November 19, 2013

I still get along great with my comp.  He`s fantastic and I`ve learned so much from him.  I learned a lot about how Japanese people act and how they expect others to act, which is very helpful.  I am slowly turning into a Japanese person (except for my skin color, my height, my build and my nose (for some reason everyone points out my nose; hana ga takai: high nose!)).  But he is leaving Naze now and becoming the Kagoshima Zone Leader (my zone leader).  My companion will be Robinson Choro who I have not met, but he one transfer ahead of me (he`s been in Japan six weeks longer than me) so this next transfer will be very interesting.  I really hope he understands the language well.  But I know we will be able to do whatever the Lord asks of us.  The other companionship is staying the same, and we get along quite well, so that will be good.  I really hope we will be able to work miracles in Naze this coming transfer.  

If there is one thing I have learned on my mission so far, it is patience.  Nothing happens without hard work and, in most cases, time.  In order to find people to teach, we do a lot of door to door.  We talk to people on their porch trying to find someone who has interest.  Every time we have found someone who we can come back and teach, it has been when we are almost out of time.  We have "housed" doors and doors and doors and nobody has wanted to talk to us, but finally we hit success.  This has happened repeatedly which always reminds me of the scripture: nothing happens until after the trial of your faith(I don`t remember the scripture right now).  Yesterday we decided to go see a less-active who is about an hour away.  She wasn`t home when we first got there, so we decided to "house" the area.  It was about 2pm so nobody was house.  Needless to say it was not very effective.  So we went another half-hour out to a member.  Our zone leaders had given us a tip a few weeks ago that I decided to try and implement.  We went to the member and told him we were going to look for investigators (people interested in the church) and asked him to pray with us so we could find success.  After the prayer, we asked him if there was anyone in the area who he thought we should go teach.  We thanked him and left.  We quickly realized that most of the people in the area were elderly and that it would be hard to communicate with any of them.  It was also getting dark and we were a little over an hour away from home.  Right as we were about to leave, a lady walked up to us and said she had seen us before and had gone to our church before.  She said something about a special book that our church had and said she wanted to read it.  Shocked, we gladly gave her a book of Mormon and our phone number and asked he to call us so we could meet again.  I am not sure what will happen, but that was definitely a rare experience and we were very excited.  We found one more potential investigator that evening.  I`m very grateful to have my faith strengthened so much and for the opportunity I have to be an instrument in the Lord`s hand.  

Another I have learned is the importance of members which was exhibited again the week before last (I forgot to put it in my last email).  We decided to go out "past the airport" to see some less-active members (the airport is about 35 kilometers away from Naze).  One of the less-active members is very good friends with a member (they grew up on Naze together; they`re both about 80).  So we called ahead and asked to see the less-active and the member`s house.  She ended up bringing another childhood friend and so we ended up talking to three childhood friends.  We wanted to share a message about the Spirit and when we started sharing the non-member friend got silent and was a little awkward.  But when Mukaitani choro had finished talking, both the member and the less-active started talking about how they have felt the Holy Ghost in their lives and how important it was.  When they started to share, the friend`s attitude completely changed.  She had a curiosity she did not have before.  When they members started opening up and sharing what they knew and felt, it became not just two random youth whose only job was to talk about God, it became the message of real people; friends.  People who have the gospel have a power they don`t realize they have.  I didn`t realize it.  Members can do so much in just the little things.  

Thanks for all your support.  I love you all.  I am so grateful to be here.  Now that I am understanding some of the language, it is becoming way fun.  I love the gospel and I know that the Spirit can bless eveeryones life, no matter who they are.  It has blessed mine.  The Spirit is strong.  Listen to Him.  

Thanks again,  

Elder Lee

Lee Choro