Very Happy Mother's Day!

May 9th was Mother's Day and we got to talk to Grady! I was so nervous about finding out when to call him because he didn't have email and his letters were sometimes kind of erratic with the mail. He was able to email us and tell us to call him at 4:30 on Sunday-our time--7:30 Am Monday morning--his P-day-- his time. We called the number he gave us and he answered. I can't explain what it was like to hear his voice again. Then, he apologized but asked us to call him back in three hours because they had an appointment at 8 AM! He said that was the only time they could meet with that investigator. It was completely fine and I was so grateful to know that my son knew how much more important it was to meet with this investigator. I'm glad he knew we would be fine with calling him back. So--we waited and waited and finally it was 7:30 PM and time to call him back. We were all here including Lenzi and Jon and the phone call was truly amazing. He had questions written down for all of us~it was really sweet. He sounded exactly the same. His laugh was contagious and he just sounded so happy! As we were hanging up he said "O.K. I hear someone crying. Who is that?" It was both Olivia and Lenzi, then I joined in. He was so cute when we told him it was just so good to hear his voice and that we missed him. He said, "I'm sorry you miss me. What can I do to help you all with that." That made us laugh, but he was really sincere and wanted to know what he could do to help ease our missing him! Then he told us that he really hadn't had a day where he was homesick. Ugg! That was kind of a shot in the gut!! He said he just didn't have time to be homesick and miss us because the work he was doing was so urgent. I am so grateful that he isn't homesick. I can't imagine how awful that would be-to be so far away and have that ache for home. I know Heavenly Father is protecting him and helping him stay strong and focused. I know he loves us and I am so very grateful that he is taking his mission seriously and doing all that he can to bring those sweet Japanese people the gospel.

May 3, 2010~~For Mother's Day we gave my mom a set of scriptures and we each wrote our testimony for her. Grady sent his also and this is what he wrote for Nana:

My testimony is pretty simple. I know that God loves his children and because of that He gave us prophets and a way to live our lives. This way is what Joseph Smith restored,- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and Jesus is my Savior. I have never seen any of these things, but I know they are true principles because of the Holy Ghost. This testimony has been the rock in my life.

Crazy Miracles

May 3, 2010

Dear Family.

Thanks for the letter. It was sad to hear about Brian Steinke. I always thought he was way nice.

I'll answer some questions first. The big delivery company is called Sagaria. They run everywhere and speak way polite Japanese. Pretty funny.

This week some crazy miracles happened. Me and Thayer decided to drop some of the investigators because they were just not progressing towards baptism. It definitely dropped our lesson count down. It was kind of a leap of faith because I trusted that the Lord would help us find more people. This is exactly what happened. Thirteen new investigators this week and eight were on the same day. They were all really good people and I am excited to meet them again. I don't write down those numbers to be boastful, but to let you see how God is preparing people all over the world. Their souls are precious. I am still having a great time and I love the mission. I'll talk to you guys in one week, so I'll keep this short. I love you all and look forward to talking to you soon. Till next time. Peace. ~~Grady

So Happy

April 27, 2010--This letter took me a bit by surprise. Grady has always been such a good son, always very compliant and obedient. He has truthfully been such a joy and I'm just not sure why he felt like he needed to apologize. He did hate my questions--just like Olivia and Rudy do now!! ( I made sure they read this letter!!) I guess he just realized that the reason I was so inquisitive is because I love him!

Dear Family,

Thanks again for everything. I know I always say this, but really, Thank-you. Before I forget, I wanted to say sorry for not being the best son I could have been. When you guys would ask me how my day was I wouldn't always give you a good answer. I am sorry for that. Lately I have realized how rude I was and that all you guys wanted to do was talk with me.

Well, since I got that out of the way, this week has been great! Oh, but before I forget, I have some questions:

Rudy--I saw your Cherokee. Sweet! If you need some cool wheels, I have some aluminum ones from my Wrangler laying around. I think they are at the warehouse. How are the High Schools, summer plans, and please send pictures. I'll do the same.

Like I said, this week was great. I am helping prepare a new guy named Narito for baptism. Matsuda is having a little trouble lately, but I am optimistic. Naruto just got married to a member. He and the member are both starting to come to church here. His baptismal date is May 24th. He is a way good guy and it looks good.

The other day I was teaching one of our investigators named Kazumi. She lived in Texas for ten years and got baptized in the Baptist Church. We were teaching about pre-earth life and we got kinda deep into it and read from Abraham about Jesus and Satan. When I taught about how unselfish Jesus Christ was, the spirit was very strong. It is so amazing that Jesus Christ offered and sacrificed for all of us. I hope this really touched them because I know it touched me. The mission is great and I love it here. I have learned how to deal with trials and just to learn and move on. This will really help me in my life.

The happiest I have felt is definitely on my mission. Not that I wasn't way happy before, because I was, but is different now. I think it is the spirit and service. I want to feel this my whole life. I love these people a ton and want to help them all. Time is flying by so fast but I have not regrets. The mission is great and I love you all. Till next week, Grady

Short but Sweet!

April 19, 2010

I just sent you an email but it was way short. The email place is actually right under the church. Pretty fun, huh?! It is free, but I can't use it for very long. This week has been awesome! We helped a lot of people come closer to Christ. Tonight I am meeting a couple who are Baptist. They were baptized in Texas. They are both reading the Book of Mormon and they think it is from God. Matsuda is really progressing well. He is 49 and can't see very well. He was working on a ship about 10 years ago and a wire whipped him in the right eye. He lost sight in his right eye and now the left eye is failing. He got divorced about 10 years ago, too, and he raised his two kids by himself. This story sounds very sad, but his circumstances have humbled him. He wants to start a new life and baptism is it. His date is May 1st and it looks good. I feel the spirit when I teach him because he is so prepared. I know that people are prepared for the gospel by God everyday. Thanks for the letters and all the love. This work is urgent and I love doing my little part in building the kingdom. I am really blessed to be here and I love you guys. Keep up the good work and I'll talk to you soon.

Following the Spirit

Some Friends in Maizuru

April 12, 2010

Dear Family,
I just got a letter form you guys, so it was perfect timing. Sounds like all is well back at home and everyone is still busy. I can't believe Jess Funk is engaged! Pretty crazy! Sounds like he is pretty cool, though. It sounds like Nate Thompson's story.
Rudy's Westy sounds pretty sweet!
Well, this week was pretty awesome! A lot of success and a lot of people came closer to Christ. A constant thing in my mission is trying to follow the promptings of the spirit. This is really important in our lives. This week I went to Toyooka to do an exchange with another missionary. Toyooka is the area right next to mine. That night we both decided to follow the spirit and miracles happened. We were trying to find an apartment called "Brain" because we had a lesson to teach to an investigator, but we couldn't find the right "Brain" apartment. Yes, there were 2! Pretty wild! We asked a random guy and he said that he didn't know but after searching for another 5 minutes or so the same guy drove up randomly in his little white pick up in a completely different place than we had first seen him. He said, "I know where the "Brain" is. Hop in!" We hopped in the pick up and he drove us to the "Brain." I have no idea how he found us, but God does. The investigator didn't answer, but I felt like we should knock on the other doors, even though the other missionary had just been rejected a day or two ago. A lady answered and she became an investigator. We then decided to stay longer and dendo. I was following Elder Everts because I didn't know Toyooka and somehow we ended up back at the "Brain." Way crazy!! So, we decided to knock on the investigator's door again. Her husband answered and we taught Lesson 1 and he became a new investigator! After that we went to another apartment to visit an old investigator. He wasn't there and it was time to go home, but Everts was prompted to knock on one last door. A big, tall Japanese guy answered and he became a new investigator. That day five of God's prepared children were taught the Restored Gospel through two of God's young, inexperienced boys, a random guy with a truck, and the Holy Spirit. I was a way special day for me. After every miracle me and Everts just looked at each other with our jaws dropped. God loves all of his children and he shares with them His plan in mysterious ways.
I also got to watch Conference Saturday and Sunday this week. Five of our investigators came and they loved it! The prophet really brings a spirit into the room that nobody can deny. I like Elder Christopherson's talk about studying the scriptures. It was so good.
Well, this has been a long letter, but I hope you enjoyed it. Oh, your voice recorder you sent came in handy. I am teaching a guy right now named Matsuda who can't see very well. Because of this he can't read the Book of Mormon. I record myself reading a chapter from the Book of Mormon and give it to him to listen to. He is so nice and humble. I am so thankful that I can see and read.
Well, thanks for the letters again and I love you all. This really is the Restored Gospel and I feel blessed to be teaching it to others. Til next time--see ya.

Are You Genki?

Grady and Thayer Chorro outside their apartment by some Sakura Trees
The Sakura blossom

April 5, 2010

Dear Family,
Are you Genki? (Genki means excited!) Thanks for the letters and Easter stuff. Me and Thayer really appreciated it. I don't think I received a letter this week so I don't have much to comment on. I do kind of want to know about new things in Twin Falls. Like the new High School, Cafe Rio,stuff like that. What are everyone's plans for the summer? Anything fun?
This week for me was another busy, rewarding week. Lots of people to teach and lots of lessons. These last two transfers i haven't had much finding time. My schedule is packed everyday but miracles are still happening and God is putting people in my path. (He never told us but the reason his schedule is so packed is because he was called to be District Leader. We found out by a letter from President McIntyre)
Right now in Japan is Sakura (flower) season. The Sakura trees are way famous and I have a pretty famous place right outside my apartment. They are gorgeous trees.
This week a new investigator came to church. His name is Yoshida and he is 21. He has been to the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. He is way cool and progressing towards baptism. This week I had a pretty cool experience during study. It is still hard for me to think of the modern day prophets as prophets like Moses, but the spirit really helped this week. I know they are, but once in a while a stray thought comes into my mind. But, anyway, this week I read one of President Monson's talks in the Ensign. Through the whole talk I felt the spirit very strongly and when he said, "I bless all of you" I knew he was talking to me. It was a pretty special moment for me. I now our modern day prophets are just like Moses or Abraham. I am very thankful for this.
Well, I have things to fix and clean, but thanks again for everything. (That rhymes!) Till next time, bye.

"Wow! God really does love his children." moments

Grady on top of the world!

March 29, 2010

Dear Family,

I enjoyed getting your letters this week. Dad, sounds like you were pretty blessed. Your stories were pretty good. I don't know if my being on a mission helped with the van and the million dollar house! It was probably your cat-like reflexes and cheetah speed! Oh, can you send me some pictures of the projects you're working on-- the Westy and Cherokee etc..

Well, this week was another great one. Still being blessed with lots of "Wow! God really does love his children" moments. This week I went on a little adventure that was pretty cool. I am surrounded by the ocean and mountains in Maizuru and I rode my bike up one of them. There is an area that me and Thayer wanted to check out. It was way deep in the forest and there were only 3 homes, but on our way back some miracles happened. I met this way cool lady that seems ready for the gospel and randomly made re-contact with an investigator out in the middle of nowhere. God really does have His hand in this work. These experiences are frequent and I thank God every time. I hope I can always be worthy for these miracles. I see God's perfect love for his children all the way out here in Maizuru every day. Yesterday at church 2 less active members came which was way cool It had been a year or so for one and a couple of months for the other. I really can say that it is one of the best feelings when a less active comes back to church. I really do love these people and want to see them progress.

The mission is great and my testimony grows every day. Oh, I just remembered one more experience this week that was cool. It was me, Thayer and my Branch President, Pres. Hiramoto, teaching a less active that believes in reincarnation. Pres. Hiramoto testified about doing work for our dead ancestors. When he was doing temple work for his mom he felt that she accepted it. He got kind of emotional and the spirit was way strong. I also had a similar experience with Papa. I felt prompted to share my experience, too. I could barely get through it because the spirit was so strong. The less-active, Takeuchi Shimai, felt the spirit really strongly and started crying, too. The spirit does amazing things. I felt reassured again that Papa really has accepted what Andrew and I did for him in the temple.

Well, this is way long! Until next week--Sayonara! Grady

Answers to Some Questions

Grady being "attacked" by the Amano's dog, Choco

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Every once in a while I'll send Grady a questionnaire that he can fill out and return with answers to my questions. I've done this a few times and I like it because I get all my questions answered and I think he likes it because it makes it easier for him to remember what questions we've asked. This has been especially helpful since we haven't had instant emails like before. By the time we get his letters back, we've forgotten what we asked!

1. Is the little girl from the less active family still an investigator? What about other investigators? Yes, Asuka is still an investigator. She doesn't have a baptismal date yet, but it is looking really good. This transfer has been my busiest in the mission. We have a lot of investigators.
2. Why did you get a new bike? My blue bike was having too many problems so I got a nice one from the Mission Home for $20.
3. Do you ever eat at member's houses? Every Monday I have FHE at a member's house. They are awesome!
4. Tell us about some of the members. The Amano Family. He is in his 40's and she is in her 50's. They are the ones that have us over every week. Probably top 5 coolest people ever! Way strong converts! Hirameto Family. They are both about mid 30's. He is the Branch President and is a convert. He was baptized when he was 23 then went on a mission to Tokyo. Way good guy! Well, that is more than half of the active members, so I'll tell you about the rest later! LOL!
5. Have you made the cake or tacos or spaghetti that I sent? Yes-- the Eikaiwa students loved the cake. Thanks!
6. Does your Timbuk2 bag work good for you? Did it keep your stuff dry during the rainy season? yes, the bag is great! It keeps everything pretty dry!