Sakura

MOSHI MOSHI!

Lately the sakura have been in full bloom, so don't worry: I've been taking lots of pictures and thinking of how much you loved them when you came here!  Japan is pink and white and beautiful!  Although it's interesting.  I feel like spring in America is a joyous time of season and the blooming flowers are symbols of happiness and sunshine and such.  Here, the blossoming sakura are more... mysterious?  Enigmatic... Maybe that's the right word.  I don't know, but it's a different kind of magical feeling from an American spring.  More mystical than magical.

So we found Tsukagoshi san!  We were afraid that his family would maybe be a little anti because they hung up the phone when we said who we were, but the other day we went to visit him and ran into some relatives (they all live together; it's "relatively" normal in Japan,) and they were so nice!  They don't share our beliefs, but they are very kind and we couldn't be more grateful.  He's looking forward to his baptismal date (April 16th, he remembered and was thinking about the date after we'd only mentioned it the lesson before,) with great anticipation, so please keep praying for him to be prepared by then! :)

Daichi fasted yesterday!!  He has so much faith.  He's praying for an answer, and working on actually reading the Book of Mormon daily ;) I don't blame him.  When you first start, it's gotta be extremely difficult to understand how a super strong and righteous man journeying from ancient Jerusalem all the way to America with his grumpy brothers has anything to do with us today.  But as he continues to read it, he's told us that slowly it's all making sense, and slowly he's coming to have a testimony!

We're still doing consistent Skype lessons, so please pray that we'll be able to meet him in person more.  It's so much easier to feel the spirit in person, although I am SO grateful for the wonderful blessing Skype is.

Shingo is doing great!  Right now he's praying about a baptismal date because he already knows these things to be true.  Please pray that he will receive that answer!  He's so funny, he speaks pretty good English but has a very quotable voice.  After most questions you ask, he sighs a good long sigh and says, "Weeeeeell, you know..."  It's the best, you know that fake Japanese accent Megan always used to do that didn't sound at all like a Japanese accent?  THAT'S HOW HE TALKS.  So good on you Megs, you totally got it spot on without even knowing you did.

Other than that, things are going great with Elder Li!  We have high hopes for this transfer, although sometimes when we work our hardest we see the fewest results.  I say "see" the fewest results because I know that no effort is wasted.  Every person we even just try to share the gospel with may turn into one of those people like Shingo (I don't think I mentioned this earlier, but) who told us, "Yeah, I talked to missionaries once.  I couldn't learn then, but now I want to!"

I believe it is that way with all the things we do in this life, especially in regards to trying to follow the Savior.  Sometimes we do our absolute best and make no progress at all.  However, no effort goes wasted.  I've heard a story and a quote that remind me of this principle:

1. The story of when a general authority visited his son one year into his mission.  The son said, "Dad, how do I grow spiritually?  I'm trying so hard and just haven't seen any progress." But in his father's eyes, he had changed immensely.

2. (Roughly quoted ;) "God entrusted us with every privilege he did for a reason.  He knew we would abuse what we've been given and sometimes take it for granted, yet he gave it to us because he knows what we could do with those privileges, those talents, if we never gave up.  He knows our potential."  That's why the Atonement gives us unlimited chances.  That's why it's an eternal sacrifice.  Cuz frankly, as humans, we need all the help we can get. ;)

I'm so jealous you got to go on a date with all those lil' guys (his nieces and nephew)!! I'm determined to be that awesome uncle that takes 'em out on dates all the time.  Especially the grills.  I won't take Hudzly on little dates.  I need to teach him Kung-Fu and Smash Bros just like the monks here in Japan teach their padawans.  But don't worry, our training sessions will be as frequent as the dates with the grills.  We just won't call them "dates."

I'm so grateful for this gospel and for my family!  I love you all so much.  I also talk about y'all all the time and show that picture of Mark's wedding every couple of days when it's applicable to telling someone about the joy of the gospel.  I think the greatest joy I've ever experienced and probably ever will experience (though I'm sure to a greater degree later on in life,) is that which comes from an Eternal Family.

スタウト長老! ^o^

Elder Stout! :D

P.S.  It rained a lot today and was super pretty! :)