Okay so this week also had its ups and downs. The beginning of the week was the bad part and the second half of the week was okay. On Tuesday nights we have institute and we are studying in 1 and 2 Corinthians. One of the members of the ward has an english lesson manual that he lets me and Sister Johnson use so thats nice. But at insitute I got asked to read a block of scripture so I did and then after the teacher asked what I thought about it but I couldnt even understand the scripture so I tried saying Oh Im sorry. I didnt understand the scripture. But everyone thought I was just not knowing how to say anything so they were all saying Oh Engish is okay! Eigo daijobu! And it was just making me freaked out because I am trying to speak Japanese to them but they cant understand me anyways! Everytime I have to speak on the spot without practice before hand I get so nervous and start to cry. So yes, I started crying in institute. It was embarrassing. But on the bright side, earlier that day we went streeting and talked to a lot of people! There was a guy sitting on the curbside and I said to Sister Johnson, I need to talk to that guy! So I went over to him with an Eikaiwa flyer and in very very bad Japanese said, Im from a nearby church! I am also an english teacher! We have english conversation class every week on wednesday. Here is a free flyer. Please come! My companions chuckled because I said free flyer. Flyers are always free! I meant to say free eikaiwa ha. But that was cool. I did it all by myself even! He never came to eikaiwa though. Oh well.
The next day right from the beginning of the day it was bad. I woke up and started walking down the hall way to the bathroom which is a straight shot but I was blacking out. I figured, the bathroom is straight ahead! Ill be fine to just keep walking even though I cant see! But there is a door that seperates the hall from the kitchen which was the pathway I was taking and the door wasnt all the way pressed against the wall so I walked right into the side of the door and banged my head. It hurt so bad! I had two lines where the door hit my forehead all day and the days following as well. My head is still a little tender today even ha ha. But then the whole rest of that day I was just feeling poor thinking of how unclean I am and how I need to repent so much. I spent all day studying repentance and just feeling so low. I think the BOM prophets give good descriptions of the pain a person can feel from being full with sin. I felt how they felt. So it was a pretty sad day for me. But the next day I studied forgiveness and I feel as if I had a complete change of heart! The joy Alma the Younger talks about in Alma 36 is real! Also I love what Nephi says in 2 Ne. 4. The Book of Mormon is awesome! It was a good day to feel forgiven.
Also, on that same day we went to this place that is 2 hours away by car with one of the members to visit a referral she had for us. It was the nicest family! We visited a lady named Gamon san. Her husband died like a year ago and she has been so depressed since then. She lives with her parents and her mother has bad knees and has had some pretty crazy surgery so the member we went with said they have really been prepared by the Lord to be ready for the gospel. We didnt end up teaching a lesson but we did a lot of BRTing (Build Relationships of Trust) which is really really good. I spoke a lot of Japanese too and they in return tried speaking english to me! It was the only time this whole mission I have actually felt comfortable talking to a Nihonjin. I was able to tell them that at school I studied food and health and so then they started asking my all these questions about Oh what has more calories? A kilgram of flour, a kilogram of sugar, or a kilogram of rice? Ha ha I do not know the answer! Nor did I understand they were even asking me that. My companions have to translate everything for me. But I thought it was really awesome how they understood me enough to reply with a question like that! So thats cool! Later that night we also taught a lesson to Otaki san! Remember him? He is our only investigator. We taught him about God. He told us that he doesnt believe in God. He told us we could come back the next week though so we will keep teaching him. Tonight we are going to teach him about the BOM and I have to start! For companionship study this morning we practiced and I did so terrible and I think Sister Johnson was getting frustrated because I was going really slow and couldnt figure out what to say and I kept asking, What would be a good thing to say? Or how to do you say this? and Johnson Shimai said Just say what you can! Its up to you!! I dont know. It made me get embarrassed though so I felt like crying again.. like always ha ha.
On the 11th was my half birthday! I am half way to 21 years old. On this day we had interviews with President Rasmussen so we traveled to Koriyama for that. It was fun to see some of the other missionaries in my zone. And to talk to President Rasmussen. He told me that a new sister will be coming to Aizu and so we will have 2 companionships of 2 people.
The next day was Saturday and so I got to watch conference! In the main meeting room is where the Nihonjin watched conference and the english speakers had to sit in the kitchen and watch the english version ha ha. Me, Sister Johnson, Elder Low, and Saito Kyodai were in the kitchen. Saito Kyodai is the member that gave us the english manuel at institute. He is also Pres Rasmussens first counselor. He is so nice and he speaks pretty good english so he always speaks english to me. Conference was way good. I am excited to get the conference talks. Every month we get the Liahona here which the nihonjin use as the ensign, new era, and friend all in one. Its awesome. Later on saturday night we went to the Saito familys house and ate dinner. We also did a surprise mogi lesson with them on Joseph Smith. Can you guess what happened to me since it was a surprise? Yep. When it was my turn to talk I froze and couldnt think of anything in english or japanese but managed to say something after my companions said it first and then I just repeated them. After the mogi was over I went to the bathroom and cried... Im such a baby! This week my goal is to get more confident so hopefully I can manage that.
The next day was Sunday which meant more conference! Yippee! It was the same procedure as Saturday. After conference we went to visit a lady that lives close to the church named Suzuki san. A week ago or so she donated a ton of fruit called kaki to the missionaries so we went to give her a thank you card. She isnt a member and when we went to say thanks she invited us in and we had Mugicha and did self introductions. Mugicha is the water of Japan pretty much. It is a barley based tea so it is okay and not against the Word of Wisdom. It is so gross! But I have to drink it every day because that is what they drink here! It is getting better... but I still dont like it. And when Suzuki san gave me a glass to drink the Mugicha, there was a booger and a hair in the cup!!!!!!!! Ew! But I had to be nice and just drink out of it anyways! Nasty nasty nasty.
Yesterday was Monday and like I said we were busy with a ward activity. We had an imoni kai which is kinda like a potluck. Lots of people from the community came and I had the opportunity to talk a little to a 16 year old girl named Nozomi chan. She was so cute! She has an english test coming up so we are going to go over to her house and help her prepare. We are going there tomorrow. We have plans to teach a lesson too.
After the imoni kai we went to the matsuri which is like a parade with the takegawa family. I love the Takegawa family! They remind me of my family so much. While in the car we were talking about being tired and I said, Taberu koto ato de, itsumo nemui desu. Which means after eating, im always tired. And the lady driving, Maria Shimai, understood me! It was awesome! It is kinda ridiculous how tiny things like that are what I triumph over... but its true. Plus I didnt get too scared to say it. So thats good too. Anyways, thats my week!
Thank you again for your support. My president said that my family is receiving so many blessings because Im on a mission, so youre welcome ;)
The shampoo and conditioner here is very expensive. But I can use dendo money for it... I dont know if you can send shamp and cond though via mail. You shoudl let me know and email about it next week. But I like sulfate free shamp and conditioner. I need razor refills as well. I have a venus 2 or something? I dont remember. I will have to look and email you next week. I would like my black pants too. the pants I brought on my mission dont fit anymore because I am too big. Also, I need those little socks for flats and more nylons but I think I could find those here probably. ALso i need mascara and foundation as well... but they have that here. It is just twice as expensive. But I can use dendo money. Oh and I need peanut butter M and Ms! Thanks!
Thank you so much!!!
And today I am going to buy a coat but if you find good rainpants you can send those. Also a few pairs of black tights maybe. I have black leggins but I cant wear them because i have to have boots to cover the end since they dont cover my feet. I will look for boots here too. Thanks!!
No comments:
Post a Comment