Hello there!
Rather uneventful week this week.
Monday, March 16: had FFEP with a lady we've been trying to get in touch with for weeks. It is really hard explaining simple things just like God to Japanese people, because their beliefs are so varied. Had a nice FHE with a ward family.
Tuesday, March 17: had a super busy day of contacting people and planning on how we were gonna contact people. Lots of members, mostly. We've been giving some good family home evening lessons via facebook messenger. Helping people get ready for conference with lessons on the blessings of the restoration. Today, also had another meeting with the Japanese sisters, then tried online eikaiwa that night. There was literally one person who attended. The Larsons brought us pizza, though. Absolutely delicious!
Wednesday, March 18: had FFEP in the morning with a young girl who is super good at english. She won't understand gospel to well, so we are teaching her principles of the gospel with the intent to maybe attract her mom's interest to what we are teaching. For instance, we taught her about being a peacemaker (cheesemaker, cough, cough). We tried something new with the sisters, where they had a conversation between themselves and I listened. Afterwards, I summarized what was said, then they asked questions about it. It went pretty well. Learned some new words. Good listening practice.
Thursday, March 19: had DKK in the morning and how to help our people progress. Had a zoom meeting a little later on where they told us we would be in self-isolation at least until April, at most August. They gave us a few more scheduled district/zone activities to do to keep us genki. Oh, side note, Sister Justinianos is one of the coolest members I have ever met. We were having trouble setting a meeting up with another member, so she put us all in a group chat, suggested we meet, then dropped. That was great.
The one real low note on the day was walking 25 minutes or so back to the apartment, then realizing nobody turned off the heater in the church. So, we took the 50 minute walk of shame.
Friday, March 20: today, I had those cinnamon rolls for breakfast. They were absolutely wonderful!
This was a big moment. Conner found this tube of cinnamon rolls hanging out in the fridge, a bit past their expiration date. The Japanese sisters gave him tips on how to use the microwave as an oven (which is something he has been trying to figure out for months) and so the cinnamon rolls came to be.
Later in the morning, a super nice member came over and gave us enough food for the next two transfers. Super nice! So much American stuff! Later on, we had a meeting where our district met with another and talked about our miracles for the week. Then did a self introduction thing with two truths and a lie.
Saturday, March 21: had a zoom meeting in the morning where they broke the news to us that we weren't gonna be in japan much longer. We didn't scroll through everybody's faces on the zoom meeting, but I'm sure there were many tears shed. We had a zone testimony meeting in the afternoon. Thankfully, Elder Ortiz was the most senior missionary in the zone, so he went first, then as his companion I went next. We got ours out of the way before the waterworks really turned on in the zone.
Here is the official announcement from the church regarding adjustments to missionary work.
That evening, we cleared out lots of stuff. Was a little embarrassed to give all that food back to the nice member who gave it to us, but orders from Honbu were to take out everything perishable. We got more help getting the rest of the stuff out.
We packed and and bunked with Elder Bradford, who's Philippino companion needed to go to honbu to be sent home ahead of everyone else.
excerpt from an email to parents from President McClure:We announced that we received word in the last 2 hours that all non-Japanese missionaries will return home. Even though the Coronavirus is less prevalent in Japan than in most of the world, the Brethren are concerned about countries closing airports and borders and they don’t want missionaries to be blocked from returning to their families, should the need arise. Those returning home will isolate at home for 14 days. Then, they will be re-assigned to a mission in their home country. Our two American missionaries whose parents live in Japan will be allowed to stay in the mission. All Japanese missionaries will remain and continue to work from their apartments and from the church building. Those who return home and who have only 2 or 3 months remaining on their mission will probably be released and will not be reassigned.
This information is so new, we do not yet know exactly when missionaries will depart, but we hope to have them on a plane headed home within 3 or 4 days, but it is a massive operation. Missionaries from the Philippines will be sent first since the airports in the Philippines will close very soon. They are our first priority.
........ our priority is communicating with missionaries and helping them through this challenging time. We want them to see the positives and the potential in this. We believe the Lord will turn our challenges into great blessings if we trust Him.
Sunday, March 22: last night, they told us to get ready to leave in the morning. We were ready to leave for home by 8. Then, the hours started ticking by. As a missionary, I don't know if this is everybody or just me, but as a missionary, if I'm just sitting doing nothing, I feel like an absolute pile of trash. I started the day doing everything that needed doing, then winded down eventually when everybody else didn't seem in the clean up (or do anything) kind of mood, so I sat for a bit and socialized. I quickly just felt horrible and lethargic. Finally I threw open the fridge and started scrubbing it.
Got some info at night that we would probably leave Tuesday. The Larsons brought us a delicious dinner of corn, mashed potatoes, pork, and cheesecake. Delicious! They are so nice!
Monday, March 23: Conner did not write about this in his letter, but I'll fill in some details from our chat on his P-day.
- They were still waiting for information on when they might go to Sapporo and begin travel. Misawa is on the northern part of Tohoku which requires travel by plane or on the Shinkensen (bullet) train through an undersea tunnel to get to Sapporo. To help ease this first leg of travel they each set out one suitcase to be picked up today and shipped to the mission home in Sapporo.
- Yes, they removed ALL of the food from their apartment. The senior missionaries were bringing them some Taco Bell from the base for lunch. And they planned to buy some food for dinner. Breakfast was pancakes that Conner made from some Bisquick mix still hanging around.
- We got this update from the mission president
- Days have been very busy. Church Missionary Travel and the Asia North Area Office personnel have been working so hard to arrange over 600 flights. We finally have 6 missionaries departing on Tuesday, tomorrow. Tuesday afternoon, the 8 Philippine missionaries will also leave for home. We have been told that forty more missionaries will depart on Wednesday and Thursday. It is a huge task.
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