week #48

Yeah, it will be fun to do a mission report when I get back, I teach so many that don't have the background knowledge, that are weighed down by the apostasy of their fathers, and worship their ancestors, and whatever else, that it’s harder for me to teach those who are Christian. 

Here is a little fact about Japan, some 100 years ago Christianity was introduced to Japan and took on well, like 90% of the population became Christian then the government, fearing the possible uprising because of the strong faith, squelched the problem, forces thousands to renounce there faith and killed those that didn't or drove them out. They brain-washed the people with bad images of Christianity, well that was then. Most of that generation’s stuff has faded, but there was still almost no acceptance of Christians when it was allowed back in, most people in Japan are Buddhist or a sect there-of, all in Okinawa are Senzo Suhai, which is ancestor worship, or an idea there-of, but most have that more as a culture and because there family was that, and don't do much other than say they’re Buddhist of Senzo Suhai, but they are still kind of stubborn mostly cuz of the family thing. Not to say that there aren't those who accepted or want to learn I've seen too many people accepted the Gospel to say that, but it’s definitely different here. Most of the time we teach Christianity as a whole, the first lesson is The Restoration and it’s more like the 7th lesson we teach. we rarely teach a full lesson as it is in the PMG, but they are definitely opening more and more here. We as missionaries just have to make sure were going at their pace rather than our pace. Anyway that’s my little rant on the matter.

I love these people I really do! This is the best and most fulfilling time of my life, no I didn't think I’d be taking on one of the hardest academic challenges of my life thus far, but it helps that I want to learn Japanese and have a purpose for it. On that note its coming along good I constantly have to change my study methods to keep me interested enough to improve, I'm at the point that I can do enough to be comfortable and so it’s really easy to fall into disinterest without the immediate need so I’ll keep doing what I'm doing.

Anyway as far as my week went we had a few splits happen in Shuri so lots of sleep overs, had interviews with President, and some training from the AP's that was all a lot of fun. Weather’s been futsu, hot humid and rainy then blaring sun, that's just fun in Okinawa for you.

thanks always for all that you do and the example you are to me, I love you and miss you but not too much…

stay strong stay faithful stay diligent , J.K.S. the choice is always your’s.

ja, mata kondo

Kemp Chourou

Week #47

I wish I could aspire to the level of Nephi but i don't think I'm quite as good at following the spirit or at visions or obedience all things i want to work on, excepting the visions cuz that's not really my choice, but you know what I mean...

But any way its time for the rest of the story I suppose. Now where was I, oh ya so we're back for dinner near the same time as the other two missionaries we live with, and guess who is the cook of the apartment, meeeeeee! Yaaa, so I start making something, I don't usually know what until the end, but usually rice or pasta with a mix of veggies meat or tofu and sauce and there's a hundred different variations that can be done there. After eating my fantastically amateur meal it's time to head out again. Now the following evening can take a number of turns but know for now it involves dendo, ;)  but ya we get back on the bikes and go have some more fun in the jungle, maybe we have a lesson, or something, and then around 8:45 its time to get back with some streeting along the way back in at 8:58 or so. Then we do something, what, you may ask, well you will have to find out next time on Dragon Ball Z... i mean my dendo life.

   

Ya, this week was good we found a new investigator name Shou and will meet this Saturday, and we're working with a lot of people to get them up and running as investigators!

 

It's weird to think that I'm over humpday now it passed like nothing and I feel like I need more time to do things!  The days are just getting shorter from here, but I'll give it all I've got for this last year and do all I can for Japan.

Pray for these people, the prepared ones are here, pray that they will find us or that we will find them we will do the same here, it's just a matter of timing we just have to be ready when they are and when the Lord is, so always being ready is the only effective way, dakara gambarimasu (because of that I'll do my best)

Any way, love you guys so much, have fun with your new daughter but don't let her get all wamp. tell her to follow the schedule and just fill it with service like cleaning my room or something like that. 

but as always stay strong stay diligent stay faithful stay diligent, J.K.S.

Elder Kemp

Week #46

And now the rest of the story, so after lathering on the sunscreen we file out the door slipping on our shoes at the genkan cuz you don't wear you shoes inside in Japan, then while still by the door to our fourth floor apartment, we pray to our one true Father in Heaven to allow us a successful dendo experience and safety as we go.

Prepped, planed, studied and protected we get to the bikes and get out there heading for any number of different people; less actives, members, investigators, potential investigators,etc. or maybe just dendo of an area of houses. Talking to every male as we go cuz were not allowed to street contact woman, most say no, in the form of a raised hand in the sumimasen gesture (excuse me). But occasionally running into those prepared people,asking questions, kamisama nitsuite kangaita koto ga arimasu ka, have you ever thought about God, jinse no mokateki wa nanda to omoimasu ka, what do you think the purpose of life is, and many other things, and then the time roles around to 4:45 and its time to get back for dinner, I'll tell you what I made next time when I tell the rest of the story.

This week's been another fun one the start of a new transfer, new comp. and new goals. The transfer looks promising! We have two new solid investigators and our progressing investigators now has a baptism date! He's really doing great.

I wouldn't say my Japanese is so good that I don't have to think, but, I can say most of what I want without too much effort, so that's going well enough! I'll keep on studying hard every day though!

My comp is great, his name is elder Shriver, I'm actually older than him not by much but that's weird! He's doing great as well, way hard worker.

Any way I hope you all have fun with the beach front prop. and the new barbi, throw some shrimp on there for me pops.

I'll be able to enjoy it this time next year, also way weird and way too close.

Love you guys and all that you do,

stay string, stay faithful, stay diligent, J.K.S.

Elder Kemp 

Week #45

And now the rest of the story, comp. study comes to a too quick end leaving me wondering if we a prepared enough for the lesson we have that day, i move into language study, making flash cards essentially prepared to learn through out the day, sometimes just righting out lesson plans in Japanese.

after coming to an abrupt end that many times goes unnoticed, but its lunch time and I got to make some food put the rice in the cooker cut up veggies and meat start um a frying then make a sauce, a pretty average Japanese meal, one hour later, its time to get out of the apartment and go dendo it up, but you will have to see what that's like next time, when I tell the rest of the story.

So yeah I do indeed want some of that cobbler, ahh camp Bradley that's natsukashi,(nostalgic) I remember I used to think the bike ride to the lake was hard, it would be so easy now, I bike more than that every ten minutes, I also remember going to Sun Valley all the time that was always fun but yeah it's expensive.

We've been having a lot of rain lately which is always fun and had an unexpected typhoon a few days ago but it was only the edge so we could dendo in the evening,

Are progressing investigator shirasuna san is doing way good, he is the college student i don't know if I told you about him yet, he is studying Japanese traditional style art, and is way smart gets the lessons way good despite my terrible teaching.

We have a lot of other great people were working with and hope to get them to investigators than to new members. pray for them please. shirasun, hiroko, izumi, uechi, kameyama, touyama, .

Any way, I did get the shoes and there great, my others have holes now so those were a huge blessing, unfortunately if I keep losing weight again like I have been lately my close will be way loose soon, as for suits right now my brown one it like wearing a robe its so loose, and I cant were my black suite pants I just were my new slacks and the jacket and it matches it well enough, I'll keep looking for a suite here but it doesn't look like it yet.

any way love you guys so much

stay strong stay faithful stay diligent

J.K.S. 

Love,

Elder Kemp

Week #44

6:30am got to wake up, got say my praaaayer!, or not that would be a pain to do it all in friday format,

but ya that then after fulfilling Thanksgiving to our one true father in heaven, i get up of the hard ground placed foot on which used to be uncomfotable but at some point was lost in the exastion of too many fulfilling days.

 

After folding the bed into threads to clear floor space, i begin an energetic routine of morning workout, pushups sit ups and the like, I think to my self when did I become a morning person? I don't know. The mission has many miracles I suppose, after a quick breakfast of granola cereal, or a variation of toast my turn for the shower comes along, steping into shower room, the initial duck of my head under the door way has be come habitual, moving on from the shower I dress in a clean white shirt, slacks and a tie. 8:00 roles around time to begin study, a prayer to start off, my personal study of thirst the scriptures then on to various gospel topics relating to the things we will teach that day. 9:00 the well known ring of the alarm goes off, time for companion study, but you will have to stay tune for that when i tell the rest of the story.

I'm figuring I'll do it in like 3 or four parts, cuz im slow at typing sorry.

any way, had a fun week leading up to transfer calls today, which could go in any way shape or form, and we have a lesson today, never like having lessons on p-day just hard to stay focust but it's ok, well ganbaru, had a j-dub prosolighted our apartment, fun fun, still hot as ever, but fun as ever too, also had a really amazing dinner at a members house which totaly saved us cuz we dont have a lot of food in the apartment right now, but serviving.

but ya the norm

hot humid, ancestor worship and lots of biking, 

and the gospel doctrine's teacher made me do squats a bunch as part of the lesson, its hard to walk, biking works mussles differant than squats do.

 

my year mark is coming up soon midlife crisis, what do missionaries do for that?

any way, stay strong stay faithfull stay dilligent, J.K.S.

love ya baaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy

Week #43

Yeah, the typhoons here aren't that big of a deal, it was the same strength as hurricane Katrina, and thats just futsu (normal) here , all the buildings are made of concrete so not much phases them, on that note we have another one coming in a few days it would seem it was in the Philippines last I checked, but we'll see.

My week's been good we've been working really hard this week to hit those higher goals and got them most days, on the down side we haven't had any new investigators but a ton of potentials that we really want to start working with here soon.

Weathers been as hot and humid as ever, being soaked is the norm.

Japanese is going good it's mostly just about doing anything I can to keep learning more now cuz I can speak about most all I want to, I'm just going through more vocab and new grammar principles I do need to speak it more with the other elders, then I'll find what I need to learn, if you have any language learning tips, please.

I'll keep up working my best and doing all I can to help these people with the little time I have.

Work your hardest too! We're all part of a wonderful work here, I love you guys and miss you but not too much.

stay strong stay faithful stay diligent, JKS
Elder Kemp

Week #42

So yeah the typhoon, that, well, it's fantastically boring, we spent the night in Yonabaru area in those elders' apartment, cuz its bigger, and we couldn't leave for the whole day, not to mention, after thinking and treating this day as a p-day for the first few hours, we get a txt from Hombu saying, today is not a p-day call every one in your area book, which we didn't have on us, so it was a big long day with nothing to do but we couldn't play the bored games or draw or nothing cuz it was still womp (by the that's the term used here for disobedient, it comes form the word wampaku, which means naughty) but yeah so it was a little boring but, that's the past and we are now, so we had a great day on Saturday, talked to a ton of people and stuff, were really trying to have that same sort of thing all this week.

   

So happy to here about Peter or soon to be second elder Kemp, I definitely want to here more if I can.

Your right about the weather here about the same temp but with 100 % humidity, needless to say I'm always soaked, but it don't bring me down, but no really it's hot, I currently have a 3 leveled farmers tan, upper arm death, lower bicep wight and forearm normal tone, this is the darkest I've ever been in my life.

 

Were still working strong with the investigators we found a bit ago and working to strengthen many potentials, more or less thats what we've been doing and what we intend to do for this week.

Any way love you guys, if you want to know anything specific about any thin just ask, I'm not sure what else to say there.

 

I know I'm out here doing the most important work ever, even if I'm not quite worthy of that honor, I'll keep working my hardest and you all do the same, always remember to stay strong stay faithful stay diligent, and J.K.S. always

 

Love you guys,

 

Elder Kemp

Week #41

Thanks Dad, and to all of you who email and stuff you give me something to look forward to each week not to say that everything here isn't dope but I currently have two homes my apartment in Shuri Okinawa Ishimine 4 address, and 2521 Stadium Blvd Twin Falls, Id, and I like to have a little of both.

So this week was pretty standard we're working with some great people and there really progressing and learning, weather was hot and really humid, I mean, like we go out for an hour and that's all it takes to be soaked, but its fun and even though I'm still white as the driven snow mostly, my exposed skin has now become and average skin color!

The 4th went by without much notice I don't live near any military bases, but the week was still a good one.

Well on the exiting note tomorrow we have a typhoon coming to Japan, category 5, maybe the worst in recorded history, you can read all about it on CNN. Thankfully Okinawa is built for those things and my patriarchal blessing alludes to me having a family so I've got to live through it, right?

But ya, if I'm ok you here from me next week!

But no really I;ll be fine it will be an experience, but Tuesday is an inside day for us, Kicho orders it.

Love you guys so much,

stay strong, stay faithful, stay diligent, JKS

Connor Kemp Chourou

Week #40

Cool, not a lot of time now and I'm the slowest reader in the world so I'll print off the story and read it after wards,

Anyway, this week was good for us too, temperatures in the 90`s with 100% humidity 3 or 4 times getting caught in a torrential downpour but that's just the rainy season still kicking, but hey being soaked head to tow in cool rain is better than the same by mug and sweat, so i like the rainy days.

Yeah, this transfer marks the longest I've been with one comp. I'm glad its with Elder zim, he's a lot easier to work with than Webber, who i loved, but it was an up hill battle, but ya with those goals we set, we reached some and got close to others, we way amped up the level we usually go for so of course it was going to be a struggle but, because of the work, this was probably one of my most full and effective weeks, of the mish, and were going to keep shooting for higher, we have 2 investigator's we're meeting with regularly, Tatetsu San (50 years old) and Shirasena San (18), and a few other that are promising that we just have to set up some appointments with.

I've had the chance to draw a bit lately mostly just anime stuff but im going to try and get some more variety in to it soo., This last week or twio i finally started losing weight again, dropped about 10 lbs, probably, cuz weve been running low on food near the end of the month, consequently, no snacks and smaller meals, and I run in the mornings when I can, so I'll try to make that continue!

Language learning is futsu, so never quite enough, I have a constant study but my inner cookie monster wants Japanese now! I can teach, and communicate and that's what's important.

As for the things of today, were going to a habu (Okinawan viper) musium, the things have 4 fangs for the biting, kowai (scary).

Anyway love you guys a ton, stay strong, stay faithful, stay diligent, J.K.S.

Elder Connor Kemp 

**Here are some older pictures I haven't had a chance to post until now. -Samantha

 Connor's Companion getting treated at a holistic Doctor's office...

Connor getting treated at same dr's office... he started bleeding into the suction cups... that doesn't seem normal...

Week #39

konnichwa watashi no ai suru kazoku to tomodachi

minasan wa genki to kita kara yokatta desu yo!

It's a simple message if you'd like to decipher it 

Anyway, on to my week, so yeah it was transfer week and, wait for it wait for it, I'M STAYING! yappari desu ne.(as expected right.) Well that's not all, the other companionship had a change, Elder Inagaki left and a new one came named Elder Haiyashi, I'm still comps with Elder Zimmerman.

So the beginning of the week was futsu or as futsu as transfer weeks are, but the pivoting point was weekly planning on Thursday, up to this point almost all Elders have a talk on the first weekly planning of the transfer, about how this transfer will be different, what there going to do to become better missionaries for the Lord, well most of the time it doesn't hold to long cuz the very next day satan doesn't want good things to happen he wants you to stay average if he can help it, and he tried just that with us, we woke up Friday morning grumpy and unmotivated, but come comp study instead of grumbling about it for a while and falling out of our goals, we got focused on the work and goals so for the past few days we have seen the benefit of working really hard, greater obedience, and such, and we've seen the blessings flow in, that's the up side at least, the rough part of the week was Sunday, which was a great dendo day but in stake conference we got this information the two stakes Okinawa of Okinawa are now becoming one steak a bunch of wards are combining and we are going to sell the church in this area and will be going to the stake center in naha now which has 2 wards now, things became too spread out i guess and most of the wards have become branch sized, many have gone less active over the years and the activity has been running thin, were not sure what  going to happen for missionaries arias right now.

This change is full of uncertainty for us but the hope is that this slight pruning of the plant if you will, should stimulate growth , so please pray for Okinawa, the saints really need a temple here and that's the goal. The work with the members needs to take a step up if that's going to happen, there is some foreseeable blessings from this but it is sad that it had to come to this, we will keep looking forward to the day of 3 steaks and a temple.

That's been the majority of things going on here, if you have any questions, go ahead! 

Just know that the work is progressing the Lord must bring us low so he can build us higher!

I love you all and miss you, but not too much.

Stay strong, stay faithful, stay diligent, J.K.S.

Connor Kemp Chourou

Week #38

sorry its a bit late, p-day was moved to tuesday, because of transfer calls, and we eagerly await that call today but i don't suspect that there will be any big changes personally, i know at least that I'm staying, theres no way id be leaving,

our weeks been pretty good, a little barabara(all over the place) but it was good, we had a few lessons but mostly tracting, with that we've started a few sports dendo things, so this last Saturday morning we played soccer with a bunch of people it was allot of fun, but i really suck at soccer, my only redeeming event was that at the kick off after one of the goals, i was kicking off and for that usually you just tap the ball to a team mate but, it beamed it right at there goal, flew past all of them and the goalie and went right in, (the goalie was my dorio(comp) ) every one was just like "what!" but i was just like booyah!, but any way that was fun.

we had a chance to go to an oriental doctor this last week, my comp has a sinus infection, and one of the members told us to go see her mom, she does acupuncture and stuff, she put suction things on my dorio`s back and if its way red or purple han its way stressed, i also told her about my knee cuz it gives me troubles all the time so she did that to my knee and it just started bleeding out in to the suction, ill send pics, in essence i found out again that my knee sucks and also that its more closely related to back problems which is made worse cuz i still 40lbs over weight, but well see about that, anyway ill try to get healthier.

love you all so much 

stay strong stay faithful stay diligent J.K.S.

arigatougouzaimasu

elder connor kemp chourou