Monday, May 20th, 2013

Konnichiha!!!!

 

It looks like everyone is keeping super busy as always.  Life is never gonna slow down is it? Well, it sure isn't slowing down here.  In fact, we have lessons scheduled for every night this next week with various people!  So far we have over 7 lessons scheduled!  We are going to be all over the place helping out a lot of good people. 

 

I don't know if you remember what I told you about over Skype about our new investigator Lhea, but she is doing fantastic and is looking to get baptized on the 2nd of June.  She is 40 years old, a mother of two kids that live back in the Philippines, has lived on and off in Japan for the past 15 years so she is pretty good at Japanese, and is living with an active ward member by the name of Sister Matsui.  The left side of Lhea's body is paralyzed from a severe stroke she had when she was 26 years old.  She can't use most of her left arm, she has a bad limp when she walks, but has been able to regain movement in her face and neck so she can talk fine and can now flex and stretch and perform most all normal house functions.  Lhea got the stroke from over excessive use of alcohol and not having enough oxygen in her blood to keep a good flow in her brain which caused it to malfunction and she had a stroke.  She has lived a very very poor life and has dealt with the tragic death of both her parents when she was a teenager.  She had to care for all of her family by herself while she was a teenager and young adult so when she had her stroke and became handicapped, she saw it as a punishment from God for neglecting her family and thinking only of her wants and pleasure.  She has since been married and has two elementary school age children that live with her extended family back home.  The member lady that she lives with has been an amazing example to her and has cared for her for a very long time.  They are like sisters and Lhea wants nothing more than to be spiritual sisters with her as well.  In fact, when we showed up to their house for the first lessons, before we had even started teaching, Lhea was telling us that she really wants to join the church and that she will come to church every week and was asking us how to join the church.  We have no trouble with her desires as far as teaching her goes.  However, we have to be careful that she understands all of the fundamental principles before she gets baptized.  Princess Lhea isn't the best at English or Japanese so we have to explain things very very slow and simple for her.  But she truly is an angel and it is a huge blessing to be working with her.  We are going to teach her the second half of the plan of salvation tonight and then tie that into the doctrine of Christ and why repentance is important in this life.  This is the first time that Elder Lee has worked with a kinjin, Golden Investigator, and so he is off the wallz excited about everything.  This will the first investigator he has had get baptized. 

 

We went through a lot of interesting things this past week.  Our Zone set a mission record, we were the first zone where every area found at least 2 new investigators in one week.  I found this way nice high school kid in the middle of Kawagoe city who wanted me to teach him about Christianity (this is extremely rare, I was so excited).  He said that he had read a lot of stuff online and wants to have a chance to hear it from professionals.  He says that other kids make fun of him for believing in God, but he says that he knows that He is out there.  He very humbly and quietly asked me, in the middle of a very crowded train station with a million people bustling by, if I thought it was cool to believe in God.  I grabbed that kid and gave him a big shoulder hug (he is quite a bit smaller than me, well, everyone is smaller than me) and told him that he was cool for believing in God.  I testified to him that believing in God is the coolest thing he could ever do. Then I testified to him that I believe in God too.    His name is Yu.  I can tell he isn't really a popular kid, he is kinda nerdy,  but he is the coolest kid I've met in a long time.  He reminded me a lot of Teppei, the guy back in Yachiyo.  I don't know what happened to Teppei, but one of my friends transferred into Yachiyo recently and he says that Ninoska's brothers are going to get baptized!  And that she will follow them not long after :) :)

 

Also, Naoki Morita, the kid we baptized in Matsudo, his mom got baptized in Matsudo this last Sunday :) :) And Naoki is going to come out here on Thursday and help us teach Lhea. 

 

Our district right now is on fire.  We have some of the best missionaries in all of Japan here in Saitama and we are looking to break a lot of mission records this transfer.  Not only with new investigators, but President has bumped up our goal with lessons from 15 a week to 20, which may seem pretty tough, but the Matsudo Elders last week taught 31 lessons.  Elder Anderson and I spent 6 weeks pouring gasoline on that area so that they could come in and light that place on fire.  We want to be the first district to all get over 20 lessons in one week. 

 

I gots to get going now, but man, Connor looked like such a stud in those pics from his play.  We all know that he was the chosen one, the one destined to be the coolest out of all of us. ;)  Not to mention Kyle looking fly in that prom pic!  My boyz are growing up too dang fast.  I remember when we would smack each other with foam noodles all day and then take down the droid army on the xbox by night.  Now, my brothers are smacking life with the foam noodles of awesomeness and I am trying to take down the robotic overworked Japanese army! 

 

I heard a great quote by Elder Faust the other day that I want to share with you.  It applies to being busy and fulfilling responsibilities.  It says," Satan selects his disciples when they are idol.  Jesus selected his disciples when they were busy at their work, either mending their nets or casting them into the sea".  Don't ever assume that the Lord only calls people to serve Him when they are not busy, the Lord WILL call you while you are at work.  

Good Luck! :)

 

I love you all so very very much!!!!  Enjoy the weather there!  It's hot and rainy here :)

 

愛しているよ！！！！

 

Elder Crandall