2016-07-25 “One Year Already”

Week 44

Not a lot happened this week until the end. The start of the week we rode around our area within an hour, hour and half bike ride radius and hit up all the high schools. In Japan summer holiday is coming up. That means more people, matsuri (festivals), fireworks, school kids are out, more finding opportunities and pit loads of sweat. 死にたいと思います。(I think I want to die.)

 

Speed through of the middle of the week. Visited more schools more less actives and more sweat. Seriously it’s relentless. I can down 3L of water a day and my body magical sweats twice as much. I’m tempted to not drink water so I don’t sweat it out. But the only foreseeable problem with that is I will die. I’m still thinking of ways to sidestep that.  We visited a less active from America who teaches English to Japanese kids ages 5-11. We visited him while he was working and it looked like a lot of fun. The kids know better English than I did when I was their age. He agreed for us to come back anytime.

 

Thursday was my hump day. I have officially been on my mission for a year. Naturally I had to celebrate this occasion with a feast. Hit up my favourite joint “Tony’s Honolulu” tempted to eat out their everyday until I run out of money for the month and live off 2min noodles until the new month. They have a salad bar with dessert. They have a coconut pudding that is heavens heaven. I kept eating it until they had to make more. Unfortunately the wait would have been too long so we left after I finished the last one. I will be back for more.

 

Friday we had zone training meeting and I got to see my previous companion, who is now the zone leader of my zone, and fellow Australian Elder Wallaby. I mean Wilson. Took a gnarly zone pic feature bad hair day.

 

Saturday we visited Jessa, a less active and her family who are not members. We taught the restoration and committed them as a family to come to church. They accepted! We then went housing, again, that night and found a Filipino lady who has born again Christian friends and she is still investigator what her change should be. She met with the Jehovah witnesses a year ago, but she moved and didn’t tell them their new address (🙏🏼). We talked to her about the Book of Mormon and she said she loves reading and wants to read it. We only had a Japanese on us but she said her family will read this one. And we can give her an English and Tagalog next week.

 

Sunday we had a long church session due to meetings and we had to do DKK as we were too busy to do it earlier that week. So we only had time after dinner to dendo (missionary work). We had an appointment scheduled for Akiyama, the investigator who we found last week that was dacked in front of us. Hoping he would be clothed this time as we had an appointment we went to his home. The door wide open again and the same image as last week. Lying on a mattress with just his underwear. I knocked on the door and he didn’t move but his wife came. She had a shower cap on, tank top and booty shorts. 😑 We talked to her and she said she was baptized 5 years ago in a different church. We taught the restoration at her door and gave her a Book of Mormon. She said she will read it and is interested in learning more. She agreed for us to come back. So, we found a family 🙂

 

Spiritual thought this week is too good. I’ll just past what the prophet Harold B Lee said. As my life goal is to be a good husband and father, it relates. Think about it deeply, especially to the men out there, when you read it.

 

As we study the various activities like family home evening and the activities pertaining to temple marriage, home teaching, and what not, we have discovered that we never make any headway by mere exhortation and trying to pressure people into holding home evenings or home teaching. We are discovering that the only way to get home teaching over, or to get family home evening going, or attendance at sacrament meeting, or to have more temple marriages or temple attendance, is to make sure that the holder of the priesthood in the home magnifies his priesthood; and until he can realize the importance of the priesthood of God, which gives him the power of Almighty God to act through him, that home is not going to be secure.

We must impress upon every father that he will be held responsible for the eternal welfare of his family: that means coming into the Church with his family; that means going to sacrament meeting with his family; that means holding family home evenings to keep his family intact; it means preparing himself to take them to the temple, so that there can be prepared thereby the steps that will make for an eternal family home.

It is a high responsibility to impress upon priesthood holders how they magnify their priesthood by living and doing as the Lord has commanded.

 

 

Photo 1: zone pics

Photo 2: hump day feast

Photo 3: got caught in a rainstorm. I used my bike as an umbrella.

Photo 4: before curfew area book syncs.

2016-07-18 “An investigator”

Week 43

Last week I didn’t have time to write an entry. I also didn’t have time this week. So, essentially I have forgotten what happened in my life last week. But, I will 頑張れ (give it a shot) and remember my adventures.

 

Firstly we finished a normal pday and ended it with a bit of housing. To our surprise we found a single mother with two kids who agreed for us to return and talk more about the importance of families. It was an awesome moment for me because as I was teaching her at the door I was saying things without thinking. Compare that to our visit this week when I couldn’t say simple sentences, I know God was giving me the gift of tongues so we could meet again. This time when I couldn’t speak Otsu stepped in ✌🏼️

Then we also visited a bunch of less actives that live too dang far away by bike. They all conveniently live on hills so I’m sweating half my body weight every time I pedal. I shower and change clothes every time we go back to the apartment to eat. It’s annoying but necessary. Missionary work doesn’t stop.

 

We met with the Watanabe family with the Yuasa fufu (senior missionary couple) had a Ballin lunch accompanied with Watanabe Shimai’s (sister) homemade cinnamon rolls. Shared a message about showing more love in families and how teaching kids the gospel and raising them correctly, is missionary work.

 

Then on Friday we had two lessons. The first being with a lady that approached elder Tallent and me on the train 4 months ago and asked in fluent English. “Are you moron missionaries?” Finally managed to create a time and accompany what she wants to learn into one meeting. So she agreed to meet and we had a great lesson about the restoration and asked her to read and pray. She gladly accepted and I thought it was going to be a great next lesson with her. 3 days after the first lesson I received a the classic “knife to the heart” text. She said she will read and pray, but can’t be Mormon. And she needs more time to think so leave me alone. Haven’t heard from her since 😔

The same day we met with Yuko! She is the best! We also taught her the restoration and gave her a Book of Mormon. Meeting again on the 26th.

Later that week we went housing again. Recently through housing we have found a consistent amount of investigators. So why stop something that’s working? There was this one door that was wide open so I looked in to call out and saw a man on a mattress in his jocks. His eternal salvation outweighed the awkwardness so I rang the doorbell. He and his 5 year old kid came to the door. The whole time we were talking to him, the kid was climbing on him, yelling and screaming, punching and kicking him in the “no go zone” and occasionally dacking him in front of us. He became an investigator.

 

2016-07-11 “Japanese summer is the armpit of Satan “

Week 42:

We visited Fu a recent convert who recently moved into our ward. Had some basic Italian food, (I miss good Italian food) and we taught the gospel of Jesus Christ to him. He understands and believes a lot, it’s awesome. I talked about how hard enduring to the end is and he agreed. He related it to how he didn’t have internet for a month. He was growing impatient and plotting how to kill his internet providers. He is hilarious.

 

Tuesday we had to travel to Honbu (mission home) for trainers training meeting. Had a nice cold shower, beautified myself making sure I look shmick for the day. Walked outside to the bike racks and Otsu had a flat tyre. We were going to be late for the train so I gave Otsu my bike, ran for 50 meters, thought to myself “nope.”, stopped running and walked quickly to the train station for the next train. Forgot to mention Japanese summer is the armpit of satan in the middle of hell, so I was dripping in my own sweat within the first 10 meters of running. If you have seen the before and after photo shots of people who take meth. That was me before I left the apartment and when I got to the train station. Overall the meto was good fun, got to see a lot of missionary friends say goodbye to some who are going home next week. Got back at the apartment around 10pm. Local trains are the devil.

 

Wednesday we had an appointment with a less active. It was a long lesson. The overview is pretty much, 1. They know gods plan even the unwritten laws and unspoken laws (that have not been revealed or only revealed to the prophet). 2. Is living the higher law (even the original 10 commandments) 3. Joseph smith is a fallen prophet. I like talking to them and hearing their opinion and being able to testify and reaffirm my faith. I hope they get answers to their questions, but, there is not much we as missionaries can do for their situation. 10/10 would meet again. After the appointment we fixed Otsu bike and went with Tomonari to a ramen restaurant. The oiliest, fattest, mammoth of a bowl and chicken breast laid in front of me. I just had Yakiniku (Korean BBQ) for lunch and now I need to tackle this garlic ramen. It was show time. As a result I got through 3/4 of it before it got to the point where every bite made me want to regurgitate. After we taught him about prayer and the Holy Ghost. He gets easily distracted so we don’t know how much we teach he understands or hears. So we have to take it slow and repeat a lot. For example we finished teaching and asked if he had any questions. He had questions but the related to how he wanted to start a business in Japan and have Elder Tallent (my previous companion) to make a joint business in America and for me to do the same in Australia. Told him I would have to think about that one through prayer, and proceeded to teach again.

 

Thursday I had a companion exchange with the zone leaders. As district leaders we go on 1 exchange for each elder in our district. And the zone leaders go on 1 exchange for each district leader in the district. I had the pleasure of working with elder McClellan. A transfer 14 missionary. Fun fact he was district leader here in Numazu with elder Tallent before I came into Numazu to take his place. So he got to go back to his old stomping grounds. We taught Fu again as he won’t be able to meet for a month with us. We started teaching the commandments. He is keeping them which is good but he still needs some work on a variety of other things. After we had Eikaiwa (free English class) and not much happened except I interview a few people to evaluate their English level. They have improved so much!

 

Friday was DTM and elder Day (my first district leader) is going home on Tuesday, so it was his last DTM. We talked about the Atonement where I used the example if having someone do a 10 push-ups for anyone who wanted a chocolate or didn’t want a chocolate. The zone leaders came to ours due to the exchange the day before, so I got one of the zone leaders, Elder Burns (who I had my first exchange with as a missionary) to do 110 push-ups on a row. It was fun to watch. After DTM we all went to Indo curry for district activity. Chowed down a feast of Indian food. So good. Then we had weekly planning.

 

Saturday we visited a less active who was not home and then went to a part member family and taught about the restoration. But it derailed too much so we focused just about prayer. The husband is not e member and has no interest. The first time I met them with Elder Tallent, the husband didn’t say a word. We said hello to him and he said hey back but that was it. Now after meeting with Jessa (the wife who is a member) for a while, we walk in and he says hello to us and shakes hands and participates sometimes. It’s awesome.  We had transfer called that night and Otsu and I are both staying, which we both saw. That means I will be in Numazu for 4 transfers. So I will most likely be transferring in 6 weeks’ time. But, we never know.

 

Sunday was pretty normal. Hiromi, one of our investigators came for gospel principles class. We were teaching about missionary work using the story of Ammon. Said that Hiromi is a fantastic missionary because she helps translate and teach her friend Yuko (who recently became an investigator) about our church. She really enjoyed that. Elder quorums actually taught about some doctrine for a little bit. Last week was spent just teaching me Japanese words. This week they taught elders quorum and then taught me Japanese. After we visited Chikara ishi San, who didn’t come to his appointment last week. So we 100% confirmed that today is still okay with him and he said ok. We got to his home and no one answered. In Japan you can say “Gomen Kudasai” which means please excuse me, and that gives you the magical right to open someone’s door and walk right in. So I did that and found him sleeping on his bed. Either one he is super heavy sleeper or two he loves sake. So we let him be and visited a bunch of investigators, members, formers around the area. That night we rushed every apartment complex and house near by jamming Eikaiwa flyers into the mail boxes.

 

Spiritual thought.

This is what I learnt in regards to what we spoke in DTM. Please read Elder Dallin H. Oaks’ October 2015 vernal conference talk “strengthen by the atonement of Jesus Christ.”

D&C.88:6  “He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;” We might even say that having descended beneath it all, He is perfectly positioned to lift us and give us the strength we need to endure our afflictions. We have only to ask.

D&C 122. There is three things that are evident to me in this chapter. One. Our trials and tribulations no matter how small or extreme, is to give us experience and to learn. Two. Our Saviour Jesus Christ has suffered everything possible “are thou greater than he?” God told Joseph smith, who was in the pit stain of trials right now, to suck it up. 3. He provided comfort to him, as he does for us and also reminded him and to everyone “fear not, I am with the forever.

“…above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?…therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”

 

Stay strong and when discourage just sing “How Firm a Foundation”

I never really payed attention to the lyrics in Hymns. Mainly because they are (were) boring to me. But they are Ballin!

 

Photo 1: It was filthy good.

Photo 2: Elder day and Sister Rogers last DTM. They go home to Murica in roughly 24-38 hours.

Naturally we had to make a Throne for Elder Day. (It’s a joke that we have in our district. Elder Days father served in the same area he is in now for over a year. The members worship Elder Day.)

2016-07-05 “Ups and downs”

Week 41:

After a regular p-day we set off for the last 3 hours of the day to visit less actives and talk to people we see along the way. The first guy we saw was a business man in his 50s. They are walking brick walls. But, I felt like I needed to talk to him anyway. I stopped him and he says, “How can I help you” in perfect English. I took this as a sign. We explained that we are missionaries and he when he found out we were Mormon he said, “oh, Mormons? I have read your book. It’s like the bible.” I was shocked to say the least, I thought he was golden. He then said I’ve read it so I already know everything, thank you anyway. I stopped him quickly by asking, “What do we believe in?” He misheard me and replied, “I believe in Jesus Christ.” I took that as a cue to give him a pamphlet. He declined. At least an Eikaiwa flyer. He declined. I’ve never seen someone so close to the gospel, yet used their agency and strongly resist. I was so confused as to what happened. The same night we talked to a guy who wants to come to Eikaiwa, he reads the bible, accepted a Book of Mormon from us and then he declined to exchange numbers or meet again. We visited a less active. We rung the bell and it took her a while to answer. We asked if there was a Noriyuki or a Tetsuya kido. She said no. So I asked who is now living here. She raised her voice and said “I told you they don’t live here.” I asked if she knew where their new address is, she once again yelled saying they don’t live here. Asked to put a pamphlet in her post she said no again. Nice lady. Checked her name plate on her door and mail box, it’s got the same name as the one on the member records. I handled it well. 😃🔫 Same night when we were returning home, we saw a man trying to fix the chain on his bike. We crossed the street to help him. Fixed his chain, but he was super busy so he hurriedly gave us ¥200 which we refused to accept. He resorted to putting it in our pockets. So I gave him a pamphlet, but he was too busy and rode off whilst taking it from my hands. By far the craziest, weirdest, frustrating, interesting, coolest, mind hurting 3 hours of my life.

 

Tuesday we called all the former investigators on the area book. Nothing happened but lengthy conversations about the gospel to a few people with no avail. Re scheduled times to talk with no answers. A dry throat. And lastly a potential investigator who is only in our area for 3 months.

 

Wednesday we smashed out making baptism invitations for our investigators. The Bishop’s daughter is getting baptized this Thursday so we took this opportunity to invite all of our investigators. Goto, an investigator Elder Tallent and I found two transfers ago, finally answered his phone. He has been working 13-15 hours a day and recently has had a shift change where he works night times now. The conversation consisted of, Mormons don’t pay income tax, why we do missionary work and accepting the invite to attend the Baptism. Don’t worry I clarified that we do in fact pay income tax and told him his friend is wrong and you should only research on Mormon.org/LDS.org.

 

Thursday I went on a Koukan (exchange) with my first district leader when I started my mission. Elder Day. It was a very poetic moment as this was his last Koukan with his last district leader, me. “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.” He goes back to his home land of Sandy Utah in “Murcia” next week. We had a sweet reunion which people joined in celebration by not listening to our message… But we made the most of it and met with a recent convert called Fu. He is my brother from another land. That land being China. Taught the plan of salvation as part of the after baptism lessons and ran back to the Eki so we could make it in time for Eikaiwa.

 

Friday we had DTM and weekly planning. We got a surprise call from our investigator who took us out to ramen and we reviewed what we taught him last time we met, this time with a baptism invite. He said yes, when he knows it’s true. So we will work closely with him.

 

Saturday was full of ups and downs. I don’t want to go into detail to relive the emotional roller coaster nightmare, but it consisted of awesome lessons with little to no results, fallen through appointments, a family saying goodbye to us forever, (I smoothed that over real quick, they aren’t getting away that easy.) and a dinner appointment with some less actives who promised their investigator friend would come. After two hours they did come and brought sea snails with her. They were pretty good.

 

Sunday the Bishop’s daughter was baptized. So as I said on Tuesday, we went ham with inviting people to come. Tike an eternal investigator who wants to be baptized but can’t do anything because members of his family are really hantai (opposite, against it), came which is the bomb dot com. Also our investigator chikara Ishii came. They couldn’t stay for sacrament which was disappointing, but glad they came. Hiromi came for the second hour of church, mukasa came after church for a lesson about self-reliance, which turned into prayer and we had a Ballin meal at the Sakuma family. The funniest family with the cutest punk kids ever.

 

Spiritual thought of the week.

Nothing really. But I’ve recently started to read church history institute manual which is blowing my mind. I’ve been lately reflecting and pondering about my life, particularly my life before earth. Who was I, what was my talents, my purpose, my role. This quote from the church history manual sparked more interest to this thought.

But more than any environmental influence it was God who shaped the ideas of Joseph Smith. Indeed, it is part of Latter-day Saint theology that the Lord knew and prepared Joseph Smith in a previous sphere of existence to assume his pivotal role in restoring God’s church upon the earth. Joseph spoke of his fore-ordination when he said: “Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was. I suppose that I was ordained to this very office in that Grand Council.”

 

We all have a purpose here. I’m trying to still determine and find my role, which answer will come when I’m ready to retire to my grave. But it’s making me choose and steer the course of my life to the narrow path.