Finally ...We have some pictures!

 Klein-choro and  Brinley-sensai (his favorite teacher) at the MTC

Hello Everyone!

So I`m finally in Japan!  It sure has been crazy for the last several days.

I loved hearing from you all.  I hope that you all have a great time at the Lodge!  It sounds like it is business as usual, and that is very comforting to hear.

Well, you all heard about my experience coming to Japan on the airplane.  I talked about how Zinke Kaicho and the A.P.`s picked us up.  We stayed at the mission home for 2 and a half days.  We were fed well and received some training and materials that we need to study. I was interviewed by Zinke-kaicho on Wednesday to see what kind of person I am.  It went well, but, to be honest, I have a hard time remembering everything that happened because of all the jet lag.

Zinke-kaicho, Klein-choro and Zinke-shimai

  The following day, Thursday, we climbed Mt. Kobe.  It was so pretty.  The hike was really hard though, because the humidity and the temperature make you feel like you are trying to run in a hot shower.

Hiking Mt. Kobe-he looks sweaty!

 

 view from Mt. Kobe

After that, we went back to receive more training until we see who our companions are.  When we walked in to see who are companions are, I have to admit that I was feeling so nervous.  Zinke-kaicho announced the companionships and I was paired with Elder Nelson. Elder Nelson is a cool guy.  Elder Nelson is in his last 2 transfers, so he will probably be training me for a little bit.  He is from Idaho.  After our companionships were announced, we were told to eat some food, get our stuff ready, and head out.  So, we did exactly that. We had to take a bus and train to get to my new area.

Elder Nelson and Elder Klein

My new area is near Kyoto and is called Otsu.  I can actually get to Kyoto in about 15 minutes from here by train.  It is really cool.  On the train and bus ride over there, we talked with other trainers and companions. Everyone was a little nervous.  While going there, all I was hearing from Elder Nelson is about how scary the area that we are living is.  He was basically telling me about how the apartment is dirty and gross and that we will be living in the slums.  When we got there, it wasn`t as bad as he made it seem.  I learned, though, that when he had his last companionship, they really didn`t take care of the apartment.  We haven`t seen a cockroach for five days, and, according to Elder Nelson, that is a miracle.  If you think that he is pulling my leg, I actually saw all the cockroach traps that we have in our tiny apartment - must have at least 20 cockroach traps hidden throughout our apartment.

The apartment consists of -1 bedroom, 1 bath, 1 hand washing room and shower, 1 changing room, 1 kitchen, 1 study room and the hallway.  If that sounds big to you, then you are thinking like an American.  I am in Japan now!  Everything is so tiny!  I need to duck my head everytime I step through a doorway because I am at least 6 inches too tall for that doorway.

After that, we sat down for planning and, then, headed out to go contacting.  It was so weird.  But, we got back and everything went ok.  My schedule consists of waking up at 6:30, exercising for 30 minutes, eating breakfast for 1 hour, studying for 4 hours, then go prosolyting until 8, eat dinner, then plan, then relax until 10:30.

Japan is so pretty!  I can`t believe how clean it is either!  Google Otsu so that you can see where I am serving.

Otsu, Japan

I have gotten to teach a few lessons and, by now, I know that I am absolutely terrible at learning the language.  I swear Sophie could speak better Japanese than I can.  It is so hard.  I feel as though I will never get this language.  According to the 12 weeks plan for new missionaries, I am supposed to be able to lead a lesson on the entire restoration by the end of the week!  I can`t do that!  That is way to hard to tell a new missionary to do!   At the MTC, I had that support that if things went wrong, I could resort to English and I could know what everyone is saying. Here, I can`t understand what is being said at all.  I don`t know what anything says.  I don`t know what my companion is talking about when we give lessons, it is just so bad...I thought that they didn`t give us enough time to study during the MTC, but, here, I only have 1 hour to study everything that I need to say in Japanese, after that I can`t because either we are in a lesson or we are biking to a lesson or place. I feel that I can`t learn a language with only 1 hour to study it.   .

BUT - I`m going to try my best, that is all I can do, because I don`t know what else I can do...

Please, pray for me...Pray that I can eventually get this impossible language!

I love you all so very much!  You really have no idea.  My prayers and thoughts are always with you. I loved hearing from you today, that really did make my day.  I love you all!

 With Love,

Elder Klein


P.S.  Here are some of the photos you have been dying to see.  Zinke kaicho should email you some photos he took when we were at the mission home, but he has discontinued his blog,so you know.

Elder Klein with his Grandparents picture hanging in the MTC

 Elder Klein and his MTC district with one of their language teachers - Kolton didn't tell me his name.

P.S.S  If my writing is way weird, I apologize.  I`m trying to writing on a sticky keyboard that is in Japanese