A Big Pork Sandwich and a Big Dissapointment

Hey Everyone
Well I'm sorry to report this bit of news but there wasn't a baptism this week. We planned one but our good friend got a little bit of cold feet.  We got an email 30 minutes before the baptismal service asking us to postpone it for a while. We still don't have a new date but this week we plan to follow up and work with her.  I guess she just felt that she'd committed to be baptized too early. It was a heavy blow for Elder Kim and I. We weren't expecting that result at all. Well.. there is no where to go but up. I think things will get better. We did have a fun time going to Lunch with a member this week. On Wednesday we all went to Lotteria and at the Big Pork Sandwich they offered for a limited time. It was 35cm in length and oh boy it was delicious. The pictures that Kiyotaka kyoudai took are super awesome.
Well that's all I have this week folks. Tune in next week for more fun in Oyama!

愛しているよ
G

奇跡メール

Hello Everyone!

I love throwing Japanse in these E-mails and imagining you scratching your heads as you try to decipher the strange glyphs that make up the Japanese Language.

This week was a big week for Elder Kim and I for two main reasons. Number one is that we are actually getting along now. He's a lot of fun to hang around.  Things still aren't perfect with our companionship but we're working together. That brings me to my second point!

Our investigator Kaori さん is getting baptized this week! She passed her interview last saturday. Her baptismal date is the 20th of this month. We've spent the last two days setting up the baptismal program for her. This marks my first baptism on my mission! We're really excited for her. She's been investigating for 15 months! She really has gained a lot of faith in the last few weeks. I'll be sure to take pictures and send them next week.
As District Leader I've been working closely with the Sisters in my District. During my nightly calls this week they informed me that they need a baptismal interview for their investigator too. I'm actually going over there this evening to do that. If she passes then my District will see two baptisms this coming weekend!
Oyama District all the way!
I find it interesting that all of these things are happening during the most trying time of my mission. The Lords timing is definitely not my own. That may even be the big lesson I needed to learn recently. Despite all the troubles I've had working through these past few weeks the Lord has blessed my district and I with some great miracles! I'm excited to see what's in store these following few weeks. It's been really hot in Oyama this week and we've spent as much time as possible working inside. As a result we've done some pretty funny stuff.
Elder Kim who's recently gotten very good at ukelele bought a Red Ukelele for Shohei, a recent convert, and then taught him how to play. It was pretty fun hanging out with these guys playing ukelele and guitar. Shohei has a unique talent where he puts on a wig and sunglasses and then transforms in Michael Jackson. (I'll explain later)  Elder Kim also has some well hidden incredible art abilities. He drew cartoon characters of me and of Sister Kubota. Sister Kubota's looks just like her, it's crazy.
We also had fun at music night this week.
That's the update this week!!

Love you all!
I'll write soon!
-G

Summer

Well folks this is going to be a very short update today but just so that it's on the record I want you to know that it's summer in Japan. And I can tell you Utah and Arizona have nothing on the heat here in the concrete Jungle. We hit 33 degress celcius (91 farenhiet)  today with 95% humidity. I didn't know it could be this hot ever. Seriously. I'll take 100 degrees and dry over this any day.

On a brighter note I learned some cool stuff this week including how to spell my name in Korean.

While Elder Kim is really not the easiest person to work with he is a really cool guy. He taught me a little Korean and we went and bought fried chicken and rootbeer for the 4th of July. It wasn't the best 4th of July I've ever had but probably not the worst.  I gotta tell you though, I really missed America this past week. There's a good chance I'll be home by the next 4th of July. It's crazy how time has suddenly sped up again. The year mark goes so slowly but after that things just really start moving. I'm excited to see what new things I learn and what fun miracles I see these next few transfers.

Since arriving in an area that does a music night every week as a form of Dendo I found myself empty handed. Rather than learn Ukelele(which I have anyway) I thought guitar would be great but there are now travel guitars worth buying here in Oyama.

Today I recieved a Martin Backpackers Guitar in the Mail. I'm excited. The rule is typically no Musical Instruments unless you're good enough to perform. It would appear that I'm an exception :) I'm excited to further my talents with guitar every Monday and Thursday.
Well that's all for the weekly update. I hope you're all well!

Have a great week and I'll write again soon!
G

The Longest Week

This week was without a doubt the longest week of my mission. I'm not entirely sure what to blame for that. It could be that the mission was splitting, it could be that I'm still getting used to my area, or my companion, It could be that I hit my year mark this next week. I'm not exactly sure what it is. It's just been a really long week.

I'm excited to be here in Oyama, I've only heard good things about it, but I'm still getting used to it, doing my best to learn everyone's names etc. I've really enjoyed it so far. Elder Kim is a really fun guy too. He's working hard to get stressed or trunky since it's his last transfer. When we're teaching we teach pretty well together which is a good thing. I think If we didn't it would be a lot harder to work together. We have a lot of miscommunications and Elder Kim can be a little scary when he's frustrated or angry. Otherwise things are really good.  The ward is really excited to have 4 missionaries again (we got Sister Missionaries) and it's almost as if everyone has been sparked back to life. Half the ward stayed and watched the Work of Salvation Broadcast 

This week too. I'm a little overwhelmed in my responsibilities as District Leader. I'm doing everything I can to rely on the Lord and feel the needs of my District. (Have I mentioned that it's all Sisters?) It's a much bigger responsibility than I expected, but I do really enjoy it, I like a challenge every now and then. My first District Meeting is this Wednesday so I need to prep a training. I'm having a hard time thinking of what to do though. Almost half of my District are new missionaries. I really have no idea what to train them on. I know I have friends out there who have been District Leaders or Zone Leaders before. Any suggestions for trainings at District Meetings?

Great miracles are happening in Kiryu Zone and especially in the Oyama District. We'll most likely see a few baptisms this transfer between the three companionships here. Here in Oyama we have an investigator with a baptismal date. Her name is Kaori. She's super pure so she has a hard time remembering the doctrine, but she's super nice! Recently she's had desire to be baptised but didn't have the desire to match it. Elder Kim and I were really excited when she stayed for the full three hour program on Sunday. We're shooting for the twentieth of this month! (can you believe it's July already, because I can't.) This transfer is going to be one of mixed emotions, and we're going to be busy! 5 weeks to go!

"The challenge is to be more profitable servants"
-Pres Thomas S. Monson.

Love you all!
G

This is a Steamed Crab Donburi (rice bowl) ! It was really good.
I should have gotten the Unagi (Eel) though. that stuff
was magical. Real unagi is pretty expensive.

These are capsules from a Gatcha Gatcha machine. I love Gatcha Gatchas,
you always get cool stuff in them!
Some of you might remember these guys :)

 

Resetty from Animal Crossing

(とびだせどぶつの森　in Japanese)

 Olimar and a Blue Pikmin from Pikmin
（in japanese it's ピクミン）

The Verdict

Ok.........
............
Everyone Ready?........

...............
...............
...............
I've been called to serve in........
...............
The Japan Tokyo Mission!
I made into the same Mission as Elder Healy! It is however
bitter sweet. I got transferred.
Elder Gallacher and I began our personal study on Saturday morning fully expecting a call saying one of us were transferring. What actually happened however was not what we expected.

"Elder Gallacher, good morning" "Good Morning president! How are you?" "I'm doing great Elder, how about you, you ready for transfers?....We have a transfer call for you and Elder Howard." "Ok President." "Well we're doing something a little different this time" "Ok..." "We're going to turn Okegawa into a sisters area" "Wow..That is different" "Yup so you'll be going to Machida to be a Zone Leader with Elder Newsom." "Wow ok." "It's a South Mission area, so we're sad to see you go but you'll always be in our hearts and you'll always be on our quilt." "Thank you president." "Thanks Elder. Will you pass the phone to Elder Howard so I can give him his new assignment?" "Sure thing, here he is." The rest of the conversation was similair.

I was assigned to Oyama, a North Area in a place called Tochigi-Ken. My new home for the forseeable future. My new companion is Elder Kim. He's a pretty cool guy. He's a Korean Elder on his last transfer. We're going to be working hard for the next 6 weeks. I've also been called as District Leader. A job that would normally be rather time consuming. As my entire district is sister missionaries I won't be doing any companion exchanges. All I have to worry about is nightly calls and trainings for district meetings.
It was really bitter sweet leaving Okegawa. I really fell in love with that area. We spent all of Sunday and Monday cleaning, updating records and coordinating with the ward so that the sisters would be good to go when they got there. I still can't quite believe they "White Washed" us. There is a chance I could go back though I still have a year. They're going to put Elders In again at some point soon, only this time they'll live in Omiya, not Okegawa. So the missionaries will be spread out across the area. That should be interesting. Sunday night was really great. Brother Kakiki got a bunch of the members together and threw us a farewell party. I'm really going to miss okegawa but I'm excited for new things to come. Hopefully after today I can settle in. I've heard a lot of great things about Oyama but for the past few transfers the missionaries here haven't really been following mission rules. I may have to do a little "area clean up." I am however excited to make new friends. Oyama is a big area. It's going to be a blast!

Well that's the update.I hope you have a great week!
I'll give an update on the area when I get more aquanted with it.
I love you all!
Love from Oyama
-G

"United in so great a cause" or "Divided in so great a cause"?

Hello Everyone!
I hope you are all happy and healthy and hopefully somewhere cool. It's hot in here in Saitama. Today we hit 81 degrees and keep in mind the humidity is at least 95%
I feel like I'm going to melt into a puddle every time I walk out of the apartment. Wearing suits on sundays is like being punished!
I should also say that while Tokyo and Saitama get very hot in the summer there is one place in our mission that is the hottest place in Japan. Kumagaya. And it's right next door. If we walk North about 30 minutes we're in Kumagaya's area. This summer is going to kick my butt if I stay here in Okegawa.

That brings me to my next topic of discussion. Transfers are upon us. I can't believe it. 5 weeks come and gone and we're barreling through the 6th. We will recieve transfer calls on Saturday and transfer next Monday. Neither of us have any idea of where we will go. I've only been here for 2 transfers so I don't think I'm transferring. Elder Gallacher has been here for 4! He however only has 1 transfer left so he's not likely going anywhere either. But simply because we've been together for 2 transfers already means that one of us is probably transferring. We'll see what happens. This next transfer brings with it the risk of changing missions as well. Wherever you are next Tuesday is the mission you are staying in. I could very well be writing you all all from a different mission next week .I'm not too excited at that prospect. I really would rather stay in the Tokyo Mission. I was called here not once but twice. I guess it's all in the Lords hands. Will Elder Healy and I be in the same mission next transfer? That's the real question.

Today was temple day and we had the opportunity to take a picture as a mission and see each other one last time before the split. It was a much needed spiritual recharge. I did have the cool opportunity to see an old friend on Sunday. We were at the church prepping a baptism for one of the 8 year olds in the ward. I walk out of the bathroom and there in the genkan of the church is Evan Albrethsen my trainer! I was shocked. He saw me at the same time. And we bro-hugged. It was so cool to see him! Seriously made my day. He came to the Temple with everyone today so I was able to get a picture with him. over a year since he trained me. It was a neat experience.

Well that's the update this week. I'm sure you will all be in suspense as you await the results of transfers.
Stay tuned!

Have a great week! I love you all!
G

Faith, Hope, Charity and Love

Hey all!
It's another busy week for me and I don't have a lot to write about, but I'm going to give you a little homework.

I'd like to commit all of you to read Moroni Chapter 7 in the Book of Mormon.
Faith, Hope and Charity are the main themes of this chapter.  My favorite among these is Charity.
Verse 46 states that "Charity never faileth."Faith may fail at times. Hope may fail at times, but Charity does not. If you have Charity then Charity never faileth.  Working among the people of Japan can be hard. There are often times we work hard for weeks and see no results.

My faith is weaker at times than I'd like it to be, and my hope that I'll see miracles waivers. My love for Japan however does not.

I love this country and I love teaching it's people. They're wonderful people.

We recently started teaching an investigator named Imai-san. Imai-san lives in a small "one room mansion" in an apartment complex.

Let me tell you. It's filthy. He's a smoker and from the ammount of cigarettes in his ash tray and the smell of his house he's at about 2 packs a day, unfiltered.

The wall paper is peeling off the wall and the sake(rice wine) bottles laying around are a clear indicator that he's an alchoholic. Whenever we meet him he wears the same shirt and pair of shorts he always wears and sometimes it can be hard to meet his gaze because he's got a crazy lazy eye and looks like Mad-Eye Moody from Harry Potter. Even talks like him sometimes. Despite all of this we have the opportunity to teach him. He has a baptismal date for August 4th and When we teach him I can't think about his dirty apartment or the smell of old cigarettes. The only thing I can care about is helping this man recieve the blessings that he wants. He has a lot of desire. We love teaching him because he's so faithful and receptive. Charity is the pure love of christ and I really love this man that we just recently met. It's the same for others as well.
When you are serving the Lord it's hard not to feel Charity and get caught up in the work.
Okegawa is a slower area than my last area in Tokyo, but there are people here waiting to hear the gospel. Elder Gallacher and I have hope that we can find those people and that the Lord is preparing them. I love this area.

I hope you all have a great week.
I want to hear your insights or favorite verses from Chapter 7
愛してます！！
G