Wow, what an emotional week. Killing an elder always drains me and it sucks. It is so cool to see an elder finish off his mission strong after two years of hard work but then again it is also depressing to see them go and realize that missionary death is an actual thing that happens. I've got four transfers left which feels like forever but really it is quite short. Hopefully Elder Moulton (I guess Kai Moulton from now on) will email me. I just got reminded though of how I want my mission to end. It is so worth it to work hard until the last minute because when it ends you can look back and see just how far you truly have come and how much you have been able to serve the Lord. When my stake president set me apart to start me on this journey, he told me to work so that I can get on that plane coming home with no regrets. I don't think that means mistakes because we all make them. I don't think it means sometimes being an idiot. What my companion told me was that you only have regrets when you make mistakes and don't learn from them. Just never give up, keep improving and work hard. Once a missionary gives up, then failure has settled in. His example motivates me to work harder and although it might seem far away, to dedicate myself so on that ride to the mission home or the plane ride to America, I can feel peace, knowing that I did the work the Lord would have me do. Next transfer I am getting Elder Callahan my kohai from the MTC. He is super fun and hard-working (and I'm not just saying that because he is on my e-mail list or anything...) and we had a couple exchanges in the past when I was like transfer 6 so it should be fun next transfer! I'm excited!
This past week was a lot of good-byes which has always been hard for me to handle. President Utchdorf once said in a talk somewhere that we as Celestial Beings made out of eternal matter don't like endings because we weren't made for them, that God created us to enjoy life forever! I think that is part of the reason I hate saying good-bye, even though I am still staying here. The highlight, of course, was on Saturday night when we had dinner with the Bishop's family and Makino San, the eternal investigator who has been the Primary Pianist for a few years. It was then, late Saturday night, that he decided to get baptized the following day! It was crazy! We were just over at the Bishop's house for a couple of hours getting the program all set for who should do what and everything. Everyone was surprised the next day in sacrament meeting when they announced he was getting baptized. Finally!
So, on Elder Moulton's final day in the mission field, he got the opportunity to baptize Makino San. It was a beautiful experience. It was very surreal. I always believed I could see a baptize but it was actually happening. It was cool too. I have really grown to love this guy and am super excited he is baptized and a member now! It is just like this over-whelming joy. Like it actually happens! People are baptized here in Japan! It is crazy! It actually happened! Too many exclamation marks but really it feels amazing! To be honest, the mission life can be hard, heck, who am I kidding, it's tough. Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged. It is easy to think what you are doing isn't going anywhere. It is easy to think your best won't amount to anything. It is easy to see others go home and wish you were on that flight instead of them. It's not a 24/7 challenge but it gets hard a lot of the times. It is hard to see the whole purpose of it all. You know it in the back of your mind but sometimes when you are faced with the small choice of working hard or taking a little break it isn't that evident. One good thing though I learned from yesterday is that it truly is all worth it. As cliche as it is, you hardly ever see the results of your labors. It really does take faith to give it your all especially when we don't see the outcome but it is all worth it in the end. It is all worth it though.
I know that this church is true. I have seen it change me into a better person and I know it will one day change me into the person and missionary I want to become. I know that Christ lives and that he loves us each individually no matter our circumstances or who we are or even what our choices are. I know he is always watching over us and each day gives us the strength to keep going and pushes us closer, although we might not recognize it, to God and true joy. I know that baptism is the gate we must enter to go on the pathway to eternal happiness and that through keeping those covenants throughout our lives we can truly find joy and help others receive that same feeling of peace. I know I am supposed to be here in Japan although I don't know why for sure. I know that the Lord will support me as I do my best the rest of my mission and give it all I got and that he will support me as he has in the hard times. Until that end comes, God be with you all! I love you all and thank you for all of your support, prayers, and faith. I couldn't be out here without you all! I love you all and have a great week!
Ponderizing Scripture
This past week was a lot of good-byes which has always been hard for me to handle. President Utchdorf once said in a talk somewhere that we as Celestial Beings made out of eternal matter don't like endings because we weren't made for them, that God created us to enjoy life forever! I think that is part of the reason I hate saying good-bye, even though I am still staying here. The highlight, of course, was on Saturday night when we had dinner with the Bishop's family and Makino San, the eternal investigator who has been the Primary Pianist for a few years. It was then, late Saturday night, that he decided to get baptized the following day! It was crazy! We were just over at the Bishop's house for a couple of hours getting the program all set for who should do what and everything. Everyone was surprised the next day in sacrament meeting when they announced he was getting baptized. Finally!
So, on Elder Moulton's final day in the mission field, he got the opportunity to baptize Makino San. It was a beautiful experience. It was very surreal. I always believed I could see a baptize but it was actually happening. It was cool too. I have really grown to love this guy and am super excited he is baptized and a member now! It is just like this over-whelming joy. Like it actually happens! People are baptized here in Japan! It is crazy! It actually happened! Too many exclamation marks but really it feels amazing! To be honest, the mission life can be hard, heck, who am I kidding, it's tough. Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged. It is easy to think what you are doing isn't going anywhere. It is easy to think your best won't amount to anything. It is easy to see others go home and wish you were on that flight instead of them. It's not a 24/7 challenge but it gets hard a lot of the times. It is hard to see the whole purpose of it all. You know it in the back of your mind but sometimes when you are faced with the small choice of working hard or taking a little break it isn't that evident. One good thing though I learned from yesterday is that it truly is all worth it. As cliche as it is, you hardly ever see the results of your labors. It really does take faith to give it your all especially when we don't see the outcome but it is all worth it in the end. It is all worth it though.
I know that this church is true. I have seen it change me into a better person and I know it will one day change me into the person and missionary I want to become. I know that Christ lives and that he loves us each individually no matter our circumstances or who we are or even what our choices are. I know he is always watching over us and each day gives us the strength to keep going and pushes us closer, although we might not recognize it, to God and true joy. I know that baptism is the gate we must enter to go on the pathway to eternal happiness and that through keeping those covenants throughout our lives we can truly find joy and help others receive that same feeling of peace. I know I am supposed to be here in Japan although I don't know why for sure. I know that the Lord will support me as I do my best the rest of my mission and give it all I got and that he will support me as he has in the hard times. Until that end comes, God be with you all! I love you all and thank you for all of your support, prayers, and faith. I couldn't be out here without you all! I love you all and have a great week!
Ponderizing Scripture
And now as I said concerning faith--faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
Alma 32:21
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Elder Hall, Makino San, Elder Moulton
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