Boldly Testifying

August 8, 2010

Wow! Thanks for all the emails! A lot of new things happened that I didn't know about. Lenzi is pregnant, and Drew is getting married in September! Pretty wild! Rudy keep it up man. I couldn't help but laugh when I heard what happened because I remember how the last week of the river was for me. Maybe not as dramatic but still amusing. Dad, I liked your story about the camera. I guess in my case on a mission it deals with investigators, companions, or members for the most part. My week was pretty interesting. Saturday and Sunday I was in a place called Kochi on an exchange because the Ise family was going to be interviewed for baptism by an elder from Kochi. Kochi was sweet! It was a lot more city than Niihama and there was a ton of people to talk to. I was with Elder Nishio. His dad was my bishop in Amagasaki. Pretty wild, huh? His family lives within the mission boundaries. In Kochi 4 people accepted to hear the message another day. It was nice. One of the investigators, Shiozaki was pretty interesting. He is 20 years old half Australian and half Japanese. When we were talking to him I shared Alma 34:32 with him about our life's purpose. It talks about us preparing to meet God. He bluntly told me that God didn't exist and that scripture had no meaning to him. His comment didn't sit well with me. I boldly testified to him that God existed and that I knew through something called the Holy Ghost. Shiazaki sat there and thought for a moment and then said, " I want to know more about the Holy Ghost and your guys' message. I want to know if God really exists." I learned from this experience that people's hearts can change. Lately in my mission I have felt more meaning in my words. I feel that God has really helped me by having the Holy Ghost testify through me. I can't explain the feeling I get but I love boldly testifying to people and telling them that they can know for themselves. Pres. McIntyre has been telling us to preach repentence. When I first heard this I imagined the old movies with the ministers yelling, telling everyone to repent. But recently I have realized how to do it. Everyone on earth needs baptism to go to the Celestial Kindgom. To recieve baptism we need to repent. This is honestly what I tell people on the street. Looking these Japanese people in the eye who don't even know if God is there and telling them that they can have eternal life with their families is way rewarding. I learned a lot in Kochi. Well, about the Ise family. Well to make a long story short they didn't get interviewed this past week. They are having marital problems that we didn't know about but it looks like Eri, the wife, will still get baptized this coming Sunday. It seems like every time someone is so close to baptism Satan just pulls them away. Me, Kudo and the branch are working hard to help them out. I know that things happen for a reason and I will do everything in my power to help them out. Well, this was kinda long but I love you guys and good luck with everything. The gospel rocks and Jesus is our Savior.