ANOTHER WEEK OF AWESOMENESS IN JAPAN!!!!

 

We had transfer calls yesterday and I am staying in Chiba again! Wooh! It is the second most city-like area in the mission (next to Tokyo) so I love it here. I love Tokyo so much. But yea, I'm staying - so I am excited. Same companion too so no change this time.

 

I had a crazy week though so here it goes. We went to the zoo on monday and that was pretty interesting. It was funny walking around and having people looking at us like we were also an exhibit. We also saw red pandas and I promised Alyssa, Hannah's sister before I left to send pictures so I will send them.

 

On Tuesday we went to a culture event thing with an investigator (person being instructed about the Gospel) for his church, not Christian, and it was really cool. Tons of booths set up for all these different countries. The America one was hilarious because I had this guy walk up to me and say, "this is famous in America, and I was like,"you dont say?" - haha. He knew I was American but said what he practiced in English for the day to me anyways - haha. Also, everyone was staring at us and really liked that Americans were there - so it was pretty fun. We stick out pretty bad sometimes - haha.

 

I got the chocolate birthday package and enjoyed it. Still will be enjoying it for about another 2 weeks probably - haha, thank you so much.

 

We revorded singing and playing the little horn things and it is funny. We will watch it together next year when I a m back:) Also, just a fun fact, in Chiba, there is a guy who has a suped up motorcycle that is all black, and he has a batman costume and literally looks just like batman - haha.  So he drives around Chiba and is called Chibatman, haha the other Elders saw him and said they just died laughing because he literally looks exactly like batman speeding by - haha: Chiba is an awesome place.

 

We went to the football game and it was awesome!!!!! I loved it!!!! It was so funny though because the vocabulary is just bad pronunciation English, haha - Japanese is like that sometimes. The game was great though and we made a lot of friends and watched the American former college players dominate the game, - haha. I actually jumped up when we scored and no one else did and I realized in Japan they don't cheer like that - haha, so it was funny when eveyone just watches it like it is golf - haha, great time though. I learned something though. As I was watching it I actually got pretty homesick. I was like, "Man, I like this, I miss watching games" and it just felt like home, But the cool thing was afterwards, it ended and I realized how important the Gospel is. Worldly things like sports and stuff are good, I think sports are a gift from God, but they are just things to enjoy. They don't bring lasting happiness. That game ended and I immediately was like, well that's it, there is more important stuff to do now. I really realized how important the Gospel is. I love it. I am so happy we have the Gospel and I love telling the Japanese people about it. Also, I really learned the Book of Mormon is true. I tell Japanese people about God who have never thought of it before and after reading the Book of Mormon and Bible, they stop drinking tea, which they love, and worship God and pray. It is just proof that the Book of Mormon and the Scriptures generally really are God's word. I love you all so much.

 

Shout out to the Nacogdoches Football Team! Wooh! Thanks for your emails. They mean a lot to me!!

Love
プロクター長老

 

 

 

(to commemorate Mason's year mark, I decided to upload a short video of him departing last year - thanks to all who email and write him and support him - he appreciates it more than you know.)

 

 

Mason's Departure Movie

 

 

愛しているよ！！

Thank you all so much for your emails. They were awesome and really touched me. Its crazy to think that I am 20 now!!!?!? I had an awesome birthday though!!!!!! I loved it and even my apartment mates said that my birthday was pretty good for a missionary - haha.

 

So, first, on P-day I got to play basketball for about 2 and a half hours, outside on a court close to the beach, with 12 people, like 5 of which were new, and it rained earlier so the weather was cool. It was awesome. We had so many new potential investigators and one of them is going with us to a really cool event that I will tell you about later in the email.....So basketball was a blast and went great. Then after that we went with an friend who is a vet who lives in a high rise apartment that is really nice (you can see Mt Fuji from his deck). He also had cancer and found a treatment and took studies on himself and stuff and his cancer went away...he sells his medicine for animals and stuff and people use it too and it is curing a lot people, so our investigator might have found the cure for cancer maybe - haha. He is a very wealthy man too so he isn't fake, I'm very curious every time we go haha but he took me out to eat and we ate very well.

 

A couple of weeks ago we met those two huge football players from America and they invited us to their football game on the 27th in Chiba. They play for the pro team in the X league in Japan. One is a returned missionary (RM) and his friend had never been to the church before so they just wandered in and that's how we met them. So, they invited us to their game, but knew we probably couldn't go, BUT the new investigator who came to basketball, is a college football player here....so, everything lines up to where all we have to do is ask President Budge for permission to go to the Pro X League football game this Saturday. I was so nervous, but there was a good chance we could. So my birthday night, I called President Budge and explained the situation how we had one investigator going with us and one playing and one member.....he said.....YES!!!!!! so that capped off my birthday with permission to see the game this weekend:)) We are going!!!! To a semi-pro American Football Game - Whoo Hooo!! So as a missionary, I learned that I love watching sports - haha I am not distracted and always wanting to watch or anything, but I'm not going to lie, it's fun and I miss it - haha.

Our investigators (friends who are in the process of learning of Jesus and accepting Him in their lives) are doing great. We just set a baptismal date yesterday and today with two new friends and things are going great. I love the people, Japanese is fun, and my relationship with God is getting better and better . I love you all so much and I will get your package tomorrow. I called the post office this morning. I love you!!!!!

Love,
Elder Mason Proctor

 

 

 

Chiba-shi is AWESOME!

 

I had another good week!! I'll just start with a couple of stories. If you go on line I bet you can look up videos of Tokyo trains and how packed they are. I just wanted to tell you how true that is. I have been on multiple packed trains, but a couple of weeks ago, on the way to Mission Leadership Council, I was literally on one where they stuffed you in like canned meat - haha. It was ridiculous but just adds to the experience of me being a Tokyo missionary:)

Train Stuffing in Japan

N***, the investigator we have that is doing really well and probably will be baptized next month, is awesome. Every tuesday when we teach him, he has started taking us out to eat. He takes us to stage 1 and stage 2 and sometimes stage 3 is what he calls it - haha. We go to a restaraunt, eat, then he takes for ice cream, and each place we go where he buys us food is a "stage" - haha it's pretty funny hearing this Japanese man say, "stage 1"  in English and we go eat haha.

Our investigator K***, is going to be baptized next month and something cool happened. we got to his house and he told  us, "I got work off for Sundays starting next month forever" -  haha. I was so happy. Without even having to tell him, he was just guided by God and asked for Sundays off so he could keep the Sabbath day holy. It was awesome:)

I went on a split with Elder Kondo who is a Japanese Elder. Two pro football players showed up at the church while we were there??!? It was crazy,  they are huge and play for the Chiba team. One is a less active and said he wanted to bring his friend to find the mormon church - haha. It was a weird sight to see two huge Americans show up randomly haha.

Also, the other day at the E***, an old, like ancient Japanese man came up to me and started talking to me. He had on a Japanese hat, a beard, and was wearing a yukata looking thing, I dont know the word for the ones Japanese guys wear.  But anyways, I talked with him about Buddhism and Christianity and his voice was just the classic voice youd hear for some Asian karate master on a movie. It was so funny and I just thought about my life. I was standing in Japan, talking to this old man, in Japanese, about Buddhism, and he was bowing and I just thought it was funny haha.

Japan is great, I love the people, the language is getting better and my birthday is on Saturday:) I already have had eikaiwa students give me presents so I'm excited:) I love you all so much and thanks for your emails. They mean a lot to me . I am proud of all that you have done. have a great week!!

愛しているよ！

your missionary,
プロクター長老

Striking a pose - I guess

Another great friend accepting Christ in his life and being baptized.

Elder Leaver, my MTC companion - what an awesome Elder (he's down like 30lbs too)

Good friend - speaks English, Japanese, Tagalog, Chinese

Meal Time!!!!

 

 

It was another good week in Chiba.

 

Yesterday B*** received the gift of the Holy Ghost and it was so special. He was super prepared and he asked people ahead of time to stand in the circle and everything. It was a great experience and I really enjoyed it. It is so amazing to see the difference in him. Before he was baptized, he was a really nice guy but didn't smile as much. Ever since he was baptized though, he honestly has a completely different atmosphere around him. We took a video of his testimony for a zone conference tomorrow. It was an amazing testimony and something that I really needed to hear. He talked about how he was so thankful for all the  missionaries. He said that we talk to thousands of people everyday and he said even though that most don't listen, that one that does, it means the world to him. And then he said, I was that one. I had to hold back tears. It really meant a lot to me and I am so thankful I amable to be the missionary who was with him at his baptism.

 

I realized a lot this week that we need to be thankful for the things that we have in our life. We can't get caught up in the things we want. We need to remember the blessings we have now and try our best to get more by obedience and doing our best. I really have found that to be true on my mission. I really like the camel that you sent me in that box. It has meant a lot to me and it sits on my desk now and I remember every-time that I need to do what God wants me too and to always remember to stock up on good things now to save them for later. Thank you so much.

I got to play basketball on Saturday morning. We will get to every Saturday morning from now on and I am so excited. The people are pretty good. I was wiped out though. I am not basketball running shape any more haha I don't ever run so  I run out of breath way quick haha everything else is fine though. Just a side note. I have lost 13 pounds on my mission haha thank you Japan haha I can't eat as much any more either, its pretty interesting. I went to Sushi with an investigator on Friday. I have also just had it confirmed that Sushi never gets you full. That is something that is just hilarious about Japan, you cannot get full unless it is all you can eat haha I have adjusted though and I think its better in the end haha.

 

Yesterday we rode for like 2 hours looking for a recent converts house. It was through the rain. It was tiring haha it was really cool though because now that I am in Chiba, I am riding thorugh the city and it looks just like I pictured before my mission. I really love the Japanese people. They are amazing and I love speaking Japanese. I LOVE JAPAN!!! Oh yeah, by the way, there are no air conditionings in those gyms haha its crazy humid and hot haha thanks to all of you for being so awesome. I love you all so much!!!!!!!!

Love,
プロクター長老

 

 

 

私はあなたのすべてを愛して！

 

I love you all so much!!! I got my hump day package and it was amazing! I loved everything in it!! The shampoo actually burst in it just so you know -- haha. Just for future, tape that down so that doesn't happen. It got it all pretty wet but it was fine in the end haha. I took pictures. It was a really cool day when the 28th came. I was able to reflect on my mission and how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. I was thinking how the only change has been good change. It has made me and all my loved ones so happy even if it has been hard at times. I am so thankful for this experience and I LOVE JAPAN!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!

So B*** was baptized yesterday! Whoo hoo! It went great and he liked the hymn book and the shirt that y'all sent. He is an awesome guy and will be great for our ward that is already filled with gaijin (foreigners) -- haha. I am really excited to continue to work with him. The service went great. I had to repeat the ordinance because the first time I left out his middle name. In Japan they don't have middle names so I was used to just the first and last -- haha it was pretty funny.  It was a great experience though and really strengthened my testimony.

 

I love doing the work.  One of our investigators N*** had a pretty rough life. He said that through the Gospel though, and through reading the Book of Mormon and scriptures, his mind has been cleaned and he isn't thinking bad thoughts anymore. He also said he wants to serve people and it is all because of Christ's teachings outlined in the Book of Mormon. This is from a 65 year old man who used to not really have the most Christ like life. It is so cool to see these miracles.

I got the postcards y'all sent and they were awesome and speaking of being in Utah, we had a cool experience yesterday. We got a referral from Salt Lake and we visited it. It turned out to be a kid who was an exchange student in Utah and the family must have referred him. We looked at pictures and he was at that temple open house and at the Church center with the statue of Christ!?! I pulled out my ipad and showed the same pictures of you guys being there a couple of weeks ago and it was super cool.  Maybe you saw him and don't even know -- haha.

 

We found a lot of people this week and are building our teaching pool. We found a lot of people who are either interested in the Gospel or in us -- haha, either or is fine but this week is going to be an introduction week for teaching.  Also, our mission had so many people accept Christ and be baptized this month. It was amazing!

 

I am so excited for this next month. I am almost 20?! I can't believe it. I remember last year at this time, I was dying and wondering if I could do this. I missed you all so bad and was really questioning myself. However, now, I am confident and even though I just miss you all more, through God, we all have made it to where we can do this and we are all being blessed. I love you all so much. Thanks for being my awesome family:))

Love,

Elder Mason Proctor