Old Familiar friends, waiting just around the bend

The boys are back (Brown and Tanner)

ohaiyo!

Yesterday we had 1 hour only of church cuz of the storm. And I was asked to give a 10 minute talk by the Bishop. I told about who I was and the whole ward laughed, that was funny haha, many told me afterwards that they enjoyed my talk and that it was very fun. One sister said that I would be easier for her to remember because of it being "dramatic". Haha. I also talked about somethings that I learned on my mission so far. I am still not good at Japanese, but I can speak to people in a way they understand, and it is a bit more natural to me. I have also learned not to be afraid of making a few mistakes.

  We also had ZTM this last Friday in Meito, the heart of the mission. That's were President Yamashita lives, at the honbu. He even came to our meeting and spoke. Way awesome. I also saw a few old friends that I think you'll remember. Of coarse, my boys, Elders Brown and Tanner were there! I saw them last week too. And, I wish I got photo evidence, but Avarell Shimai was there too! Sashiburi! It was so cool to talk to her again. She just had a baptism in her area. She is doing super. She commented that I have lost a lot of weight since the bean days. She is also in the same district as Brown and Tanner. That's way crazy.

Well It has been 1 whole year since we gathered in my living room and opened the call to serve. Isn't that crazy? Already so much has happened. And I have a year and a half to go. 5 transfers, 2 areas, and many eternal friends. There are miracles happening with yall too. I got a new uncle recently and my dad just baptized him last Saturday. Isn't that marvelous? And now my dad has one more baptism than me, looks like I need to step up my game haha. Please pray for us in Seto, that we will find, teach, and baptize. Please pray for my comrades in Nagano as well. And for every missionary in the world from me, to Sheldon Richey, to your selves, that we may all be able to bring to pass the work of salvation.

ijo desu! (that's all for now)

Love y'all
Elder Watkins

PS: Sorry for the lack of pics.  I'm having trouble with my photos. I'm working on the problem and there will be many more photos to come.

Transfers Episode V The Golden Clock Strikes Back

The book of Nagano.

Last stroll in downtown Nagano; historic cite of my dendo adventures.

Hello From Seto!

   It has been a trying week with all the changes. Everything I knew is completely different now. And I miss all of my dear friends. But there are lots of fun new things too.

    I am in a new apartment with 4 Elders. My companion, Elder Jackson, then Elder Wheeler from Hawaii, and his companion Elder Laumatia from Hawaii. He is also a bean chan!

   The Nakatsugawa missionaries are also in our district. Elders Yamamoto and Park, and Sisters Maughn and Aso. I was in the MTC with Aso shimai and we took the same plane to Japan, she's my same doki. Way cool to see her again.

    I went to church in the Seto Ward yesterday, the members are really nice. One of the 8 year old girls got baptized so we got to attend the baptism. We also got to go to a members house last night for dinner and a small birthday party for one of the sisters in the ward. Our ward mission leader, Ono Kyodai took us to a big fireworks show which was way crowded and way fun.

    Seto is a lot smaller than Nagano, but also not as banished. In fact we are really, really close to the mission honbu and Nagoya City. It is hotter but I'm dealing with it well. There are also a lot of hills. Yep.

    So after Elder Yamada and I left Nagano on the bus, we went to Nagoya City ,5 hours, and stayed at the Takabata Elders apartment. It's way nice and in the middle of the city with a nice view. Everything in the city is way fancy. There is this strange feeling that comes with coming out of banishment. As I looked out into the city, I realized that this mission is way bigger than I thought before.

   At the Golden Clock the next day, I also realized or rather remembered that I'm not alone. A large host of some of my great friends gathered at the clock. I saw almost all of my MTC district including Brown, Tanner, and Smith. Then the Nagano Zone arrived led by my old partner Chiba Choro. They are such a merry band. Elders Beck and Mueller came too. I miss those guys. Everyone had a great reunion and then we all went to a Chinese buffet. That was craziness as we all crammed in elevators and stuff. Way fun.

   And now I'm here. And it's the start of what you might liken to season 3 of a tv series. All these new characters and some familiar faces too. It is fun. And I also have a quote that Elder Yamada left me with that rings so true for me as I think of all the people I've met and places I've been.

"Every person and every experience is the perfect preparation for a future only God knows" Corrie Brown.

   Love you all and have a good week!

Love,
Wat chan

Takabata Apartment

Takabata Apartment

Leaving home

Leaving home

Road Trip

View of Nagoya City

Gold Clock

Brown Choro!

Peterson Shimai's new companion.

Jackson Choro playing games.

Jackson chillin in the park.

My new desk

Awesome old mansion

Sayonara... Nagano

Transferees and bffs

Bye-bye Nielson Shimai!

Me and Yama on a yama.

Peterson Shimai & Nielson Shimai hiking.

Good morning.

   We got up a 5 am this morning to go to the eki to watch Nielson Shimai take off on her first train to home. She didn't get to go yesterday because they didn't reserve seats on the bus. (Trains to Nagoya are still down from the typhoon.) Needless to say, it was one of the most pull at your heart moments of my mission so far. I have been with Nielson Shimai longer than anyone else out here and she has changed my life. She is one of the greatest friends I've ever had.

   And later today, at 3 pm, I will get on a bus to leave Nagano. That's right, I'm transferring. It is hard but exciting too. I will be in the Seto Ward in the Nagoya East Stake. Aichi Prefecture, hottest place in the mission, oh boy. I will be with 3 other Elders and my new companion is Elder Jackson, from Salt Lake City Utah. I talked to him on the phone, he sounds like Elder Chapman haha. He seems way cool. I'm really excited to go there, even if it's hot.

  Elder Yamada will come back to Nagano with a new bean chan, just like I was when I got here. And Sister Peterson will be with Sister Takahashi. Elder Beck in Ueda is also transferring to the Tsu Branch, Yamada Choro's old area, he's way excited. Elder Mueller will be with Elder Takayama. So a lot of this district will be Japanese.

  So I've been packing my whole life up for the past 2 days in order to prepare. We went on a branch hiking activity on Saturday in the mountains. It was so pretty there. It reminded me of camping with the boy scouts, and doing the big family camping trips. It was also hot out. I was able to look around and see family all around me. While in the woods we got phone calls and I was able to hear from my friends Elders Tanner, Smith, Brown, and TuAkoi.

  I felt the same as I gave a talk in church yesterday and looked at every member and realized that I love each one of them. They said many kind things to me yesterday. Hikari chan even hugged my legs. So cute. I gave out my business cards (meishis) to all the members and some said they would look me up on facebook. We also dendoed with the Branch President and Dendo shinin (branch mission leader) for my last time with them. I felt the spirit as we visited some less active members.

   As I was packing, Tezuka Kyoudai came to say bye. I will miss him. He told me that I was his friend and that he will miss me. I realized then that while I didn't baptize him, (he was already baptized when I got here) I played an important role in bringing him to Christ. And he changed my life too. I understand more than I ever before did the pure love of Christ. I have charity for every single person in Nagano.

  Now as I leave, I take the things I've learned and the memories I've made. I will go forth in the spirit to the next chapter of my mission. And let me tell you how much I love that a new Bean chan is taking my place fresh out of the MTC. Because I was such here in Nagano, I dendoed in the snow and rain, biked long distances up hills, climbed mountains, made eternal friends, and I became a missionary. Nagano will always be a special place in my heart because here I became.

   So my dear family and friends, I now go to Seto. And as I go I will sing in my heart "Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before."

Love always,
Elder Cullen E. Watkins

Hiking!

Hiking!

Hiking!

Hiking!

Hiking!

Bugs!

After hiking

After hiking

Hiking!

Nielson & Peterson Shimai hiking!

Hiking!

Lunch on the hike.

My last Eikaiwa (English Conversation class) in Nagano.

My last Eikaiwa (English Conversation class) in Nagano.

The Matsuhashis

Sister Nielson's bye-bye book that we made.

Sister Nielson's bye-bye book that we made.

Last page of the bye-bye book for Nielson Shimai.

Bye-bye Nielson Shimai!

The Okazowas

The last hurrah

The last hurrah

Puppies at pet store, cute! (Cinnamon is cuter) :)

Puppies at pet store, cute!

The Takatsukas

Yukine chan!

Song practice

Transfer call!

My Companion x2

Playing basketball.

Peterson Shimai is a pro at basketball!

Dear everybody,

I had a kokan this week with Elder Moretti from Brazil. He's our Zone Leader along with my old companion, Elder Chiba. Speaking of...Chiba choro came back to Nagano and dendoed with my current doryo, Elder Yamada. Two of my companions together. haha.

  I went to Matsumoto were there are 4 elders in the same apartment. One of them, Elder Wilkinson, is finishing his mission next week. It goes by so fast. It was way funny to see the craziness of a 4 elder (yonin) apartment. It was way fun! It was also Wilkinson Choro's birthday and President and Sister Yamashita called to sing Happy Birthday to him. Way nice!

  Well this is week 6... Transfer Calls and Nielson Shimai's last week of dendo. Next week will be kind of sad with her and maybe me leaving. She is going to the Mission Home Sunday right after church and we will probably see her off at the Eki (train station). We are excited for her though, she is a great missionary.

  Last night we had a great lesson with our Recent Convert Tezuka Kyodai who was Baptized by TuAkoi choro before I came here. He has had a rough life and still struggles with some things, but the gospel has really helped him. He is way nice and says he wants to go to the Temple. I haven't seen anyone quite like that except for him so far out here. It is really amazing to see how the gospel can change lives. That's what I love to see.

  So wish us luck and keep all of Nagano in your prayers. We will try our best for Nielson Shimai's last week, for that last week of the transfer, all the members and investigators, whether I transfer or not, and for the Lord, Jesus Christ who I know loves these people, even more than I do.

I pray for you all to have a great week as well!

Love you all,
Elder Watkins

Those are moths flying into the lights, freaky!

Those are moths flying into the lights, freaky!

Elder Chiba's coke.

Elder Chibas american name tag.

Rainy Sunnyness

Shokujikai!!!

Shokujikai!!!

Members chillin at shokujikai (food after church).

Members chillin at shokujikai (food after church).

Kamen Rider Gaim Kiwami Arms

Tokkyu 6's Megazord