Japan....Week 3!

Greetings from むきむきちゃん！(Muki Muki Chan) 

Week has been rough but good. We had President Ringwood, The area seventy, came and spoke to the mission. THAT was really good. i learned a lot from that conference about my purpose, and how to be a better person. President Ringwood is a BEAST. Following the conference, i left home with Elder Steers instead of Elder Scowcroft. We went on companionship exchanges! THAT was amazing lemme tell ya!! Elder Steers is a freakin Beast, i learned so much from him during that exchange. hes like 5 years older than me, so he’s like a brother to me! haha He’s really helped change my perspective on a lot of things. i'm grateful for him!

The next morning we were taken to a tabehodai restaurant! (all you can eat) THAT WAS HEAVEN. You basically grab a tray and load up with raw meet sushi and basically whatever you want, you bring it back to your table and cook it on your own table! I wish i had a picture to share, but i forgot my camera. Next time!

Had a few good lessons right there on the street and just talking to people in general, i accidentally asked a guy to marry me.... HA he gave us a vegetable that he grew and i wanted to give him some cookies that we had, and i said kekkon shite moii desu ka? ( may we get married ) instead of kokan shite moii desu ka? ( may we exchange ). hahaha there’s a little taste of how hard Japanese is...i’m workin on it though! Lol

Finally got some new pants too after ripping my other ones.:) The only poopy part of the week is, i may have caught the stomach flu, i got it yesterday after church…and lets just say i lost like 10 lbs over night!! keep me in your prayers because i need to get back out and work!

Spiritual message of the week, (for your seminary kids too, mom)

Read about Oliver Granger in section 117 in d & c, he was one of the people who stayed back and helped take care of the people as the saints left for Utah. Because of him and the things he did, his name was remembered from generation to generation. EVERYONE can be that person, as they share missionary work, their testimony can hit someone who needs it and change them forever, for eternity! That’s what happened to destiny as i opened my mouth. We don’t have to be full time missionaries to share. Be a light to those around you and you will bless them by your example, let others remember your name from generation to generation like my boy Olly Granger. It can be scary to do so, but just remember that we all covenanted to bear witness of Christ at ALL times and in ALL places. Nothing is wrong with trying! I stress it a lot because this is important! Don’t you want your buddies chillin and partying in the celestial kingdom with you? i know i do!! So Do it! Do it for their sake, but also do it for the lord and you will find so much joy and happiness, i testify of that

Everyone please write me! I’d love to hear from you all. I love you! and until next week!

  

Elder Jacob Preciado

プレ氏アド長老

I cooked the Squid not the sushi!...I’m not THAT good.... yet.:)

Week 2 down...

Good Week!

MAN.... Its already Pday? I swear I  just talked to you guys yesterday!! Anyways! good week!  We had a lot of great lessons!

First off, i ripped my favorite pants while riding my bike.... too bad Grandma isn’t here to fix em like she always does..haha Met some potential investigators this week too! After church yesterday we were asked by the branch president to hand out our halloween party fliers and the branch missionary was there with us ( he’s like 50-60s) and they always talk about having good missionaries who are diligent and hard working, so i didn’t want to fail him and i was forced into to talking to everyone in sight despite how bad my Japanese is! I did really well and he really likes me and elder scowcroft now! Sunday was awesome because we also had a lesson with Mr girlfriend guy (we are not supposed to share actual names of investigators for special purposes so names may be funny and weird). the lesson went well and we are hoping his girlfriend wants to continue to meet with us too. she thinks elder scowcroft and i are really attractive americans haha. he’s a man in his 60s and really wants to be like me for some reason, meaning wants to say NO to smoking and what not. A really good guy and has a good desire hopefully he will be baptized soon!

we taught “Harry” this week as well. a man who’s fluent in english (thank the lord) and the lesson went really good. he holds a book club and LOVES books so i was like Hey! I have got a blue book right here for you, read it  and be baptized! haha he’s also a really good guy!

We pulled weeds for four hours on saturday cleaning up the church and what not and a member saw us and brought us McDonalds and KFC. YES, that’s HUGE in Japan haha.

Been getting really good at cooking too, (thanks mom) and things have just been great! been having some crazy good food too. Nato was the winner of this week’s craziest food.,,,, fermented soy beans, basically rotten beans in snot. gross right? Turns out its somewhat good, and EXTREMELY good for you. I had okonomiyaki which is amazing. and some dango! dango is delicious its a really soft chewy dough like treat with different types and flavors. BOMB!

love you all, just been working hard, relying on the lord and letting him guide me through this amazing experience.

Quote for this week...”Remember, nobody wants to be a squidward”. ( Mom share that with your seminary kids as they go to school)

. BTW!! our mission will be getting ipads very soon for facebook and teaching and what not. they say its like 40,000 yen ($400 us) so maybe people could help donate in the coming months so i can get one to use? They don’t have to, the mission just told us to ask others first I guess.

Be sure to read in Ether Chapter 12, its about faith, and think of ways you can better yourself and apply the teachings in your own life.  ALWAYS have faith!

Love you all!

プレ詩アド長老

Elder Preciado

This is Dango! Love these!

Teaching my companion how to cook! :) Thx mom!

Greetings from 1st week in Japan!

Greetings from the land of the rising sun!!

My oh my everything has just been dandy here let me tell ya. started off my first few days at the mission home meeting President and Sister Welch. They're awesome :) First night was good, walked into the apartment at the mission home and saw a futon on the floor, Elder Stirling, the AP said welcome to 2 years of back problems! haha whatever it wasn't bad, only bad part waasss a FAT cockroach was found on one of em. yeah im gonna die. oh and there are spiders here the size of your palm. so ill die some more. next morning, we woke up and ran up a mountain to where we did a dance in the park with a ton of old people haha. after that we sprinted down the streets and running down the mountain and during that i remember thinking, i'm just frolicking down the streets of japan running at high speeds! god is good! hahaha

I have been assigned to serve in the city of Hashimoto which is about 2 hours away from Kobe. My Trainer is Elder Scowcroft from New York, really cool guy, i guess he is really impressed with how prepared i am? haha had a recent convert lesson that first night. took 3 trains to get there, trains everywhere i've ridden more trains that day than i have my whole life haha. anyways the lesson was good, i was able to testify of the atonement in japanese perfectly. they were impressed! i still have a LONG ways to go. Next day we taught Panchhi San, a man who loves indian culture and has an indo curry restaurant. we traveled to his place and taught him during break in the restaurant. Lesson went really good, he could potentially be our first baptism in our area. We had Dinner at the branch presidents house which was nice, they felt like they had to keep feeding me which was really funny but i wasn't that hungry. Food has been great of course, lots of rice, and Nashi! Nashi is a Japanese pear, superdelicious. The weather is warm, its starting to not get as humid and that's when the cold weather will start to come, buildings are just like any others haha, but some houses are built the traditional way and they are sick! mountains everywhere, after all, japan practically is a mountain

We had church that next day, oh man...... hhahaha ohhh man. ill never forget this day. I was asked to bear my testimony in front of everyone so i got up and told everyone i was 18, got to japan five days ago and that my Japanese isn't the best and to bear with me. i began speaking about myself a little bit, and wanted to end with saying, i'm very excited. the term for excited is waku waku, but instead i said, muki muki, so what i really said was, i am very buff. EVERYONE started busting up and i got really red and embarrassed, Whatever! everyone loves me now because i was able to give em a good laugh, especially a little old Japanese Lady that wouldn't stop feeling my arms and kept telling everyone else to feel my arms. pretty weird but funny, its been a good first week!  Well, onto another awesome week here in japan! :)

Love you all!
あいしてます

Elder Jacob Preciado

President and sister Welch

Elder Scowcroft from NY

Serving in Hashimoto

 i had a choice of what sheets i wanted, blue, green, polka dots, but nahh. i chose the cats haha

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You know how I love spiders! NOT!!!

Week 8 - Last week here!!!

Ayeeee wassup!!

Good yet rough week. first off, im extremely sick, like a horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE cold. sounds like im a pansy but for reals though it sucks. Jesus Christ knows my pain, he knows wassup. Despite the really bad sickness, ive been persevering and working hard, still teaching lessons, still learning in class, still feeling the spirit. they keep telling me to rest and take care of myself. which is partially true...BUT im here because i decided to serve! i need to learn and soak up all i can before i head out to JAPAN ON MONDAY (wait what). Japanese improves every week. lesson qualities improve every week as well. Still the same weekly report here at the MTC so dont expect anything super exciting. WAIT until NEXT WEEK! Thats where the real fun begins! I can’t tell you all how excited i am to go!  

I got to see my old buddy Josh Child from Oak Ridge Ward!!! oh my gosh that was so awesome hes doing so good! makes me happy! Also saw my buddy Sam Sedgwick from Japanese Class! i had no idea he even left on a mission till he showed up in the doorway of my classroom! so that was really fun this week!

Had a skype session again last night with Taguchi San. From CHINO HILLS. he knows wassup everyone back home go hit him up, most beast 60 year old man who just hiked Mt. Whitney last week. really cool really faithful member. he wants to meet me in corona after the mission!

Just countin down the days now, thanks to everyone who has been a support to me on my mission and all the love you've shown! really keeps me going! but i wouldn’t be able to do it without our heavenly father and our savior. i love them so much. 

Keep me in prayers and pray that i get over this sickness before i leave!

Time is going SO FAST ITS SCARING ME, im so pumped mom im so ready to preach the gospel. i went and bought books of Mormon at the book store because best believe im sharing the gospel in the airport!!!!

 everyone always tells me, you will not get much baptisms in japan. i Hate that, i take it to heart because really what theyre saying is, you cant do it,you are not capable. I will make it what i make of  it, i determine the outcome through the help of the lord, i fear no man, and i WILL baptize many, even though number doesnt matter. Im doing it for the lord

As members, we have a job to do. We must assist the lord and the missionaries in finding his lost sheep. Member Missionary Work is important! dont be afraid to open up your mouth and preach the gospel. At Baptism, we all made a covenant with our heavenly father that we will testify of him, live faithfully to his commandments and teachings, and endure to the end. Once someone is baptized, you are not done, we must continue to teach them and guide them and help them live up to their covenants. Dont forget about the recent converts in your wards, as solid as we may think they be, they may not be, thats why its important to keep going, and endure to the end! Saigo Made Taeshinobu! 

So long as you remember these teachings, you will be okay. tell your seminary class, that I specifically challenge  them to become missionaries NOW! They will be blessed like I am-I promise.

Tell them work hard, preach the gospel! i love you all! And good luck in teaching tomorrow mom and share these scriptures with them.

Isaiah 41:13

 13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Matthew 10:16-20

 16 ¶Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

 18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

 19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

but i gotta go momma, share that scripture, and dont be afraid to share the gospel everyone,  im out here on the front lines preaching to the world, back home, you have a work to do as well. have faith, trust in the lord, and you will be phenomenal. i love and miss you! 

Your favorite Elder, 

Elder Preciado

*Jilian & jake!!! YESSSSS!! So Sick!!!! tell them to name him jake if its a boy :)

  

 

some more pics..and video is pday fun! hahaha

 Second Counselor in our Branch Presidency, Brother Kezerian. It was the last day i saw him before i leave!

 A drawing i drew this week

 My Homie Elder Nagano chilling at lunch 

 , and Elder Sam Sedgwick!