One Week Down
Thanks for all the emails, it is really nice to come to email on Preparation Day and see everything you guys wrote. It has been an interesting week, so emails from the states are really welcome.So yeah, on with some updates. My first area here is Gifu, which is kind of a mix between country and city. It is one of the bigger areas in the mission, so there is a pretty good amount of bike riding, much to my dismay. I think I am certainly out of shape. I’m here with Elder Greenhalgh from Manti, Utah. He is a piano performance major at BYU, and is right about at the halfway point of his mission. We are very different people, but we get along ok. He can be a little bit quiet and kinda depressing sometimes, but I’ll get used to it.
I actually ran into one of my teachers in the MTC, Petersen Sensei, who is interning with a company here in Gifu, and dating one of the members here. I kinda pinned him as the type who would come back and marry here. He is awesome, and he has taught with us already once, and wants to teach with us more often.
Yesterday I got my first taste of a real rainy day. After church, we took home a ton of food (in Japan, they give the missionaries a ‘fruit basket’ every Sunday, with food in it), probably extra cause it was fast sunday. Afterwards, we ventured out about 45mins or so by bike to visit some members and less actives. About five minutes before we reached our destination, it started raining pretty hard. Pretty interesting experience, I brought my raincoat but not my rainpants, so one pair of suit pants got soaking wet. Luckily, our Ward Mission Leader and his wife own a dry cleaning facility, so I will get it done for free.
We have some good investigators, and a great ward. I’m thinking that I will actually see a baptism or two in this first transfer, if investigators continue to progress at the rate they are now. You can definitely see the Lord’s influence in the work here, as much as we get rejected, there are investigators and members making progress. It is certainly moving forward.
The language is coming along well. I think I am progressing in it even faster than I was the first time. Greenhalgh’s language skills are good, but not as good as President thinks they are. I have actually found myself understanding some things he doesn’t at times, but overall he is obviously far better than me. I have been bringing flashcards with me everywhere and studying even in between each door (I know, unbelievable for someone like me) and it has really payed off. I think I have come to enjoy studying, after working 40 or more hours a week. So yeah, anyway, language is good. I am really excited about it.
Bummer about BYU and Utah State. I understand the need to protect your first string from injury, but you also can’t let them score, and let that hurt your rankings. I’ll be interested to find out next week if they dropped at all. With the nation’s longest winning streak, it would be sad if they did.
Thanks for putting in my voter registration. It is good to hear Obama still has the lead, you will have to keep me updated. Also kinda good to hear that Palin kept up in the debate, because if McCain does win, she will be a heartbeat from the Presidency.
Well, thanks again for the emails and good wishes