Certificate of Release

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Heading to the airport to get Spenci

Found him!

Heading Home

Worn out shoes

Teaching Jackson Shogi

 

2018 Sep 21 - Itinerary

2018 Sep 17 - When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight

 Well, these have been an absolutely fantastic 2 years, easily the hardest 2 years but, fantastic. Instead of telling you all how my last week was I’m just going to bare my testimony.

I know that this church is true. From these 2 years I have learned much more about our Heavenly Father and about Jesus Christ. If I had the opportunity to choose going on a mission again I would take it every time, without any doubt. I have grown and learned so much from my mission. I love the time I had to serve the Lord. I know this church is God’s true church, restored through Joseph Smith. I know the Jesus Christ is our savior.

Oh, and some last pictures 

Ward Mission Leader - Dan Uehara (?), RM (?), Me, Walters

Me, Winchester, Walters, Sis Johnson, Ellert, Sis Shinsato

2018 Sep 9 - Wada and Yamamshita

 It was a good week, fairly busy. Interesting thing that happened was that 2 members of the 70, Elder Yamashita and Wada came down with their wives and talked to us, way cool. We were able to learn a lot about working with members and having meaningful contacts with people. Another interesting that happened was we met an old Eikaiwa student and talked with her for a little bit and she said it was okay if we came back on Saturday and when we came back we talked to her about prayer and the Book of Mormon and she is fairly interested but, doesn’t have time to meet. 

so, I finally finished the origami thing from the start of the transfer

the Kagoshima crew and Sano兄弟

Shinsato, Mizukawa, (?), Bowl, Campbell, Larson, (?), Me, Sano

dollar doughnut

Elder Elhert tried to make some rice and beans when they came over and it didn’t work very well

2018 Sep 2 - ‘Cause I’m half way there

 It’s week 4 in the transfer, weird. All and all, this week wasn’t super eventful. We had a meal with the Isa夫婦, they were the last mission president and mom in the Hiroshima mission. It was way cool and they made some way good food. We also met with a guy named Lopez, he was food last transfer and he is a pretty crazy guy. Seems like most of his life has been partying and has a bunch of crazy stories, not to sure what his interest level is but, he is cool. 

Saturday was a pretty interesting day, had a crazy amount of time so, we went to a far area in the afternoon and stayed there until 8ish and went home. We mainly were looking for members that hadn’t really been coming and we were able to find a lot of them. One in particular, Oharen姉妹 invited us in and we talked for a good amount of time. 

Sunday was fun, it was normal church for the military branch and stake conference for the Japanese ward, at the same time, in completely different buildings but, we worked it out with some members and I went to stake conference and was able to met a lot of Nago members again.

shanshin

2018 Aug 26 - Crazy Week

 Well, this week has been very crazy, we had family home evening with the military branch, mensetsus and zone conference the next day then a beach party with the military branch. It was all way fun though. We were able to met with and talk to Tanner and Damian, recent converts and they are both doing good. Also went on Companion exchanges with the Nago Elders here in Futenma and while me and Elhert were going around a Eisa, Okinawan drum parade. It was way cool to watch. We also visited with a member, the Muraokas and talked with them and at the end we shared a little message about the Book of Mormon. Also, this past week was Obon, Japanese day of the dead, and the ward mission leader invited us to his house to participate in some end of Obon traditions, it was pretty cool. Cool thing from ZTM was the Mack’s talked about the church’s 12 step ARP and how it wasn’t just for addiction but, it was for change in all aspects of our lives, any bad habits or anything like that could be changed through the 12 steps and I thought that was very interesting, I haves had any experience yet but, I’m definitely trying to apply it to my life.

1 is 

2 

Video, the performance 

with the performers

sea glass and a cool shell I found

2018 Aug 19 - The Final Count Down

 Well, it was a good week, pretty busy. 

Monday, went bowling on base with a family who’s dad is deployed. In the evening we went out to try and visit a member who hasn’t come to church in a while but, they weren’t there. While we in the area we were able to find someone who was somewhat interested and said we could come back. 

Tuesday, we had District Meeting, the Nago Elders Skyped in and in was pretty good. Then, we cleaned up the church and that took a while. 

Wednesday, we were working on a map project so, we can know where all the members are easier. And it was also pouring rain like crazy. We did have a lesson planned with Yamakawa at 10:30 but, no show. But, he randomly showed up at 1ish and we were able to have a pretty good lesson with him. 

Thursday, had cleaning checks so, cleaned in the morning then had weekly planning and then Eikaiwa, sadly not a lot of people came to Eikaiwa but, it was still fun. Tried to visit some more members who haven’t come to church recently and weren’t able to met them. In the evening a military couple took us out to eat, the Pendergrass. They took us to a restaurant called Sam’s by the Sea, it was really good food and we were able to talk with them and get to know them a lot better which was awesome. 

Saturday, so, there is a couple, the Hughes, that are moving out, back to America. And they asked us for some help and we went over Saturday morning, they gave us chocolate chip pancakes and then we helped them until about noon. They are way cool. Sad to see them go. 

Sunday, church was great, able to talk to and get to know a lot of members. Yamakawaさん also came to church. After church we had a appointment with someone we met the week before but sadly wasn’t there so, contacted the people nearby.

Sadly japan doesn’t really have chocolate chips so, we just use
chocolate bars and it’s about the same

Sis Shinsato, Me, Walters, Sis Johnson

2018 Aug 6 - The Final Transfer

 So, it is transfer day, the last one before I go to Honbu. The week was normal and interesting. Visited a member and set up a time to set up a time to come back and teach them a lesson. Had our final district meeting and it was on the Book of Mormon. Also, an elder in Kure, Elder Sagane got emergency transferred to the mission home to be a office Elder so, his companion Elder Valdivia came to Hikari and is here until Thursday. Fun fact, the APs are suppose to call the ZLs about anything the goes in their zone but, they never called, sweet. Me and Elder Figi had a little bit of a rough time, we were both way tired and both weren’t being very understanding so, some problems but, we were able to get over them and are doing good now. Fun week, APs are slow with transfer calls.

Got calls, going to Futema and I’m dropping from DL to senior comp

funny shirt

me and Figi at the Pokémon store

the District

Ballard, (?), Weaver, Me, Figi, (?), Sis (?), Sis Countryman

me and Ogawa姉妹(served her mission in the Gilbert mission, and served in the highland ward, anyone know her?)

2018 July 29 - A Typhoon Came, Kind of

 Well, it’s been another way busy week. Monday, everyone went to Miyajima, a tourist trap here in Hiroshima. I was way cool and got to see some pretty interesting stuff, they also happen to sell Katanas....... In the evening we went on 同僚交換 with the Kure Elders and it was way fun. 

Tuesday, had a good District Meeting and then normal伝道. Tried to visit some LA but, sadly they weren’t home. There also wasn’t a lot of people at Eikaiwa but, it was still pretty fun. 

Thursday, had cleaning checks in the morning then went to go visit a LA, 宮原 and we were able to share a scripture and pray with him. Then some weekly planning. In the evening we helped out the Sisters by teaching a LA they were planning to teach but, had to go to Saijo for 同僚交換, it went well, the LA’s name is 山田姉妹. Normal day of 伝道, helped the Sisters with a lesson again. 

Saturday, went to Kure again and we were shoveling mud from out of a house for most of the day. In the evening we went to the Bishop’s house and had a meal. It was a blast and we laughed way hard. 

Sunday, Typhoon. Honestly, it wasn’t even a Typhoon, it was just kind of rainy. The real “fun” part was Church was cancelled so, it became another day of 伝道.

We’ve been going to Kure every Saturday now to help
with cleanups. Don’t really have any investigators right now but,
we’re working hard. Honestly, Elder Figi has been doing the cooking
and it is just curry, mabodofu and yakisoba and repeat. His Japanese
is pretty good but, we don’t talk a ton and that is kind of hard.

 

The service project 

Miyajima

Ayaちゃん’s baptism

Miyajima

Miyajima

Miyajima - during high tide these tori gates are under water up to the first  horizontal board

The Service Project - cleaning up after the typhoon

Jackson heard that I was super tired, so he said that he would sleep in my bed to help me be less tired.

2018 July 22 - Flood Relief

 Yep, helped out with the flood relief but sadly, it was just Saturday. 

Monday, went to the Hiroshima castle and looked around, it was pretty cool. 

Tuesday, District Meeting was interesting, Kure couldn’t come up so the Skyped in, had a Sister who had to go home early so, her comp was here and the ZLs were taking her to the bus stop. 

Wednesday, a lot of 伝道 and Eikaiwa was pretty fun, not a ton of people came though. 

Thursday, visited a la, 宮原 and was able to pray with him. Then we went on splits with the ZLs and I went with Elder Weaver and we taught a member a lesson. 

Friday, taught a rc, 古川 and it went pretty good. Then we did some singing practice to get ready for the baptism on Sunday. 

Saturday, we went with some members down to Kure to shovel mud and it was basically all day long. I got really muddy, it was way tiring but was pretty fun to help. 

Sunday, Ayaちゃん got baptized! She is one of the Sisters investigators and is 9. The service was pretty good, she has a fear of water so, it took a couple tries. Then after church we tried to visit Osugiさん but, he wasn’t home.

Sis Gawry, Sis Countryman, Figi, Sis Wolfiden