Moulton left, I went and stayed the day in a nearby area and had a
wonderful dinner with some members. It was pretty funny because I
just show up and they had to bring in an extra chair because the
members weren't expecting me at all but it turned out okay. That
night was pretty fun and then I went and picked up Elder Callahan!
We've been having a lot of fun and been settling into the area. We
didn't have very many set appointments this week but we have been
visiting around talking to everybody on the street.
Highlights of the week were:
1. Went to a member's middle school (and younger) English Class's
Christmas Party. I told about Christmas traditions in English and
Elder Callahan translated. It was pretty fun to talk to the kids
afterwards as we ate sushi and other stuff. Just being dorks with our
English. The members really appreciated it and it was pretty fun.
2. Mission Leadership Council. We went to the mission home and talked
with other people around the mission about some stuff. We basically
just made a HUGE list of specific ideas on how we can help the mission
improve and reach our goals. Everything from giving investigator's
parents who happen to be against the church a pineapple to soften
their hearts to not just teaching people lessons but actually helping
them progress. I learned a lot and got to see some good mission
friends.
3.Ward Christmas Party! It was pretty legit. At the beginning before
we ate each table was taken into a room downstairs and we had to dress
up as characters of the nativity and take a picture representing a
different part in the Christmas story. Then, later in the evening,
they told the Christmas story as they put the pictures up on the
screen. We only men in our group so I volunteered to be Mary. I wish
I had the picture but I will ask around. Then we ate a bunch of
unhealthy cake and food and chatted up some people. A couple of
members had brought friends and we had about five investigators there
so it was super cool! Also, Santa called us during the middle of the
Christmas Party and said that he couldn't make it that night because
of a malfunction with the factories in the North Pole so he asked me
if I would fill in for him since I was the one that looked the closest
to him. I happily accepted and even though the kids were sad that the
real Santa couldn't show up, they were still happy to get candy.
As far as Christmas goes, well, for New Years we have a lot of
appointments! The Japanese like to celebrate stuff at New Years so
most people are still working. Most kids don't have school then
though so it is good. We are doing an exchange on Christmas Eve with
the assistants after we have interviews with the mission president so
that should be good!
Recently I have been reading through 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon and
it is really cool to read about the Savior's visit to the Nephites
during Christmas season. Today I read about how Christ had everyone
pray and there is like almost a whole chapter were they were all just
praying. First to God, then once to Christ, and then Christ prayed a
couple times. They partook of the sacrament and basically prayed for
a long time. I love when Christ says, "ye must watch and pray always
lest ye enter into temptation." I have been thinking a bit recently
about how to truly just stay active in the church and how to help
people re-inactive or just start living the gospel principles by
receiving baptism. I think it really comes down to the three basics
of praying, reading the scriptures, and coming to church. Prayer is
something we can always have in our heart and it is something that is
a constant action, 24/7. Prayer is like air as we breath it all the
time and it keeps us alive spiritually. Without prayer we don't have
that essential connection with God. Scripture study is a daily thing
and act as food that gives us the spiritual nutrients that helps us
keep going. We really can feast upon the word and fill spiritually
full afterwards! Then comes church once a week which is almost like a
weekly vitamin that helps us become strong and gives us the things
that we don't quite get in our daily diet. I have seen many people
who claim to do only two things, like prayer and reading scriptures
but because of time or not liking the members, they don't come on
Sunday. They might claim they are alright but if we don't have all
those three things, eventually our spiritual vitals signs will begin
to fail.
Last General Conference, Elder Anderson taught us: "How we live our
lives increases or diminishes our faith. Prayer, obedience, honesty,
purity of thought and deed, and unselfishness increase faith. Without
these, faith diminishes." We need to daily take action to give our
bodies our daily nutrients that are essential for living, if we just
sit back and relax on our spiritual journey, we will begin to decrease
along with our faith. If you don't eat, you aren't really harming
your body in anyway. Heck we fast sometimes right? Why can't I just
stay where I am with my body right now and never eat again? Our body
would start to malfunction and eventually stop working. Let's not let
our testimonies starve to death this Christmas season. It is a great
wonderful time to re-evaluate our spiritual course in our lives as we
think deeply about Christ and what he has done for us. Just pray,
study and live the scriptures and go to church and you are well on
your way to eternal life. I pray that everyone has an AMAZING
Christmas and that you go hard on that Christmas meal for me. Love
you all and have a great week!
Elder Hall
ホール長老
Ponderizing Scripture:
"For with God nothing shall be impossible."
- Luke 1:37
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| MLC with the doki |
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| Elders Moulton and Hall Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree!! |
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| Santa's Big Helper |
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