The Jumping Bush

July 29, 2012

Shelom,

Well, we visited a less active this week and I got the rundown about Ichiro (a Japanese baseball player who got traded to the Yankees this week). I was baffled. He told me it was funny because he is batting 8th for the Yankees now haha. That's way cool though. He probably doesn't have much time left. He is gettin old. But hey, I did spend last summer in Kasugai, it was super hot until I left. I know what a hot summer is like. We have been having a lot of thunder and lightning storms here lately and the humidity level has really picked up. It has been around 95 degrees with humidity this past week.

So this week was quite the week. Karen became a model so we celebrated that before Eikaiwa with Nancy. Then Eikaiwa was pretty fun. My group played hang man for most of the time and it was super funny. I was purposely guessing the wrong letters and making all the Japanese people, especially kids, super confused. It was a lot of fun.

We had interviews on Friday! It was awesome. I had a super spiritual and uplifting interview with President Baird. And of course, I got to talk to Elder Ellsworth and Sister Baird a lot. It was so fun. I planned a time for Nancy to get an interview because I thought it would be a good start to get her going back to church. She won't stop thanking us for the interview it went so well! She told President that she knew I would be a big part in helping her and Karen get back to church. President promised her I would be here for a while. I can't say I'm not excited! I love them, and I love this place. Nancy is the bomb, she made us lunch three times this week and brought them to our apartment by surprise every time. So good.

Then, we visited that less active who I told you about who talked baseball with me. It was so funny. Bardzinski got sick and had some problems. When dinner rolled around, they brought out all this big good food, but then some small food for him haha it was kind of harsh, but it was funny. It took like an hour to get there, then when we tried to leave, they told us it only took 25 minutes. So we had to book it back and a bush jumped out from the sidewalk and took me down with it hahaha.  My arm got all cut up and bleeding. Then my shirt was all brown and green. Let's just say it was pretty funny.

So church was quite the headache. People here in Japan like to tell you right before to give a 10 minute talk or an hour lesson during priesthood. Both happened, I didn't get the talk though. Then they were being super pushy and bossy. I have a really small bubble around me, but one of them was really striving hard to burst it. It was kind of a headache. I like being a normal member, people kept asking us for the dumbest favors. I told some of them that they should do it because we couldn't even do it. They didn't care and kept asking. Whatever.

Things are good here. I love you all. I'm glad you had a great time, or having, a great time on the family trip. Send some pictures! LOVE YOU ALL

Elder Parry

Takabata Was Hot!

July 22, 2012

Hello!

How are you? Things are going good here. This week was a lot quieter than the week before. Not too much happened. Something cool I wanna mention. That Spanish guy I found in Fuji got baptized last week. Elder Schade said it went really well. I was super happy to see that everything worked out and he was able to get baptized!

So Takabata was hot. I think Hell might be cool compared to the Nagoya area. It was pretty fun staying there. I got to their apartment and it looked like Fuji's apartment when I got there. So we spent a bit trying to clean it up. Not too much fun, but the clock was really fun. A lot of people were transferring this time around. I saw a lot of unfamiliar faces too, this mission is looking less and less familiar to me. I was like the first one at the clock and the last to leave.

So B-Ski is good. He's a lot different from Elder Jessop. Not bad, just different. I am really enjoying our time so far. Nancy really loves him too. She actually came to our ward party with Karen. It was way awesome. We had a 40th Year Anniversary Party for the Matsumoto Church Building last Saturday. We had a lot of people come to the party, including less-actives. Elder Aoyagi came too. He is in the Area Presidency. It was a really fun time and a good experience.

Sister and President Baird came to church yesterday for Branch conference. Their daughter, Whitney, was also there. She knew a lot of people from my MTC group in Kobe. She is really cool. I love the Bairds. Sister Baird was way happy to meet you guys and kept complimenting you. It was really good. I love them so much. Church was really good though. President Baird and Elder Aoyagi gave great talks on hanging in there and the reunion of being with our families and to put childish things away and be a man. I knew the talks were there for me.

That's the week. I told you it was pretty simple. Not terribly a lot went on. Mio is doing pretty good. She had a great time yesterday at church and loved learning about the Plan of Salvation. We might see what she thinks about baptism this week. Our others are just kind of there right now. Strong, but it's hard to figure out how to teach them. I miss you guys and love you all a ton. Have a great time in Pitt!

Elder Evan

The Best Transfer

July 15, 2012

Well, I'm reporting from the blazing hot area of Takabata. I have sadly already dropped off Elder Jessop. I was super sad to say bye, this was an amazing transfer. The last week was way fun. But first off, my new companion is Elder Bardzinski (a red head from Down Under)!!! Remember him from when I was in Fuji? Yes, this is his last transfer too, so we will have fun all over again.

As for this week, we went to get halo halo (Filipino shaved ice) with a member. It was way good and way fun. She is crazy, I love seeing Japanese guys marrying foreigners. It makes them a lot goofier and fun. It was way good though.

Yes, I did watch the end of the All Star game this week. We went to an Indian curry place and they had it playing on the big TV. It was awesome. I didn't see much though, it was already 8 to 0 and all I saw was Joe Mauer get a hit. It still made me happy. Billy Butler struck out lookin' silly, Kansas City is just a disappointment.

Eikaiwa was way fun. We played a game after a short lesson. The game was, "Do You Love Your Neighbor?". It was way fun, everyone got into it. then we had a bunch of people bring food and surprise Elder Jessop. Tt was a lot of fun. I got a way cool Japanese scroll from Komatsu san with my favorite scripture written in kanji. She does calligraphy. It looks beautiful. Then we had a final party for Elder Jessop in DTM too. Our district changed a lot. I'm sad that both of the District Leaders I have to go on exchanges with are a little different.  I guess you can't have everything haha.

We did 'heart attacks' to three families. Where you put a bunch of cut out hearts on their door and surprise them. But the Komatsus came out when we were doing it. We got away without them seeing, but they walked around and we were literally running from one hiding spot to the next. It was way funny. They ended up putting notes and soda into our bike helmets. We will never be able to one up the Komatsus. I love them to death, they came and said bye to Elder Jessop this morning and they were so sad. But they were happy I am still here. I really hope Mio can get baptized this transfer.

We did the last day of Homestay. Nothing too special happened last week. I did find out two of the kids are staying in Bountiful and they are doing a dance in the 24th of July parade! Try to find them! Elder Jessop is going to try and go. But then, we had two huge dinners that night. The Matsuhashi, old missionary couple, made us a huge meal and then Ko and Hoberto took us out for yaki niku and then to an ashiyu!!! It felt so great and it was way fun. We did all these fun poses and tricks.

Church was amazing yesterday. Elder Jessop gave an amazing final talk yesterday, I can really tell he will miss Japan a lot. Then we sang 'I Know That My Redeemer Lives' in English and Japanese and it was beautiful. We had a bunch of less actives come, including Nancy and Karen., which made me way happy. It was a super spiritual meeting. The day ended off great with a sukiyaki party at our ward mission leaders house. This was the best transfer, I loved every second of it.

LOVE YOU,

Elder Parry

Dying Companion

July 8, 2012

Happy Birthday Mom! And happy late Fourth of July! I did have a very good and fun celebration for the fourth. This was a very fun week. And we have a lot going on this week again. It's fun having a companion die, but I really really don't want him to go. He doesn't either. This has been the funnest transfer of my mission. He isn't excited to go home.

Well, we got done with our last exchange, thank goodness. I don't like them anymore. But it was good.  I gave a blessing to one of the Ueda members that needed a good ole pick me up. It went very well. The Spirit was really strong.

But the 4th of July was awesome! We made that cake you sent me and went and ate it with Nancy and Karen, the less actives. We went to a park and ate it. Then we played some baseball catch and played around on the play set. We met a guy who wants to meet us and do a personal eikaiwa so that was cool too. But I loved the fourth. We did eikaiwa after and it was fun. We taught everyone the Boot Scoot and Boogie. It's funny watching Japanese people do line dances. We did it with the district meeting the next day again.

On Friday, we went to Nagoya and had a Zone Leader council. They always make me way tired. They are all in Japanese and it's all day. I feel bad, I know I got side tracked and lost all attention towards the end. It was way fun seeing Ashcroft, B-ski, Ellsworth, Hiruta, and the rest of the Zone Leaders and President Baird. It was a very fun and interesting day. Elder Jessop and I had to do a phone conference for our zone this morning and repeat all that we learned. Neither of us wanted to do it, but it went pretty well.

We had one of THOSE days on Saturday. First, cold shower, I got beat up by a less active kid, I kept getting spaghetti on my shirts, my fender broke off my bike, it rained hard, we have yaki niku with some less actives and didn't have enough money. So we rode around town looking for a place that would accept our cards. At the last place, I decided to put the card in a different way and it worked, which shows our dysfunctionality. Then I got more sauce on my shirt, we wore our rain suits when it got really sunny and hot. But I did get 32 chopsticks for the chopstick catch game. I'm the man, no big deal.

So I had to give a talk yesterday. I was way nervous. I just did a Japanese version of my farewell talk. It went so good! I talked for like 25 minutes. Too long, but it was way good. I felt so comforted and at peace, it was amazing. Then we got a random call from this girl my age in the ward and she invited us to go see fireflies with her family! It was so cool! They were all over the place and so bright. I caught a few and just played around with them. The awesome Brazilian, Hoberto, from the ward came, he is way funny.

So yes, this was an awesome week. This is going to be another fun but very, very busy week. I'm excited for the end, but wish Jessup wasn't leaving, I love Elder Jessop a ton. Love you all too! HAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! DJ got his 3000 hit a year ago today haha, time flies.

Elder BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOB

An Old Friend of the Original Elder Parry

July 1, 2012
I'm so happy you were able to meet Sister Baird! Those pictures make me so happy. This week was a crazy one. It was a lot of fun, but it was difficult in a certain way. First off, Elder Jessop and I are cigarette patrol on Tuesdays. We go to a hospital and clean up all the butts that lay around. Haha, it's way fun, we do such an amazing job cleaning up those butts and patrolling.

So I have a really cool story that I think dad is going to love. We went to Nagano to help this member from near the mission home move a dryer into the sister apartment. He told me he was from the Fukutoku Ward. I told him my dad served there about 26 years ago and when he figured out my name, he was so happy. His name is Mizuno Kyodai. He said he went on splits a lot with Dad. He was getting very emotional as he was talking about it. He said I look like Dad but my body shape is quite different, haha go figure. It was a really awesome experience. He said he wants to meet dad next year.

From there, I did an exchange with a bean from Ueda. it was pretty good, nothing too exciting happened. I went on another exchange and I went to Ina and was there with.......Elder Dinkel. It was a lot better than the MTC. He is still intense and has some of the same characteristics, but I feel like I have grown and am able to handle him better. I guess it is easier to do it for a day. It wasn't too bad though. We went straight from there to the Homestay program in Matsumoto. It was so fun!!! We got to talk and help all the kids with English. I did a 30 minute presentation about Salt Lake City and I didn't get homesick at all! When we had lunch, there was a potato salad that had a ton of carrots. Elder Jessop turned to me and said, 'eat it quick so I can stab you (with the shot)'. Haha, at least he knows what to do. We got to learn the Matsumoto bon bon!!! They were practicing because they are doing it in the 24th of July parade. Look for them! One of the girls I have been helping a lot was way funny. Whe kept clapping in our faces and speaking all this funny English to us. It was way fun.

So we went to our last appointment with Li. It was so sad. She is going back to China for a month. I will see her again, but Elder Jessop is out of luck. On the way, I got pooped on the head by a bird....he had a nice shot. I was riding my bike and it was windy so I will give him props. But still, dumb bird.  

We had a way good lesson with a Philippina last Saturday. She prayed in Tagolog and she said 'amon' which is god, but Elder Jessop and I thought it was 'amen' and we both ended it. Haha, her face looked so confused, it was so funny and embarrassing. Whe just finished the prayer and we all had a nice laugh.

Things were good. The exchanges ruined a lot of plans. It is hard to have to move everything around. I don't like doing them anymore. We did have a great dinner last night with the old couple missionaries and that was fun too. I love being here. I love you guys very much! Happy very belated Father's Day Dad!!!

Elder Parry

Exchange With the APs

June 24, 2012

That's way awesome. Where did the Youk go? I told Elder Jessop that the Heat won and he said, 'aren't they good?' haha.  Not as into sports as the Parrys are. That's way awesome about Grandma and Doug gettin their mission papers goin! And I'm glad that Caroline had a great experience and the boys....had a growing experience haha. If you look at it in that way.

So yes, we got hit with the typhoon, only for about an hour. It was supposed to hit us for four days last week and then today, but it has been sunny, warm and clear. Elder Jessop and I were screaming all the way home. The rain was going from left to right and the wind was just crazy. We kept getting sprayed by passing cars and the rain drops were HUGE.  Haha, it was pretty fun. I thought rainy season would be like this the whole time, but I haven't had too much rain.

We have a gyoza party with our Chinese investigator Li. We learned how to make Chinese gyoza from scratch and it was way fun! We didn't do as well, and trust me we heard from Li. She was making fun of us the whole time haha, and I had to wear a girl's apron that was too small. Haha it was pretty fun. 

We did an exchange with the APs. I was kind of nervous leading up to it but it turned out great! I went with Elder Kervinen, he is a Finnish elder who goes home with Elder Jessop (July). I hadn't liked him too much before, but he really opened up during the exchange and we just had a bunch of great talks. He is way awesome. We visited Nancy and Karen in the afternoon and had a way good time. I played catch with Karen and Elder Kervinen had a good talk and got to know Nancy. Elder Ellsworth went with Elder Jessop. They both said that it was a great exchange and it was much needed. I love those two.

We helped the city hall with a Homestay program. It's where they send kids to Salt Lake City to do Homestay. They cooked traditional Japanese meals and we helped them translate them and helped them with introductions. It was way fun and went way well. It was so fun watching all the little kids cooking. We got to eat some after and it was so good.

We had District Conference yesterday and got to listen to a broadcast and hear Elder Oaks and President Uchtdorf. I talked with Sister Baird a ton. She is back in Utah for the next few weeks. See if you have time to visit her. That would be way cool.

That was the week in Matsumoto. It was way fun. I love it out here and I love you guys even more!

Elder Parry, aka shortBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOB

Riding the Bullet Train

June 17, 2012

So is it only you for today Mom? Things have been good a crazy here this past week. We only had to buy pork and milk for groceries today, if that tells you how many times we got to sit down and eat at our apartment this week. It's crazy to think that a year from today I will see you guys. Sounds like things are going great at home, and in Peru. It's awesome to hear about all the fun at home.

Let's start off this fun week, we went to the Matsumoto Castle this week and it was so fun! We walked around, took some pictures, and talked to some people. We met these two gay Dutchmen, I think they were following us for a while. After that, I went and got jinbe, a Japanese pajama set. They look way cool and are super comfortable.

We have the best less-active member, Nancy. She is the funniest person ever. To explain her life, she has been punched in the face by life. She is so strong though. We had a great talk with her and the Spirit was there and she was getting emotional. It was a really awesome meeting. We also met with the Komatsus again, the less-active and investigator. She made us a huge lunch and we had a short lesson after. They are so funny. She was acting like our mom telling us to eat vegetables and drink water. We also did a FHE at the Gomi house. There are four kids under ten. We did a balloon game and you can guess how the night went. The kids would blow them up and let them go all night. Spit was going everywhere. Elder Jessop taught a solid lesson about the stripling warriors while I was getting boogers wiped on me, sat on, smacked, kicked, and fingers in places they don't belong. Gotta love kids.

We had specialized training this week. First in Matsumoto and first as a my first as a Zone Leader. It went pretty well. I got to see Elder Ellsworth. It was fun and trainings are getting funner and funner? Not really, it's just whatever now.

           
So we made the long trek to Fuji! Since it takes sooo long and we don't have that kind of time, we took the bullet train! It was way fun. (The bullet train or shinkansen is a very fast train, but missionaries don't usually ride it because it is very expensive--Evan told us to watch for the train ticketk to show up on our credit card this month.  He didn't have enough money to pay for the ticket from his missionary allowance.  We don't mind at all though.)  We stayed with Elder Schade and his bean Elder Ludlow. It was way fun and cool to see them. Then I went back to the Fuji Ward. It was weird, it had only been like two weeks, but it was really fun to see everyone again. I was able to talk to Kent for a while and get the package. His fireside was way awesome and funny. He is a natural. (Kent Dericott is a Bountiful neighbor and friend who is a celebrity in Japan--he travels there often for work and gives firesides to help the missionaries while he is there.  He had offered to do a fireside for Evan and they had it planned for Fuji, but then Evan was transferred to Matsumoto, so Evan was allowed to go back to Fuji for the fireside).  He went over time and when it finished, we had 15 minutes til our train left. We had to say a really quick goodbye and just run for the station. I hate saying goodbyes on the mission, they never happen. but it was really fun to hang out in Fuji for the night and day and see a bunch of people that are awesome and who I love.

Glad to hear things are going well, glad to be out here and having a blast. Thanks for the package, I'm excited for the 4th!  LOVE YOU.

Elder Boob