Monday, February 24th, 2014

Dear most wonderful family and 皆様 (everyone),

This past week was a pretty good one over here in Tokyo.  The snow is
finally starting to melt and life is getting back to normal. We didn't
have too many big things happen, but we spent a lot of time fixing a
lot of little things and solving a lot of little problems throughout
the mission.

Because it is the beginning of a new transfer, we have had to do a lot
of planning and preparing for various events.  This transfer we have
President's interviews and stuff and so we need to schedule all of that
out and figure out the logistics of 8 different interviews in 8
different locations.  We've been getting a good taste of office work
lately, but then it makes going out and dendoing much more enjoyable.
We go out and dendo as a way to relieve stress and relax, I feel like
most missionaries spend all of their time stressing about having to go
out and find, haha.  We found a new investigator this last week, well
actually we met him at the park when we made the snowman that one
time.  He came to sports night and the we took him on a church tour.
We invited him to learn more and he was cool to meet up again and
learn more.  His name is Mirai and he is about to start college soon.
He plays tennis, but he is pretty good at volleyball.  We are going to
go out and eat with him tomorrow and then come back to the church and
do a lesson.

Also Kazuya came to church again with His girlfriend Mari and we had a
great time with them.  Every week he is opening up more and more and
we are more able to peel his onion and get to his core.  We taught him
about the importance of prayer and answered some questions that he
had.  I am still not 100% sure what he needs in order to break out of
his shell a little more and progress better.  However, he told me that
he is going to start teaching me some Chinese.  Now that I have
learned Japanese, Chinese is a piece of cake, haha.  But Kazuya is
doing well and I think that if he keeps coming to activities and warms
up a little more, he will feel more confident in himself and in his
testimony of the gospel.  He believes all of the teachings, he knows
all of the doctrine basically, he just isn't quite sure how to apply
it in his life yet.  We have something in the leadership called DPA,
doctrine - principles - application.  Are his concerns about the
doctrine, the principles, or the application??  The third of the three
is the best problem to have and that is where we are at.  We need to
help him apply the gospel correctly and soundly.

Perhaps the highlight of the week for me though was the bible class
that we taught on Wednesday.  We taught and had a discussion on Alma
17-18 and what Ammon did to change the heart of the king.  We
especially discussed service and how that is how we show our charity
and love to one another.  The next day, one of the students who's name
is Yuuichi sent us an email saying that he has had many many
missionaries use the Book of Mormon to teach him gospel application,
but that today was the first day that he was convinced by its
teachings.  My companion and I were waaaay stoked to get that email
from him!!  He lives in the north mission and our friends are meeting
with him there as well, so hopefully he is warming up to the Book of
Mormon as well and will receive the blessings found therein.

We have a busy week coming up, we got a lot of quality activities
planned and what not, but it's gonna be a good one!!!

Good luck, Kyle, in the plaaaaayyyy!!  Break a leg or two!!  In Japanese
we say ganbate!!!! (Gahn baugh tei) it basically means good luck, but
it doesn't really translate over well.  Be sure to get me a bootlegged
copy of the show!!  I'm sure dad's gonna try to do that.  I'll be sure
to pray that you get better and are well enough by Thursday.

I hope everyone else has a great week!!  Be safe!!!  I love you much!!

Elder Crandall

Out to eat with Elder Call and Mirai