I trust you are all still doing well. This past week was good. Though thinking back I can`t remember much. After zone conference last week I accidentally left my grammar book on a bus. The Tanabe Elders went to the bus station for me and reported the missing book. Fortunately it was found the next day so I should be getting it tonight.
It was raining really hard on Thursday morning, fortunately by the time we finished weekly planning the rain had stopped. Elder Cutler and Elder Andrews came down from Wakayama for an exchange. On Thursday evening Elder Andrews and I went out, while we were walking on the road we came across an old man walking towards us. We talked with him and he ended up taking us to a nice house/shack place he had built for fun. He ended up giving us frozen squid and fish to take home and grill.
On Friday afternoon I was with Elder Cutler and pointed out the concealed staircase where the man who gave us hamburger a couple weeks ago was staying. As we were walking away the door slid up and there he was. We talked with him and mentioned we were heading up to the castle ruins right by there. He was pretty excited about that and decided to go with us and show us the real/original entrance and stuff. He was a lot more serious this time without Elder Slater for some reason. (I think he likes teasing Elder Slater with Japanese he doesn`t understand.) We went around the ruins a little with him and ended up teaching a little bit of lesson 1 and inviting him to church on Sunday just to check it out. He did come yesterday for Sacrament meeting.
On Saturday as we were riding around we were stopped at a crosswalk next to a guy who had just bought a big bag of mandarin oranges. Elder Slater said to the guy, `Oranges are delicious aren`t they?`. The next thing he knew the guy held open the bag for him and said to take some and not hold back, as Elder Slater was hesitating the guy said he`d just dump some in his bike basket if he didn`t take some. Elder Slater took a couple and the guy said `You`re holding back` and dumped about 20 in his bike basket. It was pretty funny, and nice of the him. We spread the joy by giving oranges to people we talked to or passed by.
In the evening we had a Branch Family Home Evening. We played a couple games, shared a message, and everyone ate crepes (With fruit and ice cream). It was pretty fun but the preparation and stuff was a little 大変.
Yesterday 2 nonmembers came to church bringing our Sacrament attendance up to 8. Elder Slater and one of the members gave talks yesterday while I taught Gospel Principles. I really hope I can get my hands on an English copy of the new Gospel Principles book soon. I can read the Japanese one for the most part but I can`t just glance at the book and point at a little part for everyone to read that explains what we`re talking about.
After church we met with the members and discussed them attending a Devotional Elder Oaks is giving on February 10th up in Ibaraki. It`s pretty far, a 5-7 hour drive probably and maybe $100 worth of tolls round trip. It looks likes 4 of them might take a day off work and go. I hope that works out, it would be really good.
We`re taking the train over to Tanabe again this evening. We have zone interviews up in Iwade, probably a 5-6 hour trip. So we don`t have to get up really early tomorrow we`re making the 3 hour train ride this evening and will do the rest tomorrow. We should be able to get all the way back by tomorrow night so it won`t take up too much time.
I plan on finishing my college application next week if I can so if there`s anything you can do I`ll let you know then. The weekend of August 5-8 is still my last.
I hope everything goes well for you. Things are going well here and I`m happy to be here, even when I`m hoping the rain outside will stop. I know the Lord guides this work and leads us when we trust in him. I pray for your safety and happiness.
Love,
Elder Andrew West
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