begin the Morumon sho shokai, intro. NO my tongue was not loosed, and no, I did not speak words I cannot now remember, and no, it was not a miracle, BUT, I learned. And I know that that is what I needed. I stumbled and struggled through several finding situations on the street next to the eki, train station, and slowly improved. With Higby Choro's help by the end of the night I was way more confident In finding. It was a great experience.

Later we had an exchange review, where we just talk about what we learned, what went well. And set goals we would follow up on with each other. He had some really good things to say to me. Things I needed to hear that really let me know that my heart and desires were in the right place, and that I was working consecrated. As a missionary you always worry about whether or not you are doing enough, so it was a blessing from the Lord that he said what he said. He told me that I reminded him of himself in a lot of ways. We had a really good talk and set some goals that we were pumped about. I was so grateful for the exchange because this week has been really tough and the pick me up came at a good time. No worries though, my attitude is good, and I work to always have faith and trust.

Returning to Kamagaya was good and I was pumped to start applying what I learned with Tsuchida Choro and try to contribute more as a senkyoshi. We then had a district meeting about courage and finding to add to what I had learned, which was good.

From there it was day to day stuff until Sunday. Sunday's are so hard hahaha. My eyes were LITERALLY closing on their own from how tired I was mentally and physically. THAT NEVER HAPPENS TO ME. Before my mission I had trouble getting four hours of sleep at night, even in the MTC I didn't sleep much, but yesterday it was all I could do to stay awake and force myself to translate everything I could hahahaha. I'm sure plenty of church members were entertained. I did feel like I was able to decipher a little more this week which was good. Anyway, Sunday's are rough hahah, no longer a day of rest.

We had dinner with some members this last Friday. Apparently eating with members is actually cool which, prior to the mission, I was told was not okay here and never done. Either way I am glad we can, because Japanese food is so awesome. I love fish, and rice, and edamame. So good. The family was the Ooshi family and it was a good visit. I shared a scripture and even read what I could in Japanese! Sounded like a four year old, but I tried, and the members felt that. Oh dad we actually do study kanji now, we are expected to be able to read the Book of Mormon by a year, so I am learning kanji VERY VERY slowly haha. But I talked about prayer and Tsuchida Choro and I shared about how important it is as senkyoshi. The man and his wife looked at the pictures of our family I carry and said we all look like movie stars, they love how big it is and shake their heads at all the sisters I have. Good visit, and it was my first visit to a member's home.

Let's see what else...next week we travel up to Matsudou to meet our new mission president and his wife so that will be cool, and the week after that I think we have a trip to the temple for some interviews and then temple p-day the week after, then zone p-day and transfers. Crazy how time flies. That's random though.

Clifton family. Thank you so much aunt Joyce and Shayla for those awesome cookies in the MTC. So sorry it took so long to answer, I am a bad person.

Thank you Emily and Laura for your letters.  I love hearing about all the great activities and miracles from God that you share. They lift me so much.

Macsen way to go on the half iron man ma dude!!! That's great especially since you do NOT TRAIN AT ALL. hahahah made me laugh. You have some mental strength that I wish I had or sure. Thank you for your letter and I will be patient.

Danielle, don't you dare worry about another kid. You are a natural mother, you always have been. While we were growing up I used to complain about how you were not the mom and shouldn't control me, but I think it is a gift you have. You helped raise me I feel like, and you do such a wonderful job with Mazer, don't even worry about it. You will be awesome.

Lisa your little akachan is beautiful. What a sweet angel congrats on another girl. Sure wish I could see her. Love the name too.

Shannon good work in being up front with the stubborn kyudosha(investigator), sometimes they need tough love, but try finding out why they meet with you, get to the root of the problem, peel those onions. The gospel will apply, always, to the center of those onions. Love you and I am proud to serve with you as a missionary.

If there is anyone else and I missed you I am sorry.

Ah Kristin! Thanks for the letters dude! Hope the World Cup was all you wanted and more. Love you

Love you all so much. The mission is wonderfully difficult and hard, but it is still wonderful to me.

God be with you all until we meet again.

Viehweg Choro

Elder Viehweg and his Mission President and his wife

Apartment Study Area

Apartment Kitchen

Bathroom

Bathroom

At the grocery store

Outside church

Ready to Roll!

June 21st- Tokyo

Hey family and friends,

Being here I Japan is so crazy, I know that I say that a lot, but it is almost surreal to me haha. Everywhere I go there is Japanese language, writing, and people. I sure do appreciate this opportunity to serve though.

First and foremost I want to acknowledge how grateful I am for Eric Carter's health. Dad filled me in and it sounds like it was a horrifying experience. I felt very prompted to pray for him and send blessings to him and his family as I am sure many of you did. From dad's letter today it seemed like he was on the up and up. He will continually be in my thoughts and prayers, theirs is quite the amazing family.

So this week was pretty tough! Haha in a good way of course. But man this language is so hard. Not a lot of people want to talk to the gaijin (foreigner) with a white shirt and Jesus Christ on his chest, but I still try to work up the courage to stop people and start up conversations. Most of the time I don't understand most of what they say, but it's okay. I have to keep myself patient and diligent I know.

We still do not have a very large teaching pool. There are investigators that we contact but they just never have time for us. That is the struggle here. The Japanese people work themselves to death for fifty years, then retire, THEN they investigate the church and get baptized hahaha. We were actually told to start targeting the younger people. College students and stuff. Apparently the membership in the church in Japan is getting old, there are not enough young priesthood holders. That is fine by me because it is actually the daigokusei (college students) who listen to me and want to talk.

We did teach a few lessons this week but one was pretty rough and the other was like slamming my head against the wall haha. Both men are in their sixties and seventies and are soooo nice and love to talk. One of them has no teeth and speaks so fast about such wild things I cannot understand him. So I try to pay attention and learn more nihongo while ignoring the cockroaches on the bookshelf behind him ha. The other was the nicest man ever. He loves that the Book of Mormon has been translated only one time, and he thinks our faith is the most correct of any Christian in the earth. He also loves the principals of faith and repentance in the Morumon sho, but of course he has no intention of switching faiths, after all, his family has been bukyo or Buddhist for so long! It's all good though, he has the book and reads it. We can clarify and teach but after that it is up to the spirit and his agency. Very nice respectful man though.

Housing (tracting house to house) has been pretty tough. Most people only talk through intercom and I can't really understand them. Still, I tell them who we are and the message we have, then let Tsuchida Choro come to the rescue hahah. We decided to speak way more japanese from now on to improve my comprehension and speaking so hopefully that starts to pay off.

By far the hardest days are Sunday. So many meetings and so much strait nihongo that my brain often feels that it will explode hah. Yesterday we had two hours of study, church, then language study, then an additional study for first transfer missionaries and by the end of it I could not speak English or Japanese. I kid you not haha. My brain just told me no. So after apologizing profusely to Tsuchida Choro and struggling through some role play we left to proselyte. It got a little better that evening and I consider that a tender mercy from God, you definitely struggle with feelings of inadequacy and at times I feel sorry that Tsuchida has to deal with my inability to speak, but I know where those thoughts come from and work each day to keep them from having any power over me.

Sounds like everyone had a wonderful time with family for Shannon's farewell. That's so great to know she is now in the MTC. Such a holy place it is. I missed you all very much, but I am so glad that I am over here doing what I am doing. 

What else...no earthquakes yet so that's kind of a bummer. If been wanting to feel that since I came. Oh dad do you know a Chris Aaron Sorenson??? He lives in Boise apparently and the name sounds familiar to me. Anyway if you do there is a man here who was baptized thirty years ago by him, who is still active and has several children and loves him very much. I got to talk to him and hear about his conversion and hearing the humility and gratitude in his voice really helped to strengthen my testimony of why I am here doing this. So if you do know him, let him know about the fruits of his labors and that I am personally grateful for his service before.

Happy Father's Day dad! Sounds like you had a great day and I hope you feel very appreciated and loved, because you deserve the best! Thank you so much for always supporting and loving me throughout my life. Tsuchida Choro s dad is not a member and it made me so thankful that you have lived the gospel and taught us to live by its precepts as well. Love you.

Deborah! Thank you so much for the email. It sounds like you are busy as ever with work and your other interests. You work so hard for all of us and do not ever get enough compensation or recognition for what you do, so thank you for your work and love, and thank you for sending me a small letter. It's good to hear from home.

Kristin I hope you know I am jealous with green envy right now. But I do hope your trip was fun. The other day dad told me about the men's championship and it made me miss being athletic hahaha. But at least I am super good at riding bikes and dodging small Asian humans now. Thank you for the beautiful photos of your trip to.

Not sure what else to talk about but we are able to check our email throughout the week so if you want to send me a note just do it. I can read them once a day.

I sure do love you all and appreciate all the prayer and support. I feel it in my everyday life.

Matta ne

Viehweg Choro