Goodbyes, and becoming senior

This week has gone by so fast, and my head is kind of spinning,
because I'm trying to figure out what all is going on, and trying to
figure out members names and such, but it is coming, slowly, but it is
coming.

Monday after pday ended we visited the nakanos and said bye, they were
excited for me, but also sad to see me go. We wanted to teach lessons
as we said goodbye, but it was seriously so hard. The members just
want to say bye and wish you luck. Almost everyone told me not to get
in an accident again, which made us all laugh.

Tuesday was filled with more goodbyes, and my last lesson with Imai
San. She is so sweet, and is feeling better all the time. She was
basically in tears the whole lesson, and we abandoned our original
plan, and just built her testimony that she is a beloved daughter of
God, she really struggles to feel worthy of his love, she is so sweet!
We then taught Christmas carols for eikaiwa, and all the students
started jointing in, and it was hilarious. My students didn't want me
to leave Kurashiki, but ah well, not up to them, thankfully, cause my
new area is amazing!

Wednesday we had our final lesson with inoue San, and I'm pretty sure
mills Shimai will be dropping her, which is sad, but there is
literally nothing we can do to help her. She gets that unless she acts
on what she knows and among other things receives baptism, she will
not receive the blessings that she thinks are so great, and she said
no, kind of. She refused to answer, because she realized if she said
no we wouldn't be coming back, but not saying anything is saying no,
which is sad, but I don't think the missionaries can help her anymore.
She just collects missionaries basically, but mills Shimai will
decide, I just know it was a very sad lesson. But we also got to visit
Donna to say goodbye really quick, and she is really fighting, she has
a lot of challenges right now with family, but she is amazing, and
isn't letting anything get her down, she is so happy! So that was
good, and then we had my last lesson of Kurashiki with the ootsuka
family, and that was so much fun, just sharing how amazing Christmas
is, and bearing testimony of that.

Thursday was transfer day, so we got up extra early, and despite all
the mess ups and everything, we were able to make it to the transfer
point, and I met my new companion. Her name is Oswald Shimai, and she
is awesome, so just energetic and happy, we have already been laughing
tons.

Friday we didn't really have plans, but we did some finding, and using
a cool mini Christmas survey taught s couple of lessons. Everyone in
Kyoto is fairly willing to take a survey, and so it is really easy to
stop people that way, and get talking. Which was lots of fun. We also
got my iPad setup for shimogamo, because we had to fix that up, and
also did SKK.

Saturday we went to a park and did some finding with the elders.
Finding is so easy in Kyoto, everyone is just willing to talk, and
some people are even interested, which is just awesome! It is a little
weird doing so much finding, but also lots of fun! We then had the
ward Christmas party, and it was crazy, I just did my best to help out
and start learning everyone's names, and it was lots of fun. Luckily
the ward mission leader is American, so that makes that easier.

Sunday was another battle to learn names... I've decided that one of
the first phrases you hear from the other missionaries when you meet
someone, is 'he speaks English, you know' or the opposite... It is
quite funny, but right after that I normally just continue to speak to
them in Japanese... There are lots of foreigners in my new ward
though, which isn't bad, but there is definitely a good chunk of
English speakers. I'm shocked at how well I understand what people say
to me... I may not understand every word, but I understand the mist of
it, and am able to respond in a way that makes sense! Yay for the gift
of tongues! Sunday night we went as a zone, and Carole's at Kyoto
train station, and it was so much fun! We then went to visit a member
a wish her a happy birthday, which was just tons of fun! I know I'm
being repetitive, but seriously I had so much fun just trying my
hardest to adapt to the new area, and in some instances epically
failing! Love and miss you! I will see you on your Friday!

Love, Sister Makin