Viva la Vida Loca: Week 32 in Japan

So fun fact about Kofu; its super Japanese. You can see Fuji from just about anywhere, there's an old castle, a bunch of stuff about ninjas and samurais, ancient shrines every other block, and a lot of Hispanic people. No you didn't read that wrong. There's an area on the south side of the city that we call "The Spanish Lands" where we've been working a lot and it's amazing. It's on the south side, but we live on the north side so it's about 45min. to an hour to get there by bike but most of the ride is through a bunch of rice fields and it's just super green. The area looks kind of ghetto but the people there are so nice and are stoked to meet with us.

Our usual ride home from the Spanish Lands

Our main main, Hiroki (Investigator)

One guy we're meeting with this upcoming week was originally from the favelas in São Paulo, Brazil. But his Mom was Japanese so he speaks both Japanese and Portuguese. Anyway he said he wants the best for his family and wants to turn away from his past life. But he's honestly one of the nicest guys ever though and has expressed that he's very excited to meet with us. I seriously love this area so much.

Also in this area we have a bunch of these things called 足湯 (Ashiyu), which are basically Jacuzzis for your feet. They're out in public like at parks and we decided to do our studies today at one. Well they're public and this old guy in his 60's came to the one we're at and started talking to us. (This was literally a few hours ago) While him and I were having a wonderful conversation on how a few foreigners who speak Japanese ended up at a mountain foot bath, he put his hands up on the table there and I looked at his hand. He was missing his left pinky. He saw me notice his hand and asked me if I knew what it meant. Turns out this guy was Yakuza. But hey, he was a really funny guy who really respects what we do as missionaries and hopes the best for us. He said he's down to come to learn English, but he might be "busy" on Wednesday nights.

As usual, more good things to come.

愛を込めて、
カフ長老

Welcome to the Boondocks: Week 31 in Japan

This past week was all sorts of jam packed with good stuff. For starters I am madly in love with Kofu. It feels so good getting out the big city, and get this, there's actually space between the houses. It's super green, we're surrounded by mountains, you can see Mt. Fuji from basically anywhere, and there are tons of fields. The people here are so incredibly kind, like it's rare to get rejected immediately by people. 

We live right by the main Eki and a couple colleges so we don't really have to go far to find people, but if we want to the option’s there. Most members live pretty far away though. Like as in a 1-2 hour bike ride away. The area is an entire prefecture, and prefectures are kind of like states, but smaller because we're in Japan.

The ward here is amazing though; they love missionaries, and always give us a ton of food. Also food here is in giant portions, it's
kind of just got the best parts of Japan and a lot of the best parts of America mixed into one.

But in all honestly leaving Fujisawa was hard. But luckily we have technology so I'm able to stay in contact with the people I've become
good friends with. I'm still considered a young missionary in this mission so I think I could possibly return.

My new companion is absolutely hilarious, and an amazing worker. His name is Elder Farnsworth, and although he may look and speak like an American, make no mistake, he is 100% Hispanic. He was born in Mexico
and graduated from high school in Peru, so he's fluent in Spanish. Also he's late to everything, but makes great carne asada . (Last part
was a joke) But here in Kofu there are a ton of Spanish speakers who are ready to learn The Gospel so he's been a big help with that.
Again, Kofu is an amazing place. (I've already had chicken cooked out of a homemade plancha by one of the Hispanic members and I just got
here. Such a good start to the transfer.)

Life has been an absolute party his past week though. This area is kind of like Fujisawa was though, it just doesn't have a lot of people
to teach so now I'm back into another big finding phase. That's all right though, I used to not be a big fan of going out and talking with a bunch of strangers on the street, but now it's become one of my favorite parts of being a missionary. Just one of those funny little things where nothing's really changed except for my perspective. But that's probably one of the best parts of missions, having to constantly get out of my comfort zone and changing. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else at this point in my life!

愛しています！
カフ長老

Kofu Info

Kofu City, the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture is located almost in the center of the prefecture, surrounded by Japan Southern Alps and Oku-chichibu mountain ranges, some of the mountains are as high as almost 3,000 meters.

The city is a hometown of Takeda Shingen Ko, the renowned general of the civil war period in the 16th century. Kofu City was flourished as a castle town, posting station and commercial center.

Currently, Kofu City has been developed not only as the economic, cultural and industrial center in Yamanashi Prefecture, but also is endowed with nature, including the most beautiful valley in Japan, Mitake-Shosenkyo, and the citizens are proud of its seasonal beauty.

Kofu is also famous as one of the leading jewelers' towns in the world, with tradition of craftsmanship and polishing technique of precious stones, and has been admired of its jewelry handicraft technique as the No.1 in the world.

Our City has lots of charming sightseeing spots; there are hot springs in Yumura and Sekisuiji towns; and historical shrine and temples of Takeda family; a museum famous of its collection of the paintings of Jean-Francois-Millet. Kofu is famous of its fruit growing; visitors enjoy strawberry picking in spring and grapes picking during summer and autumn.

(Copiedfrom: http://www.city.kofu.yamanashi.jp/english/intro/intro.htm)

Ward meeting house and ward boundaries. You can see a bit of his previous area on the right.

This is what comes up on Google Maps as the ward meetinghouse.

The trip from Fujisawa to Kofu is about 112 km (70 ish miles).

Week 30 in Japan: Boondocks

Last meal appointment of Fujisawa with the Nemoto and Fujiwara families

Well. I got transferred. In fact I got transferred to the farthest area in our mission. Kofu. It's a small mountain town over by Mt. Fuji and I'm so stoked to go there. It's really bitter sweet because I'm excited about the new area, but I was begging to stay in Fujisawa for one more transfer. The area had been in a big phase finding phase this past transfer where we've cleaned out area Book and we have just barely transitioned into a big teaching phase. I'm pretty sure I've taught more lessons in these past 2 weeks than I've taught in my entire mission. But I know I'm needed somewhere else, so no worries.
New experiences, new people, and new friends.

I know the map is blurry. Kofu Ward is the large purple area of the Machida Japan Stake.

We had a really funny experience this past week, we have a less active member we've been working with and we usually go hang out with him at his apartment twice a week and go out to eat every once in a while. He's still such a solid member with a great testimony, but he's got a crazy work schedule so coming to church has been a bit difficult. But the past few times we've gone over he's just been chilling in a t-shirt and some really short briefs. We just figured he'd gotten really comfortable with us and it didn't faze us too much. But this last time he's chilling there in his briefs, and in the middle of our deep discussion about Faith, he notices a pair of sweatpants on the floor.
He looks down at his bare legs and suddenly freaks out. I think that's the first time I've ever heard, " I'm not wearing any pants." in Japanese. He hurried and grab the pants and was putting them on, all the while freaking out, jumping up and down, and telling us, " I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" And, "Don't look! Don't look!" He then sat back down after getting dressed and apologized for interrupting the discussion; all the while Elder Harrison and I were sprawled out on the floor, in tears laughing.

Thanks for everything!

Love,
Elder Cuff

The Majima family and their exchange student Caleb

Sweet view of some rice fields while biking to visit a member.