The mission is still AWESOME!

Hello Everyone!!
The mission is still awesome!! Haha. It was so hard to leave Iwaki, but Tagajo is legit! Iwaki will always have a special place in my heart. The people have changed my life for the better. I never thought I would grow to love them as much as I did! It was just like saying good bye to family. They were so good to me and mean the world to me. I do love Tagajo though! It is a really nice area. It`s only like 20 minutes of of the city of Sendai by train. While I was in Iwaki we rode buses everywhere, but here we will be riding trains. Tagajo is really nice. I think everyone works in Sendai, but lives in Tagajo. Haha. It doesn`t really have a main city street like Iwaki does, but I think it might be a little bit more of a classy area. Our apartment is so nice!! And big! Haha. That`s probably a good thing though cause my comp`s 6`7"! Haha he`s a big dude. When we talk to people on the street I look at everyone driving by and they all just stare at him haha. For the Japanese, He`s definitely from another world! Ha. I really like him though. So far things have been going really well. He likes to cook and keep things clean so I have no problem with that! :). Our apartment is really close to the train tracks so when the trains go by it reminds me of the train ride at Disneyland! Ha.
Tagajo is a ward, but it`s not much bigger than the Iwaki branch. They do have a good organist so I`m not sure if I`ll have the chance to play or not. They are all so nice though! Right now I`m just trying to remember everybody`s names! Ha. There is a really cool kid named Jun who just got back from the Nagoya Mission. He`s gonna be a huge help and I already love him!
Tomorrow we have District Meeting and Specialized Training. Specialized Training is done by President, the AP`s, and the Zone Leaders, but District Meeting is my job. Ugh! Ha. My first D.M. and everyone`s gonna be there! Haha. Oh well. Our District is way cool. We have 8 people in our district which equals the biggest district in the mission. It makes the mission a little different now that I actually have some responsibility! Ha.
There isn`t email in Tagajo, so we have to come to Sendai to do it. I love the city though so that`s not a prob! ;) The mission is still great. Even though I`m in a new area and things have changed up a bit, I`m still doing the same work. Heavenly Father is still there for me. The church is as true in Tagajo as it is in Iwaki! Ha. I love the gospel. I love the Book of Mormon. There is such power in it and we can obtain that power through reading it everyday. We are so blessed to have these things in our lives. May we not forget how blessed we are and continue to do the small and simple things that will one day give us the greatest reward. I love you all! Thanks for everything. Take Care.
Elder Ovard

                                                    Blake and Elder Swenson in Tagajo

Farewell message from Sister Imamiya on Facebook

Sister Hiroko Imamiya sent me this message along with a lot of pictures.  I wish I could put them on the blog but they don't look very good when I move them over.  She took pictures of their last day and the move with the Elders on the bus.  They are so wonderful.  She seems to know what a mother needs.  Elder Ovard was so spoiled in his first area.  They are great examples of member missionaries.  We all Love them so much and will miss them.  FOREVER FRIENDS!

Sister Ovard,
It's raining outside in Iwaki.I feel like that someone is crying for grief.
Today Elder Ovard and Elder Mitsuda left Iwaki for Tagajo and Aomori at 9:30a.m. The church members and two investigators saw them off at the bus stop.We took pictures of missionaries and really were very sad that they left us.
Elder Ovard and Elder Mitsuda are great missionaries!!! I think that they will help many church members and many investigators who really need God's love in Tagajo and Aomori.They are waitting for Elder Ovard and Elder Mitsuda. And Missionaries will have a wonderful time with them there.
We really had a great time with Elder Ovard and Elder Mitsuda in Iwaki.I'm always grateful to you and your family. I'm so glad that we are forever friends!!!One day I'd like to Utah.Please come to Iwaki.
Oh!Elder Ovard made a short speech in Japanese in English Class yesterday.His talk and japanese moved us deeply.
Let's keep in touch!
Sincerely,

Hiroko

Transfer day!!! Look out Tagajo

Today was transfer calls and we defintely have some transfering going on. Mitsuda Choro is heading up to Aomori to become Zone Leader... and I`m heading up to Tagajo!! Wow we were both so surprised. Tagajo is part of Sendai. I`ve heard a lot of good things about it. My new comp will be Elder Swenson. His nickname is The Beast!! Haha. He`s like 6`6". From what I hear, he`s a little hard to get a long with. So I might have my work cut out for me! Haha. He is an older missionary and only has a couple transfers left, but I will be co-senior with him. And I will also become District Leader. AAAHHH!!!!! I was so surprised when President told me that. He also said that my entire district is Japanese missionaries except for my comp and I. So I definitely have my work cut out for me!! Haha I gotta get studyin up on that Japanese!! So I`m a pretty nervous right now.
I`m so sad to be leaving Iwaki. It really is the best area in the mission. The members have become my family. They have all been so good to me. Today when we called Sister Keiko to tell her about transfers, she started crying. That was so hard. She has become my mom in Japan. I am so grateful for all the members here and for all they have done for me. They have been the best examples of the Savior that I could have asked for. I want to be like them.
We did have an awesome week here. We met up with Yasushi-San, a new investigator, and got him a baptismal date!!! He is so good. It is amazing to see the change the gospel can make in the lives and hearts of people. He is such an amazing man. All he wants to do is follow Christ and do good. So it will be hard to leave him behind. This is the Lord`s work though and He will take care of His son.
My testimony has grown so much this past week. I have felt my Heavenly Fathers love more than I can explain. As nervous as I am with these transfers, I am confident that Heavenly Father will provide a way. It might not be easy, but it`s what he wants me to do. I am so grateful to be a missionary. There is no greater happiness than the blessings of the gospel. I love you all and am so grateful for all your love, support, and prayers. Take Care!!!
Elder Ovard

                 These people do Japanese Swordsmanship. It was way cool and way good culture.

Facebook message from Hiroko Imamiya

I didn't recieve an email this week because it is transfer week.  Blake has been in Iwaki for 3 transfers so we are wondering if he will be transfered.  This is a facebook message I recieved from Sister Imamiya this morning.  We love this sweet sister and if he is transfered we will ALL miss her!!!

Sister Ovard,
Hi!

Maybe you know his schedule about missionaries.

Elder Ovard won't be able to e-mail you on Monday because Monday isn't P.D. So I think that Elder Ovard will e-mail you on Wednesday.
Today Elder Ovard and Elder Mitsuda gave us a wonderful lesson.

I was so glad that Elder Ovard spoke Japanese fluently and his pronunciation was great.
We were talking about a transfer...

I think that missionaries will transfer when someone in other area needs them.But We need Elder Ovard and Elder Mitsuda in Iwaki.
Have a wonderful week!
Hiroko

Blakes Clarification of Speaking Fluent Japanese!!!

Hi Mom,

I told him that sister Imamiya said he speaks fluent Japanese...

So it`s been a little bit longer of a week hasn`t it. I was definitely ready for pday. It sounds like Sister Imamiya is really talking up my Japanese! Haha she`s too nice. Mom don`t get too confident or excited about it. It`s so hard!! I feel so humbled after being with the AP Kina choro the past couple days. I really feel like I didn`t know anything. I`m so nervous for a Japanese comp. Elder Kina is pretty serious though. I need to have someone who is excited and happy and fun!! That`s the kind of missionary I like to be and it`s hard to be that when the other person is so serious. There are tons of cool Japanese missionaries though. Actually, they`re all cool. It definitely would help out my Japanese to have a native comp, but I really feel like it will be so hard. Maybe it`s what I need?? I guess whatever happens will be for the best. President Tateoka is such a good guy and I know what ever he decides on will be right from the Lord.

I told him that his Uncle Lonne and Aunt Nancy have thier mission papers in....His reaction cracked me up!

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH Lonne and Nancy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahaah that`s so cool!!!!!!!!!!! haha I`m so excited for them. You will have to let me know everything. That means I`ll prob be gettin home before them huh?! Wow that`s so cool for them. I can`t see Uncle Lonne being serious enough to be a missionary! Haha I would love to be in the same mission as them. That`s great.

His good friend Zack Rogers left for Ghana, Africa this week. He had a mix up on the date and he missed his flight.  He had to fly all the way to Ghana by himself.  He was suppose to be the group leader. He did fine and made it safely.  He will have a memory for the rest of his life.

And it sounds like Rogers had quite the time huh?! Haha wow. I`m glad Hazen came and got his letter. I miss him. He`s such a good kid. I hope He`s doing ok. I think all of us prob had a pretty big impact on him so I hope all is still well.

Today is Elder Mitsuda's birthday!!!

We have such a fun day planned. We`re going to the caves with Imamiya, Keiko, and a couple other members. Imamiya and Keiko are my favorite. They are angels. I love them. I don`t really have any American food I`m absolutley craving. We eat well here. Maybe a little too well haha. I`m getting a little chubby haha. It`s not good. Don`t send too much. I do want teeth whiteners though. And pictures :)


Well, I guess there could be excting news next week, or it could all be the same. I`ll let you know!! BTW, I did get the letter you sent me with the newspaper articles and picture of Bryson and stuff. It was great. Thanks for everything mom. I love you so much and appreciate all you do. I want to send a package home soon for auzzy and his bday. I`ll do it when I get some time. Who knows when that will be though. LOVE YA!!

Meetings in Sendai

Konnichiwa!
It`s been a little while hasn`t it?! Elder Mitsuda and I have been up in Sendai the past couple days. He`s District Leader so we had to go up for Leadership Training. It`s like a 3 hour bus ride from Iwaki. We take busses everywhere we go. Sendai is so cool! I love the city haha. While he did the training I worked with one of the Assistants for a couple of days. Right now there is one Japanese Assistant, and one American. I wanted to work with both of them but I got put with the Japanese, Elder Kina, for both days. I was a little disappointed because I wanted to work with Elder Hinckley too, but that is what President Tateoka assigned. Elder Kina is a way good missionary though! I learned a lot from him, but it was definitely hard. I felt like all the Japanese I ever knew went right out the window! Ha. My head was starting to hurt from all the thinking and not really being able to understand everything haha. It was a good experience though. Transfers are next week so maybe President was just getting me ready for a Japanese comp?! Ah I`m a little nervous! I do love being at the mission home with all the Elders though. There were like 15 of us there. They are all such a strength to me.
Today is Elder Mitsuda`s birthday!! We have an awesome day planned too. We`re going with a few of the members to some caves! I`m so excited. Iwaki has the best members in the world. I love them so much. We did just get a new rule though. We now have to have joints at all lessons with females. Before we could just meet up with one of the Sisters if it was at a public place or something, but now we need to have joints so it might be a little harder to get lessons. We`re so sad about it because we love the members and now it`s not gonna be the same! :(
The church is true. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I know God lives and loves us. We are so blessed to have the gospel in our lives!! I love you all!
Elder Ovard

Facebook message from Sister Hiroko Imamiya

I love to get these facebook messages from sister Hiroko Imamiya.  She is so wonderful and Elder Ovard just loves her.  When he gets transfered I know we will ALL miss her terribly.  The members of the Iwaki branch are so helpful to the missionaries.  The missionaries credit thier success to the wonderful members of the ward.  It is fun for me to get her opinion on how well Elder Ovard is doing because he tells me he has a long way to go with the language.  The gift of tongues is a wonderful blessing. This can only happen with the help of our Heavenly Father.  He loves his missionaries.

Sister Ovard,
Last Sunday Elder Ovard made a speech in front of the church members.It was excellent!! He was amazing!!He spoke Japanese fluently.I'm so glad that Elder Ovard is making rapid progress with Japanese.I wish I could speak fluently.
Elder Ovard and Elder Mitsuda are wonderful!!!

They help the church members, the less active members and investigator wiht all their heart and mind.Thanks to Elder Ovard and Elder Mitsuda, we are very happy.
Have a wonderful Sunday,
Hiroko