2017 09 10 Nagamine, in Kumamoto not Miyazaki

WELL... ... Transfer are not fun. You literally have to fit your entire life for the past couple months, into 3 suitcases and a backpack, it is the worst.

Monday (月 Getsu 曜日yobi):

No report

Tuesday (火 Moku 曜日yobi):

Today was spent buying some stuff, teaching lessons and partying at the Aoki's house, fun day.

not sure how to explain

most of the branch at goodbye party

Wednesday (水 Sui 曜日yobi):

We spent today trying to fit everything into my suitcase then Re-packing when I realized I forgot some things. Then repeating until everything was done.

Sakiさん (san - “Mrs”)

Niina and her sister Saki

Thursday (木 Moku 曜日yobi):

It was a pretty sad day today. It’s sad to say goodbye to most of the Branch and some other people. After that I had a 3 hour bus ride to Kumamoto and that took forever. When I finally got there and found new comp and then went straight to the apartment and unpacked. BLAH! That always sucks. Elder Lyman is way cool. We have very similar personalities and it looks like this transfer is going to be way fun.

at the Eki (train station)

transfer buddy, Elder Miyano

Friday (金 Kin 曜日yobi):

Today we planned for the week and dendo (tracting).

I hate hate unpacking

KitKats vending machine

Saturday (土 do 曜日yobi):

Today we taught a lesson in the morning, then helped a member that just moved to a new place. We helped him to move in his washing machine then we went out to eat with him. While we were out he surprised us and bought us some new shirts! This guy is such a stud! Then in the evening we were going to help the Shimai (sister missionaries) clean their investigator's apartment but they canceled on us at the last minute. We took the opportunity and went to dendo (tracting) instead.

cool light bulbs

the stud member

member here

gift from Haruna

Sunday (日 nichi 曜日yobi):

Today was a good day. I gave a little intro in church and that was cool. One of my investigators for Sendai was here today! Sister Haruna was here to visit and that was cool to see her. In the evening we went back to help the sisters and cleaned their investigator's apartment. It was pretty nasty but looks a TON better now.

Elder Lyman

Elder Lyman

2017 09 04 Transfer week

WELL... ... it is now the last Pday of the transfer, which makes me kinda of sad. It's been a way fun transfer and has felt like no time. Sadly, we haven't gotten our transfer calls yet so, we can only guess what is going to happen.

Monday (月 Getsu 曜日yobi):

Today we had a RA (Return Appointments) scheduled with Miki, but when we got there she wasn't home. That evening we went to Taniyama for 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits).

the District

Tuesday (火 Moku 曜日yobi):

I was 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits) with Elder Larson and this kid is a GIANT and it was pretty interesting. After District meeting we had a district birthday party because most everyone's birthday was this transfer and we did a little gift exchange and I literally got a white elephant for my white elephant gift exchange. It took me a little bit to get the joke, but I got it… literally.

Wednesday (水 Sui 曜日yobi):

Today we had a lesson early in the morning with Kamimasuさん (san - “Mr” / “Mrs”), then we had a lesson with ジジたけ (Jijitake - a person’s name) in the afternoon then that evening we ate dinner with Take (pronounced Tah-Kay) because he is leave for New Zealand, it was a pretty interesting day, a ton of fun.

my white elephant

it came with red markers and I had a bit of fun with that

Thursday (木 Moku 曜日yobi):

Today we had our weekly planning and then I went to a 模擬 (mogi - mock/practice) lesson with Miyabi and... I passed off my LAST lesson Mastery to him! That was pretty exciting.

Friday (金 Kin 曜日yobi):

So, we normally do kid's Eikaiwa (English conversation class) in a kinda far place and normally take a train but, today we decided to bike there instead. The plan was that we could 伝道 (Dendo - tracting) there better if we had our bikes. Well, it took forever to get there and then after we had Eikaiwa (English conversation class) we visited some of the sick students that couldn't make it to class that day. Then we ended planning with them for a little bit and ended not having a ton of time for 伝道 (Dendo - tracting).

Saturday (土 do 曜日yobi):

Today we  basically 伝道 (Dendo - tracting) all day and ended the day having talked to 60 people! AND we also were able to have a lesson on the spot with someone. Just for reference,  the normal high our daily contacts is for us is to talk to about 30 people and THAT’S pretty high.

we found a ton of Pokéballs and had some fun with pictures

Sunday (日 nichi 曜日yobi):

Today a daughter of a Less active member came to church. Her name is Niina, she’s a 16 year old in high school student. She had been taking the missionary lessons in Kagoshima and has a great desire to get baptized. Since she lives here and will be going to the church in 川内 (Kawauchi) we are going to be teaching her. I am way excited to start teaching her because she is way prepared to accept the gospel. After that we talked with Haruna for a little bit then went over to the Aoki's house to teach Madoka姉妹 (shimai - sister) and break our fast over there. After that we went out and 伝道 (Dendo - tracting) a little bit but didn't see a ton of people.

Monday (月 Getsu 曜日yobi):

Oh awkward Monday... not Pday Monday, yep it was interesting. So, it started to rain so we didn't use our bikes. We went to go visit Miki and she dropped us because she doesn't have enough time to be able to meet with us. After that we walked near our area and got distracted by some tadpoles so, we took a little break trying to catch them, it was great fun. When we got back to the apartment we called Niina. Since the legal age is 20 in Japan she needs permission to get permission to be baptized and take the lessons. We were calling just to double check that she had permission and her mom said it was all good. Then w got some 伝道 (Dendo - tracting)

in that evening. It's been a way fun week and a way good transfer. We aren't sure about transfers because we haven't gotten a call, but since I've been here the longest I have the highest chance of transferring but, we have no idea IF or WHERE to...

2017 08 27 It's Week 5 but it's hard to Believe it

YUP... ... next week is transfer week and that is way hard to believe, it feels like this transfer just started not is about to end. We had a ton of fun this week.

Monday (月 Getsu 曜日yobi):

Today we went to Kagoshima and played volleyball with the Zone and that was a blast but, we were all COMPLETELY drenched in sweat! And... that was kinda gross. Then we went on down to Taniyama to do some 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits).

桜島 (Sakurajima) "Cherry blossom Island"

*NOTE from Dad*

Sakurajima (桜島"Cherry blossom Island") is an active composite volcano (stratovolcano) and a FORMER island in Kagoshima Prefecture (prefecture is like another word for “county” and its the area where Spencer is currently serving). The lava flows of the 1914 eruption caused the FORMER island to be connected with the Osumi Peninsula. The volcanic activity still continues, dropping large amounts of volcanic ash on the surroundings. Earlier eruptions built the white sands highlands in the region. The most recent eruption started on February 5, 2016.

On September 13, 2016 a team of experts from Bristol University and the Sakurajima Volcano Research Centre in Japan suggested that the volcano could have a major eruption within 30 years.

Tuesday (火 Moku 曜日yobi):

Today we had district meeting and then finished 巡回 (junkai - patrol / splits) and the new district leader is a massive NERD soooooo, that means that we got along pretty well.

unch of old people playing Pokémon go

meme we made

Pokemon video

Wednesday (水 Sui 曜日yobi):

Today we had a RA (Return Appointments) with a lady we found the previous week but, she wasn't home. We left her a note asking if we could meet on a different day and we were thrilled that she called back that evening saying that she'll be there! After trying to visit her we went to the Aoki's so that I could do a 模擬 (mogi - mock/practice) lesson with their son, Miyabi.That went pretty good. For evening 伝道 (Dendo - tracting) we both lost all motivation for 伝道 (Dendo - tracting) so we talked about how we could improve our faith. It was a WAY good chat and on the way home we found a guy that was some interest and gave him a Book of Mormon, way cool miracle!

Thursday (木 Moku 曜日yobi):

Today we tried to visit Miki but she said she couldn't make it, but we could stop by on Saturday. We had our weekly planning and then taught Eikaiwa (English conversation class). We also ate some かき氷 (kakigori - shaved ice) with the Aoki's and that was way good.

かわいいでしょう? (Kawaīdeshou? - isn’t it cute?)

Friday (金 Kin 曜日yobi):

Today we met with the lady we were suppose meet up with on Wednesday and it was... interesting. We aren't sure how much she understood. Had a way fun Kids Eikaiwa (English conversation class). In the evening we met with Madoka姉妹 (shimai - sister), Manami 姉妹 (shimai - sister) and the Aoki's and shared a message about member missionary work and asked them to think about someone they could share the gospel with and it was way cool.

Piano Video  

Saturday (土 do 曜日yobi):

We, had our lesson with Miki and we were able to understand her needs a lot better. We tried visiting another investigator ジジたけ (JiJi TaKe) but he wasn't home so, we 伝道 (Dendo - tracting) near by. We also randomly started to talk game ideas and we came up with some way cool ones.

kid's Eikaiwa (English conversation class)

Sunday (日 nichi 曜日yobi):

Sunday, church was cool, ジジたけ (JiJi TaKe) came and that was way cool. We went to go out and 伝道 (Dendo - tracting) in the evening and literally no one wanted to talk with us and that was depressing but we did our best.