DD 14.65 ... Hymn #9 is my new favorite ever! ...

Adair Shimai, Minson Shimai, Dicastri Choro, Griffiths Choro

Are you getting the opportunity to teach the Japanese people in a different area?
Yes, I'm going to Narita! Right by the airport ... it's like Budge Kaichou is telling me not to get trunky or something.

Did A-San get baptized? How did it go?
Yes! It was great!

How is the weather there? Winter like? or Spring like?
It's hot.

How is the guy from Matsudo, who you met on splits, and read to Alma in one day?? Still reading? getting taught?
Yes, he's gonna get baptized in April!

How is Pete and his family doing?
Freta!!

What was your favorite food at the All You Can Eat place? What did you eat the most of? Besides ice cream?
Probably the chocolate cake ... or the meat.

Any news about Brother S and the rest of the S-San family?
They're mostly at the interest level.

What ah-ha moment have you had in your gospel study this last week?
This morning, I figured out how to relate Gospel Dispensations to the sun ... and it blew my mind.

What new Japanese vocabulary word have you learned this week??
I learned チクる which is to tattle.

Is Japanese ice-cream the same as ours? or different? Do they use toppings? Any Beaver Tracks there?
It's mostly the same, just different flavors ... like tea, and anko and stuff!

Since spring is early, are the cherry blossoms out yet? Apricot blossoms are out here!
Not yet!

How long do the cherry blossoms stay out? a week? two weeks? or 3 days?
Like a week or two.

What did you do for pi day? Did you make pie or just go somewhere and eat pie?
We ate bottom-less naan, and fasted ...

Is one companion assigned the cell phone or do you switch off a lot? Like in driving missions usually senior companions drive and junior companions do everything on the cell phone?? How does it work for you?
Usually who ever has it answers it. Usually me since I'm eleven transfers older and speak Japanese ... but really whoever.

Do you ever play games after your studying is done at night? Apparently some missionaries play Settlers or other games before going to bed. I would think that is not allowed??
No ... in the white handbook it's straight up says no board games ...

Do you have tons of room in your suitcase when you move or is it a packing challenge to make everything fit?
Lots of room still.

Are any of your ties ruined? Do you think you will throw some of them away before coming home?
Maybe, maybe not ... I haven't decided yet. They all seem fine to me.

How is your hair doing? It looks really good in the pictures.  Are you still worried about it?
Probably fine, I think it's okay. It'll be fine by the time I go back to school ... I think.

Any more walnut/nut occurrences?
Nope.

What is your bathroom like? tiny? Pictures of your apt maybe??
I'll try to send some ... of Narita since I leave Wednesday morning!

Is Elder Turley back?
Yep, in Nakano

What is the weirdest food you ate this week?
Cookie dough between two cream filled melon pan.

    

This is pure joy ... also the reason I may die before I'm 35

Father!  D & C has tons of crazy stuff in it. I'm convinced it was written so that we could convert other Christians ... I love sharing it with people who already believe in Christ ... it clarifies the differences in our beliefs. Don't worry about family vacations ... I'll always remember the times we raced carrying the bricks from the front of the house to the back yard, and I beat my sisters every time!

Mother!  Sorry to hear about 5:00 am. It happens to me too. They don't have Day Light Savings Time here, but the sun comes up at like 4:30, and I sleep right by the window ... it's rough. That's hilarious about Jandee, but I'll have to go and watch some of Waylon's games, it sounds way fun!! Lots of food I feel as well. That's good to hear about grandma, I'm sad I missed all the destruction of the carpet!

Sam!  Stop running in sketchy places ... just pick a temple, and run there and back ... or maybe a little farther and then back ... but if you're dead, how am supposed to beat you in your next marathon? I can't ... that pie sounds so good though! Peanut butter, chocolate, brownie ... I know what we're doing when I get back!!!

Abi!  Hot tub?!? I miss swimming ... and hot tubs! I might never leave your apartment ... but I still have like three months till that problem comes up. Sounds like school is good. Always nice to have help around ... sounds like the broadcast was good. We just heard from Elder Nelson last night, he spoke to the saints of Japan, and it rocked!!!

This week! In brief, I have to send a lot of pictures!!
We found a shimai in Moriya! We got lost looking for a member, and then decided to house, and found her, she's around thirty we think, and her husband died three years ago, and she believes in some sort of God. She randomly had a day off, and so we were able to find her, and she is already texting the sisters like everyday. It's so cool!!!

Then we took Brother S to go help us teach L-San, our Chinese friend ... and they hit it off great, they started talking about nuclear physics and what not, and I'm all like, I don't know the Nihongo for that, what's happening ... but now I understand a little bit more. It was crazy, he might come to church this week cuz it's spring break, but he doesn't know if he can ... might have to work.

Brother K-San, Griffiths Choro, Brother A-San, Dicastri Choro

Then A-San got baptized!!! It rocked! ... and it only took me one time.  Afterwards, he got up and testified, "like a little water got in my nose, and it was warm, but the warmth in my heart is going to last a lot longer ... and I know that this is an endure to the end type of thing."  So yeah, yoroshiku ongaishimasu!!  It was so good!! I'm kinda sad that we have to go our separate ways, but I think it'll be for the best.  Shumway Choro is replacing me, and he's awesome, so it should be good.

We're all getting new iPads, so we have to send everything that we want to keep ... to ourselves ... and then down load it later.  I have a lot of pictures that I teach with, so I'll be sending them all to you ... to me ... then a lot of other pictures as well ... hope it makes up for the shortness of this letter, it's like a thousand words per picture ... right ... so it really should be a lot longer!!!

There is a priest in our ward named Brother N-San, he's going on a
mission soon; he and his friends wrote this for us!!!
It means, Happiness!!

The Abiko Chapel

This week I learned how bold we can be. Elder Nelson came and called the doctrine of the trinity erroneous ... and unscriptural.  He then explained what we believe.  We had some Catholic investigators there ... and now they have baptismal dates!! It made me realize that this truth that we all know, we sometimes take for granted, we know everything we know about God, because of Joseph Smith and the restoration. We can know about that because of the Book of Mormon, dad was right when he said that the D&C holds all the cool stuff, it's crazy! Gospel principles teaches it all crazy simple like, but in all honesty, I'm so excited for the second coming! We are gonna see some crazy stuff! And I'm so excited! I would invite you all to study the restoration this week, and ready yourself to be an example of the believers, and then answer the questions that come through the restoration! It'll blow their minds!!!!
Love, Elder Griffiths !!
11879 10994

DD 14.55 ... bippity ... boppity ... boo ...

Did you have any specific goals for your 1st 100 days in the mission field? What were they and did you achieve them?

I did not. Not really no.

So what are your goals for the last 100 days ...  what are they and how can we help you accomplish them?

I wanna be crazy hard working! And always super motivated.  And be in the best of moods, a faithful mood.

My Favorite Quote

Weston Ford just left for Finland ... what advice would you give to him as he approaches a country where little English will be spoken?

Learn the language fast, and don't focus on being able to read and write first, just talking is the most important.

Has mom and dad sent you an Easter Package yet?

Yes, got it yesterday, thanks btw!!! Mom rocks!!!

Now that it is March, are the parks in Japan filled with kite flyers or is that just propaganda?

Soon, right now it's just rainy,

Does Abiko have a large enough Chinese population to celebrate the festival of Lanterns (the last week of the Chinese New Year)?

It was not too big here, in Chiba it was huge though.

Do you need any clothes pins? If you had any extra, you could use them to put cards on the spokes of your bike and make it sound like a motor bike ... you know, really cool!!! Do you want us to send you any clothes pins or cards?

... what's a clothes pin?

Do they have any duck tape in Abiko, or can you only get that in Tokyo? You could use duck tape to cover the holes on your bike seat ... or ... would the adhesive get on your suit pants ... scratch that, not a good idea ... how about packing tape? Should we send you some packing tape?

I should be okay. I only have 100 days left, thanks father

Have you ever thought of buying a florescent vest to wear while riding your bike ... that way you wouldn't get hit by cars or trucks?

I have a  little stripped thing, and my helmet is white, and I have a back light.

Have you ever put on your bike helmet while riding with no hands? Can you ride your bike while facing the back of your bike? How about riding your bike on one wheel ... how far can you go on just the back wheel? How about only the front wheel? Have you ever crashed while trying to do these things? What is the craziest thing you have heard a missionary do while riding a bike? Was it carrying a case of Vodka back to their apartment from the Quicky Mart? WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY MANEUVERS MENTIONED IN THIS E MAIL!!!!!!

... I'll get back to, you next week.

How deep is the lake Tega? Is it a clean lake or has it been polluted?

Polluted, I don't know the depth though.

Do transfer calls come next Monday?

Yes!

Are you a master at criss cross crapple sauce now?

Not yet!

Daylight savings time is here! Do they have it in Japan?

We don't have it here.

How are your investigators doing??

Great!!

Is your temple recommend good for two years like ours? Or different for missionaries?

It's good for three months after I get home.

Any special instructions for registering at USU? or housing?

Make it nice and bed bug free please!!

Did you decide to buy a suit while you are in Japan?

Maybe ... if I have time on a pDay.

Are your clothes still holding up? need another white shirt?

They are all good!!

Father!! That's very interesting about all of our relatives. I like that I'm related to Thomas Edison, I just feel really smart all the sudden!!! Thanks for the motivational pep talk to get more consecrated this last hundred days ... it is going by way to fast BTW.

Mom!! Hope that you had a very happy birthday! Next year I'll come all the way here for it! It'll be great!!! It sounds like your week was fun, cinnamon rolls from dad are the best! When I get home, we'll have to make them again, and eat them all! It sounds delicious!! Math tests and presidency meeting also sound like a blast! Don't get too crazy!

Jandee!! That's crazy that Waylon read so many books!! I can't believe it!!! The picture of the kids  is adorable! I can't believe how big they all are! I feel like it was yesterday that you came over to give mom and dad the books to announce that you were pregnant with Waylon... but it was so long ago! It's good to know that they're all excited to have me back! I'm super excited to play with them all again! It's gonna be awesome!!

Sam!!!  I'm so excited for Pi day (3.1415)! I've literally been in a group that's counting down to it in FACEBOOK for like four years now!! You bet I'm eating some pie! And it's gonna be delicious!!! That's hilarious about the taco date fiasco! I can't believe that you spilled tacos in his car! But your right they are really delicious ... we need to go get some when I get back. I really miss Mexican food, they don't have it here.

Storm ... ten hours ... That's crazy! That's a lot of reading ... a little too much if you ask me.  That makes me laugh so hard that you were part of a dance off. I'm so glad my chosen profession is serious and not going to make me do those kind of things ... Thank you engineering!!

My week!!

Monday, we went to FHE with Brother J, and he has no interest ... he flat out told us, that he doesn't need God, he can do it by himself ... Summon the humbler, right? But we're still trying to help him see that life with the gospel is better than without it, but he's so blind to it all.

Tuesday!! I went on splits with the zone leaders, Crockett Choro, and we saw so many miracles! We committed one kid in Matsudo to read the Book of Mormon, and the next day he'd read to Alma ... and he's still going!!

Wednesday!! We had eikaiwa, and it was sweet! We also met with a less active named K K-San, and he's just to busy to come to our church but he goes to church in other areas a lot of the time. He's pretty solid, just has a night shift that ends at nine in Urawa, so he goes there for church!

Thursday, we met with A-San and taught a lot of stuff, he's totally set for baptism, he's so ready for it. Then we did some planning, and did some finding, found a way cool kid named T-San. He's awesome!

Friday we went to A-San's baptismal interview, and he passed with flying colors. He's going to get baptized on the 15th of this month, and we're way excited!! Then we went to ping pong,and the S-San family came, the daughter has a lot of interest, the son has a little bit, and the mom, we aren't really sure, but they're coming to FHE tonight as well. It was way good!!

a bowl of not so Top of Ramen ramen

Saturday we went to lunch with H-San and Brother J, all you can eat anything you want. I ate so much ice cream, it was so bad!!  I ate so much food ... really bad. Then we went and played basketball with the S-San family in Matsudo, and taught S-San about the gospel of Christ, he's going to read and pray to find out if God's church is true! We're so excited!!!

Decastri Choro, Griffiths Choro, H-San, Brother J

Sunday, church was good, A-San and Y-San came, we taught Y-San afterwards, and he's going to pray and read to find out if this is true or not as well!!! Then we went and taught Brother P, and he's hilarious, he's from New Jersey, and his wife is Chinese, and their kids speak all the languages ... but at the same time, not any of them. We talked about the restoration, and he's going to read some more, and then pray to know if this is God's true church or not!! And it's going to be awesome!!!

This week I learned a little bit about enduring with hope. We're all imperfect, and not nearly as Christ-like as we would all like, and really, it's just an addiction ... so I read the twelve step program that the church has about it. And in the hope section, I found something about how Christ understands us perfectly, so where others would judge us or  condemn us for not being good enough. Christ is able to look past it, and see who we truly are, he's able to help us accomplish our true potential. He's there to help us do the things that we need to do so that we're able to help others. With out Christ there is no plan of salvation, no church, no hope for anything, Christ is the center of our hope. And ideally the center of our homes. When we make him such, were able to use his power to over come challenges and problems, including guilt and death. Through Christ, we can do all things because he strengthens us. And oh how great that is, to know that Christ strengthens me personally. It's amazing!!

Sorry this letter is short, we had some p-Day today, so I don't have a lot of time, I'll send some pictures though!!

Love, Elder Griffiths
11729 10828

DD 14.45 ... 暇の時に掃除したり洗濯したりしなくちゃ ...

Do you still dry your laundry outside?

Yes ... it's sunny and like sixty degrees now ... it feels warmer though ...

Have you done any running lately?

Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Have you used your debit card recently?

Not really ... and by that I mean not at all..

Do you teach grammar or sentence structure in your Eikaiwa class??

Well, I teach advanced, so I teach idioms and work on pronunciation ... and sometimes vocabulary too.

How is the weather there? Any snow?

Sunny!!! Yesterday it rained like crazy though!

What song did you sing?

Hope of Israel 

Is next week temple P-Day?No, we had the Elder Ballard conference, so we won't have a temple day this transfer.

Did you get the valentines from the ward YW and YM?

Yes!!! So great!!

Was the Elder Ballard conference a mission wide conference? or a zone conference?

Mission wide ... with the Tokyo South mission too!!

What did they talk about? Did you get to shake hands with any of the general authorities?

The restoration, and how we need to testify of it better!! And yeah, we shook their hands!

How far is it around the lake?

I think its like ten Milesish.

Is there a bike trail? Like the bike trail in the river bottoms?

Yes ... around most of it ...

Why were there only ten missionaries in the choir?

At first we sang it as a zone, but then Budge Shimai liked it so much that she asked us to do it for the Elder Ballard Conference ... we needed some more people because of transfers, so we called in Stevens Choro and some peeps.

Why was the conference on a Monday night? Or was it during the day?

Monday morning.

Did members go? and take investigators?

The members had their own fireside on Sunday.

Any fun food for this week?

We got a rotisserie chicken, and so we cut it up and put it in stew and curry and ate for a week.

Are you healthy and well? Any problems?

My knees kind of hurt, and my legs are always tired, I feel a little like like my body's falling apart. But it's all good.

How is your bike? 

Good ... except I have two holes in the cover of my seat, so when it rains, it fills up with water ... which is fine because of my rain pants, but then the next day I always have a wet behind!

Father!  I simply haven't had the time to go see the Hachiko Statue. I really want to though. People always put pics on FACEBOOK about it, every Temple P-Day for some reason or another we always have people calling us and wanting to meet so we have to hurry back ... and it's to early to go before ... as for the Japanese classes, my counselor worked it into my schedule, so I hope to. I might have to come back and do an internship in Japan for it though, BYU accepts missions, but USU might not. And I sign Elder Griffiths when I write in English and グリフィス長老 when I write In Japanese. We usually say, and I quote "Elder Griffiths 長老"

Mother.  I think the nanny cam would be a good idea ... but then you would also find out all the stupid stuff we do as missionaries ... like how much we eat ... we haven't stopped cooking for four people yet. We just eat more food. It's good to hear that the grandkids come over all the time, I'm so excited to play with them!!! I bet they're so fun!!! Anyways, just wanted to say happy birthday! I was going to say something last week, but ran out of time, I hope that it was a merry one, and that you were able to have a great day!! You're the best mom anyone could have ever asked for!!!!

Smash.  Good to know that sky lanterns are a huge fire hazard ... I've always really wanted to make one! They look so cool ... so it would probably be okay to make one in the winter in Logan. I mean ice doesn't freeze right? Worst case scenario, it would just thaw out then erode a little right? Seems solid. Your life is like that episode of Friends ... Good luck!!

Storm.  Good move not drinking the chunky chocolate milk ... sad day that you had to waste chocolate milk though ... I think I would cry. That's the worst. Good call though. That's cool that you get to keep learning how to be a better teacher forever, that's something I hope I get to do as an engineer ... don't know how though. Let me know how ballet goes!!! Should be an experience.

So this week was kinda short. But crazy busy. Yes, dad, we are blessed indeed.

Tuesday night we went and blessed W-San, and then went to the Bishop's house with Y-San, he's a rock star so that was fun, the Bishop has three daughters ... all of which, I'm convinced, speak perfect English, the bishop and his wife do as well; but they're also way shy, so they said like three words the whole time. A little awkward, but the lesson was good and Y-San committed to reading the Book of Mormon!!!

Wednesday.  We were supposed to meet with W-San and J-San before eikaiwa, but they went and had sushi instead, so we taught them afterwards ... W-San had several questions, and we told him about God, it was good ...

Thursday  we went down to T-San Shimai home to teach W-San and crew, and we got into way deep stuff about the resurrection and when people come back to life, and what not, during the millennium ... it was rough ... namely because we don't really know ... do we?

Friday  was interesting, I got my temple recommend renewed at interviews with Budge Kaichou. Then we met up with W-San, who had gotten kicked out of T-San Shimai house for smoking ... so we talked ... and we taught him everything ... like all the lessons in an hour ... yeah that was good. He really wants to turn his life around, and he said that if this is what it takes, then he'll do it. He needed a place to stay and the only person he knew to turn to was Brother H-San in the first ward, so we got him a ticket to Ueno and shipped him off. Later we heard that he's meeting with the Elders, and he really liked church on Sunday.

Saturday  we comforted J-San after his friend left, then taught all the people that called us asking for lessons, it was pretty sweet actually ... K-San and some other peeps ... they just called us and said meet us at twelve at the Kashiwa station, we need to learn about God.  After that we went and visited Brother I-San whose aunt is in the hospital. He's having a rough time so it was good, then we had Stake Conference.

Sunday  A-San came with us to go to Stake Conference, we're meeting him on Tuesday to finish up teaching him, then we biked to Moriya in the rain and met withthe M-San family, they are way hard core, the father had a stroke, and they still come every week ... even when they didn't have an elevator at the church to take him up the stairs ... hardcore family ... way boss!!!

Then we just met with S-San who brought a friend to lunch who is now going to be reading the Book of Mormon ...

This week was good. I feel like I've learned so much on my mission, but at the same time, I feel like I've learned so little. It's funny to think that when I understand something I think I've learned so much. But I soon realize that compared to what God knows, I have no idea about anything. It's nice to know that we aren't perfect and that through this life with its trials and tests, we'll never be perfect. But we can step a little closer to it, and with every step it comes a little closer to our grasp. This gospel really is about trying to improve daily, no one can change overnight, it took Alma the Younger a couple days before he changed, so we need to work at it too. We need to work little by little at the things we do each and every day until we are closer to perfection. God works by small and simple things, rarely does He help us make huge changes over night, we need to practice daily so we get better and better, little by little ... thank you for all the little things that you inspire me to do!!

Love, Elder Griffiths 長老
11649 10625

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

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