We were told to get off at Hida Hagiwara, so naturally, we were waiting for that stop, we also made sure that this train was going there when we were talking to the ticket man. So we're looking for that stop and we are looking at the marquee that tells the next stop and it says 次は下呂。Which says 'next is Gero'. And it was like that for maybe about an hour. So we were like, we've got to be the next stop. So we wait and are talking to each other and stuff and then we see that the next stop is Takayama and we know that one is out of our area. Especially because it is the name of another area that is even in a different zone. Then the Katsuragawa family called us and they were like, why didn't you guys get off? And we said that we forgot which one it was, even though we had a piece of paper written by her that said Hida Hagiwara. And they know how far away the next stop is and so they were like, ok we'll see you some other time then. And so we didn't want to tell her that she got the name of the stop wrong and so we just told her that we made a mistake.
The name of the station, we found out is Hida Hagiwara, and the name of the city and stop is Gero, which is also out of our area... So we went to Takayama and then we had to turn around and head back, but we had like a half an hour until the next train came. So we tried to find somewhere to eat, and then we couldn't and realized we had no money on us so we went to a convenient store and looked for an ATM so we could buy another ticket, because you can't pay with the card, and then there wasn't a working ATM. And so we go to the machine, because I had maybe about 4 sen on me still. And we buy the tickets and then when we try to get on the platform, he tells us that this is not a passenger ticket, he said we needed that and a passenger ticket to get on the train. So we went in and talked to the guy at the desk and we told him where we wanted to go and he told us how much it was and I looked in my wallet, because at this point, Bunch had only ¥14 which is like 14 cents. And I had like 1 sen left and we were pulling out our coin purses, when he saw that we had a credit card and he said we could pay with those. So we did.
And then we headed to the platform and the train was there and it was blowing its, let's go whistle, so we ran and made it. And then Katsuragawa Shimai called and said they would meet us at the Gero station and they would give us a bento. Like a packed lunch or dinner sort of thing. And so we get there and we feel really dumb and they are standing with the station security and they give us the meal and we apologize profusely and then hurry back on the train, and then it doesn't move and we can see them right outside the window. Super awkward.
Then we go and we know for sure what stop to get off now and we relax a little. Then when the sign says Gifu and the train stops, we go stand by the doors and wait and then the doors don't open. We
start kind of getting really anxious because we don't want to spend more time on the train or spend any more money on trains that day. So we are really worried, then we realize that the station was not Gifu. It was just a stop to wait for another train or something. Then we got off at Gifu and got home on time. We walked in the door and looked at the clock and it was 8:57. We made it. And we spent over a hundred dollars each on trains that didn't really even go anywhere. At least it is reimbursed.
So yeah, then on Wednesday we had a lesson with Ayabe and he is preparing for baptism. His date was set as the 26!!! Ayabe is 34 and he was a former investigator who moved to Hokaiddo for something and he just got back and he had progressed a ton. We've taught him three times just to review and he is totally ready! And then we had eikaiwa as always.
Thursday, we went and did some Mall dendo, which is pretty much walk around the mall and talk to everyone who is there. And it is great, because no one is in a hurry there. If you dendo the eki,
everyone is trying to get somewhere and in the mall, they plan to be there for hours.
Friday, we taught Ayabe again and made sure he was ready to be baptized! Then we visited some less active members and made sure they were doing well.
Then on Saturday, we practiced for the Christmas Program that the ward had that night that we all were inviting lots of people to. And we were singing. Pretty great. We sang with a Peruvian family and since the missionaries are gaijin, obviously they can all sing in Spanish... Haha... So we sang there and it was a blast, we hung out at the church all day with the members and then all night with everyone that came. And Ayabe came to that, we were excited!
Then on Sunday, it was church and Ward Council, and we hung out with the members some more. And that's when all of the Young Women, their mothers, the YSA girls, and their mothers, straight up told us that they think we are attractive, how are we supposed to respond to that? As missionaries I mean. What the heck? So yeah, that's how church goes for us.
So this week was pretty wild with Elder Bunch. Lots of stories and lots of money issues, because reimbursements take about a week to go through the system.
And I guess some people might want to know about my new companion. He is from Mapleton, Utah and he loves video games. We look really similar from behind, or at least that's what we are told. He likes Yugi-oh and he listens to music non stop in the apartment. Usually video game music, so it is great. Also he is a Star Wars nut. And his sister sent him some music from a video game called undertale or something and we have been listening to that a lot. It is pretty great, we can almost play one piece on the piano as a duet. It is super cool.
And I forgot, on Sunday, it was Bunch's first Sunday in the ward, so everyone wanted to meet him. And this white guy who is in Japan for work came to our ward because he still wanted to go to church, so I sat next to him and translated the meeting. And everyone before and after sacrament meeting looked at him and thought he was my new companion, and asked all sorts of questions as if he was. And he just started learning Japanese. It was great. When one guy in particular talked to him it freaked him out a little. Brother Yamada just said that his name was Yamada and he has this way of talking where he will just look at you for a little bit (he's literally crazy) and so the white guy, Josh Lillywhite, was like, what did he just ask me? And I just told him that he just said that his name was Yamada. Too funny.
Too bad that Brother Lillywhite will be going to a different ward, I thought he was cool. Anyway, that's pretty much my week.
Merry Christmas on Friday! Have a good one Homies!
莉茶(りちゃ)長老
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