Week 56 - Senzokuike, Japan

Hello!

So the Cards are in the World Series!?! Wahoo! I'm cheering for them all the way out here in Japan! The other day one of my English Class students found out that I was from St. Louis and a Cardinals fan, and he got so excited and started asking me all these questions on whether or not I ever got to see Sol Taguchi play, he being from Japan and all. He was even more excited when I said that I remember well cheering him on. I'm slowly realizing all the little influences that I've had in my life that had something to do with Japan, but yet I had no idea!

So President Albrecht wrote an article (Epicenter Japan: Leadership in a Natural Disaster) about the earthquake and the after effects. I don't know which two sisters he was talking about in the article. But, I do know who was with me in the Honbu at the time (so it wasn't them) and then just knowing the sisters well, I bet I know who they were. Ah that was a crazy time. I feel like things are just now sort of settling down from all of us leaving and coming back. It's taken a while, but we're getting back into the swing of things here. For the most part all of the areas are back open now. I think the last two will be closed, well, for much longer than I will be around.

Brother Togo

Things here are going really well. I think I mentioned last week that we would be having a baptism on Sunday, and we did! It was so fun! Brother Togo's two sister-in-laws (who really helped teach him the gospel) flew in from the Philippines and Illinois for it. You could just see the happiness and gratitude that he had for them in his face. He was so grateful to them for being the ones to introduce him to the gospel. Honestly, the whole day was just pure happiness. That's what I love about being a missionary. No matter how rough your day was, no matter how many times people slam doors in your face, or how tired you are, by the end of every single day, for some reason you're still happy. There is a joy that comes from talking to people about the gospel that just cannot be explained. And to see someone else embrace that same joy that you feel and realize the happiness that they can have, there is nothing that can replace that. Ah, I love it!!

Chou Shimai

Japanese is okay. I can get along, and feel relatively comfortable with the language. However, I know that my Japanese is nowhere near perfect, and there are many things that I still do not understand when people speak to me. Usually if I just have them say it again to me a second time, I can get it out. I feel I've become an expert at guessing. There is a saying that goes along the lines that people serving in South/ Central Americans come back linguistics. Missionaries serving in Europe become scriptorians. And Missionaries serving in Asia come back humble, because after a year and a half/ 2 years you still don't get the language and you teach only very basic principles. Haha, yeah, I think that sums it up right there!

I love Japan, the culture, and everything except for the fish. Nope still not a fan...

I love you all! And hope you have a good week!

Love,

Sister Erin Benne