15 Jan 2012 Sennan Japan

8 Jan 2012 (9 Jan in Japan) Sennan Japan

Week 79

Mission Log

 

I`m finally all grown-up now!  In Japan, you become an adult when you are twenty years old.  This morning I went to a thing called seijinshiki.  It`s a big ceremony for everyone that turned twenty in this past year and is now therefore an adult.  It was a lot of fun.  This ceremony is a very big deal in the Japanese culture.  All of the girls wore very fancy formal Japanese dresses called a kimono.  They often spend thousands of dollars on their kimono, hair, and everything they need to get ready for their seijinshiki.  It`s pretty much one of the most important days of their life.  Guys just wear a nice suit and get a good haircut.  There was a really awesome drum performance at it as well.  I`ll try to include some pictures from it.  I just found out that I can`t send any pictures this week.  Sorry. 

 

We had a Christmas/New Years mission conference.  It was a lot of fun.  We played a bunch of sports in a church that has a gym in it and we had a talent show.  I really wanted to do something for the talent show, but that required me to get a bit creative.  I found a piece of bamboo on the side of the road and took it back to the apartment.  I then used a bread knife to cut two foot long pieces out of it.  It was pretty difficult because bamboo is actually really strong.  I was quite surprised.  I then took an old tie and a wooden chopstick, ran the tie through the bamboo and made them into nun chucks.  I had to perform the next day with my nun chucks that I handmade from bamboo and an old tie.  Making it was probably more of a talent than the routine I used them for.  Everyone seemed to like it. 

 

It`s been pretty cold and it even snowed a couple more times.  No snow has stuck to the ground ever though.  I got a pretty bad cold in the middle of the week, but I`m pretty much completely better now. 

 

I`ll ask President Zinke about the ecclesiastical endorsement when I talk to him at interviews in a few weeks.  There will be plenty of time to think about careers and majors after I`m done here, or at the earliest, in March when I register for classes.  I have to focus on other stuff right now.  Tell Joshua and Rebecca congratulations on the new baby.  Thanks for sending to new camera cord.  Also, tell Nathanael congratulations on the new baby.  I got his card in the mail.  I also got the pictures that Dad sent and the package from Tianna, but I haven`t played the candy bar game yet.  

 

That sounds like a pretty interesting book that you got Dad.   I don`t know if the book already told you or not, but "shogun" is a Japanese word.  The "gun" part is not pronounced like a gun that you shoot.  The "u" makes an "oo" sound like in moon.  Shogun was the title that the leader of the samurai had back in the days when samurai ruled the country. 

 

Kita came to church this week.  He`s stull very funny.  Sister Kitagawa is doing very well. 

 

I have to get going pretty soon now.  I love you all and I am excited to talk to you all again one day.  Bye.  ;)

 

-Elder Isaac Swift

 

2 Jan 2012 Sennan Japan

Week 78

Mission Log

 

明けましておめでとうございます！That is Japanese for Happy New Years!  It`s read akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!  It took me like ten minutes to figure out how to switch the keyboard back to English after writing that.  They definitely do celebrate New Years here in Japan.  It is the biggest holiday of the year.  It isn`t just the first of the year though.  The New Years celebration last for the first three days of the year.  Everyone goes to old temples and shrines, visits their family, and rests from work for three days.  Often times, they will prepare a lot of food before the New Year so that the wife can rest for the three days and doesn`t have to cook any food.  Also, they use the same pair of wooden chopsticks for the three days for the same reason.  Family and your ancestors are very important here in Japan.  You`ll often spend a lot of time with your living family and go to shrines to pray to your ancestors during the New Years celebration.  It`s customary to eat mochi and soba (a type of noodle) during this time of year.  In order to make mochi, you put some rice in a big wooden or stone bowl, then you smash it with a giant hammer (like Thor) until it`s all completely smashed together into one texture.  You then break it apart into little balls and eat it.  It`s sticky and chewy, but it`s pretty good.  It`s kind of hard to explain what it`s like because there isn`t really anything like it in the United States. 

 

Last Sunday, Christmas was pretty fun.  It`s not as big of a holiday here in Japan as it is back in the United States.  Nobody gets it off from work.  It isn`t even written on the calendar.  Everyone knows what it is somewhat and they get into Santa and presents and stuff.  People don`t know about the real meaning of Christmas being about Christ at all though.  Most people have heard the named Jesus Christ, but don`t know anything about Him.  It`s probably similar to how most of us have heard the name Buddha but don`t really know anything about him.  Japan, being an island, was very isolated from the rest of the world for a really long time.  Therefore, their culture and even people`s way of thinking are completely different from that of people in Western countries.  We had church in the morning for one hour and then went and ate dinner at the bishop`s house at night on Christmas Day.  Members of the ward here gave us some Christmas presents (mostly junk food).  It was very kind of them. 

 

On preparation day last week, we went exploring.  There is a big building near the apartment that`s half missing.  It looks like one part of the building was just wiped out.  Then, there`s a door frame on the remaining part, but there is no door on it.  It`s just an empty door frame.  We went in and had a look around.  It was the creepiest place ever.  All windows, lights, toilets, sinks, and everything breakable was smashed.  Floorboards were torn up.  Walls had holes in them and doors were destroyed.  It was quite large and had several stories to it.  There was only the one entrance that we went in in the basement.  There was no other way in or out.  There were several dark creepy and weird passageways.  I don`t have any idea what that building was or what happened to it.  It was fun to explore, but at the same time, it was kind of scary. 

 

Yesterday, we met the coolest guy.  We were waiting at the train station to meet with one of our investigators that we had an appointment with, but he didn`t show up.  Then, some random 81 year-old guy walks up and starts talking to us.  When I brought up the church, he said that he wanted to go.  Since our appointment didn`t show up and the church was only a five minute walk away, I said to him, "Why don`t we go check it out right now?"  He agreed and we started walking toward the church building.  One the way there he randomly says, "Do you like sports?  I like ping pong.  Do you have a Ping pong table?"  Of course, we do have a ping pong table in the church.  So, we told him that we could play a little bit.  He got super into it and he was actually surprisingly good.  He`s very active and energetice for an 81 year old man.  After playing and talking some, he insisted on taking us back to his apartment to feed us.  He lived close by.  We ended up spending a while talking and doing things with that man (his name is Kita).  What`s really cool is that even though he loves to talk and would constantly be saying things, he would always stop to listen whenever we tried to teach something about the gospel and he would accept it.  He says that he`s going to come to church and he likes all the stuff we`re teaching. 

 

It`s snowed about four times now.  It snowed on Christmas Eve and on the Day after Christmas but not on Christmas Day.  Before Church on Christmas day, we had a baptism, though.  Her name was Mika Kitamura.  She`s in her thirties.  She`s engaged to a member of the church.  What`s interesting is that the member was a less active member, but through Sister Kitamura hearing the lessons and getting baptized he came back to the church, as did his daughter.  Now all three of them are an active member family.  They have a goal to be married in the temple. 

 

I`m very excited for this new year.  It`s a great opportunity to make a fresh start and to become better.  You can just choose to forget all of the bad things of the past and choose to live for the future.  Anyone can choose to change.  There is a wonderful bright year in store for all of us.  Let`s make to most of every moment of it.  Live for the future. 

 

-Elder Isaac Swift

 

P.S. No, I didn`t get the pictures from Dad or the card from Nathanael yet. 

18 Dec (19 Dec in Japan) 2011 Sennan Japan

Week 76

Mission Log

 

Things are going well here, as usual.  I`m excited for Christmas in a week.  I`m excited to get to talk to you on the phone.  The phone call has to be fifty-nine minutes or less.  You`re supposed to call on Christmas Day for you, which will be Monday for me.  If you call in the afternoon, it should get to me in the morning.  That would be the best for me, but I don`t know what your schedule would be like.  The best for me would be at like eight or nine in the morning.    I will probably not be sending an email home next week because I will be talking to you on the phone.

 

  This morning, the first place that we went to to email wasn`t working at all.  None of the computers in the whole place could get Internet.  After that, we had to walk my bike to the bike shop to get it fixed.  In addition to that, we have a lesson scheduled during our preparation day, so we don`t have much time for shopping and email. 

 

We received a phone call last night with our transfer announcement.  Sennan is going back to being four missionaries again.  Elder Murray (the Canadian) is leaving, but Elder Singleton (another Canadian) will be coming here to be my companion.  I will meet him for the first time tomorrow.  He is another really young missionary.  Elder McKellar (the Australian) will be staying here and his new companion will be Elder Stanford.  All of the transferring will be happening on Tuesday this time (it`s normally Thursday) so that everyone can get settled in before Christmas. 

 

I have to get going now.  I love you all.  Have a wonderful Christmas. 

 

-Elder Isaac Swift

11 Dec (12 Dec in Japan) 2011 Sennan Japan

Week 75

Mission Log

 

I`ve become pretty much a pro at figuring out how to turn the typing back to English after I accidentally switch it to Japanese.  It only took me about two seconds this time.  The space bar is really tiny on the keyboards here and the button to switch it to Japanese is right where the second half of the spacebar is supposed to be.  I accidentally hit it all the time.  Other then that, Japanese keyboards are exactly the same as American keyboards.  As long as you keep it in English mode, there is no difference. 

 

I am still working with Elder McKellar and Elder Murray.  The next transfer calls will be on Monday, one week from today.  The transfer will occur on Thursday.  I wonder what`s going to happen. 

 

I`m continually amazed at the technology in Japan.  I expected Japan to have really cool advanced technology, but nothing like this.  There isn`t really any difference in the computers, phones, ipods, or TVs or anything like that.  Most people don`t even have a computer or a clothes dryer in their home.  The technology that they do have us beat on is their vending machines.  First of all, they`re everywhere!  Even in neighborhoods and on random streets in the middle of nowhere, there are vending machines along the road here and there.  I`ve seen vending machines with fresh vegetables or fruits in them multiple times.  Foods, batteries, small electonic/car parts, cigarettes, alcohol, eggs and of course normal drinks can also be found in vending machines here and there.  Most commonly they have drinks in them.  None of the drinks are left to be at a normal temperature.  Every drink is either chilled or heated at all times.  The machines all run twenty four seven in order to have your drink at the perfect temperature at all times.  I`ve even seen some that you can adjust the temperature according to what you like.  Sometimes they have small TVs on them advertising the product, or they just talk to you.  On the coffee ones, you can adjust the amount of coffee beans, cream, sugar, and things like that.  You can get your drink in a cup with ice in it and a straw if you choose to.  Sometimes I feel like the vending machines here have more variety and better service than grocery stores and even some restaurants back in the United States.  However, there one downside is that they use up ridiculously large amounts of energy.  I`m sure that vending machines will end up being the downfall of this country.  All the time, talk comes up of turning of vending machines at night or lessening the heating and cooling functions on them in order to save energy in the country, but people freak out and don`t want to do it.  I mean, when it`s two in the morning and I want a melon soda, it`s got to be kept at exactly one degree Celcius.  Any warmer would just be unbearable. 

 

Last Monday, we went to a zoo/park that`s in our area.  There was a dolphin show and it was really fun and interesting to watch.  We also got to see two kangaroos fighting each other, climb a lighthouse, feed some monkeys, and touch various animals.  It was a bunch of fun.  We actually don`t have a lot of time this week and I took a while going off about the vending machines.  So, I`m going to have to get going now.  I`ll right again next week.  Bye. 

 

-Elder Isaac Swift

 

4 Dec (5 Dec in Japan) 2011 Sennan Japan

Week 75

Mission Log

 

Seventy-five is three fourths of a hundred.  That means that My mission is nearly three fours of the way over already.  I can`t believe it.  It`s weird to think that a whole year went by since last Christmas.  It feels like it was just yesterday. 

 

A few interesting things happened this week.  Elder Symmonds went back home.  He got a medical release and went back to the United States on Saturday.  I am now working with the other two missionaries that were in the same area with us, Elder McKellar and Elder Murray.  Elder McKellar is from Australia and Elder Murray is from Canada.  They`re both way cool, and we`re getting along well.  We will be working as a threesome for the next three weeks.  I don`t know what will happen from there.  It would be cool if I got back together with an old companion again.  It could end up happening.  There is also a possibility that I could end up training again.  Who knows? 

 

I don`t know when Caleb will get his acceptance letter.  It sounds like he sent his application in for the early application date.  I sent mine in for the latest one.  I applied a lot later than this.  Jordan Ottesen applied at the early one, and he got his acceptance letter much earlier than I did. 

 

My address is Oosaka-fu Sennan-shi shindachi ichiba 893 banchi 3 sanhaitsu izumisunagawa and I am in room number 1027.  I can see everything from my apartment because it`s on the tenth floor of a building up on a hill.  I can even see Kobe. 

 

I also got sick and had to go to the doctor this week. 

 

I got to go on a companion exchange with Elder Kawamura again.  That was pretty fun.  He was my companion about a year ago. 

 

I think that`s everything for this week.  I`ll talk to you all again later.  Bye.

 

-Elder Isaac Swift

27 Nov (28 Nov in Japan) 2011 Sennan Japan

Week 74

Mission Log

 

Hello, everybody.  How`s everything going?  Things are still going really well here.  I`m kind of getting used to everything in Japan and it`s all becoming normal now, so there aren`t really any strange experiences or weird foods to write about anymore.  I`ve gotten used to sleeping on a futon (a thin mat that you lay on the floor to sleep on).  It`s not soft like a mattress, but it`s still plenty comfortable.  It`s especially good if the g\floor has tatami (a Japanese style floor woven from bamboo). 

 

In Japan, they don`t do anything for Thanksgiving.  I had actually forgotten that it was Thanksgiving until I got the emails last week.  No one in Japan even knows when Thanksgiving is or what it is.  I went around and taught a lot of people about Thanksgiving this last week.  We didn`t do anything special for Thanksgiving either.  But, at night I got a package from you and I was able to have a great Thanksgiving feast.  It was wonderful.  Thank you.  The Jacket and the toothpaste are also much appreciated.  Everything was good.  It was pretty nice eating good American Thanksgiving foods.  People don`t eat turkey here at all.  Most people have never had turkey before in their life.  They just eat rice and soy sauce all the time.  I like Japanese food.  It`s no longer weird  or anything.  It`s just normal food now.  It doesn`t seem foreign to me at all.  Myt companion however, can`t stand any of it.  He just eats cereal and peanut butter sandwiches all day.  I really like ramen (like Top Ramen but nicer) and gyoza (potstickers).  What`s funny is that those are both really Chinese foods.  When people ask my what Japanese foods I like, I never know what to say because all of the best Japanese foods are from China.  If I say a food from China, then they`ll get unhappy and say "That`s not Japanese!"  I pretty much like all of the foods here.  The only food I don`t like is beans.  That`s the same in the US or Japan. 

 

Our apartment is on the tenth floor of our building.  I`ve never lived so high up before.  Because there aren`t really any tall buildings in Sennan, and our building`s on the top of a hill, I can pretty much see the whole area.  I can even see Kobe across the water from my apartment building.  We live a little bit East of Izumisunagawa station which is one train station North from Izumitottori where the church is.  We had to ride the train back from the church one time.  I like riding trains.  They`re pretty convenient, but cars were still much nicer.  I`ve going to let you go now.  I`ll talk to you all again next week.  Love you.  Bye. 

 

-Elder Isaac Swift