Email #68   February 29, 2016

Dearest Family and Friends,

This past week was great! I am loving working with Elder Cardon. He's
hilarious and super agreeable, a hard worker, and a great person. I
have been so blessed to only have amazing companions! I'll go through
the week quickly, mostly for my sake so I can remember things because
I'm a little behind on my journal. Oops. On Tuesday, we had a great
zone conference. We learned about simplifying our work, using stats,
and obedience. I learned a lot about being obedient and what our
standard of obedience should be, how to find effectively, and how to
teach by the Holy Ghost. On Wednesday, we had a really fun service
project. We went to an elementary school and the kids practiced their
English on us by introducing Japanese culture. We had to pretend like
we didn't speak any Japanese, which was brutal. There were some words
that they forgot in English and they were talking to themselves trying
to figure it out and we couldn't help them despite understanding. One
of the groups quizzed me after after this festival for girls and
asked, "Who is the festival for?" I replied, "Girls." She said, "Brnnn
brnnn (like a buzzer sound at halftime, Japanese say it if you get a
question wrong and hold up their arms in an x shape). It is for
girls." Their understanding was pretty basic, as evidenced, which made
it super cute and funny. On Thursday, I had exchanges with Elder
Aleman. They went well, we did a lot of finding and were able to find
2 new potential investigators through calling unknown people on our
phone. Hopefully we'll be able to meet up with both of them this
upcoming week. On Friday, we did weekly planning and had family home
evening. Weekly planning took forever. We made this big plan to talk
to more than a thousand people this week, but it fell apart after we
learned we can't do really straightforward, fast dendo on the train.
We're still going to try to talk to as many people as we possibly can
and really focus on finding this upcoming week. We have a big goal to
find 10 new investigators. Please pray that as we work as hard as we
can, we will be able to do so! Family Home Evening went really well,
we were able to teach a few lessons and talk to the Ugandan man, myth
and legend Dennis. It was a really good lesson, he got really
emotional and told us how his work has been preventing him from going
to church but he can't find a new one and needs to support his family,
and can't quit his job. Please, please pray that he will be able to
find a new job! On Saturday, we did a lot of finding. It went well, I
am loving the combination of riding my bike and doing kinjin (golden
investigator) dendo. We are able to talk to so many people in a short
amount of time, it's so effective. On Sunday, we had stake conference
in Chiba. It went well, Elder Yamashita from the first quorum of the
70 came and spoke. The ward had a meal of sandwiches and soup that was
super good. We got home and my bike had fallen over into this pile of
sand and shells next to our apartment building, and one of the shells
had popped my tire. We walked to church, which is a little far,
probably 2 miles or so, and did stats and reports and stuff. It was a
great week! We're pumped to do a ton of finding this week and really
get our area going, because it's as dead as can be right now. Life is
good, and I am loving being here in Narita, being a missionary,
working with Elder Cardon, and doing God's work. I've never been so
happy!

I've been thinking about bike riding a little bit these past few
weeks. We do a ton of bike riding, and sometimes it's pretty sketchy.
Japan's roads are narrow and cars will come flying towards us or from
behind us and come within a couple of feet, or sometimes a few inches
of us. There are plenty of potholes, sometimes my lights die and I'm
riding blind, there are drops into sewers or creeks, and many other
things that could make me fall. I've noticed, however, that as long as
I follow my companion, no matter what dangers there might be, I am
safe. As we travel along the road of life, there are many dangers,
obstacles, trails, and other things that derail us from our intended
course. Sometimes we don't see them until it is too late or almost so,
like potholes; sometimes it these things happen because of our own
negligence, like dead lights; sometimes we ride too close to the edge
or temptation blinds us like the bright headlights of an approaching
car. No matter what it may be that makes us stumble or fall, I have
noticed this: that as long as I follow the examples of those I know
are good, honesty, integrity-filled, righteous people, I can know the
course I am following is one that will keep me safe and happy. I have
had many such examples throughout my life: my parents, grandparents,
siblings, and other family members, amazing friends, loving teachers
and leaders, previous companions. However, especially on my mission I
have come to know that there is one person above all others who has
set the perfect example and can show me perfectly which way to take,
despite whatever dangers may surround me: Jesus Christ. As I have
really thrown myself into following Christ's example, I have never
felt more filled to love and peace, self-fulfillment and self-esteem,
never known with more certainty that the path that I am taking is the
path that will keep me safe, allow me to help others, help me down the
road, and make me incredibly happy. I also know that this isn't
something that applies just to me, but to everyone. I love Jesus
Christ and love you all as well.

Love,
Elder Calhoun