Thanks for all of the awesome photos! A little bit more U of U stuff than I usually like to see... Jk!!! (Note - refers to photos of his nieces and brother in their Ute gear.) I'm glad to see everyone is having a lot of fun especially in Dave's family. I am really sorry in advance too because we are going to a baseball game in Sapporo today which is really lucky so we have to cut into all the rest of our time. If I'm lucky we might make it up afterwards. We'll see!
So fun to hear about the best nieces ever. It makes me feel really special that Mya remembers me! I'm glad that my letters get to everyone well through the blog! Send them lots of love from me too! That is cool that David knows someone in the language department at the MTC. I wonder who it could've been. I am really glad that I was able to use the time in the MTC to improve in my language a lot, but it's still really tough here sometimes. I am humbled a lot. I know I can say a lot more, but sometimes the Japanese isn't the problem y'know? A lot of the time I wouldn't even know what to say in English! So it's a big challenge, but I'm working and working towards it!
I think Elder Gandy probably gives me a ton of credit hahah. I wonder who he was working with! I bet Joseph is doing crazy good too. He's humble, but I bet his Japanese has gotten really amazing too. That is a really crazy story about how the bean he worked with was able to get someone interested!!! I don't feel like I have that power a lot of the time, but I try my best! I still can't do a ton of everything quite yet, but I'm making lots of goals! Miracles definitely definitely happen. I will remember what you told me about the Holy Ghost and keep working hard!
Thanks for planning to write me a letter! I hope it doesn't take too long. I have a few letters I wrote to some friends, but haven't found time to send them. Sorry to those! :( I'll get on it soon though. So glad to hear when people ask about me! Let them know I think about and pray for them too! Sorry you didn't get to go to San Diego, but wish Uncle Dave happy birthday for me too!
So I will try to give you a quick summary of cool stuff. We taught another lesson to the 8 year old on the plan of salvation and she is still a genius. She asked her mom like three times if she could move their baptism up a month!! Also we have another investigator who is finally recognizing the spirit and can probably get baptized soon too! Way cool! We have been doing a lot of work with our phone recently too because there are lots of old phone numbers in there. I have actually tried calling a few times too! It has been good though because those people have interest a lot more often. The other day we went to Koyodai which is about an hour away on bikes and it is a way pretty commute. Anywhere there is vegetation it is pretty much jungle! The concert also went really awesome too and my song w/ Elder Rodenberg went great! A lot of people came and there are a lot of talented missionaries here.
anyways gotta get going! Love you tons :)
aishiteimasu!
Hutchinson Choro
P.S. from Braden's Mom - Received this letter from Elder Rodenberg's mom today -
My son, Elder Braedon Rodenberg, companion to Elder Davis in Sapporo, wrote about their music fireside in Sapporo this week. I'm copying his comment...ps don't you love the 19 year old lingo?
"Besides that, we had our music fireside! It was seriously super slick! Elder Hutchinson and I did a SUPER sick arrangement of "A Child's Prayer" we made and it was awesome. He's like, a professional guitarist, It was seriously so crazy."
I'm guessing that "sick" means amazing! Hopefully, someone took pictures and will post them! (Brother Olsen, did your son send any?) Let me know what your Braden had to say about it!
Gloria Rodenberg
Campbellsville, KY
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
9/9/12 More from Eniwa!!
Hey! I don't have a ton of time today, but I'll write as much as I can! That's awesome you found the picture of me! Maybe if you could send it next time that'd be cool. Yeah my hair is short, but that's kinda nice because the bike helmet would ruin it bad if it wasn't. What mission blog? I don't remember mentioning one, but it's probably the FB page you were talking about.
Okay I'll hold onto the card, but we probably get to use a phone at the home or something then. Finding is soo great! I am getting better slowly but surely. We do this thing called housing a lot which is door to door and it's tough, but I've been getting better at it. We also do street contacts sometimes and basically we just try to make friends with everyone and introduce the gospel! It's tricky and my Japanese is still slow so my comp takes the lead all the time but I'm getting better at putting my two cents in as often as I can. It would probably take a long time to describe all the people that we meet, but yesterday we taught a lesson after church to one of our investigators and her daughter who is 8 and a genius! She wants to get baptized really bad so we taught her a lesson about Jesus and praying and reading then we gave her a BoM and I gave her my picture BoM that I bought at the MTC and she was way happy! So cool. She is a kinjin for sure. That means *gold person* and we use it for people who are really spiritually prepared. Get this! The question she had for us before we began the lesson was *what would happen if adam and eve didn't eat the fruit??* and she's 8! Kinjin.
I feel bad about not getting pictures, but I brought my camera today so I'll have a few to share. I want to take a pic of my bike soon too. It's hard to take pictures of the surroundings because we don't really have chances to, but google maps should be good for that. My apartment is pretty close to the Eniwa train station and the area goes all the way up to Shimamatsu and down past Chitose a little bit.
Sounds like a way fun baby shower! I am doing great and it is really tough, but I am growing a lot I think. Please let anyone know they can write and I'll do my best. I'm trying to write and send a few letters now. I'm way excited for Josh!!! I bet Mara is growing up so much already. So cool! I'm really glad for Adam and Andrew handling college like bosses! I'm really glad your ears are feeling better too! It is really gotten crazy rainy here lately so I:m being really careful and using that rain gear a bunch.
That's really neat you got a letter from the Harpers. I'm glad I had him as a companion too and we grew a lot together. I hope he is doing well in Japan so far. That's funny you got a letter from Elder Rodenberg's mom too! Crazy! I'm actually going today to practice for that. The concert is on Saturday. I didn't even know that I could play guitar in it till last night so let's hope it goes awesome! I think Sis Evans is loaning me one. I actually sang at our English class last Tuesday because we like to share something spiritual every time. I sang I am a child of god in English and Japanese and it went really well. I hope everyone was able to feel the spirit.
Don't have too much fun in California! That sounds awesome! I'll definitely be thinking about and praying for Lily haha :) I'm really excited to hear anything about the new mission! It's a really important thing I think. Considering here there are four missionaries to just this one ward it will be great for you to get to know the missionaries assigned to the stake.
Yeah I don't have earmuffs, but probably not a huge hurry to send them. As for American food maybe cereal or more granola bars or something. Cereal is expensive here and is nice in the morning when it's busy with four people and all.
Mya and Livy sound super awesome and cute as always :) They are growing up so well and it's so neat. Having the gospel in our families is pretty much the most important thing ever. When we proselyte we usually talk about that right of the bat and it makes me realize how really important it is. I'm so grateful we are an eternal family and have those great blessings and I want to share that with everyone!!!
Love you so so so much!
Aishiteimasu!
-Hutchinson Chourou
first pic is a billion tomatoes we got from members and that's not all... we have had way more at dinner appts.
here is a pic of a bunch of us elders at the apt because we had district training meeting here
my nametag!
here is us at a yakiniku restaurant the day after I got here before I left to Eniwa
all the Sapporo going missionaries at the MTC
Mikey and I
my MTC class and teachers
with trainer Elder Hansen & President & Sister Evans
Looking pretty happy after a long trip - Sapporo at last
Okay I'll hold onto the card, but we probably get to use a phone at the home or something then. Finding is soo great! I am getting better slowly but surely. We do this thing called housing a lot which is door to door and it's tough, but I've been getting better at it. We also do street contacts sometimes and basically we just try to make friends with everyone and introduce the gospel! It's tricky and my Japanese is still slow so my comp takes the lead all the time but I'm getting better at putting my two cents in as often as I can. It would probably take a long time to describe all the people that we meet, but yesterday we taught a lesson after church to one of our investigators and her daughter who is 8 and a genius! She wants to get baptized really bad so we taught her a lesson about Jesus and praying and reading then we gave her a BoM and I gave her my picture BoM that I bought at the MTC and she was way happy! So cool. She is a kinjin for sure. That means *gold person* and we use it for people who are really spiritually prepared. Get this! The question she had for us before we began the lesson was *what would happen if adam and eve didn't eat the fruit??* and she's 8! Kinjin.
I feel bad about not getting pictures, but I brought my camera today so I'll have a few to share. I want to take a pic of my bike soon too. It's hard to take pictures of the surroundings because we don't really have chances to, but google maps should be good for that. My apartment is pretty close to the Eniwa train station and the area goes all the way up to Shimamatsu and down past Chitose a little bit.
Sounds like a way fun baby shower! I am doing great and it is really tough, but I am growing a lot I think. Please let anyone know they can write and I'll do my best. I'm trying to write and send a few letters now. I'm way excited for Josh!!! I bet Mara is growing up so much already. So cool! I'm really glad for Adam and Andrew handling college like bosses! I'm really glad your ears are feeling better too! It is really gotten crazy rainy here lately so I:m being really careful and using that rain gear a bunch.
That's really neat you got a letter from the Harpers. I'm glad I had him as a companion too and we grew a lot together. I hope he is doing well in Japan so far. That's funny you got a letter from Elder Rodenberg's mom too! Crazy! I'm actually going today to practice for that. The concert is on Saturday. I didn't even know that I could play guitar in it till last night so let's hope it goes awesome! I think Sis Evans is loaning me one. I actually sang at our English class last Tuesday because we like to share something spiritual every time. I sang I am a child of god in English and Japanese and it went really well. I hope everyone was able to feel the spirit.
Don't have too much fun in California! That sounds awesome! I'll definitely be thinking about and praying for Lily haha :) I'm really excited to hear anything about the new mission! It's a really important thing I think. Considering here there are four missionaries to just this one ward it will be great for you to get to know the missionaries assigned to the stake.
Yeah I don't have earmuffs, but probably not a huge hurry to send them. As for American food maybe cereal or more granola bars or something. Cereal is expensive here and is nice in the morning when it's busy with four people and all.
Mya and Livy sound super awesome and cute as always :) They are growing up so well and it's so neat. Having the gospel in our families is pretty much the most important thing ever. When we proselyte we usually talk about that right of the bat and it makes me realize how really important it is. I'm so grateful we are an eternal family and have those great blessings and I want to share that with everyone!!!
Love you so so so much!
Aishiteimasu!
-Hutchinson Chourou
Monday, September 3, 2012
9/2/12 First week in Eniwa
Hey! Everything is way exciting and awesome! I`m really sorry that I wasn't able to snag more time to talk to everyone else as well :( I still have that phone card you sent and don:t have anything to do with it... Should I send it back sometime? It was great to talk and sorry if I didn't have much to talk about. I`m excited for Christmas, but I hope it doesn't come too fast for me!
Flying was the best, but I`m super glad to be here and not have to sit for a long time. Being out and about is the best! There were no problems at all with my luggage except for I had to use an extra knapsack type bag that elder Bush let me borrow to use as my "personal item" because It wouldn't fit anywhere else. It actually ripped almost completely apart once I got to the mission home, but I was able to make it without losing anything. I`d recommend getting two big suitcases and a carryon rather than 1 suitcase and 1 carryon like I had.
I have had a whole week full of "bean"(like a greenie, but the Japanese version) things, but I`ve also had lots of time to dendo as well! Dendo means missionary work and there are lots of different kinds of dendo. Since I didn't really sleep on the plane getting used to the jet lag wasn't too bad, but I sleep better here than I ever did in my life probably because of all the hard good work. My apartment is pretty cool and nice! We actually share it with 2 other missionaries that are way cool. One is named Elder Oomura who is from Okinawa and a Nihonjin and his companion is Elder Brown from New Zealand. There are two study rooms/rooms to keep our clothes and get dressed, a small bathroom w/ just a toilet and sink thing and then another bathroom with sink, laundry machines, and Japanese style bath/shower. Then our Kitchen has a microwave, stove, toaster oven, and fridge. The microwave is pretty spiffy and can work like an oven too. Yesterday was Sunday and the ward gave us so much food! We also have a bedroom that has a cool sliding door with the straw mats as the floor, but because there are four of us our futons overlap into the living room too. Getting a bike was tricky because the card wasn't working at first and we found out the problem was my daily withdrawal limit, but we fixed it and I have the money so no prob there. We just have to wait for the bike shop to get the one I ordered. No need to send my straw over! haha the 7-11's are mostly for getting money and buying a snack or something once in a while. I wish I could show you the cool Kanji for Eniwa, I'm sure you could look it up though. There are also two other cities that my area covers called Chitose and Megumino. We are definitely going to work hard and plant/raise some beautiful blessings haha! My companion is pretty much a boss. He is crazy good at Japanese and talking to people. He is also way funny and cool. Definitely encouraging to work with. He actually looks a lot like Joseph Gandy haha. I forgot to bring my camera to the church, but you might be able to see his pic with me on the mission blog. As for garbage there are just a bunch of different categories that they only pickup on certain days, so it is a bit tricky.
I'm way glad you are reading the NT together! I want to start reading it eventually too because of how much we can learn about the savior's life from it. I have kind of been focusing on the BoM and PMG lately, but I hope to eventually find time to read all the NT, BoM, and Jesus The Christ. I hope Mara is learning a lot in seminary and taking the time to think about it a lot! I'm glad my testimony was able to help :) It is something that I hope to always be sharing as a missionary. Thanks for reciprocating the importance of the savior and the comfort that we can receive through and from Him. I know He is proud of all of you for all the great things you are doing back home as well. I`m glad that you were able to be help a lot through your tough work experience. Please keep working hard and remember how much I love you!
Thanks for the address and I'll do my best to write her/everyone else soon! There are lots of things we can only do on P-day(cleaning, shopping, sightseeing,etc.) but I want to find time to write as much as I can. Please send everything to the mission home address :)
How is Adam liking college? What classes does he have and how is the commute? I bet it is really fun to hear Mara and I`m proud of her for taking such a big responsibility and working hard. P-days are Monday here which I think is like Sunday night for you or something. I have some cool stories to share now.
So my first dendo was in downtown Sapporo before I left to Eniwa. There are tons of people on the streets there! It's tricky though because we can't talk to girls. We found a few people who actually wanted to talk and actually passed a book of mormon to a high school age kid and passed a lot of little chirashi (flyers) too. We also met an interesting guy who had studied a lot of different religions and stuff and just wanted to talk about how he wants to become an animal. I am pretty good at understanding the gist of conversations here, but I have definitely been humbled a LOT as far as Japanese goes. It's good though because I can learn a lot from what I hear and be motivated to study harder!! We have also tried dendoing in Eniwa a bunch, but there are hardly as many people on the streets. Yesterday we house dendo'd a bunch which is always very interesting and fun. We actually found one guy who was interested in listening and taught him all of lesson one on his porch! We were going to give him a BoM, but he wouldn't take it because it was free! He tried to pay for it, but we couldn't let him. He gave us water and said we could come back any time though! We also actually talked to random people in the park afterwards and it was great! It is such a cool feeling to be able to talk to people even though in the end they don:t always have interest.
So right now we have 3 solid investigators. One is named Nakamura and she has had all the lessons and is keeping all the commandments, but just needs to get a stronger testimony of JS and the BoM. The other is Haramai and she is pretty awesome! She has a daughter who is 8 and when we visited her house her daughter kept asking when she could be baptized! Another investigator named Miyashita could be getting baptized this Saturday except she had to go on a trip for a while. I think there are a few more, but there a lots of people that have interest and are progressing. We had to pass a bunch to the other companionship because of it. We have also visited members quite a bit and been fed A LOT! Of the first 4 days in Eniwa we were fed dinner 3 of them. Such crazy good food! Elder Hansen got sweet pictures. The members are so awesome! Two of them are old widow ladies that are super funny and fun to listen to. We actually ate at the stake president's house last night too. SOO much food, but sooo good. I also ate this thing called natto at the apartment a few nights ago. Some people say it's one of the hardest things to eat ever, but it wasn't too bad. Not delicious by any means, but really healthy so I:ll try to eat it every now and then I think.
Church yesterday was really cool too. The ward is so cool and nice! There are some funny and cool members and they:re all interested in the missionaries and stuff. We all bore are testimonies and introduced ourselves since it was fast and testimony meeting and I was really nervous, but everyone said I did great and is impressed with my Japanese for a bean. The spirit is so strong even though I can't always understand 100%. I'm excited to work hard to make it to the point where I can at least be really close and share and be uplifted just as much!
That's pretty much it! I'm excited to get a bike and be able to get moving a lot more! I:m also going to a Matsuri festival tonight with the other missionaries and then once p-day time is over we are going to shizen dendo which means natural dendo. It is where we basically just talk to people in normal situations, become there friends and try to find a way to share the gospel! I'm super excited. We're also doing lots of shopping.
I'll try to get lots of cool pictures and not forget my camera!
Love you so so so much! Kokoro Kara Aishiteimasu!!!
Hacchinson Chourou
(Note from Mom: I received the following note today from another Sapporo mission mom, Sister Rodenberg:
"Your son (Braden?) was mentioned in our letter home today. Our son, Braedon Rodenberg is in Odori, Sapporo, and told us that they are having another musical fireside. He is in a trio singing A Child's Prayer, and your son is the guitarist!" I'm so excited to hear that he's been given a way to share his music already!)
Flying was the best, but I`m super glad to be here and not have to sit for a long time. Being out and about is the best! There were no problems at all with my luggage except for I had to use an extra knapsack type bag that elder Bush let me borrow to use as my "personal item" because It wouldn't fit anywhere else. It actually ripped almost completely apart once I got to the mission home, but I was able to make it without losing anything. I`d recommend getting two big suitcases and a carryon rather than 1 suitcase and 1 carryon like I had.
I have had a whole week full of "bean"(like a greenie, but the Japanese version) things, but I`ve also had lots of time to dendo as well! Dendo means missionary work and there are lots of different kinds of dendo. Since I didn't really sleep on the plane getting used to the jet lag wasn't too bad, but I sleep better here than I ever did in my life probably because of all the hard good work. My apartment is pretty cool and nice! We actually share it with 2 other missionaries that are way cool. One is named Elder Oomura who is from Okinawa and a Nihonjin and his companion is Elder Brown from New Zealand. There are two study rooms/rooms to keep our clothes and get dressed, a small bathroom w/ just a toilet and sink thing and then another bathroom with sink, laundry machines, and Japanese style bath/shower. Then our Kitchen has a microwave, stove, toaster oven, and fridge. The microwave is pretty spiffy and can work like an oven too. Yesterday was Sunday and the ward gave us so much food! We also have a bedroom that has a cool sliding door with the straw mats as the floor, but because there are four of us our futons overlap into the living room too. Getting a bike was tricky because the card wasn't working at first and we found out the problem was my daily withdrawal limit, but we fixed it and I have the money so no prob there. We just have to wait for the bike shop to get the one I ordered. No need to send my straw over! haha the 7-11's are mostly for getting money and buying a snack or something once in a while. I wish I could show you the cool Kanji for Eniwa, I'm sure you could look it up though. There are also two other cities that my area covers called Chitose and Megumino. We are definitely going to work hard and plant/raise some beautiful blessings haha! My companion is pretty much a boss. He is crazy good at Japanese and talking to people. He is also way funny and cool. Definitely encouraging to work with. He actually looks a lot like Joseph Gandy haha. I forgot to bring my camera to the church, but you might be able to see his pic with me on the mission blog. As for garbage there are just a bunch of different categories that they only pickup on certain days, so it is a bit tricky.
I'm way glad you are reading the NT together! I want to start reading it eventually too because of how much we can learn about the savior's life from it. I have kind of been focusing on the BoM and PMG lately, but I hope to eventually find time to read all the NT, BoM, and Jesus The Christ. I hope Mara is learning a lot in seminary and taking the time to think about it a lot! I'm glad my testimony was able to help :) It is something that I hope to always be sharing as a missionary. Thanks for reciprocating the importance of the savior and the comfort that we can receive through and from Him. I know He is proud of all of you for all the great things you are doing back home as well. I`m glad that you were able to be help a lot through your tough work experience. Please keep working hard and remember how much I love you!
Thanks for the address and I'll do my best to write her/everyone else soon! There are lots of things we can only do on P-day(cleaning, shopping, sightseeing,etc.) but I want to find time to write as much as I can. Please send everything to the mission home address :)
How is Adam liking college? What classes does he have and how is the commute? I bet it is really fun to hear Mara and I`m proud of her for taking such a big responsibility and working hard. P-days are Monday here which I think is like Sunday night for you or something. I have some cool stories to share now.
So my first dendo was in downtown Sapporo before I left to Eniwa. There are tons of people on the streets there! It's tricky though because we can't talk to girls. We found a few people who actually wanted to talk and actually passed a book of mormon to a high school age kid and passed a lot of little chirashi (flyers) too. We also met an interesting guy who had studied a lot of different religions and stuff and just wanted to talk about how he wants to become an animal. I am pretty good at understanding the gist of conversations here, but I have definitely been humbled a LOT as far as Japanese goes. It's good though because I can learn a lot from what I hear and be motivated to study harder!! We have also tried dendoing in Eniwa a bunch, but there are hardly as many people on the streets. Yesterday we house dendo'd a bunch which is always very interesting and fun. We actually found one guy who was interested in listening and taught him all of lesson one on his porch! We were going to give him a BoM, but he wouldn't take it because it was free! He tried to pay for it, but we couldn't let him. He gave us water and said we could come back any time though! We also actually talked to random people in the park afterwards and it was great! It is such a cool feeling to be able to talk to people even though in the end they don:t always have interest.
So right now we have 3 solid investigators. One is named Nakamura and she has had all the lessons and is keeping all the commandments, but just needs to get a stronger testimony of JS and the BoM. The other is Haramai and she is pretty awesome! She has a daughter who is 8 and when we visited her house her daughter kept asking when she could be baptized! Another investigator named Miyashita could be getting baptized this Saturday except she had to go on a trip for a while. I think there are a few more, but there a lots of people that have interest and are progressing. We had to pass a bunch to the other companionship because of it. We have also visited members quite a bit and been fed A LOT! Of the first 4 days in Eniwa we were fed dinner 3 of them. Such crazy good food! Elder Hansen got sweet pictures. The members are so awesome! Two of them are old widow ladies that are super funny and fun to listen to. We actually ate at the stake president's house last night too. SOO much food, but sooo good. I also ate this thing called natto at the apartment a few nights ago. Some people say it's one of the hardest things to eat ever, but it wasn't too bad. Not delicious by any means, but really healthy so I:ll try to eat it every now and then I think.
Church yesterday was really cool too. The ward is so cool and nice! There are some funny and cool members and they:re all interested in the missionaries and stuff. We all bore are testimonies and introduced ourselves since it was fast and testimony meeting and I was really nervous, but everyone said I did great and is impressed with my Japanese for a bean. The spirit is so strong even though I can't always understand 100%. I'm excited to work hard to make it to the point where I can at least be really close and share and be uplifted just as much!
That's pretty much it! I'm excited to get a bike and be able to get moving a lot more! I:m also going to a Matsuri festival tonight with the other missionaries and then once p-day time is over we are going to shizen dendo which means natural dendo. It is where we basically just talk to people in normal situations, become there friends and try to find a way to share the gospel! I'm super excited. We're also doing lots of shopping.
I'll try to get lots of cool pictures and not forget my camera!
Love you so so so much! Kokoro Kara Aishiteimasu!!!
Hacchinson Chourou
(Note from Mom: I received the following note today from another Sapporo mission mom, Sister Rodenberg:
"Your son (Braden?) was mentioned in our letter home today. Our son, Braedon Rodenberg is in Odori, Sapporo, and told us that they are having another musical fireside. He is in a trio singing A Child's Prayer, and your son is the guitarist!" I'm so excited to hear that he's been given a way to share his music already!)
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
8/28/12 I am here and safe and happy!!!
Hey everyone! Sorry I didn't have much time to talk at the airport! I'm really glad that I was able to. We had to hurry a lot from there on out. It was so great though! The airplane was one of the coolest things ever!!! The one from Utah to LA was the best for sure. It was a lot smaller of a plane and the flight was shorter too. One of the coolest experiences of my life for sure! When we took off I was so excited! I felt like a little kid hahah. My mouth was wide open for at least the first half hour because I just couldn't believe how amazing it was! Seeing the whole valley and then seeing ABOVE THE CLOUDS was thee most amazing thing! The flight from LA to Tokyo was on a super huge plan and wasn't quite as fun because it was so long and crowded, but still not bad! I did my best not to sleep on the plane so that it would be easier to deal with the jet lag and so far I think it worked. I got a lot of studying done too. Airports are pretty interesting as well. Arriving in Japan was the coolest thing! The airport wasn't as overwhelming as I anticipated it to be (lots of English friendly signs etc.), but still so neat! Oh man, I wish you could feel/taste the air here! It is so neat! I love it a lot. Pretty humid and soo clean! We hurried around there for a bit and made it on our flight to Sapporo just as it started to get dark. The plane to Sapporo was not very full of people at all so I got to spread out a bunch. I dozed off a bit on that one, but it wasn't too bad. Once we arrived at the airport in Sapporo we got our bags and the Evans were there to greet us. It was so great! They are WAY cool!
Sister Evans is so peppy and lots of fun. Evans Kaicho (president) is really cool and chill as well. Sister Evans asked lots about my experience and interests with music and talked about how they do lots of music things here for stake activities etc. that missionaries participate in/talent shows and how she is really excited. We went and ate miso ramen at one of the shops in the airport and it was fantastic! Kind of funny too because they were playing old country music in the restaurant. After that we drove to the mission home which is about an hour away and I didn't sleep on the way there either. Hokkaido is pretty much the most beautful place in the world hands down. Even though it was pretty dark on the drive I was able to see lots of the city and areas around. There are lots of 7-11s! hahah! Everything is so neat though! The buildings, cars, people, all soo cool! I am so excited to be able to explore and meet and find! We arrived at the home and I got to sleep on a futon! They are great! It isn't what I first imagined. Basically a thin-ish mattress type thing that you fold when you aren't using and just lay on the floor when you do use it. Way smart! Saves lots of space too. I think I would compare it to a super thick down comforter hahaha.
This morning we woke up and I looked out the window to see the city. It's so amazing. I still can't believe that I am actually in Japan! We got ready and everything and went to the Evans' side of the home for breakfast and a bit of hanging out. Evans Shimai made some WAY yummy french toast stuff that had walnuts and also this yummy fruit dish that had these cool jelly things that Japanese people eat a lot. Way cool! Talked a bit more about music and things like that afterwards too. After that we went back to the other side and had some training from the missionaries at the home about finding and stuff like that. It was great! We also got training about money and the crazy garbage schedule/method here in Japan. I got my Japanese badge and meishi(business cards with my name and info etc) that are way awesome! I will take pics to send. After that I found out about my first area and trainer!!!!!! My trainer is named Elder Hansen and he is super awesome. He is from Ogden and lived in Japan for five years when he was young. He is way funny and super good at Japanese. The area I'm serving in is.......... ENIWA!!!! It means "blessed garden" and is the city that the airport was in! It's going to be soo amazing! Elder Hansen also served there before so he knows the area well which is good. After that we watched a really awesome video about the Sapporo Temple (which so far looks like it will be done after I come home :( That's ok though! I can always come back, eh? :)) and talked more about important things in serving and about training. That's everything so far though! Please reply soon! I don't know when my P-day is yet, but I'll let ya know for sure.
Thanks so much for being so amazing and helpful and encouraging and for your prayers. I know I need them and they help me often! I can often feel the spirit strongly and the presence of Grandpa Price and Grandpa Hutchinson helping me and encouraging me. I know this is the Lord's inspired work and I am ready to do everything possible for it. I know that the Savior lives and knows each and everyone of us personally because of the miracle that is the Atonement. I know that His doctrine is the only way that we can inherit eternal life and happiness in the Celestial Kingdom of God. God hears and prayers and loves us more than we can know. Through the book of Mormon I continually receive answers to my prayers and revelation that is important for me to know. On the airplane I read Mosiah chapter 26 a few times because I just opened the Book of Mormon to the first place I saw and it is an amazing chapter. I don't have my scriptures with me, so I don't have the exact verse, but it is about Alma being asked to judge the people that have transgressed and so he asks the Lord for help and the answer that he gets is just so powerful. Please give it a read if you have time. Maybe as a family if you can. I hope that you are having time to have FHE often. I feel bad that I didn't do more to help make it happen. I'm so grateful for the miracle that is this gospel. As the Lord's servant I testify that this gospel is true and the most important thing that we can strive to understand and learn in this life.
I love you!!! Cheers from Japan!!!
Aishiteimasu! Keep working hard and good luck with everything!
-Hacchinson Chourou
Sister Evans is so peppy and lots of fun. Evans Kaicho (president) is really cool and chill as well. Sister Evans asked lots about my experience and interests with music and talked about how they do lots of music things here for stake activities etc. that missionaries participate in/talent shows and how she is really excited. We went and ate miso ramen at one of the shops in the airport and it was fantastic! Kind of funny too because they were playing old country music in the restaurant. After that we drove to the mission home which is about an hour away and I didn't sleep on the way there either. Hokkaido is pretty much the most beautful place in the world hands down. Even though it was pretty dark on the drive I was able to see lots of the city and areas around. There are lots of 7-11s! hahah! Everything is so neat though! The buildings, cars, people, all soo cool! I am so excited to be able to explore and meet and find! We arrived at the home and I got to sleep on a futon! They are great! It isn't what I first imagined. Basically a thin-ish mattress type thing that you fold when you aren't using and just lay on the floor when you do use it. Way smart! Saves lots of space too. I think I would compare it to a super thick down comforter hahaha.
This morning we woke up and I looked out the window to see the city. It's so amazing. I still can't believe that I am actually in Japan! We got ready and everything and went to the Evans' side of the home for breakfast and a bit of hanging out. Evans Shimai made some WAY yummy french toast stuff that had walnuts and also this yummy fruit dish that had these cool jelly things that Japanese people eat a lot. Way cool! Talked a bit more about music and things like that afterwards too. After that we went back to the other side and had some training from the missionaries at the home about finding and stuff like that. It was great! We also got training about money and the crazy garbage schedule/method here in Japan. I got my Japanese badge and meishi(business cards with my name and info etc) that are way awesome! I will take pics to send. After that I found out about my first area and trainer!!!!!! My trainer is named Elder Hansen and he is super awesome. He is from Ogden and lived in Japan for five years when he was young. He is way funny and super good at Japanese. The area I'm serving in is.......... ENIWA!!!! It means "blessed garden" and is the city that the airport was in! It's going to be soo amazing! Elder Hansen also served there before so he knows the area well which is good. After that we watched a really awesome video about the Sapporo Temple (which so far looks like it will be done after I come home :( That's ok though! I can always come back, eh? :)) and talked more about important things in serving and about training. That's everything so far though! Please reply soon! I don't know when my P-day is yet, but I'll let ya know for sure.
Thanks so much for being so amazing and helpful and encouraging and for your prayers. I know I need them and they help me often! I can often feel the spirit strongly and the presence of Grandpa Price and Grandpa Hutchinson helping me and encouraging me. I know this is the Lord's inspired work and I am ready to do everything possible for it. I know that the Savior lives and knows each and everyone of us personally because of the miracle that is the Atonement. I know that His doctrine is the only way that we can inherit eternal life and happiness in the Celestial Kingdom of God. God hears and prayers and loves us more than we can know. Through the book of Mormon I continually receive answers to my prayers and revelation that is important for me to know. On the airplane I read Mosiah chapter 26 a few times because I just opened the Book of Mormon to the first place I saw and it is an amazing chapter. I don't have my scriptures with me, so I don't have the exact verse, but it is about Alma being asked to judge the people that have transgressed and so he asks the Lord for help and the answer that he gets is just so powerful. Please give it a read if you have time. Maybe as a family if you can. I hope that you are having time to have FHE often. I feel bad that I didn't do more to help make it happen. I'm so grateful for the miracle that is this gospel. As the Lord's servant I testify that this gospel is true and the most important thing that we can strive to understand and learn in this life.
I love you!!! Cheers from Japan!!!
Aishiteimasu! Keep working hard and good luck with everything!
-Hacchinson Chourou
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
8/21/12 (One more week)
Hey! Thanks for the email with the pictures from Michael's farewell!!! You said Travis is coming this week? Is Michael coming in on this very Wednesday too??!? If so there is a chance I could be their missionary escorts when they arrive! Last Wed and this Wed my district was picked to be hosts and it's way neat! I really REALLY hope I can see them! Michael, Ferrin, and Josh still haven't written me back :( I hope they got my letters though! I only had Michael's address so I sent them all to him with instructions to distribute them. Let them know that I could really use their addresses haha. Thanks for the picture of Lily and Mara too. Her sweater is nice and Lily looks so good I can just feel her giving me kisses.
Thanks as well for the letter with the pictures. The baby pictures are great although the long hair pictures are not really what I had in mind... I was thinking some from right before I cut it and went to college, but you can send those in an email later. No prob. I haven't gotten this coat yet, but I hope it will be ok. I will also probably have to get another suit in Japan. When the branch pres talked to me about sending the one home I got called to a member of the mission presidency's office and I didn't know why. I was scared because usually calls like that mean someone has died in your family or for some reason you are getting delayed etc. but it was just because they were worried that I wouldn't have enough suits for Sapporo. I don't know about finding earmuffs in Japan, but there might actually be a pair in the bookstore here... I will have to check and let you know at the airport.
Speaking of which I should be at the airport from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m and I don't know exactly when I'll be able to call. After I leave at 10 (ish) I'm headed to LA and I think I'll be there 12-2, but I'm not 100%. I forgot to bring my travel plan to email today, but if I messed up really bad I can write an emergency mini email. I do however really need phone numbers because I only barely remember the house number... I'm really excited to fly though! I am probably going to be trying my best not to fall asleep, but hopefully I'll stay comfy!
So sounds like you had a really cool Sunday and everything with the ward is going awesome! I can't wait to see what wards are like in Japan. Before anyone gives a talk or anything they always say, "Minna san, konnichiwa!" and everyone repeats konnichiwa kinda like talofa and stuff like that. Pretty cool. I'm excited! More nervous than I was before to be honest though. I still have soo much Japanese and teaching skills to learn. It is crazy to see how much I've grown here, but crazy to see how much work I still have to do. I'm really excited for letters from the teachers quorum! I honestly have only gotten a letter from cash and the two letters from you this last week so it has been slowish with mail, but that's ok. Please give the Nordgrens a big hug and thank you for the cookies too! I am really proud of Adam too. Congrats to Jenna & Tia Parke as well!
I am really jealous that you get to be around for the Brigham City temple dedication! I wanted to be able to see that sooo bad with driving past it almost every week. Please go to the open house if you have time. It's such a great experience as I remember from Oquirrh and California. I can't wait for the Sapporo temple too and I really really hope that I get to see it in progress too! Meeting people in Japan is going to be the coolest. From what I hear from the nihonjin they are a very shy people especially to foreigners, but hopefully I will be able to have the spirit with me enough that God can show his love for them through me.
Everyone at home especially you, family, come into my mind often as well. Thank you for your prayers and I know I couldn't make it without them. The examples of everyone back home bring me so much strength and joy. Please do all that you can to help the mission effort in the new mission there. I tell people about it all the time because it is so cool and I'm very proud of it. Try hard to share missionary opportunities and follow the spirit especially as it relates to sharing the gospel with others. It's something that I really wish I had been better at even if people would've chosen to ignore it at the time. Everyone needs the gospel. Everyone has specific needs that only the savior and His love can fill because He has felt every little thing that they have felt too. We can't just spout the gospel out at people though, we need to get to know them and their needs first and the Holy Ghost does the rest. When people finally realize that the Savior is what they need it is the greatest experience possible and even I am still becoming more fully converted by this work. I hope everyone at home who does not serve full time missions can too.
I love you so much and Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ do as well. Please let them into your lives by doing everything possible to bring the spirit into our home and life. I can't describe how much better it will make everything even if life is still hard. I think Moroni understood this. Thanks for sharing the scripture and thought about him.
Aishiteimasu
Hacchinson Chourou
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
8/14/12 Closer, closer!!
Hey everyone! Love ya tons and tons! Thanks for Connor's awesome letter! That is way exciting! We have actually practiced street contacting a few times here and it is really fun! Tricky in Japanese, but I'm getting the hang of it!
Thanks for the picture of Dave, Kait, Mya, and Livy playing in the water! Looks lots of fun! I am excited to swim when I get home hahaha. Cool inspirational running picture too!
Glad you are having a good week so far! Do you still get to babysit the nieces and the dogs pretty often? How is the house? Done anything new?
I will definitely be there very proud of him in spirit (when Adam is ordained an elder). I am glad you could go to relief society and have a good lesson! The gospel really is spreading. There are so many missionaries here and it's way crowded especially at meals, but it is so cool. Someone said 2700 missionaries or something like that, but someone else said it was 5k one time. Wow! So cool that so many young people and couples are doing the right thing. I feel proud you put up a pin for me! Yes I leave on the 27th as far as I know, but I will definitely inform you right away because I get my travel plans this Friday!!! I also get to be a host on Wednesday and I'm mondo excited for that.
Yeah the Nihonjin are sweet! There are not very many this time though. 12 in all. 4 elders only. They are great though! 2 of the Elders are going to Sapporo. There are really nice! I usually hang out and talk with them at meals and on Sundays. The elder that sent me the package was Elder Furukawa. He is the bomb! He writes me emails every week too. I don't know exactly how to best describe him, but I got a few pics with him that you have. The squid jerky is awesome. There is also an eel jerky one too that is way yummy!
What wonderful ward members and friends we have! Thank Jeana Speirs lots for me! I think I am good on money as of right now, but having some on the card will be good at anytime. Please let everyone know I'm doing great and am excited! Also tell them about the blog if you like. Sam Bush is going to Fukuoka!
I am very happy to be a greenie because I think that it will be the most motivation to grow and work harder+develop really good habits. In Japan they call greenies "bean-chans" like green beans haha. Also your first trainer is known as your Mom so he'll have a pretty high name to live up to!
I got Lauren's letter with the pin and it is great! I'll try to write her today. Thanks for sending the pictures and yes I've been enjoying my hymnbooks for a long time now :)
Anyways I'm over time on my email so I'm going to put in this list of things I probably need before I go.
Earmuffs
Umbrella (forgot to bring I think)
Soap
Vitamins
I can't really think of anything else, but here is what I'll prob send back.
Black tie from Dave's first day because I want Adam to wear it his first day too!
Maybe Hair Dryer
Some Shorts
Old Scriptures and papers
anyways love everyone tons and tons!!!!
Hacchinson Chourou
Thanks for the picture of Dave, Kait, Mya, and Livy playing in the water! Looks lots of fun! I am excited to swim when I get home hahaha. Cool inspirational running picture too!
Glad you are having a good week so far! Do you still get to babysit the nieces and the dogs pretty often? How is the house? Done anything new?
I will definitely be there very proud of him in spirit (when Adam is ordained an elder). I am glad you could go to relief society and have a good lesson! The gospel really is spreading. There are so many missionaries here and it's way crowded especially at meals, but it is so cool. Someone said 2700 missionaries or something like that, but someone else said it was 5k one time. Wow! So cool that so many young people and couples are doing the right thing. I feel proud you put up a pin for me! Yes I leave on the 27th as far as I know, but I will definitely inform you right away because I get my travel plans this Friday!!! I also get to be a host on Wednesday and I'm mondo excited for that.
Yeah the Nihonjin are sweet! There are not very many this time though. 12 in all. 4 elders only. They are great though! 2 of the Elders are going to Sapporo. There are really nice! I usually hang out and talk with them at meals and on Sundays. The elder that sent me the package was Elder Furukawa. He is the bomb! He writes me emails every week too. I don't know exactly how to best describe him, but I got a few pics with him that you have. The squid jerky is awesome. There is also an eel jerky one too that is way yummy!
What wonderful ward members and friends we have! Thank Jeana Speirs lots for me! I think I am good on money as of right now, but having some on the card will be good at anytime. Please let everyone know I'm doing great and am excited! Also tell them about the blog if you like. Sam Bush is going to Fukuoka!
I am very happy to be a greenie because I think that it will be the most motivation to grow and work harder+develop really good habits. In Japan they call greenies "bean-chans" like green beans haha. Also your first trainer is known as your Mom so he'll have a pretty high name to live up to!
I got Lauren's letter with the pin and it is great! I'll try to write her today. Thanks for sending the pictures and yes I've been enjoying my hymnbooks for a long time now :)
Anyways I'm over time on my email so I'm going to put in this list of things I probably need before I go.
Earmuffs
Umbrella (forgot to bring I think)
Soap
Vitamins
I can't really think of anything else, but here is what I'll prob send back.
Black tie from Dave's first day because I want Adam to wear it his first day too!
Maybe Hair Dryer
Some Shorts
Old Scriptures and papers
anyways love everyone tons and tons!!!!
Hacchinson Chourou
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
8/7/12 :)
Hi!!! How is everything??? I am doing well. The Nihonjin came last night, but I won't be able to meet them until probably tonight. So crazy! I have been thinking about everybody lots too. Thanks for the awesome pictures! It might be good if you resized them and made them smaller. That way you could send me more and they don't take up the whole screen when I view them. The pictures of Olivia her head was as big as the whole screen! I am glad that you have had lots of time to play with them. I am excited to see the drawing from Mya! That is neat about Ashton too. Baptisms are so great and it is so cool to learn more and more/teach about its importance. Cool for Raleigh too! Thanks for letting me know whenever people ask about me. Lucky Lauren and Andrew!!! I am not digging Utah summer much right now. I have been pretty dry... :( I'm sorry that you got sick though! I have probably enough vitamins to get me through the rest of the MTC, but I'm not sure. I have a lot of things I am planning to send back. Other than vitamins I definitely need soap again. I'm down to one bar. It won't be as bad in Japan because I have to shower at least two times a day here because of gym being in the middle of the day.
The olympics sound cool, but I guess I'm not super interested in them. Japan has been doing awesome in soccer from what the teachers have been saying though! I'm excited for whatever other pics you want to send too. Please include some of me when I was little and that one I asked about with the long hair. I will probably send another card soon. Good luck scrapbooking and have fun! Having stuff from Adam's Court of Honor will be great too.
What do you want to know about the MTC? On p-day I wake up way early because the laundry room is crazy busy and I want to be able to email while the laundry is in because it's the only place you can email in regular clothes. Then I eat b-fast and go to the temple. After that I study for an hour in class then the rest of the day is just studying Japanese and writing letters. My district is fine. The new missionaries are alright. I hang out with Sam a lot. At least every time we have Gym. We've been running again too and it feels great. There are only 12 nihonjin which is like a third of what there were before, but it is at least something. Two of them are going to Sapporo!!!
Crazy Adam.. haha I think about that car sometimes. How is it holding up? Thanks for letting me know about dean's list too. I am still really wanting to go to BYU when I get back so I'm glad grades are supporting there. Good like to Adam! That's nice he could get into 2nd level English! It's the hardest class of all to get into at USU.
Thanks for telling me Pres. Nordgren's thought and sharing that awesome scripture. I really really love switching my name into scriptures sometimes! (Mom's note: It was Helaman 10:4-5)
Oh, also I got a package last P-day from one the past Nihonjin that I became really good friends with. Guess how much he spent to send it? Almost forty dollars in yen! It was full of tons of Japanese candy (pocky, reverse pocky, squid jerky, salmon jerky, little spicy crackers, hi chew, everything!) and the wrappers are really cool and funny. I can't wait to send pictures. He also sent a cool picture and note in Japanese telling me how great the work is going and that he gets to baptize someone! I hope I can become as good of a friend with the new Nihonjin!
Well... Off to more laundry!
Love you all!
minnasan aishiteimasu! :) :) :)
Hacchinson chourou
The olympics sound cool, but I guess I'm not super interested in them. Japan has been doing awesome in soccer from what the teachers have been saying though! I'm excited for whatever other pics you want to send too. Please include some of me when I was little and that one I asked about with the long hair. I will probably send another card soon. Good luck scrapbooking and have fun! Having stuff from Adam's Court of Honor will be great too.
What do you want to know about the MTC? On p-day I wake up way early because the laundry room is crazy busy and I want to be able to email while the laundry is in because it's the only place you can email in regular clothes. Then I eat b-fast and go to the temple. After that I study for an hour in class then the rest of the day is just studying Japanese and writing letters. My district is fine. The new missionaries are alright. I hang out with Sam a lot. At least every time we have Gym. We've been running again too and it feels great. There are only 12 nihonjin which is like a third of what there were before, but it is at least something. Two of them are going to Sapporo!!!
Crazy Adam.. haha I think about that car sometimes. How is it holding up? Thanks for letting me know about dean's list too. I am still really wanting to go to BYU when I get back so I'm glad grades are supporting there. Good like to Adam! That's nice he could get into 2nd level English! It's the hardest class of all to get into at USU.
Thanks for telling me Pres. Nordgren's thought and sharing that awesome scripture. I really really love switching my name into scriptures sometimes! (Mom's note: It was Helaman 10:4-5)
Oh, also I got a package last P-day from one the past Nihonjin that I became really good friends with. Guess how much he spent to send it? Almost forty dollars in yen! It was full of tons of Japanese candy (pocky, reverse pocky, squid jerky, salmon jerky, little spicy crackers, hi chew, everything!) and the wrappers are really cool and funny. I can't wait to send pictures. He also sent a cool picture and note in Japanese telling me how great the work is going and that he gets to baptize someone! I hope I can become as good of a friend with the new Nihonjin!
Well... Off to more laundry!
Love you all!
minnasan aishiteimasu! :) :) :)
Hacchinson chourou
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)