Sanjo is taking off!

I have no idea how it goes so fast. I feel like I was just barely writing you!! Life is going too fast, I want it to slow down. However, this last week was amazing. I've loved experiencing it!

So, I LOVE the church's new campaign! #LighttheWorld. It's BRILLIANT! (Pun totally intended.) It's simple and small and compliant with what every kid and young adult on this planet does all day every day, and it's easy and it's super helpful! Elder T. Stout and I have been working at posting a new one every day just to try to get the word out there. I think you should try to share what you're doing every once in a while if you get the chance :) Just in case some of your Facebook friends are unaware of it.

I loved it, on Tuesday we showed the videos to Mark and he just looked dumbfounded and then asked, "Wow! How do I do it??" He is so gold. That really was the epitome of how we should all show our faith to the Lord. Not just with holiday campaigns, but with all commandments and teaching from the Lord. If we read every scripture and ask, "How do I do it??" Then the gospel will have the best impact it can on our lives.

HEY! I met with Maeda san again.  These were at his house in a big binder of pictures from the ward when he was a boy. Wow, missionaries have had an impact here in Japan. He never served as a missionary, but this was when he went to Niigata for a branch conference. In the second picture, is that Grandpa on the second row far right? If it is, that is the coolest thing ever, that I found this picture!!! Please let me know.  (Note from Elder Stout's Mom:  That is John's Grandpa Austin as a young missionary in the second picture.  But it gets even cooler.  I'm pretty sure that the elder on the back row, third from the left (next to the young man in uniform) in the first picture, is Elder John Austin, Grandpa Austin's brother who also served in Japan!) 

 This week has been, in a nutshell, very good. We had a really really good lesson with Toshiki, and he's doing pretty well. He's hoping to reach his baptism date for December 25th, but he reeeeally needs prayers. Please please please pray for him. He is in an extremely difficult set of circumstances that maybe one day I'll tell you about in person, but for now, it's probably best left out of the email. However, we have 2 member-present lessons set up with him, and so we're looking forward to those! I think we'll be able to unite as a ward and help him conquer all of his weaknesses.

We've been teaching one of the sister's old investigators (there haven't been sisters in this area for about a year) named Asako. She is so awesome and full of faith, and I think she also has a lot of potential to be baptized if she makes the decision to change her life! Our lessons are always fun with her because she's so nice and the ward already treats her like she's an old time member.

Mark is doing well, although he wasn't able to come to church yesterday and we haven't been able to get ahold of him. But we will tomorrow for sure. And, he invited us to go to his upcoming concert for charity which I am SO stoked for!! It's gonna be way fun! I'll send pictures next week for sure :) Well, we're sending president Nagano an email first, but I'm sure it'll be ok; he just plays acoustic guitar. And man. Mark has a WAY good voice!

Sanjo is taking off. We're meeting with almost every single ward member to do practice lessons, and on top of that we're working really close with the ward. I'm feeling pretty good about my Japanese, and mama, I need you to promise me that you'll never let me stop studying for 30-60 minutes a day for the rest of my life, cuz I only want to get more confident from here on! :) We're having so much fun every day and are really seeing the Lord's hand in this work. I love bearing testimony and feeling the spirit work in me. It's the best feeling ever. Nothing strengthens your faith more than sharing it with others.

Today was transfers, but we're staying together another 6 weeks (whew!) Looking forward to the best transfer ever with my best friend and companion!

BFF Selfie! :D BCF! BBF! KFC!

Here is me being the center of attention and Elder Stout 

really wanting his name-tag to be visible... Hahaha!

Aw, I loved hearing about Grandma's party! :) I hope the video was ok, we really would've liked to do it at a cooler location, but it was right at the end of email time...

The gingerbread house party!! That is one of the best times of the year. I'm glad you all had fun :)

Love,

    Elder Stout :D

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スタウト長老 ^o^