Sunday, December 16, 2012

If we are patient and cheerful in doing his work, we will surely find the hidden treasures and joys and peace of this gospel.

...wow...that`s all I can say right now. It`s so weird to hear about everyone going out on missions...It`s unbelievable! I`m so excited!!! AHHHHH!!! What a great work this is :) I can`t help but smile as I think of that. What a great work this is!! Good gracious. I am the happiest little boy right now :P
I have a lot of things to do today to prepare for the upcoming week so I`ll keep this message a little shorter. I`ll start with the questions.

I haven`t tried the cake because the zone is getting together for an activity on the 24th and they want to make cake, so I decided I`d make it then with everyone! I`ll try to get lots of pictures! (and yes we have a microwave, toaster oven and stove top :D)

We can listen to any church music including EFY and Tabernacle Choir and anything with a spiritual theme (like Handel`s Messiah). Right now we have 2 CD`s that we`ve pretty well exhausted and I`m excited to open one present that happens to be wrapped like a CD full of Joy and Joyness :P 

I don`t think I`m allowed to skype...but that`s probably because I don`t have skype here haha. I`Ll ask the mission president when I get the chance. Maybe Next year! But this Christmas is a nice phone call :)

Now for my week. I have one experience that I wanted to share.

This week has been really great and we`ve been focusing a lot more on investigators and less active members than finding because that is what the ward wants help with. It`s opened my eyes a lot more to the fact that we as missionaries aren`t just going around looking for "baptisms." It is a very important ordinance in the gospel and central to our purpose, but our job is to build up the kingdom of God and help others come unto Christ in Repentance. That goes for church members as well. We are all living the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ, not just those who haven`t been baptized. We all should be Showing Faith, Repenting, Renewing our Covenants and receiving more fully the Holy Ghost, and Endure to the end. I`m noticing how the Lord can use us more now. I`ve been trying to see things from the Lord`s eyes more lately.
But my experience was in church. Because of all the snow that`s been falling (much more than usual at this time of year) it`s harder for people to get to church, so when we got to the church early for our meeting with the Missionary helper guy...Dendo Shunin in japanese...anyways, we didn`t have our meeting and we just shoveled snow to prepare for church. It was pretty fun :) But during church they didn`t have enough young men to pass the sacrament so they asked the missionaries to help. I got a very humbling feeling when they asked me to help. The only way I can describe it is, "oh...I`m so lucky the Lord counts me worthy to participate in such a sacred ordinance." I felt very humbled and very grateful and I realized all the more how much I need to continue to repent and come unto God. It was a very wonderful experience for helping me realize the power and importance of the Holy Priesthood in our lives. 
Just an interesting thought I had this week :)

I know that the Lord truly is helping us get through this. If we are patient and cheerful in doing his work, we will surely find the hidden treasures and joys and peace of this gospel. Thank you so much for your words and love Mom and Dad. I love you!
Also let my sisters know how much I love them. I spoke with a less active member about being grateful and we got into a conversation about people we respect who were good examples to us, and I brought up my sisters. They have been such a light in my life, and if you could I want you to let them know that I love them with all my heart and I`m so incredibly grateful for their example to me. I`ve been so blessed and prepared throughout my life so that I can give all I can to the Lord. We are his witnesses (Mosiah 24:13-16) and are so blessed to be so.
I have also realized lately the importance of doing things in the Name of Christ...as Christ would do. so all I say and do, I do in the Name of Jesus Christ. 

Thank you so much for your love and everything!!! I truly am the most blessed person in the world I feel :) 
Well, talk you next week! For real! :D

Love you! Bye Bye!


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