Elder Evans in Kobe: Week 2 in Japan

Minasan, Konnichiwa!! Genki Desu Ka?

    Yeah that is about all the Japanese I know haha! Ive been in Japan
for almost two weeks now! The language is coming. Definitely not fast,
but it is coming. Everyday I learn something new about the language!
This past week, my companion and I taught 18 lessons total.
    Last week on P-Day, we were able to go to a yaki niku tabe hodai!
(All you can eat restaurant) It was super good! You grill the meat
that you get right on your table! Our days are super busy usually! If
we are not teaching a lesson, we are trying to meet people! On
Thursday night, we decided to house an apartment complex because we
were looking for a sister that lived there. In Japan, they have
something called a Kekko Box. It is a little doorbell with an intercom
on it. So you hit the button on the Kekko box, and then you talk to
them and tell them why you are there. If you are convincing enough,
they will come to the door. Otherwise they say Kekko Desu (We're
okay/we dont need it) or they will say IIdesu (Im good)- sometimes
that means "Good-Im coming". But usually people just tell us no
thanks! When we were at this apartment complex, my companion did the
first 3 houses, and no one was home. When we got up the door of the
next apartment, he hit the button and then said "Your turn." These
people answered and then I was forced to talk to them! They said they
were okay, and then we moved on to the next door. We rang that
doorbell and they were home as well. They also said they were okay.
The missionaries in my area call that the "new missionary power"
because none of the houses my companion tried, were home. But every
house I did, of course, answered! haha! The third house that I did, no
one answered, and when we were about to walk away, a lady walked up,
so we started talking to her. A minute later, we heard the kekko box
turn on, and then a man walked down stairs, told the lady to go
inside, and then slammed the door in our face! My companion hated
that! But honestly, I thought it was so funny! I knew things like that
would happen on my mission, so I enjoyed it!
    Since I have been here, there have been more rainy days than sunny
days. On Saturday, the rain would not stop! It just kept coming down
harder and harder! We road, in the pouring rain, 30 minutes to visit a
family in our ward and try and meet people over in that area of our
mission. We met with them for a little bit, and then started making
our journey back to the church, and it was raining even harder. I
enjoyed the rain, and have heard we will get lots of days like that!
It made for some good memories! That night, our branch had a little
dance party activity. The Japanese people always have parties with
food! They know how to do it right! So all of those activities I
enjoy.
    This week while meeting with a lady, we extended an invitation to get
baptized. She said yes and we are hoping for her to get baptized on
December 12th. Her name is Isogi Shimai. (Shimai means Sister) Please
keep her in your prayers these next couple weeks! Our job now is to
teach her and prepare her enough to get baptized on that day. It is
going to be hard to do it that fast, but we will see what happens!
    We have talked to lots of people this week. There was a lady we were
able to talk to on Saturday (In the rain) outside of her house. She is
not a member, but we talked to her about her family, and the church.
We taught her about the gospel and bore our testimonies to her.
Though, she doesn't understand it, she told us that when we talked to
her, she got a really good feeling inside. What she was feeling was
the spirit. I could feel it so strong and I know she could too. She
thinks it is amazing that young men would leave there families, and
travel around the world to talk about something they know is true.
    Finally being in Japan is amazing. I know that what we are doing is
right. I know that this gospel is true, and that the spirit testifies
to those we teach, that it is true. I know that even if we arent
getting investigators, we are planting so many seeds! Thats a big part
of what we are doing, is planting seeds.
    If any of you are having hard times in your life, turn to your father
in heaven in prayer, first. Go to him and I know he wont leave you
comfortless. When you have hard times, he is waiting for you to talk
to him. He is begging you to. I have seen him comfort me on my
mission. Whenever I am getting homesick or having a hard time, I turn
to him first, and pour my heart out to him, and he comforts me and
helps me through the day. I know he will do that for you as well!
    I love you all! Have an amazing and safe week!!!

Love, Evans Choro

Some pictures and Videos we received this week

He seems to be eating very well!