So this week was as boring as ever. I just hate feeling like I do everything right, but nothing comes of it. I get that the Lord can do miracles through his servants, but it is hard to have faith adequate to produce miracles, when I often have a hard time believing anyone even will listen to us. I am working really hard lately on being exactly obedient, and giving all my heart, might, mind and strength, but I don`t feel like much has changed and that is what is frustrating. It`s like my faith is being tried by trying my faith!
Rebecca here are the answers to your questions!!!
1- yes Japanese people do celebrate Valentine`s Day, but it is not a very big celebration. (But I wouldn`t really know since the only valentine I got was from the Kitarokko ward Young Women...)
2- Cob is right for the most part. Japanese people look smart. Koreans look fat. When Koreans take pictures the reason they put their hands (while making peace signs) on their cheeks is to make their faces look skinnier.
3- Yes people do build butsudans in their houses but because I have really only been in members houses or apartments I really don`t know on that one. I have only been invited in to teach a lesson while housing once, and even then the man had a room off of his genkan so it wasn`t even really inside his house.
4- School in Japan is CRAZY! college admissions tests are apparently super hard and they have school 6 days a week through high school. Most Japanese people get a higher education and education is VERY important here. Teachers here are called Senseis, the same title given to Doctors or surgeons. I have a cool gospel analogy with that but that`s a story for a different day.
YAY!!!
This week we scrambled to meet with everyone we could before Wilson Choro left, and got a whopping 1 lesson! But Yazaki`s interest has really increased after talking about how the book of mormon answers the questions of the soul and really helps us in everyday life as well.
Friday were transfers and I already wish that transfers were next week. Duren Choro is strange. The very first thing he says to me is `do you like cats?` and then goes on to tell me about how mch he likes cats and dogs and he even has a stuffed animal cat that he sleeps with. He reminds me of the guy on the all-state commercial, stop taking in stray animals. He really just doesn`t appear well. He looks and dresses like a hobo, and his Japanese knowledge is good, but his prononciation is terrible and he speaks so slowly and just plain, dumb sounding, that the ward members asked me if I was training a new missionary yesterday. He also doesn`t like to be out proselyting (lazy) and did I mention he is supposed to be my senior companion? This will be an interesting next transfer.
Missionary work is hard, and missionary work is fun. But more than anything, missionary work is disappointing. I feel like I am doing absolutely everything I can for this work, I am giving truly my all, and yet it doesn`t transfer over into `success.` Our investigators ignore our calls, or meet with us so rarely that it is so hard to see the progress of them or me. I don`t mean to sound rude or offensive to other missionaries in saying this, but I don`t think there is anywhere more difficult to serve a mission than Japan. I wouldn`t go anywhere else, but even after almost a third of my mission, it is still a struggle for me to even talk to anyone. I don`t want anyone`s pity, or what not, but I do want understanding. I was reading a talk this week by Elder Perry and he talked about how the members should help the missionaries and that most missionaries spend most of their time trying to find someone to teach instead of teaching. THIS HAS BEEN THE STORY OF MY LIFE AS A MISSIONARY. I have averaged 2 lessons a week for the last 2 transfers. I go out and I knock doors (press ping pong boxes) and stop people on the street for hours, days and weeks on end because the Lord has called me to do that, but it`s really frustrating.
I hope everyone has a great week back at home! I loved the Valentines Package and quickly gobbled it all up. I love you all!
Love,
Jonathan, Elder Pace
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