Dear Mom and Dad,
Good heavens this week went quick! We had Zone Conference this week. As
such, we left Thursday afternoon and rode a bus for 3 hours to a different area.
Then we stayed over night, had the conference on Friday, and then I ended up
going back with my Zone Leader to do a kokan (exchange) in his area. We
worked in that area on Saturday, and then I returned back to my area Saturday
night.
Otherwise it's been a really great week. We met a guy on the street who is
about my age. His hair is dyed a few different colors and he didn't really look
the type who would be cool to talk about religion. I've been having Hashimoto
Choro lead
on the bikes. We pulled up next to this guy at a stoplight. Since Hashimoto
Choro was
in the lead, he pulled up next to him first and due to his appearance he felt a
bit of anxiety and doubt about talking to him, but then ignored that feeling and
just talked to him anyway. As it were, he's actually really been quite worried
about what direction to take his life. He really wants to grow closer to God
and be able to receive guidance for his life. We ended up going right to the
church with him and taught him a lesson. It was way good, and he really wants
to meet again.
The other day we met a man who really wanted to come to church. He came
yesterday, and he was amazing. He's even friendlier than the members and was
actively shaking hands and introducing himself. He has strong desires to learn
about God and when we taught him afterward it was an excellent lesson. He
really wants to come again next week and is planning on it.
It's crazy to hear that school's starting again. Tell Marisa good luck on
another year of school. Tell Shannon hi for me!
Mom, to answer your question, sometimes it's one, the other, or both. This
last time it was just from English to Japanese. Since most of the missionaries' native language is English, a lot of
meetings are done in English and somebody just translates for the Japanese
missionaries. However, when the speaker is a Nihonjin and most of the
missionaries are older missionaries, they'll just speak in Japanese and
somebody will translate from Japanese to English for the younger missionaries.
I've had to do meetings that are just one or the other, and I've had to do both
as well. It's way fun!
I love you,
Elder Kyle Hutchings
