week 25: bread and milk
p-day at Monkey Mountain!
こんにちは
Amazing week! It feels like I was writing last weeks group email just yesterday. So tomorrow I officially hit my 6 month mark! Crazy! I blinked! This week has been so fun. On Monday we went to monkey mountain and saw a lot of monkeys. It was fun and terrifying at the same time... monkeys can be scary. This week Whitney Shimai and I focused on using the Book of Mormon in as many contacts as possible. It worked really well. The weather has been crazy hot, but the last few days have been cloudy and rainy so its a nice break from the heat.... We heard there was or is going to be another typhoon. Don't worry everyone in Oita says we will be fine.
Spiritual keiken: So this week had a lot of humbling moments for me. I have had a few different struggles that I'm working on. One of them is the language. Let me tell you, Japanese is so hard! especially when everyone uses ほうげん (dialects). But last night during one of our contacts, Whitney Shimai had really bad hiccups so I was leading. This guy opens his door and we talk and end up praying and giving him a Book of Mormon and setting a return appointment! Now I didn't do it all by myself. I had Whitney Shimai and the Lord helping me. It was a really amazing moment for me because I've worried a lot about the language, but now I know I can do just fine with the little Japanese I have.
Funny keiken: Okay, so I had an ingrown toenail and it got infected... which really hurts right?! So after a week of me trying everything to help it, we finally call Shimai (the president's wife) and asked her what to do. She proceeded to tell me of the weirdest thing I have ever heard... take bread soaked in milk and wrap in around my toes then wrap them in clear plastic wrap and put a sock on it and sleep with it over night.... so I tried it... IT WORKED MIRACLES !!! My toes is still healing, but it is leaps and bounds better! Funniest advice but it worked!
New words
ほうげん(hougen): dialect
とつぜん(totsuzen) :abrupt, sudden (missionaries use it for on the spot lessons)
いがい (igai): unexpected, surprising
Amazing week! It feels like I was writing last weeks group email just yesterday. So tomorrow I officially hit my 6 month mark! Crazy! I blinked! This week has been so fun. On Monday we went to monkey mountain and saw a lot of monkeys. It was fun and terrifying at the same time... monkeys can be scary. This week Whitney Shimai and I focused on using the Book of Mormon in as many contacts as possible. It worked really well. The weather has been crazy hot, but the last few days have been cloudy and rainy so its a nice break from the heat.... We heard there was or is going to be another typhoon. Don't worry everyone in Oita says we will be fine.
Spiritual keiken: So this week had a lot of humbling moments for me. I have had a few different struggles that I'm working on. One of them is the language. Let me tell you, Japanese is so hard! especially when everyone uses ほうげん (dialects). But last night during one of our contacts, Whitney Shimai had really bad hiccups so I was leading. This guy opens his door and we talk and end up praying and giving him a Book of Mormon and setting a return appointment! Now I didn't do it all by myself. I had Whitney Shimai and the Lord helping me. It was a really amazing moment for me because I've worried a lot about the language, but now I know I can do just fine with the little Japanese I have.
Funny keiken: Okay, so I had an ingrown toenail and it got infected... which really hurts right?! So after a week of me trying everything to help it, we finally call Shimai (the president's wife) and asked her what to do. She proceeded to tell me of the weirdest thing I have ever heard... take bread soaked in milk and wrap in around my toes then wrap them in clear plastic wrap and put a sock on it and sleep with it over night.... so I tried it... IT WORKED MIRACLES !!! My toes is still healing, but it is leaps and bounds better! Funniest advice but it worked!
New words
ほうげん(hougen): dialect
とつぜん(totsuzen) :abrupt, sudden (missionaries use it for on the spot lessons)
いがい (igai): unexpected, surprising
I love you all so much! I know God loves you all even more!
Love Thompson Shimai
Bits and pieces from family emails:
The culture here is difficult for missionaries but great for normal humans! Everyone is very respectful...keeps to themselves and doesn't bother anyone, but it makes it difficult for us as missionaries to talk to people.
We do about 50/50 street contacting and door-to-door contacting. We usually start with something like "Sorry to bother you, we are from America. For a year and a half we are missionaries or volunteers for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Have you seen missionaries like us before? We would like to share a small message with you!"
We meet so many funny obachans (grandmas) when we're out!
Our ward has about 40-50 active members, and another 200 that we're working on getting back!
We tried a new food this week called okonamiyaki...it's like a pancake with meat and vegetable in it...super good!
Advice for those preparing for missions: It will be the hardest thing. Satan will try everything to stop you from going, because he knows that a mission is the best thing for you. It will be the hardest, best thing for your life. Remember, don't make the decision to stop or turn back when you are on a hill...Just push through and it will get better!
MONKEY MOUNTAIN!
I know they look cute, but up close, the big monkeys are pretty ugly!
And they are scary when they fight with eachother!
I sure love Sister Whitney!
a little monkey grooming going on here
ok, but the baby monkey is soooo cute!
that poor mama monkey!
View from the bus on the way to Beppu.
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