6th week in Japan
9/21/2015
Love the People

Dear Family and Friends,

Yet another phenomenal week here in Japan! I hope that you are all doing well back home. How is everyone doing? Thank you all so much for your continual support and for all of the emails. I have really enjoyed being able to read your emails throughout the week rather than just once a week. I hope Michael is doing well at the MTC. He sounded like he was having fun. The first week or so at the MTC was pretty tough for me, but once you get to know the people it is so much fun! Although he will only be there for a little longer (if he hasn't left there already.)

We got our transfer calls this morning, and I found out that I am staying in Okayama Nishi! (not to much of a surprise) However my companion is transferring to Akashi to be a zone leader! I felt pretty bummed out when I heard that he would be transferring to a new area. He has taught me so much here, and I know that I will never forget my first transfer that I had here in Okayama Nishi with him. Elder Goldhamer really taught me how to be a good missionary. I don't think that I could ever thank him enough for all of his help. Even though he is leaving, the work must still continue in Okayama Nishi. I know that being the area leader might be a little difficult for me. I have a pretty bad sense of direction, but as long as my companion and I follow the guidance of the spirit we cannot get lost. My new companions name is elder Weakley. I have not met him yet, but we will be doing transfers on Thursday, and I will be able to meet him then.

On Tuesday last week my companion and I were able to meet with the Murakami family for a very spiritually uplifting experience. The Murakami family is a very strong member family in the Okayama Nishi ward. Their daughter is currently serving a mission in Tokyo, and they really like the missionaries. They had us go with them to visit a less active member. We drove to a place called Kurashiki about 3 or so hours from Okayama. It was my first time driving in a car for 3 months so it felt a little odd. I got a little motion sick because of all the winding roads in Japan. I also realized how much mom would hate driving in Japan because the roads are all so tiny haha. Sometimes I see roads that look like a go-cart could barely fit in it. Anyways when we arrived the Murakami´s told us that they just wanted us to sing a few songs to this old less active man. He was living in an old folks home, and couldn't talk, but he could understand everything we were saying. As we went into the room sister Murakami talked to him about us and said that we were here to sing for him. We sang a few hymns and by the end he was bawling. He looked like he was so full of joy, and the spirit hit me so strong. Even though we were doing something so simple, it meant so much to him. I then realized how it is just the little things we do that make all the difference. I encourage all of you this week to try to find something you can do for someone else, even if it is something as simple as smiling at them.

Before our district meeting on Friday our district did an activity called Suika Wari (watermelon chopping). It was so much fun. We set out a tarp on the floor and put the watermelon in the middle. We all got in a circle, and blind folded someone with a wooden sword. We spun that person around and helped to guide him to the watermelon. It was a lot of fun, and I will attach a picture of it. Also the zone leaders joined us for district meeting and they are awesome. They are both Australian and they are super funny too. They also do a tradition where you take the split parts of the watermelon and wear them as hats for a picture ( kinda strange, but hey it is tradition).

In district meeting last Friday I was given the opportunity to teach a lesson on charity. Before teaching I never really knew the true meaning of charity. I had always thought it was just trying to show love towards others. I read Moroni 7: 45-48 and realized that charity is a lot more than that. In Preach My Gospel Charity it says that charity is the “the pure love of Christ” (Moroni 7:47). It includes God’s eternal love for all His children. In order to show charity we look at all of God's children with an "eternal perspective." Whenever I see people now I look at them and try to think of how Heavenly Father sees them. He loves all of his children more than anyone can even imagine. Charity is an important attribute that we need to try our best to gain as members of this gospel and as missionaries. This next week I am going to try to show charity to all of those that I come in contact with. I would also challenge each of you to do the same.

I have been able to get to know my mission President a little bit. We had interviews once, and before I left for Okayama we spent a couple days at the mission home. He is so full of wisdom and extremely nice. I hope to get to know him more. Surprisingly we haven't actually talked to people much about family history here. I thought the same thing before I came to Japan about family history being so big, but I haven't heard much about it since coming here. They do celebrate their ancestors for a week, but I am not sure how big it actually it is.
Questions:
1. Yes we have transfer announcements, but we don't transfer until Wednesday. It will be fun.
2. We have 1 zone conference per transfer, so not yet.
3. I have a couple pictures with some members, but not too many yet. I will try to get some more.
4. I do get to teach kids, and I get to teach them English sometimes. I have given some pennies away and they love them! They are fascinated when they see them haha.
5. The scenery is sooooo beautiful. It is soo green and there are trees everywhere. Also there are some mountains around.
6. I couldn't get the video to open, I actually haven't been able to see any of your videos yet because they cant play on my iPad. If I find out how to get them open I will let you know. Okayama Nishi is the only area where we cant access a computer very easily, so I may not be able to open them until I transfer somewhere else.
7. We went to the castle today! It was awesome I will send some pictures.
8. We haven't played too many different games yet, but we are setting up ping pong family home evening night for Saturday nights. It will be extremely fun if we can get people to come.
9. The speakers and music are great. I think I am good on that thanks so much. I also got some more music from my companion.
10. We email from the church on our iPads usually. We are able to do laundry at the apartment because we have a washer and dryer.
11. I actually like Sundays the most, even more than P day. It is a very relaxing day, and I love talking to all the members.
12. I actually wish I could play more piano. There is a keyboard in one of the rooms at the church that I play on sometimes, but not very often.

Thanks again so much everyone for your prayers and support. It has been so great to hear from each of you. I love all of you and pray for you always.

Hirschi 長老