Splits with Elder Peet
Fillipe's Baptism
A member hooked the 4 missionaries up with this huge plate of yakisoba!
A pic from last weeks conference with the MTC dudes
Monday, August 27, 2018
Week 54 - 08/26/18 - Group Email
We got transfer emails today and I'm going to an area called Kofu!!! It's by far the biggest area in the mission and is completely surrounded by mountains so I'm pumped! My comp is named Elder Waldron and I'll be follow up training as well as district leader again. Should be a good transfer.
We had a baptism for our investigator Fillipe this week! It took three times because his whole body wouldn't go under but it turned out all good and he received the Holy Ghost yesterday in church!! I am so grateful that I was able to be apart of his conversion and see how God had prepared him! After the baptism instead of refreshments he wanted to eat at saizeriya, some Italian restaurant, so that was fun!
One evening this week while knocking doors we rang a door bell and while talking through the speaker a pizza delivery guy showed up behind us haha. So the guy came out and we kind of awkwardly stood there while he payed and took his pizza but then were able to share a message and give him a Book of Mormon!!
Yesterday after church we had a YSA food party thing and for some reason the subject of how long women are pregnant came up. Well I found out that for some reason they say women are pregrenant for 10 months here in Japan not 9??? I know that's really random but I'm just still very confused about how that works... π€
I also I got to go on splits this week with an Elder named Elder Peet and that was tons of fun! He's a crazy kid and isn't scared to talk to ANYONE so we had a good time. It's been said that he is human version of a golden retriever lol and I 100% agree after going on splits with him.
Anyway love you all
γγ£γΌγ³ι·θ
Elder Dean
We had a baptism for our investigator Fillipe this week! It took three times because his whole body wouldn't go under but it turned out all good and he received the Holy Ghost yesterday in church!! I am so grateful that I was able to be apart of his conversion and see how God had prepared him! After the baptism instead of refreshments he wanted to eat at saizeriya, some Italian restaurant, so that was fun!
One evening this week while knocking doors we rang a door bell and while talking through the speaker a pizza delivery guy showed up behind us haha. So the guy came out and we kind of awkwardly stood there while he payed and took his pizza but then were able to share a message and give him a Book of Mormon!!
Yesterday after church we had a YSA food party thing and for some reason the subject of how long women are pregnant came up. Well I found out that for some reason they say women are pregrenant for 10 months here in Japan not 9??? I know that's really random but I'm just still very confused about how that works... π€
I also I got to go on splits this week with an Elder named Elder Peet and that was tons of fun! He's a crazy kid and isn't scared to talk to ANYONE so we had a good time. It's been said that he is human version of a golden retriever lol and I 100% agree after going on splits with him.
Anyway love you all
γγ£γΌγ³ι·θ
Elder Dean
Monday, August 20, 2018
Week 53 - 08/19/18 - Pictures
mission conference
bowling
Brazilian store with Fillipe
district blitz
street near ζ¬εζ¨ι§
(Hon Atsugi station)
Week 53 - 08/19/18 - Group Email
This past week was awesome!! We had a huge mission conference combined with the Tokyo mission so I got to see my boy Elder Hoj and a bunch of other dudes from the MTC. It was really fun to catch up and see all of them again. We also got to hear from Elder Stevenson from the quorum of the 12, Bishop Dean M. Davies, and Elder Gay so it was fun day! I also hit my year mark this past Thursday so I'm officially on the downhill ⛰️π€
We saw a miracle with our investigator Fillipe this week! So last week my comp and Elder Peet were able to set a baptismal date with him for the 25th of August. Well this week we had a lesson with him on Wednesday and he said he doesn't think he wants to do that date anymore. He brought up the same concern that he's had for awhile about talking to his family in Brazil in person before he gets baptized before they are all very religious. We just simply shared the blessings that he can receive through baptism and committed him to pray about it and see if he should wait or call his family instead and go ahead with the baptism. On Friday morning I messaged him and asked if he prayed and he replied "I prayed, I called my family, I will baptize."!!! That was definitely one of the best messages I've gotten! We then had a lesson that night and figured out all the specifics and set up an interview which he passed the next day! So it is looking like we will almost for sure have his baptism this Saturday and I'm so excited for him!
After one of Fillipe's lessons he took us to a little Brazilian shop by his apartment and we got to eat some Brazilian and Peruvian food. It was super good and nice for a change from Japanese food.
I was able to give my first blessing in Japanese to a member this week! After english class he was asked me for a blessing due to some back pain that he had. It was a cool experience and the spirit was definitely present!
Another highlight from this week was that I met another Elder in my mission, Elder Lindhart from Denmark who is also into trail/ultra running!!! He ran the Bear 100 and Squaw 50 right before he left so he is a beast. It's not common at all to find people my age doing the same stuff so I was extremely happy to meet him. It was funny, actually the day before an Elder told me about him then the next day I ran into him on the train. What are the odds. I'm just hoping we become comps eventually because that would be a good time!
That's about it for this week, Church is true!
γγ£γΌγ³ι·θ
We saw a miracle with our investigator Fillipe this week! So last week my comp and Elder Peet were able to set a baptismal date with him for the 25th of August. Well this week we had a lesson with him on Wednesday and he said he doesn't think he wants to do that date anymore. He brought up the same concern that he's had for awhile about talking to his family in Brazil in person before he gets baptized before they are all very religious. We just simply shared the blessings that he can receive through baptism and committed him to pray about it and see if he should wait or call his family instead and go ahead with the baptism. On Friday morning I messaged him and asked if he prayed and he replied "I prayed, I called my family, I will baptize."!!! That was definitely one of the best messages I've gotten! We then had a lesson that night and figured out all the specifics and set up an interview which he passed the next day! So it is looking like we will almost for sure have his baptism this Saturday and I'm so excited for him!
After one of Fillipe's lessons he took us to a little Brazilian shop by his apartment and we got to eat some Brazilian and Peruvian food. It was super good and nice for a change from Japanese food.
I was able to give my first blessing in Japanese to a member this week! After english class he was asked me for a blessing due to some back pain that he had. It was a cool experience and the spirit was definitely present!
Another highlight from this week was that I met another Elder in my mission, Elder Lindhart from Denmark who is also into trail/ultra running!!! He ran the Bear 100 and Squaw 50 right before he left so he is a beast. It's not common at all to find people my age doing the same stuff so I was extremely happy to meet him. It was funny, actually the day before an Elder told me about him then the next day I ran into him on the train. What are the odds. I'm just hoping we become comps eventually because that would be a good time!
That's about it for this week, Church is true!
γγ£γΌγ³ι·θ
Monday, August 13, 2018
Week 52 - 08/12/18 - Pictures
Playing shogi with Tsunoda san
Ebina mascot (Cat wearing a straberry with a shrimp on her head. Most cities have weird mascots like these.)
Segway course lol
I found one of those cool beetles on splits!!
cockroach in the church
splits with Tsujimoto ι·θ
Our boy Taiki (Despite how he looks in the picture he's actually a really happy kid haha)
Week 52 - 08/12/18 - Group Email
A few weeks ago I learned how to play a game called Shogi which is basically a Japanese version of Chess (but way better). Since every week we volunteer at the Old person care center I have been playing with the some of the old dudes and they just wreck me but it's super fun! Thanks to Shogi I have been able to connect better with one guy in particular named Tsunoda San which has been awesome!
We went on splits with the Hodogaya Elders this week so I got to spend the day over in that area. It's always fun exploring new areas. We didn't have any plans so we did lots of walking in the blazing heat... but I got to learn how to contact people more Japanese like because I was with Elder Tsujimoto who's Japanese! It was my first time doing finding with a Japanese missionary... it only took a year haha. The other Elders stayed in Atsugi and were able to set a baptismal date for one of our investigators named Fillipe who before seemed pretty adamant about waiting until he visited his family in Brazil and asked for their approval in person. Elder Peet and Elder Loper were able to help him realize that there is no reason to wait so he plans on doing a video call with them and asking for their approval that way! The baptism should be before the end of the transfer so hopefully everything works out!
We taught our investigator Taiki the word of wisdom this week and he was completely down to follow it! It's cool to see people make such big changes like that because they desire to follow Jesus Christ. Sadly he left to England yesterday for a few weeks so that could've possibly been my last lesson with him if I transfer.
Today we are going bowling and I'm pumped!! π³π It should be a good time.
Have a great week everyone!
γγ£γΌγ³ι·θ
We went on splits with the Hodogaya Elders this week so I got to spend the day over in that area. It's always fun exploring new areas. We didn't have any plans so we did lots of walking in the blazing heat... but I got to learn how to contact people more Japanese like because I was with Elder Tsujimoto who's Japanese! It was my first time doing finding with a Japanese missionary... it only took a year haha. The other Elders stayed in Atsugi and were able to set a baptismal date for one of our investigators named Fillipe who before seemed pretty adamant about waiting until he visited his family in Brazil and asked for their approval in person. Elder Peet and Elder Loper were able to help him realize that there is no reason to wait so he plans on doing a video call with them and asking for their approval that way! The baptism should be before the end of the transfer so hopefully everything works out!
We taught our investigator Taiki the word of wisdom this week and he was completely down to follow it! It's cool to see people make such big changes like that because they desire to follow Jesus Christ. Sadly he left to England yesterday for a few weeks so that could've possibly been my last lesson with him if I transfer.
Today we are going bowling and I'm pumped!! π³π It should be a good time.
Have a great week everyone!
γγ£γΌγ³ι·θ
Elder Dean
Monday, August 6, 2018
Week 51 - 08/05/18 - Group Email
This week was great! The highlight for sure was Apollo kun's baptism! He is 9, part of a less active family and the sisters had been teaching him. He asked me to baptize him a few weeks ago so I got to interview him on Friday then baptize him Saturday! It was an awesome and spiritual experience. I got to bear my testimony about it during testimony meeting the next day as well. Speaking of testimony meeting, one kinda crazy guy got up to share his testimony and after about 10 minutes bishop handed him a paper saying it was time to end. Well he just kept going so bishop got up about 6-7 different times and told him to finish up. The guy didn't like that too much and started saying some negative crap about the church so bishop got up and moved the mic away from his face then had to essentially pull him away from the podium. The member I was sitting next to was laughing so hard haha. I was glad we didn't have any first timers at church in that case, it was definitely one of those interesting moments.
On Saturday night we went to a huge η₯(festival) right by our church! There were tons of people and basically everyone was wearing kimonos so my comp and I stuck out a bit in our white shirts and ties lol. I ate some delicious okonomiyaki and chicken steak at a couple of the food stands and was pumped about that. Food stands always have bomb food here. At the end they had a firework show that literally went on for 1hr 30min so that for sure made up for missing the 4th of July in America!
I almost died this week... TWICE!! So the first time we were biking along and I stopped at a red light waiting to cross. Well when the light changed I went but soon found out it was the wrong light and I was just in the middle of traffic lookin like a fool. Luckily both the cars saw me and surprisingly neither honked! Gotta love the Japanese people. The second time we were walking along and I was zoned out just looking at the ground. We were in the middle of a neighborhood and I saw a cross walk up ahead and figured since this street is tiny I can probs just go. well I walked out on the street and a car literally slammed on it's brakes right in front of me. I looked at him and made eye contact and was kinda like bro you almost just killed me! But once I got to the other side I looked back and realized I walked right through a red light... oops! So yeah I learned I need to be more aware haha.
I also learned this week that light grey suits are not the greatest for hot humid weather. Yesterday I was sweating like crazy and everyone could see clearly exactly where I was sweating! I'll stick to my blue suit for now on during the summer. While we were on the train on our way to a meeting some high school kid came and sat by me and tried to speak english to me then all his friends sitting down in the distance all starting dying laughing and were filming him haha. Eventually they all came over and we talked with them. It was pretty funny though. Have a great week!
Love you all!
γγ£γΌγ³ι·θ
Elder Dean
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From movie night the other week. Zone blitz in our area. hiked Mount Oyama. IT's pretty cool t here is a huge Buddhis...
