Week 21!

Hey Mom! 

My new companion is Elder Lunt. He is from Duncan Arizona. He reminds me a TON of Carl Mortenson. Which makes him really quite comfortable to be around which is good! Fussa was his bean area (his first area. new people are called bean chan and bean in missionary Japanese lingo just refers to anything new or u experienced.) But he was here for like 5 or 6 transfers and then he just came from Yokota (which is just the English speaking area for the base, but it is actually IN my area) and then he came here again!

The stores here vary. They have shops and like the small bakeries and stuff. But they also have a Gyomes and a Seiyu. We shop at Gyomes. It is just a normal grocery store. They used to have a Wal-Mart here but it didn't work. So they changed the name to Seiyu (Eastern Friend) and it flourished! hahaha they are everywhere! It is literally just a Wal-Mart. But there is a store called Don Quijote, which is basically a store where you can find anything and everything you could EVER buy on the internet. We can't go in there. Then just electronic stores we can’t go in. We can go into like normal souvenir shops. Those kinds of things are all fine. 

Is that Tanner's companion right now!? That was his MTC companion! He looks like he is having a blast! I can’t tell exactly how big that spider is because he is holding it closer to the camera, but it looks like our spiders are probably half that size or maybe 3/4 of that size. I hate spiders! Japanese people think they are good luck so they don’t kill them. Whatever I’m killing them!

I had cereal for breakfast today. I usually have eggs and goma and sausage or something like that. I make hash browns a lot! The potatoes here are tiny so I have to use like 3 of them. 

I got the wedding announcement!!! They look so good! Who took pictures? They look great! I haven't gotten a package yet. Audrey said she sent one a while back but I still haven't gotten that. 

This last week we got ramen. After that I and Elder Ishikawa had to go meet the other elder's investigator because they were running late. He is a painter. He handed me a painting. By the way I can’t understand him at all. Eventually I said in English "Who's painting is this? They said "it is yours" I was so shocked!!! I've never met him and he gave me a random painting, slightly creepy, a picture of Christ! He calls it komatte iru Iesu or Troubled Christ. I’ll send a picture. It's awesome!

 If there is something I have really come to know is that just the title of Elder does not make you a missionary. It is 100% possible to come out on a mission and not become a missionary. I have seen it so much already. It depends a whole lot on personal desire and will and faith. If you don't have that drive to do what's right then you won’t do it. You will not accidentally become a hard worker, or an obedient missionary or an obedient church member or even faithful and believe any more than you will accidentally go to church or accidentally pay your tithing. The Lord requires a willing heart from his disciples. I know that as we develop that sense and desire to serve God, He will bless us and we will succeed, but we need to first choose to believe.  I love you all so much!

I love you!!!

ドレーパー長老