Good Morning!
Or I believe some of you might actually get this on yesterday's evening, so in the that case Good Evening! Another week down here in Kichijoji! It's been a really good, but really difficult one as well. I realized, yeah I really don't know this language...I think my first week people were using very easy words around me, haha, well not anymore! When we go tracting it's very difficult to catch what people are saying as they talk so fast! I pick up the words, but before I can figure out how those words fit together in the sentence two more sentences fly by! It's difficult, but I know each day I'm improving ever so slightly, so that's good! Oh and guess what, because I'm new, I do practice lessons with the members all by myself, quite difficult, but I've done a few, and while my japanese might not be perfect, they can understand me, so that's good. Also, through a series of circumstances Gantomur shimai and I had to give a lesson to an investigator on our own (Gantomur shimai has only been out a transfer more than I have). The investigators name is Miyuki san. She has a slight mental disability, which means we have to use very simple words with her, not a problem for Sister Gantomur and I! The lesson ended up going really well! I know that we have God's help on our side, and it's when we get into situations like this that He really backs us up. So while the language may be difficult and at times I get discouraged with it, I do have many circumstances that I can see where I am getting better....eventually we'll get there.
I thought you might want to know what bike I have...I'm not really sure...the name is in Japanese, so to translate over, I have no idea, but it's made by Giant, and is a cross road bike, white, and no it's not a girls bike so the bar is high, with a skirt, at first that was quite interesting, but now, well I'm a pro at dismounting and getting on. We bike almost everywhere, either that or take the train if we're going to the mission home (honbu) or a members house that is farther away. Most of the trains in Kichijoji are just as you see them in books, tv, etc...TONS of people, literally you are on top of each other and when the doors shut, if you're by them, the door is less than an inch from your face! However I will say even with all the people the trains are so clean! They have cushy seats (if you can get one) and they ask you to not use your cell phone while on them, and people actually don't! can you see that happening in America? I can't! The whole city is very clean, they really take pride in it i believe, I haven't seen a single dirty car or trash on the ground anywhere, it's cool!
Also, recycling is huge...not all cities are like this, but Kichijoji, comes everyday for trash (everyday they pick up a different thing)...burnables, unburnables, plastics, cardboard...they have specific green bags that you put them in and if you put something wrong in the bag, they won't take it. Makes for people having to recycle, i suppose! In restaurants too, you have to sort your trash that you throw away, they have different bins. It's just interesting and different.
Today, we have a mission christmas party! I'm so excited!!! However, since it's on our p-day, we still have to do all our p-day things, along with 2 lessons that we have scheduled today, so it makes for a busy day. it should be fun though!
I can't wait to talk to you all on Christmas! If you can call the number I sent last week at 2:30pm on Christmas day (MO time). I'll be awake, That way we can talk at 5:30am the 26th for me, before I get ready for that day! I can talk for an hour! YAY!!!
I love you all so very much!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Love Sister Erin Benne
Oh also guess what! I don't have to eat eel on Christmas after all! Gantomur shimai didn't want to either, so we worked it out that, the two of us would go tracting instead while Utsumi shimai and Togami shimai would go...because they love eel! Thank you!!!!
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