March 24, 2014 Letter

1629 hours Northern Japan!

I could lie and say that I am so busy buying groceries today and doing my laundry but its going to be a short one because I bought a new Ping-Pong paddle and am DIEING to test it out. Know I love you though.

 

Culture point:

Ping-Pong. The sport of the Gods. Every church in Japan has a table and people are insanely good. I was dominated by a 60 year old grandma in my first transfer. But I am now pretty much a master. Ping-Pong is everywhere and it is called takyu. When you go to the gym there will be a basketball hoop, volleyball court, bad mitten court, and a whole bunch of Ping-Pong tables. The strongest teams in Japan are from aomori prefecture (where I am stationed now) but unfortunately they tell my the Olympic champions are normally from china. But we are catching up. Not all Japanese people are good at it but almost everyone likes it (its maybe like volleyball in the states)!

 

Fun Food Fact:

First to add to my list; put down that I ate soba and cassis flavored ice cream this week. They were funny times but I am sick of those as funny stories. Soba is a noodle, they use it in a lot of different ways but the most common is probably yakisoba which it like what Americans think of as stir-fry noodles maybe? It has all sorts of things in it depending on who makes it but normally cabbage and meat and carrots for sure and then other vegetables after. If I can find it in the stores I will make you some good yakisoba when I get home!

 

Spiritual Thought:

I love this place and this people. Like love them love them love them. It's not that I am all soft hearted and a lover, you can talk to any of the Americans on the base and they will tell you they feel the same way. There are 110 reasons why its easy to love the Japanese. But as I was pondering why I think it is I came up with one big foundation that gives them all their honor, respect, honesty, dependability, patience, hard work, ect. I think it might be because they are thankful. No one is perfect and they aren't either but 99% of the time they have thankful hearts. They are thankful for not only what they have, where they are, food.. but also deeper things like who they are, what they can do, the opportunities they have, the beauty of a job well done. It made me think of how maybe I could be a bit more grateful maybe... to God, to my family, to my country, my friends and not so much show it with words but with actions. It might seem like a bit of a pain in the butt to snip your hedges that perfect, and maybe it is, but maybe that degree of gratitude for your neighborhood would be worth it. That might be extreme and moderation in all things, but when we see the extra mile and think "why should I even go?" maybe it's to show that bit more of gratitude. It has been helping me be happier and find more opportunities to serve!

 

Funny Story:

I feel like sometimes this is just the "Law Choro sin confession box" but know that all ridiculous behavior I share here I at least tried to repent of.

 

We were  in church in the Japanese branch. I was sitting next to Mantz Choro and our favorite grandma (we sit by them because the kangi are super hard to read if you have older eyes so we can help them find scriptures talked about). For whatever reason (I have a solid list of about 4 excuses if you really want to hear them) I was a bit tired that meeting. I just couldn't focus that well and my eyelids were getting heavier and heavier.... zzzzzzzzz.... and then the thigh squeeze came hard and not from the side of my loving companion. I about jumped 50 feet in the air... and instead of the scolding about me going to hell for sleeping in church she just gave me the evilest smile and cocked eyebrow... uhhh... I was no longer sleepy and elder mantz about died trying to be quite so all wasn't lost.

 

God does love us. Look for His love and show it to others for me!

Law Choro