Week 9- 11/29/15 My companion is Genki

No really. His name is Genki (which means good in Japanese) Yoshino

Weekly email

こんにちはみなさん！！

My first few days in Japan have been pretty dang awesome. Let's start from the beginning, shall we?

So, we wake up at 2 last Monday to get ready to leave for the airport, after waiting in the cold Utah air, they piled into a bus, to a train, to the airport. All of us are dead tired, a group of 40 something missionaries all freezing their butts off. We get to the airport and part ways from the people going to different missions, and hop on a two hour flight to Portland. After that flight, our plane to Tokyo got delayed a few hours so we did some talking and ate our fist meal outside of the MTC which I have to say was pretty awesome. 

Anyways, they pack us on a plane and 10.5 hours and a few restless naps later, we arrive in TOKYO! The moment I stepped off the plane and felt the difference in humidity I just knew I was home. So we go through customs and meet President Nagano, head to the mission home, eat, and hit the hay.

The next day, we got assigned our areas and companions. My new area is Okegawa, in Saitama city. My new companions name is Elder Yoshino and he is pretty awesome. He speaks decent English so a lot of our conversation and planning is in Japanese and English. I share an apartment with another companionship, Elders Jensen and Templin. We usually make rice and whatever we can put on it like curry. We had ramen the other day. Despite the lack of cooking supplies, the food we make is still way better than the MTC, and sometimes we get some yummy snacks. The members here are totally awesome. Yesterday, Yoshino 長老 and I were invited over for a huge lunch, and afterwards, dinner. We went to Brother Kakiki's house. Brother Kakiki's is the ward mission leader. I was able to meet his family and a lot of the YSA members. I introduced myself and showed pictures of my family and the MTC. It was a really fun time. I ate so much food. Turns out the Japanese put carrots in their lasagna. Oh well, it was good. I also had some home-made yakisoba yesterday and it was amazing. 

Our area is a little slow when it comes to finding. The people just aren't all that interested. However, we have a few progressing investigators, including one with a baptismal date in December! His name is Tonagi. So, as I was saying, finding is slow, but we teach English on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We get a pretty big show for that. I teach the advanced English class so it's pretty nice to have a conversation in English for a change. We handed out a ton of pamphlets and even a Book of Mormon though. We also contacted some of our investigators, and after a pretty sketchy bike ride at night past a cemetery, we contacted one of our PIs named Nihei, and contacted a referral named Shirota. Both are really nice guys.

A few days ago we had to go to the Mission Home for flew shots. While there, I saw Elders Banks, Oldham, and Hugo. It was good to see them again and talk about our respective areas.

I also figured out that there's no such thing as a smooth street in Saitama. My butt is so sore from riding my bike. Not to mention we ride really fast. It's actually safer to ride our bikes in the street, because in some places on the sidewalk, it's easier to be hit by a car. 

Well, it's good to be here. I'm glad I'm not anyway freezing cold but it certainly is cold here. Our apartment is relatively large for Japanese apartments. I'll post pictures! Thank you for tuning in everybody, this is Elder Moore, signing off.

モア長老

snacks

desk

bed

President and Sister Nagano with Elder Moore

President and Sister Nagano, Elder Yoshiko and Elder Moore

New missionaries and their trainers

Elder Yoshino and Elder Moore

Elder Moore has arrived!

Dear Brother and Sister Moore,

We just want to send you a quick note to let you know that your missionary arrived safely in Japan earlier this evening.  Although they were delayed somewhat getting out of Portland, President Nagano was still able to meet them at the airport. They then came to the Mission Home, where Sister Nagano fed them, visited shortly, and then sent them all to bed for a much needed rest.

Tomorrow they will receive training and will soon meet their new companions who have been chosen to train them.  We will take pictures at that time, and within a few days you will receive another email with these pictures attached, and our mailing address.

Thank you for entrusting your missionary to us in the great Japan Tokyo Mission.  We so appreciate all you have done to get these missionaries to this point in their lives!

Sister Mona Kotter 

Japan Tokyo Mission Secretary

New Mailing Instructions

By the way Mina-san, heres my new address. You know, just in case you want to send anything.

Letter mailing instructions

Elder Brett Taylor Moore

Japan Tokyo Mission

4-25-12 Nishi-ochiai

Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

161-0031

Japan

Package Mailing Instructions

Elder Brett Taylor Moore

Japan Tokyo Mission

4-25-12 Nishi-ochiai,

Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

161-0031

Japan

Week 8- 11/19/15 Packing Up

Konnichiwa Mina-san!!!!

Last week in the MTC! Got my flight plans last friday and my Japanese nametags yesterday! Its official, I'm going to Nihon! Goodness I'm so excited. i just want to leave now. I've [pretty much packed nearly everything. I have to wake up at 3:30 am Monday morning, and my flight leaves at 8:45. I think its around a thirteen hour flight but we're not all entirely sure. I'm not really sure what I'm going to do for the plane. Hopefully I'll sleep for some of it but I think me and another district member are just going to play monkeys in a barrel the whole time. We've recently gotten interested in that game (life in the MTC). I've been making a ton of flash cards. Anyways, I'll give you a recap of last week.

So we pretty much sat in anticipation for this last week. We tried our hardest to stay focused. As district leader, I go and check the mail, and whenever I came back with no flight plans everybody would be sad. However, it was pretty much a party when we did get them. We've been spending a lot of time with our kohai. Last night we pretty much sat in my dorm and ate food. Attached are pictures of the zone on our sunday temple walk. 

Other than that, teaching has been going good. We've been talking to Yoshida about his dad and how forgiveness is a key part of Christs doctrine. We've also been talking about faith and repentance with Ina, our other investigator. Last night, we had another Skype TRC. It was the same person who chewed us out last week. By the end of the lesson, she was saying how she was surprised how well our Japanese has improved in a week and how well we helped her feel the spirit. The gift of tongues is real everybody. It was a very good lesson and she has committed to working harder to have faith. I cant talk about everything, but I will say that more than one testimony was strengthened that night. 

I can't tell you how much the MTC has helped not only my language skill, but my faith. This is dedicated ground. We walk with the spirit everyday here to the point where if you dont feel it, it feels weird. Anyways, my next email will be from Japan! I'm sure it will be much more interesting. 

Thank you for tuning it everybody! This is Elder Moore, signing off.

New name tag

"That's Elder Arnold. He is our favorite vacuum"

Week 7- Nov 12, 2015

Konnichiwa Mina-san!!!!

Week 7 has been completed and done. Things are starting to wrap up here at the MTC. We teach a ton here but what else is new. My emails probably sound really boring. Im sorry about that but Im sure it will pick up when I reach my mission area.

Speaking of mission area, we should get our flight plans tomorrow and our Japanese nametags within the next few days. I will of course send pictures when I get my tag. Heads up, it looks like this:

　モーア長老

　末日聖徒

イエス。キリスト

　　教会

Isn't that legit?

I know we're all excited to get to Japan here but for me it feels like I'm returning home. This next week will probably be the slowest one yet.

However, some noteworthy things happened this past week.

We started our skype TRC calls last week, and yesterday we had another lesson. It was going well until my companion used the impolite way of saying thank you (yeah, that exists) and we got chewed out. Our member stopped the lesson, and just lectured us on how since we're missionaries, we always talk up and how everybody is on a social level higher than us. We were just trying to help her grow closer to Christ, but that instantly drove away the spirit. So that was a humbling experience.

However, this week was the best for one reason. On tuesday night, the sisters in our district have this old guy who gives them secrets about he MTCs plans. He let drop that Elder Anderson was going to speak. This time, was interesting. He told them that the MTC was serving Chik-fil-a. mThis seemed very unlikely but after 7 weeks of MTC food you build up your hopes. Well, lo and behold, old guy came through. The MTC served Chik-fil-a sandwiches to all the missionaries. We were all so happy. Me especially. We got to have extra as well. Easily one of my favorite days. We all ate to our bellys content.

Lastly, my teaching and speaking has improved so much. i didnt really realize this until we got kohai, who are awesome by the way. You really dont know how much you know until you have to explain it to an investigator or another missionary. I can almost say whatever I want. It may not be comprehensible, or grammatically correct, but I can do it. Our kohai are so cool. I've loved getting to know them and teach them. I actually know a few from my days in Japan. We all sit together at lunch, stop by during the day, and hang out during personal time at the dorms. I love them all. Luckily, all of them are going to my mission, so I could end up as their companions some time.

Well mina-san, I'm glad you took the time to read this. If you have any friends who would like to hear my story, send me their email. I love getting mail. Also, if you wish to send me mail, do it NOW. I leave in 11 or 12 days and if you dont want to spend an arm and a leg on postage, I suggest you send it while I'm in provo. 

Thanks for tuning in. God be with you till we meet again. This is Elder Moore, signing off.

モーア長老

Week 6- Nov. 5, 2015 Getting Closer!!!!

Konnichiwa Mina-san!

This week was a pretty eventful week. My comp and I finally started to

get our investigator, Yoshida to open up a bit more. We slowly finding

out his needs and We cant wait to teach him more. We teach so much

here.

Another event happened this week. Yesterday, our zone got kouhai. This

means we have newbies we get to teach nourish ad help grow. Its a

pretty big deal for us and we love them all already. I was also called

as district leader for the remainder of my time here. In the MTC, this

doesnt entail much, but I still conduct meetings and interviews and

participate in Zone meetings. Its kind of stressful, but I love the

oppurtunity to serve.

Last night we were able t give our first skype TRC. My comp and I

skyped a real Japanese member and pretty much gave them a family home

evening. I really dont see how much my Japanese has increased until I

actually use it in lessons or in conversation. The MTC is a wonderful

place, even thought he food is still kind of weird.

Oh its snowing in provo. Attached in this emil is a picture. You cant

see it, but trust me its there. I cant wait to actually get to japan. Only 17 more days here.

I'm sure so much will hapen there and my emails will become way more

interesting. Sorry, the MTC is really the same every day.

Thank you for tuning in to my weekly broadcast, this is Elder Moore,

signing off.

モーア長老