So I went on a one day companion exchange this past Thursday and for the first time on my mission, I got to dendo outside of my area! What an adventure! So I went with my district leader Elder Callahan who came up to Matsumoto last transfer on an exchange down to his area in Suwa, just south of Matsumoto. It was pretty weird not knowing my way around a place again but it was great to follow Elder Callahan around. We taught a lesson to an old, eternal investigator and asked some Inspired Questions about God and his belief in God. Then we went to try to find a less active but no one was home. There was a dog barking over at the neighbors so we went to check it out. We asked an old guy outside if he knew the less active that lived there. Sadly he spoke old man Japanese so we couldn`t understand him at all. So in the moment of silence and confusion, I notice his baseball hat with Michael Jordan`s name on it. So I compliment him on his hat and then ask him if he likes basketball but he said it was only a gift. Even though it was a no though, he opened up his heart to us and we talked about Christ a little bit and he asked us if we believed in being saved. He said he thought we teach good things so when Elder Callahan asked if he could return the next week, he totally agreed. We got another guy`s phone number on the street and then had FHE with a Brazilian family who made great food. So it was fun.
The next day, we went back to my beloved Matsumoto for a zone gathering where we got... IPADS! I was super excited but then I got it and realized we really only had Gospel Library and the area book so social media aspects of the Ipads will have to wait a little bit. And the first day we had them we got super distracted during our Weekly Planning at the church but we have been doing a lot better now. You never knew how good seminary videos actually are until you become a missionary.
So this week`s GC talk is Elder Nielson`s `Waiting for the Prodigal`. I have realized as a missionary that when you get personal, your lessons are better as you testify of your own experiences and knowledge instead of just broad topics. So I think this is why I loved this talk because Elder Nielson used his own experiences. Towards the end he said that after his experience with his sister leaving the church and coming back, he read the story of the Prodigal Son again. This time, he read it and realized that he was the Prodigal Son. Usually I read this parable and think of how I am the jealous brother or how those trying to come back to church are the prodigal but in reality we all are. All of us have sinned. All of us have made mistakes. We have all left the path and all missed out on our Father`s blessings for us, whether we have been off of the path a mile or a foot, we have all become prodigal. We all need Christ`s Atonement and our Father`s forgiveness to get back. So with thought that, we are all lost in a since. From the most vilest sinner, the most normal person, to even a missionary, we all are on the same team and wear the same jersey. No need to judge others for the amount of sins they have committed because we too need Christ`s Atonement to be made perfect.
Everyone have a great week wherever you may be throughout the world. Love you all!
Elder Hall
Pictures: My Ipad and my new tie I bought for a dollar at Daiso, the best dollar store in the world!
And I forgot to tell everyone that my companion Elder Martini in Matusmoto on the day that I was gone set a baptismal date with our Chinese investigator Tommy for May 31st! It would be pretty cool to have my first baptism exactly a year before my release date. Very fitting for a halfway mark celebration. My companion and I invited him to the date a couple weeks ago but it was when I was gone that he accepted. Pretty big thing to forget in an e-mail so I had to put it in for you all.
And here is more pictures of Matusmoto Castle I went and saw last week!
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