Hello everyone!
It's a beautiful, sunny day here in Wakayama city. We've been having some hot weather lately. Even with the thick cloud cover we had yesterday it was way warm. June is known as rainy season in Japan. However, we have only had a couple of days of hard rain so the worst is probably waiting to break upon us. I'm ready to face the rain with my mud guards and jacket! #oregonianendurance
We found a couple of new investigators last week which was awesome! One is an older man who seems to know quite a bit about Christianity. We had a pleasant chat and arranged to meet again. We gave him a copy of The Book of Mormon and he said he would give it a read. I'm excited to meet with him again!
One was a mother who was coming home from the supermarket with her three-year-old son. They had just bought some ice cream because it was a very hot day. Funny thing is that she was kind of the one who stopped us. She saw us and slowed down on her bike, came to a stop, and was still looking at us. Perfect opportunity to introduce ourselves! We taught her that families can become eternal through Jesus Christ's power. She said that she hadn't really thought about religion before but that she was interested. We set up a time to see her tomorrow. So excited!
We had something very cool happen with one of our investigators. First, let me give some background. This investigator has known the missionaries for at least the past six years. Gospel doctrine and principles are not a problem for this young man. With the knowledge he has of how the Church works he is basically a member. He has faith in Christ and believes the church and The Book of Mormon are true. He really likes the members and has good relationships with them. The only struggle he has is not really from himself, it's from his mother. And the hardest thing for him to do is talk to her about religious stuff. I'll spare the details, but basically his mother is super duper against any religion in any way. But our grave investigator talked to his mother! For an hour they heatedly talked about his desire to be baptized and how she was against any of it. He actually had us on the phone while this happened. His phone was in his pocket but still. We listened to muffled conversation for an hour or so. That was a first as a missionary. I think it was a first for me in any situation. He bore his testimony on how Jesus Christ helped him through a family member passing away and that's where his testimony began. That part was very amazing! At the end she said he could do as he pleases as soon as he is able to live on his own. The talk was long and hard, but his testimony is now even stronger than before and is trying to find a job that will allow him to get an apartment and survive on his own. That was a strong show of faith. I'm so proud of him. I don't think he had ever talked to his mother like that since he has met the missionaries.
Ok, so, right now my companion and I are laying in our futons writing out these emails because it's Preparation Day and we want sleep. But I'm making noises like I always do. Chubaca, Perry the Platypus, etc. And when I do he says, "where is the dinosaur? I didn't know there were dinosaurs in our apartment.". And he will look around and be like, "where is the dinosaur?". It's way funny. He is getting better at English.
Speaking of English, we got six new students to Eikaiwa! So cool! They were all high school girls so the sister missionaries taught their class. The elder's class had eight come, which is normal. One of the new girls plays bass on in band! Of course I immediately started talking to her about band stuff. Turns out she has a band concert next month that I really want to go to!
Speaking of concerts. Jenny Oaks Baker, the violinist, is coming to Japan! We will try to convince our Ekiawa student to go. One of her concerts will be in Osaka. It would be so good for her to have that experience. And I may or may not want to go myself XD
We went to inspect an aprtment that we might move into. It was an ok apartment. Not too new, but it has an air conditioner pre-installed which is nice. And there is a loft thing where I could sleep when there are sleepovers. Yay! But we have another apartment that we will inspect today. It is a lot newer and is close to a train station. Even though it is much further away. We will see.
Had sushi with my district on Friday. I love sushi!
We found a way cool park next to the castle park. It has its own waterfall and mountains! So cool! We are definitely going back there.
Basically read all of Heleman last night. I really, really, really, really don't like Gadianton. Then woke for seminary this morning. I'm a little tired 
Made blueberry pancakes with cheesy potatoe breakfast eggs. So good! Love it!
We helped clean the church yesterday. It was the first time I helped to clean a church building since coming to Japan. It was way fun to work with the members. I mainly cleaned the slatted glass windows. Loved it!
I hope you all have an awesome week. Fight the good fight and never give up!
愛しているぜ!
Elder Peacock
A missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Serving in the Japan, Kobe mission, Wakayama area
末日聖徒イエス・キリスト教会
日本神戸伝道部の宣教師です
和歌山エリア
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