March 13, 2016 (out of order)

Well I'm in Nagano now!! I made it! So one Tuesday elder Penninton and I got up and took the nice long train ride all the way down to Nagoya and had to say the saddest goodbye ever. Well I found my new companion elder Baldwin and we took the really long train ride to Nagano. It was a wonderful day filled with long train rides. 

So Nagano is really nice and cold. Just when I thought I was past the cold I come here and it's been snowing here. No fun! Nagano is really pretty though! It is surrounded by mountains so no matter where you look you can see pretty mountains. Nagano is also a really mixed area because you have a good amount of countryside and then a good amount of big city so that's awesome. The big city part of Nagano is really awesome and is so different then my last area. Everywhere you go there are just tons of people and huge buildings. It's way cool! 

My new companion is elder Baldwin from queen creek Arizona. He is 6 feet 4 inches tall and I look like a midget next to him but it's whatever. He is an awesome missionary and really good at Japanese and I've learned so much from him already. He is also a really funny guy and we have lots in common and can just talk for hours with each other. He also really gets the concept of play when it's time to play and work when it's time to work so that's just awesome and I love it. I'm really excited for the rest of this transfer with him. 

In our area we currently have 7 investigators which is so cool. This week I got to meet 3 of them and teach them. One of them was Miyashita, who is a 22 year old college kid and he is way nice and dresses super fancy. I always tease him and tell him he needs to teach me how to dress. He speaks fluent English so that's fun sometimes. He is a great investigator! Next was Hanyu San who feed us dinner on Wednesday. I ate more that night than I have ever eaten before in my life! I seriously thought i was going to die. After that appointment I had to take several breaks while we were riding our bikes cause I thought I was going to die. Lastly we met with the Masuda family. It's a dad and his 12 year old son. They are like the two coolest people I've ever met. The dad owns an american antique shop and is just like ultra hipster. They just crack jokes the whole time and teach us really weird slang Japanese so it's way funny. They love the Book of Mormon and prayer so its good! 

On Saturday we had a cool chance to go watch some professional Japanese basketball. A member called us Friday and told us he got some tickets to a basketball game and for us to invite as many investigators as possible. We all had a lot of fun! Sadly the team we were cheering for lost but that's okay. Also let me tell you... Japanese pro ball looks like kids playing high school basketball. I never realized how good the NBA is but yeah I see now. 

That's really all for this week! This week was really fun! I love this area and the people here. The branch members here are seriously the best. I feel like I was welcomed with such open arms and just welcomed into this tight family. It's awesome! I think I won't want to leave here once my time is up! 

On Sunday I was asked to bear my testimony in sacrament meeting. I was reading my scriptures on Sunday morning and came across this scripture and was really impressed to share it. The scripture was Alma 5: 26  which says " And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?" I know it's so important that we are always looking inside ourselves and checking up on our conversion. We need to make sure we are always progressing in this gospel and that we are finding joy in the journey. Never let yourself go a second just stuck on a plateau. Check yourself and change what needs to be changed whether it's better scripture study, praying more often, or making Sunday church attendance a bigger part of your week. I know we can all do this and make ourselves better and always keep improving. 

Love you all!! Have a great week!! 

My new companion, Elder Baldwin

My new area, Nagano!

saying goodbye to Elder Pennington

March 21, 2016

Well this week this email is coming to you from the sushi restaurant waiting room. Who would have guessed that you'd have to wait an hour just to eat a thin slice of fish on rice? Oh, Japan! 

Well this week was really good! The weather has been really nice. It's been warming up but there is still a chilly breeze so sadly I still have to wear a sweater. Since coming to Japan I have realized how much I love the sun. I miss the nice burning rays of the sun on my skin! 

So this Wednesday we had an apartment check so Monday and Tuesday me and elder Baldwin went hard core and made our apartment look brand new. When the senior missionaries came in all they said the whole time is " oh, wonderful". So now we are pretty much living in a brand new apartment... It's amazing! Missionary apartments are gross and I've been really lucky to be in not too bad of apartments. 

On Friday we had district training meeting and afterwards we wanted to go get something to eat. Well we invited the husband in the senior couple, elder Kamio, and asked where he wanted to eat and he said ramen because his wife never lets him eat ramen but because she isn't with us so she won't find out. He is so funny! Well we all went out and ate and had a good time. However while we were eating his wife called and asked where he was and he was forced to confess. Oops, we kinda got him in trouble. Hahaha! 

Finally on Saturday night we ended up playing some high school kids in basketball and they kicked our butts. We saw them playing and figured we would challenge them, beat them, and then talk to them about what we do for a bit. Well we challenged them and they were scared because elder Baldwin is 6 feet 4 inches tall but once we started playing we realized that they were faster than lightening. They ran circles around me and elder Baldwin, it was crazy! In the end we had a good time and they really liked us and we exchanged numbers and they want to see us again. 

This week also consisted of some hunting down of less actives and some good investigator lessons. The area is doing good and investigators are progressing well! However several of our investigators are going out of town for this week so that is kinda dumb but whatever. 

Love you all and hope you all have an awesome week!!! 

Elder Myers

Elder Baldwin and I with the "ballers"

Anime of Lehi's arrival in the promised land - artist unknown

Riding Bikes in Komatsu

March 6, 2016

Well I'm TRANSFERRING!! I'm going to Nagano!! I'm going from the second coldest place in the mission to the first. Yay! However, that is where the Dias family moved to so I'll be with them again and I'm way excited for that. 

Sorry I don't have a ton of time to email cause I'm still trying to get stuff done for transfers but here's what happened this week. 

On Wednesday we had service and we got to dig a hole and it was way fun! I told the member that we always do service with that I worked digging holes before my mission and that I enjoy it. Well he thought it was really funny and then the next week had us dig a nice hole for him. It was pretty enjoyable. Haha! 

Then on Saturday we had transfer calls and so I spent a lot of Saturday going and seeing lots of members and less actives and saying bye which was extremely sad.

Sunday I said bye to everyone at church and it was so sad. I have made so many great friends here and truly love the people here sooo much. It's amazing how much love you develop for a people when you are devoting your whole self to serving them. I will truly miss this area and these people. 

On Sunday we also got to see the Brazilian less active family whom we haven't been able to contact all transfer. It was really good and they invited us to come over tonight for dinner since it's my last night. It's really funny because my first p-day here I went to their house and ate with them and now for my last one I'll be doing the same. Funny how things happen. 

This gospel is so true! I could never deny its truthfulness. I have seen this gospel change so many people's lives including my own. I know every single person can find joy, peace, and comfort in this gospel. This gospel is centered on the atonement of Jesus Christ for a reason and that is so he can succor his people and if we simply turn to him he will heal us and help rebuild and mold us. I know this to be true. 

I love you all and hope you all have a blessed week!

Elder Myers

A couple we do service with every week- they are great!

Two of my favorite guys, they make me laugh all the time

My Japanese grandma, she evens calls me her grandson