Is it snowing yet? Nope just more cold rain. I check the weather report every morning, guess it will be a bit longer. Its certainly getting colder though. The problem is you open a window and find out its cold, get all dressed up for the cold, then get on your bike and start pedaling up hills and 5 minutes later you are gasping for breath and dripping sweat so you strip down to what you can, get to where you need to go, then start walking around knocking on doors and are even colder than before because of your sweat so you bundle back up until youve done the whole block, then get on your bike to move and and start the whole process over again. Hooray! Things are good, our church halloween party is this Saturday, we are all looking forward to it. Had a great adventure this morning with another missionary in my apartment we got up at 5 and hikd up the mountain by our house, it rained all last night so we were sliding around in the mud and got quite dirty, but there were some incredible views from the top, we could see all of the city and even out to the coast! In total we ended up hiking aout 8 kms this morning not bad. Me and my companion are...bearing through. This poor kid is the youngest in his family and I think he grew up never really working and getting things his way, which isnt a great attitude to have when sharing an apartment with 3 other people... or when working with Elder Jones since I dont care for this crap. Anyways, not sure how that will work out but we are trying. Well that about does it have a great week!

Elder Andrew Kade Jones

October pictures 2012

Well another week gone. Its been interesting lately. The temperature has definately dropped especially at night which is challenging when you are out from 12 to 8 straight since it drops so much. Its has been raining alot and is supposed to snow soon, Im somewhat anticipating that. There are plenty of interesting people in Japan, and you meet alot of them when your job is to stop them and talk to them all day. The other day we were walking along and tried to stop a guy to talk to him, he was older maybe 60s and short and had diamond earrings and gold jewelry, which in Japan is quite rare. I give him the usual intro and he says "I dont care to talk about Jesus, Im Yakuza!" Yakuza is the Japanese mafia, which instantly explained his style. Ive heard crazy stories about these guys, so I said "its fine, can we talk about the mafia instead?" He gave me a laugh and said "you dont want to know. Good luck kid". Well, I tried.

We also met a lot of great people with interest, which is pretty rare too, so yeah! We have been seeing some great miracles. Last week we went to the zoo which was way fun, I havent been to the zoo in forever. Today another missionary and I who get up early and work out together every day decided to run up to the top of the mountain by our apartment. You go through all these trails winding up the hill and end up on this clearing where there is a big buddhist temple. It was very quiet and peaceful, and there was a monk up there pounding a drum and singing, we ended up talking to him.

The time is flying by, Ill be here again in a week before I know it.

Elder Andrew Kade Jones

Another day, another week, another transfer, another companion, but the same great work! You gotta love this grind. Well things are good out here in Sapporo. It has been raining alot and getting pretty nippy, winter is on its way. Maybe I will put on a few winter pounds, I am down to 71 kilos (I dont know pounds anymore) and had to add a notch to my belt. I have a six pack and my quads are rock solid from biking this hills, not than anyone other than the other guys in my apartmenty see it. Speaking of apartment guys, the other companionship stayed the same, my Japanese comp transfered out and a new guy joined me. We are... very different. This transfer might be a little slow. He is a few french fries short of a happy meal and a little slower on the uptake. I also understand and speak more Japanese, so I am pretty much senior except he has been out longer. Soo, wish me luck. Things are good, looking forward to winter and my birthday.

Elder Andrew Kade Jones

Another great week has flown by! Just finished a great game of ultimate frisbee with all the missionaries, we had quite a crowd around us. Im  sure a group of white people in the park running back and forth throwing a frisbee was quite a sight. Its always fun to get together with all the other missionaries. This week we get the transfer call, my companion should be heading out since he has ben here 5 transfers, but you never know. I just hope I will remember how to get to everyones houses. The weather has been great lately, the days are warm with some rain here and there, and the nights are nice and cool. We continue to see miracles every day and the time is still flying. Have a great week!

Elder Andrew Kade Jones

Well its finally starting to cool off around here, the nights are nice and chilly which I love. All the other missionaries complain because I keep our big screen door open at night, they are just a bunch of babies, I need to toughen them up for winter anyways. I am starting to get them all to get up and running and working out, too many missionaries bum around and eat terribly and then complain about how they feel terrible and tired all the time. Maybe I can whip them all into shape. I got my first 2 companions up at 6 to run and eating brown rice and drinking protein shakes. I may not be the most spiritual, but I can be in the best shape! Nothing much has happened lately, trying to seen some miracles. It has been raining alot lately, including today, Im getting used to the Anti AZ weather. Hope you all have a great week!

Elder Andrew Kade Jones