FROM: ELDER CONNER CARLINI
DATE: FEB.23, 2015
SUBJECT: IT’S TRANSFER WEEK
Heyyy, so this week was full of little events that I can barely remember. And since I am using my planner for this new transfer and I don't have the old one with me, I can only remember a few things that happened! So let's go over those shall we?
Last P-Day (after writing emails) we went over to a cool island in our area called "Katase Enoshima". It has a whole bunch of Shrines and some really great views of the ocean. I have some pictures of that which I'll send as well. We saw a whole bunch of white people and it was weird to hear people speaking a lot of English and whatnot. But yeah, we got to talk to some of them which was nice. We also had a Japanese girl approach us and try asking in English if we could take a picture. But we just switched to Japanese and said we could do that. It was funny because she was with a guy who we thought we would be taking the picture of along with her. But then she stood next to us and gave him the camera to take a picture, haha. The power of foreigners. I also talked to the owner of a little shop on the island for a while and bought some way sweet chopsticks at his place.
Another thing that was awesome about this week was meeting a new friend. I can't remember if I've said this or not already but me and Elder Fenton met a group of some breakdancers and we've become good friends with them. And one in particular was interested in Heaven and stuff like that. So this week (can't remember the exact day) we planned meeting him where the breakdancers normally go to dance at the station and waited for him there. However, his work went later than usual and he wasn't going to be there till much later and after our missionary curfew. So, since he wasn't coming, we talked to the new breakdancers that were already there and made friends with them! They didn't seem like they had any church interest at all at first but I got talking to one of them about what we do and where I'm from and he thought it was all so cool. He searched me on Facebook, we became friends, and then he was asking me about America and why I came to Japan to be a volunteer. At this point, it was just about 9:00 and that's our regular curfew when not teaching a lesson. But when I told him we had to go, he didn't seem like he wanted us to leave yet. So I just told him that if we were teaching about our church and if he wanted to hear, then we could stay until about 9:30. So he's like, yeah let's hear it! Haha, so I had a great chance to teach the Restoration and it went great. He doesn't know hardly anything of religion and it was all so new to him. But I think he felt good about it and I know I did.
The next things I remember this week was Interviews with the President and also something called Questions of the Soul we brought our investigator from Okinawa, Toguchi, to it and it was a cool talk about faith. We also got to teach Toguchi that day so it was a double gospel serving. But, since he was quite tired from working a night shift, he dozed off a couple times during the presentation, hah.
Another special thing about this week was going to the Tokyo mission (I'm in Tokyo South) and having a double mission conference in the Nakano church. Elders Ballard and Rasband came and talked with us about several gospel and missionary topics. They focused us in on the Restoration and it was pretty cool to hear. It was also great to see my good friends from different areas and reunite with a bro hug. Elder Bates is a great man.
And now the thing we've all been waiting for I'm sure, is my Transfer Announcement! Yeah, so even though I have only lived in Fujisawa for a transfer (6 weeks), I am transferring to Machida this Thursday! It's pretty close by and I heard its a really great area. I'm just not sure about the apartment I'll be living in, hah. Anyways, my companion will be Elder Kojima, who is Japanese. So I have been quite lucky and blessed with the challenge and opportunity to speak a whole lot of Japanese in a day, hah. He will be my 3rd Japanese companion and I'm grateful for it. I actually know him a bit as well, because we lived together for a couple transfers in my first area Kamiooka. He had kind of a rough time there and didn't get along with us that well so hopefully it'll turn out alright. As long as we can have fun and focus on some of the awesome people that are living here in Japan, it should be good. So, I'll be in a new apartment with a new comp this Thursday. Fun stuff. Gotta pack my stuff already, haha.

That is all. Have a great week!
素晴らしい週があるように！

Elder Carlini
カーリニ長老