Week 12: Typhoons, Zone Conference, and No General conference?!? (Week 3 on the field)

Hey,

  So, this week is the second straight week we've had a typhoon, and it was during our zone conference.  We went up to Okinawa city and met with our mission president.  There was this giant meeting and they're switching everything up.  It seems like I am always being a guinea pig but it's all good.  We get new flyers that we pass out and it's more oriented on helping other people and their personal affairs.  It's a tri-fold with a whole bunch of QR codes. They have sections on Family Affairs (That has things like "how to make a family stronger," "addiction recovery," "marriage help," and etc), Volunteering (a service site), Family History, Education help, Eikaiwa *(This changed a bunch also-this'll help people a lot more), and how to find a work-life balance.  It's an interesting thing, but I'm not sure how things are going to go.

   My companion, Elder Uhlig is super nice.  He's from Germany, and is fluent in German and English.  He's an 1/2 German and 1/2 Japanese.  We've got tons in common and we have adjusted really well with each other.  I've gotten 12 weeks with him so this'll be fun.  He's super obedient and a super good trainer.  His mom is a musician, and Elder Uhlig plays the cello.  We both really like classical music (I like music in general...so).

   

  So, I haven't seen General Conference yet.  In Japan, we have to wait for a week to see it -- it sounds like because of a time for translation process --, but my dad spoiled the surprise of the new two-hour block schedule. Hahaha. Thanks, Dad!  

I was like "wow, that's a big development!!"  I've also heard things here and there, but I'm excited to see what else is in store.  For those of you who don't know what General Conference is, it's a 2-day world-wide devotional that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints does semiannually.  Apostles and the prophet speak about world issues and share revelation that they receive that they believe will help the people of the world.  All the messages stated from these Apostles and prophets are inspired of God and it is super spiritual and uplifting.  I'll be astonished I'm sure, and I'll tune in... you all should too. If you haven't seen or listen to it yet, please go to lds.org and listen to the messages they share.

   So after my last email, I went bowling with my new district.  It was super fun.  We only have 1 day as our preparation day and it's on Monday.  I also only get an hour and 15 minutes to write and read emails.  I can't read emails during the week anymore, so my weekly emails will probably be shorter.

  

  Yesterday, I bore my testimony in church (in Japanese).  It was really nice.  When I went up to bare my testimony, I spoke about obedience and I used the saying that President Collinsworth (My branch president in the MTC) told us.  He said "Obedience brings blessings, but strict obedience brings miracles."  I related this to all of us as children of our Heavenly Father and how when we are obedient as children of God, we would be blessed, but as we are strictly obedient to His words, we will see many miracles.  I bore testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and how the Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the gospel.  I stated that the Book of Mormon is essentially a guide to get back to live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  I said, as we follow the gospel of Jesus Christ (Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the holy Ghost, and enduring to the end), we will see so many miracles that we'd lose count.  That's why it is so important that we hearken to those apostles and prophets that give us counsel each April and October.  As we do this, we'll show God that we are willing to obey his commandments to live with him again--eternally.

@ Kaiten sushi with Ken (a prospective missionary)

Zone Conference