Weekly Dodgeball Mail

My companion Elder Richards is finishing up his mission this week so we've been getting taken out for dinner flat out, had two farewell parties, we taught a training for trainers down in Naha, and were able to go to Futenma in our zone to see the baptism of an investigator, Hiroumi, who Elder Richards found & taught four months ago when he was in that area before transferring here. He baptismal service reminded me so much of when Umeda was baptised in Nobeoka almost a year ago, the Spirit was so strong and the peaceful feelings my heart were filled with this past Saturday at Hiroumi's baptism, specifically after the ordinance when he shared his story & testimony & shared with us how the Gospel has changed his life so much in only a matter of months, were the same that I had at the time of Umeda's baptism. I have come to recognize and appreciate the Spirit so much during my mission, and it's taught me that this is something I never want to go without. The Spirit is so precious & it requires a lot, but it's always worth it.

Last P-Day we had a Zone P-Day, also with a few members, some of the youth in the Ward & my papa Brother Rogers (Stone Squad!). Four square, dodgeball, few other activities, good fun but hurt my poor, weak little body a little too much so I was sore for a few days after.

Seminary was fun as usual, and I'll be staying here next transfer with a Japanese companion Elder Urata (I'll be honest I've always wanted a Japanese companion!!) so we'll be having a lot more fun in the next 6 weeks I think.

On Friday we had a day full of finding, no appointments because originally we were told a typhoon would be coming so we kept it open expecting a day inside but the typhoon changed course. It was a super hard day, probably the hardest day this transfer. No one was home and the people that were home didn't talk to us. Then, on Sunday morning, an older couple, American man & a Japanese woman, walked in to Church for the first time saying that they've been in Okinawa for a year now attending a number of churches trying to "find the church for us" as they said. They knew where the Church building was because they found a flyer for our free English class in their post box. They came to the American Ward so I sat by them & translated into Japanese (because she can speak English but a Church meeting in any language can be difficult), and the wife said to me that she thinks God guided us to her area, because she was able to come and enjoy a Sacrament meeting in her native language with her husband, who could listen in his native language, because missionaries put a flyer in her post box.

Incredible.