1400 hours The North
This week has been half melt days half storm days with really hard wind which up to this point we haven't had really at all. The snow is about the same. In other news we did squats two days ago and Elder Macnab is hobbling around like an old dog... my hamstrings are a bit tender though.
Culture point:
I can't remember if I shared this last year or not but I will this year anyway. There very much is valentines day in Japan but a little different. On Valentine's day only girls give chocolates or candy. There are varying opinions on this next bit but best I can tell: If you buy a boy chocolates it means I think you are cool. Tiny chocolate is I think you are my co-worker and a good person. Giant bought chocolate is I think you are kind of cute maybe. If you make chocolates its like pretty much bust out the ring and the wheat (I think they would think its better to waste wheat). Then on March 14th they have white day! On white day you take all the things you got on valentines day and you give back the same type of thing. It's a pretty hard rule that you give back to anyone that gave to you. I got nothing... sad day for Law Choro. ;-)
Fun food fact:
I am really struggling to remember what I have told you. One thing interesting is in really Japanese style kitchens you never see them using a spatula and frying pan but instead a pan and really long think chop sticks that are for cooking. They are a bit harder to use for some things but are way easier to use for others where you want to be precise. I use them as one tool because I am not that jozu yet...
Spiritual thought:
Today my thoughts come from the words of Ammon in the Book of Mormon "I ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of a just God, for i know that he grannteth not men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life.." we get according to what we desire. I think we all desire things in our minds and we desire also in our heart; and sometimes they are not united. At least mine are not always united. If my heart is driven by my flesh to desire to sleep I probably will end up sleeping even if my head desires to go study. If my flesh desires that beer and my heart gives in, then even if my head says its not a good idea I will give in. If my heart wants to go shovel the widows next store`s snow because I love her then it will probably happen. God grants unto me pretty much every desire of my heart... good or bad. Sometimes I don't really like the desires of my heart... haha but what I wanted to share with everyone today is I know we can experiences a "great change of heart" if we so desire. I have found praying specifically, reading the scriptures regularly, and serving others is the most effective way to change my heart.
Funny story:
So it was valentines day this last week and so I figure I will give something along those lines.
We teach English class every week. Macnab Choro and myself are very good at English, been studying for years. I have been studying Japanese now for over a year and a half and so I can hold a normal conversation but Macnab Choro is pretty new and is still learning. It's especially difficult to pick up on something if you have no context.
So after English was over we were kinda mingling with the students seeing if anyone had any last questions or things and he started talking to someone. I then got called over by the person next to him and she said she had a culture question. She asked me when do you say "I love you" in America outside of family relationships. No one in Japan says I love you anytime and she knew we used it more in English so she wanted to check. I said it depends on the person and age and era and so she explained the reason she was asking: she has been skyping a friend in America. She is about 30, has a son that is 8, is single, and is very nice. This man was about her age, also single and she explained that lately when he says bye on the skype calls he has been saying "i love you" and sending her texts with hearts and saying I love you. I said I was not him so I don't know for sure but I would guess that he probably was saying it in a little bit romantic way. That he may be thinking they could start some type of a dating relationship.She said ok and then said she wanted to know how to politely put him off of that line of thinking, a kind way to refuse the offers, a way to say to him that she did think he was cool but that she just wanted the relationship to be one of friendship. She wanted a simple sentence she could remember in English.
So now back up. I am in this really fast kind of long talk in Japanese and as we talk about not misunderstanding him we get more and more serious and Elder Macnab is watching this and all he can pick up is the word love a couple times and then he catches that she asked me some sort of question. Then I come up with her answer: "I really think your great too, but I need you to understand that we cant be anymore than friends."Macnab choro is like oh my gosh... (remember we are male nuns for these two years) Satan is tempting Law Choro with this woman. But he seems to be overcoming it well! He just says a lil prayer to strengthen me and kind of comes and stands by me.
We keep talking and then she writes it down and I look over at him and he just gives me this hard core nod of you keep it up man I got your back.. and I am so confused...
It got really busy after that with everyone leaving and us thanking people but once everyone was gone and he asked what happened and I explained he got a good laugh and then I got a good laugh after. It was a good day! haha!
love each other for me!
Law Choro
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