Week 29

Sorry for writing so late. We moved into the new area finally so we've been doing other stuff these past couple of days, but more on that later. I got both packages this week. Thank you bunches. I really like the black knit skirt and the brownies were a hit. I think I have enough soap and razors now  to last me till next year. I'm not sure what I want to make with the choco chips yet...chocobanana bread maybe? The tide packs really helped when we moved in because we didn't have any clean clothes.

 

Mon

Sister Vincent and I bought slices  of cake from a restaurant we've had our eye on for a while. We also got blessings from the elders to give us guidance for this upcoming transfer. We visied a less active member and had a small dinner with her and her husband. They are both going to General Conference and so we talked about how  to prepare for it. I hope that it is a good experience for them both.

Tue

Everyone gathered at Nagoya station to change companions. I got the packages and I woldn't put them down because I felt so loved by you all. I walked Sister Vincent to the subway and said goodbye, but only for a moment. Sister Ishihara and I went back to Yokkaichi and had gelato and talked about the area. Unfortunately, Sister Vincent was carrying both the apartment keys and the phone so we spent the day walking around. I had a fashion show for the sisters. I am happy to report that most everything fit.

Wed

We visited some people, nothig especially special happened. Sister Vincent's bean-chan is Sister Aoki. She is of Japanese decent but she and her family have all spent their whole lives living in Hawaii so she doesn't speak any Japanese. She taught Eikaiwa for the first time. I think it will take a while for them to get used to a new  teacher. Apparently a lot of the students and members want to come to Takabata to see me. Some of the members were there at Eikaiwa and all of them were really happy to see me. I was also happy to see them, but I felt kind of akward because I had already said goodbye on Sunday.

Thu

Sister Ishihara and Sister Aoki went to the bike shop to get her a bike while Sister Vincent and I went to visit a potential investigator. Afterwards, Sister Ishihara and I went up to visit a less active that lives kind of far away. They weren't home, so we did some housing and found many nice people, but they didn't turn into investigators. I think that area is like a gold mine just waiting to be dug. We had dinner (ramen) at a nearby mall. It was a very nice mall and I would like to go back to it if I could.

Fri

We went out to eat at a hambuger spot and it turned out to be really good very authentic burgers. The only trouble with it is that the portion sizes were too small. We went to visit the nice old man that gave us goya before and sang him I am a child of God as our thanks. On the way home it started to rain but thankfully we got in before we got too wet. We then spent the rest of the night going through the Takabata records that we got from the elders. I think I understand why people like reading other people's journals now. At the same time, I understand how important it is to have good handwriting so that other people can read it. I am not sure there is any hope for the people that read my handwriting...

Sat

We did Kid's Eikaiwa in Takabata. We were expecting maybe 4 kids but it turned out to be like 10 kids with 5 moms who attended. Apparently the missionaries before taught for 45 min whereas I've only taught for 30 min and so it ended a lot earlier than most of them expected. Also, the majority of the kids who attended are much older than the ones in Yokkaichi so I think I will have to put a little more thought into lessons. The elders bought us ice cream and melon bread as a thank you for teaching. Then we came straight back and biked our way out to our far away recent converts. I was very happy to meet with them for what might be the last time. I just hope that they keep learning and keep coming to church. On the way home a splitting headache started. I wondered if it might be just dehydration but by the time we got to the apartment I knew it was something else. I stuck a thermometer in my mouth and yep, I had a fever of 102. Since we only had dinner and more records to look over that night, Sister Ishihara said that I should sleep and so I did.

Sun

Still high fever but with sore throat and sinus grossness. I took some medicine and we headed up to Takabata to meet the members for the first time. My first impression of the ward is that everyone is very talkative. They are all very full of energy it seems. Many members were happy to finally have sisters in the ward. Next week I am giving a 5-10 min talk in sacrament meeting. Then we went back to Yokkaichi to visit with our investigator for a short time. I shared with her three scriptures that I thought expressed my feelings. They are Moroni 8:3, Omni 1:26, and 2 Ne 1:16. I really hope that she and the future missionaries can progress towards baptism. She bought a peach cake roll for me and we all ate it together. As she drove us back to the train station, she asked about prophets so we taught lesson one over again in the car. I think this is a good chance for Sister Vincent and Sister Aoki to teach all the lessons in order. When we got back to the apartment, I was burning up again so I drank some water, took some medicine, read some of the Liahona until my eyelids drooped and then collapsed onto my futon until the next morning.

Mon

Moving day! Finished packing my stuff although most of it was already packed. It was a tight squeeze though. I think after the winter is over I will leave most of the winter things here or throw them away if they are too worn out. Then all we had to do for the day was wait until the movers came so I slept again for two hours (still sick). Then I finished writing in the Yokkaichi records, said my goodbyes, gave my suitcases to the movers, and walked away from the one and only area I've known. I'm sad and excited at the same time. When we got to the new apartment, there were elders all over the place in there putting desks and light fixtures in the apartment. We had to wait until the refrigerator came before we could leave the apartment so we didn't get dinner until 8 o'clock. The apartment is very clean and smells strongly of new appliances. It made me realize how hard and expensive it is to move. All of the places I've ever lived have already been furnished, so starting from scratch is a big job.

 

More on my travels next week!

 

Love you

Leah