So this week has definitely been weird. It is not everyday that you get to come back to your first area. Mt. Fuji hasn`t exploded on the little city of Numazu, the ocean hasn`t upheaved itself over the coastline, and the ward here hasn`t apostazed so things are looking about the same as when I was last here last October. But then again, everything is different. So basically the senior couple here that just barely arrived a couple weeks before I left has basically just torn up the area (in a good way). A nine year old girl my trainer and I were trying to help out to get baptized who had a father that wasn`t too kind to the church ended up getting baptized along with her dad and now her dad is a ward missionary. A less active I never met got re-activated and now pretty much runs our English class for us. The elders teach an English Gospel Principles Class but it is harder to teach than a lesson in Japanese because of a member who comes to the class to learn English but doesn`t know any. So in Japanese I have to find what I CAN say but when teaching the class in English, I have to careful what I CAN`T say. Also, since my Brazilian trainer left, the ward was devoid of an awesome Brazilian influence until a Brazilian family moved randomly into the ward a couple of months ago. We are taking the hour train ride north to their house tomorrow to cash in on some sweet Brazilian food and an FHE. Did I mention they have a couple youth aged kids which basically doubled the number of Numazu youth? So things have changed but a lot has improved.
Probably the best change is that the apartment is not crammed and squished with four elders but the small apartment only fits two of us now. So that is nice. Most of the members remember me and are like, `Wow, your back!` And then I speak a sentence of broken Japanese and that is all it takes for them to think I`ve improved. So that has been fun to see their reactions. A couple investigators are the same, a few have fallen off the map and it is my task to find them, and a couple of old former investigators have popped up again. Whitewashing has been weird but it is not pure finding but more `re-finding`. All we have to do is follow the previous elders` tracks and the note they left us to make appointments with people and get the ball rolling with lessons and stuff. We did find a new investigator though our second day here while on the way to visit someone. His name is Yuta like the state and he told us he has interest in English (which he was very good at speaking) and in Christainity, which is unheard of from native Japanese. So now we just need to meet with him and bring his interest in Christianity to a desire to follow Christ and BAM! It should be fun.
So today`s message is about seed planting. I`ve had a rare opportunity to met with people who I did stuff with a long time ago and be able to see a little bit of the fruits of my efforts in my first three months in the field. Most investigators we found didn`t progress as much as I wanted them to or even at all and some less actives are still, well, taking a break. It is weird to see change and compare from when I was here and when I came back. I haven`t seen any direct results of my earlier work but I can`t help but feel what I did during my first time in Numazu helped out a bit, even if it just meant keeping the ball rolling. I think back to my other areas to and I feel like I`ve done some good everywhere. I may never get to see some people or places again but after seeing my bean area again, I can have more faith and hope that when I tried my best in past areas, all worked out and someone was helped. I don`t think most missionaries get to see the full fruits of their labors and I don`t think most people see the effect of their good deeds and actions. Something as little as picking trash up on the side of a street or smiling to someone can change a lot. So I guess the lesson is to just keep on pushing, keep doing your best. You may never see just what comes of your good actions but trust me, someone else will always be blessed as we do our best by living and sharing the Gospel of Christ. I`ve been able to see just a glimpse of the results of my actions and I am excited to help out more and improve people`s lives once again in Numazu.
Love you all and have a great week!
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