Letter from Matlock - 21 September 2010

Dear (Family in Japanese characters),
Well I wouldn’t call this week a smooth transition.  For most of the week I just missed Sakado.  My companion in Sakado was fantastic – he really taught me a boat load about how to be a really effective missionary.  We worked hard and we saw the results. The members saw that we were working hard and they loved and depreciated us for it.  Our district especially was extraordinarily effective.  Our district leader was a fantastic district leader (probably too fantastic since they made him AP this transfer).  We set goals together and we strived to reach them together.  Our meetings were spent in mighty prayer, inspired discussion, and we left recommitted to our goals and to missionary work.  We all saw miracles. 
The zone leaders came and gave a short training.  My new companion is a great guy – he’s very nice and has a lot of love and concern for other people. 
In other news me and my companion have the same toothbrush….I found that out after I had used his once or twice.  Still haven’t told him…
I spent the afternoon scouring the apartment with the vacuum and some dusters getting rid of all the dust.  My allergies didn’t let me off easy on that one!  And I’m still not done!  Sometimes I wonder what missionaries do all day…
The members are amazing here.  We’ve been fed 5 times since I’ve come here.  My companion’s idea is to start using all this down time with members to teach them about Preach My Gospel – but the ward doesn’t have any copies that we can give to people.  We’ll have to work with the bishopric here a little especially since we have some prospective missionaries in this ward.  So some interesting tidbits – so far all of the investigators and less actives that we’ve worked with so far are from the Philippines.  Three more walked into church last Sunday and wanted to go to a service while they were in Japan.  There are a lot of college students from Norway here.  And – the ward mission leader here is the son of one of the families back in Sakado.
Well that’s all for now. 
Love you all,
(Elder Wyman in Japanese characters)