Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, September 18, 2008
My Beautiful Best Friend!
This is my beautiful best friend! The one that I love to talk with, laugh with, and play with. I'm pretty much head over heals in love with her. I praise and give thanks to God for this wonderful blessing in my life.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Sorry!!!
Okay. Sorry it's been such a long time since my last post. I was under the weather for most of the month of July, and I got behind on a lot of things during that time. I got sick while I was in Thailand, and then after getting back here to Utsunomiya I got a pretty bad head cold and then an outer ear infection. All of that in turn kept me from staying fully on top of my language studies and other responsibilities. This month has been a lot better though. I've been able to catch up on a lot and get into my Japanese language study a bit more.
In addition, last week I took a week of vacation. I went and spent a few days down in Tokyo with some fellow missionary friends. It was great to spend time with brothers and sisters in Christ and just hang out for a while. Some highlights of my time in Tokyo: Had my first taste of Mexican food in 4 months (side note/question: is it wrong to want to be a missionary in Central America just because of the food?), stayed at Starbucks until 1AM in the morning talking with a friend, ate at an Outback Steakhouse, finally saw the The Dark Knight, rode on trains for hours on end, did some research on my love language, hugged missionary Linda Morman twice, and defeated my best friend in cards over and over again....among other things.
For those of you who knew me back in my teenage years, I was able to meet up with Tomoko, the young Japanese girl who stayed with my family in the states as an exchange student back when I was in high school. Tomoko invited me and a friend of mine over to her family's apartment for dinner while I was down there last week. It was good to see her again after so many years.
I'm back to language study in Utsunomiya now though. I'm currently memorizing my first two Bible verses in Japanese. In the next month, I'll also be putting together a simple and short personal testimony in Japanese as well. Please pray that God helps me to stay focused on my studies during this time. My first two months here I began falling into the trap of looking ahead in the ministry God has placed me in here, to the neglect of my language study responsibilities. However, what God has given us today is of far more significance than what might lie ahead in the future. If I don't put in the effort now to learn the language it will only hinder my ability to communicate clearly and effectively later on down the line. So please pray with me to that end if you will.
Finally, I have yet to pass my driving test. I'm taking it for the 5th time this Friday, August 22. I have not been able to take it for the past month, and in all honesty it has been such a huge relief not to have had to worry about it during that time. Please pray that God's favor will be with me this Friday. Since it doesn't matter in the least how well you actually drive, please pray that the instructors will be friendly and respond favorably to the joy and peace I have within me because of Christ Jesus. May I reflect Jesus in all that I say and do.
Here are some pictures from the past month:
Earlier this month I had a chance to visit Nikko. Nikko is a famous historical and religious destination up in the mountains to the northwest of Utsunomiya. It was really beautiful and green there!
Beautiful nature in Nikko.
This is Drew, one of my fellow IMB laborers serving here in Japan. Drew actually played the Incredible Hulk in a musical back in high school.
Tokyo in the afternoon.
Street festivities during a local Shinto festival.
I have no idea what this was, but it was one of the stranger things I've seen during my time here. These men would walk down the street carrying this thing you see above and every few blocks they would stop, yell, and shake it vigorously. Strange, but quite entertaining!
Neighborhood children overjoyed at having met me.
I appreciate your prayers. I can't tell you how much it means to me to know that you are going to the Lord on behalf of myself and the people of Utsunomiya.
I love you all!
May Christ be magnified and God be glorified!
In addition, last week I took a week of vacation. I went and spent a few days down in Tokyo with some fellow missionary friends. It was great to spend time with brothers and sisters in Christ and just hang out for a while. Some highlights of my time in Tokyo: Had my first taste of Mexican food in 4 months (side note/question: is it wrong to want to be a missionary in Central America just because of the food?), stayed at Starbucks until 1AM in the morning talking with a friend, ate at an Outback Steakhouse, finally saw the The Dark Knight, rode on trains for hours on end, did some research on my love language, hugged missionary Linda Morman twice, and defeated my best friend in cards over and over again....among other things.
For those of you who knew me back in my teenage years, I was able to meet up with Tomoko, the young Japanese girl who stayed with my family in the states as an exchange student back when I was in high school. Tomoko invited me and a friend of mine over to her family's apartment for dinner while I was down there last week. It was good to see her again after so many years.
I'm back to language study in Utsunomiya now though. I'm currently memorizing my first two Bible verses in Japanese. In the next month, I'll also be putting together a simple and short personal testimony in Japanese as well. Please pray that God helps me to stay focused on my studies during this time. My first two months here I began falling into the trap of looking ahead in the ministry God has placed me in here, to the neglect of my language study responsibilities. However, what God has given us today is of far more significance than what might lie ahead in the future. If I don't put in the effort now to learn the language it will only hinder my ability to communicate clearly and effectively later on down the line. So please pray with me to that end if you will.
Finally, I have yet to pass my driving test. I'm taking it for the 5th time this Friday, August 22. I have not been able to take it for the past month, and in all honesty it has been such a huge relief not to have had to worry about it during that time. Please pray that God's favor will be with me this Friday. Since it doesn't matter in the least how well you actually drive, please pray that the instructors will be friendly and respond favorably to the joy and peace I have within me because of Christ Jesus. May I reflect Jesus in all that I say and do.
Here are some pictures from the past month:
Earlier this month I had a chance to visit Nikko. Nikko is a famous historical and religious destination up in the mountains to the northwest of Utsunomiya. It was really beautiful and green there!
Beautiful nature in Nikko.
This is Drew, one of my fellow IMB laborers serving here in Japan. Drew actually played the Incredible Hulk in a musical back in high school.
Tokyo in the afternoon.
Street festivities during a local Shinto festival.
I have no idea what this was, but it was one of the stranger things I've seen during my time here. These men would walk down the street carrying this thing you see above and every few blocks they would stop, yell, and shake it vigorously. Strange, but quite entertaining!
Neighborhood children overjoyed at having met me.I appreciate your prayers. I can't tell you how much it means to me to know that you are going to the Lord on behalf of myself and the people of Utsunomiya.
I love you all!
May Christ be magnified and God be glorified!
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