Conference with President Choi and more pictures of Grandpa

This week was fantastic! As usual for missionaries, we saw lots of miracles and tender mercies, also had a hundred thousand conferences. Zone meeting, Elder Choi's Conference, and another conference at Niigata church on Sunday.

The conferences were amazing and we learned a ton which I wrote down in my study journal, but I probably won't write most of it in here ;)

President Choi, a member of the 70 came to teach us. He is the one who gave the conference talk on, "Don't look around, look up! Look at the rain! Open your mouth! Drink it!!" He is actually in the Area Presidency for Japan and so we know him quite well :) He felt impressed to stay in Niigata after the conference for 2 days, and so he changed his schedule in order to do so, and commandeered all 3 hours of church to hold a special fireside (starting after the sacrament.) It was an amazingly powerful meeting in which he spoke about members uniting together to do the work. Everyone came out really excited to share with their friends, even Yusuke, Miharu, and Chiho, President Nakagawa's kids who we teach English to! :) We'll help them to invite their friends to English class ;)

After driving us to Sanjo from the Niigata Church, Brother Tsuchida (an older member who for some time has been somewhat hopeless about the state of affairs in Sanjo,) walked in and looked at the stack of Book of Mormons on the display table. "Elders, can I take one of these? I think I know someone who might read it."

"Of course!"

He selected one, hesitated, then grabbed a second and left without looking back.

We were biking down the street and suddenly a guy on a motorcycle rode by. Elder Stout yelled out, "It's Mark!" And I causally said, "Oh, ok." And stopped. He bashfully apologized, "I was totally joking, it's just a random guy on a motorcycle...." And then made the observation, "You know, it's pretty crazy that we see miracles like running into our investigators randomly in cities miles from their homes so frequently, that you didn't even question me or think that it was odd."

It was a really funny moment as we both evaluated our current life. As missionaries, we are honored by seeing the Lord's hand in such abundance that I forget that to a normal person, our daily life is unbelievably filled with coincidences.

Although it wasn't Mark, it was a fantastic reminder.

Oh, so speaking of Mark, we went to his house, and while he's not learning the lessons quite yet, his mom loves mission schools and wants to help us teach it. Also she invited all of her neighbors to come, and the new venue is right next to their house, so we should have a bunch of new members now!! YAY!!! From this, we're pretty sure that they will take interest in and learn the lessons within the next week or two or three. I'll keep you updated :)

It's been hard to contact Toshiki and Yui this week, but it sounds like they mentioned to the ward presidency something about getting married very soon. Aw man, I'm sorry, it's just up and down with these two, to no fault of their own, but I can't really give you an accurate estimation of when they will be baptized. Just please keep praying, your prayers are working!! :)

BU CAME TO BROTHER KUMAGAI'S HOUSE AND HAD DINNER WITH US YESTERDAY AND IT WAS AWESOME!!!!! In our lesson we reviewed the Word of Wisdom. He had one concern with Coffee. He felt it was healthy, and really hard for him to overcome. We shared with him direct quotes from Doctrine and Covenants, and testified of the blessings we've received. I showed him the pics of Lucy's baptism and shared how blessed our family has been from you and dad keeping the commandments! :) Then in a very touching moment, he grinned, "I just want to know God's commandments. And when I know them, then I will follow them. Please teach me the rest of them. I think I will be baptized in one month or two."

I think he'll be baptized in one, I really do. Only 3 commandments left!

Bu is my favorite. We barely speak any of the same words. However, the spirit speaks through our hearts, and somehow we've become best friends with him.

Helping Brother Tosaka on his RICE FARM!!!

Cool rice machine!

Mission school is coming along amazing!!!! We had a training this last week on how to teach in a big classroom setting, and so we tested it on Saturday and got a lot of positive feedback. It's been so cool to watch the mission school evolve, but where we are right now, us missionaries are becoming quite qualified English teachers!!!! :D We always wear suits and follow certain procedures and professional lesson plans... I know a lot about teaching English to foreigners now, which has been way cool :) But the coolest part is that it's helping our ward members dendo! (Do missionary work.) They're getting fired up from the Choi Conference to help this work progress and save Sanjo from dying. The work can be unbelievably hard in a country which is afraid of churches. However, the mission school is softening people's hearts. It is such an invaluable asset! I'm so grateful for modern revelation! :)

We found more pictures of Grandpa Austin!  They're so cool!  If he already has them, that's still cool, but even more cool is that they are floating around in Japan. A member of the Niigata branch who loves family history and church history in general has several hundred pictures of people when Grandpa was here on his mission.  He wants to have Grandpa identify as many people as he can.  I'll bring them back to America with me.  So we have a new family history project that we can work on together.

COOLEST PICTURE OF MY LIFE!!!!! GRANDPA WAS SO COOL!!!! ALL THE MISSIONARIES BACK THEN USED TO DO IT, THERE ARE TONS OF PICS!!!! SO AWESOME!! 

Can I have $30 to do it too??  (You don't get to keep the kimono :( )

Grandpa studying!!

A certain Elder Watanabe in the middle? Do you know him, Grandpa?

Brother Maeda on his wedding day!!

That older lady in the kimono was one of the first members in Japan, and a devout saint her whole life :)

OH! But I want to thank you for the wonderful package you sent!!!!!!!! :D :D :D I finally got it from Elder Miller, the new assistant, and it was the best package of all time, of course. Elder Stout and I loved it, and the letters were very much appreciated!!! :)

I love you deeply!

Your favorite child,

    Elder Stout :D

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スタウト長老 ^o^

Mission School Miracles

Dear Mama,

Happy Easter! :) Thanks so much for your wonderful and thoughtful emails each week. The Easter party looked like a blast, we got more pics of Lincoln and May Kelly from T. Stouto Choro's family, and they were so cute! This such a fun stage in life, although it's so weird that everyone is having kids!!! I love our family so much.  The weekly emails make me miss you and the fam a lot. Even more so now that I know I'm closer than ever to seeing you. It's also a time for me to get really sad at the prospect of leaving my Japan. I feel like I belong here in so many ways.

It was a great Easter for us! Well, basically just like a normal Sunday. Japan doesn't do Easter at all, so it was surprisingly quiet. However, Elder T. Stout gave a way good talk about making tiny adjustments in our lives which make all the difference. He talked about how his car had issues, and he had three professionals look at it, and they all told him to get an expansive part, which he didn't have the funds to buy. So at last he just took a look at it himself, and found that there was just a very small piece that was loose within the engine, and after tightening it, the car worked fine! It's like our lives: Through General Conference and church we can find the little screws in our hearts that just need to be tightened in order for us to drive properly! It was a way good talk about the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Yeah, some of the biggest developments you would ever believe with the mission school. After volunteering at the hospital, the 3 main volunteers who we've become good friends with said that they really want to support us and said, "We like you. Let's meet next week and talk about how we can build your English classes. We have 10 other friends who will come and discuss." They are all really trusted because of their service in the community. Elder T. Stout and my jaws dropped and we couldn't believe what had happened. WE COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR A BIGGER MIRACLE!!!! Also, we're going over to the newspaper station (that's probably not a word...) to ask them to make an article for our mission school! And we're also gonna get on the radio!! Next stop, 50 students at our classes! (That's the current goal.)

 After another 6 weeks, this area will be even more different than it already is. Sanjo is completely transforming! :D

Bu couldn't really meet, but he kept in touch and invited us over the one time he was able, but we were busy that night. He's just crazy "otsukaresama" and so we're doing our best to meet when we can. The wonderful news is that us and the ward are very confident that he will be baptized within the upcoming weeks. As for Toshiki and Yui, the wedding is coming up. They just need to complete a few formalities with their family and such, and then it's going to happen! We had a lesson on the law of chastity yesterday and Yui absolutely loved it. When we asked, "Will you keep it?" She said, "Of course! This is great! I can't wait for our next lesson, what will we learn??" Your prayers are working, pleeeeeease keep them coming!

Also, Mark finally got into high school and has been loving it!! We celebrated our birthdays the other day and he showed us his cool new school uniform! Every kid in Japan wears one of these in high school. He looks so Japanese! He was so excited.

Also, he let me try it on :D

He's already brought one friend, JOHN who's back from the Philippines, and he's planning to bring lots more to mission school soon. So, basically, our mission school is seriously about to explode. Pleeeeease pray for both 1) lots of people to come 2) For us to do a good job. We're doing our best to prepare.

I know it's a little short this week, but those are the major miracles we saw this week. I'll keep you updated next week! :)

This week it would only be fitting to express my appreciation for Jesus Christ and for his atoning sacrifice at this Easter time. I can't imagine what it would be like if opening your mission call was, "You are assigned to suffer for every second of pain experienced over the course of a human life-time, not once, but an infinite number of times." It's beyond the human imagination what he did. But it was worth it! I can think of several specific nights where I felt hopeless and lonely and like I was the stupidest kid in the whole world because of foolish mistakes I'd made. I also clearly remember praying and asking for comfort on those nights. And in those moments, I felt comfort. The kind of comfort you feel when a good friend who knows how you fell cuz he's made the same mistake kinda just sits there solemnly with you until you both feel better. I think the Savior's simple approach to comforting us is something he intends for us to mimic. He usually won't fix everything for us. But he gives us all the help we need. Usually we can't fix all of someone else's problems, but following the Lord's example, we can give people our love. And that's the one thing that everyone needs that no one can attain on their own. I will strive to be able to show my appreciation for Jesus Christ and his sacrifice by following his example!

 I love you so much!!

    Elder Stout :D

          🇺🇸  •  🇯🇵

スタウト長老 ^o^

We'll be together for another transfer!!!!!

Sorry, I'm running really low on time this week, so I apologize for sending a shorter email. But it was a wonderful week. The best part was that this morning we learned that we'll be together for another transfer!!!!!!!!!!!

It's unbelievable how long we've been together and how much time we have left. Strictly speaking, this will be 4 and a half transfers, less strictly speaking, this will be 5 transfers together. We're so blessed! :D

Sanjo has completely changed since we've been here and it just keeps changing! This week we saw many wonderful miracles with the mission school. The Nakagawa family came to support us on our first Thursday evening activity.

They're my Japanese family! And then other than that we had more students than ever at our Tuesday meeting, and one of them, named Yasushi, came to the church on Friday for ping pong and was visibly touched by our message we shared (just the new Easter video and our testimonies.) We didn't have a chance because we needed to talk to someone else before he left, but on Tuesday we will be inviting him to take the missionary lessons, and see if his cute little family he brings to eikaiwa has interest, too! Other than that, we're meeting lots of other wonderful people who we will do our best to work with. Things are just going amazing!

Toshiki and Yui had a busy week, and we haven't seen much of them. But it sounds like things are going well, though we're just as impatient to know about this wedding as you are. It's a big ordeal, so they're struggling to make solid plans... I'll keep you updated.

Takoyaki is my favorite food now!!!!!

Bu san is looking more solid than ever in every way. He came to general conference and we translated the whole thing on google translate in a simplified form

It was a really spiritual experience and he loved it. He asked us to come over the next day to meet his roommates and another friend from Niigata, who's family wants to learn English. 4 new English referrals!! He's helping us dendo now! He's basically already a member ;)

Anyway, I'll send a better email next week, sorry it's so short. Just know we're doing super well and busier than I've ever been before on my mission. I love you so so so much and loved reading about you and dad and the grandkids this week! 

I'm so proud of Lucy for making that big step in her spiritual progression. That baptism will be the gateway into her finding the greatest joy of her life! :D I hope we all remember the joy that is available to us. It's just always right there for everyone. Anyone having a hard time, anyone who needs purpose in life. The gospel of Jesus Christ is right there for them to pick up when they're humble enough to do so. It's just the best, and I'm so grateful for the joy it brings me! I love being a member of Jesus Christ's church! :D 

And I'm grateful for you too! I'll talk to you again next week! I miss you and love you so much! :)

    Elder Stout :D

          🇺🇸  •  🇯🇵

スタウト長老 ^o^

I just want to be with Elder T. Stout in Sanjo for the rest of my mission.

Hahaha, no worries, I was just joking :) Aw man, really! President Dorff is the best!! I love that man. Tell him thanks for me, if you can! :) I really appreciate all he did for me and the other missionaries in Urawa, and everything he still does for this work on a daily basis. He is one of the most dedicated people I've ever met. Is his son Ren living in Utah right now? I knew he had plans to move several months ago. I hope I'll get to see him some day, because Ren is such a cool kid!

Yes! Oh man, I didn't take a picture, but I did buy a Kimono! :D It's just a dark blue one, but it looks way cool. There's no sash for it though, the shop didn't have one... do we have one back home? :\ Anyway, I also got a Miyazaki film statuette that you have to assemble yourself AND PAINT. (Naussica, or however you spell it ;) It was my childhood favorite!) It's going to be boxed for the duration of my mission, but it's gonna be a way fun and cool art project/souvenir! It was a wonderful birthday! Thanks for the birthday wishes, those are always the best part.

Birthdays are awesome. 

Toshiki and Yui!! :D They've been preparing for the wedding. So, here's the current update: They're shooting for the 11th here at the church, and then Toshiki is hoping to get baptized as soon as he can after that. Yui recently saw a small miracle in answer to her prayer, and because of that has told the sisters, "I think I believe!" Which is an amazing start. However, although she wants to be baptized (and especially wants Toshiki to get baptized and receive the priesthood because it's "so cool!!" And "attractive!",) her parents don't love Christianity. There may be a few more complications before she can get baptized, but she's working with the sisters on it!

As for Toshiki, he's looking way good! We did a fake baptismal interview and he passed! He's way ready to get it over with, and has been consistently coming to church and meeting as much as he's able. It's amazing to see the change that's come about in him! We hope with all our hearts that we'll both be here for the baptism, but.... transfers are next week.

I just want to be with Elder T. Stout in Sanjo for the rest of my mission (only two transfers left anyway,) but the odds are not in our favor. However, they NEVER have been, so we're feeling pretty confident we'll be companions ;)

Bu is also doing AMAZING!! We taught him the Word of Wisdom, and he said, "I haven't smoked since I was a kid. Tea makes my stomach hurt. As soon as I started reading the bible several years ago, I've felt like I need to stop drinking alcohol. Coffee will be hard, but if God says it's important, I will stop." And, he said at various times: "Well, you and I, we're Mormons. But my friend....." He considers himself a member. Because he basically is.

He won't make his baptismal date this week because his work got even busier, but its only going to be pushed back 1 or 2 weeks (we'll talk to him tomorrow about it!)

Haha, I expect Mark to be a way good missionary. He's kind of taking a break from the lessons right now, and so it may be a while before he's baptized. But he came to a youth activity last week which was fantastic!! It just felt right to have him as one of the young men (with another non-member there as well, it was a wild success!)

Mark wasn't in the pic cuz he left early for work, but he was there for most of the activity!

Also, as you can tell, the kid between Elder T. Stout and I had the time of his life.

Mission school is doing fantastic!!!!! :D We had our first Saturday meet ever and there were 5 students! All members, but that was still a GREAT start! We're continuing to focus on it, so it'll only be getting better and better! I'll try to take some better pics and stuff to show you next week :) We're hoping that we're gonna be able to find tons of new students soon.

This is Yuji! He's a way cool rocker. He's the son of one of our ward members. We're hoping to get to meet with him a lot more from now on after going to sushi together! So fun!

I can't wait to hear it!! :D Actually, in Japan, we always watch conference a week late, so I'll be viewing it next week. I can't wait! Conference is my favorite thing ever! I can imagine that General Conference for missionary-me is like the super bowl for a crazy sports fan. I get way hyped. The whole time I'm just on the edge of my seat soaking the whole thing in and taking notes and loving it... I can't believe I used to fall asleep when I was younger ;)

Oh wow! When you ask for ideas about the spirit, a million come to mind. But if they're for a little grill getting baptized... let's see....

I think I would say that the spirit is like a fish. Fish don't have legs, right? They can't walk on land! But they can swim. Fish can only live in water. When we are baptized, Heavenly Father promises that he will send the spirit to be with us all the time if we are good little boys and good little girls. Well, the spirit, just like a fish, needs "water" to swim in. And our hearts are like fishtanks!  

That "water" is goodness. If we have no water, the spirit cannot come! If we are not good, we can't have the spirit in our hearts! How sad! But don't worry, we can fix that.

When we are nice to our sisters, we pour more water into our hearts.When we tell the truth to mommy and daddy even if it's scary, we fill up a little more water!

And when we smile and tell our friends that they are smart and pretty, we fill up even more! And when we have lots of "water" or goodness in our hearts, the spirit comes in. And swims around.

He feels like happiness inside of your heart! But it comes one drop of water at a time. Remember to always be nice and kind just like Jesus, and you will feel the spirit every day! :)

Oh man, that sounds like such a fun service opportunity!! How's Mark and Emily's house?? It looks amazing in the pictures! :D Mark sounds way excited, and I am too. On the topic, when are Megan and Dan gonna buy their house, again? And where are they thinking of building it? Everyone's so old!

I love reading your emails, too. It makes me happy to hear that everyone's doing well. I also really enjoy your spiritual thoughts. I can't wait to hear that talk, because I need to work on being a "first responder" too.

I hope that the analogy for Lucy Jo was good enough. There's actually a much deeper version of the analogy in reference to the spirit of Christ and missionary work, but that'll have to wait for another day ;) 

I love you!! :)

    Elder Stout :D

          🇺🇸  •  🇯🇵

スタウト長老 ^o^