DD 15.65 ... これから中国語しか勉強しないのです

Do you want to buy  a pass of all passess?
I will have two months before I got to school ... I'll leave it up to the sisters, how much time do they want to spend with me? maybe ... get me one as well.

Ok, we give up. In the picture you sent us what are you pointing at?? We aren't sure ...
... I was doing a peace sign ... I live in Asia.

Did you buy new short sleeved or long sleeved white shirts? Do your have your size? Or did you have them made?
Short sleeve, like this country has sleeves long enough for me.

Do you have an oven in your apartment?
Nope ... we have a sweet toaster though.

How is your new bike holding up? were you able to salvage other parts off from the old bike?
I stole my mountain bike chain and I am using a seven hundred dollar road bike with it on ... I did replace the brakes, and it's perfect now ... as long as I don't use the gear three, six, and gear seven ... my chain is to short for that.

My new ride ...

Have you ever made a salad or dessert while on your mission?
Dessert yes ...

Do they have icecream in Japan like the ice cream we have here?? or is it different?
Not really, it's pretty different. The only tub of ice cream I've ever seen is vanilla or Neapolitan ... mostly it's like little ice cream snacks.

Do you need any toothpaste, or deodorant? Anything? 
Just a loving family for when I get back!

What is the news on your last transfer? Are you getting a new companion? Are you staying or moving on?
I'm staying here in Narita, and my new companion is Lin Choro ... he's a transfer five, he has way good Japanese ... and did I mention he's from China!!! I'm no longer studying Japanese BTW.

What are the changes within the District? What changes are happening within the apartment?
Clark Choro is leaving and Morishita Choro is training.  The Shimai are in a threesome now with a trainee.

Muraro Shimai, Murata Shimai, Griffiths Choro, Morishita Choro, Clark Choro, Spindler Choro

Are you still reading the D&C backwards ... Dad is a little behind ... he is reading Section 50 something, but should be reading 40 something ... where are you?
I may have stopped ... glad for dad that he's pushing though!

Any chance you can get bike parts from the mission office? or from others in your zone? Do all the missionaries leave your bikes at the mission office when they go home?
I'm not sure what to do with my bikes (I now have two) when I leave ... but really, they're fine! Don't worry.

How is your health? doing ok? eating well?
I'm crazy exhausted, but I think it's just because I'll be a transfer sixteen now ... I hear that happens when you get close to going home.

Father! Sadly, it wasn't the bearing or the crankshaft that broke on my bike ... it was the frame around that part of the bike ... it got wrecked. Thanks for the advice, I think I will buy something ... maybe a sword, or a dragon, or maybe some ninja stars of sorts ... anyway thanks for the advice!!

Mother!!! Sounds like the young women are having a good time! That's so cool about Waylon scoring a goal!! Whooo!!! I'm so excited to play with him when I get back, I've been practicing for like two years now, so I hope I'm better than a six year old!!

Sam, sounds like your trip rocked, let's go snorkeling sometime, maybe to Okinawa ... it's like the Bahamas of Asia, I've heard. A half marathon sounds good. The altitude might just kill me, but I should be able to hack it. It's like nine minute miles with you still right?

Stormer of Geddon, the zoo sounds so legit!!! I'm sorry that the Anne of Green Gables-a-thon hero has died, that's no good! Have fun with your movies! Is Camille and your other peeps going to join you like in the past? Or is it a personal adventure this time!

So today is transfer calls, and we have like no time, it was also zone pDay

Buddies from the MTC last week on T-Day
Justesen Choro, Griffiths Choro, Turley Choro

In short, S-San is way golden, he wants to come to church and is way excited to meet with us more and more and read the bible. K-San is going to get baptized in the seventh of June, my last Sunday here, but there is a possibility that it may be  moved up some more, because he rocks. On Sunday as a district we had seven people at church, our companionship had four. And it's way sweet!!!

So transfers, I'm staying here, my new companion is Chinese. The ward is doing well, and Spindler Choro and Clark Choro are leaving.

Sorry, this week has been crazy busy, we just got to meet kento everyone. Spindler Choro has been here for like seven months, like me in Abiko, so he knows everyone here, and now I need to meet and get to know everyone!

Spiritual moment for the week.
I've been thinking a lot about spiritual maturity recently. I find it interesting that the Lord trusts an eighteen year old guy with the Melchizedek Priesthood, the power to create worlds ... sometimes I kind of feel like it's giving a sports car to a five year old. But it also makes me think that God expects us to be prepared enough by that time in our life to be able to handle such an opportunity. I firmly believe that the atonement has the power to change each and every one of us in an instant, so why shouldn't we be totally ready by the time we're eighteen. I've seen a lot of missionaries come back, and they all have callings now. Most of them are the leaders in the ward, we only have sixty people in our ward and fifty of them are women. So the returning Choro's are put to work right when they get back. It's inspires me to not only be a really good missionary, but to try to be a really solid member so that I can do the things that the Lord may ask me to do when I get home, whether it's to be a Home Teacher, Ward Mission Leader, serving in an Elders Quorum presidency, or any other calling, I want to be prepared ... I probably won't ever feel like I actually am ready, but it would be nice if I actually was.

Thanks for all you all do, for all of us,
Love you! Elder Griffiths!
12625 11777

DD 15.56 ... So I Trashed My Bike ...

How is the weather there? Spring? or Winter like us?

It's crazy warm!! Like short sleeves and I'm hot when we bike to the church.

Who is Elder Morishita? Roommate?

Yeah, he's Clarke Choro's companion.

Explain what Strawberry Lassie is?? What are the ingredients in it? do you have a recipe?

I do not have a recipe. It's like yogurt in a drink ... that's strawberry flavored ... they should have it at any place that has ramen and claims to be a real Indian Curry Place ...

Is K-San getting baptized?

Yes!!! He doesn't have a date yet, but he's probably going to commit this week!!

Is Costco close to Narita? do you go often? do you need a membership card?

It's pretty far. We have to have a member drive us there ... and yeah, you need a card, and so we don't go that often.

Have you bought any mementos to bring home?

A couple ... I got a ramen bowl and some other stuff from some people ...

Have you collected any recipes for Japanese food that you like?

... I can't say that I have ... I'll get on it.

Did you get your freeze dried package yet?

Yes!!! It rocked! Seriously so good!! The cookies tasted interesting. I think the machine took the air out of the inside of the cookies as well ... But they we're still crazy good when I dipped them in milk.

How are your suits holding up? Will they last until the end?

They're totally fine ... I might buy some new shirts today, mine are a little trashed from the last two summers here. I found some really cheap ones that will hold up until I get home though!!

How are your investigators doing? Any progress?

Yes!! See below!!

Any new investigators?

Yes!! See below!

Anyone you would like us to pray for this week?

Yes!! See below.

Father! That picture is ridiculous ... makes me excited to get old though, that's for sure! It's good to hear that the Bishop's wife is doing well enough to come to church! Thanks for the analogy about spring and winter being like Christ and the atonement ... I think that I'm going to use it with our investigators ... pretty much they all need a better understanding of the atonement ...

Mother! Sorry that you woke up early yesterday morning to read my email ... that I didn't send. We're going to the temple today and so we're doing pday on Tuesday this week. It's also funny that you mention my bike because I destroyed it this week, but more on that later. Glad that the YM&YW had a good time doing the murder mystery! I don't even know who they are anymore. But it sounds like it would be fun, I'm dying to see my sisters try to teach you and dad how to play dance signs BTW. I'm pretty sure it's gonna be awesome.

Sam ... I'm pretty sure I can run your race with you when I get back. I mean I bike around all day. How hard can running twenty six miles be ... not to hard I don't think. It sounds like your cruise is fun! Trivia sounds legit and what not. You find all sorts of new things when I'm gone ... we'll hit it up when I get back and we'll wreck it, was there any questions about Asia, cuz I got those in the bag, but anything else, I'm pretty sure I won't be of any use.

Stormageddon ... thank you for the pictures ... I do have a question though ... what happened to man-root? He was there when I left. But now he's gone ... and I'm very confused. Second item of business ... remember how everyone doubted that Clyde was a stallion and would last forever? Sorry to hear that the jet broke down ... again ... that's all.  Congrats on going to institute and Ward Prayer! That's so cool! Although I do not remember said flapper-doodle game, I'm pretty excited to see mom and dad play said game.

So my week ... BTW ... I will only write you guys like seven more times ... Crazy!!!!!

So this week for me.

Monday. Nothing really happened except that when we went to go to the church that night, I destructed my bike ... Like totally. The people said that it would be like six hundred dollars to fix ... crazy!!! Don't worry, I didn't get hit or anything, I've just been riding it like a champion for almost two years, and where the pedals and the frame connect ... well it got wrecked. Like my pedals are going to fall out soon if I keep riding it ... but yeah, got destroyed ... and I have like two months left so I'm not really feeling like a new bike ...

Tuesday! We went to Asahi to try to fix my bike, but it's hopeless ... so then ... I'm a genius ... do you remember that video of the bike with no chain that I rode. Well, it's a road bike, and so I took some parts, namely my chain and brake line and brake lever and attached them to the other bike ... the chain is a little small, the brakes are mismatched, but they work a little too good. I got a seven hundred dollar road bike that works perfectly for fifteen bucks ... I didn't have the right pin for the chain and had to go buy one. But still, pretty cheap, and as long as I don't go into first or second gear in the back, it rides like a champ!!!

Then on Tuesday night we found a new ivestigator named S-San. He's studying with the Jehovah Witness right now and loves the Bible. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he wants to come to church. We visited him again on Sunday and we have an appointment with him tonight to talk about the restoration! We're so excited!!!

Wednesday, we just had eikaiwa and what not, we said good bye to our friend N-San. He moved to Mount Fuji to work at a hotel, but we got him a Thai Book of Mormon and set him up with the elders in the south mission so he's all good!!

Thursday night we met with K-San at U-San Shimai home, she went off and taught him all the commandments and was like testifying like crazy! He committed to come to church and seems pretty solid for baptism, but needs to pray a bit more.

Friday, we had FHE with the M-San family. They're way chill, their son is awesome, but they don't really have a lot of interest in committing to anything.

Saturday, we met with no-one, but we found a sweet place to go finding!! There are lots of college students and what not down there and it's crazy! I'm so excited to go back and find all the people that live there!!!

Look what we found!!!

Sunday, we really wanted to see a big miracle at church this week, and as a district we were supposed to have like eight people there, but out of the people that we were planning on being there, we only had two ... kind of sad. But then K-San and Y-San came as well, Y-San is one of the members boyfriends who's been a long time investigator. He's a fireman and so he's crazy busy and doesn't really have time to do much anything but work, but it was crazy cool!!! We also had a less active come to church.  He's been a member for like twenty years ... he likes the social aspect of being a member.

Then yesterday was just a normal Monday, we met with another recent convert and we are going to start working with him. He's so cool!!!

So this week I've been thinking a lot about how much time I have left ... I'm not trunky, I just don't have that much time left. So I've been thinking about the goals that I had set at the beginning of my mission and whether  I have accomplished them or not. Although I'm still not a master finder or the best at Japanese, I see now that I've come to the point where I can do those things. I can teach people in Japanese, I can't do much else with it, but I can teach, and I have been finding people recently, so it's comforting to know that the Lord really does help us out with our goals. I really wish that I knew what I know now at the beginning of my mission, I feel like I could be so much more effective, and that because I still have so much I can learn I could be so much better now if I had known it all then. But I think about it and it motivates me for the future, I want to be prepared for what's up ahead. I want to take the time that I have now to prepare for then so when that time comes, I'll be able to say that I've tried my best, so the Lord will do the rest.

Thanks for all the love and support that you all show me all the time!

Love, Elder Griffiths
12560 11708

DD 15.45 ... Bananas, Kitchen Knives, and Mom's future daughter-in-law ... Good day at Costco ...

Did you eMail Sam about the housing situation?

Yes, I'll think more about it. Old farm is nice, Pine View has a new hot tub though ...

Did you get to watch all 10 hours of conference? Did the sisters get to watch the women's conference that was broadcast the Saturday before conference?

Yes, and yes.

Did any members go with you to watch conference?

Most of them, they brought us lunch too!!

Favorite Speaker? What was your favorite talk? Favorite quote?

Priesthood. Uchtdorf ... I don't remember the quotes, but it was all about being the best person you could be.

Are the cherry blossoms all gone?

All dead ...

How was your P-Day? Go anywhere cool?

Costco!!!! And we bought new knives!! Then I was offered a woman's daughter for wife.

How are your tan lines? Do you have any?

Nope, it's so cold recently, like three degrees all week.

Where did you get the bike with no chain?? We don't think that is your real bike, is it? We were impressed that you could ride with no chain!! Explain why you had the bike?

One of he missionaries who was here before, broke it and left it.

Do you ever have any insects in your apt??

Some.... We kill them quickly so they don't spread.

Is F-San (the one with the cool parrot who speaks English and Japanese) a member or an investigator??

Investigator, his mom is a member,

Do you exercise? anyone to run with? or just squats and stuff?

Everyday for thirty minutes ... Lots of abs and push-ups and squats and what not. Pretty much I do one exercise for a minute and do thirty exercises in the morning, I recommend it!!

Any new investigators? How are the old ones doing?

Not yet, K-San wants to get baptized!

How are the other elders in your apt?

Yeah, they're great!!

Morishita Choro

Father! Did you mean Yamauchi Shimai? She used to be Abi's roommate? If so I totally know her ... if not, then I'm at a slight loss. This week does sound rough, but it really does make you think, of the life we have as a better one. One of the Shimai here in Narita was just diagnosed with breast cancer this last week ... so we're all kinda sad  over here as well. Thanks for all you do and the great example of a priesthood holder that you are to me. You rock!

Mother! The YM & YW do all sorts of crazy stuff these days, I didn't remember anything as cool as a murder mystery thing happening. Sounds like it's going to be intense. I'll let you know in what condition these freeze dried sealed cookies get to me in ... I'm not going to lie, I'm dying to find out myself. All in all ... sounds like this week was a rough one ... thanks for all you do and all the support an love that you have shown me over the last twentyish years. You're the best!!

Smashed! Questival, I'm in ... when, where, and how? I'm in ... but I'm in it ... to win it ... well, go way hard anyway!!! So excited! Your life sounds so interesting ... let me know how everything goes ... housing ... well the prophet and apostles just told me to get married crazy fast after I get back, so maybe the new Pine View apartments might be a good option, but Old Farm is also pretty sweet ... maybe Old Farm ... that sounds good to me ... I just prayed about it and Old Farm is a good thing to go for, sign me up.

Storm trooper ... all of my roommates said that you and Sam look like crazy fun people, to be around and that they're jealous of me for having such cool sisters ... 「お姉さんは楽しそうだね〜！」so yeah ... Congrats! Sounds like you had a rough week. But Imagine if you'd had to go to school and deal with all the screaming kids!! Instead of that you get to eat ice cream and go play with penguins!!! That's way sweet!!!!! It's good to see that Jaycee is doing well. She's been getting old I feel. She has a lot of grey hairs and she looks like a grandma for sure ... but still. Good that she goes running with you!

So my week!!

Tuesday!! We went to District Lunch and then went finding all day ... it was maamaa, but the curry was amazing, and we had strawberry lassie .... The best thing I've ever had in my whole life ... well, except cream filled melon pan ... but you know whatever.

Wednesday! We had eikaiwa and what not, it was pretty good. We're still struggling to find new people to reach and it's kinda frustrating, but they'll come eventually.

Thursday!! We met with K-San at U-San Shimai's home for dinner and he was all like, yo I read second nephi thirty-one and I kinda wanna get this baptism, thing, I mean I think I need to learn some more about it first, but what is it all? And that kind of stuff, so then he came to general conference wanting to find out if the church and what not is true, and it's going to be sick cuz he loves it! He's pretty awesome you could say.

Friday we went to ping pong, and I blew everyone's mind with my boss teaching skills. And when I say teaching skills I mean my ability to invite the Spirit, cuz I really can't teach, it's all God.

Saturday K-San came to General Conference, and that was pretty much the day.

Sunday, more General Conference, and housing and that was it pretty much.

Monday, went to Costco, bought new kitchen knives ... finally no more sketchy knives ... Yeah!!! Then I walked up to get a strawberry sample and these two older women just look at me and say wow, what a crazy cool gaijin!! He's so cool, and they're like fifty, so I'm a little weirded out, but they don't know I speak Japanese yet, so they're still going on. And then they say something and I just responded back and they we're like wow, you speak Japanese! Your so cool! Then they started going on about how half babies are adorable and they want them so bad, and then they asked how old I was and when I said that I was twenty, one of them said that her daughter was seventeen and offered me her daughter ... then proceeded to show me a picture of her and insist that she was the future Mrs. Gaijin ... yeah, good day at Costco.  Plus we bought like twenty bananas today for like four bucks, so cheap!!! Whoooo!!

Conference was good. I feel as though I learned about being humble. Up until this point people have always told me that I've been crazy humble, and no, I'm not meaning to sound prideful as I say this. But it just happens, like all the leaders and what not I go on exchanges with always tell me I'm crazy humble. But I feel as though I've kind of been taking it for granted, and this general conference I feel like my definition of humble changed a bit. I used to just think that it was accepting that God knows what's best and that you should try to do what he says and that he's done so much for you and you should always be grateful for it. Now while I think that's right, it's so much more than that, because God gave us everything; everything we do is because of God; every good deed that we do; every time we have a chance to serve someone it's because of our love for God. Which means we really need to thank God and do our best to serve him when we do anything ... I think. It's like in Josiah two where is talks about serving your fellow man ... it is just serving God in a roundabout way. When we try to do things for other people, we're really trying to do them for God. And if we keep that in mind then shouldn't we try to serve everyone. I mean we'll never be able to pay God back for what he has done for us, but I think that part of being humble is trying to do the things for everyone else around you that God wants you to do....

I promise it makes more sense in my head, I just can't write it all out right now.

Thanks for all you do and all the love and support that you show me!!  Your the best!!!

Love, Elder Griffiths
12386 11583

DD 15.35 ... So yeah ... Funny story ...

I need to preface this email with something. We got new iPads ... and my new fancy technology only remembers Sam's email address ... so yes, I still love you all, but you all picked hard eMail addresses to remember, and Sam didn't for some reason ... so, you'll all be getting email via smashed potatoes and gravy ... hopefully ...

What was your favorite book that you read as a child?

Pickle Chiffon Pie was TeJay's, I don't really remember mine, but I do really like that one too!!! Or The Prince and the Pauper book that was really big and hardcover, we have like thirty of them downstairs and what not.

Who was in the picture with your information on the back? We can't find it? 

I think it was a photograph of me and grandpa ... it should be on my magnet wall, or on the ground by it if Abi knocked it off while she was sleeping on my bed. :)

Is there any where else your Aggie password might be? It's not a big deal if you don't remember it or don't know, I'll call USU tomorrow and get it taken care of, we just can't find the pic with the info on the back so we're trying other options ... either way it'll be fine though so don't stress.

Somewhere in my brain ... but it's buried under two years of Japanese and Gospel teachings, so it's not coming out anytime soon.

Did you do anything special for Easter?

Got hard boiled eggs from the primary!

Did you have Elder Nelson speak to you twice in three weeks? We got confused.

Twice, once to the members on Sunday Evening, which Budge Kaichou wanted us to go to, and then to the missionaries in Tokyo and the Tokyo South missions on the following Wednesday.

Is our futon like the futons you have in Japan? Asking because if it is, having you sleep on the futon when you get home is the obvious choice... (Abi)

Ours might be comfortable, but it's very, very different.

How soon do you get your flight information? #UtahValleyMarathanIsTheNextMorningAfterYouGetBack. should Sam sign up for it?

(mom wrote that hashtag and I just saw it and am DYING)

Word on the street is that I may have to buy my own ticket home ... not really sure, I'll try to find out for you though ... and Sam, I'm totally running that with you, I won't sign up, but I'll run!

How is the older gentleman that you taught after English class last week?

He came back this week, and then booked it out after the class.

Have you used your new shoes yet? (there is still some friendly debate on the homefront about whether it was necessary to send them. #SamForTheWin)

... ... ... Weeeell.

When was the last time you washed your sheets? #realtalk

... like, a little while ago.

Have you dry cleaned any suits at general conference time? #samisdoubtful

Yes!!! Doubting Thomas, I have,

Have you seen the new video "Because He Lives" yet?

... ... Yeah, a couple times now ... ... we show it to people while we house, street, pass out fliers, visit members, teach lessons, less actives, and then we watch it ourselves when we plan to make sure it's good for the people we wanna show it too.

Do you know when you will have facebook again? will you get it before the end of your mission?

We might get it back June tenth ... hopefully sooner though.

How is your new ipad treating you?

It's fancy and black....

Where did you get the 30 lb weight? Is it a ball or barbell? #RunWithItInYourArms

Barbell, and it was just here when I got here.

Father, Thanks for the mail, I really liked the picture of Tokyo ... I'm going to use it to teach people, the apostasy, or prayer, or something, but it's gonna be sweet!!! Thanks for your thoughts about conference as well. I'm so excited!!! As a missionary conference is like the Super Bowl, we've been announcing to people that we have super church this Sunday and it's so great it's going to spillover to Saturday as well ... I'm excited to hear all the talks, don't worry, sooner than you think, I'll be home and we'll watch conference together again ... I only have like two months left ...

Mother! Tell Waylon, I'll wreck him at checkers, and then teach him how to play chess ... And then we'll both best grandpa!!! It'll be so fun!!! I'm glad to hear that grandma is doing well. I can't believe she still goes out and picks her weeds by herself, that's crazy!!! Good for her ... I was surprised to hear that you both did the Easter egg hunt this year, I mean you told me that soon as I stopped believing, it would stop happening ... good to know my faith is that strong.

Gravy boat!! Good work getting Waylon hooked on soccer ... now we can play when I get back!!, I've actually gotten a lot better since I've been in Japan ... we play a surprising amount here ... thanks for all the videos!!! Good work getting Jayli to call me Uncle Awesome!, all that's left are Waylon apparently and my other nephews!! I feel like running your marathon with you ... it will be a good way to get myself back in shape ... I just hope that I can make it home in time. I say sign up ... don't sign me up, but can I still run it with you? That's the question?

Storm of awesomeness ... you're awesome, keep being a boss missionary for two months!!

Hey abs of steel!! That's the worst cliffhanger ever!! I'm dying to know what happens next!! Lemme know okay!!! Sounds like this week was fun!! Also, I love kickball!! We're gonna play with the kids all the time in our back yard when I get back ... but first, when did the parents get grass? I remember them planting it and you watering it for like twelve hours a day, but when did it ever come in? When did this happen!?! It just blew my mind!!!

So this week!!!

Monday, we played basketball ... I've gotten better as a missionary ... turns out my arms are crazy long, and I can steal the ball from anyone!

Chiba North and South Zones; March 31, 2015

Tuesday!! We had zone conference, where we got new iPads ... and that was pretty much our whole day ... pretty sweet!!

Manner is form

Wednesday, we had eikaiwa, and it was good. Taught some people English, and we met with K-San before hand. It was good, he doesn't believe  anything that we've taught him yet, but he said that if the Book of Mormon is true, then everything is true. We're going to focus on that with him and it should be good ...

Thursday, we didn't do anything all day but knock on doors and get rejected, and then just as we're about to give up, Sister A calls us and says K-San is coming to her house for dinner and a lesson, y'all gonna be there or what? And so we went, and he wanted to know more about what kind of blessings you get as a member, so we talked about that and set it up so that we can talk about baptism next time.

Friday, I went on splits with Clark Choro and we found a Jehovah's Witness who wanted the Book of Mormon so bad, you could set in his eyes, but he kept saying no cuz they're not allowed to study other churches ... huge warning bell if you ask me.

This bike has no chain ...

Saturday ... more eikaiwa!! Then we went to the Bishop's house and had dinner with our homie F-San. He's half American and Japanese, fluent in all the languages ... and he said on Sunday that there's not much holding him back from baptism, so he's going to come to conference and seek answers and what not.

Sunday. Church, and then we taught F-San again, he has a parrot ... it's awesome!!!!!! It makes the sound like a fish tank ... like exactly ... it's crazy cool, it speaks Japanese and English ... and it's way Good!!!!!

But this week I've been thinking a lot about a lot of stuff. We all have all of these goals, especially spiritual goals, especially right after conference, it's like new years ... but for members of the church. And I feel, particularly myself, that I always make goals, and then a week later I have totally forgotten all of them. Way sad right!?! And thats no good because all of the progression that I thought that I had made is really just forgotten ... notes somewhere in my notebook. So what I decided to do is to make reminders in my iPad to help me do specific things to help me remember my goals, like every night I want to read my patriarchal blessing, and I want to follow the advice and counsel given to me in it ... so I have an alarm that goes off every night at like ten to remind me to read it, and to help me remember what I should be doing! It's helped a lot I think. It was Budge Kaichou who told us how to make goals last week:

Pray,

Focus on others

Write them down

Make them eternal, but at the same time realistic

If you do, then you have power goals ... and that's just awesome!!!

Pictures of me and the sakura ...

Well, I gots to go jet, Sakura came out this week, then it got freezing cold and rainy, and most of them died ... But I got some pictures that I'll send, and a video!!!

Love you all lots!!!!

Sam, forward this to everyone!!!

Elder Griffiths
12283 11529

DD 15.25 ... my balcony view ...

So, any thoughts on where you want to live next fall?? 
Old farm sounds good. Just promise me you'll say a prayer before you pick for me! I trust yall!

Is the reason you don't have facebook because they are restarting Japan with the US?? Or did we get that wrong?
All of Japan is getting iPads this time, not just Tokyo.

Did you bear your testimony in fast and testimony meeting yesterday? Did you have fast and testimony meeting yesterday? Or is it the regular week because you have general conference at a different time?
I didn't have fast sunday yesterday, so no, I didn't.

How is the work going? How are your investigators? Any new ones?
A Filipino named M-San

Was dad correct in his sleuthing? Did he find your apt?? A lot is riding on your answer!
Close ...

Dad guessed Trent lived in the apartment circled in Red?

Have you starting using the video "Because He Lives"? Has it been translated into Japanese? Can you still use the internet? just not facebook?
We just can't use FaceBook ... still everything else is okay.

How is your trusty steed holding up? Brakes working ok? did you ever tape up the hole in the seat?
She's just fine ... still easier and safer than going by foot.

Do you know what Sega World in Narita is? Dad thought it was Sea World and got all excited.
I don't know what that is ... I'll keep an eye out for it though!!

Do you go as far north as the Naritasan Shinsoh-ji temple? There are a LOT of photos of it on line.
We're gonna go next week I think.

Any tender mercies this week?
Last week we taught two lessons, and this week we taught six ... three times as much!!! Tender mercy indeed!!

What was the high point of your week?
Family home evening. I got Clark Choro to do push-ups for everyone that came, and related it to the atonement ... everybody cried, everybody got candy, and Clark Choro is really sore ... all in all, a good lesson.

In Narita do the members invite you over for dinner? (watch out for nuts!)
If we have investigators, then yes!!

Did you save some Easter candy for Easter?
Hahaha, that's funny.

Father!!! Your so close ... we're the apartment in the bottom floor, closest to the street ... but again, thoroughly impressed. Slightly worried about how much time you spent, but impressed none the less. Sounds like you had a very productive week ... biking around Antelope Island ... did you chase any buffalo? I really wanna go chase some buffalo on my bike when I get back ... I'm pretty sure I can outrun them ... On my bike at least.

More Pictures from my balcony ... Looking SouthWest

Looking SouthEast

Mother!!! I knew that you would be proud of me for fixing my brakes ... at first I was like, maybe I just won't fix em, and then an image of you popped into my head, and I thought I should ... it's cuz I'm the best child ever ... right! It sounds like you had a pretty good week with the kiddies and what not coming over! I'm so excited to come home and play with them all!! It's gonna be so much fun!! Whoo!! We're gonna do so much stuff!!!

TeJay! I will gladly dig your hole for your trampoline! I need to get in shape and tan when I get back ... therefore I will dig from eleven to six when the sun goes down ... sounds like a deal!!! Good to hear that you two are both still active in choir. Hope Crystal's leg gets feeling better by now. I'm not excited to go home, but I feel as though when that day comes, it will be an exciting day.

Sam. You ran nineteen miles? Remember when you tried to convince me that you could never run more than three or you would die? I do ... and the former you was very, very wrong. Hahaha. I love it when I'm right. Your friend cleaned the temple until two in the morning? That's crazy! What do they do all night in there? I wanna go and do it now!! PS, I almost bought some red pants today ... they were like five bucks, and I realized I have no idea what's cool anymore ... please, save me.

Storm trooper ... I could have told you that carrots weren't going to be very satisfying ... I'm saddened that you're falling into that trap. When I get back, I'll come over to your apartment, and we'll make no bake cookies!! One batch for you to take to school, and one to eat, just to make sure they taste good ... good luck at conference! Just remember it's the prophet speaking, and we should listen to his words and seek revelation about what we should do with our lives ... it's like super church. I promised all of my investigators that if they come with questions ... about anything ... they will be answered if they listen ... for the whole ten hours ... Good Luck!!

So this week.
Monday, we went and tried to find some of the less actives ... but a lot of the addresses were wrong ... unless they live in vacant fields ...

Tuesday. We went finding, and visited some less actives in the middle of nowhere and it turned out they were just going to a different ward!!  One of them was so nice ... she gave us doughnuts for coming all the way out!!!

Wednesday, we just had eikaiwa and talked to some people about God afterwards.

Thursday, weekly planning, and a lesson with K-San, we threw down on the restoration, and committed him to read and pray about the pamphlet, Joseph Smith. He said that he would, but he is really struggling, so we're going to follow up with him.

Friday, we had FHE and ping pong at the church. I wreck in ping pong, and blew everyone's mind with the the lesson. It was such a good night!!!

Saturday, we found an elderly gentleman after eikaiwa and talked about the plan of salvation, he's coming again next week to learn more too!!!

Sunday, the ward had a big meal after church. And it was so good!!!! Then we met with Brother M-San and got him on track to prep for the temple. He's way excited to go, and he's going to study so that he can mission-a-tize his friends.

Then we have today, so far so good ... yeah.

This week we're pretty busy with a lot of stuff, we have zone conference, and splits and all sorts of good things going down. Hopefully in the rush we can find some new people to teach. The area is not dead, but it's not as alive as we would like it to be right now.

This week I've been thinking a lot about change. I read through some of my journal from the beginning of my mission, and I'm a totally different person now. It's crazy. I didn't change in the ways that I thought I would though, looking back, I see so many things that I really am glad that I was able to fix about myself, and it reminds me that in two years, I'll look back and be really glad that I've changed so much again. I have like two months left now, and I want to change some more. I want to become the disciple of Christ that the Lord wants me to be ... I'm just not sure how to do it quite yet. But I think that's the reason we have fasting and prayer and scripture study. So, yeah, sorry this letter is kinda short, not much happened this week. I'll work on it more for next week so that you'll have a little more something to read. LOL, I'll try to send pictures this week and next week as well!!!

Love you all, Elder Griffiths
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DD 15.15 ... かくかくしかじか ... and yeah, I know how to say blah blah blah in Japanese ...

What is your companion's full name?
Spindler Choro

Spindler Choro, Griffiths Choro

Where is your new companion from?
Las Vegas!

What transfer is your companion and has he served in other areas, which ones?
He was in Urayasu for two transfers, and this is his fifth in Narita; so he's transfer seven!

How long has he been in Narita? How do you say Narita?
Five now.
Na as in naught
Ri as in ritz
Ta as in tall

How many missionaries are in your district and what are their names?
Six!! .., there used to be eight in the good ol days ...

Clark Choro, Morishita Choro, Murata Shimai, and Muraro Shimai from Brazil.

What is the nearest train station to your apartment?
Keiseinarita, but the Narita Eki on the JR line is right by that one. So it's close to a lot!

Is the Kozunomori Station the closest station to your church?

Yes!

Are you serving in the Narita Ward?
Yes!

Narita Chapel

Is the Narita Ward/Area more like the Chiba Ward/Area or the Togane Ward/Area? How so?
Around the Eki there are a lot of people, like China; but if you go farther away, is very countryside, like Togane.

Have you met Bishop Sugimoto yet? Is he the Bishop in your area?
Met him at church! Yeah, he's brand new too!

You know dad ... he wants some pictures from your balcony ... can you send him a few?
Of course! Challenge extended!! This time I'm gonna win!!!

Good luck pops ... Mwahahahahahahahahahah

What floor is your apt on? Do you have a washer and dryer?? futons? or bunkbeds??
Futons and a washer. Dad will tell you what floor I'm in after I send him more pictures next week cuz I'm gonna stump him so hard right now.

How did the transfer go? What was it 6 or 7 stations down the Narita line?
Like eight or nine stations, but we met up in Kichijoji for an Elder Nelson conference at like eight.

How did your suitcases with the broken wheel and your bike make the journey?
Yes ... All good!!

Food ... Eatin places ... which is your newest favorite place to chou down?
The apartment, cheap! and fast! and it turns out that I'm a boss cook ... who knew!

Is your companion the cook now; or do you do the cookin?
Me ... when he cooks we get less (a lot less) meat ... so I cook now.

Why didn't you just run to your new area? Sam would have been proud ...
I thought about it ...

Has the Easter Package arrived yet? Have you mastered the enclosed instructions? Were they helpful?
I did! I have now mastered them!! I'm now ready for anything!

Have you found a place that serves Lasagna or other Italian food?
Not that I have found in Narita.

How far are you from the airport ... is the noise from landings and takeoffs even noticeable?
Not really. We're not exactly close.

How do you distinguish between the two large bodies of water, both called Lake Inba-numa? Is there a bike path or a running path?
I haven't heard of them yet.

Does your new companion run?
Not really.

How far are you from the Church? Do you ride your bike to and from ... or take the train?
We bike, it's like fifteen minutes!

Why can't you use facebook for 12 weeks??
Well, it's an interesting story.

Do you ever take pictures with your camera or just use your Ipad for everything?
Mostly just my iPad, but sometimes my camera as well.

Father! It was pretty foggy this week. Narita is kinda by ... I actually have no idea, so I don't know why it wasn't to bad, but it wasn't too bad. It was still crazy cool though! We thought it was going to rain for like three days, but it never did! I still have my slightly light weight pair of shoes that I wear in good weather days, but thanks for the new pair! I'm excited to break them in and thoroughly destroy them as I have my old ones! Thanks for the candy and instructions btw, just what I needed this week!!

Mother! You'll be so proud of me, back in Abiko, my brake line snapped on my back brakes, and I thought about just using the front ones for a while since I go home soon, but then I was like, what would mom do? She would probably fix them ... so I spent the thirteen bucks to get the new line, but on the bright side, I have brakes that work really quite well, now.!!! That's so cool that the young women are excited to go serve at the Bishop's Storehouse; that's fantastic!

Sam!! This is an interesting development in your life ... I'll give you a dollar to fit three hamburgers in your mouth at one time! Ready go!!! Sounds like your week is going good. Underwater scooter ride sounds pretty legit, and the water slide through shark infested waters is always a win! Just hope the tubes don't break or you have an earthquake while you're in it ... that could be sketch!!

Abi!!!  Sounds like school is going good ... I'm dying to know what Sam's newest abs workout is like, I'm very confused by the picture ... and I didn't think that could possibly have been Porter! That's crazy!!! That's good to hear that Jaycee is still alive, I haven't heard anything about her in a while, and was beginning to worry. Missionary work is a lot of knockin on doors, tonight we're going to go visit two less actives! We're trying to get them back to church!!!

So the week!!!  Monday night, we met with P-San, and he's doing good. He promised me that he would read and pray about the Book of Mormon before we met up sometime, he's going to New Jersey in August, maybe June, whenever his poor wife gets her visa.

Cream Filled Mellon Pan with Cookie Dough

Tuesday! We met with O-San, I put on Facebook that I was moving on Wednesday and he called us Tuesday morning and was like, yo guys, let's meet up before you leave! And we were ... like of course!!! Whoo!!!!! He's back on track, and he is going to meet with Shumway Choro and Dicastri Choro and their kouhai, so he should be getting baptized pretty soon, and I'm so excited for it!!! I hope that I will be able to go back for it.

S-San gave Dicastri Choro and me some Ramen Bowls
because we ate it so much!!  Its so cool!!!!

Sashimi

We also met J-San, K-San, and A-San too, and he gave us so much food, it was crazy!!! So much fish and sashimi! Then we visited Brother M, and he's trying to make a poster out of a picture he took of me, and trying to get it to me, so hopefully that works out! It would be ideal!!

Wednesday!!! We went to hear Elder Nelson speak in the morning, and it was all about technology! Apparently the real reason we're getting iPads isn't to hasten the work of salvation or be better Missionaries, it's to help us master technology now, so that when we go back, it won't take over our lives ... Cool shift, so they're starting the U.S. with the rest of Japan to make sure that we're good to go! Then we met with our new companions, and went back to our new areas, I may have been hit on a little bit at eikaiwa by this girl, so I gave her a Book of Mormon, and she's said that she was going to read it ... inadvertently flirt to convert! Please note ... I didn't flirt.

Thursday! We did some finding, Narita is a cool area, lots of hills, and stuff to see and what not. I'll probably explore a lot here on pDay.

Friday we had FHE and ping pong at the church!! I still rock BTW, but it was good. We're struggling to teach people here, in Abiko we taught like fifteenish lessons each week, and here we taught three last week, all since I got here ... but it feels like it will be picking up soon.

Saturday we had a double dose of eikaiwa! And then we taught this kid named K-San who wants to come to church and to learn more, but has work, and it's crazy hard for him, but he wants to learn more, so we're gonna keep teaching him, a sister named A Shimai helped out, and that was awesome! She's a recent convert, hasn't even finished the Book of Mormon all the way yet, but told him that the church was true, and that he should get baptized ... and the spirit was awesome!!! It was crazy!!!

Sunday!!!' Only eightyish people are in the ward ... crazy right, it's so small!!! Church was good, afterward, we taught this guy named K-San with Brother S K-San, and it rocked.  He threw down way hard on everything!!! I hoped I was a pretty good teacher, I mean everyone of my companions has always said that I blow their minds, but he blew mine ... and then the little bits that were everywhere, he rocked them too ... It was crazy! He's soo good!!

Picture of me the Narita Ward has.

And now we are here on Monday! It's been an interesting week!

This week I've been thinking a lot about change. There are so many people here who have so much potential, but they don't want to change, and they're so content with their lives the way they are, it's so sad. It got me thinking about what motivates people to change, what makes people want to believe. And I decided that for a lot of people, it's hope. They need something to live for, they need something to hope for. It's like Alma said, a hope, a desire to believe is the first step of uncrushable faith. And for me personally, that's what God does, He gives me hope, He gives me hope that I can change, that I can do the things that I want to, that I can do the things that He wants me to do, that we can all become the type of people that we all know we need to be. God provides a way, many pathways give us hope. And if there wasn't hope, well, it would be a pretty dark world. An RM just back from her mission talked on Sunday, she asked us to think for a minute about what life would be like if there wasn't the atonement. And then she said that it would be pointless, and we probably wouldn't make it very far. It made me think about how important the atonement really is in all of our lives, everything we do relates back to it! Without it, there would be no hope, and we would have no purpose.

Thank you all for the hope and the light that you bring in to my life, you're all the best!!!

Love, Elder Griffiths!!
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