Week 103 – October 4, 2013

Aloha!  
Alright, it's been about two and a half weeks since I've sent a decent email. Sorry it's been so long. We've had so     many things to do that we haven't taken a decent preparation day where I can email since the last one I sent. But    with many things to do there are always so many great experiences. It's hard to know where to begin! And at the      same time I don't want to bore everyone with an email that's too long. 
 
Two weeks ago Elder Olson and I went o exchange to Shonan. President Wada recommended we go on exchange withthem to help them to find more investigators. We had a great time and I think it was really an inspired exchange. I  worked with Elder Allred and Elder Olson worked with Elder Allred's companion, Elder Peters. We talked with many,  many  people and met some great new potential investigators. I tried my best  to give Elder Allredas many opportu- nities as I could to speak and share insights as we were talking to people. Overall the exchange gave a great boost of motivation. 

The next day we had a conference for the 13 district leaders in the mission and a few sisters. Conferences are always special. It's great to see the missionaries and to feel of their dedication and faith. Sister Hathaway was invited be-     cause we want her to receive some training as she'll probably be asked to serve as a sister training leader sometime  in the future. 
 
The next Monday we met with the Nagatomo Family and went to a place called Kamakura. the Nagatomo Family is    the one with the 12 year-old son and who we went with the father to a baseball game a few weeks ago. Kamakura is a very historical and popular place in Japan. I believe it was the capitol, over 1,000 years ago. We spent a great day with them and they drove us back to Kichijoji that evening. We took them into the chapel and talked about the gospel and taught about the restoration. They cried as they shared how they were feeling. The spirit was strong. 
 
I had a great exchange with Elder Larsonand Elder Connell in Tama last week. They are both amazing missionaries    and are doing very well. We were able to have many meaningful conversations over the 24 hours as well as teach      two lessons. I had so much fun constantly talking with people and enjoying the company of Elder Connell and Elder    Larson. 

We took brownies to a few member families the Sunday before last. We made them that morning before our meet-    ings before church and then delivered them in the evening. We  had time to take some to two families The first familywe had planned to take brownies to was our ward mission leader. He's been really busy lately but tries very hard anddoes well with fulfilling his calling. We took his address from our member list and headed over to his apartment... we thought. We got there and knocked and the door. Brother Nishio (not the ward mission leader) came to the  door and we asked for Brother Ito (the ward mission leader). Brother Nishio said he wasn't there and we were confused and    asked where he was. He said he didn't know and that this was his and his younger brother's apartment. They're both  in their 20's. Anyway, there Elder Olson and I were standing in front of Brother Nishio, Elder Olson holding a plate of  brownies, and me holding a note for Brother Ito. Elder Olson looked at me and then turned back to Brother Nishio andyelled, "Just kidding!" and handed him the brownies. I just put the note I had in my hand behind myback. We thankedhim for all he's been doing to help us  (which is a lot and we would have loved to take him brownies as well) and       wished him a good time. We had a good laugh after we got back into the car. 

From there we went to the Maritini Family's home. The Maritini's are the ones I had dinner with last Thanksgiving andwho had us over for dinner with Jett recently. We put the brownies in front of their door and I rang it and ran. They    live in from the street in the middle of a narrow path about the width of a normal sidewalk. Elder Olson was hiding     down the path a ways and it would have been good for me to run to where he was after I rang the doorbell but at the time it was easier for me to head the other way as I ran out of their gate. So I ran down that way and hid.After a few minutes I began to walk quietly down the path to where Elder Olson was so we could head home, but just as I was in  front of the Maritini's home their door started to open. I tried to back up quietly and quickly but realized that I wasn't going to get far enough away in time so I turned and sprinted. I waited a few minutes again and then was able to     make it to Elder Olson and we had another good laugh in the car. The Maritini's gave us a call just as we got home     and thanked us. Also, the  Nagatomo's attended church here on Sunday and had a wonderful time.  

Last Thursday we went with President Wada to Yamate to prepare for a special mission leadership council that was    held this past Thursday. We went there to check the location of what is now a park but was where  Elder Heber J.      Grant and a few other missionaries dedicated the land of Japan for the preaching of the gospel. After that we had       ramen at a place of President Wada's recommendation. President Wada really likes to eat good food (not necessarily  expensive food, just good food.) I'll send a picture of the ramen. I had Hokkaido Ramen (North Japan), Elder Olson   had Shinshu Ramen (Central Japan), and President Wada had Kyushu Ramen (South Japan.) That white/yellow-ish     thing on my ramen is butter. It was delicious. In mine there was also pork slices, corn, and potato wedges along with the vegetables and of course noodles. 

This past Monday we met with Angel at a small bread shop. Angel is a man from Venezuela that Elder Olson met in     Hachijoji when he was serving there about a year and a half ago. They had a very special moment on the street as     they talked and Angel opened his heart and shared feelings that were very personal to him. Elder Olson transferred    soon after and Angel didn't want to meet with other missionaries because he said he had had a special experience     with Elder Olson and not them. Elder Olson's called him a few times since then just to see how he's been and we wereable to meet with him this past Monday. It was such a great meeting. He is such a good person. We had a great talk  and he opened his heart to us. He cried as he talked about the joys of raising a child and he cried as he talked about  how he hopes he can live a good enough life to make up for past sins. He said many things that were very touching.  One thing he said, through his tears, was "When I was young I thought I was having fun. And I hoped I could live     many days so I could have fun. Now I hope I can live many days for redemption." Towards the end of the conversa-   tion he said, "This meeting really means a lot to me. It means a lot for the rest of my life." I hope to keep in contact with him and hopefully meet him at least once more before I return home. 
 
This past Wednesday we spent some great time with President and Sister Wada. We had lunch at a Thai restaurant    and when we walked into the restaurant it felt like we were in Thailand (although I've never been there.) We had a    great lunch and got Wendy's frostys afterwards. There aren't many Wendy's in Japan. Then we went to the temple fora 2:00 pm session. It was such a great session. The spirit was strong. Driving home from the temple Sister Wada       looked out the window and pointed out a nice big rainbow. She was trying to get a picture of it with her phone when  we went around a curve and there was another one. So two big rainbows next to each other. There was special        meaning in that for us that I'll explain later in this letter. 
 
We held our special mission leadership council this past Thursday. It went great. We held it in Yamate this time           instead of Kichijoji in honor of the dedication of Japan and to bless our newly opened mission. This is something         President Wada has been talking about and planning with us since he arrived here. We took the missionaries (just       over 20 of us) to the area where the dedicatory prayer was given, sang hymns, shared testimony, and prayed. We     used the same format for the meeting that the early missionaries used as they held the meeting there for the dedi-    cating. We sang 'We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet', had an openingprayer, sang 'Now Let Us Rejoice', had testi-    monies shared by each missionary, a special prayer was given by President Wada, we sang 'Come,Come, Ye Saints', and had a closing prayer. That was the morning portion of the council and the afternoon was spent at the chapel therein Yamate. The afternoon went great as we spoke of and trained on the work. 

Today we've been really busy. This morning at 5:30 am we taught seminary to the Wada boys. That is always great,  they're wonderful young men. We made and had breakfast with them after that and they went on their way to school.Elder Olson and I went on a run and found a nice park not far from the church/apartment. Right from finishing our     workout we got in the car to go pick up Elder Medeiros. Elder Medeiros is my new companion and the new assistant   as Elder Olson returns home next Tuesday. I've spent the last four transfers, just over five months with Elder Olson.  We feel like we've been able to unite like no other companionship in the mission, especially as it's unheard of in the  mission to have a companion for so long. Elder Olson and I aren't very similar in our personalities beside the fact that we're both very stubborn, so we weren't two that connected right away. But I know that President Budge had a lot of wisdom and inspiration as we were called to be companions and to assist the Wada's in opening the mission. We've   grown and learned so much from each other. I'm excited to work with Elder Medeiros over the next six weeks. You  might remember but I lived with him in Kanagawa for a transfer. He's from Wahiawa. 
 
Today we also met with a member, Masaki Yoza, who's preparing to serve a mission. He's extremely smart and just about as full of love as anyone could ever get. We meet with him occasionally to study from the scriptures and           Preach my Gospel. After our meeting today he showed us a short video of Joseph Smith that had very beautiful back- ground music. After the video he said he wanted to do something for Elder Olson before he leaves the mission and      that he'd been practicing the music that was on the video and wanted to play it for him. We went into the chapel and  were touched by the beautiful music and the love that could be felt through it. 
 
Other than everything else that's been going on we've been going to each zone with President and Sister Wada for      interviews. Once about every three months each missionary has an interview with President. It was a lot of fun being there and getting to know each missionary better as they waited outside of the room as their companion was being    interviewed. We talked with each missionary to see where we have opportunities for future training and strengthen-   ing. We'll be compiling the results of that within the next few days. 
 
I love you all so much and am so grateful for you. Thank you for your support and examples back home. I have six    weeks left in the mission. I'm very grateful for this next six weeks as I wouldn't have them if I wasn't able to extend. I hope to make the best of it and serve as much as I can. I love you! Take care! 
 
Love, 
Elder Rindlisbacher 

P.S. Sorry if you find the letter long, I wish I could express my feelings and emotions better as I share these             experiences with you. I am having the time of my life! 

I forgot to say that the meaning of the two rainbows was that our decision to have Elder Medeiros come in as the nextassistant was right. That's what we took it to mean because as we left the temple, President said he had had two       distinct impressions, one being that Elder Medeiros was to be the next assistant. Everyone in the office is now joking   that the two rainbows are the two Hawaiians now in the mission home. 
 
Love you! 

Week 100 – September 9, 2013

Aloha!
We've had a great week. It's been eventful and it's hard to remember all that's happened! I guess to begin, it's been great meeting with Jett recently. He's an interesting guy and it's been an adventure teaching him and learning from him. We met with him at a bread shop on Tuesday and talked about the plan of salvation. It was a great meeting, as all of the others have been. He's been having a lot of spiritual experiences. We invited him to be baptized on a specific date and the conversation got pretty intense for about 30 minutes. He drilled us a lot about the priesthood and a little about a few other concerns. It ended really well and we ended up meeting him again the next day, Wednesday. He had a meeting with President Wada and a man from the church offices to talk about the event they're planning. After that meeting we went to the chapel with him and President Wada. We had the sacrament set up and we talked about that for a little and had a discussion on the restoration. Jett was able to really understand things a lot better. Jett's been really calculative with everything he's been doing with us. He, for example, wore an all black suit with a black shirt and big cross pendant the first time he came to church. We, nor any other members didn't think much of it and he told us later that he wore that on purpose to see the reaction. He said we passed. Nobody acted any different to him and everyone welcomed him greatly. So anyway, at this meeting with him on Wednesday he said he meant to be really hard on us the day before to see how we would stand up for our beliefs. He said it was great to see us firm in what we were teaching. That discussion went great.

Then last night we went to dinner at the Martini family's home. Maybe you remember the family I had dinner with last Thanksgiving? Same family. They live in our ward boundaries here in Kichijoji but the father is the bishop of an English ward in Senzokuike, a place about 45 minutes from here. The missionaries of that ward can't visit or have dinner at the Martini's home because they live in different missions as of the mission split. We meet the Martini's often and have a great relationship with them so they had us over for dinner since they can't have the missionaries from their ward over. We had Jett over as well and we all had a wonderful time. Bishop Martini is the President and General Manager of Franklin Covey Japan. To conclude dinner, we shared a message about a new Mormon Message called 'Daily Bread - Patterns'. It's actually from a new series of short videos, watch them when you have time!

Anyway, then we met with Jett this morning again. He had another meeting with President to talk about the event coming up. On October 14 (a national holiday) we're going to have an 'October Cultural Fest' where Jett and a band will put on a concert. Jett will put together a gospel choir to perform, we'll have some missionary performances, and hopefully some other well-known performers and groups from around Japan to entertain. Everyone's getting really excited. So after Jett's meeting with President Wada we all met for a little to discuss Jett's progress with the gospel. Jett's really ready to learn all he can so we'll continue to meet two to three times a week. He always says, "It couldn't have been anyone but these two," when he talks about our first encounter on the street and he wants to get as much out of us before we return home. So he's doing great and we're having a lot of fun with him. We'd love to begin teaching his wife and daughter as well sometime soon.

Other big news from this week would be that Elder Olson and I went out to Yokohama to visit the Nagatomo family. If you remember, the Nagatomo family is the family Elder Olson and I played catch in a park with a little while ago. I sent a few pictures home. So we went to Yokohama to see them and especially to see Kazuma, the little boy (12 years old.) He's had Crone's disease since he was little so he's had a few bouts in the hospital. We went out and visited Kazuma at the hospital and he was about to get outside for the first time in two weeks so we played a little basketball and catch while talking. He's a champion. He's always happy and positive no matter what's going on. After meeting with them at the hospital Kazuma's father took Elder Olson and I to a baseball game there in Yokohama. They originally wanted to go as a family (Kazuma and his parents) with us but Kazuma wasn't well enough to be released from the hospital. Kazuma's father really wanted to take us to a game still though. We went to a Yokohama BayStars vs. Hiroshima Carp game. The Nagatomo's (and Elder Olson) are huge BayStar fans. It was a whole lot of fun and we had a blast. Baseball games in Japan are completely different than those in America. There's a lot more celebrating, yelling, and cheering. There are chants for each player on the team that the fans all yell when each player's at bat. After the game (Yokohama lost 5-1) Nagatomo-san took us to a beautiful lookout in Yokohama that overlooks part of the bay and the city. He said because we don't have permission often to stay out after curfew (by now it was 9:30 pm) he wanted to show us the lookout at night while we had a chance. We went there for a little while and it really did a lot to change the mood from a lot of baseball fun to reflecting more on life. From the baseball game we were planning on taking the train back to Kichijoji but when we got into the car to head to the station Nagatomo-san said he was going to take us to the lookout then we'd get on the toll road and head to Kichijoji. Elder Olson and I said we we'd be more than happy to take the trains home instead of have him drive us, but we weren't took persistent as we knew if he took us home we'd have a lot of time to talk in the car. Anyway, we drove home and had a great conversation. Nagatomo-san was so grateful for all of the love we have for his son and he said that he would welcome us teaching his son about the church. He said he trusts us completely and we can teach him without them there if it needs to be more private, and that his son can do what he wants with what we teach him. Elder Olson's been friends with the Nagatomo's for a while and it's wonderful to see how service prepares people to hear the gospel. When you have time, read Alma 17-18 and see how Ammon's service to King Lamoni softens his heart. They are a wonderful family and we hope to meet with them once more before Elder Olson heads home.

Other things that have happened this week would be mission leadership council on Thursday and teaching seminary on Saturday. We've begun teaching Tyki and Takuto, the Wada boys, seminary each Saturday morning. We'll go through two lessons each time and then they have a class where they go through two more each Sunday. Then they need to finish one on their own. We had a great time with them, they're great boys. Tyki is the one that was in Mikela's weightlifting class over the summer and is 18 and Takuto is 15. Takuto is very much like Keawe in personality and he's very athletic. We're excited for seminary with them each Saturday morning.

So that's our week in a nutshell. It's been great. We've had a great time. The sort of cliche phrase 'best two years of your life' is true, at least in my life until now. I do plan to continue to make my life better and better as time goes on. A better phrase perhaps may be 'best two years for your life.' I love the church and I love the gospel. I hope you all can find opportunities to share the gospel in your daily lives, and that you continue to live it as well. There is a very complete sense of peace and joy that is felt through that. It's just a nice feeling. I love you all so much!! Take care and have a
great week!

Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher

P.S. There are a few photos attached. :)

Week 99 – September 3, 2013

Aloha,
I hope everyone's been great. Everything's going great here.

We had the new missionaries come in late Tuesday night. They were supposed to fly into Narita around 2:00 pm but their flight was cancelled and they ended up coming into Haneda around 11:30 pm like they have in the past. They found out their flight was cancelled after getting to the airport in Salt Lake early in the morning so waited until the afternoon flight. We had 10 new missionaries come in, seven elders and three sisters. Three of the elders are Japanese. They're a great group and we had a good time training and being with them until Thursday afternoon. We were able to get outside and talk to people with them and everyone had a good time. The new missionaries are always the best because they're so ready to just work hard. They don't really know how to do things, but they're ready to give all they can. The first time getting them outside for them is always humbling, but very motivating. We have a testimony meeting after and it's always great.

We're continuing to meet with Jett. He's working a lot with President Wada and the church offices to get a big dance/concert type event going at the church here. We're excited. He says he welcomes the day when the spirit prompts him to be baptized, so we're working with him to further understand and seek after confirmation that what we're teaching is true and that he needs to be baptized.

We had a ward natsumatsuri (Summer Festival) on Saturday and had a great turnout. Almost or maybe even more than half of the people in attendance were nonmembers. The members invited and brought many of their friends and the missionaries did a great job of bringing people as well. Elder Olson and I had a bunch of friends come including Jett and his family. We called everyone we could think of and had a lot more people come than we had planned. It was a lot of fun.

Elder Olson and I went with President and Sister Wada to Yamate on Sunday. Yamate is where missionary work began in Japan, on Fast Sunday September 1, 1901. There was a meeting held from 6:30 am to 7:30 am, so we left the mission home at 5:00 am to get there on time. The meeting was great and consisted of reading a portion of Alma O. Taylor (one of the four elders present at the time of the dedicating)'s journal and a testimony meeting. The hymns were arranged the same as the ones sung on that morning in 1901.

This is the journal entry that was read:
"This being fast day we ate no breakfast, but went out into the woods about eleven o'clock to hold a prayer meeting. After about a twenty minute walk from our rooms, we came to a secluded spot in a small grove situated on the south slope of one of the rolling hills lying to the south of Yokohama and about mid-way between the foreign residences on the Bluff and the bay. Sitting down in a circle on the ground, we opened our meeting by singing, "We thank Thee O God for a Prophet." Bro. Grant offered the opening prayer which was followed with another prayer by Bro. Kelsch. Sang, "Now Let Us Rejoice in The Day of Salvation", after which Bro. Ensign continued in prayer and without changing from our kneeling position our supplication was continued, myself being mouth. The principal features of our prayers were expressions of thanksgiving and praise to God; invocations for strength to preform the duties that rested upon us as missionaries in this land; and also that the Spirit of God would rest upon Apostle Grant to the extent that he would be able to offer up an acceptable dedicatory prayer: for the main object of our going into the woods was to dedicate this land unto the Lord for the proclamation of the Gospel. After the four prayers had been offered up, we sang, "Come Come Ye Saints." We again knelt in a circle and Bro. Grant offered up the dedicatory prayer. After this dedicatory prayer had been offered up, we sang, "The Time is Far Spent.""

Following the early morning meeting we had a meeting with the Yamate ward bishopric, ward auxiliaries, and Yokohama Stake President, followed by dendou chousei shuukai (missionary coordination meeting.) Then we attended the meetings there and were priviledged to have a member from Kanagawa ward (my former area and neighbor to Yamate) tour us around the city. We went around to places like where Elder Grant stayed when he was in Japan and where the dedicatory prayer was offered. We're planning a special mission leadership council in October there in Yamate. This week we're busy getting ready for mission leadership council to be held here in Kichijoji on Friday.

Elder Olson returns home in about five weeks so that means I have just 11. It's hard to believe that time's gone by so quickly. This transfer there will be a few days when both Elder Olson and I have been missionaries for two years, but it doesn't feel that long. We're busy and striving to be more productive servants in the Lord's vineyard. We'll continue to give all we can.

Have a great week! I love you!

Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher

P.S. Attached is a picture of missionaries in Tokyo in 1902 (Louis A. Kelsch, Horace Ensign, Heber J. Grant, and Alma O. Taylor.)

Week 98 - August 26, 2013

Aloha!
We've had a wonderful week here in the mission. So much has happened! Today's Monday and things that happened this past Tuesday or Wednesday feel like they were a lot longer than just six days ago! I hope everyone's been great back home. Are both Kauluwehi and Mikela back home now? I hope Keawe has a good time playing King K soon.

We had a conference for new missionaries (transfer one and two) and their companions this past Wednesday. We spent almost all of the day practicing teaching. There were about 40 missionaries in attendance and we split into groups of about four to five. We had group leaders, who were experienced trainers, zone leaders, or Elder Olson and I, who coached each group of missionaries throughout the day. We mostly practiced how to begin teaching lessons, extending the baptismal commitment, teaching the Restoration using the pamphlet, and reading the Book of Mormon with investigators. Elder Olson and I also demonstrated a bunch of ideas and tips to better find people to teach and trained a little on language (Japanese) study. We had a great time. The missionaries definitely got enough practicing in and hopefully skills have been transferred and they can begin applying them. We're blessed with wonderful young missionaries. Is Elder Hathaway still in the ward? His sister, Sister Hathaway, was at the training as she's training a new missionary now.

We had a lot of time on Friday to be out talking to people and we made a lot of friends. It's always great to get out and talk to people about the gospel. There are miracles to participate in as you exercise faith and open your mouth to everyone around you.

Church on Sunday was good. The missionaries and a few members (about 11 people total) sang in Sacrament meeting. We sang 'Nearer My God to Thee'. We had an eikaiwa student, a boy that comes to our sports night each week, and an investigator who really likes music come to hear us sing. Sunday evening we had a devotional with Brother Matthew O. Richardson, second counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, and Brother Randall L. Ridd, second counselor in the young Men's General Presidency. It's great to serve in here Kichijoji because the church building accommodates more people than any other in the country and almost all large devotionals are held here. We had a few hours to be outside talking to people before the devotional and when we got back to the church there were two Chinese people we had met on Friday waiting in the foyer. They had been shopping nearby and decided to come stop by the church, not knowing about the devotional. So they stayed with us and we also had Jett come as well. He really enjoyed it and made friends with many members and church leaders after it finished. We're going to begin planning a big inter-faith concert type thing with him and a bunch of the church leaders to be held here in Kichijoji. Hopefully it can become a regular thing. By the way mom, I wonder if you've received a call from Brother Richardson? If not, you might. We talked with him for a little after the devotional was over and he took your phone number down to possibly give you a call and say hi. The talks given were great and I took a bunch of notes.

Tomorrow we have 10 new missionaries arriving. The time between each group go by so quickly. This time, though, we're having them fly into Narita instead of Haneda so they arrive at about 2:00 pm instead of 11:00 pm. It's a farther drive than Haneda but it should be nice because we can get everyone back in time for them to interview with President and have dinner and a testimony meeting before getting to bed by 10:30 pm. Everyone won't be so tired on Wednesday that way.

I'll end with a thought from Brother Richardson at the devotional last night. He gave a great talk, I'll just share one thing he said, "If you go against what you know to be true, you will always be searching for something to fill you." I believe that's true and know that on the contrary, as we do and follow what we know to be true, we will feel peace and inner joy. For example, we know that chastity and morality is of God and true. If we separate from that, and God, we will begin a journey of trying to fill a void that can't be filled without repenting and doing what we know to be true. The days to say things like, "I'll be good in the future, a few years from now." are long gone. We need to do now what we know to be true. That brings to mind a scripture, which I shared with a recent convert of Elder Olson's we met today, D&C 59:23.

"But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come."

It's true. I know it is. I hope you all have a great week! I love you. Take care.

Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher

Week 97 - August 20, 2013

Aloha!

We took P-day today and went to the temple with Musashino Zone (about 20 missionaries). We've decided to have the missionaries go to the temple each transfer as zones instead of as a mission and I think it's really good. Today was very reverent and spiritual whereas it sometimes got really full and busy when we went as a mission (about 175 missionaries).  

A member family took all of the missionaries serving here in Kichijoji (10 total) to dinner tonight and Elder Olson and I also took two potential investigators as the family told us we could bring anyone else if we wanted. They both had a great time and made good friends with the missionaries. As a message we used the pictures in the Restoration pamphlet to share the message of the Restoration very simply.

Yesterday afternoon we had dinner with an investigator and his wife and the Wada's. It's so nice having President and Sister Wada and their family here. We're always introducing our investigators and friends to them and they really help to love and fellowship them.

Lately we've been busy of course, with things for the mission as well as our own appointments, and it's been really good. Tomorrow we have a conference with all of the new missionaries and their trainers(about 40 missionaries). We'll be doing a lot of teaching practicing.  

The mission continues to improve and improve. The missionaries are getting better at teaching and learning to really love their investigators and receive inspiration for them. Everything is going great. Thank you so much for your prayers and love. Have a great week. I love you!    

Love,

Elder Rindlisbacher 

P.S. Attached are a few pictures from last week Tuesday. We met with a family that Elder Olson is very good friends with from one of his previous areas and had lunch and played a little baseball.

Week 96 - August 12, 2013

Aloha,

I hope everyone's had a wonderful week. We're doing great here. The weather has been fun lately with huge, unexpected downpours and lightning storms hitting every once in a while. Elder Olson and I are blessed to be able to drive places if it's raining; normally we'd only have the choice to either walk or ride bikes. We try to talk and take the trains as much as possible because that way we can talk with a lot of people, but sometimes we don't have time and use the car.

This week we said goodbye to five great elders. They've each worked hard for the past two years and have been blessed to participate in many miracles. It's bittersweet to let them go. Most of them were elders that Elder Olson and I were in the MTC with. Elder Olson and I are the oldest companionship in the mission at transfers 15 and 16. We don't feel that old, though. Of course we feel like we just got here as we still have so much to learn and do.

I went on exchange with Elder Ige this past Friday to Saturday. Elder Olson and I went down to an area called Odawara (almost two hours by train from Kichijoji) and worked with their companionship for 24 hours, myself with Elder Ige and Elder Olson with Elder Ige's companion, Elder Staheli. Elder Olson and I both agreed that it was one of the best exchanges of our missions. We had an amazing time. Elder Ige and I had a great time reconnecting and working together. We haven't worked in even the same zone since we've been in the field so it was really good to work together in a companionship. We saw miracle after miracle as we worked hard to find people to teach. We ended the exchange with long lists of new friends and soon to be friends. 

Elder Ige and I were walking down a street and there was a man sitting on the side drinking a can of beer. We went to talk with him and he was very nice. We learned that he had been working at a big company but had gotten sick and couldn't continue to work. Then he and his wife divorced four years ago and he hasn't really been living for anything since. He told us he really wants to come to church on Sunday and we exchanged phone numbers. Later as Elder Ige and I were passing out flyers for eikaiwa we met a few groups of high school students and one of them really liked us and invited us to come to a school festival they have coming up. On Saturday we were passing out flyers again and a Japanese lady with her young son walked up to me and said with surprise, "A Mormon missionary." We talked and ends up she used to live in Rochester, New York about 20 years ago and attended church there each Sunday and has read the Standard Works. She and her family moved from New York to England and they began attending another church nearby because of convenience. Now they're living in Japan again but not attending church. She said it had been about 20 years since she'd read the Book of Mormon so I told her it's time to read it again. I explained where the nearest church was and hope she will begin attending again. While Elder Ige and I continued to meet many great people, Elder Olson and Elder Staheli were doing the same. They met two younger Filipino boys who were excited to attend church this next Sunday. Overall, exchanges just go really great when the missionaries are 'on the right path' in a sense. When they understand their purpose and do all they can to fulfill it, there really is true joy to be found, and exchanges are just great fun. 

Later that day, Saturday evening, we had a great devotional with Brother Brad Wilcox of the Sunday School General Board, to make the day even better. It was a truly wonderful devotional where I felt great appreciation and gratitude towards the church and the opportunities I've had in my life because of it. There was much humor and laughing as well as great spirituality and humility. I really enjoy the things Brad Wilcox has to say. I've read the talk he gave two years ago at BYU, 'His Grace is Sufficient,' probably about 20 times now.

Some of the things he shared (as the devotional was geared towards parents raising families):

"Sometimes I feels like we're testifying of the best breakfast cereal, but nobody eats breakfast anymore." We live in a world where the majority thinks and believes that there is no need for church. The youth are greatly influenced by that, and sometimes don't realize the greatness of the spiritual blessings of the church. Thus he outlined many of the temporal blessings of the church that we must be sure to help the youth know and understand. He began his remarks with a story from when he was a mission president in Chile. There was a mother who had been less-active for many years. The missionaries visited her and she ended up returning to activity. Her young son who wasn't baptized soon desired to be baptized. His mother was overjoyed, however his father said, "If mom wants to be a part of a crazy church, that's her problem, but my son will not!" The elders went to then President Wilcox pleading for help to convince the boy's father that it was okay for him to be baptized. He said he'd do what he could and set up a meeting with the father. They met, shook hands, and the very first words out of the father's mouth were, "So what does my son get for being a Mormon?!" President Wilcox shrugged his shoulders and said a little sheepishly, "Salvation." That didn't convince the father much because really any church can promise that. Anybody can say that in the world to come there will be roads paved with gold and lined with mansions. So President Wilcox put the spiritual blessings, which are immense, to the side and did his best to explain the temporal blessings of the church. He doesn't really remember exactly what he said to the father but it must have done something because the boy was baptized. The father was at the baptismal service. The boy was dressed all in white. One of the elders all in white as well. The boy's mother beaming with joy and a few tears. And as President Wilcox watched the boy's father as the baptismal service went on he knew that he was feeling the spirit. A few months later there was another baptismal service in that ward, this time for the father. President Wilcox walked up to him and said, "So what do you get for being a Mormon?!" The father looked around and said a little sheepishly, "Salvation." The focus of the talk was on the temporal blessings of the church, things such as an international network of friends, a stronger family and better marriage, and a culture focused on education. It was a really great talk. Elder Olson and I were able to have a friend of ours, Jett, whose Gospel music class we went to, and his wife in attendance and they had a great evening. They were befriended greatly by the church leaders in attendance. President Wada thought the evening with Jett went so well he asked me to document the experience, so I wrote a small article type thing:

"Jett’s a middle-aged man born in North Carolina, moved to California, and lived in Japan for almost the past two decades. We first met him on the street. It was later in the evening and already dark when we called out to him as he was with his wife and their daughter on bicycles. He told us he was busy saying he, “didn’t want none of our Jesus talk.” We persisted a little and he stopped long enough to tell us he’s very Christian and that he teaches a Gospel music class every once in a while. We traded numbers and off he and his family went. We called him the next day and had a great time at his Gospel music class the day after that. In return, two weeks later, Jett attended a sacrament meeting and an hour of Sunday school where he really seemed to enjoy himself. We sat with him and a great member on the third row of the chapel during sacrament meeting, and he met Sister Wada as well as she happened to be attending meetings here in Kichijoji.

Since that Sunday we’d been in touch with him a little but not yet able to meet again. Then this past Saturday we were blessed to have Brother Brad Wilcox of the Sunday School General Board speak at a wonderful devotional. A few nights before the devotional we gave Jett a call to invite him to hear what Brad Wilcox had to say. He was excited and ended up coming with his wonderful wife.

The devotional was really great as Sister Wilcox, Brother Wilcox, and Elder Whiting, (newly called to the Area Presidency,) spoke. Jett really connected with Brother Wilcox’s talk about “What you get for being Mormon.” Along with spiritual blessings and salvation, Brother Wilcox outlined many wonderful temporal blessings such as an international network of friends, amazing role models, and a culture focused on education. Brother Wilcox was very animated and Jett was laughing for much of the meeting. Elder Whiting ended the meeting on a very humble and spiritual note.

The truly amazing part of the evening, however, was actually after the devotional ended. President Wada asked the church leaders present to talk with Jett. In turn, he was able to not only meet, but really become friends with, Elder Ringwood, Elder Whiting, Brad Wilcox, Bishop Martini of the Senzokuike Ward, and President and Sister Wada. Jett told Brad Wilcox, “Who wouldn’t want to be a Mormon?!” and Brad Wilcox replied, “I’d love to attend your baptism!” They exchanged email addresses and plan to continue communication via email. President and Sister Wada also set an appointment to have him and his family over for dinner this next week.

Our investigators need to be converted not only spiritually, but also emotionally, intellectually, behaviorally, and socially. Remember that that is how they continue through the entire path of the gospel. This night was a huge step in Jett’s conversion. He felt the Spirit, he understood many of the blessings of the gospel, and he enjoyed good company and made many great friends in the church.

Some lessons to be learned from our experiences with Jett thus far would include: Love and do things for your friends and investigators. Attend their Gospel music class if they have one. Bring your friends and investigators to meetings and other events. There’s much growth and progress to be made when surrounded by wonderful people listening to a wonderful speaker. Ask members and leaders to talk with your friends and investigators. One member to fellowship is good, but it’s amazing when a group of members, church leaders, or even an entire ward lovingly befriends an investigator. There is power in church meetings and events. There is power in the fellowship church members and leaders can provide.

This is the wonderful work of salvation!"

Saturday was just a really great day. I wrote in my planner at the end of the day, "One of the best days on my mission."

This week will be another good and, of course, busy one. We have two two-zone conferences coming up this Wednesday and Thursday. We'll basically be reviewing all of the training we've given the zone leaders. I know that there is true joy to be found in the world. I know that that is within families centered on the gospel. I know that there is great joy to be felt through sharing the gospel. I know that we are children of a loving Father in Heaven. I love you!! Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher

P.S. Pictures:

0023 - Dinner with Bishop Hasegawa and family (8/12/13)

0010 - Dinner with the Matsushima Family (8/6/13)

0003 - With Ryuichi, investigator from Nakano who came to see us here in Kichijoji (8/3/13)

Week 95 – August 5, 2013

Aloha!
We've had a great week. Elder Olson and I have had a good amount of time outside vs. in the office and it's been a lot of fun. I received the book. Thank you so much for sending it. It got here really quickly. And I did also receive Mikela's email. I remember (Elder) Keith. He's from Canada and I think he's married now.So many things happen in just a day it's so hard to keep track of everything at the end of a week. Elder Olson and I are always asking each other, "What happened this week?" But when we sit down and do our best to think about it(and take a look at some of the past pages of our planners) sweet memories and great experiences are relived for a moment.

Elder Olson and I went to the temple on Wednesday because one of his former investigators was going through for the first time. We thought it'd be better to go by car, but we ended up getting stuck in some traffic and didn't make the session. We were able to do a few Sealings and then wait in the Celestial Room. We also had another Mission Leadership Council on Thursday. We've been having them so often lately. I guess in reality we've only had three in the past six-ish weeks, but time goes by so fast it feels like they're all just a day apart. It was a great council though, maybe the best since the mission has opened. The zone leaders have so much to cascade to their district leaders and zone members because we've just been teaching and training them so much lately.

We taught Ryuichi with President Wada on Saturday. Ryuichi's actually an investigator from Nakano who came down here to see us. It was a really good lesson and it's always great to learn from President Wada as he's a great teacher. Hopefully Ryuichi will be baptized soon, he's a really great guy and has been an investigator for a while. It's been great becoming his friend.

We have a lot of potential investigator friends that we're working with. Our goals is to find 95 potential investigators before the transfer ends in a few weeks. With making so many friends we've been able to start having more appointments and lessons. The 'cream rises to the top' in a sense as we start to see who is truly interested in the gospel. We've been doing things like going to lunch and/or playing sports with potential investigators a bunch lately. It's a lot of fun and it's really great being able to share the gospel in a very natural way.

Anyway, the work is great. I'm having a great time and we're safe here in the wonderful Japan Tokyo South Mission. I love you and am so grateful for you. It's great to hear that everyone's doing well. Be sure to read that book. Take care!

Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher