Hello, everybody! Big
news: I am in Japan. Yes. Indeed. The fact that my language comprehension
dropped below 1% is sign enough of that hahaha :D
Anyway, I have 3
companions (one is a classmate of mine from the MTC and the other two are Zone
Leaders). Our trainers are apparently the Goku and Vegeta of the mission. They
each have legendary stats and do amazing things. Their names are Hall and Coleman
長老. The other companion is
Allred 長老, who is kindsa like a
Texan version of Christopher: Strong-bodied, strong-willed, and
strong-spirited. I love all three of them and we are all ready to baptize all
of Niigata (my first area). The members here are unbelievable kind and I love
them already. But aside from that, not much to say.
I did have 2 good
experiences teaching. The first was a lesson about the Adversary and the second
was a lesson about Divine Help.
My first proselyting
experience in Japan was with an Elder Fukino. Since my area is the furthest away
from the mission home, I stayed an extra night (along with a few others) and we
proselyted doing splits with some of the more seasoned missionaries. We taught
a Napaalesian man named Hari who knows 4 languages (I'm dying trying to learn a
third). It was his first lesson, and he had been found and given a Book of
Mormon the day before. He didn't read english very fast (maybe like a 1st or
2nd grader speed), but he had read up to 1 Nephi 22 in a single night (dang. I
am fluent in English and I've barely ever done that). As we taught him about
the doctrine of Christ, a girl came up and began to listen to our conversation.
At first, I was excited thinking we had been given another golden investigator.
Then, turns out she was drunk and she totally ruined our lesson. We still got a
soft baptismal commitment, but the spirit had left.
Proof to me of the
authenticity of the Work of God.
Second experience was
teaching a Jehovah's Witness couple. The husband (named Takashi) learned
english in order to proselyte, kind of how we were learning Japanese to
proselyte. We were on splits, so Elder Coleman and I were teaching them. We
discussed their history, and they led us up to the great apostasy after the
death of Christ's apostles. We then went into the restoration. I taught a bit
about how Joseph Smith was searching for truth and read the bible in James 1:5.
Takashi then quoted the scripture and his wife turned to it in about 3 seconds
(dang). I was amazed at how wonderful these two are. Then, I recited the 1st vision
in Japanese, and felt the power of the Holy Ghost with me as I testified.
Afterwards, turns out that they aren't allowed to take the books of other
religions, which is an obstacle, but we are allowed to read with them and teach
them and share experiences (hahhaha we got them now!).
Anyway, I love you all!
God is great. He is
wonderful. Thank Him for the miracles you see in your life as well as for the
miracles you don't see.
-- Chun 長老
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