Discipleship in the Digital Age

So this is the what the title was for the training that we received from Elder Evans from the Seventy who is head of the Missionary Department for Mission Conference last Friday.  We took the three hour train ride to Nagoya and it was totally worth it!  It was a really good training that although we talked about using Ipads effectively, we also talked about a lot of gospel principles.  Elder Evans (who, fun fact, served as Nagoya Mission President in the late 1990`s and his first area as a missionary is my area now of Matsumoto!) told us that we as missionaries need to overcome the temptations of technology now as missionaries so that when we return we will be able to not fall into the many traps that people fall into.  He talked about everything from the vernacious evil of pornography to just wasting time on the internet when you could be dendoing.  He was really bold with us telling that a lot more people preparing for missions are struggling with such technology related blunders and that the church trusts us to overcome the natural man and use the IPads to fulfill our purpose as missionaries.

I am super doped to get IPads though.  They gave us a couple booklets about how to use Ipads effectively and how to safeguard yourself from temptations while using them.  There was a section in there about Social Media and I read it during personal time at night and was pretty much drooling all over the page!  Facebook, Skyping, Blogging!!!  I love writing my weekly e-mails and I said to a companion that I would love to continue writing a weekly e-mail even after my mission and then he was like, `Isn`t that called blogging?`  So yeah, that is what I will be able to do when we receive Ipads.  It will be so much easier to make appointments and get people to meet with us.  You don`t know how many times I have been asked by kids on the street, `Do you have Facebook?`  Well... soon, very soon.  Elder Evans told us though that when we first get Ipads, we will take it very slow in implementing everything.  First it will be used just for teaching videos and Gospel Library.  Then after a couple weeks or a month it will be expanded to having a Digital Area Book and Daily Planners.  Lastly we will have Social Media and Skyping so we can find a WHOLE bunch of new investigators online.  I can still be everyone`s friend as long as you don`t troll me and/or try to contact me and you can comment on my posts, share them with your friends, and be your own online missionary!  I am super excited..

 For now though, we don`t have Ipads so regular dendo, as far as I know it, will be continued.  Elder Evans emphasized that our purpose is still the same with Ipads and that we are not becoming `Ipad missionaries` but he did say it will become an effective tool to help us in the Lord`s work.  So while one day in the near future I can more effectively find more people to teach through Facebook, Mormon.org, and blogging, right now it is mainly through talking to people on the street which brings me to what I promised I would do last e-mail and give you a list of my week`s invitations: .

 -Monday night, meet a guy on the street, gave a lesson three pamphlet and invited him to read it.  Tried to push for a next appointment but, nothing.
-Tuesday morning, ran into an old guy who had heard of us missionaries before and I invited him to church, lukewarm response
 -Wednesday night, during lesson with Hiragata San, we challenged her to pray every day.  I twice e-mailed her some prayer scriptures and again invited her to partake of the blessings of daily prayer 
-Friday afternoon, invited my Canadian friend from the Japanese class over e-mail to meet with us and study some Japanese
 -Saturday during Weekly Planning, called Mori San, she actually answered and I set up an appointment with her for Thursday, making it my first phone call and conversation in Japanese in which someone has answered YIPPEE!!!
-Sunday after church, Set up an appointment with a branch member all by myself to have him cut our hair!

 So this list could be a lot longer but I will continue to focus on inviting.  I often relate missionary work to dating for some reason in my head but if you just like a girl a lot and you don`t invite her on a date, how will you ever get married?  So invites are pretty important, for missionaries and returned missionaries alike! 

I am excited to use technology to be able to better invite people to learn more about the gospel but first I have to fine-tune my invitations skills with people face-to-face.  We were told to not let technology replace face-to-face interaction but I can`t do that with you folks back at home anyways so I guess I will use now to invite you all.  Try using the internet once this week just like a missionary would.  Maybe post a uplifting scripture and personal experience on Facebook or follow the Church`s website on Twitter or even make your own Mormon.org profile and share it with your friends!  It is a great way to begin to be a member missionary now, even if you are a bit shy sharing the gospel face to face.  Just remember, just because you follow President Monson`s Twitter account, it doesn`t mean you don`t have to follow the prophet when you are offline. 

Everyone have a great week and I love you all!