July 29, 2012

So, I heard about the Shooting that had happened at the Batman movie opening in Colorado (from one of our english students). He said the guy was shooting a "machine gun," killed twelve, and injured a bunch, and then later on when the police found him he told them he was the Joker and offered up no resistance... Scary Stuff...

I hope the family is doing Great-- I heard from mom that you guys had fun with Grandma Nancy Glad to hear it!

I am way Jazzed for Scott and the new  Job! What is it that they have him doing?

I am Praying for you all everyday.

And as for Jackson, NO WAY.... He's already six months.... WHAT???? Where did all that time go????? ): I will be home and he'll already be a year and a half! that's nuts! Blaaaahhhh.... Oh well XD I can't wait to see him for the first time in person :D

Ok so this week was pretty Awesome. The highlight of my week happened just Yesterday (Sunday) and I will get to it in a sec.  So first, Tuesday -- AWESOME day -- We went with the little kids (that we volunteer for at the daycare place) on a field trip, and we got to participate in events and stuff, and we all made these handkerchiefs that we dyed and put cool stuff on (I forgot to snap a photo of it, but I will do that this week and send it your way :D )  and then we saw these huge beetles and got to hold them and stuff. Super fun!

lol, my Companion said something funny when he saw Brittany's picture in my album:

Koch Chourou: Brittany, You've definitely got some Moco latte in ya.

Me: You mean Hispanic?

Koch: THAT'S the Politically correct word I was looking for... Hispanic

 

Fun stuff XD

 

We played some basketball with some Japanese kids and an investigator on Wednesday and had some fun there. though the investigator injured her leg while playing. 

On Thursday we had a really cool lesson with our Investigator named Miwa, the thing about her is, the only way we get her at home is through revelation, because she still hasn't given us her real address, we go to her Son in law's house and find her there. 

Friday we had a family home evening with two of our investigators, but one is twelve and has a hard time focusing for long periods of time, and her dad likes to talk.... and his Japanese is super hard to understand XD but he was saying cool stuff like how he really respects us for being so young and coming out to serve, and how he despises those rich old men who say they believe in God but hoard their wealth and send their youth to go to war, and how it's the youth dying who truly believe. Cool stuff! 

Saturday was awesome, we had kids English class, and then we went to a festival with a member, and that was fun. The Japanese people really seem to like us Foreigners, They kept giving us free food and stuff, and even a group of 12 year old boys came over and gave me and my companion some hot dogs, but skipped over the two Japanese Missionaries who were sitting between us...

Finally, Sunday! A truly awesome day! I love Japan. On Sunday our ward mission-leader's wife gave a talk wearing a Kimono. It was awesome! then later that night we had a family home evening with two Brazilian members, but before we went there we decided to plan what we would say and what scriptures we would share, and I kept flipping to one specific scripture: Alma 36:27. It really struck me.  So we went to their place, talked and taught for a while, and then Brother Araujo started talking about his past--it was really intense--and I said, I have a scripture for you Right here, Right now -- and shared it with him.  It really affected him, and he got emotional and highlighted one line, and then asked if he could take a picture of us. Super spiritual experience and it was totally awesome (the word of the day is "Awesome").

 

Here is the text of Alma 36:27: "And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me." 

Anywho! I love you all, The Church is true, and We really do receive revelation. 

 

Elder Hernandez

Hiru chourou

蛭長老

July 20, 2012

 

Hello everyone!

 

I made it to my One year mark!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH I have twelve months left in Japan XD this is weird lol. To celebrate, when I was on a Companion exchange with Elder Augusto this week, He brought along A member named Arisawa. This guy is amazing.... He has a website that you should check out (arisawagroup.co.jp) anyway, He and Augusto took me to a store, and while I was looking around they came back and found me, and had a bag with something in it, and after the day was over, Arisawa Dropped us back off at the apartment he handed me the bag and said Congratulations on one year and drove off. He got me a Yuukata ( A man's Kimono thing ) if you checked his website, you'll notice Diamonds. He sells them.... XD

Ok so my week:

Other than the awesome Gift from the second counsilor of Takaoka's ward, this week was pretty normal, we had our final district meeting together, (Because Elder Augusto and Sister Shaver are both going home.) and then on Sunday we had church, but left early so we could go to Takaoka's Baptism. Had the baptism, and then we stayed for a farewell lunch party/ congratulations baptism party with Takaoka. Then we went we them for the day, and some members took us all around and we took pictures and stuff and had a farewell Dinner parrty as well with them, stayed the night in Takaoka, and then helped elder Augusto get all his stuff together to leave. and now we have his companion with us. Then at ten today, we had transfer calls, and all three of us got some big news.

This was my guess for what was going to happen this transfer:

for Me: Transfer and become senior again

for Finlinson: stay in Toyama and become senior

For Iwata (Augusto's companion, and he was one of the Japanese Elders who came with me to Japan): Staying in Takaoka and getting a Brazillian companion.

What's REALLY Happening:

 me:

I'm transferring!!! XD I was right! lol I am going to a place called Fukuroi to follow up train an Elder Koch (Pronounced Cook). So today is going to be fulll of phone calls and packing for tomorrow when I have to leave Toyama. I am both sad and happy about this, seeing as the Cockroach problem here hasn't changed.

Elder Finlinson:

He's staying and becoming senior companion, not only that but he's also becoming a trainer

Elder Iwata:

He's staying In Takaoka, but he's getting Three companions, so they're going Yonnin (Four Person)

Crazy stuff huh?

Sooooo yeahhhh.... This is going to be interesting XD I get to go get used to another Companion! This will be my Sixteenth companion in one year of mission life XD Most Missionaries end their missions having had around 8-10 companions in all lol. I feel special XD

Due to having to pack I gotta go sooner than normal, so I love you!!! Live it up for me in good old California!

Elder Hernandez

Hiru Chourou

蛭長老

Hello everyone!

 

Ohhh man, Time sure is flying huh? in a little over a month I will have been serving a mission for a full year! That's ridiculous XD I can't really remember life before the Mission, I remember Friends, and family, but the other stuff just isn't there anymore XD kinda like a clean slate of life, and when I get home I get to write all over it again, except this time with a much more refined hand that knows what it wants to do on the paper.

Ahahahahaha XD that picture of Aidan is funny XD and the reason he's doing it is even funnier XD I TOTALLY agree with him, Beets are monster food ("because they look like owies") XD

Dad, did you guys record your academy graduation speech? and do you have it written down? cuz I wanna hear it :D

Oh man Dad, You and mom have lost a LOT of weight!  hahahah, you look like you are on the football team or something, Crazyness, and Mom looks like she is back in her Gypsy dance times :D you two look fantastic. 

Things over here are going great, My new Companion (My fifteenth one) Elder Finlinson, is really cool, he's super tall, has black hair, Glasses, and has Freckles like me! Hahaha, one of the other things that is cool about him, is the fact that he really wants to learn how to draw, so on our free time, when we have some (which seems like never...), I have been drawing him some how-to guides XD it's been awesome, because during the day, we do all of our Missionary work, and then we come home, report, and then I start showing him some tips and tricks and stuff, and it's actually been helping ME to get better at drawing too XD Win Win!!! so that's cool.

We have been teaching Yamamoto more, and we filled out the rest of her Baptismal record (with her), so now she has it all on record, and is ready for her Baptism on the 7th of July. all that is left to do is to teach her some more about the commandments, and then get her into an interview with the district leader, and she is ready!

 

I am super stoked on life right now :D my companion and I have been taking turns cooking food, so far we have made Chahan (Rice with eggs, greens and fried on a pan), spaghetti with alfredo sauce, pancakes, and a bunch of other stuff XD way good food :D I am still super Skinny though XD my weight has stayed at a consistant 65 kilos and I have a bit more muscle tone than before, since we work out every morning :3

Being the Senior Companion is kinda challenging, I have to be the one to come up with Ideas of who we can go visit, and I have to know how to get to those places as well, so that's a little tough, but nothing I can't handle :D it's fun out here, and I am having a great experience. So far No, no orange juice, and barely any ramen xD

Love,

Elder Hernandez

(Hiru Chourou)

Transfers and Companionships

Hello everyone!

It sounds like everyone had a pretty intense week! I had a pretty intense one too. I am sorry that I missed everyone together at home. I Wish I coulda said hello to all of you.... ohhhh welllll.

So, here is my crazy week:  Elder Rocha got transferred out of Toyohashi on Thursday, I got a temporary companion, then on Sunday went to church and had a less active member show up on their own to church which was pretty sweet Then we went to a place called hamamatsu (My temporary companion's area, his is name is Nelson), but he goes HOME tomorrow morning (Tuesday).

I then got two new companions, Elders Brown and Amussen, and went to a less active members house in a town called Hamamatsu, where I ended up Cooking Everything for everyone O_O ... it was pretty cool :D

Then we went to the Hamamatsu apartment, and my friend Dennis Kyoudai called me and asked if I was there in Hamamatsu yet, and I said I was, so he dropped by the apartment and gave us some cookies and milk :D

The next morning, (Today, Monday) Nelson Chourou and I woke up, got dressed, and went to Nagoya (A train ride that takes about an hour and a half) and there I got my next temporary Companion (Elder Johnson from my old Districts!)

At the moment we are together until tomorrow (Tuesday) where I will be getting two *new* companions who will come and stay with me in Toyohashi and they are: Elder Amussen :O and Elder Anderson :D

 

weird and confusing right? so now I have had three "Sannin Douryoutachis" out here (Three companionships in one area), and once again I will be the Area Senior here in Toyohashi.  At the next transfer, I am apparently being trained to be a Senior companion, so I will be a Senior Comp after 6 transfers out here in Japan. craaaazyyynessss.

This week has been reaaaallly hectic... .and Elder Rocha went to Fujieda, which is the first place he went to when he came to Japan lol. so he has only been in two places since he came to Japan, Fujieda, and Toyohashi, and now back to Toyohashi, and he's been out for a year XD it's crazyy.

 

So that was my week, and now I have **no time**, cuz we have to go to a lesson today because it was so busy with Transfers, and we don't really get a Pday (personal day off) on transfer days.   I will have to talk to you all Next week when things settle down.

I love you all and hope that you have a great week! Congrats on all the crazy cool stuf going on over there, minus the Steven leaving with the babies >_> lame! and Britt moving.  Scott needs to have kids!!!!  lol.

 

Dad, That picture you made of Chris is scary accurate! I just wish I could be there to meet in person... but oh well. I have learned that I will be missing a lot of things at home.  No worrrriiieesss, But omedetou gozaimasu minna san (Congratulations everyone!) 

 

Okay so take care, I love you, and I will "see you" next week, and next time there will be pictures! I promise! hahahah

 

Love

Hiru Chourou

Elder Hernandez

Okidokie!

Hiyas everybody :D I am still super stoked about Baby Jackson! I have a new Nephew!!! I sure hope I get to meet him when I come home! :D

 

Mom thank you for the wonderfull Poem that you sent me just a few minutes ago, I enjoyed reading it, and if I could I'd be hugging you right now <3

 

So! It's my Birthday soon! I'm turning 20! How crazy is that? I don't really feel older, in fact I feel quite youthful :P maybe it's just because I am not at the day yet XD

 

Scott And Melanie! Thank you for the letter Melanie, I was so shocked when it arrived XD I'm so glad that you and Scott had a blast and got to meet famous dudes lol, wish I could have joined you guys. Note to self- At comic con stick with Scott and Melanie for the good stuff XD

 

This week was pretty interesting, we met some realllllly weird people XD ok, not people, just the one, and I will describe him shortly, but first the normal stuff.

IT SNOWEDDD AGAIN :D That made me happy :D But today we just get rain and cold lol. sad panda? indeed.

 

We got to visit a few less active members recently who are really nice people, one of which is even able to speak English, and he totally reminds me of Jesse Romero!

 

Interesting fact: My companion totally reminds me/looks like (To me) Peter from Fringe! I was like.... you look kinda familiar.... PETER!!! XD

 

Ok, back to the weird dude:

We went to Church this fast Sunday, and when we got there, there was a man wearing a strange outfit and a Brown Cowboy hat. He was bald except that he wore Hair extensions that were Bronze colored. He was missing all of his upper teeth and had plenty of the bottom teeth missing as well. He had two cell phones, one for reading manga on it, and the other for calling people with. he wore a HUGE Jacket and had one of those hip pouches that he wore facing his front. Due to the lack of upper teeth, His Japanese was practically impossible for me to understand, and as it turns out, he had come to the Church to seek after a Job. apparently he had been to the church before, because the members said that he had come once before. I believe his name was Saeko or something similar to that. He seemed like, and interesting fellow, and as we were speaking to him, he fell asleep a couple times, and finally we had to get a member to come help us talk to this guy. we shared a message about the church, and said we would get in contact with him if any jobs worked their way to us.

 

This week's best investigator:

Oota San is a really nice old lady we met one night when Elder Rocha's tire had popped last month, she has come to church once now, and we have met with her for lunch twice and talked about the church. She is really sweet, and is wanting to learn more about the church, so we've been hunting for male church members to come with us to teach her (because we can't teach women alone) having a member present is called having a Tachiai which means an observer.

 

This week I picked up my pencil and started drawing again, and somehow I have improved in my artwork even though I haven't been able to draw very often. Count the little blessing Eh?

 

anyway, I gotta go now and write to President Baird about my week now <3 I love you all!

 

Lots of love from a country far from home <3

Elder Hernandez

Hiru Chourou

This week was kind of annoying to tell you the truth, I felt pretty abused XD I will esplaiin:

So we have an investigator who is in her forties, and we teach her English as well as the missionary lessons, anyway, so Starting Monday morning, she started texting us, but the texts were all directed at me, because she doesn't like talking to Rocha Chourou because he is Brazillian and doesn't speak perfect English (She said that to Him and Elder Curtis when we were on a Koukan) and so when she texted she was talking nonsense, and then asked who it was she was talking to, and we said it was Me, (Rocha and I texted her back together) and she started saying that she was glad I was there, and then proceeded to say some really really creepy stuff, so we didn't reply, and she sent us thirty seven more texts, and we were really bugged. The next day we didn't get any texts, but the day after, we got a bunch more, so the next day we went to Meito for interviews and brought it up to President Baird and the APs and they didn't really have any advice for us other than stop meeting with her. so, this week was full of trying to ignore creepy older lady....

 

This week we also got to meet up with a less active member Named Wendell, he is way cool, he is a biker, and has a crazy beard XD He is extremey nice, and loves the bible, but wasn't really sure why he got baptized ten years ago. He had gone inactive right after baptizm, and said he never really read the Book of Mormon, so we gave him one, and asked if he would read it, and said that if you read the Bible, you can see that it is a compilation of Prophets' Journals, and how God doesn't stop talking to people, and how people don't stop writing down what he has to say, and we explained that the book of mormon is Another record of God's people, and he said he would read it, and he said he would come to our sports night activity this next week :D

 

Another thing this week, we met a woman named Flor at a Hospital and taught a fantastic lesson, and then got to see her again this week, and Rocha Chourou was able to extend something called the Soft Yakusoku (Soft Promise) she says she will be baptized when she feels that it is true, she just didn't commit to a day. YAY!!!! it's Progress at least, She basically had a stroke a while ago, so she has to take pills and stuff, so she isn't to healthy at the moment, but she is reading the Book of Mormon, and is in Chapter 11 of First Nephi! She is the Bomb! ^_^

 

that's pretty much the highlights of my week, I am doing great I am feeling healthy and happy, so no worries there :D

 

Congrats Britt on Costa Rica XD I hope you are having a blast out there and staying safe :D I am glad there is someone out there just like me that you were able to make friends with :D just goes to show that I am Normal :P ... I think XD hahahah

 

Congrats dad and mom on losing 21 pounds each! that's fantastic!

 

And Mom thank you for the letters, The poems were gereat :D And thanks for telling me what you committed to doing on the Candyman Clown stuff, I can't wait to see all the awesomeness that you create!

 

JACE IS MOVING!????!?!?!?!?!?! Why is everyone Moving??? I don't get it! Stay there so I can see you all before you leave :(

 

Speaking of moving....we completed our move to the new area, the city of Toyohashi, and everything here is great.

 

anyway I love you guys and I hope you are having a great week <3 Muah!!!!!

 

Elder Hernandez

Hiru Chourou

I am having a great time out here in Japan, I feel like I have aged at least ten years XD so many experiences, so many people, so much stuff. Every success is so much better because of all the disappointments, and we have plenty of both. We may not have a single baptism to our names, but that's not the point. We've taught so many people about Christ, and it's the best experience seeing them react to him. Yeah many people cringe out here, and reject us, but at least they acknowledge who and what we represent. The Japanese people out here are starving for the Truth, they just don't realize that they can fill themselves up with what we have to share. We've met many people who are so nice and so generous, they're fantastic. 

One experience we had recently:

We met a family as we were biking home from the Store, Americans, and I saw them and turned to Duarte Chourou and said 'Hey Look! Gaijins! Let's go see where they're from!' when they saw us they were like 'hey look! it's the Missionaries!' we chatted for a good 15 minutes, they are from Utah, ( there were 4 of them, The Dad, The Mom, The Son, and The Daughter in law) The Dad and the Son both Served in Japan! In fact the Dad served in my area! That's why they were here, to visit the area and then go to a reunion Dinner with people they knew from the Mission. How unusual... We had a Dinner appointment scheduled that day at the same time... We got there and it was the same people XD We met the people we were having dinner with before we even knew we were meeting them XD It was way awesome! They are The Persells <--- I have NO Idea how to spell it XD it was awesome :D 

Another experience:

remember The couple we met who have a little daughter? (Jeana, Cezar and Jennifer). Well, Jeana Pretty much had a stroke, and half her body nearly got Paralyzed, so she is going to go back to Columbia until March to recover from this. She's going with her Daughter, but Cezar is staying in Japan, and working. We visited them and sat with Him for a while helping him cope. He is so sad right now, it's heartbreaking... He was telling us about how he was tired before, when he had to work before, and now he has to work Every single day Plus overtime for the next year and a half to pay for the plane tickets for Jeana and Jennifer to go back to Columbia. He's exhausted, depressed, and hurting.. We gave Jeana a Priesthood blessing, and helped them pack stuff up. Since Jeana is leaving this week (on the 8th) she can no longer be baptized on the 18th, and now that Cezar has to work everyday to pay for her to go, he can'T go to church, and so he can't get baptized that day either.

Yet another Experience!

Sergio, one of our Yakusokusha's (meaning the other person who committed to Baptism on the 18th) finally admitted to us that he wasn't ready, he realized that he was putting everything else before baptism, and he withdrew from the day. He told us he needs time to settle his life down before he can start seeing the missionaries again.

We went to the family we met, (Fabio and his family) and we helped him put together his Restaurant, and he is looking to open the restaurant on December 10th! so we're going to be going there often to help him reach his goal! They are super nice, and very generous.

One of the Elders in our District (Elder Matson) just turned twenty on Friday! so we celebrated by going to Pizza hut XD 

Oh! we taught a less active member, and we brought our Shibu Kaichyou (Branch President) with us, and had a fantastic lesson, where The Shibu did ALL the Talking XD he taught about eternal Marriage and other such things, and the next day (Sunday) She and her Husband came to church!!! It was way awesome! 

anyway... I think that's everything that happened this week XD I love you guys and I hope you are all staying happy and healthy!

ヒル長老

Elder Hernandez

So, I heard about mom chopping down a tree from Mom herself in her letters XD Mom,  I really hope you are being careful though, that was hard stuff to do, even for me! hahaha

As for my last letter, Yeah I laughed pretty hard while I was writing it too XD

Our Sundays are different here when it comes to the regular lesson plan. the Gospel Principles teacher speaks spanish, and we aren't really ever in that class, because we're busy translating in other areas of the church XD I wish I could hear the lesson though.  Dad, I understand you taught the church lesson this week -- I hope you took notes :D

So, Chelsea, you dyed your hair back to your natural color? You're probably preparing to dye it another color, we'll see though ^_^

Mary, you've been pretty busy with School, and trying to keep up your four point Oh, so I know you don't  have much relaxation time.

Dad, regarding how we get money here, we get 3 "Man" every month (30,000 yen or around $300) and that doesn't exactly last very long, the frist day we get the money, we usually have to pay around 10000 for all the things we need for the month, and then each week we have to buy food and stuff, which can range from 1,500 a week to 2,500, (more if we have a lunch appointment scheduled >_>) plus getting around is expensive (going to one of our investigators costs nearly 1500 round trip) But at least travel gets reimbursed.

So, Aidan is starting to talk in full sentences!!???  Awwww man I wanna see him talking!!! I got the pictures of him at the Pumpkin Patch, he's getting so big!!! (Is there a way I could have you send me pictures on here from now on, so that I can put them on my flash drive and go get them printed out at a convenience store)? Apparently, I CAN get photos through email. Just make sure they are not too large.

Dad, I hope you feel better soon! That's no bueno, Hontou ni yokunai!

Guess what? They actually celebrate Thanksgiving day here, it's called Kinrou Kansha no Hi, and it means Labour Thanks day. So we have a mini party scheduled on the 23rd, with Ping Pong, Music, food, and games :D Also for Christmas, it looks like I am going to be Santa XD They handed me a Santa Suit XD this'll be fun hahaha. our Christmas party will be on the 17th of December though XD.

The Weather at the moment here is: slightly chilly, but not freezing, and very sunny, with occasional days of rain.

As for me, I am thriving out here!!!

So dad, you're still studying for your test in December!  I miss reading now that you mention it XD That's one of the things I wish I had right now, Books. Not that I don't have reading material, but Books that don't have to do with Wars, Plagues, etc..., would be a welcome refreshment XD

As for an LDS temple, they don't have a temple close enough for us to be able to attend, the nearest one is in Tokyo, which is an entirely different mission almost 300 miles away. (there are currently 2 Temples in Japan)

Thanks for letting me know they put my plaque on the church wall! Sweet! Can you take a picture of the plaque to show me please?

Ok, so as for this week -- This week was AWESOME, Just Yesterday we had an amazing experience with Jeana and Cezar, two of our investigators, So, we went to their house after church, and got there at 7PM, and since I can'd understand what they say, I kept their daughter preoccupied by playing with legos with her while Duarte Chourou taught them, and he committed them to Baptism on the 18th of December!  It was Awesome! So now we'll be going to their house to teach them more often, because there are things that they need to work on before they can get baptized, and the deadline is pretty close! So that was way awesome and exciting :D I got a letter from Momma, and it had pictures of Steven Brookie and Aidan, and some writing done by them as well as Brittany, which was way Sweet! Thank you! come to think of it, that's really all that happened this week XD

Johnson Chourou got a new companion named Ward Chourou, he's kinda geeky, which is perfect, because he fits in quite well XD soooo.... yeah XD Happy Healthy, having fun, staying safe, and wanting to figure out how to send videos to you guys XD I have a video of Duarte Chourou on the train that I wanna send, but I will figure that out next time.

Mom! I actually can't save that money by mailing rather than emailing, because emailing is the only way to reach President Baird XD, so I have to come here anyways XD thank you for consistently writing to me! I love getting letters from you watashi no subarashii Haha! 

anyway! I gotta run for now, I love you all!!!!! Muah Muah muah!!!! 

ヒル長老

(regarding Brittany's birthday): HappppppY Bday BrittleBirddd!!! :D :D
(regarding Linda making home made ice cream from scratch, using brown
rice, coconut milk, stevia, tic tacs, and unsweetened chocolate!
Healthy mint chocolate ice cream!) Good job on homemade Ice cream

Momma :D When I come home, I will show you how to make this Icecream
cake that is from Brazilllllll :D

(regarding Brittany's weight loss): WHeW!! Great job on the weight

loss Brittany! That's Crazy intense! What are you doing that's making
you lose all the weight??

(regarding our surprise at his being able to wear a costume for
Halloween): Really? Why were you surprised at being allowed to dress

up for Halloween? If we didn't show up in Costumes, No one would. That
was part of how we got people to come, we were like, hey! Come to the
Halloween Party! We Made our own Costumes, you should come! It'll Be
fun! Hahahah.

Anyways, It feels like I have always been on a Mission XD I can't
remember doing anything else now XD hahaha, Four months down... Who
knows how many more to go lol.

(regarding how comfortable his bed looks): Hahahah Yeah the Beds here

are interesting, they're comfortable... If you have a ton of the
Futons XD my bed has like six futons and a normal mattress under it XD
BUT The Blanket is super Comfy, it's a Huge Dawny pillow basically XD
it'S REALLY warm XD which stinks cuz it'S pretty hot out here still.
We haven't really gotten into winter just yet, we've been getting
plenty of rain, and lots of Sun, but no snow yet, Trust me, I will be
making a huge deal about it if I get snow here XD we don't do Daylight
savings here in Japan XD LAME!!!

(regarding what the most useful items he took with him have turned out
to be): Hmmmmmm most useful Items.... Paper... Shoes.... Pjs... Oh and

the first Aid kit has been coming in handy a lot recently, for spider
bites and such XD
The bugs here are ridiculous, like, When I went on a Koukan (Splits)
with Johnson Chourou (THe one from my District at the MTC And who is
still in my District out here) We were leaving the apartment, and two
doors down, I looked to my right, because I thought I saw something
run up the wall, there was a HUGE Spider, like, this thing was as big
as a Tarantula, and it looked angry XD so he and I were stuck next to
this thing cowering in fear for a good three minutes (we took a
picture)

Anyway, This week was intense, lots and lots of work, (more like lots
of really long train rides) and we were able to visit a family that we
are teaching, and they have accepted Baptism, now we need to set a
date, and they need to come to church at least three times in order to
be baptized, so I am super happy for them, Their names are Jeana
Cezar, and her Daughter Jennifer, and they are way nice, they speak a
mix of Spanish and Portuguese XD

 Plus we did two Koukans (missionary splits), With the same people

this week (So I went on a Koukan with One of the companions, then went
with the other the next day) which was wayyy expensive, the train to
their area is like $10 one way, so we spent $40 in two days >_> the
only good thing about that is that the Money gets refunded, so we're
good XD

One thing I have noticed is that it is ridiculously difficult to stay
on top of Journal Writing, try as hard as you can, and you still miss
days >_> But! I have made it a goal to stay up on it, and not miss
anymore days!!!!!!

Mom! "HAHA" is Mom in Japanese, 母　<== that's the Kanji for it.

(regarding a code cipher Linda set to him): Also mom! Thanks for the

Quist wheel, that thing is reallly helpful for deciphering! I was able
to decipher the Boyd K Paker quote in less than 2 minutes. (The
Greatest conflict any man will ever face is with self) Sweet Job,
also, a small tip for the Hiragana quist, The 'wo' sound is actually
pronounced 'o' so there are actually two ways to write o XD It's
pretty Confusing, but one of them is only a Particle, It's never used
to write a word. EVER. を <==== This one is never used to write words,
it's a topic marker.

Anywho, I'm glad you guys are all able to stick together! I'm sad I
miss all these family interactions, but ohhh well XD

By the way mom, thank you for the Hanky with all the stuff from the
family party! That was way awesome to see everyone's writing on it!!!
Ahhhh!!! Awesome. Also I have used a lot of those Kanji you wrote on
there already, like Chikara, and some others (I can't remember any
others at the moment, I left it at the apartment XD)

Oh! Today we found out that one of the Elders in our District is being
transferred to a different area, which is sad, because he is awesome,
and we are definitely going to miss him at our District meetings >_>
(Kusume Chourou, Johnson Chourou's companion/Trainer) so we are all
pretty sad about that. Nothing we can do to change that though Blahhh.

OH!!!!!! We went to a Japanese Temple with one of our potential
investigators, as well as Johnson Chourou and Kusume Chourou (So in
total there were six of us, me, Duarte, Johnson, Kusume, Monica, and
Fabi) and it was Hilarious, because Kusume Chourou, The Japanese
Elder, didn't know what some things were, and I was like, isn't that a
Sake barrel, and he was like O_O How'D you know that, and then when we
went to these well things I was like, hey, don't we have to wash here,
first the right hand then the left and he was like O_O How'd you
know?? And then when he pointed at this pile of sand outside of
buildings he was like, I don't know why that is there... and I was
like, isn't that there to ward of evil spirits? And he was like O_O OH
YEAHH!! How'D you know that??? HAhahahah it was awesome XD All the
anime I have watched has payed off here in Japan XD

Score 1 for the Anime nerd :P

Anywho, that's pretty much my week in a nutshell, I love you guys and
I hope you are having a blast together, Mom, I think I got your
letters on Thursday, (We are able to check the mail daily)

Love you!!!! Stay safe!

Hiru Chourou

Elder Hernandez

Some Details

Letter from Brandon today:

.
Konnichiwaaaaaa :D I finished watching Conference Yesterday. For me it's Monday and it's only 3:10pm whereas for you it's 11pm on Sunday. weird right? I live in the futureeee hahaha.
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 I'm so glad to hear that you got to see everyone last week (note: last Sunday all our kids came to visit us, so Brandon is commenting on that)!! I hope Scott gets better fast.
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Happpppy Almost Birthday Dad!! AHHHHHH I just realized I will be missing two of your birthdays >_> that's really saddening. Blah Oh well ^_^ Oh, and I'm so proud of Brittany on her weight loss and toning! glad to hear she is back to looking like she did in High School! Way to go Brittle! :D

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I still can't believe I will have another Nephew, and I wont get to see him!! Arghhhh!!!! Hahahha.
.

As for proselyting, we are allowed to go door to door at specific places near our church building, and it's called Pivot, and we mark the places we go on a map so that we don't waste time going to houses that reject us, and have a map for those that were willing to listen to more.  I only had time to send pictures from the mtc before the computer here kicked me off for having too much activity (Google was the one actually) I'm doing okay with money, it'll be a little tight this month because of the bike purchase, but I will manage. Next month will be better because I wont have the bike expense. Studying is going well, The Portuguese is easier to learn than the Japanese because it's more like English, so that's fine, and the Japanese is still tough, but it's better than it was last week.  It's one thing to learn something, and a completely different thing to use it and hear it spoken. 
.
Japan is one of my favorite places still! The place I am kinda reminds me of New York though - it's weird that way. 
.
We have a couple of people that we teach, but it's not everyday that we get to teach them. mostly we go out to eat with them, talk for a while and then have to leave. we get rejected often, but never by our investigators, like we haven't had any of our investigators reject us yet, but going door to door in the assigned area, we get Kekko'd often (Kekko means We're okay and don't want to talk to you, what they do is Cross their arms and say Kekko desu, and you have to leave them be).
.
This week we had a great week, we had two of our investigators come to General Conference (one of them is a family, the Mom, Jeana; the Dad, Cezar; and the 5 year old girl, Jennifer, and they all speak Spanish and Portuguese).  The other investigator is a Japanese Girl named Yukina. We've been teaching them and talking to them all a lot recently, so we are hoping that they'll be able to commit to hearing more and more, and eventually getting baptized. They are awesome people, and they have a lot of questions they want answered, so I am studying like crazy to try and keep up.

.
One of the fun things we get to do every week is teach something called Eikaiwa, which means English Class. We only have three or four students who actually come, but they are fun to teach. We teach them English by reading the Book of Mormon with them and explaining what the words mean. That's always a fun class to teach.
.

I am doing well out here in Japan, Duarte Chourou ("Elder Duarte" my companion - Chourou means "Elder.") is awesome, he's super nice, and he's a reallly hard worker. In fact, he's super nice all the time. I can't wait to build this area up with him! Before He got me as a companion he had a real dud for a companion, and he was kinda depressed the first couple of days I was with him, and then when he found out that I was ready and able to get up and work, he got super genki (Happy) and now we've been having a blast together.
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Japan is Craaazzyyyyy cool!!!  The people here are really nice, and, since my companion and I are both Foreigners, everyone stares at us, or tries to say stuff in English and we respond in Japanese -- it's fun!
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I'm going to try and write some letters today, but we still have to clean the Apartment, so you may get a half page letter depending on how much time we have after we clean, hahahah.  I sowwy....but anywho! I love you guys, and I look forward to seeing how you've all grown when I come back!

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If you want to write letters:

Elder Hernandez Japan Nagoya Mission

Aichiken Nagoya-Shi

Meitoku Itakadai 1-304

465-0028

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Your Freckled Elder -- Who is going to come home speaking fluent Portuguese and Japanese and Spanish,

Elder Hernandez

Hernandez Chourou

ヘル長老 <---- That's what my name will look like on my Name tag here :D

(My japanese Katakana name here is Heru Chourou)