Monday, August 17, 2015

I'm lovin' It

Hello everyone!

So this week was amazing. We arrived in Japan! after a thirteen and a
half hour flight. We had airport run arounds and then settled in for long
flights. Sister Wallace gave a away a Book of Mormon on the flight to
Japa. She is brave!

We have ipads here and I miss computers. So, we landed, had quick
interviews with President Wada, chatted with his wife, and took a two
hour bus ride to the mission home. I stared outside until I fell asleep
on the bus and was oblivious to passing Tokyo Disney and a famous Sun
bridge. We had dinner at the mission home after being attacked by humidity,
slept on tatami mats with bean filled pillows, and woke up at 6:00 for
radiotaiso (morning stretches in the park with the neighborhood).

During the following two days, we had several fun seminars, met our trainers,
received the iPads,and went to our apartments. The bus & subway ride to my apartment
took an hour. I got to listen to my companion trainer Sister Wilson talk to everyone on the subway.
I tried to help a little. I still had a fruit leather snack in my bag and gave it 
to a young woman we met (she was a culinary student and seemed to appreciate the 
foreign food aspect). I loved seeing Japan from windows. The humidity is like a wall. 
I'm lovin' it.

The next few days have been filled with running trips to churches in
other districts, screaming bugs, scintillating aromas on the street and people shorter than I am.
I introduced myself in Church and my turn came after a 6'3" Elder introduced himself
and they had trouble lowering the podium after they raised it as high as it went.
The ward here is very sweet and they all smiled.

We went tracting, and while tracting, I thought we should sing at the
next house, and Sister Wilson, being kind, said yes. We knocked on the
apartment door and a middle-aged man answered the door. We told him
who we were, and that we wanted to sing for him. We sang "I am a Child
of God" and when we were done, he had tears in his eyes and said our
song had touched his soul.

Church had lots of meetings, one before, one after. Don't ask me what
they were about because I don't know. Yet. Once I do, I will tell you.
🎊

Saturday was my birthday! That was when we knocked on doors. It was
also the day I rebelled against my family and celebrated at McDonald's. 
It was fattening and delicious ;)

Today we went shopping and cleaned, and we have a sushi dinner with
members, and it is all very exciting!

I love you all very much!
Sister Cottle