Living Life Like Normal

Grady with his new companion, Elder Einfeldt, from the Tokyo Mission.

March 27, 2011~Hello! I don't know where to start. You guys are awesome! You are being so patient and putting up with me not writing too much about everything. What you wrote today was probably the most I have heard about the quake. I have had a lot of people ask me on the street if I am going back to America soon. In Tokyo a lot of foreigners are being sent home and even here in Kobe some of my Chinese friends are going back to China. Some people are pretty freaked out but the majority are just living life like normal. I personally haven't been affected by the quake. None of my investigators have been affected either. I am way thankful for how calm these people are too. The Kobe ward sent a ton of supplies to Sendai. It was way cool to be a part of it. I really don't have new updates other than tons of miracles. I am fine and the quake hasn't affected Kobe and I am very safe. I love you guys and I feel your prayers. Lenzi! good luck with the baby. I got a baby kimono and it is pretty sweet. This week Somanta, a Cambodian investigator came to church for the second time and he is awesome! He is getting baptized on April 10th. He doesn't speak Japanese so we are teaching him in English. If you want you could send him a card or something. He would probaly appreciate it. He is so prepared for the gospel. He understands the BOM way well and wants to follow Christ. His dad died when he was young so his mom raised him. He really is pure and is getting baptized! I love teaching people who are really prepared and willing to make changes. I am way excited for his baptism. Einfeldt is probably my hardest working companion. He is awesome! I really enjoy working with him. I love you guys and everything you do for me. Mom, thanks again for all the college stuff. I am way excited to live with Jordan. Jesus Christ lives and He is preparing the hearts of everyone. peace

The Craziest Week of My Mission--But Still Safe

March 20, 2011

Konnichiwa! I am emailing a little early this morning. Thanks for the emails this week. I always appreciate them. This week has been the craziest in my mission. I don't even know where to start. First off, everything is ok and I am completely safe here in Kobe. As you all know last week there was a very big earthquake up in northern Japan. You have probably been seeing lots of crazy things on the news and it doesn't look good. There is definitely some truth to what they are saying and it is a pretty rough situation. Everything you see that is going on up there I am not experiencing. Last Wednesday me and the elders at the mission home got a call from President McIntyre telling us that 50 missionaries will be coming from either the Tokyo or Sendai missions. He told us to start preparing by calling up all the mission and asking how many people each apartment could handle. That same day me and Elder Nunes, yes his mom is an author, went out to proselyte and had some lessons. We came back early to help out with preparations and that is when the craziness happened. Nunes was originally supposed to go home in April but now because so many missionaries were being evacuated and coming to our mission there was no room for them. Nunes, along with 10 other missionaries went home three weeks early with one days notice. I couldn't believe what was happening. The next day, Thursday, 42 Tokyo missionaries came to Kobe with all their belongings by bus. All 42 of them slept at the church and they seemed pretty tired but ready to work. They had a good spirit about them. They next, Friday, my old companion, Elder Nunes went home and I got a new companion named Elder Einfeldt. No not Sienfield, Einfeldt. He is from Cedar City, Utah. He is on his 6th transfer and ROCKS! He has 9 siblings and he is awesome. He loves to proselyte and open his mouth to preach the gospel. He came from a place called Ibaraki. It was the closes area to one of the nuclear power plants that exploded. He was only 11 miles away. He had to evacuate way quickly so he left a lot behind. No one knows how long the Tokyo missionaries will be here but I am so happy to have them. It is sad to think that in Sendai and Tokyo right now there are no missionaries but the 12 apostles receive revelation and I trust them. This experience has strengthened my testimony that God know best and I need to follow the Prophets counsel. I am sorry I haven't been the best at emailing you guys lately. I love you all and God Bless!

Grady is safe after 9.0 Earthquake hits Japan

On March 11 Japan experienced a huge 9.0 earthquake followed by a devastating tsunami. The earthquake was near Sendai and thousands of people lost their homes. A nuclear power plant near the earthquake was damaged by the tsunami and the workers are struggling to stablize the plant so that radiation does not leak. We heard about the earthquake soon after it happened and I realized that it was about 400 miles away from Kobe, so I knew Grady was safe--but it has been a difficult couple of days, wondering what is going on and waiting to hear from him.

March 13, 2011
Konnchiwa! Hello everyone! I am glad to know that you know that I am safe. The earthquake was devastating and it is really weird to be in the country that it took place in. Whenever an earthquake or natural disaster happened I always felt for the people but this time is different. I speak these people's language and I know them very well. I love them and it is almost as if I am Japanese citizen. Pres. McIntyre showed us some footage on CNN and I was way surprised. You probably know more than me because I can't watch TV but I get to ask people all day long about it. I am getting an up close feel of what is happening. The earthquake hasn't affected me very much or what I do everyday. I still go out averyday all day and find people that want to come to church. Natural disasters really humble people. This is probably the biggest difference I have noticed. The people in Japan are thinking more about the purpose of life and God. It has been really interesting asking people about the earthquake and hearing their responses. They all admit that death isn't our choice and that something bigger than them might be out there. It reminds about the king in Alma 22. He believed that a higher power existed but he didn't know its name or what form it was in. These people are really similiar and I have really felt the spirit testifying to them that Jesus Christ suffered for them and through his plan all those people that died will be ressurected. There are a couple Japanese missionaries in the mission that have family living right where the tsunami took place. All but one has contacted their families. I pray everyday for them. The Gospel is true and I love it. As for the investigators in Kobe, they are doing well. 4 people are preparing for baptism. 3 are Chinese and 1 is Japanese. I love them and I am excited to help them all that I can. Last night I met a Chinese guy named Sunchen at the church. We taught about baptism and that we become clean through it. He wanted to be clean because he has a lot of regret in his life and he accepted to be baptized. I felt the spirit so strong during the lesson while testifying about baptism. I can't wait for his baptism. I love you guys and have a great week!

Still in Kobe!! Yay!

Kobe District

March 6, 2011

Hello! Thanks for all the pictures and wonderful emails this week! I will try to make my emails more interesting. Maybe I'll spice them up with funny lines or something!? I can't believe Michelle Coleman is married. That is nuts. Lenzi is huge! I feel dumb asking this but is it a girl or a boy? I forgot. Mom, thanks for all the hard work you are doing to help me out with college stuff. I really appreciate it. I don't know the moms email addresses but can I do that stuff when I get home? Ya, Mike Slater came with me to Japan and David Drake was in this mission and he went home about 6 months ago. They are all way cool. This week was wild! I didn't...............................................................................................................get transfered! Elder Low got transfered and he is in Osaka now. My new companion is Elder Nunes from Orem. He is on his last transfer and we are having a riot! He is way cool and is almost fluent in Japanese. I learn a lot everyday. It was sad to see Low go but things happen for a reason. One crazy sad thing that happened this week was a missionary ran away. He was supposed to be Low's new companion but he ran away the day of the transfer call. No one knew where he was and it was really scary. He is a 26 year old Japanese elder that I was pretty good friends with. He finally showed up yesterday at his home in the Fukuoka mission after about 4 days of being missing. Some people struggle with things and it really made me think about my life. I love the gospel and I feel for him, and have remorse but this work is way important and he made a wrong decision. I love him and I know that everything unfair becomes fair through the atonement of Christ. I love you guys and repentance is real. The gospel is an unchanging thing and I love it. This was short but I gotta go. Bye Bye

These People are Fantastic!

The Kobe District

February 27, 2011
Hello! Thanks for all the email this week! A lot of things are happening with the family! I can't believe that Lenzi is almost due and that Olivia and Rudy are so old! It is pretty wild to think about. Well I'll keep this week short and sweet. Yesterday a Chinese man named Lee got baptized. We had one investigator come and he really liked it. Ryu also came to church and Lee want to help him out a lot. When Ryu went up to shake Lee's hand Lee told Ryu to please get baptized. Lee has a goal of helping all the Chinese people Living in Japan get baptized and find God. I know he was meant to get baptized for many reasons. Transfer calls are tommorow and I really don't know what is going to happen. The mission is great and 3 months is way short. I know I can find the elect and I am here for a reason. These people are fantastic and I love them so much. I love you guys and wish the best for you.

With Love,
Grady

The Gospel is True and I Love It!

Elder Low, Grady and the Mission Elders

February 20, 2011
Hello everyone! Thanks for the emails and love. I appreciate your concern for me and how you want to help. Thank you. I am doing great! My clothes are holding up, lots of medicine and toothpaste, I don't know what anyone else could ask for. I'll be brief today. This week was great. There were a ton of new people found but some investigators dropped and didn't come to church. Asami and Noaki didn't come to church and it was way sad. They really need the gospel like everyone else. When these people don't come to church or meet you really realize how much you love them. Everyone is way special to me. I don't have a ton to say this week but this last Thursday me and Nielson went on an exchange for a day. It was way fun and it just felt right. We have become good friends and I am thankful for the opportunity to live with him. We saw a lot of miracles together and I was glad to work with him. Ryu didn't come to church yesterday but I met him last night. He was doing well but the language barrier is bigger than I thought. Nothing that me or Jesus Christ hasn't dealt with before. The gospel is true and I love it. It is so universal and for everyone. This was short but with love. Have a great week and until next time!
Grady

Pure Joy!

February 13, 2011
Konnichiwa! How is everyone? Thanks for the email. It was great. O, and I got the Valentines package, thank you. Wow! I can`t believe Lenzi is due in 7 weeks. That is crazy! Lenzi will like this story. Last night me and Low were heading home and we hadn`t found any new people. We wanted to find someone really bad and we met Naoki and Asami. Naoki is 18 and Asami is 17. They are boyfriend and girlfriend and are high school dropouts. They want to get married so we taught them about the temple and baptism. When we were teaching I busted out Lenzi and Jon`s wedding picture. They loved it and really want to know more. Lenzi, thanks for getting married in the temple. I can`t believe Rudy and Olivia are dating and stuff. Thanks for doing all the college stuff for me. I hope it all works out. Time is still flying here! I only have two more weeks in this transfer. Yesterday at church a ton of miracles happened. First off I`ll explain a little about how church here in Kobe goes. There are 6 elders, 2 sisters, and a senior couple that attend everyweek. It is awesome! Yesterday there were 8 investigators that came. When an investigator comes we usually set him or her up with a friend and then us and the member sit with the investigator. Yesterday as I was looking around all the missionaries were sitting with an investigator with a friend. It was pure joy. The work is really moving forward. Out of the investigators in the Kobe District 10 of them are preparing for baptism! I am way excited and I love being District Leader because I collect all the information about these people and pray for them. They all are really special to me. I have the biggest District in the mission so it is pretty hard at some times but I really love it. Yesterday a new guy came to church. His name is Ryu. He is 20 and from China. His parents are divorced and he lives with his mom here in Kobe. He is studying Japananese right now to enter college. He was really prepared in many ways. It turns out that one of his good friends is a member! His friend is Chinese and got baptized in Australia. Ryu wasn`t going to come to church yesterday but his member friend told him to give it a shot so he came. Ryu also wants to be more happy. He loved church because everyone was so happy and nice to him. He accepted to be baptized on March 13th. Pray for him. His journey is just starting. I love being a missionary and testifying about the atonement of Jesus Christ. O and two days ago on Saturday Elder Cook came from the 12 apostles! He was awesome and he talked about what I needed; love. He said to love 4 things: The Japanese people, my companion, mission president, and the Lord. I know he is an apostle of Christ. I love you guys and think that you are awesome. The mission is great and I love these people. I hope you guys have a great week and until next time. God Bless

God Has a Plan for Everyone

February 6, 2011
I was sad to hear about Ryan and Toliver. That is awful. I'll take care of some business first. Ya, the Japan trip is looking a little tough after being home for about 10 days. I don't think we should do it. It would be better for me to have more time to plan it out more thoroughly. To tell you the truth I have had some trouble focusing lately. When my thoughts wander they are about things after the mission a lot. Not a good sign. It isn't a big problem but it could turn into one. I don't want that to happen. I think that it is a miracle that last week Elder Nielson brought up going to BYU. I need to study Japanese to pass the test and this could help me out a lot in the long run. I'm sorry that I won't be home for too much but looking at how much it could help me, I don't want to miss out on the opportunity. I could even work for Import Auto again maybe. I can't really explain why but for some reason, it just feels right. I'll set up an interview with President McIntyre soon and get it done. This week was awesome! Tei came to church and loved it. He is praying everyday and he commited to follow the Word of Wisdom. He is really prepared to hear the gospel. He can only meet on Sundays because his job is Monday through Saturday from 8 to 8. Pretty rough huh. He is awesome. I don't have a ton of time today but recently I have been reflecting on my mission. I love it! I love these people and desire their salvation. The other day I met a lady on the street and I saw light in her eyes. She had never been married and she is handing out tissues for a living. It was sad and I know that God has a plan for everyone. I love you all and I really love the mission. Christ lives and he atoned for us. Until next week. I love you!