As a New Years present, the weather warmed up! But realistically,
we're just getting started with the real fun. According to all of the
members, Yamaguchi starts really freezing in January and February.
However, thanks to their generosity and trips to buy the necessary
gear, we are nice and warm.
Fun fact, New Years is huge in Japan. They get the first three days of
the year off of work, and everyone is traveling home to visit their
families. It's great to see, because for the past couple days,
families have been at home, playing with their kids, and just having
fun together. As a missionary, it is great to see everyone just having
fun as families, because one of the truths we share is that they can
be eternal! But, the only downside, again, from a missionary
perspective, is that they weren't free to talk to us. It was kinda
slow work, but there were still people ready to talk. When we do what
God has asked, we will always be able to receive his promised
blessing.
New Years is still fun though. We got lucky, and the Imai family, the
Yamaguchi branch president, had us over for dinner on Sunday. Even
better. Sister Imai asked us to come over and help prepare the dinner,
so I now know how to make parts of traditional Japanese New Years
foods! I love working with the members, both with investigators, and
just to do service, be it yard work (uncommon in Japan) or making
food. The people are just genuinely good people, and it's a pleasure
to work for them.
On the note of the people, I think that has been my favorite thing
from the bit of my mission I've gone through so far is exactly that.
Already I've meet amazing college students, young working men and
women, high school students trudging through the school system,
Americans, Indians, Nepalese, Chinese, and others. Each person has an
individual story, individual personalities, individual lives. Of any
goal, I want to get better at learning about these people. And besides
the Japanese people, I have the chance to meet a bunch of other
missionaries from around the US. I never realized before how much fun
different people and different personalities can be, as long as you
get with them. So, that's my goal going forward, to really get to
know all the people I meet.
Sorry to be so broken up with the email this week, I'll try to improve
it next week. For p-day we are in Hofu with the elders there, and are
getting rushed everywhere. But I love you all, and loved hearing about
your breaks and events.
Start the new year well!
Elder Mitchell Woodhouse
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