May 25, 2010

Dear Family,

New York sounded way fun for Jason and Carey. I loved all of the things that he mentioned that he did. Monica’s email was also great. I’m glad things are going well for Quincy and his job. It was cool that Mr. Wholler mentioned me. I missed those good old days a lot.

Oh did you ever send that letter off to Michael? And could you send contact solution and cases whenever you have a chance? This package or the next is cool. I’m not too short on stuff right now. Oh, send toothpaste too. I don’t know if I said that before.

My talk went all right. No one in the audience had an expression on their face (believe me I was desperately trying to find someone to look at that had a smile on their face or anything reassuring). I’ve decided that I’m going to call it a success though, mainly because the bishop didn’t ask me to sit down. The only big mistake is that I said, “I humbly say this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ amen.” Then I started to sit down turned around and said oops and then said humbly testify amen. Really I should have said give this talk but that’s okay. Those poor translators must have had a heck of a time translating what I was saying.

I’m yet to be convinced by someone that our bishop actually speaks Japanese. It sounds like a dialect of whatever language Chewbacca speaks. Jokes like that ensure that I won’t be able to find a date when I get back to America. It’s going to be quite the change from here. It’s incredible how much they love tall, white, blonde haired, blue eyes people here and I can also speak English and can order in Japanese at McDonalds (I’m just kidding....I do it in English).

Yes I have a normal washer and dryer. My zone is the only zone that gets dryers though. It’s hot enough elsewhere during the whole year that they don’t need them. My rain suit is good. No problems yet. Everyone one else that I’ve ever talked to about it said that they ripped their pants the first day they used them. I haven’t used mine yet but I think they will be fine. I also sleep on a futon.

There are these two kids that are investigators of ours...sorta and we think they have a lot of promise if they come to church but they LOVE Elder Insch and Elder Insch only. So we did splits and I was just expecting that I’d be with him here in Takaoka. Elder Howells expected that some thing. When we met up with Elder Insch and Elder Walter though they said I was staying in Kanazawa with Elder Walter. It was like I was expecting to go on a date with Elizabeth from Pirates of the Caribbean but I go to pick her up at the door and it’s just Will. Sure he’s cute too but really, give me a break (you might want to edit this part for Grandpa and Grandma Hooton). I really wanted to talk with Elder Insch about stuff though. I felt so lost at that point. I now know why they call trainers “fathers.” I feel like I was an abandoned orphan on the streets of Kanazawa. It ended up being okay. I decided it was probably the Lord’s hand and I’d probably end up being depressed after the Kokan if I had spent it with elder Insch. I did get to teach a Swiss dude who was super drunk. I met a bunch of Chinese people, a woman from Taiwan, a guy from Britain that wouldn’t stop dropping the F bomb, oh and I talked to a couple Japanese people.

So sorry I didn’t write a whole lot. I guess Elder Howells is going to go get his haircut right now, or at least that’s why he told me to wear street clothes today. So I love everyone I hope you have a great week. I’ll try to get some better stuff to write about next week. Love you all.

Elder Hooton

May 18, 2010

Dear Family,

Well my life was a lot different this past week. I was quite shocked at first when I had a new companion. Everything I knew and loved in this world was taken away from me in a matter of hours. I now know why they call trainers “Dads.” I did feel like I was being left in the wilderness by myself. Elder Howells is a good guy and I like him a lot but it’s quite different from Elder Insch. It’s been a super hard adjustment and I just about lost my mind when I spent most of Saturday in the apartment because Elder Howells was sick. I could only read the Liahona so many times before I start thinking about home. It’s hard to say the time flies by when we aren’t really working that much. I’m getting through it though and I’d say that my faith is growing. I’m just trying to keep a good relationship with him and at the same time do what I think is right. I’ve definitely grown a lot but I don’t know if I can keep on growing like this for another 14 transfers. I have to decide what we do because Elder Howells doesn’t know the area. It’s good for me but it’s a trade off because I can’t teach most of our investigators yet because none of them speak Japanese or English. Our one investigator Tanaka who was so promising is falling through the cracks a little. Hopefully he can gain a better testimony of THIS church and not all of them.

So did you can the old computer? I remember you saying you got a new one. I’m doing just fine on Singular. I’ve got plenty. Concerning what we talked about on the phone a little: I totally trust Jacob now with the truck (don’t do anything stupid now that I told you that). I’d really like Jacob to be able to be cool and have a rocking awesome stereo. Ask Abby, Shelby, or Stephanie how it can sound. They heard it in its prime. Jacob would be so much cooler if it was working. He’d be happy to know that on my list of priorities right now his cool status is even above me doing my laundry this week; so he should feel pretty special.

Speaking of segues: which weed eater did Jason fix, that gas powered one? I’d be super impressed if he did. I got to play ping pong last week. It was way fun. I played it with a member. He beat me 2-1 but it wasn’t fair because I hadn’t played in forever. Also, I didn’t have a good paddle. Those are all the excuses I could come up with. It’s a bummer that the TV bulb broke again. It was funny when mom was describing what was for dinner at “steak” conference (it’s a pun not an error believe it or not) because it sounds like what I eat almost everyday. I have one of those lava cakes with powdered sugar and ice cream (I ask them to hold the sauce like in the one story that I told you all) at least 4 times a week.

Monica and Quincy’s emails are great by the way. I love the way they write them. Occorina Flow would be a sweet song. It’s weird that I am more strict than my mission president. It’s okay though because I’m sure it will be the opposite when President Beard arrives. The entire mission is holding their breath this transfer. I will be fine but it sounds like some missionaries might be rioting in the streets.

Well it sounds like Jacob did well with tennis. Even though he didn’t win it sounds like he put up some good fights. Since I’m a missionary, I’m all about growing experiences so in my opinion it was probably a good growing experience. Speaking of me being a missionary, (usually I forget when I wake up that I’m a missionary and I wonder why I can’t read any of the labels on the cereal boxes and then remember) did everyone say thank you in a prayer that they speak English? Almost everyone in the country would love to speak English and they try so hard but they can never get it down as well as Americans. It’s so sad and it’s so difficult for them. I’m very thankful that I’m blessed to be a native English speaker. I don’t want to take it for granted.

Well I’m hoping this next week it good. They seem to be getting more difficult. I’ll just do my best. I’m sorry that even if you edited my emails you probably couldn’t put enough together to read to the ward. I should probably write something that you can read them. I’ll be sure to leave spaces for the bishop to add in his unique comments. I’m also going to try to guess what the bishop will say about it from the pulpit. Until then, feel free to tell the ward what you think is best. I love you all and everyone have a good week.

Love,

Elder Tyler Hooton

Recent Photos

May 11, 2010

Dear Family,

It was wonderful talking to you yesterday. It was nice because that previous week was difficult. I’m having a hard time getting a lot of work done because of various mission related things that bug me. I had to go on so many exchanges when Elder Insch was my companion. This brings me to my next point which is that I will no longer be companions with Elder Insch. He is the new Zone Leader. He will be going to Kanazawa so he will still be my Zone Leader because that’s where I’m at. Oh by the way, until today President Erying’s grandson Henry (funny huh) has been one of my zone leaders. I probably should have mentioned that in an earlier email. But I will be staying in the same area. My new companion is a Canadian. His name is Elder Howells. He’s went senior last transfer I believe. From the sound of it his Portuguese isn’t as good as elder Insch (nor Japanese actually). It will be a change but I’m very excited. I know this is what is best for me and that it comes from God so I’m not going to second guess it or complain. There are a couple bummers that come out of it but whatever. Life is sometimes a bummer.

In lighter, more Tyler-like news, last week after I emailed you I saw a man urinating in a gutter. He yelled hazukashi tokoro gomen ne. I translated it as “awkward place, sorry.” But I guess place also can mean moment. Then he said the phrase that means “hey you super hard workers good job” (keep up the good work). It was quite funny. We have a lot of stories like that. Also, Japan has tons and tons of bats. I never noticed until Elder Insch pointed out that there weren’t birds around. Oh also I won’t be companions with Elder Howells until tomorrow.

I will be giving a talk in two weeks on Mosiah 5:7. I can’t think of a whole lot to say. It’s a fairly specific topic which makes it hard. Don’t think about it a ton but any advice would be appreciated. I’m going to have a hard enough time translating anyway, especially since I don’t know how proficient elder Howells will be. Dear Elder is really slow to get to me by the way. I have mail written for Aly but I can’t send it because I don’t have a current address.

I had an interesting experience on an exchange that I went on in Tokoyama. It’s up in the mountains. It was beautiful (I’ll send a couple pictures), but this one investigator was like “your hair it’s......blonde.” Then she also mentioned that my eyebrows and my arm hair were blond too. Then she said “oh I love it so much” (she spoke a little bit of English). Then she put her index finger on her forehead and her thumb under her nose with both of those fingers extended. She was trying to imitate my nose. She said, your nose it’s sooo tall. It’s so handsome. People love me here it’s so fun/funny. It really boasts my self confidence.

Hey for the first time I’m going to call everyone to repentance. I want everyone tonight to be thankful for the fact that they speak English. Our language is incredibly hard. I have to deal with questions about English on a daily basis and I have no idea why our language works they way it does. Also, I implore you to give missionaries referrals and have them over for dinner every so often. It’s tough doing what we do. But kick them out fast. Tell them you only have a small window of time to feed them. They need to be other places. I hate getting stuck at a dinner for forever.

タイラ is my name in Katakana, Katie. By the way, I loved talking to you. I’m sorry if I didn’t talk to you a lot but talking to you made it all worth it. I miss you a lot and you are sounding so grown up. I’m sorry if I seemed like I was talking to you like you were young. You are so mature now.

Finally, I’d like to say that there is a woman in our ward that gives us stuff like mom always wanted us to eat, green stuff and stuff that we have to chew like 200 times before we can swallow. She is going to be like 178 years old next year. So it works. She rides her bike to church every week.

This next week will be interesting and I’m putting all of my trust in the Lord. I’m excited and it will be good for me. I’m still praying for everyone. Have a wonderful week. I love you all.

Elder Tyler Hooton

May 4, 2010

Dear, Family,

I received the pictures of Katie last week and also the picture of dad from Dallas the week before. They were great. I’m going to try to send a lot today. I’m sorry I forgot about Jason’s birthday. I feel really stupid. Happy Birthday Jason. I actually got a present for him last week which is weird because I had forgotten. It’s nothing really cool. I’m actually still on my first transfer. We find out what is happening next Tuesday.

In other news, I ate an entire fish yesterday and I don’t mean like I ate an entire fillet by my self. I ate a whole dang fish; head, brains all of it. It was gross...yes, yes it was. Here is a funny story. We were eating at Coco’s last week which is the closest thing to American food here. I always get a least one plate of French toast. I sometimes get pizza and a Quesadilla and a piece of cake too. Anyway, on the cake part I didn’t want this strawberry sauce, so when I ordered I said sasu janai. Janai means “to not exist.” But sasu is actually the Japanese word “to point” and sosu was what I was trying to say which actually means sauce. So I was saying. “I’m not pointing” as I was pointing to the sauce. The waitress was a little confused. Hopefully by the end of this next week I’ll be able to order food in Japan. I do get a lot of practice. I usually just say, kore, which means “this.”

Katie your letters were once again wonderful. I love hearing from you. I’m trying to collect things to send to you. I miss you so much. This week was actually quite hard. I got pretty down about the language. A guy from Fuji came to visit our ward this week. I felt bad I think he had a pretty severe social disorder. It made for some awkward experiences. They had me bless the sacrament (bread) and I messed up the first time. I said shu instead of sho at one part. I had to re-say it and I think I said the same thing again but they understood that that is how I pronounce Japanese anyway. I was blessing with the Darth Vader man who is like 160 years old. After we pass the bread we remain standing, and the guy didn’t even come up to my shoulders. It looked kind of weird. He also couldn’t stand still. He was swinging his hips forwards and backwards. They asked me to share my testimony. I finished and realized everyone had a look on their face like, “I understood the words but I’d never heard them put in that order before.” Also I have to give a talk in the last Sunday of this month. Maybe I would like to be transferred next week.

A lot of things just seem more difficult in Japan. Things like cleaning the dishes and cleaning out my ears just seemed easier at college. I don’t know why. Anyway, I pushed through Sunday. Dad’s letter really helped because I received it that night along with two other letters. It was very nice and Dad said just that right things as usual. By the way Katie, I love math as well. It’s not weird of you.

So I went fishing today with some members and investigators. I caught ten fish. It was pretty interesting. We didn’t use rods with reels. It was just like a 9 foot rod. I felt like a real Japanese person. I squatted down until my butt hit my feet and then held the pole between my legs and sat there. It could have been right out of an ancient drawing. So if I ever come back to Japan it will be during this week. It’s golden week here. Ask someone about it. No one works for a week. They take the whole week off. Almost everything is closed. They also have festivals. They close the main streets around the train station and they have ancient reenactments and dances with the flowing dragon things. It’s super cool. It’s good dendo activity. Dendo just means everything involving missionary work. There was an organization there that is against smoking and they were picking up trash so we grabbed bags and help. They took our picture and thanked us. It was a great way to talk to people because we could just ask if they had trash and then they would ask us why we were in Japan and it was a smooth transition to Jesus Christ. It was also good rock star (or famous doctor) training. People would stare at us and giggle. I walked by two girls that I could hear talking about how big I was and I said 高いでっしょ which means, “tall huh?” and they giggled even louder.

I’m doing well. Things are moving forward. We have some very solid investigators that are doing well. Please don’t move from Montana by the way. I now weigh over 190 pounds. It’s ridiculous. Not a whole lot is fat though. I’m just going to try to send pictures now. Sorry it’s short once again. Love you all

Elder Tyler Hooton