Week 60 - December 3, 2012
        
Aloha! 
It's been another good week here in Hibarigaoka! I'm glad to hear that you're all doing well too.

The apartment is very nice. It's probably the nicest apartment in the mission. The computer-thing next to the toilet controls the heated toilet seat and bide/oshiri  water pressure and temperature; it's really nice. The apartment isn't in a high rise building, it's just a building with four apartments (quadplex?) There was only 37 pictures sent last week, the 38 I wrote was a typo.

I'm not sure about the collapsed tunnel, I haven't heard anything about it besides from you. But if it was 50 miles west of Tokyo it probably wasn't in our mission. That is Sister Long in one of the Thanksgiving pictures. She's serving in the area below Hibarigaoka. I'm glad you all had a good Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving weekend. How was Keanu's interview? And thanks for the video, I was able to see it. I have that song on a jump drive so sometimes we listen it. Also, I read that talk by President Hinckley when I was a new missionary in Inage with Elder Casey; And I know that it is true. I could see and feel many of those things soon after coming to Japan.

I had two great companion exchanges this past week; One with Elder Takaya and another with Elder Loud. They're both great missionaries, we had a lot of fun, and saw many miracles. I'll be going on exchange with Elder Larsen (2nd transfer like Elder Healy) tomorrow morning.

One of the sisters’  investigators was baptized yesterday; It was amazing. She has one of the strongest testimonies I've ever seen from a recent convert, and she's only been meeting with the missionaries for a month. We're working on getting her conversion story written down, and I'll send it to you. I'll also get some pictures out next week. The four missionaries sang, 'I Believe in Christ,'  a capella.  Sister Nagamine (from Okinawa, transferred in a few weeks ago) and Elder Healy melody, Sister Walbeck alto, and myself bass.

Ozeki-san is continuing to prepare for baptism, and is doing pretty good. Right now we're working on getting him to attend church each week. We met with him today and taught more about the importance of keeping the Sabbath Day holy. He isn't attending church every week, so we don't want him to become less-active as soon as he's baptized. Brother Fukuda, former mission president and great member in the ward, joined us in the lesson and contributed with a great testimony. We'll also be meeting with Ozeki-san this Wednesday and Friday.

We also received a few referrals this past week and are excited to work with the members to introduce their friends to the gospel. We've been having mogi lessons with many of the members - building better relationships, and improving our teaching abilities.

We had P-day as a zone today - pancake party. We all gathered at one church, made and ate pancakes, and played basketball. It was a lot of fun.

As far as the package, things I need are just deodorant and toothpaste, pretty much everything else I can get here. The one other thing I would ask for specifically would be poi... but I'm sure that that's pretty much impossible.  Is there anything anyone would like from here?

Anyway, I love you all so much. Thank you for your love and support. This work is great. This church is true. Everything professed to be, is. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It guides and comforts. Through daily prayer you can build a strong relationship with our Father in Heaven, and feel refreshed – something  Erina-san who was baptized yesterday has a strong testimony of!  I love you!  Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher

P.S. Faith Abo may be Elder Healy's aunty, Fay Abo? And I'm really glad to hear there are more ward members preparing mission papers!!!