Hello family!!
I hope you really appreicate this email because I had to bike for like 20 minutes to get to this computer! Thats right, I can still ride a bike and I've been riding it for like 5 days now and I haven't even crashed yet! And when we went to get my bike we had to walk for an hour... in the pouring rain! And then we biked back... luckily it stopped raining so hard by the time my bike was ready.
Nihon (Japan) is great so far! It's so hot and humid and it's been raining like crazy because I guess there was a typhoon somewhere closeish but it's gone now. But someone told us another one is on the way. So I'm pretty sure that they didn't teach me Nihongo (Japanese) in the MTC. I have zero idea what anyone is saying most of the time. But its okay! I feel really lucky because my companion is a Nihonjin (Japanese)! Her name is Iwasa Shimai (Sister Iwasa). She's amazing!! The best part is she speaks really good English so we can communicate and she can teach me the things I need to learn. And since she is a native Japanese speaker, she can teach me good Japanese haha. It's really great! We were even at BYUH at the same time, I didnt know her though. She has been on her mission for a year, she says it goes so fast! And I believe her. I can't believe that a week ago I was on a plane to Nihon (Japan). It seriously feels like just yesterday I got here! Okay, I guess you wanna know where I am! So I'm in the Kumamoto zone, shimizu district. It's really great! The ward is so tiny. There are about 40 or 50 active members, and this is considered a big ward. Okay, and there are like 100 to 150 inactive members in the ward. Crazy right?! So at church yesterday I had to get up and speak like introduce myself and share a short testimony... that was terrifying. But it was okay! We have taught two lessons, one to a recent convert, Seiguchi Shimai, she:s so cute! and one to an investigator Zaitsu san. I don:t really know what anyone is saying, but Iwasa shimai helps me a lot. And I contribute when I can! It's been good. I honestly don't remember too much of what's happened. I've been so tired and jet lagged, but I think I am finally almost used to the time. I have some pictures to send, but we have to go to a different place to send them, soooo I may or may not send them today!
It was really kind of hard leaving the MTC and saying goodbye to my district and teachers. And honestly the first few days of being here I wanted to go back to the MTC because it's a safe little bubble ya know? And Nihon (Japan) is like the real world and its kind of a lot scary, especially when you have no clue what is going on. But daijobou (I'm okay). LIfe is way more fun in the field, its really been a huge adventure and I'm learning so much! Sorry if this email is kind of disappointing, but this week has been pretty weird and we have mostly just been doing a lot of planning and like Iwasa shimai has been telling me a lot about the investigators and stuff. But next week will be more typical so I'm sure I will have better adventures to tell you about! Okay, well I love you all so much! Everything is going well! Nihon (Japan) is awesome, and the food has been amazing! I'm pretty happy! Okay! Well I shall email you more next week! Aishiteimasu! (I love you!)
I hope you really appreicate this email because I had to bike for like 20 minutes to get to this computer! Thats right, I can still ride a bike and I've been riding it for like 5 days now and I haven't even crashed yet! And when we went to get my bike we had to walk for an hour... in the pouring rain! And then we biked back... luckily it stopped raining so hard by the time my bike was ready.
Nihon (Japan) is great so far! It's so hot and humid and it's been raining like crazy because I guess there was a typhoon somewhere closeish but it's gone now. But someone told us another one is on the way. So I'm pretty sure that they didn't teach me Nihongo (Japanese) in the MTC. I have zero idea what anyone is saying most of the time. But its okay! I feel really lucky because my companion is a Nihonjin (Japanese)! Her name is Iwasa Shimai (Sister Iwasa). She's amazing!! The best part is she speaks really good English so we can communicate and she can teach me the things I need to learn. And since she is a native Japanese speaker, she can teach me good Japanese haha. It's really great! We were even at BYUH at the same time, I didnt know her though. She has been on her mission for a year, she says it goes so fast! And I believe her. I can't believe that a week ago I was on a plane to Nihon (Japan). It seriously feels like just yesterday I got here! Okay, I guess you wanna know where I am! So I'm in the Kumamoto zone, shimizu district. It's really great! The ward is so tiny. There are about 40 or 50 active members, and this is considered a big ward. Okay, and there are like 100 to 150 inactive members in the ward. Crazy right?! So at church yesterday I had to get up and speak like introduce myself and share a short testimony... that was terrifying. But it was okay! We have taught two lessons, one to a recent convert, Seiguchi Shimai, she:s so cute! and one to an investigator Zaitsu san. I don:t really know what anyone is saying, but Iwasa shimai helps me a lot. And I contribute when I can! It's been good. I honestly don't remember too much of what's happened. I've been so tired and jet lagged, but I think I am finally almost used to the time. I have some pictures to send, but we have to go to a different place to send them, soooo I may or may not send them today!
It was really kind of hard leaving the MTC and saying goodbye to my district and teachers. And honestly the first few days of being here I wanted to go back to the MTC because it's a safe little bubble ya know? And Nihon (Japan) is like the real world and its kind of a lot scary, especially when you have no clue what is going on. But daijobou (I'm okay). LIfe is way more fun in the field, its really been a huge adventure and I'm learning so much! Sorry if this email is kind of disappointing, but this week has been pretty weird and we have mostly just been doing a lot of planning and like Iwasa shimai has been telling me a lot about the investigators and stuff. But next week will be more typical so I'm sure I will have better adventures to tell you about! Okay, well I love you all so much! Everything is going well! Nihon (Japan) is awesome, and the food has been amazing! I'm pretty happy! Okay! Well I shall email you more next week! Aishiteimasu! (I love you!)