Week 48- A better place

 Aloha 皆さん、

Yo I really needa start writing these emails earlier in the week or something. Lately I'll sit down and my brain is completely and utterly gone. But anyways.

A wise old firebender once said:

“Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving... you will come to a better place.”

Little did I know at the ripe age of like 7 or 8 or whenever I watched Avatar the last Airbender that Iroh would be spitting straight facts. 

When I started the transfer mission life definitely felt like a dark tunnel. Bro I had no idea what was going on. I was stumbling trying to navigate in the dark. I had a new missionary whom from Kaku 長老’s wise words “is quite literally a baby and will follow exactly what you do” (he was right, Theurer 長老 is afraid of talking to women, JUST LIKE ME FR). And I was supposed to help guide and motivate the other missionaries in my district. Bro I had no idea what I was doing LOL. I was tripping over stones, stumbling through the tunnel making mistakes constantly. But just like a flashlight in a dark tunnel I had so many amazing missionaries and people to help me grow, to help me learn and enable me to help those around me grow as well. I won't lie, it wasn't easy. In fact it was extremely stressful🗿but I just kept moving. No matter how hard things get or how down you feel, everything only ends when you stop and give up. We may not see the light at the end of the tunnel and feel lost, but that's when you can rely on those around you and especially on Jesus and Heavenly Father. Trust that eventually you will come to that better place. 

Highlights:

-Zone Conference 

-Let there be fire and 0% beer

-DCM and exchanges

Zone Conference:

Zone conference was super fun. We did it differently where it was just our zone. It was super interesting, and it was overall fun. In my interview with the President he told me my greenie thinks I'm moody. Among other things but yeah that was funny to learn. Also had awesome trains that really got me pumped to do some missionary work!

Let there be fire and 0% beer:

So we made Tondos last week which is something they burn to chase away demons? Idk correct me if I'm wrong. But it was super fun to go and be in the community. Then this past Saturday we went and they only had coffee and beer to drink. Anyways me and my companion were mad thirsty and was looming at the coffee and beer seeing if there was anything else and some of the people walked up to us and pointed to a case that had 0% alcohol beer/sake and started saying repeatedly “no alcohol, no alcohol. Drink, drink” to us because we had told them earlier we were missionaries and explained some of our beliefs. Anyways we were super thirsty so we ended up drinking some and partly due to the fact they watched us very expectantly. It was a fun experience, also had some smores too with some kids. Overall super awesome experience!

DCM and Exchanges: 

Had an awesome DCM to pump the district up. The ZLs came too and helped out with the training and bore some awesome testimonies! Just some needed reminders about why we are here and the blessings we receive as a missionary were needed for some of the district Members! I'm running exchanges with the other Elders in the district so hopefully we can keep the mission fire going in the district for the rest of the transfer!

Okay no more time, SHOOTS!

愛してるよ

エリス長老

TheRisingSon