Happy First Anniversary!

I can't believe it!!!! Dallin & Jaclyn celebrated their first anniversary on the 26th! It has been the fastest year ever! I pray that the years are kind to them and that every year is the best year yet! We love you both so much! Happy Anniversary!

Happy Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving we went to the Jenkins/Monroe side to celebrate. It was so great seeing cousins, Aunts and Uncles that I have not seen in a while. It was so wonderful having so many there. All of moms sisters and her brother were there, which is a blessing considering many have been sick recently. What a great family to come from. I am sure that Grandpa and Grandma, Uncles Norman and Gilbert, other aunts, uncles and cousins were all smiling down on us as we all laughed and caught up on our lives with eachother. What a truly blessed Thanksgiving it was.

Another day of service

Hello everyone! As usual it sounds like things are just a going along back home. I will just go ahead and throw this out there at the beginning, the idea of Abby dating an RM is just what you would say in Japanese as "kimochi warui." I can't even believe my little sister is so grown up!! Thanksgiving sounds like it was great. We didn't do anything for Thanksgiving, we just worked through the day and I only remembered it because of this email!! Dallin and Jaclyn hit a one year mark, that is just crazy fast. Christmas tree...that one might be hard Mom, I don't know where I could find one! I looked for your Nativity scene and asked tons of people but I don't think they even have a normal Nativity scene in this country. I am trying to get stuff for christmas but there is just no time! We have to go up to Sendai again this week so my email will be short because we have to catch a 5 hour bus! Way funny story about the runway at Carolina Mall. You and Zach are right, I am pretty sure that I would have walked down it. ;) Things here are going pretty good. The work picked up just a tiny tiny bit this week. We didn't really, well, we are still just rocking the pavement searching all the time and it is pretty tiring, but we saw a lot of small miracles that just keep us knowing that something will happen. I am sitting here right now and just trying to think of something interesting to write. We worked really hard this week but it was all just pretty much the same old, well, you know, just doing the work. It hailed this week. I will tell you what, riding a bike in the freezing cold with hail falling is not safe or fun. I am way way excited to see a picture of Marissa's hair! I always always told her that she looked so beautiful in her senior photo where her hair was shorter! I can 110% guraentee that she just looks phenominal!!! whew, it has been a really fast 2 months, but it has felt like forever since I have gotten a letter from her! Well, this email might be my shortest one yet and I am so sorry, but I have to go! I will give you guys a good one next week! I love you all. This gospel is true. I can promise that. I love you Mama, this past week in Sunday school I was asked what is the greatest comfort in the world to me and I said my Mama's hugs. :o) I love you!! Talk to you next week! Love always, Elder Page

It's getting cold in Nigata

Hello Mama,
I am not sure what it was but I really enjoyed todays email. There is just so much going on back home that is exciting!! Thanks for letting me know about my name being Matt. Just so you and Dad know, I took out probably about $150 for now to do some Christmas shopping from my personal funds. Just a heads up on the bank account!! :) I will look for a navity for you Mom. I dont know if I can promise one but I will do my best. I know Abby is stressing but she is just the greatest Mom, is there really a chance that she wont get in? Just have her send a picture with the application and if the guy that reads her application is a guy she will get in for sure. Gosh my little sister is too pretty for her own good. Great to hear about Grandma doing better. I am glad to hear what you had to say about dating when I get home. It is reassuring to have your Mothers support. It just feels right if Mom says its right. :)
Wow, the Guffys. It has been a long time. I had to think a little bit the remember who they were. But, dont worry, I remembered. Luke is headed to Utah, sweet. I thought he would have gone already. I heard about Katie Nanto, that is sweet, heading to Washington.
Just a couple of things. I know you are almost done with my package, but if you had some more room in there, I thought today that Some nice maple brown sugar oatmeal would be nice. Dont really have that here. Also, some Christmas music like Josh Groban Christmas or Motab is alright to listen to. Also Mom, if you can email me how you make your homemade pizza. Everybody wants me to make American pizza but you know me, I don:t know how!!! ;)
Something cool that happend this week was that I got a letter from Sapporo. A woman named Yuzuka, I am sure I mentioned her in one of my first emails back in May or April, I taught her a lot in Sapporo. Well, I got a letter this week telling me that she had FINALLY gotten baptised!! I was so shocked but so excited because we had worked so hard with her! So that was a great experience.
My son is great! He is just growing up so fast! hahaha Elder Sanders really is the greatest. He makes me laugh all the time and just works really hard. The work still really hasnt taken off yet, still kind of hitting nothing but the pavement everyday, but it will get better. I like life as a trainer way better than Zone Leader! I am not nearly as busy! All I have to worry about is my son and my area! I love it!! Also, Elder Sanders cut my hair for me today and it looks pretty good! The weather here is way terrible. It rains almost every day and it is so so so cold. Niigata is know for its winters, the worst winters in Japan. Awesome huh. Everyday rain and sleet and just pure joy!! It will make for a fun winter. Well, I dont have a lot of time left, but I want to end with my testimony. I had an experience this week with Elder Sanders that made me think. Several years ago Elder Anderson gave a talk called "You Know Enough" or something like that. I dont even remember it that well, but this week Elder Sanders said something that made me think about the title. He was having a hard day and he said that he didnt really know a lot about the Gospel because he is a convert. All I said to him was "Dont worry, you know enough. I promise you know enough." Sometimes we may not know all the answers in life. Sometimes things will happen that make you unsure if you can. But what I have learned is that if you have a testimony in your heart of the Savior Jesus Christs Atonement, you know enough. Our faith in Christ is enough for us to do anything. Having crazy Dad like scripture knowledge is important and to learn is vital, but If you feel the truth in your heart, it is enough. Hold to that truth in your heart when the winds blow and it will be enough.
I love you Mom, and I love you all. Have a wonderful week!!! From your Son who is gradually becoming odd because of Japanese culture,
much love,
Elder Zachary Taylor Page :o)

Things are going well with Elder Page

Hello Everybody!!!
So today I dont have a lot of time to email. We have service up in Sendai tomorrow and so we have to hope on a 5 hour bus in the next little bit here. I will try to get in all that I can though. Things are going really really great!!! I love being a trainer! His name is Elder Sanders and he is from Spokane Washington. He is really tall and 22 years old and just a way studly looking guy. He has a pretty long story but he is a convert to the church of about two years ago! He has a strong testimony and a great desire to serve the Lord. He is still learning a lot but is making way fast progress. It is kind of funny to think that that was me just 8 months ago! It always brings me a smile to think about how terrible I must have been at Japanese. :o) The language is hard for him but I make sure that it doesnt get him down too much. He really is a great guy and I am so happy to be companions with someone so willing to work. The work is hard right now because we just white-washed in with nothing really to work with. But, there is a good feel about it and things will pick up pretty quick I think. The branch here is about 50 people so it is pretty big comparitively. I was asked to bless the sacrament yesterday which was, surprisingly enough, the first time I have blessed the Sacrament in Japanese. It was a pretty cool experience as I felt the power of that Sacrament prayer in another language. It just brought chills to my spine. :o) Something else interesting that happend this week was that I ripped my pants a little bit!! Mama, you would have been so proud of me because I whipped out the sewing kit for the first time on my mission!! I am pretty sure I messed up somewhere but the whole is fixed and my pants are holding together!!! :o) Speaking of pants, that is something I wouldnt mind for christmas. another pair of black slacks would be nice. Just like the calvin cline ones you got me before. They are just more fitting and less bagy and I have definitely come to like that way more. I have lost some weight recently so hopefully as it gets colder, and therefore the covers get harder to throw off, I can keep up the excersize. Oh Marissa...its a little tough not getting anything from her Mom. I just have no idea what is going on in her life and stuff so it just makes me sigh sometimes. Mom, make sure she is making time to have fun and date people please. I just dont want her to regret anything. Congrats to Tory on the Eagle; of course Abigal looks beautiful, its abby; great to hear grandma is out of the hospital and I am glad my letter made her laugh. Things are going good Mom. I am good. I am a little scared at how fast this is all going. I am going to hit a year in 2 seconds. I have fallen in love with this county and this work and the members. Leaving my last area a couple members came to see me off at the bus stop and they all started crying. Whew, tough sometimes. Well, thats all the time I have for today. I love you to death Mama. I have a dream about just cuddling up by the fire talking to you last night. We were laughing about Dad. haha Tell everybody i said hey and that I love them and that I think of them often. I really am starting to believe I will be home before I know it. Its way fast. I love you Mom, talk to you next week!!
Love your Son,
Elder Zachary Taylor Page

Happy 85th Birthday Mom!

Mom, I can not believe that you are 85, I am so happy that I got your genes...hopefully I will look younger than I am for the rest of my life ;) You are the best Mom, just want you to know that I love you soooo much and I wish you the best birthday ever. I know it is not how you wanted to spend your birthday, but you just work on getting better and we will celebrate at a later date....PROMISE!
Thanks for being the best mom ever! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I LOVE YOU!

Elder Page is getting transfered to Niigata...

Hello Mom and Everyone!!!
Well it is that time again! Another transfer gone and this time I am not making it through untouched. I am getting transfered. I will get to that after I reply a little to your email. I have been thinking about Grandma. I had a wonderful experience this week, a tender mercey from the Lord. I was thinking about Grandma when I felt prompted very quietly to ask one of the Sister missionaries about how her family was. I followed and asked. She then went on to tell me that in that very moment that I asked her she was worrying about her own grandma because she was in the hospital. We were able to talk and pray together for our grandmothers and it was a blessing to me. Another strength to my testimony of following the guidance of the Spirit, even when the promptings are small and simple.
I love hearing about Tommy and how much he is growing. I feel the spirit swell up in my chest every time I hear about his zeal for the gospel and his desire to serve. I know he can provide service in this work somehow. I hope Dad and President Baker can figure it out.
They have a holiday here called Gratitude Day and it is the day before Thanksgiving. I don't know what they do, but I doubt we will be getting a big ole' Mashed potatoes and Turkey dinner! :o)
I have lost about 10 pounds in the past couple weeks! I have been working out a lot better and I am getting back to the old me. I actually have been thinking a lot about how much I miss soccer and how I want it to be a part of my life while I can. I am pretty sure that I am going to do all I can to give BYU soccer a run when I get home. I will have to work hard to stay in shape and I don't know how I would do it, but for now I am going to do it.
Anyways, so, The news from my end of the tunnel. I am transfering!! Pretty crazy. I have been here in Kamisugi since June, about five or six months! I will be going to a city called Niigata. It is in the southwest part of the mission, and the 2nd biggest city in the mission. I have been relieved of my Zone Leader responsibilities! President called me this morning and asked me to become a Trainer. So, on Wednesday I will be going with my new missionary down to Niigata(5hours bus ride) and whitewashing the area!! :o) I am pretty excited about it all, but it just feels weird. I have just been here for so long and gotten to know everyone so well. On Sunday everybody at church was telling me how much they didn't want me to go. From the oldest grandpa to the little primary kids, everybody was praying that I wouldn't get transfered. It is so sad when you do your best in an area and just fall in love with it and then have to leave. Mom, the longer I am here, the more my desire to come back grows. I just can't imagine not being with these people again. haha One really funny story. Takeshi, my very first investigator who accepted the gospel and was baptized, he told me on Sunday something really funny. The translation is funny but this is what he said, "In order for the members of the Kamisugi Ward to recieve salvation, you have to stay here." hahaha He loves me a little to much. ;o) It is really sad, but I have already started packing my bags and am getting ready to go. It will be way different. No splits every week, no trainings, so meetings to travel to, just me and my "bean chan." That is what the new missionaries are called. It has been a transfer of learning for me. I have spent a lot of time studying and even more time on my knees, but all things have come together for my good. I know, even more than I did six weeks ago, that this church, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is real. It is true. It is something that can be carved into your heart through the trail of faith. The Lord will always be by our side. I know it. It will be a busy week getting settled in with my new missionary, but from here on out, I should be a little less busy. :o) Do you hear that Marissa?!?! I think I can do a little better with making you smile for a little while here. :o) I miss you all. I love you all. I pray for and think of you often. Lets just be honest to Mom, I want a letter from Matt!!! I want to here from him about everything! I love you Mama, have a great week.
Love always,
Elder Zachary Taylor Page

Our Abigail

I thought I would do a little spot light on Abby today. I have watched her over the last few weeks, do nothing but homework, and realized that she has missed out on some really great family time because of it. Abby is a great student of learning. She really does enjoy school, but some days I am very tempted to tell her to put down the books andgo have some fun. I have to admit I will be very happy when this semester of school is over for her, having two englishes classes is about to do her in. She will be graduating this year, another senior. We are going to miss having her around next summer, but I know, if she gets into BYU she will be living her dream,and that makes me very happy. I am going to miss my girl. I really don't think that I can prepare myself for that day, just saying! I may just have to make a few trips to Utah next year to see her and Matt. I am so glad that her big brother will be out there with her to show her the ropes. I love you Abigail and I am so proud of the young woman that you are becoming.

A night at the Temple

Elder Zachary Page just trucking along...

Hello Everybody!
Once again it sounds like you guys had a pretty busy week! People giving talks, Dad doing his thing and punching everybody with the spirit, Missionaries doing good, engagements ending and more missionaries going, Halloween, Portugese, and openhouses!!! Geez I feel bad when I write because I feel like I have nothing interesting to say!!
Typical Marissa to just be dang amazing and do something like send you cookies right? :oD
By the way, I got your package!! Thank you so much!! I have been giving a lot of the Warheads away for three reasons, one is because I am trying to get back into pre-mission shape, two I am trying to be more charitable in all that I do, and three, Japanese people have no idea what hits them when they pop a Warhead in their mouth!!! It is pretty funny...probably a thing you have to see to think is funny I guess. :)
But yes, Yesterday I decided that I am pathetically out of shape. So a lady in my Ward, her name is Sister Yoshida. She is a about a 38 year old single woman that loves to try and flirt with the American missionaries. Yesterday at church she taught me a knew word she learned in English..."six-pack." Then she asked me if I had one...I was so ashamed at my former abs, now mission-baby, that I decided right then that I am getting back into shape.
That was super cool to hear about Dad teaching in Portugese. I hope that I can do that when I get back. I have been falling in love with this language. It is kind of a cool feeling to be pretty much fluent in another language. :o) I am definitely think I want to use Japanese in my Job one day.
I am thinking and praying for Grandma. Tell her I love her for me mom and that I am thinking of her.
So other than a firm conviction about excersize, I am just trucking along. Had another busy week last week I travelded out of my area three times this week so it was more than enough to keep me busy. Something kind of interesting is this Japanese band called Bless4 came and did a fireside here yesterday. They are 4 siblings and they sing in English and Japanese. I actually way like them. You should look them up on Itunes and see if you can find any of there stuff. We got to talk to them and stuff because they are my age. That was pretty cool. Things are about the same as they have been all transfer, but I recieved a ton of strength and support this past week. I could feel my Savior stronger than ever. Thank you for all of your prayers and thoughts. They do help, I can promise you that. I wish we were teaching some people who were progressing, but it is a little hard right now and we don't have any investigators. We are working hard to find someone though and it will pick up soon I think. There is one funny story...I guess it is kind of funny. Well, it isn't very funny but it is a story. So because my Japanese is pretty dec, everywhere I go I get assigned to translate. On sunday, there were three Americans that aren't members at church. They had come to volunteer and so a member came up to me, gave me a squashed Baby Ruth bar and asked me to translate for them. One of the talks started talking about what he was learning in his physics class...it was fun. By the end of that sacrament meeting I was more tired then when I walked in. hahahaha :o) I love this work. The more I am working and the longer I am here, the more I fall in love with the badge.
Still trying to figure out why the Lord had to assign me all over the world before getting me here, but I am doing my best to serve him. This gospel is true. I know it. We can't do much on our own, but with Father and our Brother Jesus Christ by our sides, our burden is made light. If we come unto him, he will take our burden and his yoke is easy. I love you all so much. Next week is transfers so I will be emailing a different day I think. I might transfer. I have been in Kamisugi since May. I love it here and dont want to leave, but if I get transfered I think I will be ok with a new comp and new area and less travel. :o) Have a great week!!!
Love always,
Elder Zachary Taylor Page