God is our loving Heavenly Father in my own language!

200 new members! That's so cool! I'm so excited to meet everyone! I know the Halls and the Lindseys and of course the Bassets. How fun! Tell everyone hello for me and let them know that I'm truly loving my mission!

Wish Collette good luck for me!

I did get the Halloween package and I'm looking forward to the Thanksgiving one! Thank you so much for keeping in touch with me and taking the time to send me things. I'll try my best to get a Christmas package sent home! I'm really bad at sending things, but I'll do my best!

Thanks for the Japanese article dad! I am very happy to inform you that I knew exactly how to use the things it was talking about! I feel so fond of this language now. I want to master it!

So for my week, it was crazy! So many miracles!

We don't have any really strong investigators right now, but we've found a lot of cool people this week who have a lot of potential to become new investigators. Our schedule is packed next week!

So for the Miracles:

We had an appointment with an investigator and he spoked us (didn't show up) and we don't have his number or address so there wasn't much hope of meeting him again. But we decided to show some faith and pray to meet him again and planned to go back to the place where we found him on the street in a week. So we went back on that day to look for him and he was there! Just standing there! It was awesome! God really does answer prayers!

Another one, we met a guy a couple weeks ago who was a little busy and couldn't meet, but we traded numbers with him and gave him a pamphlet about Joseph Smith and he called us up 2 days ago and said that he was really impressed with Joseph Smith's story and he wants to try out being a Mormon Christian :P We're meeting him again this wednesday :)

We also met an American up the side of the mountain in the middle of nature and he was so much fun to talk to! He has some problems with religion but he said he would listen to our message when he has time :) It felt so good to bear testimony that God is our loving Heavenly Father in my own language!

Now for the Awkward Moments:

We went to an Eikaiwa (English Conversation Class) student's house and when she answered on the interphone she said "Elder Sotto! Are you Genki (doing well)? I'm naked!..." She was very excited to tell us in English she had just gotten out of the bath.

I thought that might give you a laugh dad :P Japanese people really want to practice their English.

Ok, well that's about all for this week I think. I think if you were to send anything for Christmas I would love to eat Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. I miss it so much!!! That's all that I can think of :) If you want anything from here let me know!

Alright! That's all for this week! Love you so much! Talk to you later!

Bye Bye!!!

I can't blame them, it is catchy music!

Christmas! Christmas!!! I'm so excited!!!!

I go into stores here in Japan and hear Christmas music about Christ and his Divinity and I have to laugh a little because hardly anyone believes or understands in Christ. But I can't blame them, it is catchy music!

Things just keep changing don't they! It never stops. But that's a good thing :) I'm excited to see everything back at home!

Thanks for the insights dad. It's so true. I've found that most of my problems come from my lack of patience or my pride...or both.

I saw a picture of Kellie and her family standing in front of the tree and I remembered the good times we had too :) I want to go back!

Actually, Natalie was huge in the picture I saw! I was so surprised! I can't believe it! 

Christmas...Christmas...Dou Shiyou (what do I do...)? I don't know what I want! But I'll think about it for next week and tell you if I have anything then!

On the other hand, what do all the kids and everyone (including you Mom and Dad!) want for Christmas? Anything from Japan? I'm terrible at spending money so I don't really buy anything! But if anyone want's anything Japanesey let me know!

Thanks for telling me all about your week! Now for mine!

So this week!

We ate Indian Curry again! It's probably one of my favorite foods. I love Nan! (the giant Indian bread).

Also...Well I'm a little embarrassed, but I went to the Pokemon Center in Sapporo with my companion :P But it was fun!

We have practice every Sunday for the Messiah Concert we're doing the 28th of December. So I've been singing in a chanto shita (...real?) Choir! Its fun :) 

And dealing with Dendo, we found some really cool people this week. We were helping a member that recently returned to church move and we got a call from someone we met on the street saying he wanted to hear a little bit of our message that day...so we said OK! And he brought his friend! He is pretty passionate about his Buddhist beliefs as well, but he heard us out a little.

We were also able to be guided to a less active member that had a really bad day and be there at just the right time to talk to her and let her know that she is loved by her Heavenly Father. It amazes me how we are guided to the people we should talk to at just the right time. We felt like we should give her a visit that day and it just happened to be the perfect timing! Coincidence? I think not ;)

Well, that's about all. I'll talk to you next week! 

Love you!

Elder Sotto

I'm learning lots of new words that the(american) kids say now a days ;)

I've seen the hand of the Lord in my life so much lately. Our investigator actually got baptized and confirmed Saturday and Sunday! It's amazing to me how our actions don't change too much but people who are prepared and hear God's call make the whole teaching atmosphere different. We teach the same things but when people accept the Spirit really comes.

No Hawaii!!! Ok :) I'm not surprised actually. I feel like Idaho is a place that needs you dad. It's hard to explain, but I think of the leaders of our mission and other leaders and 70's and our mission president and I picture my dad as very similar. I feel like you are a leader where you are standing right now. I don't know what plans God has for the future but I see you being a leader in the area that you are. I don't know how that makes you feel, but it's just a thought I had. P.S. I tell lots of friends about you going from the military to the boy scouts and why and your cool stories and everyone thinks my dad is awesome and they want to meet him :P haha. 

And I love Idaho! So I'm happy either way :)

Thank you for your advice dad! I actually thought about that when I became a DL. But I thought about all the experiences you've had (going from District President to other positions and now bishop) and I thought it must be similar. I've seen it happen with members of the 70 here becoming mission presidents or something else. I also know a man that was in 7 mission presidencies and is now a Deacon's quorum leader. I have so many good examples in my life and I'm so excited to be a District Leader. It's a completely different feel especially since I'm working with a very inexperienced Elder, but I have so much respect for those who have the same experiences. 

I never realized how powerful experience is. Those who have experience are amazing people in my mind. I would say that you are one of the greatest examples I have dad :) Mom and my sisters choosing to put aside their other dreams and become mothers is amazing to me as well. The people in my family are truly leaders and amazing in my eyes. I can't really express my feelings on this, but I want my family to know that I love and respect you more than anyone I know. I love you =D

Some of the best advice I heard from another respected missionary friend of mine is "Always picture yourself at your 10th transfer (the middle of your mission). You're not rushed for time and you're not new."

We heard a talk from two members of the 70 recently in a Stake Conference and it was so cool watching them switch off teaching and working together. It made me think of my workshops as a Zone Leader. I'm excited to help the church in the future as well!

So fun things this week:

We worked at the church helping the construction workers take apart big cargo boxes in the snow and mud for 2 hours! Way fun :)

We had a baptism! And we're going to continue to find more people who want to :)

And my companion is awesome! He says the funniest things ever! I don't understand his english most of the time but I'm learning lots of new words that the kids say now a days ;)

And that's about all for this week! Talk to you soon!

P.S. It's snowing...happy face :)

The bread of life has no crust.

That Boy Scout event looks really awesome! Thanks for sending the pictures!

So I was thinking about Hawaii and I could definitely see myself going to school there too. It would allow me to keep my japanese up and stay in touch with friends from japan.

I went to a stake meeting yesterday and the day before and I got really sad at the thought that I would have to leave this stake that I love so much! I am really glad that I am able to play a part in the strengthening of it.

So if you decide to go I'm all for it!

 

So this is really random but I really want to go visit my sisters after I get back! :P I miss them!

 

So this week we had transfer calls and...I am staying in Moiwa! I've been there really long! But I went back to being a district leader and my new companion is a Green Bean! He is from Texas and he never stops talking :P He's really funny and ready to go out and do work. He's a great companion. I'm excited to be his trainer!

I was a little worried being with an American companion again because no matter what you do sometimes you just don't understand what people are saying, but the Lord has really blessed us to find people who might listen to our message.

I'm just constantly amazed at the miracles the Lord has been blessing us with. It just never ends! As we keep ourselves worthy and try to do good things God moves His work forward.

My bean (new missionary) is really funny. He says the most random things in the world. This week in our apartment we've heard these things:

 

The bread of life has no crust.

I had my first fart in Japan! This is history!

I'm in Japan! (60 times a day)

Look at that dog! It's soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (He loves dogs)

etc.

 

He's a great companion :) I'm excited for the coming weeks!

 

If you have any questions about anything just let me know! I gotta go now so I'll talk to you later!

Love you!

Bye Bye!!!

 

Elder Sotto