Rex his losing his weight and giving it to me.

Hey Kazokuzzz

Thanks for all of your emails! Its way good to see that all of your guys are way genki. I can`t believe your Barcelona trip is almost over already Mom and Dad...that was super quick wasn`t it? Bleah but what do I know, I have no concept of time anymore. bahah But I`m way glad to hear that you guys were having a bunch of fun over there. Thanks for the pictures by the way, you guys look way happy! Wait...does that mean the next email I get from you guys is gonna be from good old Provo?

OMGoodness! SELENA YOU`RE SO OLD NOW!!! How does it feel being...23 was it? I`ve lost count. I don`t know how old anyone in our family is anymore...but I do know that we are now all officially elderly beings. Oh well, its all good! Can you guys believe that my year mark is coming right around the corner? Yeah, gross right? Anyways. Sounds like you did nothing on your birthday Selena. Thats cool, at least you got to roll around on the carpet at home for a whole day. But yeah, happy late birthday yo.

Can`t believe how quickly this week went by. It was so busy, I felt like I was running around with my head cut off! BUT we were so blessed by seeing so many miracles unfold right infront of us. It always seems to happen that way, whenever you`re really busy and think that you can`t get anything done...miracles happen. Man, but the mission is starting to change so much! For the better of course. But I can`t really explain it...there`s just a different feel to things. I dunno, I`m just learning so much with all these new ways of doing things. We had our first one-on-one interviews with President Zinke (well...my second actually) this past Tuesday. Actually it was perfect because Tuesday was the day where Shikoku was hit with a big typhoon so we just hung out at the church with President and the AP`s while it was raining sideways. Twas exciting. We had to shove 6 elders into our tiny little apartment. That was a party! Anyways, it was really good to sit down and talk to him about his vision and the way he feels the Lord wants the work moving towards. It was a way spiritual sit-down talk! One of the things the mission is really going to focus on is relying on the Spirit rather then our own talents and abillities. Just beleiving that this is the Lords work and we`re just instruments in His hands. I mean, this is something we all already knew from the first place...but just reinforcing that idea is so inspired. I think thats when I had a good humility punch to the face. Just gotta rely on that Spirit you know? It says in PMG, no matter your ablilites or talents, if you do not have the Spirit, you cannot preach the gospel. I think thats a big thing that I learned throughout the week! I like to learn.

Well, times running out...I just spent the last hour doing reports and the zone vision. Gotta go do some shopping or else we won`t have food for the week! Ah, being poor is awesome. Anyways, I`m going over to Kobe this week for Zone Leader Council so I`ll be able to play with Burns Choro!

bahah anyways, I go now. Life is good! Thanks for everything you do famiry!!!! MUCHO LOVE! Peace.

Luves,

Elder Saito

7/10/2011

Yeah yeah yeah,

Represent! You know I`ll be repping the big 2-0 in a few days. Aren`t you just so proud that your favorite sibling on the planet is becomin a legal man in Japan? Because you should be...fool. Oh and your birthday is coming up soon too...old. I`ll try to send something out for your birthday...but I doubt I will. But I will do my best! Know that I still love you though...bahah

OKAY I LUVE YOU!!!

HEY FAMILY!!!

Uh yeah...I`ve been starting to get really lazy with emails lately so I`ve decided just to send all of you guys just one bulk email with maybe a little bit of personal information for each and every one of you (if I`m not too lazy)!

This past week has just been amazing! I cannot believe how busy it gets trying to balance being a missionary/zoneleader/trainer/human all at once. I`m just grateful that my zone is small so I won`t explode trying to take care of everything. Well, let me just tell you about my new missionary. He is a STUD! I love this kid. His name is Elder Lythgoe from Heber, Utah and he has so much faith and dendo fire. Thats what you get when you got missionaries fresh out of the MTC. Its so great because he`s a way good sport and is working hard everyday to learn the laungage and spread the Gospel. A much better missionary then I was seven transfers ago! But man, I feel so darn old. I`m officially the oldest (transfer wise) missionary in the zone...and I`m only on transfer 8. I mean my birthday and my year mark is creeping up right around the corner. I can`t believe it, I can`t believe it, I can`t believe it. And its funny because I know NOTHING about the outside world anymore. Elder Lythgoe is keeping me updated with everything thats happened in the past year. But I don`t know...I`ve been in Japan for such a long time that it doesn`t sound all that appealing to me right now. Maybe later, maybe later. But now its time to ganbaru! Its also really weird to see a lot of your friends in the mission leave...and then looking at the mission board and not knowing who half of the missionaries are anymore. I guess that is just what happens when you become old like me. Most of the missionaries I looked up to went home these past few transfers and it just made me realize that its time for my generation to step up you know? Step up and be a "true disciple" of the Lord. (new mission theme introduced by President Zinke bahaha)

But as you all know by now...I`m goin to be in Takamatsu for about three more months. Just like what Dad said, I`m spending 1/3 of my mission on "the rock." Well, these past few days I`ve been really thinking deeply on why the Lord decided to leave me in Takamatsu and what he wants me to do. I don`t know, I mean we were able to see a bunch of success and help the branch out...so I have to ask, what else is left for me to do? I was thinking about it a lot ever since the transfer calls. But during sacrament meeting I was sitting next to one of my investigators and it just kinda came to me. I don`t know why the Lord kept me in Takamatsu, it could be for a lot of reasons like theres still a lesson I need to learn, helping Elder Lythgoe become a dendo machine or getting the man sitting next to me baptized. There are a lot of possible reasons but I do know that there is indeed a reason for everything. The Lord has chosen us to work in a certain part of His vineyard because each missionary has the potential to reach out and find those who are elect and are waiting for the truth. I have a feeling this transfer is going to be more like me finding the reason why I stayed in Takamatsu. And until I find that reason out, I`m going to do my best and dendo like crazy with Elder Lythgoe! I`m so stoked for this transfer! We`re gonna see so many miracles!

Well, I gotta go now. We need to get my son an electric dictionary for him! OKAY I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

7/3/2011

Chelenes,

Sup.

Gracias for the email fool. Sounds like you`re effectively spending your time cleaning up the garden and the house, keep it up little one. Oh, and I`m way relieved to hear that Pochi`s bump on his stomach isn`t really anything. I is so happy that my puppy is genki!

How`s that intern going? I`m surprised you haven`t been kicked out of the program yet. bahaha I joke, i joke. No, but thanks for sending me the pictures too. Good thing your eyebrows look drawn in in the picture of you and Richard at Allen`s weddin. My eyebrows are probably one of the thickest in all of Japan. How much money would you give me if I joined all of my Japanese brethern and shaved my eyebrows? It better be a lot...

Bah, things have been so darn busy this past week. So many things occured all in a short time! We got our new mission president, President Zinke, on Thursday. We got to go all the way to Kobe to meet and greet with him and Sister Zinke. They`re both way awesome and way hakujin. And I love that guys vision about missionary work! He gave a way inspirational testimony of how the work in the Kobe Mission is just going to explode and we`re gonna take this mission to waaayyyyy new heights! Its way crazy to think that I`ll be working with him for only a year...which reminds me. My year mark is coming up! Bleah. Its way too fast...

Anyways...President Zinke brought in a bunch of new ideas and policies...which will take time for me to get used to. For example, he has a vision that missionaries should stay in their areas for longer periods of time. Which I figured out today...because transfer calls were today. AND GUESS WHAT?!

Well I`ll tell you...I`m staying in Takamastsu again. But this time I`m guarnteed to stay until September. Why? Because I`m going to be training a new missionary! bahaha and there is a new intense training program for new missionaries where the new missionary and the trainer have to work together for two transfers. Hence, making my stay at Takamatsu 5 transfers at the least. I have no idea what in the world President was thinking to make me a trainer/zoneleader and stay for 5 transfers...but I know he`s receiving revelation from the Lord and he knows what he`s doing. So, I just gotta suck it up and get comfortable for two more transfers in little Takamatsu. bahaha but I`m going to go pick up my little son this Thursday at Kobe. This next two transfers is going to be CRAZY!!!

Anyways, I honestly don`t know how to feel right now. Its bitersweet, I`m not going to lie. I was almost sure that I would transfer out..but God always seems to kick me in the face once I start assuming. Whateves, life is still good. I love Takamatsu yo! It just means I get to see more miracles and spend more time with my new converts bahaha

Well, i go now. Email me back yo. And write me a letter for once! Its a bummer when the only consistent letters you get are from other missionaries or your grandma! I kid!

Okay peace.

Love ya!

Elder Saito

some pics