Fermented Soy Beans, Portuguese Bean, and and Green Beans (a.k.a. America and Canada's Birthdays)

Random note, my bean doesn't like fermented soybeans all that much but
I guess they are just Nato for him.  He also doesn't like boring
P-days so we went and ate at an all we can eat place today.  Sadly, I
forgot about a member dinner appointment with a recent convert in the
ward tonight so my body is going to hate me.  Whateves I guess.  He
does like finding new investigators too which has been fun.  No
appointments really since everyone is too busy or just doesn't
understand what I am saying but we have definitely added to the list
of people to make appointments with.  And I've said some really weird
stuff this week to people on the street.  I learned the five kanji
word for Independence Day and went around the street telling people
Happy Fourth of July!  My bean wanted to tell people more about Joseph
Smith so then I segwayed into religious freedom and Joseph Smith.  I
told a guy that he wasn't Buddhist, I'm not Christian but we are just
all children of God.  A guy told me he won't give me his number
because we aren't friends so I told him to come to church so we could
be friends.  I'm kind of going crazy as senpai if you couldn't already
tell.

Fourth of July was pretty fun.  I wore a red tie with a white shirt
and blue pants.  It was pretty badly matched and you could have
definitely put me on "What Not To Wear" but it was worth it to show my
patriotism.  It was my only Fourth of July in Japan since the last one
I was in the MTC but I enjoyed it. It was weird being the only
American but I think I was obnoxious enough about it when I told
everyone on the street I was happy today because of it being the
Fourth and playing the national anthem on my IPad at night in the
apartment as I stood up with my hand over my heart because I have the
LDS hymnbook app.

Being Patriotic in Japan

This week's spiritual thought is never lose faith, even when you can't
see the end.  We found a guy on the street and swapped numbers.  Elder
Silva was so happy and he bought me dinner that night to celebrate.
So then I call several times throughout the week but it doesn't even
go to an answering machine so I lose hope and figure he gave us the
wrong number.  Then last night, HE CALLS US!  That humbled me a little
bit...  Life is like the terribly confusing streets of Numazu, with
very few checkpoints and so many intersecting small roads without
names.  I ride down streets only knowing a general direction towards
the place where I am wanting to go.  On these streets, I get unsure if
I am going the right way, so I keep on going anyways.  Eventually I
get to a road I know and can find people, the church, or my apartment.
So a lot of times in life, we have to ride down unfamiliar roads and
make choices on our own without knowing the whole picture.  We keep
going and trying our best, and we will eventually run into a familiar
road or into a faraway place which tells us to turn back.  God knows
the road map and we can always ask for directions too.  Just remember
to follow his traffic laws and he will protect you.  I haven't failed
to get back to the apartment so neither will we fail to get back to
our Father in Heaven if we try our best!  You'll always find your way
back home!  Keep pedaling and everyone have a great week!  

Love you!