6/15/09 Letter

Dearest Darlingest Momzie and Family,

"I'm here and safe! These buttons (on the computer) are so small and close together and there are so many different letters on them its so CONFUSING!!! And I can't find the apostrophe button! It seems like it's been a really long time since I last sent a letter. Let me start off by saying Japan is really beautiful to anyone's surprise... my first impression was that, it smells really good! I had never smelled Japan before, it smells quite different.

Everything is super clean! There are vending machines on every corner (without Dr. Pepper, but I suppose that's a good thing.) and as I'm looking around getting worked up about being in a foreign country, the stupid grin on my face fades as I realize, "I'm in a foreign country". Looking around I realize I can't read a thing, everything is written in Kanji, I can't speak to anyone, I've suddenly forgotten how, and then the overwhelming prospect sets in of realizing, it starts."

"With hysterical tears I said goodbye to Elder Palmer and the rest of my doki (People I arrived with) and met my new companion Elder Hardy.　Then they sent us away to the very edge of Japan to the beautiful city, Takayama. This place is immersed in the very heart and soul of Japanese culture. Beautiful houses surround the mountains, handsome steps into the forest lead to Jinjas (Buddhist shrines) and the town clock plays really pretty songs when the hour changes."

"I went to Kanizawa last week because my doryo needed to attend District Leader Conference, and I bought a really good looking chocolate cake. Tasting it I thought, oh man this is weak... They apparently don't use as much sugar as Americans."

"Right now its the rainy season down here and of course, I forgot to buy a kappa, so Mom, if you could get onto the missionary mall and buy/send one for me, that would be wonderful, Ive been getting drenched. My companion is way awesome, he's a good teacher. This week Ive done everything, door approaches, street contacting, its all really scary and I'm totally uncomfortable doing it, so please pray that Ill suck up the courage to get over it."

"The church is really small, and we have to remove our shoes and wear these slippers which make my feet super hot a sweaty. But the church members are awesome, they all look the same to me, but they're awesome people. Can I speak to any of them? Heck no... but what did they have me do? I introduced myself at the pulpit, I failed at everything I just know it. They all LAUGHED. It was pretty funny though, I had notes to the side to rely on."

"So I'm still confused about who are less actives and investigators but I DO know that Mizaguchi Shimai from the ward has been having her parents down so that we could teach them the discussions. Her father is not hantai (Opposed to the ｃｈｕｒｃｈ) but set in his ways (as is EVERY OTHER MALE IN THIS COUNTRY!). Her mother is a really cute tiny lady. She always forgets the previous lessons but shes doing good with the help of her daughter. When asked a question she would say "Yesuu" for me so I could understand, and at the end of the lesson when we were leaving, as she hobbled off gradually to the kitchen she said "Sank you ferii much." Mizaguchi Shimai was proud to report that shes been saying her prayers everynight. She should be baptized soon. Our goal is to get three baptisms this transfer."

"Right now I'm a little depressed because the people here just don't want to listen to and they don't want to talk to us. They are so rude. They see these foreigners walking down the street in slow motion, wind blowing in their hair, holding up BOMs and assume, "They are here to destroy our culture." One man I stopped on the street didn't want to talk to me because I was ENGLISH. I TOTALLY understood THAT. So I'm really struggling to find hope out here. And courage. And the language. And a kappa. I hope we'll start seeing some improvement. I've been praying so I know it will come , just a matter of time. Perhaps I am meant to see this first."

"Well I love you all... I hope your all doing alright. Enough about me, I want to hear from you! Send emails おねがいします！ Can't wait till then."

-Elder ぼろくす