Youth In Asia

So this past week we had two activities that involved youth that happen to be in Asia because I am in Japan.  The first one was for Valentine`s Day but was on Wednesday because it was Constitution Day and everyone had school off.  We made our own chocolate and decorated it so it was super legit.  And yes, Japan has Valentine`s Day but also a day on March 14th called White day.  The girls give stuff to the guys on Valentine`s Day here in Japan and then the boys have to give it back on White`s Day.  It is pretty much just a scam by the Japanese chocolate companies to get more money but still original.  We had a couple of non-members who were friends with less active youth come so we talked to them and became friends.  They are female though so it is a bit hard for us to contact them and get things going as far as investigators go but we just have to go through their friends.  We took the chocolates to Casey and the Brailsfords who we are still trying to hammer out a date for Casey`s baptism.

This Saturday we had a basketball activity which I was WAY excited for!  It had been six months since I played it in the MTC with my South American friends.  So, I took a video of my first shot which was horrendous.  I will try to put it up but I have to try to get a Dropbox going first so maybe next week you can watch it.  But we had our American 20 year-old friend come and dominate with us.  Most of the people who came, various youth and English students, didn`t know how to play too much but they did a pretty good job still.  I didn`t go all out on them because of charity and potential foul difficulties but I had fun and even got to be a referee for a quarter.

A sad event in this week, I lost my wallet.  At first it was like, `Well it is at the church.`  Nope.  Then I think `It is in the apartment.`  Tear it apart and nope.  `It has to be at the Indian Curry place I last had it at.`  Bike out there and nope too.  So I am absolutely broke and already used my personal funds.  so it has been pretty rough.  I keep hoping for a miracle to find it or have somebody call me since I left all my contact information in it.  I just need more faith.  But then I was reading in the Book of Mormon today about Alma and Amulek when they have to watch all the people they taught who became converted in Ammonihah be burned to death because of their beliefs.  Amulek has my attitude and says `Alma, God can help us to stop this.`  But Alma in his wisdom realizes the Spiritual prompting he has that this needs to happen because even though it is hard, it is for the people to try their faith.  In the end it will work out.

So, in relation to that, last night after we checked at the Indo Curry place, we went housing near by which is quite far away.  We do a couple houses and then a random couple lets us in before we even say anything because it is cold outside.  First time ever that has happened to me.  They are a little buzzed, at least I realized that after the lesson, but we sit down and talk a little bit about their hobbies.  Then we transition into God, teach them the Plan of Salvation and Kenji San (the 34 year old) can`t believe in God.  I had stayed relatively quiet in the lesson since it was on the spot and I had no preparation and was a bit scared but I got up the courage to tell him something.  In my broken Japanese, I told him I once too wanted to know if God existed, so I got down and prayed to him.  I felt a good feeling and knew that he heard me and was there.  I promised him too that he could pray and find out too.  `Not today I am good.` was the response.  I don`t know if they felt anything but I did.  That was really the first time that I testified without having prepared something in Japanese before.  I don`t know if us finding them after looking for my lost wallet was for me or for them but I feel like that my wallet slipping out of my pocket wasn`t a mistake.  Sometimes, like Alma and Amulek, we have to have the faith to not see a miracle, to not be saved.  to have faith that one day it will turn out alright that this experience is for our good in the long run.  I don`t know if I will ever find my wallet and its valuable contents but it is worth it for meeting them and finding out again that the Spirit does lead me, even in bumbling Japanese and unconfidence.

I hope everyone has a great week and thanks again for all the support, letters and e-mails even if I don`t have time to response to a lot of you!  Love you all and God bless you all!