Elder Watkins Japan Nagoya Mission: Sent From My iPad!

Me and my iPad!

For real guys! Nagoya's gone digital! We went to ZTM in Kanezawa and
were surprised when we were handed the long foretold devices. We
received training and set them up right there. There are 3 stages to
the iPad program, the first is just using them in normal dendo, then
in planning, and finally for online dendo, which means Facebook! I
have to say typing on a touch screen is really strange for me so these
emails might be wired haha. Right now we are only in stage one, just
getting familiar with the devices. But we have access to gospel
library app and some other church apps for dendo. It is pretty fun!

My iPad

This week I had an unusual experience with one of our investigators;
we stood in her doorway for 2 hours listening to her speak Portuguese
really fast and just chatting. Elder Miranda only got to speak about 5
times during all that. What was really annoying was that she looked me
in the eyes the whole time! I was just thinking, I have absolutely no
clue what your saying and my bag is soo heavy and I just wannabe sitting
down. I'd never experienced this before, at least when I first got to
Japan I knew some Japanese words and grammar, I had no idea what was
being said to me. My companion told me after everything she said.
Afterward we both just sat on the ground and laughed about the whole
thing.

Setting up the iPads

Sunday was a way good day. Takaoka ward is surprisingly very small.
I'm pretty sure there where more people in both of the branches I've
served in. But there was more brethren. I was asked to speak and lo
and behold President and Sister Yamashita happened to also be coming
and speaking that day. Now I had to speak in front of the mission
president who is also a seventy, it was exciting. I prepared a short
self introduction and lead that into a story about my past that would
invite the spirit, as I'd done in my past areas. This time I felt
impressed to share part of a letter Grandma had sent me including her
conversion story, which I keep safe in my journal. I practiced it in
Japanese and as I shared it I felt directed on what I should say in
every sentence. The result of that was I could feel the members
interest in my life and a sort of personal connection with each of
them. Many of them spoke with me after and wanted to get to know me
better, some invited us over for Family home evening. The Yamashitas
talks also went along great with what I'd shared and they commented
that they enjoyed my talk too.

Setting up the iPads

After sacrament I was informed that we're responsible for teaching
the last of the After Baptism lessons to two recently baptized Chinese
sisters. Luckily this time I knew a thing or two of Chinese and they
knew Japanese ok at least. We taught them with two member tachiais, it
was the first proper lesson I'd taught in a good while. We didn't have
much prepared, but we just testified and shared what we knew and
talked about it. Normally I get really nervous before teaching but
this time I was relaxed and I quickly became friends with these two
sisters. I felt the spirit that entire lesson. It was great.

During priesthood I sat next to president Yamashita. Well I'd
forgotten my text book and couldn't follow along with the reading and my companion only had Portuguese. President Yamashita look at me and said, "Elder Watkins,
you know, you have iPad. You can read on your gospel library." I got a
kick out of that, he's too funny sometimes. Haha.

This is the sister who knew my stake President!

Afterward we had the most filling shokujikai I've been to in a
while. During which more members spoke with me. One sister surprised
me by saying she knew where South Carolina was. Usually I have to say
it's near Florida. The next thing she said absolutely shocked me. I
could literally feel my face change color. "One of the Elders who
taught me before I was baptized was from South Carolina. His name was
Barfield Choro. Clifton Barfield." "That's my Stake President!" I
excitedly exclaimed. He had served in the Kobe mission and in Okinawa
so I didn't think I'd actually meet anyone he knew. She was pretty
surprised too and asked how he was. So awesome.

Things are getting better. The weather is rainy one day and sunny
the next. The other missionaries in my district are pretty funny. I
enjoyed going to Kanezawa and taking a crazy bus ride with them all to
the church. I hope next week brings more pleasant surprises. Love
y'all!

Elder Watkins
Sent from my iPad