日本の冒険！Week 15: Victorious Patience! 勝利がある忍耐！ (not sure on the Japanese for this one.....)

So yesterday we did not hold a baptismal service. He is not quite ready yet. He E-mailed us Saturday and told us he is not sure he can keep the word of Wisdom and his Job, and so we have to post-pone the service. It is really a good thing though, because he is deciding now which is more important, God or Work? I am confident he will pick the right one. ^^ He should be baptized sometime next month. The members were all very nice and supportive of his decision to post-pone.

I went on an exchange this week! and get this.... it was with House 長老、 from American Fork, Next door neighbor of Garrett Howard! Crazy, right? It was pretty fun! We once worked on a school project together. He was very supportive of my missionary tactics, which my companion isn`t always, so it was fun. We did things like Soap Box 伝道、 `no thank you` 伝道、 and a couple others. haha. ^^ Soap box 伝道 is just what it sounds like, we stood up on a platform and called out to groups of people! haha. Largely ineffective, apparently, but it definitely brightens peoples day to see 2 weird 外人 calling out for them all to gather! Got some good laughs and 2 people stopped to talk with us. haha. ` No thank you` 伝道 is where you wait for someone to say `no thanks` and than you act like they are crazy to say `no thanks to you. ` EEEEHHHHH?!?!?! ` No thanks?!?!` What?!?! Really?!?!`. Also not very effective, but keeps the day from getting horribly boring when knocking doors. Haha. I tell my companion all the time, `hey, I have a new 伝道 Idea! ` `Oh no.......` haha.

Went out to dinner with the ward mission leader again. Ate Chinese food. No, not Panda express..... haha. It is pretty legit food I think. They served Sushi too, so I got some of that as well. Our ward mission leader is awesome!

Taught a 2nd lesson and a first lesson.

2nd lesson went well. His name is Kosuke. He lived in the US until he was 11, so we teach in English, which is what he prefers. He is a golden investigator, but really really busy. It really was his first formal in the church lesson, so we didn`t actually teach too much, but by the end of the lesson, he had, without any prompting on our part, expressed interest in all 3 lessons we teach. (restoration, Plan of Salvation, Gospel of Jesus Christ). So looking forward to his next lesson. Not sure when it will be yet, though.

The other new investigator was a first visit. A 17 year old girl, referred by the same girl who referred the last similar contact. ^^ that is our 3rd referral from her, 可奈子姉妹(kanako), she is awesome. ^^ So we met at the members home, and she (kurumi, the new investigator) said she had interest in our message and wanted to learn. So it was an awesome lesson. Some parts were kind of interesting.... haha.... She told us that she wants to marry an American. Then, after we taught a little bit and asked her if she had any questions, she inquired about the color of my eyes..... haha. ^^ But really, she has real interest in the church. We were able to teach about God and had the member offer a prayer. The Spirit came in really strong and they both felt it way deep. We are planning to meet her again at church hopefully this coming Sunday. ( Apparently my eyes are a color most Japanese haven`t seen before.... that was not the first inquiry I have received ... haha. I don`t really know what to tell people. ummm.... they are this color because my Mom`s eyes are....... haha)

So really quickly, here is the miracle of the week, as described in my letter to president:

"Miracle of the week! So me and House 長老 were talking with people by the 大学, and we had just finished talking to someone when we heard someone else call out 「長老達！」(Elders!)  We were pretty shocked, obviously, and we turned to find a member, not of our ward, in fact, not someone I had ever seen before. But she told us that she had found someone who wants to learn English from us! she brought us over about 5 steps to a girl who wants to learn English! If she comes this Wednesday, that will be the first new English student I have seen so far. I think she may be interested in more than just English, too. It doesn`t seem likely that we would just randomly run into a member like that."

So other than those things, we had interviews! haha. Kind of a boring slow day actually. Got to go to Kyoto for it though, which is always fun. My interview was like 10 minutes, and everyone else took upwards of that.... so I mostly just sat around all day until late..... haha. My companion was practicing for a musical number he was doing with some other missionaries, so I just talked to the other missionaries there for the day. Felt like I kind of wasted a day, but I suppose it was good to relax a while......

Saturday was a Life-time in a Day. Met with 5 people and prepared and co-hosted a halloween party. It was way fun, a member actually made me a costume.^^ lots of good food and games and such. Japan doesn`t really celebrate Halloween, but the church usually does a party and the stores all decorate for the halloween season. But honestsly, there`s almost as many Christmas decorations up as Halloween!! haha. ^^ KFC is already all ready for Christmas.

Sunday was the Primary Program!! called Primary Anouncement in Japanese! It was pretty fun! there were 5 participants. Not like any program I`ve seen before. haha. But it was really good. Some of them were way young, and they all had tons of parts because the whole program was split between the 5 of them! They had to sing pretty loud too! It was really fun and bro. futakuchi actually learned a couple things! ^^

Well, it was a pretty intense week. And it should be another good week coming up.


またねぇ！
オーライリ長老

A group of people we met while we were going to dinner
with an English conversation student. They were very.... friendly. haha.
My companion had to run away from a hug from one of the girls..... haha.
 I was smart and stuck out my hand for a hand shake.

We saw them tow a car one morning! Did they drag it up? no....
they lifted it straight off the ground with the little tow truck!
almost tipped the small truck over! haha.

Halloween party! That is the member who made my costume!
 She is a character from one of those movies from Studio Ghibli. 

 Heaven as seen from our Apartment.

Weekly Planning session!

 The rising sun in the Land of the Rising Sun.
It comes right after 6:30 now, so I can see it! haha.
It sets around 5:20 ish...... dark way early. It sets as early as 4:30 I`ve been told.

Kind of a blurry shot, but somehow awesome.

^^

Light show at Kyoto Station, after Interview day.

After a little bit of bad luck with watches ( breaking/losing all 3 watches I brought, and losing a $1 watch that I bought) I received this watch from 二口兄弟. Pretty nice! He is a nice guy. 

日本の冒険！Week 14: insert awesome title here!

First of all sorry about the title. Been really busy so I haven`t been able to study the next Christ-like attribute in depth yet, probably the attribute of Patience. So be Patient. haha.

WOW. This week was incredible. 二口兄弟 (futakuchi) passed his baptismal interview!! He is going to be baptized this Sunday! I will be performing the ordinance. It is so amazing to talk with him and see how prepared he is. I will of course send pictures next week. ^^

Ok, low on time, here is my president`s letter, explains the week pretty good.
President!

Its been a great week. We are finding people everywhere and we have many new investigators planned this week. It is going to be great!

We discovered recently that 同志社大学, a Christian College, is really really busy from 4 PM on! we have used this as an opportunity to hand out hundreds of fliers in about half an hour, and to find several potential investigators, who we are meeting at the church this week. We have lessons planned with 3 new investigators this week, and 1 return appointment for a new investigator from last week!

Most exciting of all, 二口兄弟 passed his baptism interview on Friday! We are holding the service this Sunday. We are really excited and the ward is too. It has been a long time since 城陽 has seen a baptism, but it is about to have its first of many! We met with him after church on Sunday, and he is ready and excited. Everything is looking quite good. ^^

Well, there should be many good things to report next week! I`m excited for the miracles the Lord has in store for us this coming week. I`m going to work hard so I can see them!

最大限働きたいです！
Elder O`Reilly

So other than that, we went on an exchange! I went to the 下鴨 house near 京都, and we actually got to work around 京都大学, the 2nd best university in Japan! so that was pretty cool. Everyone we talked to was pretty smart. haha.

Well, Next week should have many new investigators, a ward Halloween party, sushi with 森村兄弟、another exchange, and a baptism! Woah! sounds like its going to be a good week! Get ready for it!

じゃあ、またねぇ！

愛しているよ！

オーライリ長老


So I thought my comp was almost done, but looks like I have some time. ^^

District meeting. It was in Otsu, because the district is different areas now! We have 6 members of our district, and my comp. is the District Leader. So that means that I go on a lot of exchanges because he has to go on one with all the district members and the zone leaders. haha.

Otsu is a cool area. For some really bizarre reason, though, everyone wanted to eat at a place nicknamed by missionaries `the Dirty`. It was dirty. Apparently missionaries have seen stray cats exit the kitchen. umm. Why are we going there? haha. I don`t know any other place that messy, Japanese restaurants are usually Way clean with excellent service. Well this place was a little less like that. haha. The food was cheap, though! I got a huge plate for about the equivalent of $7. cabbage and からげ　( a fried chicken sort of deal, but it tastes way better than fried Chicken.) Honestly though, the からげ at 7 11`s is better. (did I mention those are everywhere??? they have some good stuff!) Anyway, I hope we choose somewhere else next time. haha. I saw a すき家 that was even closer, which is always a favorite, they just serve beef on rice with something else on top, depending on what you order. (牛丼)

Anyway, Way excited for this week! not sure what we are doing today yet, but we have a lesson tonight with a new investigator! Pray that he feels the Love of God! ^^

京都駅！(kyoto station!) Huge, awesome, etc! haha.
Went here three times in 2 days because of an exchange right after a district meeting. fun stuff. ^^

Breakfast! Nashi is sooooo goood.
It is thick toast with egg, cream cheese, mayo, and beef. yummmmmm

日本の冒険！Week 13: Knowledge of Truth! 真理の知識！

I guess it seems to save time to copy my letter to president, so here it is

President!

Its been a great week. Boice 長老 is incredible! You must have whipped him into shape good. haha. ^^ We`ve set the goal to see 3 baptisms this transfer, and we both agreed on that and believe it can be done.

I am beginning to see who I am meant to become. through much study and experience, I`m beginning to understand the things I need to overcome, and the person that God knows I can be. This mission theme of True Disciples, One and All reminds me of my father. He asked me to write a page of what I want to become, and then read it frequently and strive to become that person. He is an inspired man.

The area is doing very well! we were able to get back in contact with a couple investigators that we haven`t been able to for about a month, bringing our total investigators back up to 9. We still have the 3 progressing investigators, but we have potential for some new progressing investigators soon.

We are planning for 二口兄弟 to be baptized on the 28th. He has been taught everything and just needs a final visit and an interview!

Well, looking forward to a week of miracles!
Elder O`Reilly

So there is that. So yeah, new companion! He is way cool, he was the AP for 4 transfers before now. We get along really good thus far, yep. He is an incredible missionary and so I`ll be able to learn a lot from him. He is really good at just talking to people and starting conversation with people that are complete strangers, which is hard for me still.

Anyway, our investigators are doing really well. We had a ping pong event thing on Friday, which a bunch of people were supposed to come to...... 二口兄弟 came, and then we waited for quite a while and eventually　可奈子姉妹（Sister Kanako)　and her friend,  遥姉妹 (Haruka) came. So it was just the four of us. Still really good and we were able to share a spiritual message with 遥姉妹, who we haven`t been able to meet with recently.

Conference! It was really fun. Went up to 下鴨, (shimogamo) at the kyoto stake center. Like 10-14 missionaries were there. Watched in English in our own room and slept the night at the shimogamo HOUSE. yeah, the missionaries there have a house. 2 floors and everything just for the 2 of them. crazy. Anyway that was way fun.

So I think I`m going to keep these E-mails down to about an hour, so I`ll be wrapping up now. Today just planning to relax and catch up on some letters. ^^

じゃあ、またねぇ！(Hey, see you later)
愛しているよ！  (I love you!)

～オーライリ長老  (Elder O'Reilly)

Last P-Day we went to Kyoto Train Station! Way cool place!

                         

The design is way cool.

A shrine like thing near the station. With my District leader last transfer.

Another shot at the Station. With Elder Allen,
companion of Elder Barney, my district leader last transfer.

View from the top of the 駅. (station) We had a steak up there with a member.
Yeah, on the 11th floor. Was it a good steak? why yes, yes it was.

The member who bought us the steaks. Sorry, only picture I have of him.
 The guy closest to the camera. Yeah, I know, he is facing the wrong way. haha

The sun looked like the Moon one morning! way weird!
I was trying to decide if it was the sun or the moon at first
 but then it got brighter right before this pic.

A pic of the Shimogamo house. Yes, I know it is a horrible picture
 that doesn`t really show anything. It is the only one I have though......

 

New companion. Just took this pic 2 seconds ago. haha.
He's my  new district leader.

日本の冒険！Week 12: Bold Virtue!　大胆な徳!


TRANSFERS!! AHHH!! Results? I am staying! yeah!!! My companion is leaving to go 2 areas to the west! And my new companion is Boice 長老. Who is the AP right now. What. haha. That was a shock a little bit. So he is supposed to be an incredible missionary. Because he is the AP, he was the one who called us and told us about transfers.

`....and Elder O`Reilly...... can you cook?`

`ummmm..... yes......`

`Good, because I can`t! `

Haha. It was a bit of a shock. The Zone leader and the District leader had lead me to believe that it was highly probable that I would be a trainer this next transfer. haha. So yeah, I have seen him and he has taught a lot of things to the whole mission, so I know who he is, but other than that don`t know much. The transfer is Thursday, so I`ll know a little by next E-mail. haha. ^^

So the highlight of this week was P-Day with 森村兄弟。 It was WAY awesome! We went to a castle, also to 銀閣寺, and ALSO to some incredibly beautiful place which name escapes my mind. I took over 250 pictures, so I`ll try to pick some good ones.... lol. He also took us out to Lunch and Dinner. It was basically the best P-Day ever. Actually one of the best days ever. He is a way fun guy to be around. He really enjoyed spending time with us as well, and we were able to talk a lot about the Word of Wisdom and other similar topics just as friends for a day. Really great time. Pictures to follow.

Other than that, we had an exchange, taught 6 lessons, and just had an awesome week. 二口兄弟 is still progressing towards baptism, but he is SUPER busy so we can`t meet often. We have taught him everything and he is still coming to church every single week and he has read all the way up to 3rd Nephi! but Tithing he says might be a problem. If that is overcome, he will be baptized as soon as possible! (but not this week, especially because it is General Confrence) 森村兄弟 is making excellent progress. We had a lesson with some members who had drinken a ton of Tea before their conversions, and they were able to answer a lot of his problems and concerns. We are meeting with him again tonight. ^^

So, General Confrence! it will be this week, Saturday and Sunday, in Shimogamo. Not sure if I will hear it in English or Japanese yet. If investigators are going, it will be in Japanese. They aren`t sure if they are coming yet.

Today for P-Day we will be going to Kyoto with our district, and going out to eat and such. Should be fun.

Well, I`m excited for the next adventure!

じゃあ、またねぇ！
オーライリ長老

(and just a few pictures for you... haha)

Me and Morimura

At castle entrance. Unfortunately some of it was being remodeled, but still way awesome.

My companion and 森村兄弟

A tower in the corner of the castle grounds. awesome.

The garden around the castle was incredible!

Castle moat.

Castles in Japan are awesome....

SO GREEN!

Castle gardens.

From the top of the castle.

I thought this was a good pic. haha ^^

CASTLE MOAT AGAIN!

I don`t know what we are doing here...... haha.

OK. last moat picture I promise.

Entrance (and brother Morimura)

Me! still entrance.

The building itself.

SAND is really cool here. Rock garden type stuff. Way cool!

Rock garden.

Incredible!

From up higher

With some rock garden visible.

The last place we went. Incredible place. Aquaduct that goes on forever!!

Really cool to just walk around.

JAPANESE GARDENS ARE TOO AWESOME! (near castle)

My desk. So you can see where I study. haha. maybe I`ll take a better pic next time.