11/14 Tuesday
Today we went to Eniwa's DTM! Back to Eniwa!! It was really fun. Elder Kikuchi is the district leader and one of the zone leaders there, and this was actually his first DTM ever because he became zone leaders with me before he had ever been a district leader. He shaved as part of his finding demonstration, with shaving cream and everything, it was the funniest thing ever.
After DTM, we drove back to Atsubetsu, and had a good day of work! It was way fun to work with Kikuchi choro again. I really love him and he is just the funniest guy ever. You will never stop laughing if you are with him. We ate sushi at toriton which was super awesome. The salmon there is incredible. Then we were also able to have an awesome lesson on Facebook video chat with The yoneta mom and daughter, Miki and Yui. We answered some of their questions and enforced our teaching of prayer and the relationship that we have with our Heavenly Father. Super great to be able to use social media to stay in contact more effectively.
11/15 Wednesday
The next day we switched back but left just a little bit later than we should have. We ate lunch with them really quickly there and then came back again with Elder satou and we went straight to the temple. The temple needed four elders to help with sealings for a special reason on this day, and so President said that it would be okay to count this as "service" time and go do sealings. So Awesome!! I learned today to always be 30 minutes early to whatever you have planned at the temple. The Spirit in the temple is so strong. I love the feeling of the Spirit. We took a little bit of time in the celestial room and it was incredible how calm and close to God it felt.
After the temple the main thing that we were able to do was to deliver a bike to the inamura family for there son who had crashed his bike. We were able to give him the bike of Sister Nakazawa, the super short Japanese sister who went home, so it should work perfect for him. They gave us this big box of food, so nice! We prayed together and left. I am so impressed by the strength of the families in this ward.
11/16 Thursday
President McClure is in Korea this whole week so it has been good to be able to focus more on our area.
Today we were able to meet Miki and yui with Sister Nishihara and her kids at the temple. We went into the lobby in the temple and the spirit was really strong. We really focused on the two moms connecting to each other, and it was wonderful. We taught about the temple and talked about a lot of different things. Miki shared more of her experience with us and basically talked about how she came to the point where she was prepared to be more open to religion and having a relationship with God. She is so amazing. After that we helped with kids eikaiwa and then were with the yoneta's again during eikaiwa tonight. This family is one of the greatest things that has happened to me on my mission.
11/17 Friday
Today I got to go on splits with Elder Graham! Splits with Elder Graham are the best split days ever! I love exchanges. We drove to Shinkotoni and dropped off Elder Satou, took Elder Haste to kotoni, dropped him off, and came back to Atsubetsu with Elder Graham. Then we did a little bit of study and had to go to the airport to pick up the Van forrels, because they were leaving President's car their so that President could drive home late tonight. We went with them to Costco and they bought us Pizza! It was really fun. I bought bacon and an awesome big back of Frozen Fruit, peaches, strawberrys, passionfruit, and one other thing I think. I also bought bagels, which I am really a fan of lately. Then we came back and tried to get a member for the lesson that we were able to schedule with Miki. We called a lot of members, but it was pretty hard to find some one on such short notice. Finally kojima shimai said that she could come and so we were able to have a really awesome lesson at the church with them. Yui chan wasn't there, so it was just really focused on Miki san. She asked one funny question. Why should I listen to you who are so young and have so much less experience. haha we had some fun answers for that. But having kojima shimai there was a really great help and addition to experience. Members at every lesson really is such an important part of this work. Elder Graham and I went to shin Sapporo and had a really fun time there. We ran into two member family's, the Takahashi's and the Hayashi's. It was good to talk with them. Then we found a really awesome kid who is getting ready to go into college. He really seemed pretty willing to listen and to act, so Elder Graham are excited for him. We will hopefully be able to line video chat with both him on Sunday and have Elder Graham join that as well. Elder Graham and I ate at donguri which is a really good bakery. I learned from him about viewing your morning prayer as creating your day spiritually. Very interesting and powerful idea. Elder Graham and I talked about our relationship and how we really have become like brothers. It is such a blessing to have earned a friend like Elder Graham on my mission.
11/18 Saturday
Today we switched back from splits and that was kind of crazy. Then we finished a lot of business that we had to take care of. President and Sister McClure came back from Korea, their flight had gotten delayed and so they stayed another night in Korea. We were able to have our missionary family home evening activity tonight, which went really well. The yoneta family all came; Miki and yui went to the relief society activity before the FHE activity and then we had an awesome fhe, curry and then ping pong! Masahiro also came and we were able to have some fun ping pong. Miki mom did ping pong in school and so she was pretty good! And then there was this other guy who is deaf so in sign language he told us that he was number 1 in that room, and he was super serious about it, so I took it upon myself to humble him a little bit. He wasn't so sure of being number 1 after that. Masahiro was being so funny. He is such a great dad. I love that family so much. The bishop and the nishihara's were also there, which was so fun and awesome. He literally looks and dresses, and even acts like a college G. Haha its the funniest thing ever and against everything that Japanese culture makes a bishop to be. At the end we gathered everyone together and I shared a thought about the elephant. A small elephant is taken into the zoo and doesn't have the strength to break the chain that keeps it captive, but it tries and tries until it finally gives up. Then the elephant gets very big, and has complete capacity to break the chain, but doesn't, simply because he doesn't know that he can. We are sometimes like elephants. Old challenges continue to hold us back, because we don't know that we can break through and be free of them. We can't recognize how much stronger we have become.
11/19 Sunday
Today we were able to teach Koyanagi after church. He came to church! He is a referral from Naori shimai! He is awesome, and is exercising so much faith without us really doing to much, because it is more through Naori shimai. We taught him about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and really were able to make progress in his understanding and faith.
Tonight we were able to go to the yoneta's house! We were returning her phone because she had left it at the church at the activity yesterday. It was really good to be in there house. You can really learn a lot about someone from their house. The yoneta's are a really family based, upper middle class family that is very happy. We shared the video "Earthly Father, Heavenly Father" and asked them what they thought and yui chan was so cute. She said "I'm glad to be alive." Miki said she felt really good, and then Masahiro said that it was going to take some time for him. He also said that he is going to be difficult. Haha I love him.
President talked with us tonight about a missionary, and it was good to be back with him again. I have gotten really used to talking and consulting with President McClure very often. It is a great blessing to be so close to him.
11/20 Monday
Today we went bowling with Akamatsu choro and moiwa district! It was so fun. It was so nostalgic of last year with Elder Akamastu bowling like 20 games just us two at round 1. So fun. We competed today and I won, but he still had a higher score for the whole day, and so to him that's one kind of win, so we just laugh at each other. Haha he is the funniest and the best. Tonight we had a community volleyball activity. It was super fun with these older ladies and this one member. So fun to be a missionary here in Atsubetsu. The members and the people that we are working with right now are so awesome!
I know that God lives. I know that he loves you. I know that prayer is real and that when we pray for people specifically, God really does listen to our prayers and provide the help and guidance that we need. I love you and am so grateful for your love and support.
Love, Elder Conover
No comments:
Post a Comment