Week 34 - March 9, 2014

Hello again, Everyone! We're back. I don't know about each of you, but
time is just getting faster and faster. Especially now that I have
myself a "Local boy" companion.

That's right. Rolling in Japan with a Hawaiian companion. We have TOO much fun.

Anyways, exciting experiences this week? I did something you can NEVER
do while in the U.S. (legally). I ate RAW WHALE.

Yeah that's right. The beef of the sea. Raw.

Anyways, miracles and miracles galore. The biggest one is that we know
this guy named Wildman Dan. He is a less-active member (we think [as
in he recalls being baptized when he was 6 by Gordon B. Hinckly, and
we can't find his records anywhere]), and is SUPER COOL. And Wild.
Like walks around with an indian-style jacket and a cowboy hat with
the sickest beard ever and an earring.

Anyways

So he is trying to quit smoking and drinking coffee. For the first
time in 30 years, he finally got some hope that he could. We are
trying to help him keep that hope and faith in the Savior, but because
it's an addiction and it's hard for him, he's kind of losing that
hope. We gave him a priesthood blessing, but I would truly appreciate
any and all prayers for this man (You can just pray for Wildman Dan.
His real name is really... reallly long.) He is truly one of the
sweetest, most sincere, and loneliest people I have ever met.

I beg you all, from the bottom of my soul, if you know someone who is
either in the church, investigating the church, or is trying to
separate themselves from the church because of the Word of Wisdom,
please please PLEASE just be their friend. Don't judge them by the
smell of the clothes or the color of their teeth. Don't be
condescending because they step out of sacrament meeting to smoke a
cigarette. When you see them, simply feel the love the Savior had for
them. And if you can't do that, please remember a simple but stunning
quote by an investigator of the church, who saw a less-active member
sitting by himself during church because he smelled like cigarettes.

"If my sins smelled like his sins, I wonder if people would do that to
me as well."

I know this email is a little bit heavier than most of my emails, but
I just felt like saying something so everyone opens their eyes a
little bit more to the wonderful truth that love transcends all
things.

Speaking of love, thanks again to all the people who are sending me
letters! I just want to give a personal thank you to Jessie Jones and
Lorin Chun for this last week! But I DO have to say that although I
love all of you very much, we are not allowed to spend missionary
funds on letters to anyone except family. Any and all letters sent to
others has to come out of my personal funds, which *cough* I don't
have.

I am really sorry. m(_ _)m <-- bowing man

But seriously. You are all fantastic. I wish you could see how much
Heavenly Father loves you. It's really a wonderful thing to wake up
each day and have all day to tell that to everyone.

Being a missionary is THE BEST.

--Elder Chun

Week 33 - March 2, 2014

Hello again, everyone! Here we are at the end of another transfer!
 
 And as you all guessed, I'm transferring again!
 
 Just kidding.
 
 I'm staying in my area, but my companion is going out to my first
 area! Interesting, eh? well, you might not think so, but I certainly
 do. :D
 
 So! I wanted to tell everyone a quick miracle. Yesterday was fast
 sunday, and fast sundays are tough as a missionary. We work hard all
 day long without eating, and our mental capacity grinds to a complete
 stop.
 (x.x)
 
 Anyway, as we were doing our best to still be effective, we suddenly
 got a call from a former investigator named Johno (pronounced Joe-no).
 The only reason he was a former investigator was because he broke his
 phone, and had no way to contact the missionaries. As soon as he gets
 a new phone, however, who does he choose to call?
 
 The missionioaries. :D
    
 So we're meeting with him tonight. He is going to be baptized. I FEEL
 IT IN MY BONES.
 
 Anyway, funny story time: So we were talking to some YSA's yesterday,
 who were telling us all about a new movie (I think it's called
 Frozen?) that is a way big hit. It was strange, because the Youtube
 phenomenon Lizzy Walker (or something like that) came to our church
 and sang for us.
 
 She was good. :D
 
 Anyway, as the YSA's were going off about how amazing that movie was
 and how viral that Youtube video was, I had a sudden realization.
 
 "I am not going to even know what that is for another year and a half."
 
 It was a strange moment of realization. :D
 
 SO yeah. Life as a missionary keeps going! And it's terrifyingly fast.
 I blink, and the days go by.
 
 Anyways, you're all great! Have a good week!
 
 --Elder Chun

Week 32 - February 24, 2014

Hello once again! Here we are, towards the end of another transfer!
Time is just picking up, and I think I am going to crawl into a corner
and cry. Maybe time will slow down that way haha :D

Anyway, I'm sure you have all been waiting anxiously all week for the news....

Week 31 - February 16, 2014

Hello! Another week, another P-day, more miracles!

#1. Thank you for all those praying for our investigators. They really are feeling the support of your prayers. Our investigator, Ali, is getting baptized this Sunday. YEAH. He's sweet. Please continue to pray for him, because this is the week that Satan will try to come down hard. But we have the rock of our Redeemer.

#2. Thank you for all of you who sent snail mail to me this week! I really felt the Valentine's love and am grateful you all care so much about me :D Valentine's is weird in Japan. Only women give out chocolate. Men give out chocolate on March 14th, called "white day". I'm happy to say that the chocolate I got came from my family and a man. Boom. Breakin' traditions everywhere hehehe.

But seriously. Thank you for all your support at home. You are all fantastic people and I pray you have a good spring time. Always know that the best day to express your love is not Valentine's day. The best day to express love is TOday. "Often we assume that [our friends and family] must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know." -President Monson (“Love at Home”, Ensign August 2011)

So thank you all for your care and love! I have really felt it, and I wanted to tell you all how much I love you for being my family, friends, and comrades. 

Sweet. Signing off for another week!

--Elder Chun

Week 30 - February 9, 2014

Hello! Here we are again, and this time from my iPad! Oh yeah. The
Lord is really hastening His work!

For example, the miracles we see here are amazing. We were going out
to eat one day and I saw two foreigners walk in. Normally, not that
exciting. But as an english speaking ward missionary, I was way pumped
up. Especially when they started speaking to each other in German.

o.O Yeah. I knew something was up.

So I head over there after we finish eating and strike up a
conversation in German. Well, I say German, but I would really rather
call it something different. In the Book of Mormon it talks about how
the people of king Limhi found the remains of the people of Jared?
Yeah. That's what my German is like now.
Anyway,


I start talking. Then we talk about the gospel a bit. It turns out he
is christian, and that he is interested! So guess who reaches into his
bag and pulls out a copy of the German Book of Mormon? Me.

Boom. Miracles. Any of you doubt that the Lord is doing His work?
Read D&C 6:36 (“Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”) Yeah. LOVE IT.

Anyway, love you all! Thank you for those of you who sent me special
letters! I appreciate all of you. Till next week!

--Elder Chun

Sent from my iPad

Week 29 - February 2, 2014

Hello! Another week, another percent gone.

Scary, eh? At this rate, I'll be back before you know it!

Anyway, this week was fast sunday as you all know. And miracle story: Ali, our investigator with a baptismal date for February 23rd (pray for him please!) got up and bore his testimony in church.

Oh yeah. He is SWEET.

Anyway, this week I had the opportunity to read through "Miracle of Forgiveness" by Spencer W. Kimball. It really is an amazing book that has increased my desire to repent and do more for my Savior. I have learned so much more about the destructive nature of sin, and the sorrow that comes from not being able to or willing to repent. It has pushed me so much more to bring people the Light of the gospel, "So they may know as to what source they should look for a remission of their sins." (2 Nephi 25:26). I'm sure plenty of people will the rolling their eyes as they read this, saying, "Well you're a missionary. Of COURSE you'll say that!" If you do or did think that, I would like to clarify my reason for saying these sorts of things. I do not say this BECAUSE I'm a missionary. I am a missionary BECAUSE I believe this. Sometimes, we reverse the cause and effect for things in our lives; we mix up A and B; We think results come before efforts; miracles before faith; and so on. But that's wrong. I have never in my life been more certain of this. I am saying these things because I am a missionary. I because a missionary because I believe.

Isn't belief just a beautiful thing? I thank Heavenly Father for my faith often, but not nearly often enough. I invite you all to try thanking the Lord for the faith you do have. It's amazing how He rewards us for our gratefulness!

You're all great! Shall we try to be better together? :D (As together as we are across oceans haha)

--Elder Chun

P.S. We get Ipads tomorrow. Just thought I'd announce that. MWAHAHAHA

Week 28 - January 26, 2014

Hello, one and all! Here we are again! This week was way too fast. I finished up packing and some lessons in Urayasu, and then moved to Tokyo 1st ward! Boom. English proselyting. So. Weird.

Anyways!

miracles, miracles miracles! We set a baptismal date with a black muslim man from France named Ali. He's working to be baptized on the 23rd of February, so pray for him! We haven't taught him the Word of Wisdom and he drinks, but I'm not worried.

Here's why.

We set teh date with him on Saturday, but he was way shaky about it. THen, he came to church on Sunday. We had assigned him to read Moroni 7. He comes up and says, quite sheepishly, "you know the chapter you told me to read yesterday?"

My heart sank. I knew he didn't read it. I was disappointed. "yeah, Ali. We know."

He looked up and said, "I read it. 3 times. And I was thinking for 15 hours about baptisms, and I know. I want to be baptized on that day."

.......

mind was blown.

Then, sacrament meeting was about hope. Both speakers (One was brother Heaton of the MTC) used Moroni 7. Gospel principles was about temples and Family History work, Ali's favorite subject about the gospel, because his younger sister, aunt, and grandparents have all passed away. Then, we had a way sweet priesthood class about prayer and the necessity of God, and how we CAN rely on the Atonement, no matter what. Afterwards, we had a lesson on Law of Chastity, and Ali said, "It's just natural for us to follow this law."

Yeah. Ali's natural man is very... How can I say this... subdued. 

a.k.a. HE IS JUST AWESOME!!!! That beign said, any and all prayers on his behalf are appreciated. So much so that I invoke the blessings of heaven upon anyone that prayers for him. God wants him to be baptized SOOOO bad! I can see it in how prepared Ali is.

Please! Share this gospel with everyone you know. Family that are members. Friends that are members. Family that aren't members. Friends that aren't members. Strangers (and by that I mean your best friends from the pre-mortal existence you just don't remember yet!!!) that are and aren't emmbers. Share! Share and remember what president Monson said. "He who freely gives keeps, while he who selfishly keeps loses."

Good luck! I pray you can come to see the Hand of God as I have. It is everywhere.

Loves!

--Elder Chun