First off, I'm pretty convinced my bike is out to get me. I've fallen off my bike five times this entire week. It's actually not my actual bike, since I have yet to receive it, so I'm pretty sure it isn't happy that I'm not the former missionary who once rode it. Let's just say my whole leg will be black by the time I get home....
This week has, as said before, been crazy nutsos. As I've said before, our area is ridiculously huge, so we have to take the train a lot to get to a lot of our lessons. And zone conference. And district meetings. We spend a lot of time on the train. Nobody likes to talk. It's kinda funny. I inappropriately laugh at certain inappropriate occasions just because everyone tries to fake going asleep or find something incredibly intriguing on their phones.
Japanese people here are obsessed with cherry blossoms. Like obsessed. There is a sakura (cherry blossom) broadcast and everything. Everyone talks about when the sakura will bloom. McDonald's has sakura-flavored (what does that even mean?) everything. One of the sweet members in our ward made sakura cookies for us to pass out and dendou (missionary work) when the sakura bloom.
When you're a gaijin (foreigner) in Japan, you're basically like a celebrity. Everyone turns and looks when you ride by, and when you talk to people they get weird. Like uncomfortable weird or excited weird. Especially when you speak Japanese to them, and then they look at you like you fell from the sky. One of my favorite things is saying "Hello!" to Japanese kids, and then they all hello in English back.
But being a gaijin has its perks. You have excuses to talk to people because you don't know what or where anything is. Since people are already looking at you, you can explain why you're here in Japan. If they say something rude to you, you can pretend you have no idea what they're talking about. If they like English you speak English! Since you're American, you can be as outgoing or friendly as you want, because you're a gaijin. It's pretty awesome. So many opportunities to dendou come from being American.
The people here are also incredibly kind. They give away food and other items very freely. Even people that reject us will sometimes give us food. Whenever we visit someone elses home they always provide drinks and snacks. The members of the ward put together a basket of food to give to us on fast Sundays. People just love to talk here too. I've had some awesome experiences of just feeling how much the Lord loves His children in Japan.
This week the Easter initative video came out! I love it so so much, and we've been showing it to as many people as we can, be it in the streets or during lessons. I know it's way inspired. I usually don't do challenges in my email, but maybe it comes from the missionary lifestyle. I think it would be great if all of you shared the video with one person. Just one person. It's like two minutes. They should live. The music and the videography are great if anything. It doesn't matter if they agree or not. I think testifying of Christ is the most important thing. As Easter approaches, share the peace that you've received from the gospel with others, and I think that this is one way you can do it.
I love and pray for you all! 愛してます!
Dimmitt Shimai
P.S. Weird things that have happened:
- cotton candy and pizza party with an investigator
- chocolate yakisoba with sprinkles (yeah, you didn't see THAT coming)
- finding HUGE fish in the gutter thing
- yeah, that's it
Pictures!!:
1. Chocolate ramen with sprinkles
2. Can't believe how delicious these cream puffs are
3. Normal dinner
4. THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS!!
5. Japanese moneys
6. White strawberries??/
7. Me freaking out because that park was so pretty
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