Rice and Ramen: SEPTEMBER 27, 2015

Hello,

So I actually can't believe that I am in Japan!!!! Like the signs are different and they drive on the wrong side of the road and I'm the only white person in my area and people stare, oh and they speak Japanese...otherwise the same :D.

Plane rides were great, though during the 11 hour flight I took a bagillion 5-20 min naps all the way there. I felt uncomfortable because I couldn't watch the free movies and I couldn't read my Book of Mormon so I slept. So hard not to watch the movies of the people around me....sigh. We got off the plane, went through customs and I got my gaijin card and then we met up with President Welch. I walked outside and I felt the humidity, it was normal to me but an elder was like "woah..." That day it was super rainy and humid. We got to the mission home and we had rice and some stew thing...it was delicious!

The first day we went on a run for our work out and oh my lanta it’s beautiful! That day we had training and Costco pizza and we got our iPads. That night we had a testimony meeting but we were trying so hard not to fall asleep. The next day we played rugby in the rain and oh, it was soooooooooo much fun. We went up to the top of this giant hill, my legs were jello after trying to run up it and then I gave up and walked. We took pictures, but not sure when or how to send them because we don't have a computer just an iPad... We will see! We started to play rugby all of us elders and sisters and then it started to rain!! Ahh !!!

After that we came back, changed, a little more training and then we met our companions. My comp is Sister Uchida. She's Japanese. She speaks little eigo but enough to communicate. My first area is Kitarokko and its beautiful!!!! Lots of hills but it's still good. So pretty and green!

My companion is beautiful and I love her! I taught her sister in TRC Skype lessons back in the MTC, which is so cool! I'm the only white person around and the red in my hair is showing through. So I stick out and everywhere we go people are staring at me. It's a strange sensation. An Elder I met today did the same thing today but then apologized and told me he hasn't see a white person in a while...

When you go to restaurants they serve you this tea mugicha tea. It is literally cigarette water.

No air conditioning, but it’s not hot, just don't sleep under the covers. Weather is starting to change.

We went to a member’s house for dinner, the food was supa good!!! Yum, gyozas, rice kastu lots of other delicious things and cake! It was pancake tasting, it was so good served with kiwi and ice cream. Spoke 日本語 (Japanese) and it went well! I feel like I'm listening to an intellectual conversation and that I know what's being talked about sorta and I can't express my opinion because I sorta don't really know what is going on.

We ping ponged people houses or tracting and it means only over an intercom interaction. In Japan they have 7-11 :D demo no Slurpies and it makes me sad but they have other delicious treats like my new favorite chocolate called Black Thunder. It's Oreo like and I can describe it but it's the best!

We walked to the bike shop, almost a 4 hour ordeal, and there I heard the song “ When I see you again” and I wanted to cry :3 it made me so happy. Also the Cheerleader song also played and I thought of Liam singing it and it was another happy moment of my day.

I am singing a solo in at some point (it was going to be the first Sunday) I'll tell you how it goes. We practiced Saturday night at the church with the other Elders in our area KITROKKO and together we are singing 2 verses of 日本語 and two verses of eigo. The third is me doing a solo in eigo, lovely. After the practice I talked (small talk but still talked) with two shimai, they were so nice ( this is at the church) we talked about what I like to do, where I go to school, what instruments I've played. It was an actual conversation in JAPANESE! Ahahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! I understood and I responded in a not so bad timely manner!

I love Japan!!! Curry and rice :3 it's so good!! We welcomed people before sacrament and then during sacrament I had to go to the front and introduce myself. Yay!!! It wasn't too bad. Everyone is so nice, I already love all of them. The babies are absolutely the cutest things on the planet!!! I seriously love this ward! They are so genki and love the missionaries! I met so many people and they have all told me my nihongo is jozu or my Japanese is skilled or good. I think they’re just being nice, but I am understanding more. We taught a kind of FHE where we had food (😆) and it was amazing and the members that were there asked me questions it took a few moments but I could understand and respond. I love it! I never want to leave. Being here isn't different from America (well it is) but it's just something new and my new normal. The phrase “fake it till you make it” has really been my motto. p

The missionaries have a box called a fruits basket at the church and members put things in there for us. Today we received a bouquet of home grown long stemmed roses and a bell type flower. So sweet smelling :) we also got Costco rolls and eggplant (which we used in our curry). Yes, we have not one, not two, but three Costcos in Kobe, yosh! (Yes! My comp says it a lot) It feels like I have been here forever and at the same time it has only been 6 days. Actually not exactly sure about the days because I missed a few haha! We have four missionaries in this ward, my comp and I and our DL and his comp.

Biking is rougher than I thought. I knew it would be tough but oh my lanta it's killing my butt demo I'm getting great looking legs in return! I named my bike Clifford. We met a woman today named sakamoto さん. She has been the most interested in our message than anyone else. We got her phone number and she would like to learn more. YAY!!!!! We rode into this neighborhood that is a little rural and is like climbing a mountain. We made a joke that it is like "on top of the Yama!" Yama is mountain. My companion and I are getting along really well!!

I have also found out that my dōryo is 1.) an amazing cook (yay!) 2.) likes to sing 3.) likes hiking 4.) likes art museums 5.) is amazing at English and I'm so grateful for her because she has to put up with me, oh I love her! I'm getting better at trying to use Japanese all the time. Each day I learn/understand more (still not a lot but so much better!!)

I love it here!!!!!!! So much! The ward is the best and I know I can do this!!! Ahh, so happy!!!

Something I learned in the MTC, there is no growth in a comfort zone. Mom, I am so proud of you for being a seminary teacher!!

Ha, I think it was because Ryan didn't go to a certain devotional but I was so happy to see him and we talked a whole bunch before we left.

The letter you sent got to me yesterday the 27th. Thank you by the way!!! Oh Jeo and I are in the same district and her new companion is sister Zhou or Joe. Jeo and Zhou shimai. The Lord has a sense of humor.

I always feel like I'm forgetting something ....oh well !

I love you infinity 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Love Oswald 姉妹

Tuck-n-Roll