Elder Tolen's Adventures in the Japan, Tokyo South Mission: Week 2: Tom Cruise and Fermented Beans

Well guys!

It's been another week! How crazy is that? I've almost reached 3 months. It feels like I've been out forever, but also I feel like I just came out. It's really weird.

It's almost Christmas! Ah!! I got your package! We opened the stockings..oops...but nothing else. We hung up the tinsel. I'm ready for Christmas. It's going to be awesome, but different.

Some of the Christmas decorations at the apartment (including the tree we sent
him with the personalized ornaments we made at Thanksgiving!)

Japanese is still as hard as ever, and sometimes I just don't feel like I'm learning anything. That can be really disheartening. But I know with the Lord anything is possible, and I love it all the same.

I've met so many people this week. This week we went to a part member's house and celebrated their daughter's 13th birthday. When I walked in the mother said (in Japanese of course), "Whoa! You look like Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio! Amazing!" Apparently I look like both of them put together. That was a fun experience. I still can't see it. If any of you can, let me know.

After we talked for a while, we ate dinner. Let me tell you something: The dad is a first class sushi chef. So I had some amazing sushi. It was divine. So amazing! But they also have this stuff called "Nato," which is fermented beans. He put some in the sushi. He asked, "Nato o tabeta koto ga arimasu ka?" (Have you ever eaten Nato before?) I said no, and he pushed the plate towards me. It wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be, but it still was really bad. Like really. I almost threw up. It's super gross. Then there is this tea that tastes like cigarettes. It's one of the only teas that missionaries are allowed to drink. It's called "Mugicha" (Moo-gi-cha). But I still had a lot of fun!

We also had a meeting with a family that's investigating the church. And the man is really good at ping pong. We spent an hour at their house just playing ping pong. But then we ate dinner, and Elder Squire and I sang "Come Unto Christ." It was a lot of fun.

I hope you are all doing great! Japan is amazing. I love it so much.

I love you all. Keep being awesome!

Elder Tolen