Haydon has spent his very first, entire year in Japan!

Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! (Happy new years) 

  

There it goes! Can you see it in the distance? The first January to January year I spent in Japan. It’s gone. Crazy how time works!  

  

We actually got a lot of meals this week! It was awesome! We went to the Bishops house in the morning and talked about the ward and how we can help. Then they fed us some pretty good tomato base soup. Then they let us wash their windows! It was so nice of them. They know missionaries are always looking for some service to do and even though they could have done it all by themselves (and probably better) they saved that one last thing for us to do.  Then we went to our apartment and did a deep clean all day. In Japan, New Years is a huge deal. Like nobody is home or everybody is busy. So this year, to use our time wiser, President Warnick had us do an all day deep clean on the apartments and then yesterday on the first we studied certain things all day. It was interesting!  

  

So ya two nights ago we went to Yamate with a less active and her boyfriend. We were planning on getting dinner at shabu shabu but it was way packed. So we found this Hawaiian burger shop that was amazing! The bike ride over there was amazing. We rode along the river the whole time and slowly got deeper into the big city of minato mirai.   That’s where landmark tower and the big Ferris wheel are!  

  

It's so fun going to all of the district meetings in Yokosuka and Yamate and Kamiooka every week. Nothing too crazy has happened though.  

  

We are just trekking up the hills and trying to talk to everyone!  

  

Lately my left wrist has hurt a ton. I might go see a doctor or something. It’s weird though because it doesn’t hurt all the time. Just when I turn my rist to the left. But it's been hurting for about 4 days or so.  

  

Oh yes, on New Years day we had church! I gave a talk in sacrament meeting! It was actually my first real talk in sacrament meeting! I always give a short testimony when I transfer but I gave a full 10 minute talk. But of course it wasn’t actually 10 minutes. I'm sure it was about 6 minutes. I think that that is a law of the universe. Your talk is never as long as you practiced!  

  

My talk was on agency. I translated it into Japanese and then Elder Yoshikawa made it sensible hahaha.  

  

I know that Christ lives and he is our Savior. He is there all the time. There are no exceptions. He loves us and he can change us to become better people if we will let him.  

  

I love you so much!  

  

Elder Draper 

 ドレーパー長老