Week 105 - October 14, 2013
Aloha!!!!!
What another indescribable week. It feels impossible to describe the things that have happened and truly convey all of the feelings that come with. It has been an amazing week and an amazing day. It's hard that days and weeks can be so good!
I guess I'll start with what's most fresh: today. And I guess that will also take us through some of the earlier part of the week as well. We had an amazing event today which we called 'October Cultural Fest.' It was amazing. It was basically a concert, which we've been planning for the past good while with our investigator Jett, church public affairs, and the stake. We're still counting, but I'd say we probably had a turnout of over 500 people. This would be by far the most successful event I've participated in putting on since I've been in Japan. The last few months and weeks of a mission are generally the most effective. As far as entertainers we had a group of YSA institute students called Little Witnesses, a hula halau based out of Hilo called Hula Halau O Kou Lima Nani 'E Tokyo, a very popular singing/dancing group called Bless4, and Jett and some of his band member friends.
We were happy to see so many people at the event, members, nonmembers, and missionaries. The music wasn't missionary-approved music (but good music nonetheless), but missionaries were allowed to come and participate in the event provided they brought people with them. We were proud to see a completely packed cultural hall. Along with that, there was something I was very proud of personally. This past Tuesday we had 21 new missionaries arrive. They came into Narita Airport around 4:30 pm and we got back to the mission home around 8:00 pm. We had dinner and went off to bed. The next day was full of training and English class in the evening. Everyone had a great day, us and new missionaries included. After English class we had a quick wrap-up of the day in the mission home, talking about things we learned and what we should do as a result of what we learned. Following that meeting I was talking with one of the new missionaries, Elder Hadlock. I asked if he played any sports in high school or before his mission and he said basically, "Not really, I basically just dedicated my life to music before my mission." I asked how he was at guitar because I had been talking to Jett the day before about the upcoming concert and about having missionaries participate on stage as well. He said he would probably keep his keyboard person and drummer, but someone playing guitar might be good. Elder Hadlock said he was pretty comfortable with jumping into a band and being able to play along so I asked if he wanted to get on stage at the upcoming concert. He said he'd love to if he was able so I continued to coordinate with Jett and we got a few mp3's sent to Elder Hadlock for him to listen to to prepare. Elder Hadlock and his two companions (who are zone leaders; we have so many new missionaries we have a zone leader companionship training as well.) were able to get a guitar and amp from their bishops son this morning and got here between 10:00 am and 10:30 am with time to spare for the sound check at 11:00 am. Elder Hadlock really tore things up with the guitar and I'm so glad I was able to get him on that stage. He hasn't been here a week but I think he feels like he really contributed to something great. And he did. Everyone loved him. I have some great pictures and videos of him that I want to put on a small flash drive to give to him.
There's something I realized tonight. Something I've known for a long time but that just came into my mind in words tonight. This sentence, "There's always people to help out." Today at the cultural fest I feel like I spent the two hours it lasted along with the few hours of setting up and preparing and breaking down and cleaning up just walking around doing things for people and saying a lot of, "Thank you." It felt so great to do things for people, talk to people and have meaningful conversations, and just say, "Thank you." It was so good to look people in the eyes as I said that and see their joy! Those times are the times when it is impossible to say that people are not of divine origin with divine spirits within them! It makes me want to just tell people I love them and thankful for them all the time of the day, all the days of my life!
In other news, now it's Elder Medeiros and I as assistants here. Elder Olson returned home on Tuesday. It feels really weird to not have him here. I've been with him 24 hours/day for the past six months! We grew so much together and really came to love each other. We were able to work so well together, especially during the ending portion of our time together. Now he's on to another journey and I hope the best for him. I'm sure I'll see him after I return myself. Elder Medeiros and I are doing well together. We're always too busy to do otherwise! He's great and it's fun to be with a missionary from Hawaii. I began with a Hawaiian companion and will end with one. I've been a missionary for over two years now (as of October 5) and it's really nice to be so comfortable with the way things work, etc. I love Japan and I love The Work.
It's truly scary to be heading home soon, as it will be a big change. And of course it is very exciting to be heading home soon. I have many goals and plans and thoughts for the things I will do. One of my biggest desires right now is to return home spiritual and consecrated, healthy and clean. I hope I can take a lovely spirit home through the way I live these next few weeks.
I love you all so much. I hope you know I do. I hope you know you're on my mind always and that my desires are very much centered around you. I love the work here. I love my mission. I hope I can be a strength to you my family and my friends. Because I love you. Thank you. Take care, and have a great week!!
Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher
Pictures attached:
0257 - Hula halau
0279 - Bless4
0293 - Jett and his group
0328 - Elder Hadlock
0357 - Beginning to clean up following the event
What another indescribable week. It feels impossible to describe the things that have happened and truly convey all of the feelings that come with. It has been an amazing week and an amazing day. It's hard that days and weeks can be so good!
I guess I'll start with what's most fresh: today. And I guess that will also take us through some of the earlier part of the week as well. We had an amazing event today which we called 'October Cultural Fest.' It was amazing. It was basically a concert, which we've been planning for the past good while with our investigator Jett, church public affairs, and the stake. We're still counting, but I'd say we probably had a turnout of over 500 people. This would be by far the most successful event I've participated in putting on since I've been in Japan. The last few months and weeks of a mission are generally the most effective. As far as entertainers we had a group of YSA institute students called Little Witnesses, a hula halau based out of Hilo called Hula Halau O Kou Lima Nani 'E Tokyo, a very popular singing/dancing group called Bless4, and Jett and some of his band member friends.
We were happy to see so many people at the event, members, nonmembers, and missionaries. The music wasn't missionary-approved music (but good music nonetheless), but missionaries were allowed to come and participate in the event provided they brought people with them. We were proud to see a completely packed cultural hall. Along with that, there was something I was very proud of personally. This past Tuesday we had 21 new missionaries arrive. They came into Narita Airport around 4:30 pm and we got back to the mission home around 8:00 pm. We had dinner and went off to bed. The next day was full of training and English class in the evening. Everyone had a great day, us and new missionaries included. After English class we had a quick wrap-up of the day in the mission home, talking about things we learned and what we should do as a result of what we learned. Following that meeting I was talking with one of the new missionaries, Elder Hadlock. I asked if he played any sports in high school or before his mission and he said basically, "Not really, I basically just dedicated my life to music before my mission." I asked how he was at guitar because I had been talking to Jett the day before about the upcoming concert and about having missionaries participate on stage as well. He said he would probably keep his keyboard person and drummer, but someone playing guitar might be good. Elder Hadlock said he was pretty comfortable with jumping into a band and being able to play along so I asked if he wanted to get on stage at the upcoming concert. He said he'd love to if he was able so I continued to coordinate with Jett and we got a few mp3's sent to Elder Hadlock for him to listen to to prepare. Elder Hadlock and his two companions (who are zone leaders; we have so many new missionaries we have a zone leader companionship training as well.) were able to get a guitar and amp from their bishops son this morning and got here between 10:00 am and 10:30 am with time to spare for the sound check at 11:00 am. Elder Hadlock really tore things up with the guitar and I'm so glad I was able to get him on that stage. He hasn't been here a week but I think he feels like he really contributed to something great. And he did. Everyone loved him. I have some great pictures and videos of him that I want to put on a small flash drive to give to him.
There's something I realized tonight. Something I've known for a long time but that just came into my mind in words tonight. This sentence, "There's always people to help out." Today at the cultural fest I feel like I spent the two hours it lasted along with the few hours of setting up and preparing and breaking down and cleaning up just walking around doing things for people and saying a lot of, "Thank you." It felt so great to do things for people, talk to people and have meaningful conversations, and just say, "Thank you." It was so good to look people in the eyes as I said that and see their joy! Those times are the times when it is impossible to say that people are not of divine origin with divine spirits within them! It makes me want to just tell people I love them and thankful for them all the time of the day, all the days of my life!
In other news, now it's Elder Medeiros and I as assistants here. Elder Olson returned home on Tuesday. It feels really weird to not have him here. I've been with him 24 hours/day for the past six months! We grew so much together and really came to love each other. We were able to work so well together, especially during the ending portion of our time together. Now he's on to another journey and I hope the best for him. I'm sure I'll see him after I return myself. Elder Medeiros and I are doing well together. We're always too busy to do otherwise! He's great and it's fun to be with a missionary from Hawaii. I began with a Hawaiian companion and will end with one. I've been a missionary for over two years now (as of October 5) and it's really nice to be so comfortable with the way things work, etc. I love Japan and I love The Work.
It's truly scary to be heading home soon, as it will be a big change. And of course it is very exciting to be heading home soon. I have many goals and plans and thoughts for the things I will do. One of my biggest desires right now is to return home spiritual and consecrated, healthy and clean. I hope I can take a lovely spirit home through the way I live these next few weeks.
I love you all so much. I hope you know I do. I hope you know you're on my mind always and that my desires are very much centered around you. I love the work here. I love my mission. I hope I can be a strength to you my family and my friends. Because I love you. Thank you. Take care, and have a great week!!
Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher
Pictures attached:
0257 - Hula halau
0279 - Bless4
0293 - Jett and his group
0328 - Elder Hadlock
0357 - Beginning to clean up following the event
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