Biking in the snow stinks!!

Hi Friends and Family

So this week was the first week I wore my boots. Pretty nice but two problems. They take forever to get on and off which is not so good for Japan when you take your shoes on and off a lot. and riding a bike with them is super annoying. I would walk but Yamatani choro:s shoes are the usual end of mission shoes where they let any liquid up the bottom so if we walk he dies. Sigh.

Thanks for the package. Always nice to get fat american food. Ear warmers are nice and cozy. Kinda block my limited hearing with these quiet people so can:t really use them when out talking to people but still, when riding the bike its super nice. About this new package though. You do realize I:m not in a 3rd world country. I can buy all the stuff you send me at a cheaper price and without shipping so its really not necessary. I realize you don:t trust me to buy these things but really I would if I absolutely needed them. The stuff you are sending right now I already have so it will just make laundry easier.... Other than that it will be the same. Surprises are nice but yeah.

So we visited Miura san, our protestant friend. Before we could even say anything when she opened the door she just goes off. "I think I want to come to church again." That was nice. "I think I will bring my friend too."(then tells us the teachers need to talk slower and louder but whatever, she:s old) "Oh yeah, and I want to read that book you showed me the other day" (of course the book of mormon) "although I really don:t get how you guys pray" "We can teach you that now if you would like." "Yeah do that" So we did. "Ok so I will pray tonight....when else should I pray" "Uh.....anytime, meals, morning, night.." "Oh ok." "Ok so I will see you Sunday and lets talk about your church after" ...."we can do that" Slam. My head was spinning there for a minute but there was a spring in my step the rest of the day....until sunday when she didn:t show. Sigh.

So I still don:t know what was up with this but one day we did a role play with a member and afterwards she gave us these very authentic looking california roll type things. I start to each it and she gets all panicked and says today is special and we have to be facing north north west when we eat......I obeyed but I still have no idea what happened or why.

Biking in the snow stinks!!!! Ha. No only is it cold and your bike hates you but ruts build in the snow, under the snow that throws you around. Then you have to plow your way through the snow which is so tiring. Its basically impossible. But as explained above we can:t walk.....sigh.

The traffic lights here, when they turn green they announce it for the people walking. Nothing special there but when the light turns green (the color is very much green) the voice announces the light has now turned blue.....say what? Only this week did I understand that japanese. Dont: know why.

Ok so this comment might mean more to mandy but still. So there is a movie called "The district" that is just a bunch of missionaries filmed doing their thing and its used for training. I watched it with dad before I left. Anyway. I despise these people now. They are so super good at missionary work. I always thought they were so-so but now i realize that they are super good and it bothers me, why can:t I do that?

Anyway, lots of complaining in this letter. Nothing really worked this week. Half our planned lessons. None with investigators. All our investigators dropped their lessons. Companionship problems. Weather. It was rough. But I know you people worry. I happy, I:m healthy, don:t worry.

Love you all.