This week`s events reminded me of a parable I once heard. It reads:
Either what elder having a wallet with a lot of money in it, if he lose it, doth not light a candle, and sweep the apartment, and visit the church and members` houses and seek diligently till he find it? And when he has find it, doth he write his friends and e-mail his family about the wonderful miracle of finding the once wayward wallet?
That pretty much is my life story when my best friend Mizuguchi Kyodai came over this morning and found my wallet in their family van. So sorry Mom I made you pay a few extra dollars to replace bank cards when I have them back again! Oh well, better safe than sorry. So I found it and will always keep it in my left front pocket without a camera.
This week we went to Nagoya and got to see all of the missionaries in the mission which happens like, once or twice a year. But what doesn`t happen so often is having five General Authorities there! President Yamashita and Elder Aoyagi from the Seventy were there but didn`t really speak. Presiding Bishop Gary E. Stevenson (who used to be a Japan Nagoya Mission President about ten years ago) taught us that all a missionary needs is a PMG, the White Handbook, and a set of scriptures to be successful. The most senior member of the Presidency of the Seventy taught us about the great power of the message of the Restoration and the importance of obedience. Elder Ballard spoke with great power when telling us all to `cast our minds towards Gethsemane` to remember what the Savior did for us. As we do that as missionaries, will will remember Christ`s infinite love for us and we will want to share that message of His love with others. We all also got to shake his hand and he asked me how I was doing and I answered good. It was really cool to see an apostle of the Lord and hear his powerful testimony of Christ and his great enthusiasm for missionary work.
The best thing for the conference though was at the end, after we sang the closing hymn. Before an elder could go up and say the closing prayer, 86 year-old Elder Ballard beat him to the pulpit to tell everybody that he felt like President and Sister Yamashita should bear their testimonies to us. So the closing prayer had to wait while they bore their testimonies. Sister Yamashita struggled with her English but we could all really tell that she loved us all. And then President Yamashita got up. He told us that we were all great missionaries and that our light and examples have helped him build his testimony. We are always trying as missionaries to improve and to forget ourselves so it seems like a lot of the times we have so many shortcomings and weaknesses. It was very humbling to hear all of the speakers express their gratitude for us missionaries and extremely touching as with his tear-filled eyes, President Yamashita thanked us for the positive impact we have had on him. I felt my eyes tear up as well as I realized how much good I have been doing even when I always focus on wanting to improve, get better, and get rid of my shortcomings. I thought I was the only one holding back my tears, but as the closing prayer was said by a Japanese elder trying out his English, all I could hear was sniffles from the other hundred and fifty so missionaries in the chapel. It was amazing to feel united as a missionary force with our mission president and other General Authorities behind us. I hadn`t quite felt that since the MTC. So thanks everyone for getting me this far and thank all you e-mail readers for having a positive impact on my life. Even now with your prayers it has helped keep going everyday.
Speaking of needing prayers, I am being transferred to Matsumoto, another cold area that happens to be sister cities with Salt Lake. It has been really hard to say good-bye to everyone in the area as it has been my first area where I have been making a conscience effort to speak to people but I have to remember that 18 weeks ago I was complaining about being banished here in Takayama while now I am so sad to leave it. I will be companions with an Elder Jones from Idaho. It should be an interesting ride, especially since it is only me and him living in the apartment. The zone leaders are in the area as well though so someone will always be watching me... DUN DUN DUN! Anyways, everyone have a great week and I love you all!
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| Elder Hall with Branch President and some members |
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