We've had a great week, and a very full week too. We haven't been able to rest at all this week (not that we really rest any week), and it's been great!
My scripture of the week is Doctrine and Covenants 45:3-5, "Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him-- "Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; "Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life."
The kanji of the week is 人形 pronounced "knee-n-gyoh" and means (human) doll.
Monday was our first day walking all day due to snow, and we spent a lot of it walking between stores for food and the apartment. Besides that, not much else happened in our day. The evening was spent shoveling snow for three hours. It was great, and fun!
Tuesday, after all our studies, we went and tried street contacting, but since there were not too many people I saw, I suggested we go and shovel some less active's houses. We did that, and then met with one of them right after we finished her driveway (she wasn't home when we started). After that we were walking back, but we didn't get too far before we met a woman outside shoveling, so we spurred a conversation. She asked if we were Mormon, and we said yes. Turns out that her and her husband used to meet with the missionaries, and they said that we could come back anytime we wanted to. They weren't in the area book, so it was a lucky find! After that we went and had a lesson at an investigators house. We spent the rest of the night walking back (he lives 40 ish minutes away from our apartment walking).
Wednesday we shoveled the church parking lot, and then went to visit a less active. She wasn't home, so we tried to visit another less active, but she wasn't home either. We did some streeting for a bit, and then went home, had dinner, and then had English class.
Thursday we went to Sendai for some training. It was great, and we both learned a lot. It was specifically for new missionaries, so it was helpful. When we got back, we went to the same investigator's house (his name is Shutaro) as on Tuesday and talked for a while, and then came back and did as much planning for the next week as we could.
Friday we went to Izumi for a worldwide missionary broadcast, and after that had district meeting for a little while. Then the district leader went back with my companion to Furukawa and I stayed in Izumi. We went Streeting for a bit, and had lots of fun. We talked to lots of people who seemed interested, but all were pretty busy. There was one boy who might meet with missionaries soon though. The rest of the day was studies.
Saturday we got back to Furukawa (me and the Elder I was on splits with) and we did a role play lesson. Then we finished studies and weekly planning. We then went to a member's house and had dinner there. It was some really delicious salmon casserole thing, and tasted great. That family is so strong, and they are really good examples. It took an hour to walk back home, and so we didn't have any time for anything else.
Sunday we had a wonderful time at sacrament meeting (although the less active who said she would come this week didn't come), and Elder A. gave a talk in church. It was great, especially because he had to cut it short. After that we did all our studies (we had to push a lot of it back because we shoveled the parking lot of the church again). We then went to visit a family who live on the outskirts of town. It still only took about 40 minutes to get there, but they were about to leave, so we couldn't talk for long. We then went and posted English Class fliers for the little time we had left.
This week was jam-packed with stuff, and I must say that if feels good to do things productively. I hope that you all had good weeks as well, and I love you all!
Love, Elder
長老
After two whole months and a few days of hearing people say it was
going to start snowing soon, it finally has begun. We have snow now,
and that means we'll probably be walking from now on. I'll miss riding
bikes, but at least it gives us an opportunity to serve others! I love
the snow!
My scripture of the week still hasn't been decided, so I can't send it. Sorry!
The kanji of the week is: 漫画 pronounced "mahn-gah" and means comic
books (usually Japanese style). Also for those who pay attention to
this part, last week I messed up on the pronunciation of the word,
which was actual "Ray-zo-ko," not "cone."
Anyway, Monday was pretty normal this week, and I don't have anything
to say about the day time, and the night time was just finding (street
contacting as usual).
Tuesday we were invited to eat lunch with a member in Izumi and the
rest of the district, so we did that. Then we came back and finished
our studies that we didn't do on the bus. The rest of the day was
spent finding, as usual.
Wednesday, we had a lot of finding. Then in the evening we had English
class. We had our lucky number of four students (an unlucky number
here, though). It was a fun class, and had some good discussions with
them.
Thursday we spent all day down in Sendai learning under Elder
Yamashita. He is such a great guy, and he loves all of us so much. He
has great English, and the spirit is so great around him. That's
basically all that happened that day.
Friday we did weekly planning, followed by trying to visit a couple of
less active members. One of them we actually got to talk to, and have
a good discussion about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ
through Joseph Smith, and salvation for the dead, with the turning of
the hearts of the fathers to the children and vice verse. Then we did
lots of street contacting with a break of dinner in between the two
"sessions."
Saturday we had a gyoza party (pot stickers) at the church, and had a
great time. They were hand-made, and tons of fun. We got to help
prepare all of the fillings, and then everyone who came helped fold
and cook them. They tasted delicious! Then we visited with a less
active, and we were able to bear a strong testimony to her about the
importance of coming to church, even if you're tired. I know that
going to church and taking the sacrament gives you energy to put up
with the rest of the week. The rest of the day followed the ending
schedule from Friday.
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| Snickerdoodles I made from a mix my family sent me in my Christmas package. They were yummy! |
Sunday we had a great time in a church that still smelled like the
gyoza from the previous day. It was really spiritual, and lots of fun.
I loved all three hours of it. After church, we took a couch over to a
less active's house, and she was so happy. She also said that after
two years of not coming to church, she has made the resolution to come
back to church, starting next week! So glad to hear that she wants the
help of the Lord in her life! We then studied, and stayed out street
contacting and housing for the rest of the night.
That's my week! I hope you all had great weeks too, and I hope you all
know how much I love you!
Love,
Elder
長老
like, and yet it seems like there was so little done this week. I know
it was our busiest week yet, so I'm not sure what to think.
My scripture for this week is Alma 5:46 "Behold, I say unto you they
are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have
fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself.
And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath
made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit
of revelation which is in me." I chose this because I want to remember
how to get more knowledge from God: fasting and praying.
The kanji of the week is: 冷蔵庫 pronounced "Ray-zoh-cone" and means refrigerator.
Monday we didn't do much worth mentioning during our preparation day
time, but we did get to go to an investigators house and do some
service there. His wife, mother, and father were there too, and they
were all so nice. We ate dinner together, and they fed us so much!
They love the missionaries, and so hopefully we can see them why the
love us, which is the peace of God that accompanies testimonies of
truth. We talked about eternal marriage and families, and the like,
because we want them to be able to continue having their good family
relationships for all eternity.
Tuesday we went and did more street contacting, and also tried to
visit some less active members. None of the members we planned on
visiting were available, but we tried to visit others, and were able
to talk to them, and have a good time.
Wednesday was spent in a similar manner, and we street contacted and
visited with members again. In the evening we had English class as
always, and we had a student who hadn't come in a while (since before
I came) come. It was a fun class. After the class, we talked with a
member, shared a short spiritual message, and then right before we had
to go back to the apartment we did a bit of Kendo with him. He made
his own practice swords out of department store goods, and it was fun.
Thursday we street contacted even more, and tried to visit some
others. We also have a potential investigator and friend who is the
son of a member, so we visited him, and had fun with him. We found out
that he was using a really old version of the Book of Mormon in
Japanese that has words that no one in Japan knows anymore (I think
it's because the writing system changed quite a bit after World War
2). So, we gave him a new copy, and he was super surprised at how easy
it was to read, and seemed excited to try and read it--he had to use a
dictionary to look up words with the other one.
Friday we had Zone training meeting, and that was great as always. We
learned lots, and had great discussions. When we got back to the
apartment, the rest of the day was spent planning the next week.
Saturday we tried to visit lots of others, and visited with some. Most
weren't available though. So, we did street contacting the rest of the
time.
Sunday we went to church as always. I love church so much, and I am so
grateful for the opportunity to learn about the gospel, and partake of
the sacrament every week. After church we tried to take a couch to a
members house, but even though we had an appointment to do it, no one
was home. So, we went to visit our friend I mentioned on Thursday, and
he couldn't come talk to us because he was busy. We then rushed over
to our apartment, because our investigator sent us a text and invited
us to go see his grandma with him, and discuss what we'll be doing the
next couple of weeks (we're going to do more service at his house). It
was really great, and Elder A. was able to bear a strong
testimony of the resurrection and of the peace of the gospel. It was a
great end to the day.
So that's the week, and I hope you had a good week too!
Love you all!
Love,
Elder
長老
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| Wanna play a game? Alex says there's one pink light in at least one of these pics. Can you find it? |
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| He was happy to find a Cold Stone there. |
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| Alex likes to take photos of his companions eating for some reason. Alex made this Ohm Rice and says it's exactly what it looks like, but that he didn't do a very good job of making them. |
