Aloha!
Things are going great here in Kanagawa. A couple recently finished their
mission and a new couple, the Addington's, have come into the zone. Elder
(Forest) Addington was a military chaplain for 15 years. They most recently
lived in Fresno, California and say they are very good friends with Uncle Curtis! It's a small world in the church.
Speaking of missions beginning, my return date's been changed. Beginning in
August, returning missionaries will return on Fridays instead of Tuesdays, so
instead of Oct. 29, I'll be going home on Nov. 1. I've been a missionary 19
months now and it's going way too fast.
This past Thursday we had the first ever mission leadership council. Elder Cody
Rindlisbacher wrote a little about it in his letter. This is in place of what
used to be zone leader council. There is a new calling in the missions: 'sister
training leader.' So at mission leadership
council, President, the assistants, zone leaders, and newly called sister
training leaders all meet to discuss the needs of the mission and how we can
further the work. It was great. I'm so grateful to have such great leaders.
Yamate Ward, a ward in our zone, held an open house from Friday to Sunday. They
have a very nice church building with a good location on a pretty famous road.
Apparently it's where the first foreigner communities were first established in
Japan. Now it's a popular tourist attraction for the Japanese people. This past
week was Golden Week here in Japan, a week of holidays, so there was a lot of
people walking down the street. Elder Hill and I were able to coordinate with the
zone as well as a few other couple missionaries from the mission and have about
10-14 missionaries there throughout the open house. We ended up being able to
get just over 600 people through the church for tours.
Watabe Sensei met us there on Saturday and took Elder Hill and I to lunch at a
good Chinese Restaurant. It's in a place near the Yamate church called
Chukagai. Watabe Sensei said it's the largest Chinatown in the world. It was
big.
Kotsubo was confirmed on Sunday and interviewed for the priesthood after
church. He should receive the Aaronic Priesthood this next Sunday. His
countenance has been changing a lot. I see him smile very often now, whereas I
would maybe get a smile out of him once a meeting. The holy ghost and the
church will be so great for him.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to interview an investigator in the zone for
baptism. Going into the interview I was prepared for something to come up
because the elders teaching him had said a little about how he may have
committed a serious crime in the past. All of the other interviews I've done
have begun with a lot of BRT (building relationships of trust) where we talk
about our families, hobbies, etc., because they're usually very nervous and I
like to wait until they're calm and there's a nice feeling in the room before
beginning the interview. So most of the interviews I've done have lasted about 45
minutes. With this interview the investigator was very serious and ready to begin so it only went about 20 min. As we were going through the interview
the investigator talked about how he hadn't committed any serious crimes as
pertaining to the law, but he had participated in two abortions. That was about
in the middle of the interview, so we continued on through the rest then went
back to that. I talked with him about how I don't have the authority to handle
cases where there's been participation in abortion so he'd need another
interview with another leader. We talked about repentance and I shared a few scriptures.
It was a humbling experience for me. It was the first time I've interviewed
someone and not been able to say that they could be baptized. I shared 2 Nephi
25:26, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we
prophesy of Christ, and we write according
to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for
a remission of their sins.” and testified of being cleansed through Christ. I
shared a scripture I had read that morning, Mosiah 27:25-26, “And the Lord said
unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations,
kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed
from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed
of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures;
and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.” With
that I focused on 'becoming new.' Elder Holland once spoke about repentance
being related to a post and a nail. The post representing us and the nail sin.
We sin and the nail is driven into us. Through repentance, though often
difficult, the nail is removed. Removing a nail from a post would leave a hole
that would always be there. However, complete repentance through the atonement
of Christ is not like that. There is no hole left in the post, because it is
not the same post. It is a brand new post. I testified that complete repentance
and baptism would render him a completely new person, with no mark left
whatsoever, and urged him to continue to work hard and do all he could to
receive baptism. We closed with his prayer
and it was very spiritual. After walking out of the room we talked with the
other elders for a few moments and called President Budge. President said that
he would be able to interview him over the phone, did so right then, and told
him that he would be able to be baptized! They're preparing the service for
this Saturday.
That investigator’s story is a great miracle as a whole. He's been Christian
for awhile and has been going to a Protestant Church. He met the missionaries a
while ago and took a Book of Mormon. He wasn't very willing to listen to what
they had to say or set up another time to meet, but did end up taking a Book of
Mormon. A while after that he opened it and began reading. He knew right away
that it was true. Shortly after that he saw the elders, by now another set, standing in front of a train station. He went
up to them and told them that he wanted to learn and be baptized. That was
about four weeks ago. Talk about the power of the Book of Mormon, as well as
the humble knowing the truth when they see it.
Today we had the opportunity to attend the temple, always an amazing learning
experience.
Mother's Day is coming up so you'll be able to call if you'd like. We have 40
minutes, so I was thinking of having you call from 8:00-8:40 pm Monday night.
That would be 3:00 pm on Tuesday for me. That would be the day after Mother's
Day, but maybe it could be a good family home evening. Let me know what you
think soon. I'll check email quickly again on Saturday (Friday for you.) The
number to call is: 011-81-80-2149-6155.
Anyway, all is great here. It sounds like you're all doing great. Keanu's fifth
grade trip looks like it was a lot of fun! He's getting old. It's too bad
Keawe's volleyball team didn't make the state tournament. What will he be doing now? Just prepare for basketball? I hope the
Brantley's are doing okay. Let me know what I can do to help with anything. I
love you!!!
Elder Rindlisbacher
