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!