Oh hey..... we've both made it here once more haha. Not sure how your week was but wow, this week... what a movie I am living. I hope to describe to you all a sliver of the adventure and convey the importance of it in this email. Starting off back in warm and cozy Narita throughout Wednesday and Thursday I was able to spend some good time with a couple of the investigators I gained a good relationship with. I got some pictures and put names to their faces so you can see who I have been talking about in my previous emails! I'll miss them and that ward for sure but life moves on for the better. So, here we are Friday morning. Arriving pretty early to Tokyo station as I watched about 7 dysfunctional elders spend over an hour stressing and eventually finding platform 23. Wished them a farewell and hopped on the Shinkansen which was really sweet. It's the fastest train in the world if I'm correct and gives the feeling of a nice plan ride as we shot up to Sendai. Then I wondered around for a bit, talked to some hard core cool kids, and eventually ran into my green bean fresh to the field companion. We headed on our way by bus to Tsuruoka. I had never taken this trip before so I decide to get off at a stop in Yamagata and it started snowing pretty hard so we wondering around for a bit until we found an elders' apartment. We left our stuff and ate at an Indian restaurant that was way good. It's kind of funny there are a lot of Indian owned restaurants here in Japan and they are always fantastic. After that, we ended up finding a bus that would take us up to Tsuruoka. At this point it had been snowing pretty good and I knew we had to go through a pretty legit canyon to get to Tsuruoka so obviously we opted for the adventure. Man I don't know how we made it through the canyon. I feel like things work out that shouldn't way too much in Japan haha. All these tiny cars on Prius tires cut in half just cruising with no problem. If it was America there would have been at least 3 cars of high school girls in ditches. Well since then I have had quite the change In sensory. It hasn't stop snowing since I got to Tsuruoka and the wind doesn't like to take breaks either.
Alright now for a little overview on what I'm working with here in Tsuruoka. Nothing haha. End of story. This area pretty much hasn't found anyone to teach or get to church since it was opened 3 transfers ago. It was opened for a nihojin missionary to come teach his family but needless to say things didn't go as planned. Tsuruoka is a tiny area and gives me the same vibe as the smallest area I served in while in the North Dakota mission haha. If Christmas was a thing up here It would be hard to not mistake my life for a Hallmark movie. Haha. According to previous missionaries it has rained consecutively for the past 4 weeks without end and now it has turned into snow.
On Saturday we had a Christmas ward party! It was the best. I felt right at home if home was a retirement center. At one point they were like let's play a game! And proceeded to pull out Bingo. I was actually in shock...😂. Then on Sunday we had church and it seems there are around 10 members. So the same 10 that came to the Christmas party came to church. They seem friendly but some are really old and speak in Touhoko dialect so there is definitely no hope of me understanding them haha. Before church we had a DCS meeting and the members informed us fellowshipping doesn't exist in the ward and the the city of Sakata above us had their branch fall apart and no one goes to church. They aren't really sure how we can see success in the area. Sadly, the area is likely to get closed if we don't revive it so we are not gonna leave this place without saying we gave it our all! So we went streeting in heavy snow outside of the one building with people which was a casino haha. I was kinda of put off. Everyone was kinda mean and I am used to everyone being nice. Anyways we see a group of four people walking and my comp who is so funny and has the zeal I need goes lets chase after them to talk to them. So we do and say excuse me and they turn around and get scared and start running away from us like we where gonna mug them😂. Monday we spent the whole day breaking our backs shoveling snow. It was the only thing we could really do and there is just so much snow I thought people would need it! But turned out people don't like to be helped around here. We spent that whole day getting shewed off of people's driveways because who knows why, maybe the work culture of Japan but yeah everyone was very rude to us and when we tried to ask people if we can help they where adamant we just leave. Seems everyone already knows us in town as well. On the bright side I know that's exactly what the savior would have wanted us doing. Given our circumstances at least and that's what matters. Sometimes I feel bad for my companion because this is the only image he has of Japan but I reassured him it gets better. We really want to see something this transfer and are putting our all into. It has been very interesting. This is my 6th area I am serving in and I have never experienced anything like this area. However I am determined that there has to be someone here that will talk to us and progress through this transfer. I'm doing the most important work to ever exist and I know that because I have a testimony now and it matters so much to me. There is nothing I would rather be doing even if I didn't benefit one bit but I know God Is shaping me into who he desires me to become for whatever purpose he desires of me through life.
Anyways, my companion is awesome. He feels like a cousin and has the new missionary zeal that's the best. Sometimes a spaz but reminds me of me when I came into the mission. I guess I have mellowed out a bit haha. He has got lots of motivation and reminded me of the crazy amount of slang English has haha.
Right now we are currently riding a bus to Sendai for Zone Conference and wow is it beautiful and an insane view. I have never seen this much snow in my life, ever. It is actually pretty cool and equally depressing haha. I tried to get some pictures and videos but camera just doesn't do justice.
Anyways I think that covers most of it. I hope everyone remembers the savior this week..... The things he has done for you and me cannot be forgotten or mocked for 1 second of your day, so please no matter what it takes do as he desires and get the help you need.
- Elder Parker
