A Day in the Life

Well, here it is, I finally found a good time to write about what a typical day in the life of me as a missionary is.

At 6:30 in the morning, the alarm goes off and I wake up, flip over and pray. It's usually cold, so getting out from under the blanket of the futon is a little hard, but somehow I manage. Most mornings, some kind of garbage needs to be taken out -- they seperate the garbage in Japan into plastics and burnables; other things need to go out on one of two special garbage days that happen each month --  so Elder G and I go outside and around the apartment to where the garbage pickup place is and hurry back inside so that we don't get too cold.

After that, I take a shower and brush my teeth and shave, or wait for Elder G to do those things if it's his turn to go first. And then I pour myself a bowl of cereal then eat during Personal Study which starts at about 8:00. Personal Study is one of my favorite times of the day. Lately I've been reading the Old Testemant and I just finished the Book of Judges. I love just reading the scriptures.

After Personal Study, we have Companionship study. That involves singing, praying, reading three pages from the White Handbook (The Missionary Rules), talking about what we learned in Personal Study and talking about the lessons that we are going to teach during the rest of the day, and if needs be, doing a Mogi (a roleplay) so that I can practice what I'm going to say in Japanese so that Elder G can be sure to let me help with the lesson. Because sometimes, if he's not careful, he just says everything for a lesson since he can just handle it by himself, and since I'm still not very good at Japanese.

After this, every day differs. Sometimes we will have a lesson at 10:30, so we go straight to that, or we will leave the apartment to go find some former investigators. There are were a lot of former investigators in our Area Book when Elder G got to the area, and so we've been working on contacting all of them to see if any of them have interest now or if they even live in the place that is on our records anymore.

Often these people that we visit live kind of far away, so we spend a lot of time on our bikes. And often the two of us will have a good conversation while we bike. We talk about a lot of things, like video games, or I will have a question about Japanese, or he will tell me about his old companions, or we will talk about our investigators or about the ward. Lots and lots of things. It's nice to have someone to talk to.

Teaching in Japanese is kind of hard, as you might expect, but people tell me my Japanese is pretty good, especially for a bean, and I try hard so I think God is happy with me for that.

Sometime after that, we have lunch and then usually do some language study. For that, I read the Book of Mormon in Japanese, and lately I've also been working on learning Kanji, which are the Chinese Characters. I'm making these really great flashcards so I can learn them.

After that, we go out and visit people again for a few hours, or try to do some housing if we don't have any appointments, and we go home and have some dinner. And then at 9:00 we plan for the next day. Then there is just a little time to read or draw or listen to music and get ready for bed before it's 10:30 which is when we pray and go to sleep. Which is a time I get excited for every day, because I'm really tired all the time, and falling asleep is a good relief.

Well, I hope everyone is well. Thank you for all the Valentine's things, they are great. They made our apartment look much more happy and your card was very nice. I hope you had a nice birthday as well.

I love you all,

-Elder Mueller

A New Transfer

I'm so sorry! I wrote a letter last week but then I apparently neglected to send it! I'm such a terrible son! Okay. Now I've sent it. Sorry.

 

Elder G and I decided to do something really fun this last week, we explored part of out area that we've never been to before. We just got a ward directory, and we found that there were some less-actives. It was a really pretty area, and even though of two people that we visited, one moved to Australia and one was a person who clearly didn't want anything to do with us, it was worth it.

 

Our progressing investigator, A-san, the Phillipino girl, came to church yesterday, so we taught her about the Plan of Salvation and she had some questions about the Word of Wisdom and she said that she'd be totally willing to follow it. And she also has told us that she wants to join the church, so we're really excited!

 

Last week, we had transfer calls, and of course we didn't get any because Elder G is still training me, but one unfortunate thing did happen, which will need some explaining.

 

The Elders in the other area in the district are Elder P and Elder T, and they do not work well together. Elder P does some really weird things that make him extremely hard to live with, and I have seen it firsthand on the exchanges I've been on. And it's driving Elder T crazy, and neither of them is handling it well. Elder G was trying to convince President Yamashita to transfer one of them, and he prayed about it a lot and he's tried to help them the best that he can, and I've been helping him. But transfer calls were last Saturday, and they did not get one. And so they've both pretty much given up. Period. They aren't going to do anything this transfer unless something happens fast. I wish I could convey better the seriousness of this problem, but unfortunately there isn't enough time for that. I pray for them a lot though in the hopes that things will get better somehow.

 

Snow in Numazu! This never happens. I keep telling Elder G that I brought the curse of the Salt Lake Valley to Numazu because the weather keeps changing so much.

And this is Japan. Beautiful, no?

Anyway, that's all for this week. I hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's day!

 

I love you all!

 

-Elder Mueller

Week 6: Elder Mueller and the Terminating Transfer (This is last week's)

This is the last week of my first transfer. Wow! It's so exciting!

 

As you might expect, food is a little different here in Japan, and some things that I've eaten here are really really weird. For example, there is a food here called Nato, and it is fermented soybeans. It's sticky and slimy at the same time, and it tastes really bad. But I ate it. I eat everything that I'm served. Even when it's totally gross. But there are also some really good things too. Like Yakiniku! 

 

In the Numazu ward, we have a couple who arrived in Japan the same day that I got to Japan, and they are Brother and Sister F. The wife is a lady who lived here a long time ago and then stayed in America for quite a while. And the husband is a man who was a missionary here 10 years ago. They just got married in December and then moved here right after. Brother F is really cool and he helps us so much as missionaries. A lot of our appointments where we have a member there are with him.

 

Last Thursday, we had the opportunity to go visit T-san with F-kyodai which was great because we just found out that Brother F was one of the two missionaries who first contacted him. And that day we were going to challenge him to set a baptismal date because it felt like a good thing to do, and so we did, and he told us something that I don't think any of the previous missionaries that taught him knew. A long time ago, he along with forty-two other people swore to protect and take care of this Bhuddist shrine. And so he said that unless we want to kill the head priest, he can't be baptized now. But we are still going to teach him because he's great and even if he might not be able to be baptized in this life, I have no doubt in my mind that he is going to heaven, because he is the sweetest, humblest, most faithful man I think I have ever met.

 

On Saturday, I received the package you sent, which was perfect because it came on February 1st. And so I decorated the apartment with the things you sent and did origami and now I already have the paper crane memorized because it's the best one and I have them hanging from the ceiling by my desk.  It was great! Thank you so much! The candy is delicious :)

 

Alright, now I have to be off to a lesson with two of our progressing investigators who very well could be baptized in the next couple months if things go well.

 

Hope you're all well,

 

-Elder Alex Mueller

A Rushed Report

I don't have much time to write today, because today, there's a District Activity. We're going out for something called　焼肉(yakiniku) which literally translated is fried meat. I don't know what it's like though, so I guess both me and you will have to find out.

 

This last week was kind of crazy. Elder G had to go to Nagoya on Friday for a leadership conference, so I went to Fuji, the other area in our district and was on an exchange with one of the Elders there. I won't give a lot of details, but to put things simply, he is very hard to work with and very hard to live with. And they are actually having lots of problems in Fuji for that very reason.

 

At the end of the exchange, Elder G and I stayed in Fuji and performed in a music night their ward was having, and I played 'Claire de Lune' and I accompanied Elder G for an arrangement of 'Savior Redeemer of my Soul.' It was really nice.

 

On Thursday, I crashed my bike. It was 'oh so' exciting. I was just trying to take my glove off while riding and I lost control and ran into a concrete curb. I bruised my knee and it was hard to ride for an hour or two, but I went home and iced it and then I've been fine ever since. And my bike was fine too. It was very much a blessing.

 

Later that day, I was just riding along and I think school had just gotten out because there were lots of kids on the sidewalk, but my companion and I passed these girls -- they must have been middle school age -- and one of them said "Hello!" in English. Lots of kids say hello when we pass since we're American and most everyone is studying English in School. Anyway, I say 'Hello' back and then the three of them just started giggling a lot. Girls are crazy! I'm really glad I don't have to deal with that kind of thing while I'm here, as fun as it is when I'm not a missionary. Ridiculous.

 

Sorry there isn't much. But I think those are the important things.

 

I hope everyone is well. I love you all!

 

-Elder Alex Mueller

 

P.S. Pictures!!!

 

 

This is the apartment. And Elder G studying.

 

Elder G wanted to try my beef stew, so I managed to make some. It tasted pretty much like how it tastes in America, which is a miracle.

 

I finally got my good nametag with my Japanese name and my English one. Yes!

I Made a List!

So, I made a list of stuff during the week that's interesting or funny so that I didn't forget any of it when I write today. So this week, you're going to get a letter full of the weird and cool things that have happened.

 

One thing that I found out soon after I got to Japan is that the Japanesization of "Mueller," is "Myura," which is really close to a name that is an actual Japanese name. "Miura." Weird, huh? A lot of the time when I'm introducing myself to people, because I don't have a nametag with both English and Japanese on it yet, they will ask me if I'm Japanese. And of course I say "no," because I'm not. But, I found out the Kanji for the name and it looks like this : 三浦. It means "Three bays."

 

So, I neglected to tell you that my mission president is actually one of the Seventy as well. And he spoke in General Conference in 2011. You should go watch the talk, even if it's just to know what my mission president sounds like. His name is Kazuhiko Yamashita.

 

Last Tuesday, Elder G and I took the train to a town called Gotemba so that we could visit some people who used to come to our English class. It's a really pretty place with a much better view of Mount Fuji. But it's kind of in the mountains, so it's significantly colder than it is in Numazu. Not that Numazu is very warm either. Gosh! I can't wait for spring! Mission work will be so much easier once March comes. Anyway, while we were walking to where we wanted to go, I looked at a vending machine, and they had Dr. Pepper! I was so excited! They have a lot of vending machines everywhere here with various drinks, hot and cold, but this was the first time that I have seen Dr. Pepper, so I bought it and it tasted soooooooo good. Wow. I forgot how much I liked that stuff.

 

On Wednesday, we had a lesson with an "eternal investigator" who's name Y-san. He is actually a Bhuddist Priest who invites us over to the place where he lives which is also a temple so that he can learn about our religon. Elder G really wants him to take a leap of faith so that he could find out if it is actually true, but I'm not actually sure that is going to happen. Every time that the missionaries visit him, some kids come to play with the missionaries and it is really fun. We played a matching game with them, and then we took our train back home.

 

One thing that's amazing about my area is the sunsets. They are gorgeous. Because the ocean is so close, there are lots of beautiful clouds, and as the sun sets, it illuminates them with the prettiest of colors. I'll take a picture for you so that you can see this week.

 

Every Thursday, we have a lesson with a different eternal investigator who has us call him "T." He's a funny old man who loves the missionaries and loves the church. He wants to come to church and he has a goal to be baptized, but his wife doesn't want him to be baptized because her family is part of a radical Bhuddist sect that really doesnt't like Christianity and she doesn't want them to get angry at her. When I met him a few weeks ago, T-san described himself as an "underground Christian," jokingly. He used to come to church and to English class, but a few months ago he had a stroke and his wife doesn't really want him to leave the house, but Elder G says that he seems a lot better than when he met him, and that he moves a lot faster now too. I really want to see him baptized before I leave the area, and I pray for him a lot, and I really thing that it could happen.

 

I've noticed that here (and probably other places too, I've just never noticed) there are just lots and lots of people with stories that are kind of sad. And it makes me want to help them, but sometimes you don't really know how you can help, or even if there is anything you could possibly do to help. And so you just try to help them partake of the Gospel so that they can have the blessings and joy of it and often that is all you can do. And often, for some reason or another, they don't want any of it. And so all you can do after that is just love them. That's it.

 

On Friday, I had my first exchange and so I went to the city of Fuji, which unfotunately has a lot of industry, so it isn't very pretty and it doesn't smell very nice. The Elder I was with is nice, but he has a lot of trouble taking care of himself. And he's also only on his second transfer. I am really grateful that I'm where I am and that I'm companions with Elder G. We get along so well and can talk about so many things together. And this area is so beautiful, and I know that that God blessed me a lot. Maybe this is a bit of a reward for enduring the MTC.

 

Oh! I finished the Doctrine and Covenants! It was amazing. I would suggest to anyone who has yet to read it to do so. So many things make more sense after reading it.

 

The last thing I want to write about that happened is something that happened yesterday, on Sunday. We finally got to go to Ward Council Meeting. The missionaries in Numazu haven't been invited to that in a very long time, and I think it's a sign that the ward is coming to trust us more and wants to work with us, which is a very exciting thing, because it means that we're a lot more likely to find people who will want to listen to us and also it will strengthen the ward a lot too.

 

This next week, Elder G and I have been invited to go perform in a "Ongakukai" (that means "music meeting") in Fuji. We found the music for "Claire de Lune," so I'll be playing that, and I'll also be accompanying Elder G in an really pretty arrangement of "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul." I think it's going to be really cool.

 

Well, that's all  I have time for this week. Next week, I'll talk about what kind of things we do every day, and what being a missionary is like.

 

I love you all! Jesus is the Christ, and His Gospel is still true!

 

-Elder Alex Mueller

My First Mission Miracles

Hello everyone!

This week, especially near the end of it, I was not feeling too great. I've been expecting too much of myself. I've been really tired lately, and getting out of bed has been really tough and I've been falling asleep while studying too. And I've felt like a really bad missionary because of that. But I prayed and read the Book of Mormon and I felt much better afterward. I remembered that I'm trying my hardest to work as hard as I am capable without sending myself over the brink of insanity. Also, Elder G and I have had a hard time finding people to teach, and we've visited the homes of a lot of less active members and former investigators, but a lot of the time they just aren't home, so a lot of the biking we do feels like a waste.

Then, yesterday, a lot of things happened. First of all, during the first hour of church, which is priesthood --they have a backwards block-- a woman that neither of us had seen walked in, so we went over to talk to her, and it turns out that she had been on mormon.org, chatted with one of the missionaries there, and decided to come to church. Her name is A, and she is Filipino, and her parents are Catholic, but she says that she doesn't really believe Catholicism. She also said that she's been going around to different churches to see what they're like, and that she really likes this one. And we have another appointment to teach her next week after church.

The other thing that happened was that after church we had a lesson with another investigator who's been meeting with the missionaries for about a year, named W S san. She is a little strange, and my companion thought for a long time that she only meets with the missionaries because she like foreigners, but yesterday we committed her to baptism. I really hope it pans out.

All of this goes to show that this really is the Lord's work. And that he really is preparing people, and that he rewards work, even if it is with something completely unrelated to the specific things you've been focusing on.

Next week, I'll write more about what being on a mission is like, and what Japan is like. But for now know that I'm working hard, and that even though missions are hard, and sometimes you get a little down, God is helping you. And he loves you a lot.

I love you all!

-Elder Mueller

Happy New Year!

Hello! I am your son! And I am in Japan! For God!! WOW!!!!!

As you might have already assessed, I am very excited to be here. This is an amazing place and I cannot imagine a better place to serve the Lord.

On Monday morning of the 31st, I woke up at 3:45 to get on a bus that took me to the airport. After a short flight and a long flight, I arrived in Japan. And I was so relieved. That second flight was brutal.

The mission president and his adorable wife were there to greet us and take us to the mission home. And we had dinner there. I slept on a futon for the first time that night, had an amazing shower and then we had breakfast and orientation, and Sister Yamashita had us do origami for orientation. One thing I really have liked about Japan is that so many things that would seem absolutely childish in America are just commonplace here.

After that, we walked over to the church building behind the mission home where we met our companions and found out where we are serving. And I am now companions with Elder Gillespie in the Numazu ward. It's on the very edge of the mission and so we took the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to get here. It was way cool! And my first real Japanese meal (at the mission home they fed us stuff that wasn't really Japanese) was a bowl of Ramen. It was soooooo amazing. And I felt so full afterwards.

The next day, we went and got me a bike which I am sending a picture of. It's awesome. It has a basket. And a nifty light that turns on when it's dark and powered by pedalling, and a nifty bike lock.

Since then, we've done lots of visiting member's houses, because Shogatsu (Japan's New Year Celebration) is like Christmas in America. No one wants to be bothered during it. But now that's finally over.

Japanese people are adorable. Especially the little kids. The Bishop's son in particular is just so cute. I will have to send you a picture of him some time.

I must admit, I was a little unsure if I was actually going to enjoy missionary work. For the longest time, just the way people talk about it I guess and the kind of people who are excited about missionary work, I kind of felt like it was just something you did and if you did it enough you got blessings and you became the kind of person who loves missionary work and you turn into some kind of missionary robot. But I got here and I've found that it really is just helping people. And I want to do that so badly. There are lots of people in Numazu who have really sad stories, and I really want to see them happy. And that's really what this work is about. It's not just riding around on bicycles and knocking on doors and being super 元気(genki (kind of excited and happy and stuff. That's the feel of the word)) about the gospel. And that's something I never realized before.

I am so happy I'm here. I can tell that it's going to be hard sometimes, but right now I'm just really excited. I get giddy over weird things, I can hardly speak any Japanese, and I stick out like a sore thumb because I'm an American (I've seen all of two people in Numazu who are white who aren't me or my companion). I've got a great companion and I'm working hard. Don't worry about me. Do write to me. I love you all.

The gospel is still true,

-Elder Alex Mueller

P.S Sorry there aren't more pictures.

P.P.S This is the address of the mission home. To send a letter to me, it first needs to be sent there. And it needs to have everything I will type for the address.

Elder Alex Mueller
Japan Nagoya Mission
1-304 Itakadai
Meito-ku, Nagoya-shi
Aichi-ken Japan