Week 19 - February 13, 2012

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新愛なる家族へ
今日は！(Dear Family, Hello!)

Another week! They're really flying by! It's been good. How are you? School? Dad and your new calling? Work? Sports? I hope you're all great!!
On Tuesday we went to Popoki's again, this time with a whole bunch of investigators and potential investigators. We all had a good time.
Thursday we had a lesson with Watanabe Kan長老 (chourou) as our joint. Watanabe長老 was the first Japanese mission president ever. He's about 80 years old and legend around here. He and his wife were recently called to serve in the Tokyo Mission so we called him to joint with us. Almost everything that we did during the lesson would have been different if it were only Elder Casey and I teaching. Watanabe長老 did exactly what the spirit told him to, and the lesson went great. We know that the investigator really felt the spirit.

Saturday was a great day in Inage. Elder Casey and I didn't have any finding time, we were actually in the church almost the entire day. We had basketball with a few members at 9:00am. We stayed until 10:00am then went back to the apartment to study a little. We had district meeting at 1:00pm and a totsuzen (unexpected) lesson with Sakanaka kyoudai at 3:00pm. We spent about an hour and a half talking with him about the Book of Mormon and recognizing the spirit when he feels it. He's been having a lot of spiritual experiences, he just doesn't recognize all of them yet. Sakanaka kyoudai is so strong. After our lesson with him, we practiced with Fujita and Konno shimai, the sister missionaries in our ward, for a song we sang today in sacrament meeting. Then we had a stake single adult activity that started at 5:00pm. Tamba kyoudai, another of our investigators, came for the activity, and he was wearing a suit and tie. Sakanaka kyoudai always wears a suit when he's in the church, so we had both of them there looking really sharp. Isa kaicho (president), the last mission president of the Hiroshima mission before it closed, shared a great message, which he really geared towards Tamba kyoudai, Sakanaka kyoudai, and Tsutsumi kyoudai (a recent convert.) After the message, Tamba kyoudai told us that he really wants to read the Book of Mormon. We haven't had an actual sit-down lesson with him yet, but he came to last Sunday's fast and testimony meeting and almost all of the testimonies were centered on the Book of Mormon. He now has his own copy and he's excited to read!

Yesterday in sacrament meeting we sang 'I Know That My Redeemer Lives,' the first verse in Japanese, the first verse again in English, and the last verse in Japanese. Elder Casey and I have been getting over colds, so our voices didn't sound too great, but it was okay. After sacrament we spent about an hour with Sakanaka kyoudai preparing for his baptismal interview. Everything looks like it will be great.

It was a little slower of a week finding-wise, but Elder Casey and I have a goal to introduce our message to at least 300 people this week. We're excited to talk to everyone, and find the elect.

Well, two scriptures for you to think about:

Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Alma 27:18
Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness.
I won't write much about them, just that I hope you think about them. I know that you can receive personal revelation - revelation just for you, right now - if you take the time to study God's word. I know that you will feel God's love for you, if you just let yourself. God is the same now as He was then, the same as He will be forever. He will always speak to His children. Take the time to hear what he has to say to you!

And Happy Valentine's Day on Tuesday! Have a great week! I love you!!

りんディ長老より (Elder Rindlisbacher)