Monday, July 29, 2019
Week 102 - 07/28/19 - Email
Hey everyone!
This week was really good! The African man we are teaching, Solomon, went to church and had a really good experience. In our latest lesson he also mentioned how grateful he is that he decided to walk home the day we found him. It feels good to hear those kind of things!
Our other friend Yabuki came to church again as well and we were able to teach him about the Word of Wisdom. It's going to be a challenge for him to overcome some of his habits but he seems to have a strong desire to change. I'm excited really for him to make those changes and continue to improve his life.
I had my final interview with the mission president the other day which went really well. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to serve with him my last transfer.
I was able to share my final testimony at Church yesterday and then some of the members invited us over for dinner and made my favorite Japanese food, okonomiyaki!! They also gave me a fan with my named engraved in it as a gift! The members here are so great and I definitely felt their love these past few days. I'm very grateful I had the opportunity to serve here in Hodogaya!
These past two years have been a rollercoaster for sure. I have learned so much and my testimony has grown immensely. The mission has definitely been harder than I thought it would but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Experiencing the Japanese culture and being surrounded by the Japanese people who I've come to love has been an amazing experience. I feel like I can say that I gave it my best shot! I've learned to appreciate the little things and not get so caught up in what others are doing/accomplishing. I've come to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Jesus Christ is my savior. I've been able to recognize that relationships are really what is most important in life! I feel like I have grown so much closer to my family and friends despite being on the other side of the world. The gospel really is the key to true happiness and satisfaction in life. Words can't describe how grateful I am to have been born in this gospel with the knowledge and opportunities that I have. It's been a major blessing to be able to focus all my time and energy helping others learn about this gospel and strengthen their testimonies of Christ.
Thank you all for your support these past 2 years, it has been such a blessing!
See ya'll soon!!
Elder Dean
ディーン長老
This week was really good! The African man we are teaching, Solomon, went to church and had a really good experience. In our latest lesson he also mentioned how grateful he is that he decided to walk home the day we found him. It feels good to hear those kind of things!
Our other friend Yabuki came to church again as well and we were able to teach him about the Word of Wisdom. It's going to be a challenge for him to overcome some of his habits but he seems to have a strong desire to change. I'm excited really for him to make those changes and continue to improve his life.
I had my final interview with the mission president the other day which went really well. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to serve with him my last transfer.
I was able to share my final testimony at Church yesterday and then some of the members invited us over for dinner and made my favorite Japanese food, okonomiyaki!! They also gave me a fan with my named engraved in it as a gift! The members here are so great and I definitely felt their love these past few days. I'm very grateful I had the opportunity to serve here in Hodogaya!
These past two years have been a rollercoaster for sure. I have learned so much and my testimony has grown immensely. The mission has definitely been harder than I thought it would but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Experiencing the Japanese culture and being surrounded by the Japanese people who I've come to love has been an amazing experience. I feel like I can say that I gave it my best shot! I've learned to appreciate the little things and not get so caught up in what others are doing/accomplishing. I've come to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Jesus Christ is my savior. I've been able to recognize that relationships are really what is most important in life! I feel like I have grown so much closer to my family and friends despite being on the other side of the world. The gospel really is the key to true happiness and satisfaction in life. Words can't describe how grateful I am to have been born in this gospel with the knowledge and opportunities that I have. It's been a major blessing to be able to focus all my time and energy helping others learn about this gospel and strengthen their testimonies of Christ.
Thank you all for your support these past 2 years, it has been such a blessing!
See ya'll soon!!
Elder Dean
ディーン長老
Monday, July 22, 2019
Week 101 - 07/22/19 - Group Email
Hey everyone!
Besides the humidity 😓 It was a really good week here in Hodogaya!
Our friend Yabuki san who is on date came to church and had a really great experience. We were able to have a few lessons throughout the week with him as well and it seems like he really wants to follow Jesus Christ and improve his life!
We also met with our African friend Solomon twice during the week. The first lessons didn't start out so well because he basically just flat out said that he didn't like the Book of Mormon and didn't think he could take the time to read through it. We decided to read together and help him see how great it is and did a lot of testifying and the lesson ended really well. He said he would give it another shot with a more open mind. Yesterday we met again and had another lesson about the Plan of Salvation. A recently returned missionary of 4 days helped us teach and it was a very spiritual lesson. He mentioned how much different he feels when he is with us learning of Christ compared to when he is with his other friends in Japan because they almost always spend their time drinking and partying. He also committed to attend church next Sunday so please pray that he follows through on that!
I was supposed to do a baptismal interview for one of the sisters investigators but last second they canceled it because they learned she was still having problems with the word of wisdom. My comp and I had already arrived so we ended up giving her a blessing. My comp said a really nice blessing. I'm grateful that we have been blessed with the priesthood!
We had a few member meals during the week which were awesome. The members of Hodogaya are the best! ❤️
Well I'll see ya'll in 10 days! 😎
Elder Dean
Besides the humidity 😓 It was a really good week here in Hodogaya!
Our friend Yabuki san who is on date came to church and had a really great experience. We were able to have a few lessons throughout the week with him as well and it seems like he really wants to follow Jesus Christ and improve his life!
We also met with our African friend Solomon twice during the week. The first lessons didn't start out so well because he basically just flat out said that he didn't like the Book of Mormon and didn't think he could take the time to read through it. We decided to read together and help him see how great it is and did a lot of testifying and the lesson ended really well. He said he would give it another shot with a more open mind. Yesterday we met again and had another lesson about the Plan of Salvation. A recently returned missionary of 4 days helped us teach and it was a very spiritual lesson. He mentioned how much different he feels when he is with us learning of Christ compared to when he is with his other friends in Japan because they almost always spend their time drinking and partying. He also committed to attend church next Sunday so please pray that he follows through on that!
I was supposed to do a baptismal interview for one of the sisters investigators but last second they canceled it because they learned she was still having problems with the word of wisdom. My comp and I had already arrived so we ended up giving her a blessing. My comp said a really nice blessing. I'm grateful that we have been blessed with the priesthood!
We had a few member meals during the week which were awesome. The members of Hodogaya are the best! ❤️
Well I'll see ya'll in 10 days! 😎
Elder Dean
pics
Ishii 兄弟 - member from previous area
Yabuki san
Nagano fam
Saijou fam
Monday, July 15, 2019
Week 100 - 07/14/19 - Group Email
Hey everyone, I didn't get an email out last week so I'll just recap some highlights from the past 2 weeks.
The biggest recent miracle was finding a guy named Solomon! We were biking home one night and an African guy gave me a way solid greeting after I said hello so I decided to turn around and talk with him. We ended up talking for a long while and set up a time to meet. He's from Nigeria and one of the nicest guys I've ever met. A few days later we had a super great lesson on the restoration and he seemed really excited to give the Book of Mormon a read! I had the opportunity to recite the first vision in English for the first time on my mission and it was one of the most powerful moments of my mission. I felt the spirit stongly testify that Joseph Smith really did see God the Father and Jesus Christ! I'll keep you updated on what happens with him as we continue to meet this week.
2 weeks ago we had a zone conference where we were able to meet our new mission president and his wife, President and Sister Esplin. They are awesome and I'm very sad I only get to spend a short month with them.
The other day around 4 in the morning our CO2 alarm went off which was an absolutely awful wake up call. We called the pres since we weren't trying to die or anything and in the end determined that it was a malfunction. We're still alive so I guess that was another miracle of the week!
Last transfer we were teaching a guy named Yabuki who vanished these past few weeks but we were finally able to meet with him Yesterday! At the end of the lesson we extended a baptismal invite and he said yes! We set a date for the 4th as well so pray for that to all work out!
Some other highlights:
- I went on splits with a missionary who came from Japan with me and we did some boardwalk dendou (missionary work)! It was a good time. I talked with a 65 year old American with long white hair with purple streaks on the train who told me I was naive for believing in Christianity. LOL.
- We spent last P-day in downtown Tokyo! Our mission boundaries changed this transfer so we were finally able to go. It was fun to see a bunch of the famous sites!
That's about it for the week. Here's a scripture I like!
1 Nephi 13:37
"And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be."
Everyone go try and share the gospel!!
Elder Dean
The biggest recent miracle was finding a guy named Solomon! We were biking home one night and an African guy gave me a way solid greeting after I said hello so I decided to turn around and talk with him. We ended up talking for a long while and set up a time to meet. He's from Nigeria and one of the nicest guys I've ever met. A few days later we had a super great lesson on the restoration and he seemed really excited to give the Book of Mormon a read! I had the opportunity to recite the first vision in English for the first time on my mission and it was one of the most powerful moments of my mission. I felt the spirit stongly testify that Joseph Smith really did see God the Father and Jesus Christ! I'll keep you updated on what happens with him as we continue to meet this week.
2 weeks ago we had a zone conference where we were able to meet our new mission president and his wife, President and Sister Esplin. They are awesome and I'm very sad I only get to spend a short month with them.
The other day around 4 in the morning our CO2 alarm went off which was an absolutely awful wake up call. We called the pres since we weren't trying to die or anything and in the end determined that it was a malfunction. We're still alive so I guess that was another miracle of the week!
Last transfer we were teaching a guy named Yabuki who vanished these past few weeks but we were finally able to meet with him Yesterday! At the end of the lesson we extended a baptismal invite and he said yes! We set a date for the 4th as well so pray for that to all work out!
Some other highlights:
- I went on splits with a missionary who came from Japan with me and we did some boardwalk dendou (missionary work)! It was a good time. I talked with a 65 year old American with long white hair with purple streaks on the train who told me I was naive for believing in Christianity. LOL.
- We spent last P-day in downtown Tokyo! Our mission boundaries changed this transfer so we were finally able to go. It was fun to see a bunch of the famous sites!
That's about it for the week. Here's a scripture I like!
1 Nephi 13:37
"And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be."
Everyone go try and share the gospel!!
Elder Dean
Monday, July 1, 2019
Week 98 - 06/30/19 - Group Email
Not too much to write about this week. One eventful thing however was the Areabook update. Areabook is the app we use to store all of the information for the people we teach and the members. Well the church pulled a fat one on us and tightened up their privacy policies. As a result we literally can't record ANY background info about people, lesson reports, goals, or basically anything else. Also every single past lesson report and info about each person got erased so that has been unfortunate to say the least.
BUT
Like Nephi said "The Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them!" The work continues! ...Somehow. 頑張るしかない😅
Besides that we had splits and I got to work with my boy Elder Nafrada. He's a very solid Elder and I had a great time with him! Also my bean is going good. It's been fun to see him get more confident and bold day by day!
Have a good week everyone!
Elder Dean
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From movie night the other week. Zone blitz in our area. hiked Mount Oyama. IT's pretty cool t here is a huge Buddhis...
