DD 14.36 ... two sea pandas or a bear with chainsaws for arms? Go! ...

Why do you type with your thumbs?? OK, silly question if I think about your tiny keyboard!
... Because I type on a giant cell phone ... that's why.

Why would you teach the english class about singles awareness? on valentine's day? Isn't Valentine's Day in Japan about love and couples?
It's actually about girls giving guys chocolate, and then on March fourteenth the guys give back like three times as much, so really ... it's about investments.

Did you feel any of the three earthquakes that occurred on Tuesday morning?? Any damage? or injuries?
We shook a little bit, but it wasn't bad at all.

Have your ever ridden around Lake Tiga? Is some of it outside your area?
I've actually run around it with some people ... and biked farther south than it, so I hope it's not outside of my area.

Any winter type weather the past week?
It snowed once. But melted promptly.

Did you ever find the Abiko house just north of Abiko station?
Not yet.

Have you ever been to Komoyamamaomoyama Park? (how do they fit that on a sign?)
小山真央も山 is how they fit it on the sign ... I have never heard of it though ...

Is nutella expensive in Abiko?
Like eight dollars ...

Have you ever seen the man who brings your packages on his motorcycle
Yes ... I would say moped though ...

If you could serve in any area that you haven't served in, what area would it be?
... well, I don't know since I have not been there. But probably Tokyo.

Do you ever get hayfever? We've heard it can be really bad in Japan!
Not yet.

Have you heard of the Shake Shack? It's AMAZING! Only in Cali and NY and Tokyo is getting one!!
I'll look it up!

Do you ever tract at houses? Neighborhoods or just Apartments?
Of course!!!

Did you know Elder Turley will be back in the middle of March?
Yes, the 16th so next transfer!

Do you ever use the rock climbing strength ball we sent you? BE HONEST!
Yes, every morning I do five hundred on each arm.

Does your companion get a lot of letters in the mail? If you say yes, we will be motivated by our need to win any competition!
No. I get way more than him ... he feels bad actually.

Do you and your companion live alone now? Is it weird without another set of missionaries?
We listen to the same two CDs over and over and over again ... I think we're are going crazy!

How was this week for new investigators?
See my week!!!

Sunset in Abiko

Father,!! I would say doing taxes would be good to do ... maybe the credit card thing, but but saving some stuff till later wouldn't be bad either ... working in the yard ... save some for me. If I can't get a job when I get back, I feel like I might get bored studying and what not all day! We're praying for all of you, and are grateful for your prayers in our behalf, we saw so many huge miracles this last week. Naka for the pictures, they're way sweet!! We don't really get to see the lake look that cool that often, so it was awesome!!!

Lonely Boats of Teganuma

Mother!! That's so sweet to hear about young women's! It amazing to hear that they knew and testified like that! Yes, we bought it all at the dollar store. It's way nice, right by the church, and has everything you could ever want. From food to dishes to pots pans, and neckties! It's a beautiful place!!! That's hilarious about the newspaper. Hopefully they stop soon ... just stand outside in the morning with a super soaker and spray him as he comes by ... eventually I think he'll stop trying ...

Smashed dreams ... running!!! Whoo!!! Don't quit your marathon! You already signed up! You already promised to beat people!! Thanks for the good role model for contacts btw. I really look up to him ... I've been training, slowly working up to it ... JK.  I switch them out every sixish weeks. The sauce seems ... sorry ... your friends ... I can't call them the sauce ... seem pretty cool ... I'm confused at why you're making faces in every picture you send me, you are no longer smiling with a clenched jaw like you so vehemently taught me to do ... what happened? Cool about four dinner nights though ... not going to lie, I'm insanely jealous.

Stormmageddon!! That's hilarious about the civil war book. I almost died ... I'm glad that your talk went well, and you were able to have a good time with it. Also that you were able to learn a lot from it. Whenever we have a district meeting, I always have people that are struggling with something give a training in it ... cuz they always learn the most, and improve. It's way nice!!! That's no good about your finger, I will be more careful now when I cut stuff for lunch, having some extra finger meat doesn't sound too good ...

So this week.
Last Tuesday. We taught brother Y-San!! And he's reading the Book of Mormon!!! In English and Japanese and Chinese! It's so cool!!!

Wednesday we taught Brother A-San, and then went to eikaiwa. We committed A-San today ... it was a boss lesson!!!

Thursday! Weekly planning and then we called A-San to see if he had prayed, and he said that he had, and his answer was given to him by Jesus, and he was to forget his sins, move on with life, and now he wants to get baptized!! Way sweet!!

Friday, we met with Brother I-San, he plays professional rugby. And  then he came to ping ping, turns out he's really good too!! It was crazy!!! He's going to read he Book of Mormon as well!?!

Saturday at eikaiwa we taught the good people english, and then met with Pete our friend from New Jersey, and had ramen and gyoza, it was way good. He's going to read the Book of Mormon everyday as well now too!!?

Sunday, Brother A-San came to church, the only one, and then we visited Brother W-San, and it was nice, we had noodles with him, and talked. He's had a rough time recently it seems.

Monday (P-Day moved to Tuesday). We went to see Elder Ballard talk to the missionaries! And we got to sing for him!! It was sick, like a choir of ten of us ... way legit!!! President Rasband and Bishop Stevenson came as well ... it was like a mini General Conference. Then we went and taught Brother K-San ... he's way good, we explained The Book of Mormon and it was way good ... he's also going to read it all.

Then we went to FHE at Takei Shimai's home, and taught Brother J-San and his friend W-San ... on Sunday when Takei Shimai took them both to the Elder Ballard Conference, W-San got a blessing form the Bishop in Nakano, and now he's crazy healthy, and is a hundred and eighty degree difference than he was before ... it's way legit! He's reading the Book of Mormon ... sweet!! And we're meeting him again to give him a blessing for peace of mind, and tomorrow we'll teach him about God an stuff!!! Way golden!!!

So yeah, that was the week, so today, we just got a call from Takei Shimai and our time got cut q little chirst this week.

This week I have been thinking a lot about hope. Sometimes it seems that there is no more hope, and that all is lost, and we're angry with God, and we don't understand and its insanely frustrating!! But when those times come, we have to humble ourselves, and see that God knows best for us. And he might be holding things back so that we can grow, he doesn't do things for us ... so that we can learn how to do them ourselves.  If mom always fed me, I would have no idea how to eat, no idea how to drive if I always got rides, so he have to work, we have to struggle and try new things, and then when we look back, and we've succeeded, it's nice, it's easy, and we see to at God really was helping us all along! This week I've been trying to see the hand of God In my life more, and I think that I may have been expecting a little to much of the work to come from him ... so this week I wanna see tons of miracles, so I'm going to do tons of work!!! I hope that you all have a wonderful week!!!

Love you all, and pray for you always!!!!
Griffiths Choro
11522 10596

Three quakes shake Tohoku; Small tsunami hits coast.

A small tsunami (20 cm) struck the coast of Iwate Prefecture was triggered by a subsea quake with an estimated magnitude of 6.9. It struck on Tuesday 17 February 2015 @ 8:06 AM JST; about 210 km east of the city of Miyako and 10 km deep, the agency said.

Another earthquake measuring upper-5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 shook Aomori Prefecture and other parts of the north on Tuesday afternoon.

The quake struck at 1:46 p.m. The Japan Meteorological Agency described it as magnitude 5.7, with an epicenter around 50 km off the coast of Iwate Prefecture and 50 km deep.

One of the hardest-hit districts was the town of Hashikami, where upper-5 was recorded. It registered as 5-weak in the village of Fudai in Iwate Prefecture.

Sirens sounded as residents sought higher ground. The largest tsunami waves were measured between 8:35 a.m. and 9:07 a.m. at a port in the city of Kuji, and a 10-cm surge was recorded in Miyako. A smaller tsunami reached the city of Kamaishi, the agency said.

Evacuation orders were issued for residents in coastal districts of Kuji and the town of Otsuchi, and evacuation advisories for the cities of Ofunato and Rikuzentakata as well as Kamaishi.

The Iwate Prefectural Government reported no damage from the waves.

The quake hit at 8:06 a.m. It measured 4 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Iwate and three other prefectures in Tohoku — Aomori, Akita and Miyagi.

The quake was believed to be an aftershock of the 9.0-magnitude earthquake that hit the Tohoku region on March 11, 2011, the meteorological agency said.

All 48 of Japan’s workable nuclear reactors remain offline after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami triggered the Fukushima No. 1 plant meltdown disaster.

East Japan Railway Co. briefly halted Tohoku Shinkansen bullet trains between Furukawa Station in Miyagi and Shin-Aomori Station in Aomori amid a power failure.

The evacuation instructions and advisories were lifted at 10:20 a.m.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world’s most seismically active areas. The nation accounts for about 20 percent of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

Huffington Post
Japan Times

6.9 Earthquake @ 8:06 AM

5.7 Earthquake @ 1:46 PM

5.7 Earthquake @ 1:33 AM on the 18th

DD 14.25 ... Bad Mickey ...

Do you think you will switch to Nutella instead of eating peanut butter??
Of course not....

How are your investigators doing this week? Any progress? Did they all come to church??
Good, see below.

How is your life without an electric razor going? Ever wish you had taken one?
No, real razors are so nice!!

Do you have any American deodorant left? About how long does one stick last you?
I still have some, I haven't been using it all winter, I use the Nihongo Stuff since it's cold outside.

How much American toothpaste and toothbrushes do you have left?
A tube, and enough.

Were those beef steaks in the picture you sent us? Do you season them ? or just fry?
We seasoned them a little, they came pre-seasoned. And then we fried them ... So good!

How much snow have you had in Japan this winter? Has it been milder than last winter? Or more harsh?
It's snowed once ... pathetic. Last winter was way harder.

Of all the mission rules that there are, which one is the biggest sacrifice to obey?
No climbing or swimming ...

How is Bro. H, the karate master doing?
He's good, still praying and what not!

Is this a six week transfer?
Yes!!

What are the names of the the people in your district and where are they from?
Adair Shimai ... a vegetarian from Utah, Minson Shimai ... a martial arts master from Salt Lake; and our beloved Canadian, from Canada. They're all pretty chill. All hilarious, and all great missionaries!

Father! I'm really fine without a Valentine's Day package, my friends had me covered, the ward, and the eikaiwa students gave us a ton of stuff! Like I'm not even kidding you. It's ridiculous ... we have so much food in our apartment right now. Thanks for the offer though!! The poem will be enough!!

Mother dearest ... I can only imagine what it must be like being in charge of young women. We actually went and heart attacked some people in our ward, Brother S-San, and Brother N-San ... good to know that no one called the cops on you though!! Abi just mailed me, a brief little mail ... thanks for the heads up on the scissors knife story though!

TeJay!!! One, your kids are so adorable ... and two, when you're old and crippled ... I'll tower over you. Sometimes you just have to let the best joys in life simmer. I'm just letting you enjoy your two inch height advantage while you can ... because I'm nice! Thanks for your thought about love. I've never really thought about it that way before! Thanks for the insight! I'll try to be in shape enough to help you out when I get back, physically and spiritually!

Sam!! You and your friends are crazy! All day basketball ... that actually sounds pretty fun. Did you have snacks? A party is only as good as the food there. I have two boxes left of contacts, and I switch them when they start to bug my eyes, or tear ... I figure that's a safe bet right? So like every five or six weeks ... Remember the guy that told you one day he kept his contacts in for seven years? I always remember that story when I throw a pair away ... and I always feel sad for doing it.

Sliced open finger! You're all good about not writing me this week, hospital takes precedence ... but next week, just remember that I write you with my thumbs each week!! As for scripture study ... scripture study helps you learn the things of God. And knowing the things of God helps you feel the spirit more; if that doesn't enrich your life, I don't know what will. There is a member here, the only books she reads are the scriptures ... and she's a millionaire ... I'd say that's pretty enriched ...

Monday we went to FHE with Sister T-San and J-San. It was good. J-San didn't seem like he was really into it, but H-San and S-San were, so that was good. Apparently J-San was a little into it though, he wants to do it again today!

Tuesday, we met with A-San, had a very interesting lesson. At one point, he took off his shirt to show us his scars that represent him making a deal with the devil and then betraying him for Christ ... it's very confusing and crazy hard Nihonjin. But we're working on repentance with him ... he won't be able to meet with us this week though, he said there "bad mickeys" in his house ... three mice. He's killed two of them, but the third is bigger and smarter than the others ... so he's trying to trap him ... but he's up until the wee hours of the morning doing it, so he's sleeping all day.

Wednesday we taught people at Eikaiwa. We found a lady at the Eki that morning, and she came that night with her whole family, and they wanna come again!! She's so great!!

Thursday day we planned, and met with , Brother  Y-San, he's so close, but has all these questions about everything, and has a hard time believing that Joseph Smith is a prophet because the Bible couldn't be messed up after only two thousand years, and so we don't need another translation of it ... ??? ... he's coming along slowly ...

Friday we taught S-San, F-San, H-San, and J-San at ping pong and FHE ... I related the gospel to marshmallows ... and everyone decided to be more patient with God's timing from now on ... if we are, we get more marshmallows!!

Saturday, O-San came to eikaiwa, and then we taught some other people that night ... and went to Moriya that morning.

Sunday. A-San, O-San, I-San, and W-San came to church, big thing about church, it makes W-San a different person, a better person. In his apartment, he's really hard core. But, at church he plays with the kids, comforts the widows, tells people to clean up their language, and even gives advice to the fathers on how to make sure their kids have a fun and safe time airsofting ... ... yeah ... crazy!!! It blew my mind!!

But yeah, that was the week pretty much. I taught everyone in eikaiwa about singles awareness day on the fourteenth, they thought it was humorous ... all of them are married ... and the youngest is in his thirties ... it's weird that so many old people seem good at English; other than that this week was pretty low key. Something that I've been thinking about recently is trusting in God, mom actually talked about it a little bit, about how the more gracefully we accept trials, the stronger testimony we will have. I like to think that I'm pretty good at accepting stuff, but recently, I don't feel like I have been. I always want more, I always want things to go better, and I think that I've been clashing my will against God's.

For example this Friday we got a referral from the Matsudo Choros. Right now he has a baptismal date with the Catholic Church, but sees it as a miracle that he met the Elders ... we met with him, and talked a little bit, and set up an appointment for the following day to talk more about some stuff, but that night he decided to that he wants to get baptized a Catholic and then talk to us. When we heard this, I was a little frustrated. We'd been working so hard, and really felt like we had received a miracle, and then it all went away. It made me realize that I have to trust more in the will of God. The only thing that I can do for people is invite them to come unto Christ. I can't make them do anything, that would take away their agency. He used his agency to decide to not meet with us, and I can't be angry at God for that. The only thing I can do is try to become better at inviting the Spirit. The more spiritually powerful we are, the more people that we can help. So I've decided to work on my spiritual power this week. I want to be able to bring the Spirit so strong to those we teach, that when people use their agency to reject it, they will know what they are turning down.

Thanks for all that you do for all of us!!! I love you all, and I am so grateful for everything you do!!!

Love you! Griffiths Choro
11452 10494

DD 14.15 ... candy, candy, and more candy ...

Are you doing anything for Valentine's Day?
Eating candy, candy, and more candy ... what else would I do?

Did you buy another coat or is the one in all your pictures the one you took?
It's still the rain coat I bought here.

Wearing everything I found in the apartment ...

Did you decide what to do about your iPad? What are other missionaries doing?
I don't think I'm going to buy one ... I really hate taking notes and typing on it ... I think a laptop would be a better investment. I used to take Jarvis to class, and it was quite nice. The four hundred I could spend here, I think would be better spent on a computer with a full sized keyboard so I can type more readable.

How are your ping pong skills compared to other American missionaries?
I beat all the Shimai; a lot of the Choros, but no-one here in Abiko.

Do you ever wear your old shoes or just your new ones?
I only wear my new shoes in the rain ... or to church.

Have you adjusted to your bike brakes yet??
Yes!

Has your companion ever fallen off his bike?
No ... he ran into some bushes once though.

Now there are fewer of you in your district, do you have to teach gospel principles more often ? Stressful? Or are you OK with it?
Yes, it's very stressful ... did I mention that it's in Japanese?

We know you can't read other church books (like by Sherri Dew, etc) but can you look up and read other church talks?
Anything in the Gospel Library App.

Do you like Nutella? Did you like it before you left?
I had never had it before I left, but it's way good now!

Have you talked to Jon (your birthday sharing roommate) lately?
Not recently, no.

Are you reading the D & C countdown (You should have read D&C 125 this morning)?
I'm a little behind, but I have started.

Is the nephew Julius still visiting?
Yes ... he has no plans to go back to America.

What is palm aid?
I'm not really sure, I think it's like hair gel.

How are all your investigators doing? Any come to church yesterday?
Yea!!!

How are the contacts doing? need to order more?
I have a lot still ... remember how you ordered enough for me to use them properly for two years ... I use them a little (a lot) longer than the recommended two weeks, so I still have a lot left.

Why did your last week's email have "glasses, glasses, glasses" as the heading? Do you wear your glasses now? Did they break? Are you wearing them more?
I just wore them a lot last week ... that's all.

Griffiths Choro, Dicastri Choro, Brother R-San w/1000 paper cranes

Father! Thank you for reminding me how good of writers Sam and I are! I love team work! I too miss Home Teaching with you. I feel as though my next companion won't be so okay with me setting up the appointment, and him sharing the message ... maybe I can swing it though ... I feel good about trying!

Mother! I do not feel good about all this healthiness ... but I don't see what you have against tofu ... it's way good for you, has no taste, and is really cheap! Well, it's cheap here at least. That's cool about famous people in our ancestors, let me know if you find anyone! That would be cool to share with people on the street!


Smasher ... buy me a hedgehog, I'll train it to do backflips! I feel good about the new basketball friends that you made, also suggestion: watch where you're going when you're running. It wouldn't be great (or maybe it would) if you ran into another stop sign, or heaven forbid, stuff that was actually moving. Please do try to be safe. The construction cone blowing into your face is hilarious though. Thanks for the image. I have to beat you in the marathon that we run together when I get back. 

Abdominals of steel. That's what I have; how about you Abi! I feel good about how you're being humbled by God, I feel like we could all use it once in a while!! As for crazy dessert of deliciousness ... I believe they're called indecently dressed brownies ... and ask anyone of my companions ... I'll be ready to eat a pan of them right off the plane. Seriously. Bring some. To the airport.  Dicastri Choro testifies to what I have said ...

This week!!
Tuesday we met with O-San! It was okay, he still smokes, but not as much, like he's down to ten a day, from forty! He has a little problem with tithing ... well, it's a big problem actually; he thinks that churches that ask for money aren't true ... but he still meets with us. We're going to re-teach tithing; see if we can build his faith.

Wednesday, we saw off Yoshino Choro, and then taught A-San! He's got a crazy life story!! It's insane!! But he's doing good. He said that he needs a little more time before he gets baptized, but he still comes to church every week!!! He's so great!!

Thursday we did some planning, and talked to brother M-San! He's a Muslim convert ... and has been to church exactly twice since he got baptized. He's doing good, really mostly talking to people. He has diabetes, and rarely leaves his apartment, he has good days and bad days, we try to go on his good days!!

Friday!! We played ping pong, and J-San and H-San came, we had a way good lesson with H-San, a karate master. He's been praying and reading the Book of Mormon for a week straight now, trying to find out if God is really there!! He's so great!!!

Then on Saturday at eikaiwa we had a throwout session with J-San, he doubts that God could be there, because the human mind has so much power it can fake emotions, and if someone fasts and is studying hard enough, then when they have crazy hallucinations, of course it will be about God ... and now I'm just thinking how sad his life is, not knowing the truth.  I'm pretty sure that he has some trust issues ... but then again, he hasn't had the easiest of life! So you just have to love him!!

Griffiths Choro, Y-San, Dicastri Choro

Sunday! O-San and A-San came to church! O-San went to church in Koiwa three years ago, and loved it, so then when he moved here, he wanted to come again! He loves church because all of the people there have a good temper, and he wants to become such (his words, not mine ... ). So we told him that we can talk about how to do that, and we would love to meet!! He's pretty solid!

Monday, (today) we found Almond Rocca from who knows how long ago and ate it and it was soooooooo good!!? I love candy FYI, it's delicious!!

So this week on FACEBOOK, I saw a couple of quotes that were awesome! One was about Satan being like a lion, fighting tooth and nail to keep us from progressing, and then the other one was about how this life is not predestined. We have our choices, and God will not make us something that we don't want to become. It reminded me of my patriarchal blessing. It says a lot stuff about what I'll become, and what kind of person I'll be, and I was kinda waiting around for it to happen, but now I realize that I was complacent, I was lazy, and was expecting God to do all of the work. It takes a lot of effort on my part as well, I can't just sit around and wait, but I have to work for it, I have to fight tooth and nail for everything written in there, because Satan is doing the same to keep me from it! And we're all too good for that to happen.

If you haven't, in last couple of weeks, go read your personal chapter of scripture ... it might just change your life forever! Also have I been spelling patriarch right? I have no idea?

Love ya! Griffiths Choro!
11414 10415

DD 13.75 ... Glasses ... glasses, glasses ...

How did transfers turn out? Tell us all about it!!
Abiko became a four man, and guess who's district leader ... me - again. It's Dicastri Choro and me, and Adair Shimai and Minson Shimai.  Mayama Shimai is going to Chosei and Yoshino Choro is going to Joetsu!!! I'm here for five transfers baby!!! WHOOO!

How is your health?
Fine!

One of the missionaries we fed today eats gluten free, are you being careful about nuts??
Fine!! No incidents (recently).

How are your investigators doing? anyone come to church today?
Three people!! See below?

Probably asked this before, can't remember, do the young men participate in Boy Scouts in Japan?
Yes, a little different than BSA, but they have it! Like once a week at the church!

How is the weather there? cold? any snow? it is almost 50 degrees here, there is talk of trying to get some sun!
Warm ... too warm, I miss the snow.

Is the Ramon there like Top Ramon or is it sooooo much better?
It makes Top Ramen look like eating a big bowl of hair. It's like Donald Trump and the neighborhood lemonade stand ... ones just so much better than the other!

When did you last get a hair cut?
Three weeks ago.

Have you been running?
Yep! We go 3 times a week and it's glorious! 

Dad wants to know if you are doing the D&C countdown with him? Dad started it, he needs more scripture reading in his day!!
I'm working, but I'm a little behind ... too much to study for my people!

Do they have Nutella in Japan? It is made of hazelnuts, but don't eat it just in case!
I have eaten it here ... like whole jars already ... oops?

Is the next transfer only five weeks?
Six I think!

Father!
Personally, I like getting emails from you on pDay, I feel as though I never write back to letters, so let's keep the emails happening, as for the poems ... I need some real mail or I would have no reason to check the mailbox everyday ... and then I would be crazy, checking it without reason. ABSURD. (Ahem. Not so subtle guilt trip for everyone else in the family not sending me letters) I'm impressed, you know that many people in the ward! That's crazy impressive!! I'm realizing how hard that is by how tough it is to learn everyone's names here! It's rough!

Mother!
Thank you for cleaning the couch! Remember when I attacked it with bug spray? Sorry about that ... not really sure what I was thinking then ... thanks for the update on the young women's lesson. Grateful in any circumstance, I think that's exactly what I need right now. Things are great; our older group of investigators are giving us opportunities now.

Smashed to pieces ...
Way to go running! Fifteen miles! Your marathon will be fine! Try to avoid murder creeps though ... that's kinda sketch. I'm sorry work is without food! Maybe you could just line your purse with tinfoil, and fill it up with food before you go in? And then again before you leave? Name that episode! And I have no idea what show your quote was from ... I wanna say friends though. (Note from Sam: Correct!) 

Abdominal pain ...
Sorry about the challenges on your job, that's way rough, congrats on the meditation thing, what do you mean you have to redo your make up though? I'm confused. But it seems like it's a good thing ... ps. Sam feels like she's not strong enough to run by herself, and needs a running buddy. I would do it, but I'm asleep, and on the other side of the world when she goes. Can y'all help a brother out?

This week! Tuesday, I crashed my bike in the rain, and sprained my wrist ... I tightened my brakes the day before, and apparently I did a little too good of a job, clenched them too tight, and slid around a corner in the rain ... I'm totally fine now though!! Really, no holes in my pants or anything! 100% fine ... except my pride ... That's down a little bit.

Wednesday, a member brought her nephew named Julius from Pennsylvania to eikaiwa ... to meet some Nihongo friends ... she's wanting him to take over her multi-million dollar company when she's too old to run it ... But first he needs to learn Japanese, and go to college and get his life in order it seems ... he's way chill though ... keeps trying to get us to buy palm aid ... he has way nice suits though!!

Thursday we had some finding time, and found a ton of people, I literally mean like a ton, so many new people!! It's crazy!!

Friday, we went to hear Aoyagi Choro speak, and that was way good, way spiritual and we all got a lot good stuff from it!!! Then that night we went to ping pong and met with J-San, H-San, O-San, and U-San; we threw down with them and what not!!

Mission Tour with Aoyagi ... January 30 in Chiba

Then on Saturday, we met with Julius and his Aunt to go get yaku niku, pretty much all you can eat raw meat that you grill yourself ... I ate so much!!

Sunday Julius same to church as well as O-San and A-San, and Sunday's chill with these two Japanese people was awesome!! It rocked! The spirit was so strong, and in the words of Yoshino Choro, "a plethora of testimony was born" ... I don't know why study Japanese. Then we visited W-San, and he's doing fine still ... but I worry about him sometimes.

On Monday morning we got transfer calls, I'm glad that I get to stay one more transfer, I thought for sure that I would be gone, but now I get to see all sorts of cool miracles. I think that the Lord kept me here for this transfer, we've done so much, and this transfer hopefully we're going to see all the fruits of our labors. I'm really sad to see Yoshino Choro and Mayama Shimai go. I really hate transfers, because no matter who is leaving, it's always crazy sad.  Abiko is just a four man now, the smallest ward I've ever been in, but I think that it'll be okay.  Should be a wild adventure to go out on!!

This weeks spiritual insight from Griffiths Choro:
Gratitude. It was actually during the Aoyagi conference where I thought I needed to be more grateful. There are so many things that are happening right now that I can't explain or find a reason why, but I have to assume that they're for my good. I néed to face things with an attitude of gratitude! That makes it  much easier to deal with in the end. I would invite you all to be grateful for all the little things that happen this week: your car starting on the first try, being able to drive to work. Having a convenient location to buy peanut butter at for under 10 dollars to dip Oreos into.. It's so great! I think all in all, life is good for each and everyone of us. And how awesome is that!!! Thank you all for being such an amazing family, I really do love each and everyone of you!! You rock!!

Love, Griffiths Choro
11329 10188