Weekly iPad Mail

Yeah so we got iPads.

Aside from that, Elder Reed and I rode out to the famous Usa Shrine which I visited with Elder Malaska on New Years Day and I replicated the photo I took then only without the tens of thousands of people, and without freezing to the bone.

On Friday night we were out housing and we met a lady who had met missionaries a year ago and read a little from the Book of Mormon but didn't understand it. So we asked if we could come back Sunday night, and when we did we read Moroni's two invitations in Chapter 10 (1. read & pray to know it's true, and 2. to come unto Christ and be perfected in him) and had a spiritual little message. She said she wants to learn how to pray and accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon along with the invitation to read Enos. Her name is Yumi and we both felt super good about her so we have high hopes!

Takeda called us after almost a week of no contact and we were able to meet and have a great lesson with him, and even met his Mum - turns out they both met missionaries years ago when they lived in Tokyo, so the idea of two weird white kids in their house teaching them about Jesus Christ isn't all that strange to them. Super grateful for the missionaries who met Takeda & his Mum,Yumi, and all the other investigators I've met on my mission. No effort is wasted, something that has been flashing in my mind all week.

And here is a photo of our Basketball blokes.

Weekly Reed Choro no saisho no uketa kancho Mail

Today I will share one experience and many strange photos.

We were housing at a place we prayed about and felt good about going to, and we met a man called Suzuki who listened to us teaching him, simply, about Baptism. I asked him if he felt like this is something that could help him and he said yes. It surprised me to be honest, so I asked him again and he said yeah. So we swapped numbers and made an appointment to meet next week to teach him more! 

Elder Reed's Japanese is improving so much and he's a stellar senkyoshi. Our relationship is really good and my Japanese has improved greatly, too. Really trying to make this a 50/50 companionship and it's not all that hard to be honest, he already has way more confidence than I did when I was a bean-chan.

We haven't made much contact with Takeda for the past few days, after our lesson where we aimed to set a baptisimal date with him. He said he would think about it, and even though he understands the doctrine and applications seemingly perfectly, he isn't very confident about having to give up smoking in order to be baptised. But, he said whenever he reads the Book of Mormon, he has a feeling like he should do it, and I know that is the Spirit pointing him in the right direction. I know that God will make things right for him, and help him.

And now for the moment you've been waiting for. 

Photos should explain themselves actually. But take note of the power ring. 

Weekly Bean-chan Mail

"It's a boy!" Elder Reed from Utah, new companion and what can I say, my boy has already made me so proud. I'm training, I guess, but he's way sweet and we have a really good relationship so just hard work and miracles from here on out!

Takeda-san is our investigator who I have been mentioning these past few weeks. He's 22 and is married with a 1 year old son. Elder Mahler (previous District Leader) and I met him on companion exchanges, and we have taught him about 5 times now. We have grown really close and now we're all way good friends! We went over and helped him move some things around his house, and we invited him to conference. Before that we met and talked about some questions he had about the Word of Wisdom and Tithing, which he read about online in between our visits. He understands what we teach him really well and has really come to gain a greater understanding of why, as members of Christ's church, we do what we do and don't do what we don't do. I called Saturday morning and he said he probably can't make it, but then he called on Sunday morning like "What was it that you were inviting me to again? Is it really okay if I go?" but then he didn't turn up, so in between sessions I called like "are you coming?" and he totally forgot, so I told him we'll be over at his place soon and we'll walk with him to the Church and he was up for that, so we did, and got to Church a little bit before the last session of conference, so he got to (for the first time) meet all the members and got to know them all a little. Turns out when he was in high school, living in Tokyo, the missionaries were teaching his family! Then, today he called saying thanks, and asked if we had Church every week, saying "invite me again, ok!" So things are going really well with him. In our last lesson he accepted the invitation to be baptised, saying if he can really come to know it's true, then he will.

Santaro-san is the man we meet every second week, and he is very sincere about our meetings, and you can tell how it touches his heart every time we go over there. The Ishibe's (part-member family) are still great, and Rena-chan is a champion!

This transfer Elder Reed and I are just going to work super hard and show our faith and obedience to God so He can trust us and so that we can find someone prepared to teach and be baptised, and also to be able to help our friends we're working with now.

Photos: Our beloved Eikaiwa class, Elder Moe & his companion just before he left, and my new companion Elder Reed.

Weekly トライナーになってしまう Mail

Last week I didn't have any photos, but this week I took one too many so yoroshiku. 

This week the famous Japanese Sakura flowers came out and also so too came the rain! We had a fantastic district meeting, Elder Mahler from Cairns is dying. I mean going home. And Stone Squad lives on. (See photos)

Update on Nakatsu happenings! Takeda-san, the man who Elder Mahler & I found on exchanges, is a great guy and now we have taught him a few times. He is beginning to progress and tonight we are going to invite him to be baptised again, because in the time since we first met & invited him, and the time now, his interest has really grown. Last week we taught him (and his 1 year old son who sat on his lap) the Plan of Salvation, and he said, "after I die I want to be with my family again." 

This coming transfer I am hoping to put in all my efforts and energy to finding the Elect of God, someone who will be prepared to receive the Missionaries, and who we can help prepare to follow Christ!

Stone Squad 2012.