Crazy good things happening in Japan! 19 Mar 2012

Whoa, can you believe that it's already half way through March?!  How in the world did that happen? 

Ok, so last time I told you all that we had transfer calls and that crazy things were happening right?  Ok, so now I am e-mailing from the Oita 「大分」 Ward in the Kumamoto Stake.  Man, I thought that Yasufuruichi was a pain to travel in, but Oita, man, we pretty much have an entire prefecture that we are in charge of!  That and we live about 20 minutes (if you hurry) from the church, all up this giant hill, with seminary each morning (yay for early morning seminary again!) I'm getting a mean set of goat legs....

Ok, so let’s start from the beginning, because this is going to be a crazy post!  So, transfer calls come on Wednesday right?  Okada and I both knew that we were leaving so we had already mostly packed (we still had a crazy amount of cleaning and organizing to do, though) just sort of waiting to hear where the heck we were headed.  So, Okada is heading back to Okinawa on this island called Miyakojima, the very most southern part of Japan, and I get moved back to Kumamoto Stake in Oita!  I don't know if you remember why Oita and I have a connection or not, but, I'll explain that one later. :D

Tuesday we made it back to the Sign Language circle put on by one of our less active members.  We had to break the news to everybody about transfers, which ended up being way sad.  We had made really good friends with most of the other members there and 5 weeks was just not enough to really get a good segue into the gospel, but hopefully the Sisters will take care of the rest.  Now I have to see if I can find a way to keep up JSL.

From all 4 missionaries in Yasufuruichi, only Sister Mueller stayed, Elder Okada and I had most of the week to prepare to leave everybody but poor Sister Miyagawa just got the brunt of it all on Wednesday.  That Eikaiwa was a special *Cooking* Eikaiwa.  We made American brownies, but the challenge was that we could only speak in English.  Which ended up being harder than originally planned, seeing that we had 5 students under the age of 12.  We got them all cooked though, so I guess it was all good....  But at the end of Eikaiwa, we always have a spiritual thought before we close and it fell upon me this past week.  I talked to them about Loving one another and the meaning of the song "Love One Another".  A couple of the members were trying to tell me that they thought I was about to cry, but that's nothing compared to Sister Miyagawa; right after the closing prayer we started taking pictures with everybody and she was bawling the whole time.  Man, it's hard for sister missionaries, especially when you've been in an area as long as that.  But I know she'll have a great time with her new companions down in Kagoshima.

That night Okada and I still had to get the apartment ready to close, which ended up going until about  4AM!  Which was way rough for the 8AM bullet train we had to catch!  We were planning on meeting with one of our Eikaiwa students at about 7 for breakfast, but that just never happened, too much to do to close an apartment.  Two days is just not enough to get done all we needed to (especially since we had other obligations in our area which is a half hour train ride away)  Mah, we got most of it done, we'll just leave the rest to the ZLs. 

On Thursday I get into Oita about 11 in the morning, crazy fast, via the train 'Sonic 9'.  Oh, how I love the names in Japan!  My new Companion, Elder Takahashi, is from Saitama over in the Tokyo Mission. It's been an interesting couple of days so far, but, I'm sure we'll figure out what needs to get done.

Oita is doing crazy good with missionary work.  We have a baptismal interview scheduled for tomorrow and 1 more in the next couple of weeks, and if things go well with our new investigator (who I'll explain in a little bit :D) we could be looking at 3 baptisms this transfer!!  One of the people looking to be baptized is the mother of one of the recent converts in the ward, and the other found the church Online; this last one that may happen, is a referral from a missionary, which, well, that hardly ever happens!

Ok, so this mystery investigator that I've been talking about, you might want to take a seat.  So, I get here this past Thursday, and we set a lunch appointment for Friday with this kid named Naoya Matsuda.  He did a study abroad in high school for a year, over in America … in North Carolina … at my house!  Naoya is our new investigator!  We ended up meeting for Lunch at the half way point from the church and his apartment (he lives about an hour away) and had lunch!  It was so weird meeting him again!  His hair is so long now, I hardly recognized him.  We're going to see if we can meet with him on Fridays, and maybe Thursdays and, you know, maybe Sundays, too.  He said that he'll start reading the Book of Mormon (from the start this time, not coming in right in the middle of it.....) and see how it goes!  His English has gotten better too! 

I think it's going to be good things here in Oita.  The members are awesome, we're getting super sweet help from the young men's presidency (who happen to all be American!) and its going to be a good transfer, I can feel it!

Elder Everett
エベレット長老

It's TRANSFER WEEK in Japan! 13 Mar 2012

What in the world? This transfer is already over!  Happy St. Patty's Day (almost there right?) and Happy March Madness!  Let me just say, that I know it’s March Madness over there, but I'm pretty sure that's an apt description of the goings on over this side of the globe, too.

 

So, Transfer calls, it's a crazy day on that Wednesday, everybody wants to know what's going on.  But equally as terrifying is the Monday before.  Because if something is happening in your area that is extreme or out of the ordinary, Monday is the day the AP's (assistants to the President) send you a call.  So you can imagine how I felt while climbing up Mt. Misen overlooking Miyajima and the phone rang showing AP 1.  So, we just got a new AP (the previous one just finished his mission) and he just so happens to be my Trainer!  So Elder Clements (it's been a while since I've typed that name in here, huh?) asked me if Okada 長老 was near so that he could tell us some news.  He says "All right, I'm going to tell you half of your transfers." 

 

WHAT, you're going to tell me half?  I thought you loved me!

 

Ok, so here's what I've got.  Yasufuruichi is becoming a Sister's area and the Elders are closing!  So now Okada and I have to pack up and gut our apartment of all food before Wednesday!  Man, that's the second time I've cleaned out an apartment in the same area!  It's pretty funny because only Okada 長老　and I have lived in that apartment, and no one is coming in after us!  So, I don't know where either of us is going yet, but, one thing is for sure, the next e-mail won't be coming from Yasufuruichi.  (oh man, that's so sad to say)

 

Ok, so other exciting events on this side.  Thursday we get a call at 6:50 from the Elders in Takasu saying "Hey, can you guys come over and teach our Eikaiwa (at 7:00), we have to go to the Hospital." So, two train rides, a series of phone calls, and a half hour later we finally end up at their Eikaiwa.  So Elder Mitton, about 200cm, was running down the stairs to catch a phone and jumped the last two steps.....jumped straight into the ceiling.  He was running pretty hard apparently because it knocked him out for a few seconds.  He ended up with a 3cm deep gash on the crown of his head.  He walked up to the second floor to get his companion, and to get some help from the members, and blood was just all over him.  In his own words "I've never seen that much blood come from my body in my life."  He may or may not have scared the kids that were there, but 5 stitches and a day of recovery later, he's back in action. 

 

It actually ended up being a really good Eikaiwa, they had 5 new students come, and I'd have to say it was one of the most successful Eikaiwas I have ever done!  Too bad it wasn't in my area.... 

 

Alright, here's the feel good story of the week.  So, Okada 長老 and I have been going to a sign language circle every Tuesday this transfer.  One of our Less Active members teaches over there (she's been deaf since she was about 5 years old) and we've been making a really good relationship with her.  Last week we finally got to talk to her straight, and invited her to come to church.  She was a little worried about coming because last time she came there wasn't really anyone there to translate for her, so she kind of just felt like a burden, and left out.  But luckily, our Branch president (and his wife) are fluent in Japanese Sign Language 「手話」 so she felt a lot better about coming.  This past Sunday she came to church again (the first time in I don't know how long) and it seemed to go really good.  The Branch President translated for her during Sacrament meeting and Sunday School (which one of our other investigators randomly showed up for, but that's another story) and his Wife translated for her during Relief Society.  She seemed to really enjoy it, and hopefully she'll come back again!  But that's not the end of the story.

 

Previously when she came she was always helped out by this one Member.  That member has been less active for the past several years now, and had actually cut all communication with the Missionaries for a time.  But, when the deaf member came back she asked if the other member would be there to help out.  I think she even might have texted her, but, through a series of events the Less Active member let us know that, "Well, this Sunday is a little bit rough, but I'll see if I can help out another Sunday."  The whole time I've been in Yasufuruichi we haven't been able to talk to her once.  But this past week, with visits from one of our ward missionaries (Brother Schrubb who just got reactivated since I've been here) and the deaf member coming back, she finally accepted a visit from the Sister missionaries!  Over the past 3 years it's been a rough battle to even get a good conversation with her, but now, with a little work, faith, and a lot of prayer, she may even find her way back to church again!  She used to be the heart and soul of this branch, and she may have burnt herself out working too hard, but it looks like there's the start of a flame; the spark has started, now we just have to feed it.  How great shall be your joy if you shall bring one soul into the presence of God! 

 

Good luck this week and have a wonderful March!

 

Elder Everett

エベレット長老

Elder Benjamin Charles Everett

Japan Fukuoka Mission

9-16 Hirao-josuimachi

Chuo-ku

Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka

810-0029

JAPAN

6 Mar 2012

How is it already a week into March?!

Hey, well, this has been a way good week.  Or really, a way good last couple of days! 

So let’s start on Thursday.  So, one of our Eikaiwa students has been on a kick of having us out to eat and giving us tons of food lately.  His latest venture was on Thursday where he bought us roughly $80 worth of beef (crazy good steaks) and then to an all-you-can-eat Yakiniku (fry your own meat) restaurant!  I don't know what he's thinking but, I will partake as I can!  I think because I always help him with his English questions and understand him when he uses Grammatical terms that he's become fond of me, even if it does seem a little creepy at times.  He's a fan of love songs and has me help him translate some of them..... "Some say love...."  Fun stuff.

Oh, for the last Eikwaiwa of the Transfer we are planning a big Cooking Eikaiwa event where we're going to make Brownies!  Elder Okada made a hand drawn flyer for the event (I'll try to send one to the parents) it turned out pretty sick!  Now we'll just have to see if people come to the event.  3/14 (it's a holiday in Japan called White Day.  See on Valentine’s Day all the girls give the guys chocolates, and on White day the guys have to give something in return to whoever gave them something on Valentine’s Day.... Only in Japan).

Also March 3rd, Saturday, was another festival here.  (Japan has at least 2 a month, sometimes more!)  This was the Doll festival (Hina matsuri)  that's usually just for girls, but we got invited to 3 different meals that day!  Next time I get a chance to send over some pictures I'll try to get some over!  Meals are always nice, but they're even better when we get to have a way good lesson with one of our members who’s having a hard time.  He came back from his mission after only 7 months, so we've been trying to work with him to help him keep in good spirits!  He's graduating from College this next week and we had a really nice talk about how doing simple things like reading your scriptures, saying your prayers, attending church, can help you overcome any weakness or any difficulties you have.  Not only that, but it will improve your life in all aspects: finding a job, family relationships, friendships, using time wisely, helping others, really, everything!  

6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

            7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

 We may think that we don't need to do the simple, seemingly insignificant things that we know we need to do, but it's true, it will confound the wise how simple acts will have a greater effect on a person’s development than any sort of event could ever have. 

This past Tuesday our District meeting was all about Obedience and how obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles.  We learned about the rut-o-meter,  that tells you exactly how far in the rut you are.  It comes from D&C 88:35

1) Break a Law [you break a law once, you can repent pretty easily]

2) Abide not by the law [breaking the law becomes a habit (sleeping in regularly or not reading your scriptures or praying)]

3) Seek to become a law unto yourself [your attitude is entirely contrary, much harder to repent now)

4) Willeth to abide in sin [you begin to brag to people about how you can get away with it]

5) Altogether abideth in sin  [breaking this law is not enough, you have to now find new ways to be rebellious, previous breaking wasn't good (bad) enough for you]

Hopefully we can all identify our rut and get out of it before it becomes too deep.  I encourage you to find your rut, and to do the small and simple things, step by step, that will take you out of whatever rut you may be in.  Find your rut, and with some help and patience, you will prevail!

Days are always better when I get to see a letter in the box, but when it's packages, 3 no less, that's a good day!  I got everyone's Valentines messages (I may have showed them off :]) and good eats from the Family (I totally forgot that it's girl scout cookie season!)  I'll try to be better at returning the letters!  (Writing is definitely not my forte ~.~)

I love you all!

Elder Everett