This week has been a week of Miracles!
Last week me and my companion prayed and were really feeling like what Saijo needed most for the work to go forward was a family. We have tons of single college students investigators. But no stable full families. So we prayed and set the goal to find a family to teach by Dec 1. Well not even a week later a 30 year old Mongolian man showed up at our english class and said he had really interested in God and wanted to learn more. So the other Saijo elders went and taught him and his wife and they seem really interested in the Gospel! They are really wonderful people and they gave us tons of fruit because they heard we don't each much because it's expensive.
And another miracles was this week our first investigator this transfer came to church! Sho a chinese college student came to church with us this week. And not only did he come for all 3 hours, but he also came to a dinner appointment with us (an extremely long one) and we taught him while we were at the church waiting for the dinner appointment. All in all it was a 10 hour sunday for him. He is such a champ! He has a baptismal date in December and I think he'll really be able to make it. His only problem is he has a really tough time with the parts in the scriptures that are violent and difficult for people (me included) to understand why they are there such as Nephi killing Laban, Abraham sacrificing Isaac, God being a jealous God vising the iniquities on the children and such. Any good talks or such on that subject if you could find any would be really helpful.
Yet another miracle was yesterday the other Elders taught a 17 year old high school student named Ikeda san. After they met him the first time, Ikeda san called several times wanting to meet again, then when they did he brought a friend too. And yesterday they met again and he brought two different friends, and then he taught them how to pray. They both wanted to get baptized as soon as they could. He is definitely going to become a future missionary! The only possible problem is that we have to get their parents permission to keep teaching them, so please pray that their hearts will be softened for that.
Have I told about our (by our I mean Saijo's, we're basically one big 4 man companionship) Muslim investigator from Iran? We found out a little more about him this week. He is an extremely nice guy. He is currently getting his 2nd PHD in political science. But way back in his youth he was actually in the revolutionary guard and helped overthrow the Shah of Iran, and then fought in the Iran Iraq war. He has seen so much war and death in his life. Of the 28 people that left his village to go to war, he was one of 3 that ever returned. His family still lives in Iran which right now means he can't be baptized, but they are planning on moving to be with him soon. And if he never plans to return to Iran he might be able to be baptized. He is a very sincere seeker of truth.
I love being a missionary so much! There are hard times for sure, life always has though. But it is so great! Press on, keep the faith, and fight the good fight!
Love,
Elder Walton
Here are some pictures!
Man fall is so gorgeous up here in Hiroshima Japan.
Classic Japanese kids park.
Also I thought that pig was really adorable so...yeah.
Last week me and my companion prayed and were really feeling like what Saijo needed most for the work to go forward was a family. We have tons of single college students investigators. But no stable full families. So we prayed and set the goal to find a family to teach by Dec 1. Well not even a week later a 30 year old Mongolian man showed up at our english class and said he had really interested in God and wanted to learn more. So the other Saijo elders went and taught him and his wife and they seem really interested in the Gospel! They are really wonderful people and they gave us tons of fruit because they heard we don't each much because it's expensive.
And another miracles was this week our first investigator this transfer came to church! Sho a chinese college student came to church with us this week. And not only did he come for all 3 hours, but he also came to a dinner appointment with us (an extremely long one) and we taught him while we were at the church waiting for the dinner appointment. All in all it was a 10 hour sunday for him. He is such a champ! He has a baptismal date in December and I think he'll really be able to make it. His only problem is he has a really tough time with the parts in the scriptures that are violent and difficult for people (me included) to understand why they are there such as Nephi killing Laban, Abraham sacrificing Isaac, God being a jealous God vising the iniquities on the children and such. Any good talks or such on that subject if you could find any would be really helpful.
Yet another miracle was yesterday the other Elders taught a 17 year old high school student named Ikeda san. After they met him the first time, Ikeda san called several times wanting to meet again, then when they did he brought a friend too. And yesterday they met again and he brought two different friends, and then he taught them how to pray. They both wanted to get baptized as soon as they could. He is definitely going to become a future missionary! The only possible problem is that we have to get their parents permission to keep teaching them, so please pray that their hearts will be softened for that.
Have I told about our (by our I mean Saijo's, we're basically one big 4 man companionship) Muslim investigator from Iran? We found out a little more about him this week. He is an extremely nice guy. He is currently getting his 2nd PHD in political science. But way back in his youth he was actually in the revolutionary guard and helped overthrow the Shah of Iran, and then fought in the Iran Iraq war. He has seen so much war and death in his life. Of the 28 people that left his village to go to war, he was one of 3 that ever returned. His family still lives in Iran which right now means he can't be baptized, but they are planning on moving to be with him soon. And if he never plans to return to Iran he might be able to be baptized. He is a very sincere seeker of truth.
I love being a missionary so much! There are hard times for sure, life always has though. But it is so great! Press on, keep the faith, and fight the good fight!
Love,
Elder Walton
Here are some pictures!
Man fall is so gorgeous up here in Hiroshima Japan.
Classic Japanese kids park.
Also I thought that pig was really adorable so...yeah.
