Email #52 October 26, 2015
Dearest Family and Friends,
Here is my email from last week. I will send it again because no one got it:
Here it is. The email. I'll start by giving an update about this past week. I also want to talk a little bit about the things that I have learned this past year, as I have now, to my great sadness, been on my mission for over a year. I had a long debate with myself whether or not I wanted to write this email, as I made a commitment to myself to never talk about time, but I think that I might be good to talk about a few of the things that I have learned over these past 12 months.
So, to begin, this past week went well. President Nagano came into our room
Sunday night and gave us our transfer calls. To my great surprise, he told me that I was transferring to Kasukabe, a city in Saitama Prefecture pretty close to Tokyo. Elder Yoshino was also transferring , so we decided to live it up in Tokyo for the last time together while everyone went on a hike with the ward. We went shopping and I bought a suit. It's pretty cool. I'll take a picture in it next week to show you. I bought some ties as well and can say that I am done shopping for the next year. Once a year is plenty as missionary, but I couldn't take wearing the baggy suits I have now any longer. It's for sure something I'll keep wearing after the mission too. Anyway, after shopping we went bowling with Takada Kyoudai and Nori Kun. It was pretty fun, despite the fact that I lost all three games. I have no idea what's up with bowling in Japan, but I just can't seem to get the hang of it. Thankfully my friends back home are so bad at bowling (Lindsey, Shelby, and Jacob) that it will be easy for me to adjust and whoop them. We went to family home evening that night. It was halloween themed, so I dressed up like Nori. I'll explain more when I send pictures. I'm going to miss him and Takada Kyoudai. I got really close to the YSA ward and am really grateful for the friendships I was able to form with them. I felt really frustrated that I was leaving. I feel like my first three areas, but especially Nakano, were like how I used to play dominion. I would spend the whole game prepping my hand, and as soon as I was ready to go and just destroy, the game was over. I've been spending a lot of time building good relationships with the members, making big plans and setting up for big things, and then as soon as things are ready to go, I get transferred. The good thing about this is that I know exactly what I need to do from the get go here in Kasukabe. I'm ready to dendo Kasukabe the right way, so that no matter when I leave I will be satisfied with the work I have done here. Saying goodbye to the YSA's was really good though, because it made me feel like I had done something good while I was there. Nori told me that I was one of the best and his favorite missionary in the area. I know that that isn't the best measure of success, but it was good to know that I was loved and that I made some eternal friends while I was there. On Tuesday, Elder Yoshino and I spent a lot of time together doing everything we needed to get ready to go the next day. Wednesday was transfer day. Elder Yoshino and I left together after saying goodbye to everyone and playing dodgeball for the last time that morning. It was sad to leave everyone. There were a lot of people there in Nakano that changed my life for the better. Sad goodbyes are good though. It remind me of that Winnie the Pooh phrase (I think), "How lucky I am to have someone that makes saying goodbye so hard." Something along those lines. Elder Yoshino and I hauled to the Eki after saying goodbye to Yuichi. My relationship with Yuichi improved a lot my last few weeks. We barely made our train. I said goodbye to him at my stop and met up with the zone leaders and Elder Unsworth. Elder Unsworth is a new missionary, transfer 2, so I'm like his step dad, still his trainer. He's from West Valley, Utah, did theatre and singing in high school, has 4 older brothers, and is a good kid. It will be a good transfer. The past few days we've been working hard, visiting members, finding, and a lot of biking. Our apartment is a 35 minute bike ride away from the church. That doesn't sound too bad, but it adds up. It's good to get to talk to Elder Unsworth and enjoy the scenery though. The route we talk is not direct. It's the most direct route there is to the church, but it isn't straight. It's also out in the country, so there aren't many people to talk to. It's good though, biking is awesome. I'm so glad our mission is a biking mission. Yesterday was awesome. I got to meet the ward for the first time, and they're incredible. There are a ton of young families with lots of super cute kids. Tons of people are return missionaries. Lots of the members speak English and my Japanese is for sure going to finally start improving. That's something I'm excited about. In Nakano, literally all of our investigators and most of the members spoke English and wanted to speak in English, so I didn't have nearly as many opportunities to use my Japanese and it didn't really improve. I'm excited to be back out in the field and get to use my Japanese a lot more! Kasukabe is a great area and our district and zone are also awesome. It's going to be an awesome transfer!
Switching gears.
As I think about this past year, I can say without a doubt that it has been the best year of my life. I have never felt more satisfied with my life, with the person that I am and the person I'm becoming, with the work I'm doing, with the effort I am expending, with the things I am learning, with the friendships I have made, with the testimony I have deepened and strengthened and developed, and with the happiness I have felt. Life is good. I have learned so much from the past year, more than I could succinctly say in this email, but I will talk about a few of the biggest things. I've learned so much from so many people, but some of the people that have influenced my life the most this past year have been my companions. I have learned so much from every one of them.
Elder Erickson - I couldn't have asked for a better companion to start my mission with. Elder Erickson was everything I wanted and needed to become: kind, loving, gentle, caring, hard working, focused, charismatic, cheerful, funny, a wonderful leader, reverent, in tune with the Spirit, outward focused, pretty much as Christlike as anyone could possibly be during the first few weeks of their mission. Elder Erickson was a wonderful example to me of all of those things. He worked when it was time to work, he had fun when we had break times, he lead with maturity and responsibility, was flexible and patient with his oftentimes tiresome companion, and boy could he eat. I'll be eternally grateful for Elder Erickson and the things he taught me, and the friendship we share.
Elder Mobley - I learned so so much from Elder Mobley, but one of the things that sticks out to me is patience. Elder Mobley was so incredibly patient and kind with me. As I look back on my first couple transfers, I can see how dumb I was and how much room I had to improve. I still have a long way to go, but I've come a little way. Elder Mobley is an eternal friend, and I owe him more than I could ever pay back. I'll be eternally grateful for Elder Mobley and the love he showed to me no matter what, how he patiently led by example, and the friendship we share.
Elder Barnes - Elder Barnes is an animal. I learned a lot about being a man from Elder Barnes. He was an amazing example of faith and self-discipline. I was able to learn much about self control, especially about controlling my body, from Elder Barnes. He forced himself to workout like crazy and to eat healthily, and I was able to see that I could do the same thing. Kind of a weird thought, but it was really freeing to see that I have complete control over my body, that I can be disciplined enough to really have complete control over myself. Elder Barnes was an amazing missionary and example to me. I'll be eternally grateful for Elder Barnes and the the things he taught me, and the friendship we share.
Elder Shimoji - Elder Shimoji was a work horse. I learned a ton from him. A lot of the things I learned from him were really practical, like Japanese, how to stop and talk to people, how to work with the ward, how to teach in unity, how to study effectively, how to do lots of things. Elder Shimoji was also a wonderful example to me of including those who are worse at things than you so that they can grow and become. Despite my terrible Japanese and lack of many other things, Elder Shimoji let me teach and talk to people and learn. He was a wonderful example to me of effective, productive, faithful missionary work, and how it can influence our own lives and the lives of others for good. I'll be eternally grateful for Elder Shimoji and the things he taught me, and the friendship we share.
Elder Alder - Elder Alder was the most patient, chill person ever. He taught me a lot about love and how to help people and teach to their needs. He also taught me not to judge a book by its cover. I thought he was kind of a computer nerd or something, but he was an athletic, genius, man's man. Elder Alder was super patient with me and my frequent naps, with our investigators, and a great example of consistency. I love Elder Alder. I'll be eternally grateful for Elder Alder and the things he taught me, and the friendship we share.
Elder Harrison - Elder Harrison is one of the most genuinely good people I know. Every bone in his body is just filled with pure, Christlike love. He was an amazing example to me of how, if we turn to Christ, our trials and hardships can make us stronger and better. He had a hard childhood and growing up, but instead of becoming bitter and angry at the world, he decided to learn from the hard things and to grow from them. I have met very few people filled with more Christlike love than Elder Harrison. He reminds me a lot of Abbie in that way. I will be eternally grateful for Elder Harrison and the things he taught me, and the friendship we share.
Elder Unsworth - Elder Unsworth is a great example to me of faith. He works with faith, has faith about the future, has faith that we can see miracles, is just filled with faith. I am loving working with and learning from Elder Unsworth and am grateful for the friendship that we have and are deepening (I'm sure it will become eternal, but I still have lots of time to learn from him!)
I love all of my companions. They are all amazing people who have helped me and others come unto Christ. I have learned much from my mission, and a considerable chunk of that has come from my companions. I also think that our friendship is deeper than friendship. The Book of Mormon says it much better than I ever could in Alma 17:
2 ...Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.
3 But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.
My companions have been my brethren in the Lord, we have worked together, studied together, taught together, learned together, grown together, become together, and brought people closer to Christ together. Through the experiences we have had together, they have become more than friends. I am truly eternally grateful for each and every one of my companions. My mission has changed me fundamentally. I have found that there is not a happier, more fulfilling, peaceful way to live than to follow Jesus Christ and His teachings. I have been exposed to people who's lives have been nothing but heartbreak, sadness, loneliness, and misery. I've seen how truly bad mankind can be. But I have also seen so much good. I have seen how all of the bad in the world can be healed and changed through Christ's Atonement. I've experienced it myself. My testimony of this gospel has been deepened and strengthened. My love for my family and friends has been increased. I love the people of Japan. I love my mission. I love my family. And above all, I love the Lord. I'm grateful for this past year and the experiences in it that have allowed me to truly learn about Christ and His character.
Love,
Elder Calhoun