15(16) July Otsu Japan

Last post from Japan

Week 106

Mission Log

 

     It`s so hot all the time!  Elder Taggart is going to be staying in Otsu and getting a new companion.  You`ll be able to meet him when you come to Japan.  You probably won`t even recognize me though.  I might be way too different from before I left.  It still hasn`t really hit me that it`s over yet.  I still just go out and work and feel like I`ll be doing it everyday.  In reality, I only have about two days of work left, but it doesn`t feel like that. 

       These last two transfers went by so quickly.  Probably the fastest of any part of my mission.  I can`t believe they`re already gone.  I love Otsu.  I just want to stay in Otsu and live here forever.  I don`t really have that much to say.  I`m going to see you in a couple of days.  The person getting baptized in Otsu is named Yamada.  That`s actually a pretty common name in Japan.  I think that the rainy season is about done.  The rice fields are all starting to get pretty tall.  maybe you`ll get to see them harvested.  See you soon.

 

-Elder Isaac Swift

Otsu Japan 8 or 9 July 2012

Week 105

Mission Log

 

It`s so hot today.  It was rainy for the whole week, but today is very sunny and hot.  I gave my bike away to a member that was in need yesterday, so I will literally have to run to the finish line.  My ministerial certificate signed by president Monson expired on June 30th 2012.  For the last week or so I have been preaching the gospel and administering in the ordinances thereof without the proper authorization.  Oh, no!  I don`t know if I should keep proselyting without the recommendation of President Monson. 

 

Business cards would be a good idea.  Everyone in Japan carries and exchanges business cards.  Even the missionaries all have their own business cards that the mission home makes for them.  Mine look pretty cool. 

 

Another schedule thing came up.  On Sunday, after church, we have to go to Otsu by 1:30.  I`m going to be performing a baptism then. 

 

 

I went and saw another castle on Monday.  It was Hikone Castle.  That`s one of the original twelve.  It was pretty cool.  I`ve been to quite a few Japanese castles now, so they aren`t really anything new or special when I go now. 

 

There was another cool lightening and thunderstorm this week.  I`ve got a train to go catch now.  Talk to you later. 

 

-Elder Isaac Swift

1 July Otsu Japan

Week 104

Mission Log

This week marked two years on my mission.  It weird, as a kid, I was always taught that a mission was two years long, but I've been out for two years and still have three weeks left.  I`m not complaining.  It`s great out here.  I don`t have a whole lot of time to email, because I wasted all of the time by playing with the maps on LDS.org.  They've been updated so they are pretty cool now.  I even saw my own picture on it. 

The train pass does seem a lot better for the second half of the time.  I know all of the cheaper train lines around Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto.  If you know the smaller companies well, they are much cheaper than JR.  I`m excited for us to hang out and do all this fun stuff.  We`ve got to see the sky tree when we`re in Tokyo.  I heard it`s the new tallest building in the world.  My friend (someone we baptized), goes to the Shibuya ward in Tokyo, and Elder S. who is going home at the same time as me also goes to the Shibuya ward.  It might be fun to go there.  There is a really big famous festival in Kyoto while we are there.  It is the Gion Festival.  You should be excited.  There will be more people there than you`ve ever seen in your life. 

I`ll write you again next week, and the week after. 

-Elder Isaac Swift

Pictures from earlier months