Sitting in council

Another week in still cold old Furukawa.

So this week with investigators was rough. Because of Spring equinox we couldn't meet with H"san (really, who celebrates spring equinox?) and also we had an appointment with "T"san but that fell through because of her husbands job. So there went our two strongest lessons for the week. Also a few LAs (less actives) and other investigators fell through. So a lot of finding (tracting) time but still found no one. Hopefully there will be more to report on the actual proselyting front next week because we actually have lessons planned this week. They all can't cancel right?

So Japanese people aren't as crazy over TimTams as Americans are so now that I'm with an American we have eaten TimTams 3 times this week. Super unhealthy but still they are delicious.

So this week I had another first experience. My tire went flat on Thursday. Of course they changed from Japanese bikes to American bikes when President Rasmussen came, so the pump at the apartment doesn't work for my bike. So we call the Elder over like our needs and he says that we shouldn't go and buy one but he will send us one because they have a lot at the home base so thats cool. So we got a pump from our branch president and used it to blow up my tire and that worked good on Saturday and then yesterday the tire was blown and we still don't have a pump so I can't fix it. Sigh. Walking is annoying especially on p-day.

It is still not warm but it rains now which of course is worse than snow. Sigh. I don:t like being wet. Also I carry a lot of stuff that if it gets wet I'm in trouble. But I feel like I've ranted about this before.

This last week I've even ran more into the "I don:t know what to do with my time" conc

ern. Even a bigger problem because I'm the senior companion. Just don't know what to do ever. Its killing me.

So every week before church we have a meeting with all the priesthood holders in the branch (yes we all fit in the bishops office). Anyway we report on our stuff and usually thats basically the end of it. But this week after we end President Sato (branch president) went into this discussion he had with the stake president last week. Basically the stake president thinks that because recently the view of religion has gone down in Japan, so going house to house is not going to work anymore. Then he pauses there and talks about his vision of building a church building. A real church building. Right now we are in the first floor of an apartment. In order to build a church we need 50 people to come every week. Right now we usually have about 25 (yesterday 21). Then he said he wants to start building it in 2 years. Then he gets back to finding. He starts talking about working with members which I agree with. Our two strongest investigators right now are referrals. Then he turns away from that and starts talking about our investigators that are weak and how we need to just throw them to the side and find prepared people. I'll be honest it was kinda frustrating. He was telling us everything we are doing is wrong but gave no alternatives. At the same time though it was cool. I think it might have been the most recent conference were President Eyring talked about "sitting in council" with priesthood quorums. I have never seen it so well executed until then. President Sato really cared what people thought in this priesthood group. Everyone got a turn to speak. He would listen. Shared what he liked, asked for clarification about things he didn't understand, then moved on. We really didn't come up with a solution but we all have the same vision now. Very interesting. Its been racking my brain for the last day trying to figure out what we can do.

Anyway. That was quite the rant. Shall be interesting to see where Furukawa dendo goes. Hopefully some exciting things start happening. Love you all. Good luck with the wedding plans. Peace out.