Monday, January 21, 2013

Christ truly is the light and life of the world. He is Hope.The grasp of fear and hopelessness has no power where Christ is.


Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:21:44 +0900
Subject: Re: Jan 20
From: mitchell.sotto@myldsmail.net
To: reckdjm@hotmail.com

Wait What! Chotto matte kudusai! Jill is what?!?! Nobody told me she was pregnant! She`s having a baby?! Is it a boy or girl? Ahh!!!...wow. Really? I had no idea. None whatsoever. I will definitely pray for her though! That`s so exciting!!! Send pictures if you can!
Also I did get the SD card in the mail :) Thank you! 

I can`t believe how different everything will be when I get home! The house, my sisters, the kids, everything! Time really does fly out here. 
I`m glad to hear about the campout :) I loved that camp out. It was a great tradition that really builds a lot of unity and bonds among the boys and the leaders. I see the importance of it and Boy Scouts and such for young men a lot more now. They don`t have this kind of thing in most of the wards in Japan so the youth have it a lot harder. I was very blessed in all the places I grew up in.
Tell everyone I love and miss them and that I`m really loving the mission! It truly is the best experience of and for my life.
 I think missionaries understand a lot more the worries their parents have gone through now that they are looking after investigators. It gives you a lot of gratitude for the things your parents have done up until now. by the way if I havent said it before I will say it now. Thank you so much!! I love you so much for being the best parents in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :DDDDDDDDDDDD

Honestly this week has been one of the hardest of my mission I think. I`ve really noticed a lot of my weaknesses and it`s been a little hard to overcome. That as well as a lot of stress with an investigator that should be receiving baptism next week on Saturday. It`s been a real tester of faith and patience and it`s been a little hard to find the silver lining, the hope that things will become easier or I will be able to change to handle them. Communicating well with a Japanese companion is also a test, but I`m lucky to have the companion I have. He`s very understanding and patient with me in my shortcomings. 
This week there has been a lot of tears and a lot of really heavy feelings, but I know that it can be broken. The grasp of fear and hopelessness has no power where Christ is. Christ truly is the light and life of the world. He is Hope. When I remember that my concious is eased. I felt a lot of weight lifted at church this week as well. Also We met with our investigator that has a baptismal date and taught him more about the doctrine of baptism and then went to a new sushi restaurant that opened today. It`s about 30 steps outside of our apartment door haha. Lots of temptation there :P It was our investigators birthday so we went there after the lesson. Lots of fun :) 
All in all, I`m so grateful for the gospel in my life. It helps me see these times as times to grow and change and become stronger and more like Christ. It`s such a blessing to have the knowledge that we can change through Christ`s atonement :) Also 2 Timothy 1:7 makes me happy when I read it. God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. I know that to be true. There is nothing we can`t overcome with the help of our Savior. 

I love you so much!!!
Thank you!!

Bye Bye!
Elder Sotto

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