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9.06.2010 / 7:48 AM
Hello From Japan
Hey everybody! So, again... I'll start with the pictures.
IMG_2358 - This is me. Enjoying myself. And it appears that I haven't shaved in a while in this picture... But I promise I shaved that morning.
IMG_2334 - This is another fun comic that I drew today!
IMG_2344 - This is another awesome comic that I drew! I hope you can read them and they make sense... (Basically, I found a really nasty mixer thing and this comic is how I suspect it got under the fridge- which is where I found it)
IMG_2370 - This is Murata Kyodai. The same as before. As I was writing this e-mail, he randomly showed up. So I elected to take another picture of him!
IMG_2361 - This is a picture of my name tag... I know I sent one before. But I like this one better.
IMG_2366 - Here is an example of typical wonderful Japanese-Engrish hahaha
IMG_2368 - This is Curry Rice. Japanese have their own way of making curry and it is amazing! I would reccommend everyone try it. And for your information, I made this delectable dish. Japanese cooking is way easy!
Okay. And now, because multiple people requested it... If you have to send me a package, here is a list of some things I could use.
1. Maple Syrup
2. Fake Gravy (I can make mashed potatoes, but not gravy, so I need the fake powder stuff).
3. An American Simple Recipe Book because I can't read Japanese Recipes
4. List of Famous Shoes (i.e. Cinderalla's slipper, the old-lady-who-lived-in-a-shoe, etc...) The reason is unimportant... I'll tell you when I have more time. I suspect there is a wikipedia page on it. And a list of the various kinds of shoes... Like... boots, Vans, Chuck Taylor, etc...
5. If someone could find a Tiny PMG (like half the regular size) that would be amazing. But probably expensive so don't worry about it.
6. Candy is always good
7. Cereal is also always good
Some things not to send:
1. Ties - Really... I have plenty, can buy new ones for really cheap... And keep inheriting people's old ties... So I'm raelly okay.
2. Books, There are a lot of good books out there, but I don't have room in my suitcase and I don't really have any time to read anything other than PMG, the Scriptures and Ensigns. Sorry :/ In two years, I'll read them :)
So this week was great! Chiba San is doing well and keeping all of his commitments except he is still not coming to Church. Which is aggravating, and Elder Aiura and I are trying to be 'devestated,' as PMG counsels to be... But as of yet, he hasn't got the memo. And so he still hasn't come. If he continues not to come for the next two or so weeks, we might have to drop him.
Nanjo San, who I think I mentioned last week is also doing well... Though he is old so it's really hard to convey any ideas to him. We've met several times and have only barely gotten through the Message of the Restoration. He has read from the BoM but "doesn't understand how to pray." Which is a wicked lame excuse... But we're working with him.
We found three new investigators this week, which is also great. 2 our the 12 and 13 year old sons of a very active member. Nao Kun and Ren Kun are their names.We've only taught them once, but are excited to teach them again.
Our other new investigator is Sasaki san. He is old and loves to talk. Too much in fact. When we teach him, he talks for 90% of the time and we can only share a tiny lesson! So we haven't progressed too much with him. And he hasn't kept any committments yet... But we'll see what happens this week. I fear he might be more interested in someone to talk to then in the church :/ But for now we are still meeting with him.
And that's the update for what I'm doing. That and, believe it or not, cleaning. I clean SOOOO much. You wouldn't believe me if I began to tell you. We are given an hour on P-day, and 15 minutes at Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner to clean everyday. And I've been eating as fast as I can to get more time to clean things! My apartment is such a mess... But slowly and surely I'm making it liveable. It's actually really funny because I've learned to enjoy (most) cleaning. Hah! Bet you never thought you'd hear me say that.
Oh gee! Sorry. I spent too much time talking. I am out of time. Well, I love all and thanks so much for your support, prayers, and mail. I hope you enjoy my comics :) They are a nice way for me to relax on P-Days! Bye for now!
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Kokoro kara
Elder Shaw
Hoka No Hi...(Another Day)
Hey everybody! Thanks to everyone who sent me mail recently ;) I really appreciate it! I'll start with the pictures again.
IMG_2319.JPG - I'll come back to this one later...
IMG_2298.JPG - This is some rice I ate. Look! There is Little Snoopies in it! I thought it was pretty cool. :)
IMG_2299.JPG - One day this week, my companion had a sudden attack while we were planning. So I drew this. Enjoy!
IMG_2300.JPG - Today I had around 20 minutes of time where I had nothing planned. And so I drew two different comics. Maybe not the best use of time I suppose. But I did it none the less. If you can't read what it says... It says: "What happens to Japanese Missionaries:" and "Yay! Rice!"
IMG_2301.JPG - Then the rest of these pictures
IMG_2302.JPG - Procede to give the account
IMG_2303.JPG - Of what happens and/or what a missionary
IMG_2305.JPG - In Japan eats through the week.(Monday through Sunday). Then... After two years what he looks like! Yipeeeee!
IMG_2306.JPG - The other comic is on finding approaches that work in Japan.
IMG_2307.JPG - Something not to do.
IMG_2308.JPG - :)
So this last week has been great! On Friday and Saturday I went on Splits with an Elder Suzuki and we had a great time and found three new investigators! Which is fantastic! We were very excited. It is sad that I won't get to teach any of them though. But anyways... it was lots of fun and I learned a lot from Elder Suzuki.
In Furukawa, things are looking quite as bright. Chiba San, whom has a baptismal date, will not be able to make his baptism, beause he hasn't as of yet come to church and we haven't been able to meet with him for a week now! We think he is dropping us... But we haven't given up all hope yet.However, we did find a new promising investigator named Nanjo San. He is an old man who owns a really succesful Real Estate company. He suffered from Depression for a while, but has recovered and is now interested in our message. Yay! We've only met with him twice, but he seems to be an earnest seeker of truth. So we are excited for him.
Other than that, we haven't found any new investigators... But a lot of potential investigators! So this week we are likely to see lots of success. We are also meeting with members when we can to "Mougi" (or role play) through lessons so that I can get practice teaching and speaking the language. It's lots of fun, but I wish we had the real thing so that we didn't have to turn to the members! You know? Regardless it is lots of fun and very effective.
Other than that, not much else is going on here in Japan. You can pretty much predict what I am doing... Finding. Housing, streeting, contacting, etc... All day every day. Lots of fun :)
At any rate, before I go, I want to share a quick spiritual message based off of the picture I skipped from earlier (IMG_2319.JPG). Sometimes I think we are like this picture. We see something good, and think that in order to focus in on it, we have to close everything else out. But that's not the case! I don't know if you can tell, but this picture is of the temple.
Sometimes I think people get the idea that temple work is temple work and missionary work is missionary work. Sometimes people think that we just need to focus on missionary work, or temple work and as a result we close everything else off to focus on that thing. But when people do that... They miss the whole picture!
The whole picture is that all this work... Is really God's work: "To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Missionary work is temple work, which is home teaching, which is teaching children, etc... It's all God's work. And I think that is important to remember. I may be a full time missionary, but we're all engaged in the same work! Remember it's all important! And I leave that with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I love you all. Thanks so much for your prayers and support.
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Sincerely,
エルダーショー
Elder Shaw
My name is Brian Shaw, though you can just call me エルダーショー (Elder Shaw). As of the 19th of May 2010, I have been rigorously engaged in serving the Lord by laboring to bring the Japanese people back to their savior, Jesus Christ; and I will continue to do so faithfully until the 19th of the same month in 2012.
