June 23, 2008

Dear Mom,
I will definitely remember Grandpa in my prayers. That is way scary. So is he getting better or what? But, yes I will remember him and grandma.

The bike riding is getting better. My bum is so so so so sore like everyday. Supposedly I got sent to the hilliest place in the mission, so it is way fun. Actually yesterday, well first because the ward is so small here, the boundaries are so spread out and yesterday we had to ride an hour away to where there are some members out there. so that was a lot of fun. And now that it is the rainy season, it rained a lot on the way home. Ya so that was a lot of fun. I get wet a lot here. But I hear it is only for the month of June so it is will stop and then be all hot and humid, even though it is humid now. Pretty crazy. So what does Riley remember about me. I need details here and I haven`t seen any new pics of her. Send me some. And video send me some video of whats going on. I need to know what is going on at home other than emails. Well, anyway lets see here. right now the work is tough. People just don`t want to hear the message. there are the select few that do, but other than that, people just don`t want to listen. But, as my comp has said he sees that things are changing, he says there are more that listen now than he saw before. so that is very exciting, even though I have no idea what to say. Like yesterday, we went housing and this lady came to the door and I introduced who we were and what we were talking about and then I was like, "okay I have no idea what to say take over, take over." I whispered that to him. That was a very scary moment for me. But, I am getting better recognizing more what people are saying and how they say it. Now I just need to say it like them. It is way tough. But, ya this week went by way fast. I can`t believe that it is Tuesday already. It is actually my comps birthday so we are going up to some waterfalls, supposedly there are like 48 of them there so we are going up there and taking some pics. Its going to be a fun day. Oh ya about the bike thing. I had my first crash. Nothing huge I got some scrapes and bruises, but nothing bad, nothing broken. I just got a little too close to the curb. So, exciting times. Oh ya Erin has a spider story. So ask her for that. I will send pics of the spider. But, ya that is really what is going on right now. I love you mom.
Love your son,
Elder Ashmore

This is a really cool car that I saw and knew ryan would love to see, this is in Nabari while we were tracting.

Missionary Work in Nabari!!

ON the flight from USA!!!! Pretty Cool!!!

Hey All,
So this week was pretty crazy, well, I think. I am getting a little better at talking to people, well only when they come to the door. Oh ya, I never heard about the ward split I heard that it got huge and I thought that it would split but I did`t know when it would. And I didn`t

know about Brother Randall. that's cool. Well, anyways, everything is getting better. I have a little homesick this week, but it has been getting better, Andrew told me that that would come and go. I just need to focus on the work. I miss you too, but yes I am now serving the Lord and need to focus more on that than what I would be doing at home right now. So, ya this week was really busy. We go tracting a lot house by house, we teach lesson after lesson but even after the lessons the people just don`t understand what it really means and how it can really help them. It is really tough thinking about people that don`t want to know about this, when I have grown up with it and understand it and what it can do. I really can`t get over that. But, supposedly according to my companion he believes that Nabari is the place he thinks has the most potential, it is small but he thinks that when the members start to get going in the work also it will just take off. That is a lot of what we have been doing recently also is getting the ward mission plan going. I guess they haven`t had a written one for a long long time. So, that is a big focus right now. So we are really busy. I just wish I could understand what people are saying. And getting the words out. It has been tough. But ya, going to the temple every week was the thing that I missed the most about the MTC. But, when I am done here there will be a temple sot the missionaries can go. I can`t wait to be able to go the temple again. So ya that is really all that is going on right now. I am actually eating just to let you know. It is just really weird food. I have now tried, mushroom, which is good, and octopus which isn`t bad just really chewy, and some fish, which I didn`t like very much but I will need to get used to. When I get back I will be eating a lot of weird things. Well, I love you and miss you.

Love your son, brother, uncle, friend, etc.,
Elder Ashmore

Lane from Nabari!!!!

Dear Mom & Dad,

Well, she is finally here then. that's cool. I wasn`t able to see the pics though. But, man she is big. So ya, everything is going good tell everyone that or this letter will probably go on the blog so it doesn`t matter. I am trying my best here. I still have the fear of talking to people, like going up to someone and just talk to them, mostly because I will have no idea what they will be saying back to me. Its definitely a scary thought. But, ya everything is going good. I am learning as much as I can right now which isn`t very much. But, I hope I can get through it. And don`t worry about the talk, last week I had to give a talk in church, IN JUST JAPANESE!! That was tough, be thankful you can speak English. Anyways, the teaching is going great. There are some lessons we teach in English so I can understand it, but I hope that the people we are teaching can. We also teach an English class for those that want to learn English, but it is really weird cause they are all way older than me. like 50 years older than me, and I am teaching them. Its weird. But, it is fun too. Oh my goodness, guess what I tried the other day. OCTOPUS. And I have to admit it wasn`t bad, it was chewy. But it also wasn`t that good. But, ya I am trying a lot of new things. It is really weird. So I am going to be really different when I get back so beware. But, ya this week has been pretty tough for me. I have had to introduce myself a lot with pictures, cause for some reason people here love to look at pictures, but I have gotten pretty homesick. Its still really weird being here. Waking up each day and seeing that I am in Japan. Being away from home, and I mean AWAY from home. Its just really weird. But, this place does have its things about it that are way awesome. It is gorgeous. I mean wow, it is amazing here, but right now really humid. I will definitely be sweating a lot. so i will get pretty skinny pretty fast. So i will get through it pretty well. Oh ya, I didn`t tell you. My District Leader is Hancock.** I have seen him like 2 times now for district meetings, and he is still really tall, and will eat anything. That is weird.But, my comps name is Elder Bohman. He is from Alaska. He is way cool. Likes to have fun. so ya he would probably love to get a letter from you. 140 dollars?!*** what the heck was he doing. tell him to slow down. Or don`t let him drive, I would hate to hear he got in an accident. My goodness. he better get his little lead foot cut off. that's is ridiculous. Well, I need to get going we got some shopping to get done. I love you. and miss you.

Love your son,

Elder Ashmore

**Elder Hancock is a young man that was in our ward in Washington! He and Andrew took Japanese together...I believe they made a really interesting video using a barbie and ninja turtles for class...don't know what was said in the video...it was all in Japanese! So...it is pretty cool Lane gets to see someone he knows once in awhile...I think Brendan is coming home pretty soon though!

***Refers to the SPEEDING TICKET that Ryan got last month.......

Lane's first Message from JAPAN!!

Hi Everyone,
Well, yes I am in Japan and things are going great. It was weird the first day here cause like everything was backwards, well the driving and the money, and this key board is backwards, and am actually messing up more than you can see. The plane ride was amazing. It was so high up there I actually got pictures of when we were in the air so you will be able to see even thought you have probably already been on an airplane and know whats its like, but it was just cool anyways. So ya I am not in Osaka, we just had to by my bike there because where I am at it is so small there really isn`t any bike shop. I am in a city called Nabari. It is really nice because it is small. Well, small according to Japan standards. There are about 80,000 people here but supposedly that is small. Yet, there are only 27 people in the ward here so that is really small. Its really weird going from so small to so big, but it is cool. We go out a lot of try to find people but it is really hard when people don`t understand about Christ or are very into their religion. But a couple of days ago we met a woman that seemed interested so we are going back and are going to talk about a pamphlet we gave her. And hopefully this other man that has been investigating for about 20 years, so we are trying to get him to realise that what he knows about the church is all true and that he needs to be baptized. I just hope that goes well. So ya everything is going great. By the way for some reason here they don`t really do debit, the only place that i could take money out is at the bank that is pretty much the international one i guess, so everything did work out. Oh by the way, if you want to send me food and stuff there is this place my companion told me about it is theflyingpig.com or just flyingpig.com i am not sure you might have to try both, anyways, it is a costco place and you can by it there and have it sent to me, and since there is a costco here in Japan it is a little easier. SO, speaking of food if you want to send me some stuff that would be cool. Like A crud load of cereal, corn flakes, cheese dip supplies, with the chips, no bake cookies supplies with the recipe. And anything you might think of. I would love you even more if you did. So ya that is what is going on right now. Oh ya about the other thing, the bad thing, I really don`t like saying that word. Anyway, don`t worry about me, I know what the Lord wants me to do and don`t do. I will stear clear. I don`t need crap like that to make me happy, I have family for that and this gospel. That is what makes me truly happy. Well, I love you all. I need to get going we are going to do some shopping in Japan. My first time YEH!!! Wait Something else I had soup for dinner last night and guess what it had in it. Beef, onions, carrots,potato, broccoli, and mushrooms and I ate it and it was good. Just thought you might want to know. Oh ya and I tried a massive chunck of tomato, it wasn`t bad but it was good either. Well, that is my life right now. I love you all.
Love,Elder Ashmore

*Mother's note...the "bad" thing is pornography...I talked to him about it in my last email, since it is so prevalent in japan.....