Hope that you all are doing alright! It was so great getting your letters this week. It was great hearing about 7 peaks and how summer is winding down. Elizabeth, I hope that you are feeling a little better about your classes now. It really wasn`t fair for them to exclude you even though you are a perfect student... typical Wasatch. Madisen and Vic look like they had a great time miniture golfing...I miss a lot of things about leading a normal life, especially eating giant ice cream bowls at Leatherby's. It sounds like Mom is getting a little exhausted over school prep and Dad is starting to go a little crazy because I'm not there....(talking to cars etc..) Haha just kidding, love you, Dad!
Mom, I hope that you didn`t feel to bad about missing the email last week. You didn`t know that I was going to be emailing a little earlier than normal. I didn`t get to read it last week, but I was really happy to see that I had one extra email to be reading this week!!
Andy seems like he is just about to head out huh... That is really weird to think about. I think that he will probably be reassigned for a little bit until the visa arrives. Its funny that he talks in his sleep while at the MTC. So funny! I talk in my sleep in the mission all the time! Oh well...when your companion tells you that you have been sleep talking in Japanese, it makes you feel a little bit better about it for some reason.
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Well, I guess that I will answer some of your questions before I launch into my past week:
Being an American can be really fun and really frustrating in Japan. Fun in that you have something called Gaijin power, it enables you to basically get away with doing anything because you are Gaijin (Foreigner). You can break cultural norms and it doesn`t feel weird for Japanese people. But, the downside is that no one wants to talk to you if they aren`t comfortable with English. They get this look of sheer terror when you are talking to them. They think "I can`t speak English, I can`t talk to you, I can`t, I can`t" meanwhile, you are talking to them in Japanese! When we went housing around the local college, we introduced ourselves in the Kekko Box (intercom basically). We tell him who we were and then he hung up on us. While we were walking past, we hear his wife asking what we wanted and he said that he didn`t know because he didn`t want to talk to us because he can`t speak English.
As for the young adults and older people treating us, I like talking to young people a lot more than talking to older people. Younger people are very easy to talk to, while older people seem to not like to talk to us as much. I love them all, it's just while talking about the gospel, it is much easier to talk to the younger people. I think that it is the hierarchy effect in place. The older people feel as though they can treat us bad if they want to, while the younger people treat us good all the time because we are on the same level.
We never see other missionaries except on companion exchanges and district meetings.
There aren`t a lot of flowers here in Otsu. You see beautiful gardens though. Some of the prettiest gardens that I have ever seen in my life. The mountains are so pretty here. It isn`t like the Rockies, but beautiful green mountains that spike into the sky.
Besides rice and toast, we eat a lot of chahan. It is a Chinese recipe that both me and Elder Nelson love. Other than that, what ever we can scrounge together. Sorry about that mom, I know you want more information. {I looked up Chahan - it is stir fry with eggs, meat and vegetables.}
Yes, I am taking my vitamins and everything... (sigh)
My clothes are doing alright, they are definitely being worked hard now. The first week was terrible with my pant legs getting caught in the chain of the bike, though. Don`t worry, they are fine. Shoes are great too.
I haven`t been able to eat too much Japanese food yet, {I asked him if he has been eating sushi} because it is too expensive. The only thing that I don`t like so far is Mugichan, the tea that tastes like cigarettes and dirt. I hate it so much... sooooo much. I don`t see how people can like it.
I have bought a little translator. I have also just bought a new backpack, since we can`t use backpacks that have two shoulder straps, only one. They don`t want us to look like we are college students. I get that but....you know. I also bought a fan here, I like it a lot, very handy...I see why everyone uses them.
Kids, yes. A lot, no. There are not a lot of kids here in Japan. When you do see them, they are so funny. I swear, I get a laugh out of every little kid that I see here in Japan.
I have ridden many trains since coming here to Japan. For fast transportation, trains are the way to go. Riding a bike was way sketchy for the first week, but I think that I can say that I am pretty good at it now. The first week, though....I`m lucky I didn`t die.
You see cats and dogs here in Japan. A lot of small dogs, though. They don`t have a lot of space for big dogs here in Japan with their tiny apartments. No real pokemon, (they have a animal named a pika that is like a squirrel) I have seen a lot of posters for a new Pokemon movie that is going to be coming out soon, though. To be honest, I want to see it so bad... after my mission - I`ll watch it in Japanese.
A hair salon will probably cut my hair. I don`t trust my companion with my hair. Hair salons are crazy expensive here in Japan, though. Like 4000 Yen {about $40) for a haircut! I think that is only for women though, I think that men maybe a little different.
I think that is all I have time to answer this week. Ask me more and I will try to tell you about it next week!
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So, this past week has been a okay week.
First, off we got to go to Kyoto last Preparation Day! Kyoto is so beautiful, you can`t even believe it! It just makes my jaw drop because of how cool it is. Being focused on both the past and the present. Having top of the line modern technology next to shrines that are over 1000 years old. It really is amazing!
We went to Kyoto Eki (Station) and waited for our investigator. He finally showed up and then we took a quick look around the Eki. Stations here in Japan are a lot different than in the States. The Eki is a paradise. They have shops, movie theaters, hotels, restaurants all inside of it. Beautiful architecture, for sure. We got to see a grand view of Kyoto from something called the Sky Walk. Very beautiful.
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| At the train station |
After that, we decided to ride the train over to the Heavenly Dragon Temple. It was one, if not the first, Zen temple in Japan! I have pictures of it - don`t worry. The garden in the back was breathtaking.
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| At the Heavenly Dragon Temple |
After looking around for a little bit, we decided to go to some of the more famous shrines in Kyoto. I forgot the name of the site, but we got to walk through millions of Shinto gates and see beautiful shrines everywhere. I think that was one of the most amazing places that I have ever been in my entire life. It reminded me of the Sistine Chapel and how that took my breath away. I can`t believe that I got to experience it.
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| At the Kyoto Shrines |
Kyoto was so amazing and beautiful. You would be walking along the most modern buildings you have ever seen then, and then right in between two buildings would be a pathway leading to a beautiful, small, old shrine. Perfect mix of old and new.
I also got to go to Bishop H.`s place for dinner yesterday. He is literally the coolest church member that I have ever met here in Japan. So cool and so nice. His family is so nice, as well, and so encouraging to me. I have to say that I was nervous going into the dinner appointment after the experience at Calvary, but it was really great! They fed us so much. I tried not to eat too much, but they kept on giving me more and more food! We shared a spiritual message on temples and then we left. I am so glad that dinner appointments can be a really fun thing.
Now, today is Mom`s birthday. Well, over here it is, at least. Happy Birthday Mom! I really wish that I could be with you right now, or at least send you a present, but I guess that this will have to do. I love you so much. I have learned so much from you that you don`t even know. Let me list a couple of things that you have taught me in my life.
1. Pure love - You don`t care who it is or where they have come from, you exhibit pure love to everyone. The way that you talk to others, how you act, what you do, and how you think is always about the needs of others. You are so full of love. That is why I loved to be home, because whenever I stepped inside of that house, I felt the love of a mother and family who loves each other so unconditionally.
2. Thrifty - The F word in our family is "full price". It is true that we are a thrifty family. That has been such a blessing our lives. Why buy something when you can make it better and have a story along with it? Why buy something that you don`t need now when you can save for later? Why buy a huge boat when you can see the wonders of Rome.? I have seen how much of a blessing it is to be thrifity. To always be willing to focus on what is needed and not what is the so called `best`.
3. Happiness and Humor - You and me Mom - we are a lot alike. We have the same type of humor. I think that is very apparent. We just think about Dwight from the Office and we start laughing. I think that is wonderful. You are so very happy all the time. I have said it time and time again that I think that when it comes right down to it, you are the only one in the entire universe I can`t help smiling at. When I was a kid that is true, and right now it still holds true. Whenever I see you happy and smiling, I want to be happy and smiling along with you.
I miss you so much, Mom along with everyone else, but today I am really thinking about you. I love you so much you don`t even know. I can`t wait for that day when you can smile at me and I can`t help but smile back.
As for the language, I am really frustrated. I hate and love learning this language. Whenever I learn something new, it seems I take one step forward and then two steps back. Its hard to start the journey with the first step when you get dragged back to the start whenever you think you making progress. I know I have to keep going, but it is just a little frustrating.
Well, I think that is about it for this week. I love you all so very much. I can`t wait for your emails and pictures next week. I love you all and, as always, Don`t Forget to be Awesome.
With all the Love,
Klein choro (Elder Klein)
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