October 3, 2010

Dear Family,

Once again, I don’t have a whole lot of time. I tried sending off that package this week and it got sent back to me because there was a battery in the ipod. That was super frustrating. I put the return address as the mission home so I don’t even have it right now. Luckily I sent it pretty cheap so that wasn’t too big of a deal. I took out 70 bucks but since it charges me a little I decided to take out a lot more than I needed. I’m going to try to figure out if I can even send it to the United States. There were some language barriers when it got returned to the mission home. I’m going to go to the post office today and ask. Sorry. I might have to end up just sending it back with a missionary that I trust who is going home and then having them mail it from within the US. Unfortunately, no one is going back to America until after Christmas except Sister Baird. It’s also a bummer because I put my SD card from my camera in the package so I could have you copy off the pictures. But now I’ll have to wait on that as well. I have my other card though and I still have some room. Hey can you send that package off asap? I don’t have any deodorant. Just put in some of the contact solution and case and deodorant and toothpaste. I’m good on tooth brushes. If you could also send me a cookie recipe and a brownie recipe from scratch so I can make them for members. Also, I need Matt Graham’s address. Forget about the recorder thing unless you already bought it.

To answer your questions, I’m trying to be healthy but my body is getting the crap beat out of it. My toes are killing me. My ankles always hurt. Luckily my joints are doing better though. I do have shin splits really bad. It’s just from riding my bike so much. I figure I’m just going to lay on the couch for a full two days when I get back to get better. I’ve already gone 9 months with my toe problems so I can handle another year or so.

I don’t get to watch Conference until next week. They put it on DVD’s and send them to the wards. I’m the only English speaker in my ward (actually all other missionaries in our zone go to Kanazawa to watch it but we are just by ourselves). I sit at the back of the room by myself with my own TV and have to switch DVDs out with everyone so I don’t get to watch it in order. It’s too bad, but I’ll survive. People will just wonder why there is one lone voice in the back of the room singing in English.

I loved the temple issue this last month. It was great. I wish I could go to the temple. I really, really want to be able to go. Oh well.

So if one more person tells me they can’t meet because they are too busy I’m going to punch them. I asked all the members I could on Sunday if they had any time this week. All of them said they were busy. I don’t buy for a second that they can’t find 30 minutes at just one point during the week. It’s not like they have five kids or anything. Most of them only have one if any at all. It’s so frustrating. We have a new rule that we can’t even talk to members at the door if there isn’t a priesthood holder home. If it’s just a woman we can’t meet at the door. It: makes teaching members almost impossible.

This week was better. Things are getting on track a little bit more. We actually didn’t have any investigator lessons this week which is really bad but we got two new investigators that we will meet with soon. I will attest that my prayers have been answered. Things are falling into place. I just need to continue getting better at Japanese. Sometimes it feels like I’m getting worse. Anyway, Elder Momose is wanting to leave so I should probably go. I’m sorry this letter was so short. I don’t have a whole lot to write about. It’s just difficult living with someone that doesn’t speak your own language. It’s rough stuff. So I’ll try to write more next week. Love you all. Have a good week. Thanks for the emails and prayers.
Love Tyler