Sunday, October 6th, 2013

Dear Family,

 

Elder Hill and I had ourselves a wonderful week.  I am sure that you all have had a wonderful week over in Disney World as well.  However, this last week was something very special for me, something that I will never forget. 

 

I won't go into all of the details of what happened this past week, but I would like to focus on one special event. 

 

This last Thursday, I had the opportunity to participate in the Mission Leadership Council once again.  We gathered together with the other zone leaders, the assistants, the sister training leaders, President and Sister Wada, as well as President Wada's first councilor in the Mission Presidency, President Welch.  Instead of going to the mission home to do the council, we went over to the Yamate Church, which is right down the street from me.  About a 10 minute walk away from the Yamate church building is where Heber J. Grant, Alma O. Taylor, and 2 others dedicated Japan for missionary work in 1901.  As a rededication of the Tokyo South Mission and in memory of the 102 years of missionary work in Japan, we traveled out to the spot where Heber J. Grant dedicated Japan in the early morning and had a wonderful devotional, testimony meeting, and prayer meeting. 

 

It was something that I will never forget.  It was a beautiful day, hardly a cloud in the sky, the blankets we brought were covered in tiny grasshoppers and flees.  Birds were chirping in the trees and little children were laughing and playing in the background.  President Wada brought the dedicatory prayer of Japan with him as well as the prophecies concerning Japan given by many of the prophets and leaders of the church.  We read those together and sang hymns of praises to our God.  Then we bore pure testimony concerning our convictions and the feelings of our hearts.  I cannot put in words all that I heard and felt, but the spirit was overflowing as we rededicated this mission and ourselves to this great work. 

 

The Lord loves his Japanese children very much.  Or else why would He have made so many of them?!  Although they still do not know it yet, He blesses and plays a huge role in their lives.  I know that He loves them, and there will come a day when they will understand that and accept it.  But that is not this day.  We still have a lot more work to do to prepare the hearts of the members and those who will aide in the harvest of souls.  We have a great work to do over here and once we take the gospel to the 111 million people here, then the Lord will open up the door to China and the far east.  We are making great headway and we are gaining speed.  We are expecting 21 new missionaries to come in this transfer and 20 more after that.  Then 30 more and 30 more and 30 more until the mission reaches over 200 missionaries.  Our wards have too many missionaries in them and everyone is having to step up their game. 

 

Our ward is doing okay.  Last night the sisters investigator referred her son to us and we started teaching him the lessons.  His nickname is Zach and he is 19 years old.  He has a Christian background, but still isn't sure if God is really there or not.  We are going to meet with him again right after this to help him with an English essay he is working on.  Please Pray for Zach that he can do well on his essay and can come to know that God exists!

 

Today starts transfer 12 for me.  I still don't know when I am coming home, but probably sometime in May.  I've still got a lot of time and so I'm not too worried about it and neither should you be!!!! :)

 

I hope everyone is having a great time at Disney World!!!! I love you so much!!!!

 

愛

クランダル長老