Father's Day; 2015

Dear Dad,

A Final Blog Post ... Happy Father's Day

The last two years have been the most fun I have had in my life thus far. There have been the best of times and the worst of times but through it all I've learned so much. I feel like the thing that I’ve learned the most is that God really is our loving Heavenly Father. He is not some vague entity or a thousand different spirits that try to manipulate our lives. But He is our father, and He loves us. He knows who we are and He cares about all that we do. 

Through the good times, it as though I was rejoicing with the Lord every step of the way. I don’t think that I will ever forget the joy that we felt, miracles that we witnessed, and the light that seemed to spark in the eyes of others. Through the hard times when desire was low, when there wasn’t much cause for rejoicing I will always remember how much my faith was strengthened, how much I learned to rely on prayer, and how much the Lord provided for us.

I am so grateful to all the people that helped me out, the constant flow of letters encouragement, the endless prayers, the never ceasing love that I have felt from all my friends and family. I will never forget how much everyone else has done for me, because I know that I never could have done it myself.

Embracing the lawn after two years of no grass.

Mom retired my name tag the night I was released ... with it I retire my title of Elder & Choro ...  I realize that I’m no longer a missionary and there is no point in living in the past, no sense of not moving on. From here on, I’m going to focus on the future. I know what I want: Eternal Life in the Celestial Kingdom and I know what I have to do to get it.

Thanks for all you do dad. Thanks for always correcting my spelling and writing the blog post. Thanks for the great example that you are to all of us, thanks for all that you have taught over the years. I remember the scout camps and over-nighters, the merit badges and all the “lectures” that you have given us over the years. Thanks for being the world’s best dad, thanks for always taking care of us and making sure that we were doing great! You’re the best … and frankly because of that you have the best kids. We’re all so great because you’re so great! Thanks for all you do dad! I love you!!!!

Love, Trent

Flight Home ... I arrived 2 hours before I left ... #JapanTokyoMissionBenefits

26 Missionaries leave Tokyo on the 12th of June ...

... leaving a big hole in the Mission

... but they can't leave without having some fun with the President ...

 

Delta Air Lines DL 166

Departure  12 June 04:35 PM  Tokyo Narita Intl

Arrival  12 June 09:31 AM  Seattle Tacoma Intl

Duration  08:56 (Non stop)
Class  Economy (T)  Baggage allowance  2PC

Equipment  BOEING 777-200/300

Meal  Dinner

Track my flight:  https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL166

Delta Air Lines DL 346

Departure  12 June 11:30 AM  Seattle Tacoma Intl

Arrival  12 June 02:30 PM  Salt Lake City Intl

Duration  02:00 (Non stop)

Class  Economy (T)  Baggage allowance  2PC

Equipment  BOEING 737-800 (WINGLETS)

Meeting with Stake President
Friday 12 June 2015 @ 4:30 PM

Speaking in Sacrament Meeting
When:
Sunday 14 June 2015 @ 11:00 AM
Address:
1454 West 13200 South
Riverton, Utah 84065
(East of the Cemetery)

DD 16.65 ... My Last Letter ...

Did you get your last package?
Got it!

If your package doesn't arrive in time, can you have Budge Kaichou route it to another missionary in the Tokyo area? If so who do you want it to go to?
Already got it!

How did your baptism go? Who gave the talks?
It was great!!

Did you take pictures?
Of course.

Do you have enough church clothes for church on Sunday, or do we need to buy you more?
I think I should be okay, and if not, we can wash some I'll bring home! And then dry them in the dryer!

Did you bear your testimony one last time in Narita?
Like seven times ... they kept asking me at every chance they could!

Any problems with Dad's countdown pictures? Are they making your comp trunky?
No, they all laugh.

When you go to the temple, do you use the English Headsets or do you go native Japanese?
We watch it in English and all the other languages have headsets.

Any requests for your welcome home meal?? Everyone is staying for dinner to talk with you!!
Those burrito things that dad makes, and peanut butter fingers?

Did you buy any thing to bring home?
Not yet, but I got a lot of stuff given to me.

Can we help you with anything??
Let me know what I can leave here!

Are you flying home with other missionaries? or do you know yet?
I would assume so.

One last question I had about the Japanese Hymnal, are the numbers in your hymn the same as in the English hymnal? In other words is hymn number 94, Come Ye Thankful People? I hope so, because that will be the rest hymn that will be sung next week. Hymn 159, Now the Day is Over ... now that one really threw me for a loop, that is not a hymn I expected that you would call out as a favorite ... so are we talking about the same songs?
94 is Abide with Me; 'Tis Eventide
And 159 is Hope of Israel ... I guess they are different ... oops.

I don't think I have time to write you all back this week!

Griffiths Choro, Lin Choro, Frank-San

My week!
Tuesday, temple and we set a baptismal date with S-San for the second of August!! I'll try to take a picture with him tomorrow! And then we taught Kz-San that night.

Wednesday! We taught Kx-San and Y-San all sorts of good stuff, it was crazy!

Thursday! We went and visited Nk Ky-San who has an ingrown toe nail, don't worry, I clipped mine last week.  He couldn't come to church, then we taught M-San, my friend from when I was in Togane, then we met with K-San ... and he said, I have a question about the Book of Mormon, opened to Second Nephi ... and then I started to cry.

Harrision Choro, Lin Choro, Griffiths Choro, Morishita Choro

Friday.  We met M-San on Friday, then went to the area where the other elders left half way through and then I got asked to do the thought with like ten seconds to prep ... Interesting. But it was okay.

Saturday! We had eikaiwa and then we went to Chinese night ... I didn't understand anything.  Then in our way back we found a way cool guy named R-
San for the elders in Tokyo, he's from Constantinople we think ... way sweet!!

Then Sunday came! K-San got baptized, and the Shimai investigator M-San got baptized too! And we had the Yo-San couple come and Ya-San come and see it as well! It was way sweet!! They both bore testimony at the end, and it was so good! They're both so solid it's crazy! And then I was asked to bear my testimony because I didn't in Sacrament Meeting because I had to go pick up Y-San and what not, so that was a nice little surprise as well. Then we went to the Saito family home and had a dinner and a little bye bye party for me. It was fun, apparently I rock at bunny bunny. I cleaned everyone out.

Back:  Brother M-San, Harrison Choro
Front:  K-San, Morishita Choro, Lin Choro, Griffiths Choro, Brother and Sister S-San, Ik-San

That's the week pretty much!

Dad, I finally went and saw Hachiko in Shibuya
Harrison Choro, Morishita Choro, Hachiko, Griffiths Choro, Lin Choro

List of things I want to chuck:
The outer shell of my  Mack coat

Most of my white shirts ... they're all trashed

My thermals?

My sweaters?

All the medicine that you sent me ... that I never used ...

Some of my slacks

One pair of my church shoes

My running shoes

My sheets? And old pillow case! Someone sent me a new one!

I'll see you on Friday!!!

Some people keep emailing me about when and where I will be speaking ... what's the churches address and what time does it start? I have no idea.
14 June 2015 @ 11:00
1454 W 13200 S
Riverton, Utah 84065

13245 12480

DD 16.56 ... 台湾人だから言えないです ...

A few questions about going to the Grocery Store/Market:
Do you go to the grocery store or to the Market?
From this week on, we're going to a supermarket.

How often do you, as Missionaries, go shopping for food?
Once a week, on pDay.

Do members have a pantry and refrigerator and go shopping once a week like we do?
Some of them do, but a lot of their homes are just too small and they can't.

How much of an impact did the Earthquake on Saturday have on you in Narita?
We felt it ... and we're like, ooh, this ones pretty big, but not really.

Did you hear about Elder L. Tom Perry, he passed away on Saturday?
Yes, they announced it in church on Sunday.

Mom's complaining about how hot it is, we haven't even hit 90 yet, it looks like you have cooler weather than we have in Utah, how does it feel to you?
Crazy hot ... not to mention we're out riding our bikes all day.

We got a very complementary letter from your Mission President ... lots of good things to say, we'll save it for you. What did you use to bribe him to say such nice things about you?
I gave him baptisms.

Is your baptism still on for Sunday? Does that conflict with fast and testimony meeting?
Yes!!! Got interviewed and everything. It won't be that much of a problem, but just a little bit. There's another member getting baptized as well that day too! Sister M.

Do you have any wards in Japan that have Sacrament Meeting at the end of the 3 hour block or do they all meet for Sacrament Meeting during the 1st hour?
Right now Narita does, but that will change in July ... I heard the change will be world wide.

How is the sister that you are teaching by phone doing? Still reading the book of mormon?
Good, went up and visited her yesterday, she's totally golden.

Are you able to read and view dad's picture e-mails?? Space potatoes!!!
I saw ... and I almost cried.

Potatoes after a winter in the basement ...

What is your favorite hymn when sung in Japanese?
94

Do you have a favorite hymn that you would like to sing as the intermediate hymn??
94 ... or 159 ... can we sing both ... it's all good?

Father! What happened in the basement? I can't even handle looking at it ... I am getting all the pictures that you send me ... one of my roommates finds them funny ... he's also American ... everyone else is just very confused. Thanks for the info about Sunday. I'll try to start thinking of some stuff to talk about and what not!

Mother! Seriously though, what happened to the potatoes? I was in shock when I saw them. But, I can tell exactly how excited you are about me coming home by how short your emails are getting. Sounds great getting my phone back, I don't know who keeps calling me though ... I'll call them all back in a week and see what's up.

Tejay! I'm willing to guess that we could turn it into a huge zip line if we wake up early enough in the morning!! That's way rough having to let someone go at work.  I hope that I never have to do that. Just be careful that you don't be too cautious finding someone new or you might never find someone. Good luck!!

Sam ... Here's the plan, when I get back on Friday, I'll take some of that powder stuff, I'm assuming corn starch and some flour ... put it in my mouth, hold a lighter up and breathe out fire, then put it on Facebook and tell everyone that I'm back and my home coming is on the 14th and what not ... sounds good right? Good to know that me coming home now has some perks, cuz I really don't wanna come back.

Stormed the Castle. Good to hear that you cleaned house and made dinner ... that's sounds so grown up like! Very sad that no one even came home though ... that's tough. That's hilarious that you're so sad about school ending, remember at the beginning of the year when you were freaking out all the time? I do, and I wasn't even there ... think of how next year will be?

This week was pretty good.

Tuesday. We visited our recent convert and friend. Brother Nk-San. He's doing good. Tired and old, but he's still pretty genki. I forgot to text him back after asking him how he wanted to improve ... apparently since I'm such a young buck I'm not supposed to ask people that. He scolded me for using impolite Japanese, well, friendly Japanese, and then said that I was the type of person that could forgive people ... he then proceeded to make fun of me ... you'll be pleased to hear that I've grown, rather than pointing out broken protocols, flaws, or try and defend myself, I simply apologized, and told him that I was in the wrong and that I would try to improve ... and that all I wanted was the best for him ... Crazy.

Wednesday. We had interviews with Budge Kaichou, since it wasn't our last one, we got to talk about normal stuff instead of trunky business like everyone else. It was nice. Lots of good advice for dealing with our investigators.

Thursday. We went over to the Bishop's house with everyone, pictures on facebook, one of the assistants came with the other elders, and gave a boss lesson on everything church! It was way sweet! And there was so much food!!!

  

  

Bishop & Griffiths Choro  

Lin Choro

Lin Choro

  

  

Morishita Choro  

Harrison Choro  

We made Soba

Friday! We went and blitzed Yachiyo. And Free Choro and I found a kid, we didn't get his number or anything, but he and his family used to go to a Catholic Church in Narita, but it's too far for them so they're looking for a new church near by ... they live right by ours ... his name Ik-San ... Stop!!! ... right now, as you read this email ... now say a little prayer for him and his family that they'll come to church this week.

Saturday. We had the talent show, I'll try to send some videos, but I don't know if I will be able to!

Sunday! Sorted things out for K-San's baptism. And then he threw down on everyone, he helped the shimai teach, then the other choros teach, then he pretty much set a baptismal date for them with Sister M ... it was pretty cool to see.

Monday, we went back to Kashimajingu, and Y-San.  She believes everything we say, but she is easily confused ... for example, she thought Christ was a terrible person because he crucified someone, then she wanted to know why he was so bad if he was crucified ... then we had to explain everything ... again ... maybe my language skills aren't as good as I thought ... it's good though, she's got a gift for grandma she wants me to bring home with me; she is so nice.

t-Day - Pictures with companions; current and former

Lin Choro & Griffiths Choro - Narita

Griffiths Choro & Williams - Chiba

Griffiths Choro & Yoshino Choro - Kawagoe

Then we have this morning, we're meeting S-San tonight with the dendou shunin, and we're gonna try to set a baptismal date with him, so it should be fun to see what's happens!!

My Declaration:

I carry no white flags.

I will not stop, slow down, or give up,

Because I know that He wouldn't either.

Notes for my Talk:

Hello everyone!

We as humans, are born, and live and we'll all die. But right now, I want everyone to imagine for just a moment that it's the year SEIREKI four thousand and fifty. Do you think that you, your name, will still be remembered? Will people still talk about your life and all that you did? Will people look up to your example?

• But the year four thousand is two thousand years from now. And two thousand years ago, someone lived, and someone died, just like all of us. But people still talk about him, almost everyone on the entire planet has heard his name. That person is Jesus Christ.
• Christ has several roles that make him pretty memorable:  he was a prophet, he set up his church, and taught people all about gods plan.
• He showed everyone how to get to eternal life. He showed us all what we need to do to be eternally happy.
• Next, he was the son of God. He performed miracle after miracle. Healed the sick, caused he blind to see, the lame to walk.
• Lastly, he preformed the atonement was killed on the cross and rose from the dead.
• He lives today ... through the atonement ... gift.
• When I think about how Christ has an influence on me today,私たちにはできないと思うようなことをキリストを通してできます
• Share mosiah 24:8-15
• Christ will save us from any situation, from the worst of the worst, to the small things, like me talking in front of people.
• All we have to do is have faith.

Testify that Christ lives today and helps us.

So this week we made declarations about our personal beliefs ... and I had to talk in church. See them above --^ ... my talk is what I looked at, and yeah, I know, I'm turning into Dad ... but it was good!

Love you all! You're the best!!

Elder Griffiths
13160 12383

8.5 Earthquake gives Tokyo little Buzz

A magnitude-8.5 earthquake struck off the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo on Saturday evening, jolting wide parts of the Kanto region and causing moderate tremors in many parts of the archipelago, the Meteorological Agency said.

No tsunami warning was issued by the agency, and no serious injuries or major damage were immediately reported in the Ogasawara chain by local authorities.

In Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, a woman in her 70s sustained a minor injury when dishes fell on top of her head at home. In Minato Ward, Tokyo, a building elevator stopped suddenly, trapping people inside.

Quake took a toll on liquor section at supermarket in Saitama

The quake, which measured upper-5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7, occurred at 8:24 p.m. at a depth of 590 km (370 miles) below the seabed west of the Ogasawara chain, the agency said. Given the depth of the epicenter, slow lateral vibrations continued for about a minute.

The Otemachi district in central Tokyo registered an intensity of 4 on the Japanese scale, and many areas in neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture were rocked more violently, according to data released by the agency. The town of Ninomiya, facing Sagami Bay, registered upper-5.

On Chichijima Island in the Ogasawara chain, communities experienced powerful jolts. NHK quoted Yoshiyuki Sasamoto, who runs a local inn, as saying things started to fall from shelves as the tremors continued.

Following the quake, the government quickly set up an emergency task force at the prime minister’s office to assess the situation.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said no damage had been reported at its Fukushima No. 1 and No. 2 nuclear power stations.

But a power outage briefly affected a combined 600 households in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, and the city of Fujimino, Saitama Prefecture, Tepco reported.

Central Japan Railway Co. and East Japan Railway Co. suspended operations on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line.

In Tokyo, the Yamanote Line and other rail routes were halted for safety checks. NHK footage showed many people stranded at major hub stations, including Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro.

Crowds of commuters formed around some of the busier stations as trains stopped

“The number of quakes seems to be rising these days, and I’m worried,” said a 34-year-old office worker stuck at Tokyo Station.

A college student who gave up waiting in a long line at a bus stop outside Shibuya Station said he had no choice but to spend the night at a friend’s apartment.

The Tokaido shinkansen and some other lines later resumed operation after safety was confirmed.

Haneda airport in Tokyo temporarily closed its runways for safety checks but resumed services within an hour.

US reports earthquake as a 7.8