I'm so excited for spring too!! I love the snow here and it's so pretty, but, I mean, it's so much easier to dendo in the sunshine... ま、しょがない. We're staying pretty healthy, our apartment is super cold though. Did I tell you that we have a hole in the wall? Have you heard a more stereotypical statement about a cold missionary apartment?
Grandpa sent me a wonderful email and it made me so excited about Brother Maeda and the miracles that we're seeing with him. We haven't been able to meet with him since last week, but the ward is really surprised and happy to hear that we've been meeting him, and I think our good relationship is all thanks to grandpa's service here!
AWWWW my nieces are the cutest girls in the universe. Rachel, good work. ;)
So, week before last Elder Stout and I were feeling like our area was doing absolutely amazing, and then this week hit. Within the first two days we felt as if our beloved Sanjo had violently shattered like a glass window falling out of it's 3rd-story frame onto concrete below.... ;)
In my weekly email to President Nagano, we asked if it would be best for the sisters to meet with Asako, or if we should just continue teaching her. We felt strongly that we should continue, but his response was that the spirit will be able to work through them just as well as us, and it's for the best that the new Sanjo Sisters begin teaching her. They also met Yui and hit it off really well, so they've taken over sharing with her the lessons. Then before the night was over, we had sent all of our area book lesson records to the sisters, and we will no longer be teaching Asako. On top of that, Bu San hadn't answered us in weeks and we were on the edge of dropping him, Mark was coming to mission school but we were starting to lose hope that he wanted to hear the lessons, and Toshiki was struggling really hard. The last straw was when we synced our records online, the system crashed and we lost all of our information. We lost records, phone numbers, and addresses for everyone. I read "No Investigators" and thought aloud to Elder Stout, "That's about how it feels."
And yet, Elder Stout and I didn't stop praying. We didn't stop trying! Every night we pray that Asako will feel God's love and have the courage to talk to her mom and be baptized, that Yui and Toshiki will be strengthened, that Mark will accept truths he's never heard in this life, and that Bu will just come back and tell us where he went.
I think the Lord was just waiting. Just a few more minutes. Just a few more prayers. Perhaps he wanted to see how much faith we really had, but at first nothing really happened. And then suddenly we met with Okamura san and he told us, "Yes, I believe the Book of Mormon is true! I believe in Christ, and when I read this, I feel like I'm reading his word. Let's meet again soon!" Our first big miracle was in the midst of our trials, he opened up and told us that he believes everything we've taught him about the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation. It was really refreshing and joyous to see someone with such simple strait forward faith, simply looking to please God.
And then at mission school. We waited. 7 o'clock rolled around, no Mark. 7:15, no Mark. 7:30, no Mark. 7:45...... still no Mark! I was about ready to give up when at 8:00, precisely 1 hour late, he came running through the door out of breath, "MAN! Can you help me with my math?!" Elder Stout and I beamed from ear to ear! He's just like I was ;) At the conclusion of the lesson, we shared with him a simple overview of the questions of the soul, which are answered by the Plan of Salvation: Where did I come from, why am I hear, where am I going? He explored with questions, and on Saturday we met and had a long lesson covering the Restoration/Plan of Salvation in their fullness and he told us, "I gotta know! I'm gonna find out. Ok... ok, thanks Stout!"
Yui told the sisters she's feeling very peaceful as she prays each night!!!! Soon, she'll be firm enough to strengthen Toshiki 24/7. :)
On Saturday, we made the trek through the snow and ice and pounded on Bu san's cold door one last time. And he friend answered! He told us to come back the next day and that something's been wrong with Bu's phone!! That night, we received 20 text messages from Bu. YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!! YOUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING!!!!
He apologized and said that his girlfriend deleted our messages because she doesn't want him to study Christianity, but he said, "She's important, but so is Jesus Christ." And he let us over after we were finally able to get into contact. Yesterday we talked for a long while, today we skyped, and this next week we'll be able to do a phone lesson with a Myanmar member from Tokyo!!!! We are being richly blessed by the Lord!!
I've thought of my favorite poem frequently lately!
"To Dream the Impossible Dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear the unbearable sorrow,
To RUN where the brave dare not go . . .
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star!"
The Lord doesn't expect us to be perfect, but he sure expects us to try our best! And sometimes, we have to try our best for a little while before we see any blessings. That's called enduring to the end, and while it may be one of the hardest commandments, I testify that you see blessings when you keep it! If anyone reading this is struggling with a personal problem, just wait a little longer, the answer and promised blessings will come! :)
My thoughts came back to advice I received from Mark that helped him on his mission: Bite off more than you can chew. Basically do all you can and let the Lord work through you.
Mama, I love you so much!!!! :D Thanks for a fantastic email. Sorry mine was so long!! I got your CD and have listened to it everyday since. You and dad are the best and I love you tons!! Talk to you next week!!!!!!
Love,
Elder Stout :D
🇺🇸 • 🇯🇵
スタウト長老 ^o^
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