Sunday, November 27, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving

I had a fun idea someone told me about, their mom gave them a scavenger hunt for the mission.  A list of things that the missionary has to get a picture by, I thought that sounded fun.  So I'm glad things at home are were really fun! I guess it's not really home, but whatever. 

Thanksgiving was great, remember how I said I went on an exchange that day?  Well guess what? It was with Elder Hollister in Kasugai!!!  Haha it was so fun.  President Baird asked us to do three things: service, have a nice meal, and write home.  So I did all three.  We helped this guy clean his car yard again.  That was fun until the sun went down and Elder Hollister and I only had shorts and a t-shirt on.  It got down to 6 degrees celcius.  Haha, we are morons, it was very fun, and on the bike ride back we were struggling haha.  We went to the church to make the dinner.  That was really fun. We failed on the yams, and I forgot the jello, but it was amazing.  Actually, there was so much food, I prepared a second dinner on Saturday for the Kariya elders with chicken, and the Jello and a success for the yams.  It was so awesome.  I had so much fun in Kasugai. 

Actually, Elder Hollister came to do the baptismal interview the next day and our investigator got baptized! But he came and did it and we all hung out all morning.  Making a Mission Impossible video (because that's the only song I remember from all my years of piano haha) and played some ping pong.  Elder Hollister`s companion was in Kariya for 10 months, so ward members came to be with him.  It was a lot of fun.

Saya got baptized! It was great.  The meeting went great, except she was really loud and distracting at times.  I feel that Japanese people mature slower, but whatever.  It was great.  She made it on the first dunk, so Elder Hiruta called it a 'first round knockout'.  I guess their last baptism took like three times haha.  We had a party after with her family and some ward members.  We made okunamiaki, tacoyaki, Korean food, and cake.  Cake isn't the same, not at all.  But it was really fun!
So things with Elder Kishi were tough this week.  I feel like my MTC experience was very good for me, because the patience I learned there is helping me now.  It's tough, he's not nearly the worker Elder Hollister is, and it's hard to lead when you don't know the language like your companion.  This ward is different too, people think I know way more Japanese than I do and are just relentless. It's kind of a downer sometimes.  But luckily I got give other gaigin in the ward!

Things are awesome. I'm thankful to be on a mission and to have a great family that loves and supports me back home. I love all of you and wish for the best! I hope you enjoy the letter that will come from this neck of the woods.

Wanna know something cool about being in Japan?  I am a gaigin, which is translated to foreigner.  I have this thing call gaigin power.  I am bigger than almost every one, and I stand out like pee in the snow.  People always move out of the way for me haha. I bumped into someone and said excuse me because it was my fault.  They looked up and saw I was a gaigin and were all sorry and scared haha.  But because I have gaigin power, everyone wants to talk to me so that really helps! Even though I can't speak well, they just love listening to me and they think it's crazy I know any in the first place.  So yes, that is awesome.
           
I  just want to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and how thankful I am to be out here serving a mission.  I officially hit my 6 month mark and time has flown by.  I am 1/4 done and I know it will go even faster now.  I am thankful to be out here together as a band of brothers doing our Savior's work for Him.  As President Eyring said this last conference, 'Push yourself beyond your endurance.  Work past the point others would've taken a rest.'  Do the work and have fun.  I am thankful for this short opportunity. HOIZA! (Hope of Isreal Zion's Army)

Sponpon,
Elder Parry

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