3/24/13 I went to HAKODATE!

I went to HAKODATE!!!!!!!!!!! Also it was awesome.

I hope things are going way good. Well it seems like they are! I have had an awesome week. I'm so excited for all the new missionaries! Most of all I'm excited for the new missionaries coming to Sapporo next transfer, not gonna lie... Also Adam! Crazy proud of him. I remember about this time last year being crazy giddy and telling everyone how excited I was about having my call. Thanks a TON for telling me about everything back home though! I'm really proud of Mara with her friend Emily as well. That's crazy cool! :) I'll bet she is starting to feel the missionary spirit quite a bit. Good luck on the taxes! Crazy to believe it's almost Easter time already though. Most Japanese people haven't even heard of Easter actually. I hope I'll have lots of time to think of how great the atonement is and how through it we can overcome death and return to our Heavenly Father as well. Sounds like Dave had a good birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! You're the best big brother ever. I'm really excited to see the Gandy's and tell them thanks again if you have a chance!

So my week was pretty big! Last week on P-day after finishing music practice we had a pizza party and I ate way too much. Costco pizza. Good stuff. After that we went home and met this guy named Ono who loves feeding missionaries! We taught him a little bit which was a little tricky because he initially was only interested in feeding us, but we taught him about baptism and he said it is something that he'd want so that was really cool. The next day in the morning we went to teach Arai with a member named Kurami who is way awesome and strong and close to Arai in age. We taught the doctrine of Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, etc) and he accepted everything. He also accepted the modern day prophets. He wants to get baptized so bad. We just need him to have time on Sunday to come to church. After that we taught Nakagawa who is a member referral and way awesome. We have taught him a bit and he is pretty strong. Not quite sure on whether God is there or not, but once he gets that confirmation he'll progress WAY fast because he understands the doctrine really well. He just needs the faith. That time we taught him the restoration and Joseph Smith. After that we tried to visit some other invs that weren't home then did lots of phone dendo.

Wednesday was an interesting day. It was kind of a big inv exchange with the sisters that are in the area called Odori which covers all of Sapporo. We spent time with them visiting the people we wanted to "exchange". After that we housed a bunch of apartments and met some cool people that used to be investigators. Then we had Eikaiwa and quite a bit of new people came! Way fun and good lesson. Thursday was the ZTM that Yamashita Choro came to. He is from the quorum of the 70 and is WAY cool. He spoke in English the whole time, but it wasn't for us gaijin missionaries, it was for the nihonjin missionaries to show them an example of working hard to learn English! He taught so much amazing stuff to us and it was way fun. I actually went to the Odori zone's ZTM instead of the Hakodate zone because they needed me to play the guitar for the musical number. Because of that I went on splits with my zone leader Olsen Choro. He is a boss and went to USU as well. He played the clarinet in the number. I felt the spirit so strong in the ZTM. Yamashita Choro spoke with so much power and actually reminded me a lot of Pres. Uchtdorf. It was also really fun to meet the missionaries in the other half of the mission. I've now officially met everyone in the mission at least right now. Yamashita Choro focused a lot on member relations, the younger generation, referrals, and lots of other really important things like how the doctrine of Christ ties into everything we do.

After ZTM I went on splits in Higashi which means "east" because it's the east part of Sapporo. It's the zone leader's area. I went with Hatch Choro who was the AP when I came to Japan. We just dendo'd for two hours, but it was really cool and fun. He is going home next transfer. That night we slept over in the Higashi apt and I got to hang out with Sasaki Choro a lot who is from my MTC group and I get along with him waaay good. Anyways the next morning I had to wake up at 5 to make the train to HAKODATE!!! I went with Olsen Choro and the train ride took a little over 3 hours, but it was WAY pretty! Would've been even better if there wasn't so much snow, but still sooo amazing... I'll put lots of pictures on. Anywho we got to Hakodate and rode on this little tram (kinda like in San Francisco, Hakodate has them everywhere) and while waiting met a really awesome high school girl who goes to a Christian school and ended up being WAY interested in the message. We were pretty suprised how interested actually. We passed her on to the Hakodate sisters to teach when they get back. After that I ate a GIANT hamburger at this store that's only in Hakodate called Lucky Pierrot. It was way big and good. Then we went to dendo and had a blast. There are so many cool people in Hakodate and it was really fun with Olsen Choro, because he used to be in Hakodate for 4 transfers. We visited some of his old investigators and one of them fed us! His name was Mikami and he was so cool. He is married with a way cute little kid. I totally forgot to take a picture. He wants to get baptized so bad. He's only been taught the first two lessons and word of wisdom, but he researched the church online and has such a strong testimony he wants to get baptized sooner with his family! He also liked me a ton because of my good Japanese. He wanted me to come back to Hakodate when he gets baptized hahaa.

After that we taught Hakodate's eikaiwa (which is the reason we came. the Hakodate missionaries had to go to their ZTM that day) and it was super fun. The members there are really strong as well. The next morning we woke up at 5 again with plans to eat this thing called the odori ika before the train left. Odori means dance (different from the Odori area) and ika means squid. Yes. It is eating a squid while it is still alive. I wanted to do it so bad because squid is one of my favorite foods. We got on the tram to go there and I met another cool guy who said he was going back to Sapporo that day too and he wanted to come with us to eat the odori ika. We went to the fish market, but the odori ika part wasn't open until later so he told us he would take us to a close by seafood place and pay for us. He was way cool! He had fluent English and lots of crazy stories about being in America. He wasn't very interested in the message, but knew a ton about it and us and respected us a ton. It was an incredible experience having someone spend around 40 dollars on you even though they just met you on the tram. After that we headed back to Toyohira where there was a wedding party for a member who got married in the temple. So much like an American wedding hahaha. Lots of great Okinawa and Hokkaido food though! Then we had a lesson with this kid who is 19 and a member of a church called toitsu from Korea. He doubts its teachings quite a bit and wants to hear how we think. A member who barely got back from his mission teamed up. After that we went to eat soup curry with the member we helped shovel snow before. Crazy day with lots of food! Sunday was great! Had missionary coordination meeting before church and Nakagawa came to church! He had a really good time and afterwards we taught him the doctrine of Christ and he understood it way well. After that was planning session and phone dendo! What a full week. There is so much of the Lord's work to do here it is overwhelming at times, but I'm glad He's pushing me forward to the places I need to be.

I LOVE YOU! AISHITEIMASU!
Hutchinson Choro

View on the train

Hamburger at lucky Pierrot

waiting for the tram in Hakodate

Squid that Sasaki bought us! He also bought us bowls of seafood donburi which is just seafood on rice. I got crab, shrimp, and sea urchin

Me, Olsen Choro, and Sasaki

Wedding party

Way cute kids at the wedding

2/10/13 Yuki Matsuri ga arimashita

Today's title: Yuki Matsuri ga arimashita (closest translation Mom can get is "The time I went to the snow festival")

What is up!? Sounds like a pretty awesome week with the wedding shower and stuff! Mine wasn't too bad either. On Monday we went to the Honbu to play for this RM from Australia who served his mission here and was having a little party (with TONS of Tim Tams) so that was pretty fun. We played 3 songs and the guy just talked about how he met his wife so it was just awkward hahaha. It was cool to talk with all the other missionaries there though, that's the best part about gatherings. We also hung around at the eki (Sapporo train station... it is soooo HUGE!) and bought some guitar stuff and did this thing called purikura that is where you take pictures in a photobooth and the effects make your skin really clear and eyes really big hahaha. They are insanely popular in Japan. I'll scan it eventually and send you a copy. That night we dendo'd in Megumino a bit and I had to carry my guitar the entire time! Oh well!

The next day was a tough day not being able to meet people we planned on, but still got some good stuff done. Eikaiwa was way fun too! Since we divided into two classes I taught the beginner class by myself. Wednesday I went on splits with Elder Brown and it was a blast! We went to Shimamatsu which is the most northern part of my area and I haven't been there since my first few weeks so it was nostalgic! The people we planned to meet weren't really around then either, but we met a way nice dad and a guy who fills the gas tanks by people's houses who lived in America as a semi-professional guitar player! haha We also went to an area in Chitose to dendo as well and met a really funny guy that loved English. Maybe he will come to Eikaiwa eventually. That night we had a birthday party for a member who turned 87. She is a boss. Her name is Sugiura shimai and her daughter (Miwa shimai) is awesome too. She is giving us a ride to Lake Shikotsuko today for this ice festival which should be pretty cool. Anyways at the party Miwa shima's friend came, who we want to teach, so that was good. Also the Sugiura's are hilarious because they are way sarcastic and that's rare in Japan! We had some way good spicy food and apple pie. We also played a bunch of hymns on the guitar.

Thursday was zone taikai where we had workshops on mental and physical health. The mental health guy was Japanese, but went on a mission to San Francisco and for school to BYU Idaho and Provo. He was way chill. After that we had great workshops from Kaicho (President) and the APs on companionship goal setting and repentance. It was great to see everyone then too. After that was the SNOW FESTIVAL!!!! But... It was snowing way crazy so the sculptures weren't as recognizable. I got tons of pictures though! If you really want to see the statues well, I'd check online :) It was pretty great though. Friday was another day a lot like Tuesday.

Saturday was in Megumino again and we taught the plan of salvation to this guy I found a long time ago on the phone. He is not at the point where he is ready to act yet, but hopefully he will be soon. We also talked with a non-attending kid named Kanai Ryouta kyoudai who is way cool and likes kingdom hearts a lot so we talked about that a bit hahaha he is also going to college to study English and Chinese so he has come to Eikaiwa before.

Sunday was pretty much "take tons of pictures day." Since I have a really good feeling I will transfer on Thursday, I took pictures with as many of the members as possible (which is pretty much only guys because there is a rule that unless you're with your comp, and he didn't want to cooperate(as usual)). Anyways church was super good and we had a lesson on Adam and Eve in Gospel Principles. Haramai shimai is pretty much a genius and knows the gospel better than a lot of the members already. The stuff she shares in class always impresses me a ton. After church we tried to visit the people from Tuesday again, but they weren't around. Then we had dinner and a chocolate fondue party at Haramai shimai's house with the bishop's wife and kids too. The bishop got the flu so he didn't come. (The flu is a big deal in Japan right now, but I wash my hands so I'm all good ;)) It was way good though. She made a ton of awesome food and we shared a message on the commandments and challenged the dad to read the scriptures with his daughters because we gave them a challenge to read one verse a day.

Anyways, I love being a missionary. I don't want to leave this ward, but I am ready for change. I bet things are changing there a ton too! Livy walking and everything. I think that's awesome Mya talks about me. Thanks for telling everyone how I'm doing too. The worst snow was on Thursday and Friday. Well... Friday was mostly really hard wind with really icy snow. When we got to the church for Dendo meeting my hair was all blasted back and there was ice all over my face and in my hair. I wish I got a picture! It was actually pretty fun, no lie.

You are hilarious for talking to Rodenberg Choro's mom all the time. I get along with him way good. If I'm able to go to BYU it would be sick to room with him I think.

So if you are sending a package I only have one deodorant and toothpaste left. Plus did I tell you about a voice recorder? Other than that I am pretty good on stuff. I love you!!!

Mara's seminary sounds awesome. There is definitely protection and prepared people ready for missionaries. You just have to be righteous and ready yourself. Hearing that makes me think of missionary Mara someday hahaha! Crazy at the zone taikai we watched this video from Elder Nelson talking about the number of missionaries going from 59,000 to 70,000 and half of them being sisters. Also the chances of me becoming a trainer someday are way high. whoo!

Haha I remember making that thing for auto (a video we saw at the high school registration.) I didn't know I was in the Madrigals one though. Make sure Mara doesn't go too crazy with stuff in High School, but I'm excited for her! Also I wanna see a picture of the bookshelf. We have pretty much cleaned the apartment here so much I swear I know it better than my own room back home. Today I found all these really old flyers and For the Strength of Youth pamphlets from the 70's in Japanese.

I wish I could send you a real live hug too! You are the greatest and I know that through striving to find God's hand in your life more you will receive even more blessings :) I love you!
Aishiteimasu!

Hutchinson Choro

Me with the Fujitas (ward missionaries, they are my heroes)

Eniwa choros at the festival

Ise shrine sculpture - huge

Weird head at the snow festival

Dinner at Suguira's

Suguira family

Me and Ofuji kyoudai

Haramai dinner and fondue

2/3/13 My comp baptizes a kid in the ward and two in a row splits

Hey! You can call this message... My comp baptizes a kid in the ward and two in a row splits...

P-day was a chill p-day for once, which I actually really love. We just sat around and played guitar a lot. Rodenberg Choro is actually looking into the media music program when he gets back and we talk about making music together a bunch after we get home. We just had another good jam session just barely haha. Speaking of which I really want a voice recorder. He always records his letters and sends them and it is way faster and you can put so much more in! Plus he sends back songs he records too. Tuesday was splits with him and it was way fun to just talk with him, hear his advice, and just see a new dendo style. We also found an Adele CD attached to a tree... hahah we decided to keep it and it's just sitting on Rodenberg Choro's desk right now since we can't listen to it. I also taught a pretty cool lesson to this lady in her doorway all by myself and I was pretty proud of it haha. Eikaiwa that night was pretty crazy. Two new people came, one of them being Haramai Shimai's husband which is way sweet. We separated into two classes which is something we have been talking about doing for a long time so more people can come.

On Wednesday we went to this way far out area on a bus and it was WAY covered in snow because the snow removal doesn't really go out there. It was fun though. Thursday was splits with Fukuyama Choro and it was way bomb. He is from Okinawa and is going home in four weeks. We talked a ton and he gave me a bunch of advice. Okinawa sounds like an amazing place and I want to go wayy bad haha. It is the warmest part of Japan in the very south. We also taught a pretty awesome lesson that day as well to a lady I found the time I went on splits with Davis Choro. Friday was planning and visited some prospective investigators in Megumino.

Saturday was the day that Ishiga Choro baptized the kid in the ward who turned 8 named Kei kun. We went to his birthday party and played some games with the kids and ate a ton of food. Then at the baptism we had one investigator come, but Ishiga Choro didn't tell him that it was a baptism, just an activity so we had to explain everything to him as it was going. Haha oh well. He is still pretty cool and we went out to eat afterwards. Sunday was way fun too. It was fast Sunday and the lesson in gospel doctrines was on the creation. I love gospel doctrines by the way. Do you have the book? You should read it. I really love the Lorenzo Snow book too. He is a way cool guy. Also two gaijins from Russia (from USA living in Russia) came to church because they were on vacation. We also got Yuuta kun (Hatanaka Shimai's kid) to come to church too. At testimony meeting Haramai Shimai bore her testimony and it blew me away. She is so strong it is crazy. I felt the spirit a toooon. I'm so excited for her and her family as always haha. Have you found any recipes for her? This is probably my 2nd to last p-day in Eniwa. Crazy. Also that night we had a party at one of the member's houses for this Japanese tradition called mamemaki where you throw beans at people with ogre masks on to bring fortune into your house. I won the rock paper scissors tournament, so I got to throw the beans. It is a pretty cool thing hahaha. Also I decided to give "taking my camera around anywhere just because" a try, and took a ton of pictures.

So things sound awesome back home. The girls are cute as usual. Have I told you about the bishop's family? Way cute kids. The littlest one finally talks! haha Sounds like Adam and Mara are having a good time too. So crazy Jameson is out already and Mara is doing the talent show too. Caitlin is going to Romania I think - haha I dunno. That's way scary about Jacob's accident, but I'm glad he didn't get hurt. Definitely protected. Speaking of which I've been reading this book called Our Heritage about the early saints, and it has a ton of stories about people being protected.

We are actually singing a bunch of stuff today at the honbu for this party for a previous missionary. Ahhhh.... I don't want to get transferred, but at the same time I do because I love this ward and area so much, but I want to see what the rest of the mission is like. We will see what happens next week on the 14th! So it is way icy here. It was super warm for a few days and then just all frozen again. That sounds way tough the lights are frozen though hahaha. The Snow Festival is starting today, but we are going to see it on Thursday after zone conference! I love you tons and am grateful for this work and for the testimony and strength I am receiving!!!

Aishiteimasu!
Hutchinson Choro

The Eniwa Choros with Kei kun

Our apartment building - we're on the first floor

Snow

More Snow!

YM from the ward at Kei's party

Two of the bishop's kids

1/27/13 Good news

If you want a heading for this email you can call it "good news, the caps lock button is fixed!!!!"

Thanks for the email as always you fantastic family you. This week has been pretty rad actually. Glad work is normal and I still think it's sweet Adam gets to ride a train because it makes me think of here hahaha.

I'm way stoked for Cassie! She wrote me a few letters and one of them was about how she got the confirmation to go on a mission. That is way sweet! That's cool it's pretty close to where Alyssa served as well. I'm excited for Alyssa's wedding too. Way cool! Congrats to Taylor too! Way sick for Jacob too. He is the man. Does he still have that Camaro? Hahaha

Freezing rain sounds way interesting!!! I wish I could've seen it actually. There is some weird snow here too once in a while. One day was like raining slush and another day the snow was like sand. It's hard to describe, but yeah... i am kind of tired of it.

Cool that Mara is going to theatre conf already and WHOA! That's way crazy that a year ago today is when I opened my call. How awesome is that? I forgot what day it was so thanks for letting me know. Thanks a ton for the letters and pics from Joseph, Josh, Ferrin, and Connor! Way sweet! Josh and his comp look way young and Ferrin looks exactly the same hahaha.

I'm sorry again about not getting lots of pictures, but it makes me want to try harder maybe when it gets warmer. That is a way awesome stake theme (Come Follow Me). I forgot that Grandpa told you that before he passed away. I actually thought about him quite a bit this week. I really love having the picture of him after my patriarchal blessing and reading that in your letter makes me want to read it again.

So this week's events were, last p-day we kinda lounged around the apt. Practiced some guitar and ate at the Toyoshima's again. We had shabu shabu which is the same thing we had last time which is ok because it's delicious! Toyoshima shimai put pictures from it on facebook because I told her I had one and she probably tried to become my friend there too hahaha. We shared a pretty cool message about the Atonement and the sacrament.

Tuesday was a cool zone training meeting (ztm) where we had interviews with Pres Evans and some great workshops on Christlike attributes and reading the Book of Mormon together with investigators. I also shared a little talk in the Christlike attributes part. In my interview, president gave me a lot of encouragement about working with my comp and told me to learn as much as I can for when I become Sr. comp and IF I become a trainer... hahah! Also that my time in Eniwa is probably up, but that is ok even though I love it here! After that we ate out at a teishoku place which means "set meal" which is like rice, cabbage, and a meat thing but it was good. I don't remember what kind I got. We went to talk with Yuuta kun who is a recent convert (Hatanaka shimai)'s son. He is a great kid, but having a tough time with school and getting along with his mom. He plays video games too much haha, but we talked with him and helped him clean his room and talked to him about prayer. He is almost 12 but didn't convert with his mom so we are working together with her to help him get interested and see how the gospel can help him. Then that night we had Eikaiwa as usual and it was awesome. We want to work harder to get more people to come so we are making plans to advertise more!

Wednesday was deep cleaning day and we spent the whole day cleaning the apartment hardcore! It was pretty fun actually and we finished early because there are 4 of us.
Thursday was planning session and trying to visit some non-attendings, that didn't work out too well, but that morning I felt a prompting to visit Haramai shimai. The cool thing is that she was actually having a hard time that day and prayed that we would come visit. Way cool experience for us. She also told us about a dream she had recently where a friend called her and said she was meeting the missionaries. She asked her what she thought about Joseph Smith and in the dream she couldn't answer so when she woke up she took it as a prompting to gain a stronger testimony of Joseph Smith! She is so crazy strong. Her husband wants to come to Eikaiwa now too so I'm excited for that.

Friday was more housing and looking for non-attendings/old investigators. We also taught a short lesson to the kid who is turning 8 pretty soon and it went way good and he is so ready. Hopefully we can get some investigators to his baptism.
Saturday was a lot like that too. Tons of searching and walking around. Pretty tired that day haha. Sunday was another great day at church too. We sang There is a Green Hill Far Away in sacrament meeting and it went super well. After we were done it was just so silent and the spirit was so strong. Even the kids stopped crying and stuff! haha We got tons of compliments on it. That day we went to a pretty far out area that I hadn't been to before and looked for another non-attending that ended up living in the same apt building as a member! I also found a Scottish guy and had to contact him in English which was way awkward for me! hahaha He was way nice though. Kind of an eye opener. Well,

That's it for me this time! Love you tons and am proud of you always :)
Aishiteimasu!
Hutchinson Choro

1/20/13 More from Eniwa

(the caps lock is broken on this keyboard now so unless i hold down the shift key then EVERYTHING IS LIKE THIS so i have to type in all small letters - edited by Mom)

Sounds like Jameson's farewell went awesome! It is so crazy that people are growing up so fast plus the new age limit makes it possible to be one year earlier! I'm glad it got Adam excited too. Lauren sent me some great pictures of Richie, Xela, Ron etc and they were really fun.

You can pretty much send any and everything to Sister Haramai if you want. I know they can't really get peanut butter normally, but there is a Costco here where you can buy all sorts of crazy things. (It's not in my area though so I've never been, but we sometimes order stuff from it through the honbu choros) also of course she has a microwave. She loves sewing, but I'm not 100 percent sure if it's sewing in general or just certain types. I think it might be cross stitching? I don't really know. She's also really into patchwork quilts and stuff like that. They actually have good FHE materials in Japanese, but if you find something really good then go ahead and send it. I actually translated Phase 10 to a family in the ward yesterday. I'll explain that later.

Her little family is doing great though. Her two daughters come with her to pretty much everything and are way good in primary and reading scriptures and stuff. It has definitely been a good influence on the dad, but he is already such a good guy that he kind of doesn't see how the gospel can improve his life. He is just happy for his family and works as much as possible to help them out. One thing is that Haramai Shimai is shy about talking to him about things like that, but we are doing what we can to provide opportunities through activities FHE etc.

The Kit Kats here are exactly the same as in America haha, Snickers too. I don't know if I will ever get a chance to see or read the YSA fireside. I really want to though!! We don't get the Liahona or anything. I think i have to order it myself? We'll see how that goes.

I'm glad you have been guided by the spirit as well in teaching or having conversations with us as kids. I think you could get that help from the Holy Ghost in anything when you really need it and I'm going to try harder to just open my mouth. It's tough with a native companion who talks really fast. It was kinda like that with my trainer too, though. When you think you have an opening to talk you take a breath and get ready to talk and your comp beats you to it haha.

Mochi tastes way good. I don't know how to describe it. It's really gooey. It just tastes like rice, but you put all sorts of stuff on it. I will see about getting pictures from one of the other missionaries or something. I've told you before, but I can't just carry my camera around especially in the snow. The one time I did my camera didn't work for a few days and I thought it was broken. Also there are rules about not looking like a tourist so I have to look for opportunities, plus I'm just not good at taking pictures or remembering that kinda stuff. Are there any pictures of Eniwa on the internet? I have pictures of where I live so don't worry about that. Of course we have music in the apartment; I would be dead if we didn't haha. Lately I jam a lot with Elder Rodenberg.

That's way exciting for Alyssa! Please give her my best. I'm excited for Jesse and Doretha and will keep praying for Uncle Merril.

What do you mean up late for two nights in a row for Adam's improv shows? Wait, what? Whose birthday was it? There were two birthdays in my apt this week so that was pretty fun.

Yeah sure Adam can use the suit, just remember that my branch president in the MTC made me send it back.

So this last week p-day was pretty much just me buying a sweater at a recycle shop and getting my haircut. It took forever because Ishiga Choro wanted to go to a nice place, but the haircut is really good. They actually cut it how I asked and got it right. I'll put a picture on.

"Before" Hair

"After" Hair

The day after was district meeting, dendo in a place close to the apartment. There we met with an old investigator who has problems with commitments but he wants to be better. Ishiga Choro really wants to work with him so we'll see how it goes. He has a baptismal date at the beginning of next month. We were going to meet with him today to help him clean his apartment, but he hasn't mailed us back. We also had Eikaiwa and it was pretty fun as usual. Elder Rodenberg pretty much takes the Eikaiwa for the most part, but I'm trying to start a beginner class to get more members and new people to come. There is one guy from Eikaiwa who is in the j=tai (Japanese army - there are tons of them in Eniwa) who is way awesome and good at English and has made pretty good friends with me. He came with us to the Messiah and sat by me and talked the whole time. When I asked him how his new year's was he said hanging out with us was the best part! He has been having a hard time getting divorced, but is going to move actually pretty close to the church. We really want to pick him up as an investigator. He actually met with missionaries lots in the past so we'll see how that goes. Wednesday was lots of housing. It was also Elder Rodenberg's birthday. I gave him the extra guitar I got from a member and put new strings on it haha. We also met with this non-attending named Kazuki who is way awesome and he is starting to want to come back to church. He is seventeen and a way nice kid, way smart two (number two in his whole high school, number one is another girl in the ward haha).

Thursday was dkk (dendo in Chitose) and dinner with the Kurashige's again. We played this game with her grandkids where the leader reads old Japanese proverbs and in the middle are all these tiles with the proverbs written in way old style. Most Japanese can't even read them, but anyways when they read the proverb you try to be the first one to pick it up! It's pretty intense. Her grandkids were way good. She is the only member in her home, but her two grandkids have told her before they want to get baptized and go on missions when they grow up! Hopefully that example will continue. She also gave us more calligraphy things! I have a good collection now. Friday was straight housing and looking for old investigators. We also went to this little old American antique shop because it was Ishiga Choro's birthday the next day and he really wanted to go. There was some waaayy nostalgic stuff. He bought a Batman shirt and this America puzzle that I remember playing with in elementary school. On his birthday the next day, I gave him a ton of chocolate. We also went housing that day and decided to check out this area that was kinda on the outskirts on the north side of Eniwa. At one of the houses a random high school girl who was way nice gave us a ton of candy too! Elder Ishiga was pretty stoked. We also met with one of the members whose birthday is the same as his and he gave her a card. He gives everyone cards that he makes and he's pretty good actually. She invited us over for dinner the next day after church. Church was way good and afterwards we housed and went to the member's house. She has six girls so it is a pretty awesome family. They are all really quiet though! We had a ton of cake and played some pretty awesome games including Phase 10 that I translated.

I have been thinking a lot about Christ and what kind of person he was lately and it has affected our dendo style a lot. Please do what you can to try to find out more about him and become more like him. I know you will have his help always and be guided to the things you need to do! I love you so much and pray for you always!

Aishitemasu
HUTCHINSON CHORO

AHH, MY PINKY IS SORE, GOOD LUCK READING AND SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS LOCK KEY!

Here's the puzzle they found that Braden had as a kid

1/13/13 Seven Months Out Today

Hey! This week was good. Sounds like work is complicated, but good! Sounds like there has been a ton going on there!! A You've Got Mail party, huh? That's way funny hahaha. Sounds fun though! How is Mara going on personal progress?? That's pretty cool.

It actually hasn't been snowing very much lately here at all, but it is way frozen and icy. The roads are covered in inches of ice, but I have been doing fine. Just have to be careful when I walk around. I haven't seen any car accidents or anything, but there are some funny drivers now and then. I'm way sad to hear about the car getting damaged, but at least it was the oldest of the cars eh? I hope you can figure out what to do with that whole situation. That's cool about Richie and Xela's reception! You said hi for me right? I heard the Jordan River temple was closed for a long time, but that's good to hear dad is back and working there again. I miss the temple lots. It is really interesting to talk about it here and teach about it to the new converts, etc.

Good luck with whatever your new calling might be! I am having a hard time remembering what it's like to not be a missionary, but I remember that I really loved being in the Elder's quorum presidency at USU and in stake YSC etc. and I wish I did more for those callings then. That is funny about Lauren and her stomach too. (That is, us trying to tell if Max is moving) The pictures of her you sent last time were pretty good!

I am praying for you to find missionary opportunities too, but the main thing you need to do is look for them. Remember that prayer is just the first step. There was a plaque one of my roommates had at USU with a quote from Gordon B Hinckley that said "get on your knees and pray, then get on your feet and work". It's just like that out here too! I'm glad to hear you are doing better with scripture study! What kind of things are you trying? I also want to hear about how FHE is going. Hatanaka Shimai and Haramai Shimai want to know more about it so if you had any cool ideas that'd be awesome. Also Haramai Shimai made a new years resolution to learn to make candy at home just like you do at Christmas so if you could send me a bunch of recipes she would be really happy. She reminds me of you a lot in a lot of ways actually. She has said before that you sound cool and she wants to meet you haha. If you have any patchwork, stitching, etc. things that you think she might like let me know.

Let me know how the YSA fireside went! I am jealous you get to see it! I am glad Adam is doing great in institute and German sounds way fun too! That trax thing does sound like something I would do. How is he liking riding the train??? I think it sounds fun and I want to try it when I get home.

I hope church was awesome! I gave a talk in sacrament meeting yesterday on the sabbath day and focused on the Lord's rest, because in Japanese the Sabbath is "rest day." It actually went really awesome and I spoke for almost 20 minutes which is double what they asked, but they were okay with that haha. It felt really good to be guided by the spirit and be able to expand on the things I planned to talk about. My Japanese has been getting a lot better I think, but the tough thing is always being led by the spirit to know how and what to say. Really the secret is just opening your mouth. The time that is the most tough is when you don't even know how to say it in English and you somehow pull it out in Japanese.

So the cool things about this week are that on Monday I bought a sweet new backpack in the mall in Chitose and on Tuesday we started Eikaiwa again with Elder Rodenberg and it was way fun and energetic. Then on Wednesday was straight housing and going to Brother Katanuma's house for dinner. He used to be the area Seventy and spoke at the Sapporo Temple groundbreaking. He is also good friends with Elder Holland and a few other general authorities. He recently wrote a book about Christianity in Japan focusing on our church and it has actually gotten a lot of high up people interested and it is way cool. He is an awesome guy who has gone all over the world, served several couple missions in Japan, and speaks English pretty much fluently. He also taught at BYU for 3-4 years. At the end we watched this movie called "home" that was from 1992 (one of those cheesy seminary ones) but it was really good and afterwards we shared scriptures and testified about the hope from the gospel. It is pretty cool to testify to someone who used to be a general authority! haha

Thursday we planned and visited Haramai shimai. Friday was visiting a lot of people in Chitose and one of them was a girl that Elder Hansen got almost all the way to baptism, but went on vacation and got protested by her parents so he had to drop her, but she sent us a new year's postcard and when we visited her she said she talked to her parents and everything is good! Her name is Miyashita and she is pretty much a kinjin. She came to church on her own because she said it seemed like a warm place and she could feel that it was full of love. Literally. She has still been reading the Book of Mormon everyday. We will see how that goes :)

Saturday was amazing too!!! We had the mochitsuki activity which was tons of traditional Japanese new year's games and toys plus making mochi!!! Mochi is rice turned into this doughy stuff. To make it like that you... Smash it with a giant hammer!!! It was so awesome. I didn't get pictures, but lots of other people did. It was way great plus we got a few investigators to come too. It was a great way to make better friends with the ward and feel closer to Japan. Haramai's husband came too! We are trying to help her a lot to share the gospel with him. We also did a song there with me on the guitar, Brown Choro on the keys, and Rodenberg and Ishiga Choro singing. It was kinda loud with the mochitsuki going so the beat got a little funky, but it went great!

Well that is what has been going on in a nutshell. I am getting my haircut today because I need it really bad. Who cuts my hair?? Some Japanese dude. Not my companion. Haircuts here are expensive by the way and there are probably more hair salons than any other building. Literally.

Anyways I love you tons and and am so grateful for you! Jesus Christ is my Savior and He lives and loves us! Keep showing good examples and do your best to become more and more like Him!

Aishitemasu!!!
Hutchinson Choro

Funny things seen at the mall:

1/6/13 "I'm starting to get the basics, I think"

Hey! That is tough that your first letter didn't work out, but I'm glad this one still got to me :)

The Messiah was pretty good, but I didn't participate in it. I sat with an investigator and had a decent time watching though. I do appreciate that kind of music a lot. I don't know how fun of a date that would be... hahaha! I'm way glad you got to see the Christmas Devotional too! That's crazy school has started again. Most of the students in Hokkaido have a pretty good break in January till the 17th or 22nd depending on the school. Cool that Adam is taking the train too! Trains in Japan are one of the main ways to travel anywhere. I'm so glad he's taking Institute too. One of the most important parts of college for sure! That's neat Lily (our dog) had a birthday! That is super nostalgic hearing about all the silly stuff she does. Happy birthday to Andrew too!!! It is Elder Rodenberg's b-day on the 16th and Elder Ishiga's on the 19th so those are pretty exciting.

What kind of project did you have at work? Have you always been on salary? Good luck and I will be praying for you to do awesome there! Haha don't leave the Christmas stuff up too long, ok? If you just do it little by little it'll be easy I think. I'm super excited for the other missionaries coming out! Please tell 'em all good luck etc. for me. I am staying healthy, but everyone back home better be careful with that stomach flu. I pretty much ran out of vitamins yeah, but I think I am just going to order some from the Honbu when they go to Costco. I can actually buy sweaters here pretty easy and cheap at recycle shops so I wouldn't worry about those actually. Some new CTR socks would help I think. Plus I want some cool music CDs if you find or know of any (not Motab, stuff like Mindy Gledhill or Alex Boye that has religious themes etc.).

Do you see Mya and Olivia weekly lately? That's crazy! Good luck with 1:00 church. I like our 10:00 church the best. Doctrine and Covenants is way good! I have been thinking about starting it over again soon. There is so much good stuff to read and so little time to study when you're on a mission! ah!!!

I'm very proud of Adam giving Mara a blessing. I still remember the time a girl in my ward in college needed a blessing and only one of her home teachers was around so I went and gave the blessing and it was a really good experience. So cool. It has been even cooler to be blessed with opportunities to participate in blessings here every once in a while.

Elder Rodenberg is way boss. We just got finished making a way sweet song in the other room in the church. How often do you talk to his mom? I still think that's way funny. I have been doing a bit better with Elder Ishiga too. The apartment went from all Japanese to probably half and half and it has been a huge change. I did draw out a bunch of money, but I haven't bought anything with it. I'm for sure going to get a dictionary when we have a chance to go to this recycle shop where I found a cool one, but I'm thinking I might buy a new backpack today or something.

Thank you so much always for the prayers and encouragement!!! It helps more than either of us can understand I think.

So for the summary of this week we ate a lot of Japanese new year's food. It was almost just all time with members and hardly any normal dendo. Really yummy though. Elder Ogata transferred on Thursday and on Friday I went on splits with the APs. I went with Elder Davis and it was incredible. We talked to EVERYBODY and had so much success in just one day and it was really all about attitude, no fear, and being happy as you dendo. I hope I can apply it more with Elder Ishiga and get all the people I found with Elder Davis that day to progressing. Yesterday at church was testimony meeting and Elder Rodenberg, Ishiga, and I bore our testimonies and it was a way powerful meeting and I talked to almost everyone after church! I have grown a lot as a missionary and even though I still have a long ways to go and lots to learn I'm starting to get the basics I think.

I love you tons and I know that this gospel is true!!! I have been able to know it more and more fully through all of the big changes and miracles that I am able to see here, even when we aren't having tons of investigators and stuff. Sometimes the Lord just wants us to be right where we are for the time being you know? I'm really grateful I get to be in Eniwa one more transfer too since it is such a lucky thing.
Heavenly Father is watching out for you and answering your prayers. Please be ready and he'll provide opportunities for you to share the gospel.


Aishitemasu
Hutchinson Choro

What rice cooker...?

Ishiga Choro with the cereal we sent him

Braden with a Christmas present (speakers?)

Christmas cake

Christmas present (suit jacket)

Holiday decor (Lauren, recognize the tree?)

12/31/12 Akemashite Omedetou Gozimasu (or in other words, Happy New Year!)

Hey! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!

That's what they say on New Year's in Japan which is a ridiculous affair. No one (almost) in all of Japan does anything for about 4 days. On the way to the church was pretty much a wasteland. Yesterday I spent the entire day fasting (until 6) and reading the Book of Mormon. I could only get to page 330, but I tried my best! Today we are eating lunch and dinner with members and trying to find a place that is open to buy stuff.

Also sorry that the email is a day late. This weeks P-day moved to Tuesday. And I have lots of pictures, but today is crazy and I forgot the camera again... :(

It was so great to talk to you on the phone too! I wish I had prepared better, but I was especially grateful to hear how family things and scripture study are going. I'm also glad I could hear Andrew and David's mission advice and hear about Adam's mission preparation.

Christmas Eve we had a really awesome party in the Kotoni church in Sapporo. There were some fun games and great food and we got to watch the Christmas devotional which was incredible. Did you watch it??? Then a group of missionaries did a presentation of the Christmas story from Luke which was great too. We also practiced for caroling which we did that night in Odori park in Sapporo. The second half of which was in the subway where we got in trouble by the guards and had to leave early... But it was still a good experience! While we sang other missionaries contacted those listening and when we got stopped lots of people got mad at the guards because they wanted to keep listening! hahaha Christmas back home sounds like it was wonderful. I miss pizza. It's 20 bucks for a plain medium size here. Glad everyone liked their presents and stuff! Good luck with your new computer haha be careful with it! I can't believe there is a windows 8!

I am probably fine on sweaters since I don:t know where I'd pack them, but I do use them everyday and only have 2...

Christmas day was supposed to be normal dendo, but ended up being lots of service and visiting with members. We sang carols at a day service place in Sapporo and "heart attacked" (Ishiga Choro is really into stuff like that) a few members' houses and then ate dinner in the igloo we made.

Adam's court of honor sounds like it was awesome. I feel really honored that he is saving the pin for me. I'm glad it went smoothly and I bet he looks great in the uniform. I have been getting a few emails from Dan Hansen lately too.

So I feel really bad too because today is another short email day (the other elders have a bunch of stuff they want to do) and I feel like I have way more than usual to talk about. The Japanese elders don't really email much.

I want to tell you more experiences, but they're really scarce as of late. Last Saturday the area put on the Messiah concert that was really good. We got Nakamura shimai, a guy from Eikaiwa, and Haramai shimai's family to come and it was a blast, plus tons of missionaries were there. We have been getting fed by members a ton lately, yes. The Christmas party was on the 22nd and this random guy I housed one day came and brought a friend. That friend sent me a picture of Mt. Fuji in the mail the other day and it was really funny because I didn't suppose that giving someone my meishi (business card) would lead to that. Remind me next week and I'll tell you more about the stuff this week.

I love you all and I'm grateful for this work and the support you give me!!! Stay safe and warm and share the light of the gospel as much as possible!!!

Oh yeah, we got transfer calls early. I:m staying in Eniwa with Ishiga Choro and Brown Choro's companion is becoming Rodenburg Choro who sang with me in the music thing.

Aishitemasu!!!
Hutchinson Choro

12/16/12 I've only fallen once, haha

Hey! Glad that the mail came in time. I also wanted to let you know that I got the package this Tuesday! I was super happy and Elder Ishiga was pretty happy about the Lucky Charms too. He said *this is probably the happiest I've been all year* hahah. The jacket is perfect and the speaker is amazing too! The hand warmers are good, but I don't think they are Hokkaido strength haha. We ate the Reeses pretty fast with the four of us. I brought pictures, but I forgot my camera cord... Sorry! ;( Please tell the Gardners thank you as well! The hot chocolate is delicious and their Christmas card was awesome too. Everyone is so big! I will do my best to write Mara back soon!

Today is P-day and Elder Ishiga needs new shoes. He has been borrowing my spare pair for this last week so we are going to this big mall. I want to get presents for everybody back home, but I'm not sure how much sending costs etc. or what even I should get hahaha. I will look around though.

Sounds pretty there! It is just the same snowyness here. I guess I'm used to it already. It is pretty much ice everywhere so you have to get really good at walking on it. I've only fallen once. haha

I'm surprised that the Christmas tree has taken this long, but I'm glad it's up. Can you send a picture next week? That's nice of Mara's friends to help and I hope Dad got the lights fixed without too much trouble. That's awesome Dave's team won too! I am trying to picture him as a coach etc and it's not very hard. What kind of Japanese ornament did you get for me?? I'm really sorry about your knee! What did you do? I will pray for it to get better fast.

That's neat that Adam's finals are going well! I didn't know he was taking a vocal class, but that sounds cool. Sounds like a perfect mistake too hahaha. What other classes did he have? The train sounds cool! It'll be like Japan hahah everybody uses the trains here it is crazy.

I'm so glad Kyle's farewell happened as well! I wish I could've heard the song and stuff. I hope everyone is doing awesome. It always makes me super happy to hear about missionaries leaving too!!! :D Speaking of which, do you know of any that have come home since I have left besides Dallin? Tell Adam *what Hobbit??* haha

That's funny Sister Nordgren was surprised about me being out of the MTC! I did not do anything to commemorate that (being out 6 months). If you say I already have one fourth down it makes my stomach ache... Hahaha. I'm way way glad that people are reading the blog! A lot of people write in letters *tell me everything that is going on!* and all I can really do is say go to the blog because of time so it helps me out a ton.

I'm way excited for Lauren and Andrew too!!! (and Max) Where is their new home at? Please send a picture too. I'm so proud of you for getting a work promotion too! Wow!!! I will be praying for you to be able to do your best in that as well. I know Heavenly Father is especially there for us when things are busy and tough.

This week has been following up with people that we've found, Eikaiwa (English class), introducing Ishiga Choro to more members, and splits two days in a row with Brown Choro and Ogata Choro! Oh yeah plus tons and tons of walking in the snow. I'm not too cold as long as I wear my gloves and awesome ear things. Communicating is still tough some times and I'm still working on adjusting to his dendo style too, but I know that it'll be for my good and help me to learn more and more. In 3rd Nephi I'm reading right before Christ comes about the people that were inspired of God to stand up and preach righteousness when almost everyone around them was choosing wrong. The Book of Mormon is really one of the things I enjoy the most in this work. I just wish I could get to introduce it to more people.

Thank you so much as always and sorry again about no pictures. I'm looking forward to the Christmas call and sharing my testimony with you! I love you so much and know that the Lord will bless you in all the things that you need to do.

12/9/12 "I didn't even realize that it's been six months!"

Hello! I am staying pretty warm. Thanks a ton as always for the prayers and love. I didn't even realize that it's been six months!!! Yikes. Too fast!!! A lot sure has happened, but I'm looking forward to more and more awesome experiences and miracles. I still have so much to learn and grow. Of course I forgive ya for missing me, especially because you know so strongly why I'm here.

Thanks for the encouragement as well. I actually do really like finding. Meeting people is pretty neat and everything. I do have hope that we will be able to find people that are prepared as long as we are doing everything we can to be obedient and work hard. Still have to work a bit with the new members and they are doing great. We really want to help them get their families into the gospel as well. That's a cool thought about Moroni too. Even though he was the last Nephite his work in compiling and burying the Book of Mormon really did help just about everyone!

Working with Ishiga Choro has been tough to be honest. The first while was just me showing him around everywhere and introducing him and stuff. It was kinda all on me at that point and I was tired, doing lots of work, but it was a happy tired y'know? Now that it is more on him where contacts, lessons, etc go it is extremely different from how things were with Hansen Choro. Everything he focuses on is different. His teaching style is really different and it's not that I can't get anything in or anything like that, but I can't control where it goes. Sometimes I feel like my language is getting better, but someways I feel like it isn't at the same time. I for sure have learned a bunch of new things.

Mya's birthday sounds like it was a blast! Cookies instead of cake is interesting though haha. That's pretty early for a ward Christmas party, but they've always done it like that, huh?

Good for Mara and her choir too! I'm glad she got a good part in the play, but I'm also glad she doesn't have to go so crazy hard like she did last time. I didn't know that David was taking college classes still, but that's awesome! I hope he does great! Same to Sharon Merrill.

I'm really excited for the package, but sounds like you've overdone it again! Hahaha I won't say anything and just be happy that my Mom loves me and sends me goodies. Brown Choro got a package yesterday and I thought it might have been for me so I was excited. It was a ton of New Zealand candy! Some pretty good and interesting stuff. If you ever get a chance, try pineapple lumps out! haha I'm probably not going to wait til Christmas if there are separate boxes. I meant for you to just send candy for Ishiga Choro because the ward already gives me too much junk food, but I'll make sure to split it up right.

Cool you found some pictures online too. Pretty late haha. The zone conference was way amazing. The day before was p-day and we went to the honbu to practice and afterwards I went with Ishiga Choro to Odori park in Sapporo that has a cool tower and lots of lights for Christmas, but it was nothing compared to temple square. I have only seen one house with Christmas lights here so far, but Ishiga Choro says that people usually try hard. There are definitely decorations at stores and in the church. Nakamura Shimai gave us some little decorations for the apartment because Ishiga Choro really wanted some.

Elder Ringwood spoke a lot about faith, having hope in the mission, and tons of way amazing stories about how people have been found through Eikaiwa and someone who met the missionaries 40 years ago and stuff like that. Crazy crazy spiritual experience. We sang I Feel My Savior's Love and I had this little guitar part that I made for it. I don't know what the version is called, but it's originally a harp or something. Afterwards I got to have an interview with him and he just asked me how I was and if I had any questions and we just talked about Utah a bit and he gave me tips for finding and working with a native companion. Super nice and chill. While I was waiting I got to talk to President Evans a lot about the same kind of thing. He is a way awesome guy and I'm glad to be in the mission with him. Elder Ringwood's wife was pretty cool too. She's Russell M. Nelson's daughter and looks a lot like him.

I guess I used the word Gaijin wrong haha it means foreigner. Also don't worry about calling me yet and don't email the Honbu. They'll email me the week before with the stuff to tell you. It will be to my cell phone here. I'm really excited to talk to you and share my testimony with you too. Also you are funny for putting money in my account because other than buying my bike and going to an Onsen one time I haven't used any ;) Thanks though! I am going to look for an electronic dictionary today that I really really want so I might use it on that.

Also on Saturday we had this thing for one of the members who teaches an Eikaiwa from her house. She went to BYU and got a degree in teaching English to Japanese people and is pretty cool. But anyways it was this presentation of the Christmas story called the 3 trees that you probably know. I had to teach her how to use power point and use audacity to edit sounds and stuff so that was pretty cool I got to use computer skills for service. At the presentation she had Elder Brown and me recite some of the parts and afterwards play some Christmas songs. It was pretty fun and everybody liked the songs. Afterwards everybody had refreshments and stuff and Takasugi (Eikaiwa member) shimai's husband (who is way funny and awesome) spontaneously asked me to stand in front of everyone and tell about myself in English and Japanese and answer everybody's questions and stuff. It was alright, but I really wanted to talk to the investigators and eikaiwa students that came. It turned out pretty well all in all I think ;)

Other than that has been snow falling a ton, melting completely, and then falling tons again!!! Good stuff. I'm excited to grow a lot here, but it is tough a lot of times with all the change so please keep praying for us. I love you more than there are snowflakes in Hokkaido and Utah combined!

Aishiteimasu!
Hutchinson Choro

12/2/12 Christmas in Japan begins

Hey! Sorry last week's letter was short. I guess not really that much happened plus we had to hurry to the mission home for music practice. Thanks a ton for thinking about Ishiga Choro with the package and stuff. I'm looking forward to it! Everyone here is getting excited about Christmas, Santa, parties, and stuff like that. The snow is piling up really high. I don't think it really snows that much at least here, but they pile all the snow in the same place.

I have no idea what Moliere is, but I wish Adam good luck with that! Congrats to Mara too! That is funny that you touch my picture. They are doing tithing settlement here too. I'm really sorry you had to work when you weren't feeling well. Please get lots of rest when you can! Fat Friday sounds pretty fun haha. I am almost forgetting how Mexican food tastes. They have this dish here called *taco rice* which is kinda like Mexican food, but you just put it over rice. Elder Hansen made some pretty good tacos one time too. This doesn't mean I want Mexican food though. ;)

Grandma's birthday sounds like it was super fun too! That:s funny she forgot you were all coming too. Mya is getting big really fast! What day is Emily's wedding?
That's way cool that David is coaching a Jr High basketball team! I remember when him and dad coached my jr jazz team even though we weren't very good at all he was a really good coach. That's crazy sad news about the previous coach. Wow. What Jr. High is it? He is going to be an awesome coach. How did he get the job??

Christmas is Japan is basically just Santa and presents etc. There are no Christmas lights at all. Once in a while someone will have something on their door. There are a bunch of places in Sapporo city that have lights, but I haven't seen them. We haven't really had chances to talk to people much about Christmas except at church. Since it got cold and icy we can't use our bikes and no one is outside anymore. It is pretty tough to get places and go finding people. I guess people kinda focus on ancestors. It's what Buddhism is all about, but I'd say 90+ percent of Buddhists I've met here are only Buddhist on Obon and Shogatsu. Those are holidays. Anyways a lot of Japanese people have these things called butsudans in their house where they put pictures of their ancestors and burn incense and leave food and stuff. It's also pretty tough for Japanese people to do genealogy because after 100 years they destroy the public records. You have to go to the hometown of where the specific ancestor lived to get their records etc. because they become private property.

I'm doing my best to not freeze though. We have been doing a lot of snow shoveling and walking to far places in the snow. Mostly just my toes, fingers, and ears get cold. Other than that I'm all good and there is a place where I can buy earmuffs so I:ll be good. I'm doing my best with the new companion. It is a lot more tough to just talk and stuff because of the language barrier, but my Japanese and conversation starting skills are getting better I think. It is also tough to jump in when we teach lessons and stuff because I'm the only Gaijin now and I have to double time to keep up with everyone. I:m doing my best though.
So today is another music practice, but we got here early so I have more time. Elder Ringwood from the 70 is coming to visit and do a special zone conference. It's tomorrow and that's what the music practice is for. I actually got specially selected to be interviewed by him and I'm a little bit nervous, but it should be good.
This last week was a few lessons with the recent converts and a lot of trying to find new people. It is way different not having our people that are really progressing anymore because they all got baptized. They are doing pretty well though getting into the ward and stuff like that. It is hard for the ward to get them home teachers and stuff like that right away because there are so few priesthood leaders most of the time.
I feel like not a lot happened this week either, but I hope this feels like a *normal dose* of me. I love you all tons and tons and am so grateful for your prayers and encouragement!!! Please do your best to do missionary work there through your examples and your friends. Make friends with the missionaries if you can. It is so important for the work. Thanks for Moroni 8:2-3

and I will read it right away!!!

Aishitemasu
Hutchinson Choro

Pretty sure this is Brown Choro, Ishiga Choro (new comp) and Hutchinson Choro!

11/25/12 Eniwa again!

Hello!!! I'm super glad that you got the letter! I hope they like it haha. It probably will take that long for mail to come most of the time... I don't know 100% how busy it will always be, but actually getting to the post office to send the letters is usually the long wait thing.

I guess it all depends on how the things go here in... ENIWA again! ;) My new companion is named Ishiga Choro and he is a Nihonjin!!! He is also a boss. He got baptized 3 years ago from this Christmas and is from a place in Japan called Tottori. He is 22 so he was basically as old as I am right now when he got baptized. The other cool thing is that the missionary that taught him lives in this ward! Way neat. He just got done training one of the Nihonjin that left the MTC with me in an area called Kitami. Brown Choro in the apartment from New Zealand stayed too and got another new Nihonjin comp himself named Ogata Choro. It is really cool, but really tough at times because we basically have to speak Japanese all day everyday. I am helping Ishiga Choro learn English too, so that's pretty fun. His favorite thing to learn is English primary songs. He also loves American candy especially reeses and cereal with marshmallows in it ;););)

Holy cow!!! The news about all the mission calls is blowing my mind!!! I'm soo happy! Everyone's call fits them way well and I know they're going to do such amazing stuff!!! I'm excited for Sarah to do her papers too and I feel way bad that letter took forever to get sent... That's cool you got to see her at the musical and have fun. Glad Thanksgiving was fun too! My prediction about Curry was true :) (Mom's note: if you know what he means, tell me ;) ) The pictures of everyone together look really awesome though. Everyone looks different already too! I have definitely had a lot to be thankful for and I hope that I can show it through my service and actions even though I didn't get a chance to show it through eating haha. The new members are doing well too! I actually had a talk in sacrament meeting last week on a conference talk and I chose Pres Monson's talk from the priesthood session.

I'll let you know about Christmas call stuff as soon as I can. I don't know if I'll be able to use the card, but I'll let you know all the details right away when I find out. I miss Christmas lights haha. I heard there are some cool ones in Sapporo city though so that should be cool. The pictures of Mya and Olivia look awesome!

So this week has basically been saying good bye to everyone with Hansen Choro and then meeting my new comp and coming back to show him around. It's tough because I don't know the area as well as Hansen Choro did and I have to explain everything in Japanese, but it's going pretty alright still. Ishiga Choro is super good at talking to people and becoming their friend really fast. He actually worked as a licensed preschool teacher before coming on his mission too so that's pretty sweet! I wanted to attach a picture of him, but I forgot my camera as usual. Sorry! I'll do my best next week! Thanks again for the love and prayers and letters and example!!! Keep trying hard to do missionary work there too!!!!!!!

Aishiteimasu
Hutchinson Choro

11/18/12 "There is lots to be grateful for"

Hey! There is lots to be grateful for. So much that I had no idea that Thanksgiving was this week until you said something! So there is a lot of amazing stuff that happened this week. So last Monday night we met Haramai san again to talk with her and encourage her to keep pressing forward kind of thing and we talked to her a bit longer than we planned too, so Elder Hansen had to call and tell the other Elders we were going to be late for an appointment and as he was I was talking to her about her recent scripture reading and she said she had been reading about the brother of Jared in Ether 3. After Elder H was done on the phone Haramai had to get something for one of her daughters so I showed him Ether 3 and all the sudden he just got crazy inspiration and looked at me and was like, "I know exactly what to do." Then she came back and he just started relating the story to her situation and how she has made it so far (investigator for more than 7 months, read the whole BoM and D&C, etc) and how the "stones" are in her hands and she just has to present them to God for the miracle to happen kind of thing. Then I testified to back him up and we promised blessings then set the baptismal interview day for that Wednesday. The next morning she gave us a mail saying "Good morning! It's nice weather! By the way, Papa said Ok!" and I jumped for joy and banged on the shower door to the Elder H about it. Way awesome!

That night we had a good Eikaiwa as well and got up early the next morning for Zone training meeting on bike safety and getting referrals/helping members invite friends to stuff. Then we got back and tried to do our planning, but had to leave right away for the baptismal interview which took quite a bit of time, but they both passed great! Whooo! While we were waiting we had to try to keep the two kids entertained while the relief society was setting up an activity. After that we went to eat at the ward missionaries house (bottom picture) and had some way good meat/potato/awesome stuff. They are the bomb btw. If you still have my facebook password, get on once in a while and accept the friend requests from any Japanese people :) Then we shared a way good message with them on the atonement and had to run home.

Thursday was the real weekly planning. We had to go over everything extra in depth in the very likely chance that I'll be left here when transfers happen this Thursday.(Ahhh! scary) It was a way great experience to go over all the amazingness that has happened in these last two transfers though. That night we went to eat at Kurashige shimais house who is way cool and always feeds us a ton. Flatfish, sashimi, oyster miso soup, TONS of hamburg, etc. And we had a good talk with her and she gave us even more food for the apartment. Basically this week we had so much stuff going on that we needed do that we couldn't fit much normal finding in. Still so great though! Friday was a good amount of it actually. Also finding new brakes for Elder H's bike. That day we had another good AB lesson with Nakamura shimai with two sisters from the RS which is way good because we need to make sure we can pass her to the ward well. Then we met Haramai again that night for a bit and the other RC Hatanaka shimai who got baptized in Elder H's first transfer here. She is awesome, but has been super busy with school. We let her and her son know about church though and they came! Yay! Then in Dendo Chousei Shuukai (meeting with the ward missionaries) we talked a bunch about the baptism and that they talked with Haramai about me doing her baptism! I felt way way honored and a little bit nervous!
The next day we went to this big outdoor mall to do something called *shizen dendo* which means natural dendo. It's where you just try to start normal conversations. The mall was kinda dead though. Even on a Saturday! It was really nice too, but everyone there was on a date or with kids etc. So we left to Chitose to do some housing and it went pretty well. Then we came home to eat and go to this choir concert that some youth in the stake put on with Nakamura shimai and the Oofuji couple from the ward. It was surprisingly good considering how young and small the choir was.

The best day of the week was yesterday though. We got up early because the baptism was going to be before church (from 9-10) and I got dressed in my white stuff and borrowed Elder H's white pants and we took pictures. Everyone was pretty excited especially Nodoka. Then the meeting started and I sat up front next to the bishop who baptized Nodoka. She was a little bit nervous about going into the water and bishop was comforting her and stuff. Then they sang the song before the baptism and we came down from the stand. Nodoka was still a little nervous, but when she walked by her dad she ran and jumped on his lap and gave him a big hug and kiss. I had to try way hard not to cry the spirit was sooo strong. We went to the font and bishop baptized Nodoka really gently and she was way happy when it was done. She came up and said "Mom!! I did it" and was just smiling tons. Then I traded places with the bishop and went in to baptize Haramai and explained to her how to grab my arm etc. Then I said the prayer and it went perfectly! She went under just right the first time and it was awesome. After getting dressed again it was time to hear the testimonies and Nodoka got up (which is surprising because she's pretty shy about talking in front of people) and said how she was so happy to be baptized and how her goal from now on is to be nice to everybody! Way strong. She:s a genius. Then her mom got up and shared a ton of incredible stories. How she had been so inspired from Nodoka etc. and how recently she read Alma 32:16. I had to try really hard not to cry then too and I did a bit. Afterwards her husband stayed the whole time at church and it was pretty great! After church we got the baptism papers signed and I got chased around by hyper kids because it SNOWED! AH. Then Elder H took a bunch of pics with ward members because of transfers coming up. After church we went to the bishop's house and got the papers finished and rode around all day on our bikes in the snow! Wooo. So cold and wet. We also met this cool guy I found in the phone named Sendai and taught him a lesson on why we're different from other churches and the BoM. It went pretty well, but he said he wasn't ready to take a BoM. So yeah! That's the week!

Mara's play looks like it was pretty fun! The wedding looked awesome too! I hope you said hi to everyone for me. Cool that you got to do things to help them out with it! Did David really not go because of a football game? So cool everyone from far away could come. Thursday is transfers so I'm for sure probably eating curry or something like that with whoever my new comp is ;D It's going to be a way crazy day... After Halloween Japan just goes straight Christmas. Thanks a ton for thinking about me and getting my Christmas stuff going! I also kinda want a small set of speakers that don't need batteries or a plug. (for my alarm ipod) I used to have a pair, but gave em to Lauren and they'd really help.

Thanks tons and tons as always and I hope my letter is fun to read! I hope it shows you the testimony that I'm starting to gain stronger and stronger about the Savior and His power to change lives more than we can understand or know.

Next time you hear from me I'll for sure at least have a new companion! Maybe a new area too, but that's not likely since Hansen Choro has been here for 5 in a row!

Aishitemasu!
Hutchinson Choro

Special day for the Haramais! Hutchinson Choro looks so happy.

From the letter, I think this is Kurashimage's family?

Feast at Kurashimage Shimai's house

Dinner at ward missionary's house - and a long string of paper cranes in the corner - cool

First snow of many to come....

With Hatamaka Shimai (and can you spot the little one?)