Elder Watkins Japan Nagoya Mission: We are the Champions, We are the Dai Sempai

Zone 27 all Choro Tachi version 2!

Aaaaahhhhhhhh! What happened? I'm a Dai Sempai? I don't feel like one. I just got here... a few centuries ago.

   This week more Dai Sempai left and new Kohai came in, and now we are the ones who've been here the longest. I love these Dai Sempai who left, some of them became really good friends of mine. I miss them, but I'm so excited for them to go and finally share the gospel in Japan.

     We do this thing with them were we sign each other's "bye-bye" books. Many of them wrote encouraging thoughts to me. Some of them said that I was able to cheer them up a time or two. One of them, a fellow Doctor Who fan, shared the following quote: "Don't blink. Whatever you do, no matter how hard, don't blink." Or something close to that from the Doctor who episode Blink. They are all just so cool.

    It was interesting on Friday when random people said nice things to me. I was just standing in the hallway when practically out of nowhere, Dopp Shimai walked over to me and began telling me why she is on a mission, speaking half in Japanese. I told her a few things that lead to me serving and I realized something; I might not be exactly where I am at this time with these people if it weren't for the Conway Ward Missionaries. They, by example, made me want to serve more. I needed the missionaries just as much as the investigators did.

    Later on I received two Dear Elders. "Let's see what the family says" I thought excitedly. I was surprised, these letters had come from Elder Josh Maurer and Elder Chris Brimhall who I had taught with in Conway! They encouraged me to be a great missionary and "let the mission change you". So awesome, I just love all of the Conway missionaries.

   Lastly Barton Choro, one of the Kohai, said that he loves my positive attitude. I found this interesting since this Choro is particularly positive and enthusiastic. So I told him this and this began a conversation about the Scout Law. Why? Well I realized something else; this mission is just extreme scouting. The Scout Law is important enough to me that without knowing it I have kept it as a sort of motto for life, and this Choro agreed with me.

     So what I learned this week, amongst other things that would take too long to talk about, is that we are effected by the people and things in our lives and they all become important parts of our personality. I have the missionaries, the Dai Sempai who left, scouting, and many other things and people as part of who I am. And everyone has a different background. And everyone can positively effect everyone in the most unexpected ways.

      Now we're in the last three weeks of "pre-mortal life". Please pray for District 27A as we strive to become humble, loving, and enthusiastic missionaries.

Love you all/ai shite imasu,
Watkins Choro

'Gaijin', I belive, means foreigner or regular person. I guess I'll always be a Gaijin then! :)