Slippin' and Slidin'

Well it got pretty cold this last week. Cold=ice ice=falling down on bicycles falling down on bicycles=big laughs. Yeah, there as one time that Elder Williams (my new companion from Layton Utah) and I both fell down at the exact same moment on our bikes. That was pretty awesome. Luckily we haven`t gotten hurt yet -well, at least I haven`t - he limps a little right now, but it will be okay I think. My birthday was pretty awesome - a package of fudge from my dad, a cake from sister sasaki (on of the sister missionaries serving in Kanazawa), and introducing missionary work to a great member family. What more could I ask for? Not a whole lot more, because I made some tacos this week too!

So Elder Williams is probably one of the funnest guys in the world. The first night togehter, we headed to Kanazawa University and taught quite a few good college students. A couple say we could come back - and all the long we were having a great time. He really likes Tennis and Ping-pong, although a fourteen-year-old member kid worked him over this last weekend (it was pretty entertaining).

As a mission, we`re taking a new focus of not just going outside and knocking doors all day long, but really meeting with the members and using their friends as a way to find people interested in learning about the restored gospel. It`s not really anything new - but it is a challenge to really impliment - especailly when people are so busy. Tomorrow Elder Williams and I will be taking the six-hour round trip ride to Nagoya and back to be trained in zone leader council with President Traveller. That`s always the highlight of the transfer - to be taught directly form President.

One thing that has impressed me so much is how well we as missionaries are taken care of. Sure, there`s always a couple stories that one hears about missionaries getting hurt or killed by accidents or various things, but I would guess that the percentage is much lower than any other random group of 50,000 young people. Through how much we travel around (I`m getting close to 8000 kilometers on my bike) we really do have a blessing of safety. Maybe that`s what life is liek with the gospel - a crazy hard rollar-caoster of hills and mountains - but all along there is safety and peace that in the end we`ll make it home. We`re travellers, in many senses of that word - but having His angels around us to guide and protect brings a sense of serenity.

I love you all and hope that your travels will be in safety as well.

Faithfully yours,

Elder Alexander Todd Fuller
Japan Nagoya Mission
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints