Week 74 - March 11, 2013
Aloha,
Hibarigaoka is seeing great miracles every day!

We had a great Saturday this past week. We took the train from Hibarigaoka Station down a few stations, kubari'd (passed Eikaiwa flyers out) there for 30 min. and streeted (walked around talking to everyone) for 30min., took the train one station back and kubari'd and streeted for 30 min., and continued on and on to each station for the same thing until we had made it back to Hibarigaoka Station. We worked hard, had a lot of fun, and saw some success, being able to give a few Books of Mormon away and meet a family that will come to Eikaiwa. After finishing our dendo (proselyting) at Hibarigaoka Station, however, we hadn't found any new investigators. That's when we were blessed with a great miracle. As we were walking back to where we had parked the bikes we passed a Mister Donut's donut store where there was a worker outside trying to get people in to buy donuts. She really tried hard with us but we told her we were okay and that we'd be sure to come back another time. She kept trying however so we decided to run in and get a donut quickly. We sat down in the store and a lady sitting with her daughter next to us asked right away, "Where's your church?" Come to find out, she and her husband along with their five-year old daughter recently moved to Hibarigaoka, are Christian, and have been searching for a church! We have their contact information and they said they'd come to church. Lessons are sure to begin soon after.

We had a first lesson with Yuki-kun, an Eikaiwa student, yesterday. He attended Sunday morning Eikaiwa, church after that, then we taught him the Plan of Salvation. We invited him to be baptized and he said that he would be baptized when he knew the message was true. Apparently his family is very buddhist, but he committed to read from the Book of Mormon and pray about its truthfulness. One of the Sisters’ investigators, Erina-chan, who is preparing for baptism this month has been helping a lot as she's been encouraging him to hear lessons.

Other than that we've seen a lot of good things happening with less-active and active members in building their faith. Yesterday we went with our dendo shunin (ward mission leader) to help with his home-teaching. We were able to visit with Taisei Nakaya, a 19 year-old boy, and have a great talk. He has a one month break from school right now and hasn't been doing anything besides surfing the internet.  Anyway, he set a goal to read the entire Book of Mormon before next week's church meetings. He's never read it before, but we shared a quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley and testified about how we've come to love the Book of Mormon.

"I hope that for you this will become something far more enjoyable than a duty; that, rather, it will become a love affair with the word of God. I promise you that as you read, your mind will be enlightened and your spirit will be lifted. At first it may seem tedious, but that will change into a wondrous experience with thoughts and words of things divine." (Gordon B. Hinckley, May 1995)

Also, yesterday we had a big freak sandstorm. I guess every once in a great while sand from the desert all the way over in China hops over the ocean and hits Japan. It was pretty interesting.

In other news, two of the three assistants are coming out to Hibarigaoka tonight and we'll spend the next 24 hours with them on exchange here. We're excited. It should be a lot of fun and we'll see a lot of success.

In other other news, I received a letter from the mission home a few days ago with a paper I need to submit for my release. It's still a good ways away, but they need to know when I'd like to be released (I have a choice between two dates) and if anyone's going to be coming here to pick me up. The two dates are: September 17, 2013 and October 29, 2013. I've already circled the October 29th date so I hope that's okay with you. As for if you'll be coming here, how does that look? You can come and we can spend some time here then head back. Or just meet on Maui. Let me know soon (this week) what you think.

Also, I was wondering if Keawe has received my emails. I sent two last week, so let me know if he's getting them or if I have an address that he doesn't use too much anymore. Thank you so much.

I love you all so much!! Take care and have a great week as children of God! (Psalm 82:6)

Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher

P.S. Elder Call and I made a list of some of the blessings of baptism. We just put two or three down a day for the past week-ish. These are also the same blessings as the sacrament that you take each week. I attached a picture of the board we wrote them on, but here's a typed list:

Blessings of Baptism:

 1.  Sins washed away (Moroni 8:25)
 2.  Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (2 Nephi 31:13)
 3.  Become a member of the church (Moroni 7:3)
        a. Associated with good people, striving together
        b. Supported and loved
 4.  Commit your life to the Savior (Proverbs 29:18)
 5.  Become a witness of God (Mosiah 18:9-10)
 6.  May be redeemed (Alma 9:27)
 7.  Can live with God (D&C 76:51, 62)
 8.  Put on Christ (Galatians 3:27)
 9.  Be born again (Romans 6:3-6)
10. Become a child of the Abrahamic Covenant (3 Nephi 20:25)
11. Peace for Judgment Day (Mormon 7:10)
12. Become a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19)
13. Become a worker of miracles (D&C 84:64-72)
14. Make a covenant with God (Mosiah 18:13)
        a. Constant source of strength and life to the faithful (Jacob 5:11)
15. Take part in the First Resurrection (Mosiah 18:8-9)
16. Be an example of righteousness (3 Nephi 13:22)
17. May participate in temple work for ancestors (Malachi 4:6; D&C 128:5)
18. Serve others as their watchmen (3 Nephi 16:18)
19. All things asked for in righteousness given (Moses 6:52)
20. Weak things become strong (Ether 12:27)

Matthew 28:19