2017 06 25 The Rains Came Down...

I'm Waiting For the Floods To Come Up Hello Family and random assortment of friends and whoever happens to be getting this email, it's been a fun week. So, now to explain the title it is now 梅雨 (Tsuyu - rainy season) or in English rain season and I haven't seen the sun all week, it's great.

Monday (月 Getsu 曜日yobi):

Today, it happened, the Rainy Season is here. The Rain probably had fun, me, um, not so much

Elder Yagame with Elder Chadwick's money

Before District Meeting

Tuesday (火 Moku 曜日yobi):

Today we had Eikaiwa (English conversation class) in the evening, fun class.

Wednesday (水 Sui 曜日yobi):

Today we met the new district and had a way fun district meeting, we played a game, we tried crossing the room with 7 little foam squares and we couldn't touch the ground, way fun.

the new district

Thursday (木 Moku 曜日yobi):

Today we had a lesson with our investigators Akami and Miki. Akami is way cool but, we couldn't teach him anything because he loves to talk. But when he found out we do free English classes he got pretty excited. Mimi's lesson was good, we included the magic trick of the water, glass and candles and it was way cool. Then we had our weekly planning and Eikaiwa (English conversation class).

Japanese selfie app called snow, and that is Our investigator Haruna

I got bored will Elder Chadwick slept

Friday (金 Kin 曜日yobi):

Well we normally have Kid's Eikaiwa (English conversation class) today but it got cancelled SOOOOO, lots of 伝道 (Dendo - tracking).

Saturday (土 do 曜日yobi):

So today was a WAY more interesting day. This morning’s 伝道 (Dendo - tracking) was good but, when we got home Elder Chadwick started to get a massive headache. So, we called our ZL and told him what was up and he responded with 'well, goodnight, get better'. So, we stayed inside so he could sleep.  

Rice paddy hat

Thank you to whomever sent this, probably my Father

Sunday (日 nichi 曜日yobi):

Way interesting day. First, kid's Eikaiwa (English conversation class) and only one kid came but she is adorable SO, it was okay. Then, we talked to a guy this week and invited him to church and surprisingly he showed up but, after sacrament meeting he came up to us and said he was leaving to smoke. Then we went on splits because we had a lesson right after Sacrament meeting with Momoka because of Aoki 会長 (choro - elder) had to leave so, I stayed with Elder Williams and taught second hour. After church we had a lesson with Madoka and we were late to that because we wanted to show Finding Faith in Christ and couldn't find it anywhere but, Miyabi was able to find it on YouTube. After the lesson we talked with Aoki姉妹 (shimai - sister) about Madoka and how we could help her and it was very insightful. After that we tried to 伝道 (Dendo - tracking) but, Elder Chadwick again was super exhausted so, we came home. Fun excitement for today, we are hopping on a train at 4:20 and getting to Kumamoto around 8 and then traveling by various means for a 大会 (taikai - conference) tomorrow, it'll be fun

Video... I was bored

*NOTE from Dad*

So Spence sent TWO emails out this week. The information above is the normal email, but the other email said the following…

“So, it was a way fun week this week and because I got a complaint from home about my email, I have decided to change it up a bit.

It was a good week, saw lots of cool miracles.”

Apparently, Spencer’s sister Talley was the one that complained about his short email from last week and he sent out the SUPER short email above to his normal mailing list and the excluded Talley from the big email. What a little turkey!

2017 06 18 New Transfer

A Short Email

Monday (月 Getsu 曜日yobi):

Yep, this was an interesting week but, I'm feeling lazy so, I'll sum it up in a couple sentences. Taught Miki さん (san - “Mrs”) and Madoka さん (san - “Mr”) this week and we got a new investigator, Momoka さん (san - “Mrs”) and she is a daughter of a less active and she is way quiet and it will be interesting to teach her. Rinka, a less active, had a Taiko concert that we went to and it was way cool. I got to meet Elder Yagame's trainer and his mom and sister, that family has weird relationships. A member who moved to America randomly visited and we took her son with us to teach Momoka and he seems cool. And my bike hates me. It got a punk and I can't figure how to fix it, I've done what I'm supposed to do but it still leaks, oh well I figure it out later.

Happy Father's Day!!! Daddy'O

Happy Birthday Claire!!!!

us and Elder Sherman, Elder Yagame's trainer

us and the member from America and her kids

The video was too long so a split it, enjoy it, I thought it was way cool

*Note from Dad*

Elder Spencer sent an email to his mother with the subject line “EMERGENCY”. Please note all those that may read and hopefully learn from this blog. You missionaries out there should be very careful in sending messages to your mothers, and should avoid writing in all caps EMERGENCY. :D

So this is what he wrote, “Mom, I am completely out of contact soaking solution please add that to the list of stuff I want from America” I could get it here, but “...you need a doctor's note of some kind and I don't know what kind works with mine so, it's a ton of work to get it”.

He’s been out on his mission for about nine months now, so we asked how many bottles he’s been through so that we can prepare to send out some more. He told us that he actually had only brought one bottle of solution with him to Japan. And since he doesn’t have any left, he has “...no idea how long I can reuse the same solution.” wait, WHAT!?!?! SPENCER NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! You can NOT reuse the solution. You will get an eye infection. Dump it out and use your glasses. I will try to send the box in the next few days through Amazon Japan!!!

Is it any wonder why Moms are worrying about their missionary boys?!?!?

2017 06 12 Hey, Today is Pday

Been awhile! Hello fam and assorted friends So, one of these transfers I will let you know ahead of time that the next week is transfer week, probably. This week was a fun one, but it feels like I’ve spent most of the week on splits and NOT with my assigned companion!

Monday (月 Getsu 曜日yobi):

Monday, pretty normal Pday except for this evening. I went on 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits) with Elder Campbell and it was a blast! We were able to talk to some WAY cool people.

I got a little upset at an Elder but I put it all back before he got home

*Note from Dad*

We asked Spencer, “Why were you upset with the elder? And why is the betting in the bathroom a way to handle that?” He informed us that “We had been doing a series of pranks. The elder flipped my bike upside down so, I stuffed his bedding in the toilet room”

We asked about a “Toilet room” and he said, “It makes way more sense to call it a toilet room rather than a bathroom. I wonder why we call it a bathroom instead of a toilet room”

Tuesday (火 Moku 曜日yobi):

Today was a continuation of yesterday's 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits) and DM (district meeting), the last one before the transfer calls. Today ended with me and Elder Campbell walking around all afternoon and not talking to a single person because NO ONE was home. We got back to the apartment then hopped on a train to Kagoshima for 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits) with the ZLs (Zone Leaders).

Wednesday (水 Sui 曜日yobi):

I went on splits with my Zone Leader Elder Woolston and we had a blast. It rained all day and I didn't have a ton of rain gear, but it was okay because we walked all day. We had a lesson with a guy that the 姉妹たち (Shimai tachi - Sisters) where passing over to the elders and that was cool.

the district

Thursday (木 Moku 曜日yobi):

We got home in the morning and that was a blessing to be back. We had another lesson with Mikiさん (san - “Mrs”) and this time Elder Chadwick distracted Yuuくん (kun - like saying “Mr.” but for young boy) while I read the BOM with her, it was a pretty good lesson. Then we had weekly planning and Eikaiwa . Friday, kid's Eikaiwa (English conversation class), that is always WAY fun and the kids are hilarious. We also tried to visit some other people but no one was home.

where we all thought people were going

Friday (金 Kin 曜日yobi):

(nothing to report)

Saturday (土 do 曜日yobi):

We went to sports night but no one was there and somehow we got wrapped up in playing with a ton of little kids, it was great. Before I joined in I was talking with one of the dads and he was way cool, didn't really have interesting but he was cool to talk with. Then our lesson with Madoka姉妹 (Shimai - sister) and it went well, I messed up a little and accidentally did a part too early but it went well.

we're just a bunch of weirdos

Sunday (日 nichi 曜日yobi):

Sunday, Madoka姉妹 (Shimai - sister) came to church!! Also I had a talk that I didn't bomb. Then Aoki姉妹 (Shimai - sister) surprised us by having us come over for lunch and it went a bit long but, we were able to share a small spiritual message. Then we all hit a physical and mental wall and we were all tired. Elder Chadwick had it probably the sorest out of all of us. He had to keep on talking breaks during 伝道 (Dendo - tracking) but, we were able to find a cool guy who already had a BOM and we talked with him for a little bit.

Monday (月 Getsu 曜日yobi):

Sad Monday, it was sad because we are all exhausted. We didn't 伝道 (Dendo - tracking) a ton because we talked a lot and bought some snacks in hope of it helping. In the evening we did a small 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits) so we could go to a Return Appointment and a lesson with a Less Active, I went to the RA and sadly he wasn't there but what I heard about the lesson with the LA is that it went well. Since it is the transfer Pday, we found who is staying or leaving, I have no actual idea but, I'm pretty sure I'm leaving.

2017 06 04 Another Fun Week

Been awhile! お久しぶり (O hisashiburi - long time no see), as the subject said, it was a fun week.

Monday (月 Getsu 曜日yobi):

Normal PDay, took forever shopping but, oh well. The Taniyama Elders came down for 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits) and me and Elder Rowley had a blast.

Check out the cool fan I found!

Tuesday (火 Moku 曜日yobi):

Tuesday, district meeting and then we finished up 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits), fun day.

Wednesday (水 Sui 曜日yobi):

Today we had a lot of lessons planned today but only 2 worked out but they were way good. First lesson was with Mikiさん (san - “Mr” / “Mrs”) and it wasn't super good but the entire I was basically distracting her son so, that we could teach her. In the evening we had our lesson with Madokaさん (san - “Mr” / “Mrs”) and she has been changing a lot before, she thought religion was a bit scary but recently she had a way cool spiritual experience and that got me and Elder Chadwick pretty excited.

Here’s a picture of Mothra

This is Mothra after he met Godzilla

Thursday (木 Moku 曜日yobi):

So, we had a bunch of ゴミ (gomi - garbage) on our balcony and with the help of Aoki 姉妹 (shimai - sister) we got rid of it all, we were sooo happy. Then we had our apartment cleaning check and they loved the clean balcony. Then we went to visit Mikiさん (san - “Mr” / “Mrs”) again with Aoki 姉妹 (shimai - sister), she is so お疲れ (O tsukare - tired), but we couldn't meet because they were getting their Aircon replaced but we set up a regular meeting with her.

okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is like a Japanese pancake. “Okonomi” meaning "what you like", and yaki means "grill".

Friday (金 Kin 曜日yobi):

Today found a way cool person during morning 伝道 (Dendo - tracking) and gave her a BOM and set a RA (Return Appointment), way cool miracle. Then we went to kid's Eikaiwa (English conversation class) and that was so much fun. Then the Okonomiyaki party, firstly it was way fun but, in the way of missionary work complete waste of time. It took forever to start the cooking and then we stayed far too long.

Saturday (土 do 曜日yobi):

巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits) with Elder Williams, way fun and we talked, probably too much, about anime.

This is how we got the music playing for our okonomiyaki party

We found a camera filter app that turns us into the Joker

Sunday (日 nichi 曜日yobi):

Fast Sunday, which I almost forgot about but was reminded in time. We tried to visit the Okada family and the Ito family but neither were home. Later we 伝道 (Dendo - tracking) the same 団地 (danchi - apartment building) that they lived in and met some cool people. So, today we were planning on going to a Zone Pday in Kagoshima and then 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits) in Taniyama but, we aren't allowed to do that so, Taniyama is coming to us.