I'm still alive! It's been a crazy couple of weeks here in Tokorozawa. Here is what's happened:
The biggest thing that's happened since I last wrote is that Transfers happened. I am no longer companions with Elder Connell. We got transfer calls about two weeks ago and he moved to Yamate. My new companion is Elder Young. Elder Young and I are both very similar in our way of thinking. It's only been a few weeks that we've been working together but it's been loads of fun nonetheless. He is currently training for the next summer Olympics. He is a runner and if he can drop .03 seconds of his 100m time then he will make it in. We've been pushing ourselves pretty hard every morning to get better. My PRT race time is dropping like crazy.
The rain here is relentless. It continues to come down regardless of how much I want to keep dry. This past weekend really off and on. On Saturday Elder Young and I ran pretty early in the morning and afterwards,mad we were walking up,he stairs to our apartment, it started pouring SUPER hard. It was obnoxious how hard it was raining. We were both really grateful for how lucky we were to not get caught in the heavy downpour.
Last week Elder Young and I ran the first of ten different training briefs for our zone members. President Wada is doing this ten week training program that is supposed to help boost everyone's teaching abilities and help everyone to gain more confidence in their skills as missionaries. It was a really good training. We talked a lot about faith and how to work Hard, Smart, and Inspired. We read a lot from the Book of Mormon together. I tight from Alma 21 about being good missionaries. I think that everyone came out from the training with at least something new. Or I sure hope so...
There is this park by our new apartment in Shin-Tokorozawa called Koku Koen. It's gigantic. It used to be an old airport of some sort. I think that it it got destroyed during he end of the second war and afterwards they didn't know what to do with it so they turned it into this gigantic park. Elder Young and I walked around and talked to people about the church at the park. We did however meet these two people who used to be colonels in the Japanese military back in the day. One was a Jet fighter and the other was in the Japanese ground forces. They were really cool. I talked to them about how I was at the Academy and how afterwards, I'm planning on going back and joining the elite fighting force that is the United States Marine Corps. They thought that was pretty cool. We were able to have a really deep conversation about religion and the purpose of life. It was really really cool. They come to the park super often so next time were there we plan on giving them both Books of Mormon.
This week on Saturday, the Ward put together their own rendition of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice." They have been practicing for weeks and weeks to perfect it, and they went all out in making flyers and spreading that word. There were even a bunch of members going door to door to generate some interest! I have no idea what the play was about. Shakespeare is hard to understand in my own language let alone in Japanese. It was quite the sight to behold. The whole time I laughed at how ridiculous my situation was. There I was an American, in Japan, watching a Play, written by Shakespeare, preformed in Japanese. I just laughed when everyone else did and did my best to keep my eyes open. After the play, the Ward threw this HUGE curry and rice party for all those people who had decided to come and watch the play. It was a really good time to be able to build friendships with the members and meet some cool non-members as well! In all, Saturday was a success!
Elder Suzuki, our Japanese missionary here in our District has really been taking a bigger role in leading the missionaries based here in Tokorozawa. We had a district meeting last week where all eight of us Tokorozawa missionaries sat down and planned out how we wanted to focus in the members this transfer and help bring them unto Christ individually. Were trying our best to work as a whole unit so that we can maximize the good that we do here in Tokorozawa!
Well that's all I have for now. It was good hearing from everyone either via email or letter this week!
Very Respectfully,
Elder J. Alan Farr
Please enjoy this picture of Chicken that I found at the store this week while doing grocery shopping.
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