April 18, 2011

Dear Family,
I beat Elder Berrett in an arm wrestle this week. It was sweet. It was at our ping pong activity in front of everyone. He’s a huge guy and played baseball in college. I kicked his butt...twice actually. I got beat in the ping pong bracket by my companion which was a huge upset so I had to show my manliness somehow. It worked pretty well.

We played basketball last week. I now understand how fat and slow I am (but I can ride a bike like you wouldn’t believe). I think I’ll have to go through at least six months of rehab when I come back. My posture is getting terrible due to everything here being below head level. I need to stop hitting my head on the places where you put luggage on the trains. They could really make those things a little higher.

I housed a Brazilian complex this week. I talked to 5 people. Two had interest but we couldn’t communicate very well so I told them I’d come back with someone that could speak Portuguese. The third guy said he didn’t have any interest but invited us in to hang out. The 4th and 5th guys didn’t have interest but it was the weirdest experience of my life. They said they couldn’t: believe because they were “rocky mountain men” (that was weird). Also one of the guys didn’t have a shirt on and he was kind of fat but had unusually defined abs. It was weird to say the least. I think the first guy was hitting on me though. We promptly left and starting talking to Japanese people who all said they couldn’t listen to me because their ancestors are of a religion that didn’t even start in Japan...but they have to follow it...

Well I found out that I’m transferring to Yokkaichi. 四日市. I got the call earlier today. I’m having a hard time with it. I really don’t: want to leave Fukui but I’m handing it over to Elder Brown. It’s kind of frustrating. I’m going to be companions with another Australian. Also, I will be in another apartment with 4 people. The other two I was with in the MTC. All three of them are already there and have been for a transfer so I will definitely be the new guy in the area. I’m the Australian Elders senior companion but I won’t be the District Leader. I know it’s the call of the Lord and I know it will turn out well. I’m just a little stubborn and lack some faith.

Last week Elder Bednar wrote about me in his email home and that email gets sent to THE Elder Bednar. So a prophet is going to read about me. Also, in the story I used his talk from conference with an investigator so I feel like the apostles and I are pretty tight now.

Love, Tyler