I hope everybody had a great week.
Ya so today we went up to the water fall...it was pretty sweet. It is from water from mount fuji so naturally it is holy water. So we were able to drink from the streams of Fuji. It was pretty sweet. I don't know if it was the smartest thing because ducks were swimming in it but the member said it was ok. It was way cool. We also had some delicious mount fuji ice cream. It was way good.
Recently I have been eating rice and milk. It is like my favorite meal. I have it like every morning. It is way good. There is also another thing that is way good. It is called nashi. It is so delicious. The only thing that I can compare it to that you would understand is the tree of life's fruit. It is white and way sweet. It also makes you realize the love God has for us by putting this fruit on the earth. It is way delicious. It is way expensive but members and investigators find it important that we have plenty to eat so that is good.
So yesterday was general conference. You are correct it was actually steak conference not general conference. We had to go to homamatsu. Everyone out there who doesn't know where that is (I am sure there are very few) It is a 2 hour drive from fuji. It is like half way in between here and nagoya. (Just for reference I think the drive to tokyo is about 1 hour) So it was pretty far. Yes and that is in our same zone and stake. So it is far. It strated at 930 so we woke at 5;30 and left the church a little before 7. It was a very great meeting. President and Sister Baird spoke. Sister Baird spoke about the challenge it was to move to Japan but the blessings and comfort she has recieved because of it. Also Presdint Baird spoke about missionaries and how awesome we are. No he didn't but he talked about how important it is to strengthen your family and do the basic things as a family. I still have a hard time understanding Native Japanese speakers talks. They were good but they speak in super polite form. They are really hard to undertstand. If they spoke to me like I am 7 then I can understand...alright maybe 5 would be better but you get the point.
We have been doing a lot of finding this transfer and lately it has started paying off. At first it was hard and there was practically nothing to show for it. Now people are starting to listen and want to learn more. One lady we found in this Giant apartment building that we atempted to house. She is way cool. She has a daughter that is 8 and is excited to read the Book of Mormon. She read a little bit of the introduction but is going to read it. That is cool. There have just been more people like that recently so hopefully it stays like that.
Ya so Our main progressing investigator is coming along very well...we are going to challenge her to baptism tomorrow. It will be good. She has previously told us she wanted to receive baptism but she wants to study more. So tomorrow we are going to watch some of general conference and have a family home evening or deal with her and her son. It will be sweet.
Hope all goes well this week
as always
Love
Elder Nelson
General Conference (October 11, 2010)
What A great week it has been. I was able to listen to conference...and it was my birthday, so pretty much my weekend couldn't get any better. I hope everybody was able to enjoy all sessions of conference.
First of all thanks to everyone that said happy birthday. I really appreciated the email. It really made me realize how many people truly are helping me. Thanks for everything. Even if you just thought about me once this week, every little bit helps. President Baird called me that night (October 9th). We were out biking in the rain because it rained all day. We took some cover and I was able to talk to him. It was very nice. He is an emotional man even when saying happy birthday. I really appreciated that. I also was sent a lot of sugar. Anyone that has been to Japan before knows that Japan does not have the sweetest things. Yes they have candy but it is a little different. I think I have had more sugar this week than my whole stay in Japan...Maybe. The members here also celebrated my birthday. It was really nice of them. It is good to know that whereever you are there are kind Church members there to help you. They fed me a cheeseburger, which was really good. Of coarse we had a side of rice. Then a chocolate cake for dessert. It was really kind of them.
Earlier this week we kind of had a party with other missionaries. The zone leaders came and stayed with us and we made chiken katsu. (next week I will send a picture.) They weren't there for my birthday but still. Then we slammed tim tams. This is probably one of the most chocolate things you can do. There is really an explosion of chocolate in your mouth. You buy these things called tim tams. Hard to explain but they are chocolatey. They have like a chocolate filling and a chocolate coat around a chocolate cookie. Chocolatey right. You then make hot cocoa. You bite off the ends of the tim tam and suck up the chocolate. Once the tim tam starts to melt you suck the whole cookie up and there is an explosion of hot chocolate and tim tam in your mouth. I slammed six and then had a stomach ache. Good thing I did that at night so that I could sleep it off. So basically what I am trying to say is I had a great birthday week.
I am now 20 so I can do whatever I want in Japan. It is cool. It won't change what i do but still. It is a big deal in Japan I think. They have theie own speacial word for twenty. Like I'm not twenty I am a man. Then after twenty you go back to 21. It is interesting.
I Just want to tell you what a great opportunity we had to listen to a prophet from the Lord. One of the things stated in the conference over and over again is to listen to the Prophet. With so many men of God testifying and warning people to listen to the Prophet it seems like a good idea to do. I loved President Eyrings talk about trusting in the Lord. He stated over and over the blessings that come from trusting in the Lord. Sometimes at first it is hard but every single time in the long run it turn out of the best. Either it is easier or strengthens us. It is so important to trust in the Lord which means to listen and act according to the words of the prophet. One of the first things president Monson said was For ALL worthy young men to serve a mission. He said “it was a responsibility.” It is not only a responsibility but a privilege. We as missionaries are literal servants of the Lord. He heads our work. We are blessed daily according to our obedience. It is a great blessing for us and our families. He also asked us to review the talks in the Ensign. I personally can't wait to read the talks. I know this Church is true and that it is lead by a Prophet, Thomas S. Monson.
Love
Elder Nelson
First of all thanks to everyone that said happy birthday. I really appreciated the email. It really made me realize how many people truly are helping me. Thanks for everything. Even if you just thought about me once this week, every little bit helps. President Baird called me that night (October 9th). We were out biking in the rain because it rained all day. We took some cover and I was able to talk to him. It was very nice. He is an emotional man even when saying happy birthday. I really appreciated that. I also was sent a lot of sugar. Anyone that has been to Japan before knows that Japan does not have the sweetest things. Yes they have candy but it is a little different. I think I have had more sugar this week than my whole stay in Japan...Maybe. The members here also celebrated my birthday. It was really nice of them. It is good to know that whereever you are there are kind Church members there to help you. They fed me a cheeseburger, which was really good. Of coarse we had a side of rice. Then a chocolate cake for dessert. It was really kind of them.
Earlier this week we kind of had a party with other missionaries. The zone leaders came and stayed with us and we made chiken katsu. (next week I will send a picture.) They weren't there for my birthday but still. Then we slammed tim tams. This is probably one of the most chocolate things you can do. There is really an explosion of chocolate in your mouth. You buy these things called tim tams. Hard to explain but they are chocolatey. They have like a chocolate filling and a chocolate coat around a chocolate cookie. Chocolatey right. You then make hot cocoa. You bite off the ends of the tim tam and suck up the chocolate. Once the tim tam starts to melt you suck the whole cookie up and there is an explosion of hot chocolate and tim tam in your mouth. I slammed six and then had a stomach ache. Good thing I did that at night so that I could sleep it off. So basically what I am trying to say is I had a great birthday week.
I am now 20 so I can do whatever I want in Japan. It is cool. It won't change what i do but still. It is a big deal in Japan I think. They have theie own speacial word for twenty. Like I'm not twenty I am a man. Then after twenty you go back to 21. It is interesting.
I Just want to tell you what a great opportunity we had to listen to a prophet from the Lord. One of the things stated in the conference over and over again is to listen to the Prophet. With so many men of God testifying and warning people to listen to the Prophet it seems like a good idea to do. I loved President Eyrings talk about trusting in the Lord. He stated over and over the blessings that come from trusting in the Lord. Sometimes at first it is hard but every single time in the long run it turn out of the best. Either it is easier or strengthens us. It is so important to trust in the Lord which means to listen and act according to the words of the prophet. One of the first things president Monson said was For ALL worthy young men to serve a mission. He said “it was a responsibility.” It is not only a responsibility but a privilege. We as missionaries are literal servants of the Lord. He heads our work. We are blessed daily according to our obedience. It is a great blessing for us and our families. He also asked us to review the talks in the Ensign. I personally can't wait to read the talks. I know this Church is true and that it is lead by a Prophet, Thomas S. Monson.
Love
Elder Nelson
General Conference (October 4, 2010)
I hope everyone had a great conference weekend. I know I sure did. The sad thing is I didn't get to see conference. I am not exactly sure what time it would have been brodacast live here but ya we didn't see it. We get to watch it next weekend. Saturday from 10-12, 1-3, 4-6. And on Sunday from 10-12 and 1-3. It should be great. We are excited and trying to get our investigators excited for it. Hopefully they will be as excited as I am for it. I am pretty excited so that's good. Unfortunately we did not see one investigator last week. Just kidding but seriously if we saw them they were sick. If they weren't sick they weren't home and weren't able to meet us so it was a tough week with that but we met a lot of less actives and potential investigators. We talked to some kids at the park throwing a baseball around so it was good.
So recently it dawned on me...why all japanese people have squinty eyes. I have figured it out. I figured it out a while ago but keep forgeting to write it. So I think that the sun is closer to Japan than the US. I don't know why or how but the sun is super bright here (when it is out). When I am outside I have to squint. If I don't squint my eyes hurt. Therefore I am always squinting. Pretty soon my eyes will be like that permanently. I am going to come home half Japanese. I haven't figured out the black hair thing but you don't have to worry about that. The blonde hair is what gets people to talk to me. I do not want the attention it is just always there. I can't move without being stared at. It is good. I talk to a lot of people that way.
Our number one progressing investigator has been sick all week. Also her husband has been home which I am not sure how much he likes us. I have never even talked to or even seen him. My companion has seen him a couple times but the guy isn't too nice to him. He isn't mean he just ignores us. If he gives us the slightest chance he'll like us so we will keep being nice.
We are going to a mall today. It is going to be fun. It is like a 30 minute train ride. My companion wants to buy a new suit. Then tomorow is sports night. We get to play volleyball and basketball with some members and investigators. It will be good. I am excited. It should be a great week.
Alright have a great week
Love
Elder Nelson
So recently it dawned on me...why all japanese people have squinty eyes. I have figured it out. I figured it out a while ago but keep forgeting to write it. So I think that the sun is closer to Japan than the US. I don't know why or how but the sun is super bright here (when it is out). When I am outside I have to squint. If I don't squint my eyes hurt. Therefore I am always squinting. Pretty soon my eyes will be like that permanently. I am going to come home half Japanese. I haven't figured out the black hair thing but you don't have to worry about that. The blonde hair is what gets people to talk to me. I do not want the attention it is just always there. I can't move without being stared at. It is good. I talk to a lot of people that way.
Our number one progressing investigator has been sick all week. Also her husband has been home which I am not sure how much he likes us. I have never even talked to or even seen him. My companion has seen him a couple times but the guy isn't too nice to him. He isn't mean he just ignores us. If he gives us the slightest chance he'll like us so we will keep being nice.
We are going to a mall today. It is going to be fun. It is like a 30 minute train ride. My companion wants to buy a new suit. Then tomorow is sports night. We get to play volleyball and basketball with some members and investigators. It will be good. I am excited. It should be a great week.
Alright have a great week
Love
Elder Nelson
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