Monday, December 13, 2010

Happy 16th Birthday, Miles

Miles

Hey bud, if I`ve got my time right, it`s still your birthday!!!!

Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Miles. Happy birthday to you!

You are a stud Miles and I`m way excited to be there for your 18th birthday! I love you bro.


Robert

To Matthew on December 13, 2010

Dear Matthew

Are you having a good time? You are going to be 6 soon! You are growing up so fast. I wrote you a letter this week telling you I love you. I also made you a picture of us...it`s a surprise but you should get it right around Christmas I hope.

I am having a very good time in Japan. I am telling a lot of people about Jesus Christ and how He is our Savior and Redeemer. I`ll come back soon, but first I need to finish my mission. It`s so important to go on a mission. When you go on a mission I hope you write me lots of letters! Right now, I am teaching a small boy. He believes in Jesus Christ and wants to get baptized. He`s going to get baptized on Christmas day! I`m going to call you on Christmas eve or Christmas day and tell you about it, does that sound good?

I love you Matthew. You are a very special boy and I`m excited to be there for your baptism in two years. Be nice to everyone and make lots of friends!

Love

Robert

December 13, 2010

Hey Family!

I`m glad you got my letters the other day! Sorry I`m emailing you a day late, p day is almost always on monday but yesterday, we had a zone conference so it`s tuesday afternoon in japan and I am emailing you all! I sent you all letters too, so hopefully those get there way quick! If you don`t get them before you leave for california, just know that I love you all and I`ll be calling in just a few days! I`m going to start writing every week now, if I can, so please, write back!

It`s exciting to hear about moving to California! I`ll keep it on the low down until things are for sure and you give me the go ahead!

My new companion, Elder Tada is great. He doesn`t speak much English but he`s a really great guy and a good missionary. He was the Naha district leader and came down to be my breaker. A breaker is what missionaries call the second companion because he almost always does things differently than the trainer. And he does. I`m getting used to it. I`m definitely looking forward to when I`m senior and I get to dendo exactly how I want/think it should be done! But until that time I will be a supportive junior! Elder Tada eats a ton, but he`s still way fit. And he eats miso soup for breakfast. Weird. But I guess that`s Japanese culture for you. He`s actually really funny and he likes to joke around. We`ll definitely get along for the next 6 weeks.

I don`t know if I`ve gotten the package or not...I got a bunch of letters with some pictures inside which I am absolutely stoked for! Thank you so much everyone. Thank you Matthew, you are a sweet boy!

So I have a funny story. This last week was way crazy because it was transfer week so there are a lot of stories, but this one is great. I was riding my bike with Elder Hardy on our last day together and this giant bird on a telephone wire pooped on me. Like 5 times at once. Man, it was crazy. And it was like a 10 minute ride back to the apartment which was way embarrassing. I didn`t curse and I didn`t get mad at anyone so I would say I handled myself well (I would`ve shot the bird if I had a gun though). I sent my other memory card in the mail with the family`s letters so you`ll be able to witness the damage. It`s the first time I remember being pooped on and it blows a lot of other pooped-on-stories out of the water.

In other news, I had zone conference yesterday and it was great. The mission is so spiritual and yesterday was one of those days where it was tangible. The conference was centered on Christ and receiving revelation. In Preach My Gospel, it talks about how revelation is vital. Like oxygen is vital. So just a thought but give it a try...this next week, seek after revelation everyday. It`s been working wonders for me!

I love you all!

Love,
Robert

Sunday, December 5, 2010

December 5, 2010

Dear Mom and Family

I hope everything is going well! I`m so glad that it`s p day and I get to email you and the family? How is everyone?

No, no more mishaps. Elder Hardy and I have been quite safe and I know it`s because of your prayers. I did get caught in a crazy rainstorm this last week without my kappa (rain suit I got from a missionary) and we were soaked! I took of my shoes right when it started sprinkling because they were my nice ones and it was time to go home anyways! I have a basket on the back of my bike that I inherited from another dying missionary so I put them in there and they were safe. I rode back with just socks on...haha, good times!

Elder Hardy leaves this Thursday at around 7 in the morning and my new companion should be getting in around 12. I find out who it is this next Wednesday! I am nearly 100% sure I`m staying in Yonabaru too, they wouldn`t white wash this area twice in a row. This area was really struggling before this transfer. That`s why they sent in Elder Hardy (he was a zone leader for 7 transfers (each transfer is 6 weeks) so he`s an awesome missionary). We`ve been tearing it up here too. Last night I asked someone to be baptized and they said yes! He`s a boy that`s been brought into the church by other members and his mom is okay with him being baptized. The mom came to the lesson last night too, and she is a total kinjin which is missionary language for golden investigator. She`ll get baptized too next transfer. I know it. But yes, so Ryuta is getting baptized Christmas day. "I`m dreaming of a white Christmas..." It`ll be my first baptism in Japan...well...first baptism ever! Also, one of our other investigators recently said that after a lesson, she realized this message (of Christ`s gospel) has so much more meaning than it had before. She`ll get baptized next transfer too! And there is one other investigator who is a kinjin. When the other missionaries who were meeting with her asked her to pray about Joseph Smith and his experience, she said "what if I already know it`s true?"...like it was an issue. So I think Yonabaru will see at least 3 baptisms in the next 6 weeks or so. I`m way stoked!

The people in the spider infested building have been hard to contact recently. One`s a college student from Nepal and he`s way busy. The other is a high school student and high school is way difficult as well. We haven`t been afraid to go back though.
Matthew!
I`ll be writing you a long letter this week and I`ll draw you a picture too! Does that sounds good to you? When I come back home I`ll be bringing you a lot of cool presents and toys from Japan...they have some really cool stuff here! I really miss you and I think about you when I`m having a hard time. It makes me happy to think of your smiling face! Have fun at home and be good to Mom, Dad and Miles, ok? I love you little brother!
Parents!
I`ve got a question? Has President Margetts emailed you or called you recently about my debit card? It`s not working for some reason and I think it`s because the bank may have forgotten I`m overseas. Darn Wells Fargo...I trusted them!!! So I paid Elder Hardy back with money partially from the 60 some odd American dollars I just got exchanged (don`t need them) and then some from my MSF so no worries about debts. I`m all square. But just in case of an emergency...it`d be nice to have! Arigatoo gozaimasu! Oh, by the way, thank you so much for the sacrifices you are making for me. Be sure to tell Uncle Craig that too. I`ll never forget what you guys are doing for me.

I love you family!

Love,
Robert