Welcome to Tokyo, Japan

 Nic and President Nagano and Sister Nagano
Nic is in Tasukabe. It is a bit north from Tokyo. It is a mix of farm land and city.

Nic and his companion Elder Koyama.  He is from Sapporo, Japan.  He is 20 years old and speaks very little English.  

Elder Koyama likes to cook.  Nic said that he is a very good cook.  Even picky Nic will eat it.  HaHa

Nic's bed.  He was very surprised by what the call futons.  His is a mattress on the floor and not very comfortable.  He did say it was better than some of the dirt floors he slept on but not by much.

Nic showing off his new bike.  He is so proud that it is a Chevy.

This is the church in his area.  It is very tall an narrow.

This is the people that showed up for English class.  He especially likes the sisters.  He said that they all treat him real nice.

This is Lucy.  She is in the English class.  She loves Nic's fun sense of humor.  She is also helping Nic with his Japanese.

This is the first person Nic taught in Japan.  His name is Brother Kanekos.  He is trying to become ready for the temple and the Elder's are teaching him about the Melchizedek Priesthood.  They had to travel about an hour and a half on their bikes to teach this gentleman.  When he offered Nic a drink, he couldn't refuse.  

He couldn't lie, "It burned the whole way down but it tasted amazing!!!

The beautiful rice fields in Japan.

All it does is rain!!! Nic and his companion got caught at the church and had to ride a half hour home.  They were a little wet by the time they got there.  He stated that he was going to buy an rain jacket.

Well this week I think I am going to do my first group email.  Hopefully you all are okay with that.  I don't have enough time to write you all individually today, but I am so grateful for all your emails.  

I am finally in Japan.  My new P-day is on Monday but that is Sunday your time.  I also have to send my letters late at night your time because of the time difference.  Sorry about that.  

But I am finally here and sharing the Gospel.  My companions name is Elder Koyama.  He is 100% Japanese and he is from Sapporo.  He doesn't speak a lot of English so it is really hard to communicate with him.  I try my hardest though.  The area that I am in is called Kasukabe.  It is just a bit north from Tokyo.  It is really nice and clean here and it rains a lot!  I have never been wet so much in all my life.  I swear everyday it rains and everyday I get wet.  Kasukabe actually has a real church here.  It is three stories high and very skinny.  But it is a church!  It is so cool! My apartment though is 45 minutes away by bike.  It takes forever to get to the church every morning.  We have to ride so far to get there.  

The ward members are so nice here.  They welcomed me with a smile in their heart and they gave me lots of food.  It was so nice.  Although the people on the streets aren't as nice.  They don't even look at us.  We say hello and they just keep walking.  It is so weird.  It gets on my nerves a bit.  One day I am going to say hello to someone and stop them and then talk to them about the church and it is going to be awesome!  

I am so excited to teach some lessons.  So far I have only been to one lesson and I had no idea what was going on.  Japanese people talk so fast and it is way hard to understand.  I just always bare simple testimony of what I know is true.  Its really all I can do right now.  But I am way excited to teach my own lesson.  

So for those of you who don't know, I have not drank soda in the past five years.  I had a challenge to not drink and so I haven't had one soda in forever!  But when I went to a members house they offered me one and it is very rude to say no.  So I had to drink it.  There goes my streak of not drinking soda.  Oh well, I actually forgot how good it taste.  I loved drinking my first Coca-cola in five years!  It tasted so good but burnt my throat so much!  I cant believe how much it hurt.  Hopefully I will get use to it soon.  

Well I want you all to know that I am doing fine and that I am safely in Japan.  Thank you all for your love and support!  I hope to hear from you all again this week.  Keep working hard and have an awesome week!  Talk to you all later! :)

Elder Unsworth