Dear Family and friends,

THanks for the letters! I got them last Tuesday-like you said. When you send the letters directly to my apartment they get here three days sooners, so it:s super awesome. Unfortunately I forgot my card reader at the apartment, so you cannot see and will have to wait, but I BUTCHERED off my hair. Hahahaha like it is seriously so short. THis is probalby the shortest my hair has been since, what, junior high? Holy cow. So we went to follow up on this referral we received. So it was this 1000 yen haircut place, so to say sketchy is an understatement. The referal lady was there and she was really sweet. Sister Smith went first! So while this lady is cutting her hair.. SHE CUTS HER FINGER OPEN. Hahahaha so I am sitting there thinking, *good crap Sister Crofts what are you getting yourself into. Her conversion is not worth the sacrifice...* I am seriously FREAKING OUT. but it was somehow still so funny. You know that I never let people cut my hair in America, let alone at this sketchy haircut place in Japan. So then I go.... I went big! I cut off a solid 6 or so inches! As she was cutting, I felt like Fantine in Les Miserables, completely helpless. Knowing that this might be the only way this woman can be happy. So she finishes and I look in the mirror and honestly want to DIE. It took everything in me not to laugh and cry and everything in between. So we hand her an eikaiwa flyer (because we had talked about it and she said she wanted to learn english) and she:s like... wait, i have received one of these before! So she said she wants to come it just always slips her mind. She didn:t come. HOWEVER, we are going to follow up this week and mayb3e invite her to something else. Dad, you especially are going to die when you see my hair. I honestly don:t know what possessed me to do it. Totally on the whim, but it is growing on me because it is so nice and cool.

On tuesday, we had companionship switches becasue katsuta shimai is the STL. We went dendoing and it was SO FUN. But as always, so depressing. When we were housing I swear a million people rejected us saying *I:m buddhist, or I don:t want religion, or quit coming to our house (because they think we are the jehovas witnesses missionaries.* The Japanese poeple have these dang video/microphone things, so they don:t come to the door and just reject us through them. So it:s hard for me to keep a positive attitude about housing. So we decide to pray. The FIRST house we knock on after our prayer, the lady ACTUALLY LISTENED for like 4 minutes. It was a miracle. She said she would listen again, but then somehow she didn:t want to anymore. She said she:d at least read the pamphlet... All I said to her, was *I know that GOd loves you.* And we thanked her for her time and walked away. One day... I know it probably is so different from what you imagine, but any opportunity we get in our area to even mention the gospel is a miracle in itself.

AFter housing, we had to climb this mountain in the scolding heat to get to this potential investigator:s house. So we couldnt ride our bikes up it because it was so steep, so we pushed. My butt was sticking straight out because I was just trying to survive up this dang thing. Hahaha. So I get up this first hill, thinking *OKAY, we:re almost there?* THen I come to find out we have like 7 MORE!!!!!!! I wanted to die. It was so hot and my legs were burning and it was just rough. So we FINALLY get to this house, and I am DRIPPING sweat (thank you father). Japanese women NEVER SWEAT. So Katsuta shimai is just dying laughing at me, the PI was so sweet- but she was like* are you okay?* Hahahaha. I was totally fine I just sweat so bad here. It:s honestly so embarassing. I kept saying how embarassed I was and they just laughed and laughed. Mercy... WHY. We gave her a really good lesson and it was cool how she was really open to the concept of religion. She said *I see that this makes you ahppy, and I want to be happy.* So we are going to keep following up on her. That mountain was miserable, but I would climb it any day for that woman. She was amazing!

WE HAVE A NEW INVESTIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!! My very first one! We teach this woman personal eikaiwa every single week. And I told you that recently she:s been asking about our purpose as missionaries　more. So they had taught ehr several little messages before, but we decided she needed to understand that the atonement is personal to her. SO we talked about it (in english. I love english) and read some scriptures about the atonement. THe Spirit was so strong! I just knew we needed to invite her to do lessons the whole time, but I didn:t know how to say it. So Sister Smith was about to conclude, and then I said *T-san, I know that you have asked a lot of questions about our church and our purpose as missionaries lately. Would you want to learn more about our church in lessons? I know how much this church has blessed my life and I know how happy it would make you. Etc. Etc.* So she was SO EXCITED and said YES! So She is on the road. She loves and trusts us, and I thiink that is how we have been able to make so much progress with her.

I don:t know how this is humanly possible... And it may not look like it in pictures. But i have lost 13 pound since I have been in Japan. I didn:t lose or gain in the MTC. SO isn:t that crazy? I don:t know how- I eat so much.

Last Saturday night was this CRAZY massive festival. Man, do these Japanese people sure know how to party! I have never felt more like a freak in my life though. As I walked through this crowd, people honestly would just stop and stare with mouth wide open as I walked past. EVERYONE STARED AT ME. Usually its whatevs, but there were so many people and it was just honestly the craziest thing. Sister Smith was dying laughing at me. I am such a giant! Sister Smith is 88 POUNDS. Man....... wHY must these people be so tiny? So as we were at this festival trying to find poeple to dendo, we bumped into this man who looked like he was white. So he asked me where I was from and then he said that he was from BRAZIL!!!!! He said- I have seen people like you before in brazil, missionaries are everywhere there. I then said my *tudu beng* and that my dad served there. He said that this is the first time he has seen missionaries that are girls. I swear he was hitting on us. I could smell alcohol in his breath and he kept getting closer and closer to my face. There were several moments where I thought *heavenly father if this man kisses me it is NOT MY FAULT.* I was so blasted scared. Hahahaha so anyway, he kept saying how beautiful we are and what not. But we talked to him about our church and he said that he wanted to coｍe to eikaiwa. So it was just really cool taht he RECOGNIZED US. Sister Smith freaked to me after and was like *Sister CROFTS I WAS SO SCARED- I WAS POSITIVE HE WAS GOING TO KISS YOU!!!!* HahahahaPart of the biggest efforts as missionaries (I feel) is just to show epople that we aren:t a bunch of freaks gracing people with thoughts about Jesus. We are REAL PEOPLE. I have an hour to e-mail every week! Anyway- I love you! I:ll send pictures next week! Thanks for all teh updates. I am SO EXCITED to know that Trent served in Nagano. Like, WHOA. That is cool! I love Nagano, it:s so much cooler than all of the other places in our mission for the summer time- but it is still smoking hot. I love how kind the poeple are here. I am one lucky missionary.

愛, Sister Crofts

The winter olympics in Nagano. 

My first kaitenzushi. Conveyor belt sushi!!! 

THIS is shimai dendou. 

Missionary lessons after church!

Sister Ezaki drew each of the new missionaries faces and I'm on the far left. 

Recycle shops=bliss. 

July 28, 2013

Dear family!!!

So even though there hasnt been a whole bunch of progress with our investigators, this has been such a crazy busy week! We are working so hard and striving each day to bring people closer to Christ. Just a heads up, the mail takes about 10 days to get here... So be aware!

  

Last week, we went to Nagano City to street dendo. So while we were there... We talked to about 30 people, but it was so funny because I would go up to people and say something to them and they would literally JUMP out of alarm... And then we:d get past the whole awkward -you just jumped because of me- and just talk. But the point of this is: how sad is that?!?!? People seriously don:t expect me to be able to say anything. So as we were walking down the street, we saw this girl who lookoed like she spoke English. So we both got knid of stoked. so we created a plan: we would go into this starbucks, buy a cinnamon roll and then sit next to her and speak in englihs and of course she would talk to us right..? haaha so we did and we:re just having a grand old time for about 10 minutes and then she LEAVES. We both look at each other and say NOOOOOOOOO. So whatevs. We leave. So we stopped by this Olympic thing in Nagano City and asked this lady to take a picture for us. We then started talking to her about Eikaiwa and about the Mormon church and she was SO INTERESTED. Mind you- that never happens. So we gave her a card and she is hopefully coming tomorrow night. We:re dying of excitement because she was so sweet and young and would be an awesome investigator. So as we:re walking down this cool street. (I have a picture of it with all the decorations and everything) We see the girl who looks like she speaks English. Me and Smith Shimai just about jumped out of our pants we were so excited. So I went up to her and asked her where she was from and she was from the UK. So we ended up talking to her for about 10 minutes. She was so cool and was part of some program. She said there is this cool festival in Nagano City soon and we could totally go together. So we:re stoked because we:re trying to really get to know her and then we could maybe introduce her to our purpose as missionaries.

We teach personal eikaiwa to this lady every week. She works for some business and this Chinese guy speaks and so she can:t understand it so we translate ti. So it was so awesome because I guess usually she grudgingly endures the message at the end of eikaiwa, but this last meeting was SO GREAT. She was asking so many questions about our church, and our purpose as missionaries. She had thought we were like the buddhist priests, so we needed to clear up THAT IMMEDIATELY. Hahaha. At the end we talked about eternal families and the spirit was so strong. so this week we are inviting her to take the lessons... Cross your fingers! I hope her heart will be softened.

We had a member FHE last week, and all four of us sisters were able to go. I have literally never seen so much food in my life. they cooked everything possible for a human to eat. So I am thinking *oh crap... we have to eat all of that* and then as we sit down and are having a good old time, she CONTINUES to bring out more and more food. Grant Shimai doesn:t really like Japanese food, so her face was hilarious. Fortunately, my tongue has been culturally educated, but that doesn:t change the absurd amount of food they fed us. I honestly never thought it was going to end. Hahaha it was so yummy, but man that was a LOT of food. The Japanese people drink this tea that honestly tastes like cigarette buds put in water, and they drink it at every meal. My comp always says she loves it, and I:m trying to love ti but that is one rough beverage.

We got to meet with President Yamashita last week! He is so great. But it came with some terrifying news. I am going to be a TRAINER after my 12 weeks of being a bean!!! IS taht not so scary? I feel like it is. SO anyway, he told Sister Smith that I have the attitude necessary and my main issue will be the language... So great, I can have a good attitude, but the problem is that I DO NOT SPEAK JAPANESE!!!! Hahahaha. Everything is in kanji everywhere and I don:t understand it. I am always lost and somehow i am going to be a trainer after 12 weeks? I:m working so hard so my bean doesn:t have to suffer. Anyway... Absolutely crazy. Trying not to think about it to prevent a heart attack.

Yesterday we received a referral from one of the members (YAY) She has been working on this lady for a while now and she is her hair stylist. So she said: sisters, don:t you need a hair cut? we said :you know what, I think i do! Haha. SO anyway, we are going to go talk to her today. I might cut off a bunch of my hair because it is so blasted hot here in Japan. I sweat so much and it:s disgusting. DOn:t get freaked out it will still be longish. We:re thinking the more we cut the more sacrifice, the more time we have to talk to her... THe things we do to help people come unto CHrist.

So sister smith is from an hour away from Tokyo. She:s so great! She studied at BYU/BYUHI/BYUID. She got here in April and has been in Nagano since she got here. We have fun together, but we work hard too! Her dad was American and her mom Japanese.

I:ll be honest, the language is SO HARD. It:s really hard not to get discouraged, but there:s not really anything i can do about it. So I just work harder. I just wish I could be fluent already Read D&C 78:17-20. I:m learning a lot of patience. I totally have a headache by about 2:00, you are so right. I am trying so hard to understand what people say. Fortunately Smith shimai can translate sometimes to help me out. I miss American food! Japanese food is really yummy, but I just miss my limitless supply of fruit chicken and broccoli. It:s so expensive here. I have been trying to be adventurous with the things I eat.... It hasn:t bitten me in the butt until yesterday. So we had some ward potluck after church and there were these things that looked really yummy (LOOKED) so I harmlessly grabbed one. This lady told me that they were super Japanesey and I probably wouldn:t like them, but I was like *oh it:s cool! I love Japanese food! I:m trying new things!* BIG MISTAKE. So i just take a little tiny bite and I swear to you I saw my death. It was so disgusting and I just immediately swallowed it and was gagging for like 2 minutes after that. Basically, my body hated it. So Katsuta Shimai wanted it and I gave it to ehr... It was seriously so so so gross. Grant Shimai just laughed at me and said that:s how she feels after everything. Man, that was rough.

This week we have the chance to get in contact with more of our investigators! They:ve all been really busy, so we:re hoping that we can get them progressing again. We also have several potential investigators that might go in that direction! So I have an exciting week ahead. We:re trying to find some new people to teach as well! We only have our 3 investigators...

Every day is exhausting. It is so hot, we ride our bike everywhere and up these absurd mountains, I don:t understand what is going on (ALWAYS), I have a constant headache, my butt is sore from riding a bike, I miss American food, almost everyone we talk to rejects us, but I:m okay with it! It:s hard, but I am ultimately doing what I was called to do: preach the gospel! I am testifying of what I KNOW without a doubt to be true, and THAT is what makes me happy!!!! People may not realize it, but they are coming closer to Christ. I love this gospel, it is so true. Every day I receive strength from Christ. I LOVE  being an instrument in His hands. It never ceases to be incredible! I love you so much, you:re in my prayers!!!

Love,

Sister Crofts

 ALSO--- people are so respectful here. I absolutely love it. I always bow my head whenever I make eye contact with someone and THEY ALWAYS DO IT BACK. They are always so kind. I love the Japanese people, coolest culture ever! 

Gelato with Ezaki Kyoudai after visiting less active members   

  

 

  

Seriously is it not the most beautiful place in the world??

Natsu Matsuri! (Summer festival) 

Lesson at Sister Asai's house. Hanyu Kyouko chan. 

July 22, 2013

子に痴話 渡しの家族

WELL I:M IN JAPAN!!!! SORRY THIS　IS ALL IN CAPS... ITS THIS OR JAPANESE AND I DON:T THINK　YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND MUCH OF THAT... WELL, THAT MAKES TWO OF US! HAHA. THE FLIGHT WAS ABSOLUTELY SO LONG, BUT IT WAS COOL AND I COULD DO IT. WE BEGAN OUR TRAVELS AT 530 THAT MORNING AND　DIDN:T GET TEHRE UNTIL 230 AM UTAH TIME. SOOO CRAZY. I HAD HAD A TON OF PRACTICE IN THE MTC WITH THAT SO IT REALLY WASN:T TOO BAD. I DIDN:T SLEEP ON THE PLAIN BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO PREVENT JET LAG... THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE MORE STUPID DECISIONS OF MY MISSION. THIS WHOLE LAST WEEK I AHVE BEEN SO EXHAUSTED IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY. I DON:T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING THAT ANYONE SAYS, I HAVE TO SPEAK THIS LANGUAGE I DON:T KNOW ON THE SPOT AND　I:M OUT ALL DAY LONG. SO IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTIONS... I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE YAMASHITAS. THEY ARE INCREDIBLE. AFTER WE GOT OFF OF THE FLIGHT WE WENT TO THE MISSION HOME　ＤAND HAD SOME FOOD THERE AND TEHN WENT TO BED. JAPAN IS HONESTLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE I:VE EVER SEEN. IT TRULY DOES TAKE MY BREATH AWAY. THAT NEXT MORNING WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A MEETING WITH YAMASHITAS.. HE FOCUSED A LOT ON HOW MUCH HE TRUSTS US AND LOVES US AND HOW WE NEED TO BE CREATIVE IN OUR 伝度　BECAUSE THE OLD METHODS AREN:T REALLY WORKING. WE THEN WENT TO THE CHURCH AND i WAS HONESTLY SHAKING IW AS SO EXCITED. SO WE COME IN AND THEY:RE SINGING CALLED TO SERVE (ALL THE TRAINERS) AND MY NERVES WERE UP THE WAZOO. SO I GO UP AND AM SO EXCITED (KEEP IN MIND THAT i SERIOUSLY HAD BEEN PRAYING AND HOPING i WOULD GO TO NAGANO. WHY? i DON:T KNOW.　i JUST REALLY FELT LIKE I NEEDED　TO BE THERE.) i DIDN:T WANT TO GET MY HOPES UP THOUGH, BECAUSE i KNEW REGARDLESS I WOULD BE HAPPY. SO THEY PRESIDENT YAMASHITA SAYS I HAVE BEEN CALLED TO NAGANO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I:M SO STOKED. THEN, TO TOP IT OFF, YOUR TRAINER WILL BE:::::::::::::: AMY SMITH, FROM JAPAN!!!!! SO SHE:S HALF, FLUENT IN BOTH, AND ABSOLUTELY THE CUTEST/GREATEST EVER. I DON:T THINK I:VE EVER BEEN SO EXCITED IN MY LIFE. i LOOKED LIKE A GOON I WAS SMILING SO MUCH. HAHAHA. SO ANYWAY.... THEN WE WENT AND GOT JAPANESE FOOD, KIND OF SOME RAMEN, SUPER YUMMY. NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. OH! aND BEFORE I FORGET, GRANT SHIMAI LIVES IN MY APARTMENT WITH ME SO WE ARE TOGETHER ADN IT:S TOTALLY AWESOME. WE THEN WENT ON THIS 4 HOUR LONG TRAIN RIDE TO NAGANO.　THE WHOLE TIME I WAS JUST IN AWE OF HOW HOT IT IS, HOW LUCKY I AM, HOW GREAT LIFE IS, HOW I DON:T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING, HOW I CAN:T READ ANYTHING, HOW BEAUTIFUL JAPAN IS, HOW I STAND OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB AND YEAH... ANYWAY! THAT NIGHT WE WENT TO MEET WITH THE BISHOP AND WARD MISSION LEADER AND THEY TALKED TO OUR TRAINERS FOR 2 HOURS AND I WAS SOOOO DEAD. I WAS TRYING TO STAY AWAKE AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE SAYING, BUT ME AND GRANT SHIMAI WERE STRUGGLING. THE FIRST 3 DAYS WERE PROBABLY THE LONGEST DAYS OF MY LIFE. THE JET LAG, KILLED ME. I WAS ABSOLUTELY SLAUGHTERED BY IT. YOU KNOW, IT:S COOL BECAUSE I DON:T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING AND IT DRIVES ME CRAZY AND SOMETIMES　MAKES ME QUESTION WHAT GOD WAS THINKING WHEN HE SENT ME HERE, BUT IT:S AWESOME BECAUSE I ALWAYS JUST TRY TO SMILE AND MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT. I CANT HELP ANYONE BY BEING A DOWNER ON HOW LITTLE JAPANESE I KNOW. I LEARNED THAT I HAVE BEEN SAYING PLEASE WRONG THROUGHOUT THE MTC, SO BASICALLY... STARTING FROM SQUARE ONE AGAIN. HAHAHA LUCKILY I HAVE SMITH 姉妹 WHO KNOWS JAPANESE AND CAN GET US AROUND. THERE WAS ONE DAY LAST WEEK WHERE WE WENT TO A HOME THAT HAD PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMERS. I WENT IN　AND TRIED TO TALK TO THEM, AND JUST ENDED UP DOING A WHOLE BUNCH OF NODDING AND SMILING. IT WAS FUN, I COULDN:T TELL YOU ONE THING ANYONE SAID. HAHAHA. BUT THEN AFTER, ONE OF THE ELDERS (OH BY THE WAY WE HAVE SIX MISSIONARIES IN NAGANO) BUT HE TOLD ME THAT OUR WARD MISSION LEADER MENTIONED ME WHILE WE WERE TALKING HE SAID (IN　JAPANESE OF COURSE) *NOW THAT:S A GOOD MISISONARY RIGHT THERE. EVEN THOUGH SHE DOESN:T KNOW ANYTHING, SHE USES THE LANGUAGE SHE DOES HAVE AND JUST TRIES AND OPENS HER MOUTH.* SO THAT MADE ME KIND OF HAPPY THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT I:M REALLY TRYING.　THAT DAY, WE WENT ON THE TRAIN AND I TALKED TO EVERYONE, YOU KNOW ME. THERE WAS ONE ENGLISH COUPLE WHO I TALKED TO QUITE A BIT AND GAVE A PAMPHLET. BUT WITH EVERYONE ELSE, I JUST ROCKED MY GEIJING POWER!!!! THEY SERIOUSLY LOVE ME... NOT TO BE COCKY, BUT THEY DO! THEY ARE SO FASCINATED THAT I CAN SAY ANYTHING. EVERYONE ALWAYS SAYS HOW *SKILLED* MY　日本語 IS... BUT THEYRE JUST SAYING THAT BECASUE THEYRE KIND. SO ANYWAY, OUR GOALS FOR OPENING OUR MOUTHS BEFORE I CAME WAS LIKE 2-3, BUT THEN ONCE I JOINED THE RANKS OUR GOALS ARE 15-20... hAHAHA I:LL BE HONEST, I SOUND LIKE AN IDIOT. BUT IM TRYING. I CANNOT ASK FOR THE GIFT OF TONGUES IF I:M NOT OPENING MY MOUTH. MY BIKE WAS... GET READY FOR THIS... 400 DOLLARS!!! ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. THE GUY WE GO TO IS A POTENTIAL INVESTIGATOR, BUT HE GIVES ALL OF THE MISSIONARIES AN AWESOME DEAL. IT WAS AN OVER 600 DOLLAR BIKE THAT HE GAVE ME FOR 400!　I SERIOUSLY LUCKED OUT SO MUCH. SO I GOT A BASKET... AND A MOUNTAIN BIKE SINCE WE:RE IN NAGANO AND IT:S A HUGE AREA. FROM OUR APARTMENT, WE CAN GO BY TRAIN AN HOUR EACH WAY AND STILL BE IN OUR AREA. THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE I:M RESPONSIBLE FOR... BUT NONE OF THEM SEEM TO BE INTERESTED IN THE GOSPEL. KIND OF A BUMMER AND I DON:T KNOW HOW TO HELP THEM SOMETIMES. TODAY ME AND SMITH 姉妹 WERE DENDOING AN AREA AND　NOBODY WAS INTERESTED. WE WERE GOING TO LEAVE BUT THEN WE DECIDED TO DENDO ONE MORE HOUSE AND THE MAN WAS SUPER SWEET AND HAD LISTENED TO THE MISSIONARIES BEFORE. HE SAID IN A GENTLE AND KIND VOICE *I KNOW WHO YOU ARE* AND IT WAS LIKE ... WHOA. SO COOL. LONG STORY SHORT HE:S NOW A PE AND WE:RE VISITING HIM NEXT WEEK. MOST OF OUR INVESTIGATORS AND POTENTIAL INVESTIGATORS ARE RELATIVELY OLDER... SO WE:RE TRYING TO GET MORE YOUTH INVOLVED。 MOST OF OUR STREET CONTACTING AND EVERYTHING HAS TO DO WITH OUR ENGLISH CLASSES WE TEACH. THEY:LL LISTEN TO THAT BECASUE IT:S FREE AND RELIGION IS NOT RELAVENT. SO WE PASS OUT SO MANY OF THOSE. IT:S AWESOME BUT I REALLY WISH SOMEITMES THAT WE COULD JUST TEACH ABOUT CHRIST FROM THE GET GO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO FIND ALL OF THESE WAYS TO GET PEOPLE TO LISTEN. KIND OF HARD. YESTERDAY WE HAD A LESSON AT ONE OF OUR AWESOME RM MEMBERS HOUSES. ONE OF OUR POTENTIAL INVESTIGATORS CAME AND IT WAS SO FUN AND WE TALKED ABOUT FEELING GODS LOVE THROUGH THE BOM. WE ARE NOW IN　THE WAITING PROCESS OF WHERE SHE:S AT BECAUSE SHE HAS SOME DEPRESSION ISSUES AND DOESN:T LIKE TO BE PUSHED. SHE:S IN HER 20S THOUGH SO THAT IS REFRESHING! I HAVE NEVER EATEN SO MUCH RICE AND NOODLES IN MY LIFE... IT:S DELICIOUS THOUGH AND I:M TRYING TO ENJOY NEW THINGS. WE:RE SWITCHING OFF COOKING STARTING THIS WEEK AND I DON:T KNOW HOW TO DO IT BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS IN KANJI AND I CAN:T READ IT. HAHAHA SO PICTURES HAVE BECOME MY BEST FRIEND. YOU KNOW, THIS IS SO HARD. IT:S HARD TO STAY POSITIVE, BUT THROUGH THE SAVIOR I FEEL SO MUCH JOY ALL OF THE TIME. EVEN THOUGH IT FEELS LIKE NOBODY IS INTERESTED, ITS STILL FUN AND IM STILL FULFILLING MY PURPOSE BECAUSE IM OUT WORKING HARD AND TESTIFYING. I AM IN A BRANCH THAT IS SO SMALL... ITS CRAZY. I CAN:T BELIEVE HOW MUCH I HAVE TAKEN FOR GRANITE. I LIVE IN THIS CUTE LITTLE APARTMENT WITH 4 OF US SISTERS (GRANT しまい AND HER JAPANESE COMP-I STAND OUT SO MUCH. SMITH 姉妹 IS SO LITTLE BECAUSE SHE:S JAPANESE... AND WHEN WE:RE ON TEH STREET I ALWAYS SAY KONNICHIWA TO EVERYONE AND THEN THE LITTLE KIDS ALWAYS SAY *HELLLLOOOOOo!!! AND THEN GAWK AT THE FACT THAT I:M AMERICAN AND POINT AND STUFF... IT:S KIND OF UNREAL. HAHAHAHA. ESPECIALLY SINCE　I:M IN NAGANO. THERE IS NO DIVERSITY. I:M TRYING TO EMBRACE THE CULTURE, PEOPLE ARE SO KIND AND RESPECTFUL HERE. IT:S HONESTLY INCREDIBLE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SOMEWHERE WHERE I FELT SO LOVED AND RESPECTED. THESE PEOPLE ARE SO CHRISTLIKE... NEXT STEP IS HELPING THEM TO KNOW WHO HE IS! I REALLY HOPE TO HERE FROM YOU SOON! IF YOU EVER GET THE CHANCE, COULD YOU SEND ME THAT BIKE CUSHION? I AM REGRETTING NOT TAKING YOU UP ON THAT OFFER. thE CHURCH IS TRUE!　I LOVE YOU!!!

愛、

CROFTS 姉妹

Cox and Culotta Shimai

Brady Shimai

First impression in the airport: SHOCKED. 

Called to NAGANO!! Sister Smith from Yokohama Japan. 

Tempura Udon

The train ride!

Grapes by the old folks home.

My first  bowl of REAL ramen. 

View of a little village from the train. 

OUR BIKES>

First taste of Japanese caked. Not very sweet, but yummy. We went with Ezaki Kyoudai a sister and the elders. 

Grocery stores in Japan. 

Roommate dinners!