Week 17 - January 30, 2012

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Hello family,
Sorry I didn't write last week, we've been so busy! There's so much that's happened, and so little time to write it all down!!

But I hope that all is well with all of you. It's been another good week here in Inage and I'm really grateful for another transfer to work here! I really love the ward and all of our investigators so much.

We had a trainers/new missionaries (1st and 2nd transfer) taikai (conference) this past Thursday that I really enjoyed. I felt so much love from everyone and enjoyed being able to see how good all of the new missionaries are doing. I'm so grateful for this mission and everyone's examples. We've only had three taikai since I've been here, but they've really motivated to be the best I can be.

After the taikai, I had a companionship exchange with my zone leader (former zone leader now, because he's transferring) Elder Loud in Kisarazu (below my area). On Friday, we were able to be a part of an amazing miracle! We were on our way to visit a potential investigator they had found the week before, and were streeting/stopping everybody along the way. We stopped an older man who couldn't hear too well and he ended up just walking away, but, just as we turned to get back on our bikes, another older man came walking down the other side of the street. Elder Loud called out to him to tell him he had a nice hat on. It was a United States Navy cap. The man walked across the street and began talking to us. He told us that he knew we were Mormon, and, half in English and half in Japanese, that he was on his way to the Family Mart around the corner to send something in the mail, and that he wanted us to wait where we were for him to come back. We told him that we would, and began talking to a few university students who were passing. The man came back a few minutes later and said that he was going back home, so I asked him if we could just talk to him a little more. He said that he wanted us to all go back to his home together! So of course we just began following him. He led us through a few streets and we arrived at his home, which was right across the street from the potential investigator we were planning on visiting! He said that we had met his wife at their home the previous week while they were housing. He let us into his living room area and began showing us all sorts of pictures of his family and their travels. He has a grandson who lives near Los Angeles, and he and his wife have been on a few cruises around different parts of the world. They had been to Hawaii as well, and a few of the pictures he showed us of them on Maui were at places that are really close to my home! After about thirty minutes of some of the best BRT I've had since I've been here, his wife came home. She was a little surprised to see us in her living room, but happy nonetheless. We looked at a few more pictures, and then brought up some gospel topics. She said that she had spoken to the neighbor across the street (the one we were on our way to visit,) and that her neighbor had said that the plan of salvation sounded like a really good thing. So we started talking about that and gave them a pamphlet. She had a few questions as to why there are so many different churches, so we talked about the Restoration and gave them that pamphlet as well. We also introduced, and gave, a Book of Mormon. It was amazing to see each of them reading a different pamphlet, with a Book of Mormon on the table as well! We also taught them how to pray, and after I had given an example prayer, we asked them to pray. The man gave an awesome prayer. His first prayer to God, closing in Jesus Christ. And he loved praying! He asked a few questions about it, and began saying more prayers! It was amazing. This family is yearning for nurturing, and I am so excited to hear from Elder Einfeldt about how they're doing!

Today, Elder Casey and I taught Sakanaka kyoudai, our yakushokusha (baptismal date), the law of chastity, and a little more about the importance of and how to strengthen our faith in Christ. We were a little nervous, because we hadn't been able to meet with him in person in just over a week, but the lesson went great. He's currently in Mosiah 15 of the Book of Mormon, and is really soaking everything in. We really feel like Sakanaka kyoudai is really ready to come unto Christ and endure to the end. Today while we were talking about strengthening our faith in Christ, he spoke about us enduring to the end together. I was speaking a little about his upcoming baptism and confirmation and he ended one of my sentences. I was saying, “baputesuma to seirei no tamamono o uketa ato de, watashitachi wa ishhou ni saigo made taeshinobu” and he ended with, “koto o ganbarimashou.” We really feel like he knows that baptism isn't the start for him, but just the very beginning.

I really love my mission. I am really developing a great love for all of the people here. Thank you so much for all of your hard work.

Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher