Week 37:

Hey there folks and fam, and howdy!

PS I totally forgot to tell you like the biggest thing is mission history that happened recently. Haha, oops. You've probably hear it from other missionaries across the Internet, but worldwide, the missionary schedule has changed drastically! Well, the Japan Sapporo Mission hasn't changed all that much.... Except now lunch is only 30 minutes... How am I supposed to prepare a three course meal with dessert for my companion to prove my undying devotion to her through service in 30 minutes?!?

Somehow, I get by.

Like I freaking made her tacos 100% from scratch 

#bestcomanionever 
#idoallthedishes 
#momintrainingamiright

Speaking of mom in training, this week our Ward Mission Leader had the sister missionaries (and only the sister missionaries. Come on, we all know elders are useless in the kitchen) help prepare the Young Single Adult Activity feast (yes, the missionaries participate in YSA activities here. Members like to throw us into anything as anti-awkward protection. Missionaries are like the bridesmaids of Ward activities : we start the party.)

They asked us to bring our rice cooker. A Japanese Mormon's most fashionable accessory when traveling to a ward potluck. 

#NeverBeenMoreNative

We even got to tag along for the shopping! (Which meant we were just following him, and the new Ward Missionary who I call Sister Mysterious Yoga Babe ((because she is mysterious, does yoga, and is also a babe(((can a missionary say that? This one does))) around a Japanese grocery store on a busy Saturday, trying not to put our large, foreigner bodies in the way of any of the poor, likely shocked shoppers.)

Pictures! Blurry, but they exist! (Tried to be low key and not a creeper when I took them so be a little forgiving here!)

And then we made hand roll sushi which was delicious, and authentically Japanese but I didn't take any pictures so sorrryyyyyyyy. Lots of raw fish, delish! (it actually is, people!

And on the way home, I collected some trash, and it was pretty so I took a photo! 
(Yes we have Baskin Robbins, but that's hard to say in a Japanese accent, so they call it 31!)

Snow I snow I always talk about the snow, but that's what Asahikawa is famous for, SNOW! This week was the Winter Festival (which is such a big deal they have an INTERNATIONAL ice sculpture competition!) which wasn't on P-Day... So I saw none of it! But for preparations there were these little guys EVERYWHERE!

The cutest little army ever!

And something you must know about life in Asahikawa, for one must take heed! If you are out after 8 on a Friday night... Monsters come out! Big snow-eating monsters!!

(Another crappy picture)

But these things were HUGE!! And on most nights there are normal bulldozers riding around town. I think people own them personally...? It's pretty funny seeing the most normal looking guy in his 30's in his sweats and graphic T rolling down the street in one of those. #HokkaidoThings

And that's about everything you need to know about my life right now!

I've quite run out of time, so until next week, please remember me in Japan's Siberia!

BYE BYE!!