"Time is Flying and I Love Being a Missionary"

July 25, 2010

Hey guys! I just got your email-- thanks. I am on a college campus about 3 minutes away from my apartment and they have free internet access. It is way cool. Well thanks for all the good emails this week. It was nice to hear from you all. Rudy, the Japanese you wrote on your helmet means 'gay' in Japanese. Just kidding!! It has something to do with an Alaskan boat or something. Pretty sick. Oh. Dad I asked about the tenkara and no one knew what I was talking about sorry. Good luck on the river. Olivia --riding a bike everyday eh. That's cool and congrats on losing 20 pounds. I got on the scale the other day and I was down to 140! Weird huh! It is so hot here! I think I am just sweating all the weight off. Ill be talking to someone at their door and sweat will be just dripping. I have a big hand towel that I bring around. It has been 92 to 95 degrees but with the humidity it is insane. I got a little tan though and I make my own weather so it is all right. The Ise family is doing great. They have almost quit smoking completely and accepted to pay tithing after baptism. They seem really ready to be baptized. Next Sunday is their interview for baptism so Ill let you know how it goes. Kinoshita hasn't been able to meet but there is a new guy getting ready for baptism. His name is Kan and he is from china. He is 18 and is probably one of the nicest people I have known. He still has a long ways to go but things will work out. Oh, and do you remember Hayashi in Amagasaki? He is 23 and taught kindergarten. Well, me and Campbell found him and set a date with him and then I transferred. He got baptized on Saturday and was confirmed yesterday. Way cool. Oh, and Yamashita, the recently baptized convert in Amagasaki has a place to live now! The ward really helped him out and things really look good for him. He got the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday. Things really look good for those two. This week I had some cool experiences. They were simple but they meant a lot to me. I felt that I wasn't loving the people as much as I should and not testifying about Jesus Christ enough. I focused on these two things and I just felt a lot better. The spirit is awesome and I am so thankful to have its' guidance. Oh ya, and Dad I am not a Zone leader anymore. Yesterday during the Ise familie's lesson a lot of cool things happened. The Manabe family, a family in the ward, was sitting in on the lesson. They tesfied so boldy, and told so many good experiences from tithing that it was probably hard for the Ise family to say no. Jk, but really tithing is real and the spirit was so strong. Elder Kudo's dad also had a good experience. His dad was baptized at 19 in Sendai. When he got baptized he said that he wasn't considered family anymore and his family never talked to him again. After getting baptized his dad wanted to serve a mission. He worked really hard and got all the money he needed and then it was all stolen by a robber. Pretty sad but his ward all got together and helped out but he still didn't have enough money. Kudo's dad needed a miracle. His dad's friend had worked for money to go on a mission too but his dad was against it and didn't let him go. Kudo's dad's friend gave him the money that he had saved and it was exactly enough. Pretty sweet miracle and I thought you would like it. His dad returned with no money and the first thing he did was pay tithing. He really had a testimony of the church. Sorry for all these stories but I was really touched. Well this email has been long but to sum it up I am doing great. Time is still flying and I love being a missionary. This is the most rewarding thing I have done and it is because I am helping people learn about the most important thing on earth--Jesus Christ's pure gospel restored to the earth. There is only one way to eternal happiness with our families and it is through the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love you all and I hope to hear from you soon. Oh, and thanks for the package!