Work, work, work

I am glad to hear that Alex had a better week this past week. But it's crazy how late he's been writing lately. I got his mass email around midnight and then his letter to me at almost 4 am. 

My week was better just because I didn't have to stay at home sick. I don't like sitting and doing nothing. I feel useless. I had a runny nose, and a fever, and that was about all the symptoms. Thank you for your prayers, I can feel their effects.

Thank you for the encouragement. It is harder sometimes to see that I'm always doing good than others, but I'm trying, and that's all that God asks. As you saw from the mass email, we didn't find anyone yet, but we're always looking. If we stop, we'll never find anyone. The blessings don't come until after the trial of our faith. Thank you for the reminder about my role, and the role of agency in the lives of others. I truly do feel both the weight of the thousands of souls placed on my shoulder, but also the light yoke that is Christ's Gospel.

I rarely talk about the end of his mission, but I told Alex that someone told me this week how sad he was to be home after his mission. His family was crying because they were happy to have him home, but he wanted to cry because he wanted to go back. This is what Alex said about that.  

I will definitely feel like Brother B. when I come home, because I already don't want to leave at all. Of course I realize that there is more for me to do than just missionary work as part of the plan of happiness established by our Father, but it will be a sad departure from all those I have come to love. I don't usually think about my homecoming, but I just noticed that I have almost exactly 6 months left until I come home. How crazy!

This week has been a bit more productive and healthy.
 
My scripture of the week is Doctrine and Covenants 84:80 "And any man
that shall go and preach this gospel of the kingdom, and fail not to
continue faithful in all things, shall not be weary in mind, neither
darkened, neither in body, limb, nor joint; and a hair of his head
shall not fall to the ground unnoticed. And they shall not go hungry,
neither athirst."
 
Kanji of the week is: 避難 pronounced "hee-nan" and means evacuation.
 
Monday was not anything special, and I don't have anything to say about it.
 
Tuesday we just talked to lots of people, and also had a lesson with
our recent convert.
 
Wednesday we went to a different area by train, and tried to visit
less active members. Having not been to meet any of them, and not
having a train that would get us back in time, we talked to people as
we walked back to our bikes, ate dinner, and then had English class.
That was normal.
 
Thursday we had weekly planning. After that we did finding, and in the
evening we had an activity that not too many people showed up to.
 
Friday was zone conference, and it was great, as usual. After that,
the only thing we were able to do was English class.
 
Eating well!



Saturday we went around and tried to visit less active members, but
the only one who was home didn't want to talk with us. In the evening,
we went to the church and met with President Smith and went to dinner
with him, followed by teaching members at the church with him. It was
fun, and I liked the experience.
 
Sunday's regular church meetings were great, and President Smith gave
a nice talk in sacrament meeting, and I learned in my other classes.
Then we went to Koriyama and had a region fire side. It was great,
lots of members and non-members came, and we had amazing music and
presentations.
 
That's my week, I hope you all are doing well. I love you!
 
Love,
 
Elder
長老