Finally Passing the Manhood Test

THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL CONTAINS ADULT MATERIALThat is because I went to a special Japanese celebration for 20 year-olds today where all of the girls wore kimonos and the guys just suits and stuff. We knew that today was a special holiday to celebrate people becoming adults (which is 20 in Japan) but a member told us this last week how everyone in Japan goes to their old elementary school and has a big celebration/training thing on becoming adults. So, we rode to the closest elementary school and just walked in to a big gymnasium with a bunch of old Japanese people who wanted us to right our address down. Then we just sat down and enjoyed the festivities! They had a couple of short speeches in formal Japanese about showing thanks to parents for the twenty years they have helped them and more about taking hold of the future because, you Japanese youth are the future! Then they had this super awesome Japanese thing were they are all dressed in kimonos and traditional Japanese wear and they play thes HUGE drums while moving around a bit. Kind of like the Blue Man Group without blue paint. It was really cool! We were the only non-Japanese people there and got into the picture (which I will send when I get it). All the girls were in kimonos and it was funny to see how none of the guys wouldn't dare to talk to them, even though they were all 20.

In other news this week, I had an exchange with an MTC bud Elder Lenning where we all ran around talking to people and had ping pong night. We finally had a lesson with our Korean Jesus friend Yamanaka San and we just talked about some of his questions about our church and a little bit about baptism. He believes in everything pretty much but still can't see exactly why he needs to renounce his Korean Jesus church in order to have a testimony of ours. This week we also had a really good ZTM where we talked a lot about finding joy in missionary service. Sometimes we just let the little things keep us from reaching our true potential whether it be little things like exercising in the morning. When we don't do these things we wonder why we aren't as happy but when we do do those things then we become a little better off. We also talked a lot about reaching our potentials and goals for 2016.

I've realized that 2016 is all that I have got left as a missionary and I, well, I am not where I wanted to be as a missionary yet. So, the time is now! And, in order to become the missionary I have never been before, I have to do things I have never done before! Some things (as you probably well know through my e-mails) that I am not where I want to be are specifically my Japanese ability and following the Spirit. So I'm cracking down on the little things of exercising and really trying to learn more Japanese throughout the day. We will see how it works. This week was actually kind of weird because right when I started to work on these points obstacles came in my way. Like finding out some things I have been saying in Japanese for a year and a half plus have been wrong all along! That is always a self-esteem booster for sure. That is just Satan though confirming for me that I'm am supposed to be doing it because it isn't easy.

I love President Uchtdorf's talk in last Priesthood Session where he talks about Daniel's faith and how he had to work to get that. I always just thought people in the scriptures like Nephi and Daniel were just born spiritual giants but they were just normal people. It must have forced Daniel to have a lot of faith to stand up against the popular thoughts of the Babylon and even in the face of the king. I always thought I'd be able to do something like that but I realized on my mission that there are many small rationalizations and excuses for >not doing the right thing or even not doing something to your best ability. Just like Daniel we have to do the little things in life so when challenges come along, we can overcome them.

The challenge is ours to daily practice the principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and to live true to God’s commandments. We will have to stay calm under peer pressure, not be impressed by popular trends or false prophets, disregard the ridicule of the ungodly, resist the temptations of the evil one, and overcome our own laziness." So when things start to go against you that is the most important time to stand true to what you believe in and what you have decided already. I will do my best to punch Satan in the face over here even in the opposite and I hope that everyone else can achieve their New Year Resolutions even when the obstacles start piling up.

Everybody have a good week and I love you all!

Elder Hall

Ponderizing Scripture: And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.    Helaman 5:12

No flash photography was allowed during the festivities so I got a
picture before it all started..

Pictures taken after ZTM