Sunday, March 27, 2016

Happy Easter and My Testimony

After a lot of high octane weeks back to back to back to back to back to back... this week seemed a little more slowed down.  Maybe it is because I am just so dang tired like 24/7 or maybe just because the weather is changing or my zodiacs signs are off.  Whose knows, but, nonetheless this week was a very different feel for sure.  Recently there have been a lot of people that have been really hard to make appointments with which has given us some more free time luckily.  We definitely needed that last week as we put the fine touches together for Friday's Zone Training Meeting.  It was a full course buffet of Member Work, the Mission President's Vision, Finding, and Obedience.  We tried to make things fun so during the five minute break I went to the library and got a white piece of paper, wrote on it "The Title of Obedience" and taped it to a ruler.  We talked about how every small decision we make affects not just us and our companionship but it also builds the mission culture and has a lasting effect for even longer than we are missionaries.  Even our own testimonies and lives are hinged upon the everyday decisions we make when we choose to follow or ignore the little rules and commandments God has given us.  So, I pulled out the banner and pledged everyone to sign it.  I am holding it in the picture and hope to make copies of it and send one out to each companionship.  That Captain Moroni life though... united to beat Satan and disobedience, all in one swing!

Another thing this week was a Nabe (Japanese soups pretty much) Party we had at the church on Saturday.  It was way fun and really effective even though only one investigator came.  Ikeda San had his baptismal date for Sunday but we had to push it back to later in April so he can get over his smoking problem.  HE SMOKES 50 CIGARETTES A DAY!  Darn it Satan!  He wants to quit though and has faith so that is really the only two things necessary to overcome.  We met with him right before the party and then taught him the Ten Commandments (Moses, Moses! #BeforeEasterTenCommandmentsOnABC).  Also a guy who comes to church every week but refuses to take lessons joined with us in the lesson (because he accidentally came early for the party) and we committed him to live the Ten Commandments and he took a Book of Mormon and asked where he should read.  Still doesn't want to meet with us BUT we are making some progress.  Hopefully he can read the Book of Mormon and he will come around eventually.

It was Easter Sunday yesterday and no one really mentioned it at all which was weird but it wasn't that much surprising because Japan doesn't really think about it at all.  I did a lot of thinking about it though these past couple of weeks.  With bearing my testimony at my final Zone Training Meeting I have thought a lot about what my mission has done for me and last Easter's experience came to mind.  It was a hard, dark time on my mission, being with a companion that had given up, that had chosen to let his pride and own selfish ambitions, fears, and not wanting to work, get in the way of making his mission a fun, growing experience.  During that transfer, I tried my best to work with not knowing Japanese and having a companion like that with my own problems and my own struggles with being a missionary.  I have never faced a harder period of time in my life.  Last Easter season as I reflected on that transfer I couldn't help but feel guilt for all the work I wasn't able to do and for not being able to help change my companion's attitude and help him gain more of a testimony.  As I was thus in my state of despair, emailing all of you guys from the church the day after Easter I started to cry (which never happens BTW).  I felt a warm feeling like someone was giving me a hug.  I had never felt such comfort and love in my life.  A voice in my head said that it was okay and that I had tried my best, I was not at fault.  At that moment, I looked back at my last six weeks and recognized every moment that I was strengthened in my trials, that I felt Christ's love for my companion when I couldn't feel love for him, that unseen angels pushed me out the door when I didn't know what I was going to say to the people I would stop on the street.  I came to a knowledge then that Christ lives and that he loves me.  Not only that but if I try to follow him and do the little things then he will help me in my trials and help me learn what I need to to learn to be that better person so I can help and serve others.  

That moment, as hard as it was, has changed my mission and my life forever.  I have been a much different person since that my moment.  I feel as if that was the point my true conversion began.  I couldn't say it before but I now know that Christ is there for each and every single one of us.  I know He has established His church on this Earth today to teach us how to be happy in our lives and to get on the path that will get us back home so we can live in peace and the utmost joy for eternity with our families, friends, and God.  This I know and I am truly grateful for the opportunity this Easter season to be able to share this testimony with everyone here in Japan.  May you all have an amazing Easter and be able to feel Christ's influence in your life and in the lives of those around you!  I love you and everyone in America, enjoy General Conference next week!

Elder Hall
ホール長老

Ponderize Scripture
"Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."
-Alma 37:6

Monday Flashback
"Anyways, I picked him up (my companion for a day) at the train station, said good-bye to my [current] companion, and then got lost trying to find a building that was one street away....then we talked to people as we rode bikes homes and I was wondering `Where is the apartment?`...[So], when you don`t know what you need to do and you have two canceled appointments with a bunch of time, just turn to the Lord and he can help you out.  Maybe he won`t spell the answer out for you in every detail but, with faith all will be well."
- "My Day As A Senpai" 3/30/15  

 Exchange with our dorky assistants



My last ever ZTM...

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