Christmas Cake and Wonderful Life!

This Christmas was so wonderful!


Interestingly, being a missionary doesn't change at all the temptation at christmas to get stressed and overloaded with too much stuff. But this Christmas I tried my hardest to make my focus on what the true meaning of Christmas.


On Christmas we got to watch "its a wonderful life," we exchanged presents and skyped our families (which was so incredibly great!) and ate tons of food!


But one of my favorite moments of Christmas was when I snuck away (still within mission rules of course) from the other missionaries and by myself kneeled and prayed in a corner of the church and spent time there by myself just reading the bible and the book of Mormon about Christ's birth and pondering it's meaning to me.


My favorite christmas story is in the book of Mormon, when the christian Nephites watch and wait for the star to come, praying hoping that it would, despite persecution and threats of death.


I can imagine the faith of a family, the kids get bullied at school for their belief in the savior, and they come home to their father probably named Jemlon and say, "Dad dad, the kids told us that they are going to kill all the christians if the sign doesnt come!"


And I can imagine that faith filled father speak with power and conviction from his testimony by the Holy Ghost, "Don't worry little one, I know that...


He Will Come"


And then they watched and waited trusting in the birth of christ that meant very literally the difference between life and death for them.


We can learn from the example of those predecessors and live our lives with steadfast and immovable faith in His son. Having our own powerful testimony, that He lives and He will come again.


I know that He will.


I bear witness of that in His name,


Nagasaki, Japan
Elder Walton

White Christmas

Dear Loved Ones,


This past while it seemed there was this feeling in the whole Nagasaki zone of tiredness and slowness, maybe being in a bit of a rut, not fully giving our all for the Lord's work. Part of it may have been from loads of christmas activites, but it just didn't feel right.


Me and Elder Redd talked and we realized it really started all from us, and as far as our companionship I realized it really came mostly down to me. Recently I felt myself losing vision and exercising less faith, and just kind of going through the motions, not giving my heart might mind and soul.


It's amazing the power an example has.


As I felt myself and us as zone leaders began to slack off and work with less faith, the whole zone kind of followed and fell a little bit. So that night after we realized it, I prayed and repented and promised Heavenly Father I was going to give my all for his work and not rest till His work was finished.


And since then so much more light has entered my life, my soul and this work! I feel so much joy as I simply decide TODAY to me the very best I can be and give my all for his work!


And He does so much to stretch out his hand and help his children and the work we are doing.


We had so many amazing miracles that happened this week that demonstrate that.


But here is just one:
On Sunday me and Elder Redd had an appointment to teach this family that we had met the father a week earlier, we were so excited, but we weren't sure what would actually happen at this first appointment. We start walking up the staircase to their apartment and then we see two little kids run down followed by a father in a hurry,


It's our father we are supposed to teach! He quickly says to us as he runs down, "Gomen! Mukai ni.....chotto matte!" (Sorry...over there.....wait a little bit!)


So we watch him get in his car and drive off having no idea where he went or what he meant except to wait.


10 minutes passes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes finally we say, well....what do we do? Should we just go?


But we feel like staying a little longer.


Then finally, almost 30 minutes after our appointment the car returns, and out comes a dad, a mom, and 4 adorable adorable kids. They walk up the stairs and say "sorry and thanks for waiting! Come right in! Though it is a little dirty." Even though they didn't really know us, they let us walk right into their home (really rare in Japan) and teach and play with their kids. And soon the kids were having a blast grabbing our pictures and seeing our families and having fun. The parents even told the kids, "be quiet! Listen to their message!"


We were able to share a game and christmas message, and though they don't know entirely yet where this can take their family, the parents agreed to let us come again and share this message more with them!


We left the house feeling like we were walking on clouds for what a wonderful family they were. To teach such a perfect young Japanese family with a father and mother who both seemed interested in our message was such a miracle.


Without a doubt the Lord is doing His work and this is His gospel. I know that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet of the Living God, and that so is President Thomas S Monson today.


It's all true.


Love,


Elder Walton
Nagasaki Japan

Opposition and Rejoicing in Christ

This week there have been some trials for sure. On Sunday we were expecting Dawn and Te to come and so they could be prepared to be baptized, but then they just didn't show up, then sitting in Sunday school I got a text from a family we were supposed to teach that day at 3pm. We had been searching for 3 months for a family that we could teach, and finally after several hopefuls we were actually able to teach them and set up a new appointment!

But then they texted us and told us they weren't interested and canceled our appointment. 

I sat there in that class, with teaching about some topic or another still flying around me. I felt to be honest a lot of discouragement and great sadness. But then I had this feeling, or rather, this remembrance of something I used to always tell my companion in Saijo Elder Bloomfield. 

Whenever we had trials I would say, "Elder, the greatest miracles always follow great trials. In the book of Mormon always before there was great missionary success there were trials, they were thrown in prison, spitten on rejected etc..."

"And after this day (or trial) we've had, we definitely have some trial of faith miracles on the way!"

And I sat there and remembered that, I just felt this comforting feeling from Heavenly Father that even though there is always opposition, that He is there, and there are so many bright joyful miracles in the future if we will press on and trust in Him. 

Then after that class a member's son (who is a non member) came and we were able to teach him. He is a 30 year old guy who feels like his life isn't going anywhere and is searching for something more.

We taught him about the atonement and the plan of salvation. Then asked him, "How would you feel if you had this power of the atonement in your life?"

He replied with such joy, "It would feel so amazing to feel free of all my sins and be so clean!" 

The spirit was so strong, so we invited him to prepare for baptism, and he accepted! 

It was such a tender mercy from Heavenly Father!

We also found out this week that Dawn and Te are experiencing some opposition from Dawn's mom about baptism and are wavering and afraid. I know that this opposition will be so good for them as they rely on the Lord to overcome it. But they need help and prayers. Please pray for Dawn and Te that they can overcome this trial of faith!

I know more than anything else that Christ REALLY is the savior of the world! He is the light of the world and He is the son of God! I am so grateful for the sacrifice of His son and to spend this Christmas sharing my testimony of Him. 

Love you all and Merry Christmas!!

Elder Walton

HE is Gathering Israel

Transfers came and I stayed!

This week was great! Dawn and Te told us they are getting married next spring! And the reception is going to be at the Nagasaki church! I am so excited for them!

I met my second cousin who is serving in our mission, sister Joyce Curtis for the first time. The conversation went something like this:

"Hey sister Curtis are you from Arizona?"

"Yeah I am"

"We're second cousins"

"What really? Does your dad write picture books?"

"Yeah he does!"

"Oh I have been to your house! We probably met like 10 years ago!" 

That makes cousin number three I have discovered on my mission! How many more will I find I wonder?

Anyways, the biggest thing that happened this week was on Monday we had an almost all mission conference with 180 missionaries gathered in Fukuoka church to hear Brother Heaton director of the MTC speak to us. It was so amazing to see missionaries or companions like my MTC companion big Hawaiian Elder Ho I hadn"t seen in a year and a half since the MTC. He ran up to me and picked me up in a huge hug and just held me with so much love. 

Brother Heaton was so amazing. I can't even describe what it was like, but what I really took away feeling is that sometimes we feel like we talk to people on the street or work with investigators or whatever and then they don't listen or drop or something. Often we feel like well it's over they're done they won't make it, or maybe feel like we ourselves failed. 

But in realty that mindset comes from thinking that WE are gathering Israel. But if we read in the Book of Mormon it says countless times "The Lord will gather Israel." He is working with each individual person. And we are only a part of that. He has and will be working with these people even after we are gone and was before we were there. Every single person we talk to or work with, we help them make the next steps God needs them to make to come unto Him. 

And sometimes I get frustrated at my investigators or people for not coming to church, or appointments or whatever. But in reality I realized that they are so so precious, and they are really trying their hardest. God doesn't get angry at them when they don't come, he is loving, and guides and loves them along. He helps them feel good about themselves, feel safe, feel loved, feel belonging, and if we want to help them come to him we need to help them feel those same feelings of the spirit. 

When I heard that, I realized that I had been feeling that way about an investigator who didn't come to church, a little disappointed, but then I realized how hard he was trying to change his life despite all the pressures around him, and school and 2 jobs, and how truly amazing he was. And so instead of telling him to do better next time in coming to church (which wouldn't have brought those feelings of love) I simply texted him and thanked him for everything he was doing to try and come closer to Heavenly Father, and all the time he gives us each week, and what he means to us. 

I know each investigator is so so precious to Heavenly Father, and just because they don't make it all the way now doesn't mean that anything is ever wasted. God is gathering them and He will continue to. Maybe right now isn't the time for them to be baptized, but as we simply seek to bring his light into their eyes, and be his instruments and follow the spirit. He will do the miracles in their lives. 

I love and am so grateful to Him.

Elder Walton

Nagasaki Japan

Transfers came and I stayed!

This week was great! Dawn and Te told us they are getting married next spring! And the reception is going to be at the Nagasaki church! I am so excited for them!

I met my second cousin who is serving in our mission, sister Joyce Curtis for the first time. The conversation went something like this:

"Hey sister Curtis are you from Arizona?"

"Yeah I am"

"We're second cousins"

"What really? Does your dad write picture books?"

"Yeah he does!"

"Oh I have been to your house! We probably met like 10 years ago!" 

That makes cousin number three I have discovered on my mission! How many more will I find I wonder?

Anyways, the biggest thing that happened this week was on Monday we had an almost all mission conference with 180 missionaries gathered in Fukuoka church to hear Brother Heaton director of the MTC speak to us. It was so amazing to see missionaries or companions like my MTC companion big Hawaiian Elder Ho I hadn"t seen in a year and a half since the MTC. He ran up to me and picked me up in a huge hug and just held me with so much love. 

Brother Heaton was so amazing. I can't even describe what it was like, but what I really took away feeling is that sometimes we feel like we talk to people on the street or work with investigators or whatever and then they don't listen or drop or something. Often we feel like well it's over they're done they won't make it, or maybe feel like we ourselves failed. 

But in realty that mindset comes from thinking that WE are gathering Israel. But if we read in the Book of Mormon it says countless times "The Lord will gather Israel." He is working with each individual person. And we are only a part of that. He has and will be working with these people even after we are gone and was before we were there. Every single person we talk to or work with, we help them make the next steps God needs them to make to come unto Him. 

And sometimes I get frustrated at my investigators or people for not coming to church, or appointments or whatever. But in reality I realized that they are so so precious, and they are really trying their hardest. God doesn't get angry at them when they don't come, he is loving, and guides and loves them along. He helps them feel good about themselves, feel safe, feel loved, feel belonging, and if we want to help them come to him we need to help them feel those same feelings of the spirit. 

When I heard that, I realized that I had been feeling that way about an investigator who didn't come to church, a little disappointed, but then I realized how hard he was trying to change his life despite all the pressures around him, and school and 2 jobs, and how truly amazing he was. And so instead of telling him to do better next time in coming to church (which wouldn't have brought those feelings of love) I simply texted him and thanked him for everything he was doing to try and come closer to Heavenly Father, and all the time he gives us each week, and what he means to us. 

I know each investigator is so so precious to Heavenly Father, and just because they don't make it all the way now doesn't mean that anything is ever wasted. God is gathering them and He will continue to. Maybe right now isn't the time for them to be baptized, but as we simply seek to bring his light into their eyes, and be his instruments and follow the spirit. He will do the miracles in their lives. 

I love and am so grateful to Him.

Elder Walton

Nagasaki Japan

Fruitless Finding and Families

Dear Beloved Friends and Family,

I don't exactly know what it is like in other missions, but here in Fukuoka we do lots of finding! There are lots of prepared people here of course and many who desire to be baptized, but it takes work to find them. 

The past few weeks me and my companion have been going out and trying to find people and find people, but we just weren't seeing a whole lot of fruits. It was pretty hard. It wasn't so much a "We can't find people in this place feeling" as much as it was a "something has become wrong with us" feeling. Because in the past we could always find people, but just lately it was difficult. 

After one way nice family rejected a return appointment my companion, probably out of a little frustration said that we just hadn't prepared enough our family approach. And I got kind of stressed/ discouraged too and then I realized Satan was just trying to bring us down, He always tries to bring us down and make us doubt ourselves. To be honest I think that is one of the most powerful tools Satan uses on missionaries. 

But we talked about it, talked about what we could and how we could do better. We decided that we really just needed to be more loving, more friendly and fun, and teach them in ways they can understand really simply like a simple analogy. 

A street contact might go something like this.

"Hello father (you say that to slightly elderly strangers) nice to meet you!"

-Some simple talk and joking to make him comfortable-

"We are here to share a special message about families that has really helped our families But we have a question!, If you had a car you knew would break down no matter what in a year, how much maintenence and money would you put into it?"

"Well probably not that much." The man would probably say.

"Well what if you knew it would last forever if you took good care of it? How much would you put into it then?"

Then he might say, "Well probably a whole lot!"

"Exactly father! Our message is the same, we believe that families are not just a thing of 1 year or 10 or 60 years. They are forever. So we have such a need to take care of them protect them and help them. And we are sharing the message of how to help our families the most and about their eternal importance. May we meet again and share it?"

Anyways that is something we have started using. Then on Sunday night after we did some figuring out we went to an area we felt really good about, and it was amazing! We had family after family listen to our message, and we even got 2 who gave us a specific return appointment and 1 who said to come back anytime! It was a small thing. But it was a miracle to us!

Anyways. That is a small insight into what the life of a missionary is like. 
Love you all!

Elder Walton

Pictures:

-Me in a tradition Japanese mens formal I got for 20 dollars. Such a good deal!

-Nagasaki Harbor

- Us eating a 8/10 of a meter Ice cream cone!

26 Martyrs and a Priest

Hello Wonderful World!

This last P-day we (The 4 Nagasaki Elders and 2 Sisters) went to a monument near central Nagasaki called the Martyrdom of 26 Saints. 

in the 1600s the Japanese emporer decided to outlaw christianity. They took 26 christian believers and priests including a few 12 and 14 year old youth and force marched them 1000 miles south to Nagasaki, a city full of Christians. 

There on a hill in the center of the city, they crucified them. 

They died still faithful and true to Christ. 

We went to the museum there to learn more about the rich history and sacrifice of Christians in Japan. 

It was so amazing to see the faith of these early christian missionaries who gave up their whole lives to come to Japan hundreds of years ago to teach these people about Christ. Really in a way I consider those early christian missionaries our predecessors. They had so much faith and really set up a foundation for the preaching of the restored gospel. 

Sometimes there is a temptation to see other religions as mistaken enemies, who hurt the work. Especially as a missionary other religions and churches is used as an excuse not to embrace the restored gospel, and it is sad. I sometimes find myself with that same temptation to see them as enemies. 

But as I walked through that catholic museum about humble christian missionaries and saints. I felt a great deep amount of awe and respect for those people with such strong faith and love. 

When we finished the museum we went to a nearby interesting looking catholic church to see if we could see the inside. We got to the doors and they seemed locked, no one was there. But then a man came from inside and opened them (they were actually sliding doors, ha!) 

He was an 87 year old priest from Mexico. But you could have just called him Grandpa. He had a classic warm love and humor. Treated us almost as if we were his grandchildren telling us stories and sharing about the church there. He took us top to see the beautiful architecture and windows. 

All the missionaries in Nagasaki love singing, so we asked him if we could sing in the church. He said "Please!" And so we did. No practice, or coordination, but we sung one of the most beautiful harmonizations of "Nearer my god to thee" and "be still my soul" I have ever been apart of. The spirit was so strong. 

Afterwards the old loving priest said to us, "In our church we have the same song, but just with different words, and as you sung it I couldn't help but feel that even though we may be different, I felt this great hope that someday up in heaven we will all be just one family in Christ." And I felt so much love and so much brotherhood from him as we said it. 

I left that church amazed at the lesson that aged catholic priest taught me. We aren't enemies here. We truly are friends, brothers and sisters in God's family. We must see them that way. One day we will all be united in love, and that won't come from fighting till one side is forced to the other, but from loving so much that we all come together. 

I thank the Lord so much for these wonderful experiences and the things He teaches me with his servants and his angels like that wonderful old man. 

I know He lives and He loves us, and one day we will all be united in Christ.

Elder Walton

Nagasaki Japan

-The church and the Old Priest

Dante's Heaven

Dear Everyone! 

Hello!! How are you all? I know you are all thousands of miles away, but I thank you for your love and your prayers. They really do help me on the days that I struggle. 

This week has been filled with miracles! Especially with our investigator Te and his girlfriend named Dawn. 

Te is a chinese student about 24 years old. He is a kind of big guy, with really really good japanese (way better than ours). He has a warm heart and is really hilarious. He has a huge desire to learn about God and come closer to him. He loves the Book of Mormon

Dawn is a sweet 26 year old Chinese girl. She is kind of quiet, but really nice and sweet. She is also really smart. She is working on a PHD here. She is so great.

Te and Dawn both came to church last Sunday which was so wonderful! And then we got to teach them on Thursday this week. We weren't really sure where Dawn was at and how interested she was, but we taught on Thursday about God and the plan of salvation and prayer and it was so amazing!

We really focused on how much Heavenly Father loves her, and how sometimes we feel like we aren't important, but in reality to Him we are so so important. We testified how much He loved her as His precious daughter. When we said this to her, it really entered into her heart. Her face lighted up with joy.

As we explained to her that she could actually pray to Heavenly Father she was so excited. 

"That's amazing!" she said.

We asked her to pray at the end, and even though it was in chinese and I didn't really understand what she said. I felt exactly what kind of things she was saying to this loving Heavenly Father she just came to know.

During that prayer I thought about where I was and how amazing it was. I just felt so good and so so happy and so full of light and joy seeing how this changed her life. The spirit was so strong and it was one of the happiest moments in my life!

This gospel really is such a precious and amazing thing. I'm so sad for all the people like Dawn (before she met us) who don't know how much God loves them. I love having this chance to share it with them. We can lift so many people's lives as we share these simple truths with them.

I know it is true!

Love you all!

Elder Walton

Nagasaki Japan 

Not with a voice of thunder, but a still small voice

This week rather mysteriously almost all the american missionaries got sick in the same week without any contact with each other. I got sick on Wednesday and then had to teach Zone Training on Thursday, and woke up the next day without a voice. 

Now I teach like the spirit, not with a voice of thunder or a tumultuous voice, but with a still small whisper. Ha!

Anyways It was a pretty crazy week. Tuesday we got up at 5:30 to take a train to Fukuoka where they have Mission Leadership Council for all the zone leaders and sister training leaders. It was way good! On the train ride back me and my companion just jumped straight into talking about how this will help our zone, and how we would teach them. 

We had been feeling that we need to help our zone have a vision of where there area can go and then work with faith towards that. So we prepared for that, but we felt like we needed a really fun game to really drive the principle home. 

So we made the Country Maam Mission! Elder Redd was the mission president with a redneck hat and aviator glasses and we had different companionships come up and do challenges promising great rewards to them. Like singing a hymn with ears plugged, doing pushups for 30 seconds and eating Nato, a gross fermented bean paste they sell here. Each time we gave them lower rewards. A small cookie, a piece of bread a candy wrapper, finally on the last one we said again, "There is a great reward!" Then asked them what they thought it was.

"Nothing!" The missionary exclaimed. 

Then we brought it out and it was tons upon tons of black thunders (delicious chocolate) that poured out and surprised everyone. 

And then we brought it home and switched from the funny to the spiritual and talked about how sometimes we look at things in the past and use that to determine our expectations. I saw that was so true in Saijo. For 20 years there was only like 1 baptism, but once the vision was seen and the Lord's plan believed in it took off and so many miracles happened. It blows my mind what happened there. And it wasn't because the place changed, but the faith and the expectations did. 

I know that through faith, God can work miracles! I've seen that so many times! We just have to believe that the future is going to be brighter than the past and trust in his vision and his plan and work to accomplish it.

I love being a missionary! It is so great!

Love you all!

Elder Walton

Nagasaki Japan

Oh! And also me and my companion have been feeling like we need to teach families, so we have been striving to find and teach them! 

We started teaching the girlfriend of our strong investigator Te san and working to start teaching that family with the mummy. 

They are called the Tagawa's, some friends of members, they are so adorable! The littlest girl at the halloween party grabbed my hand to come and pulled me over to help wrap their dad in toilet paper. It was so so fun. 

We have tons of ramen so me and my companion made suits and were "Ramen Rangers." Ha!

New People Now, Naze

So my companion transferred off to a little island on Naze. He is pretty excited, but I think also sad. My new companion is named Elder Redd. He is from a family of 15 children. All of them in the military. He was in the air force, but he had to drop out to serve a mission and hope he could reapply and get back in. He is way cool! 

This week we had district conference (like stake conference) where a Japanese member of the seventy, Elder Kusume came and spoke to us. It was so amazing because there were members from Nagasaki and from Sasebo and from Saga that I knew, I felt like Nagasaki district was just one big family I was apart of. As I sat there near the front looking at all these members I had come to love, some I did a baptismal interview for, others I loved and served.

There were also those that had loved and served me so much when I was a new struggling missionary in my first area. Including the little 9 year girl named Yumiko who ran after my bus when I left my first area waving good bye, and causing me to tear up for the love I felt. Here she was again a foot taller, but still the same girl. 

I feel so grateful to be a servant to all these people, these saints are few compared to the millions of people around them. But they have a light that burns within them. You can truly tell they are devoted disciples of Christ. I love them with all my heart. 

Love,

Elder Walton

Nagasaki Japan

Pictures:

-P day adventures

-Me with beloved members in Nagasaki Province

-Me and my new companion

Fastest Six Weeks Ever!

This week there were so many events it is hard to keep track.

Yamashita san, an investigator I taught in Saijo got baptized! He overcame a huge tobacco problem in only 2 weeks!

We got to go on splits with the Mission President's Assistants. It was so great! I learned so much about finding by the spirit and having fun while doing it. Also there was a great moment where I went with Elder Coehlo and our ward mission leader to a huge lookout point of nagasaki and Elder Coehlo pulls out a map of area and then tells me they want to split our area and are going to send me and Elder Willis down the the south part of Nagasaki and find us a new apartment.....So I guess we're opening a new area!

General Conference was amazing! We had 3 investigators come! Two of them we hadn't even taught yet, but we had them right questions for their life and they both got answers it was awesome!

And then yesterday was a typhoon. We had to stay inside all day (presidents orders) so we had tons of time to study, call, clean and share our testimonies with each other It was actually way awesome!

I was thinking the other day about how sometimes I say that my life has been "fluffy bunnies and clouds" because I feel like I have had so many blessings and so few trials in my life. But then I realized the other day, that's actually not true! I have had some of the hardest trials in my whole life the past several months, ones where I wept on the balcony of our apartment because of the pain of them. There were extreme times of stress or anxiety, blaming myself, lack of success fears worries rejection. Sometimes I had to deal with huge problems worries in the lives of others, things I never would have expected a 19 year old kid to deal with and yet...

Even though the wagon and burden I was pulling was filled with heavy rocks at times, looking back it feels like it was so lgight, so much that I could say it felt like "fluffy bunnies and clouds" And I know that's because I wasn't pulling alone it alone. I remembered this scripture

"28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavyladen, and I will give you rest.

 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I ammeek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest untoyour souls.

 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." -Matt 11:30

I know that despite those trials and afflictions the whole time the Savior has been along side me. Taking those burdens those trials upon him and making me whole. He has truly made my burden light. And I am so grateful for His atonement and gift to me of that. I know it is a REAL power in our lives. 

Love you all! 

Elder Walton

Pictures: 
-Me and my companion and our golden investigator Udomoto, mongolian. At his birthday dinner

-Nagasaki at night

-us with the assistants (the two in white shirts in the back) 

Temple and General Conference

Dear Everyone!

This week I rode in a big 15 seater van to Fukuoka driven by a 50 year old Japanese man who plays eagles music in his band every friday night wearing a way cool headband. No I was not getting kidnapped because of Elder Murphy's much desired singing ability. But I was going to the temple! (Our driver is the 1st counselor to the branch president named Ogawauchi Kyodai He is hilarious!)

It was so wonderful being able to be there and just feel so at peace. I love the temple! Also miraculously there were members from every area I served. I got to talk to Bishop Saito from Hiroshima who was going the next day to Saijo (my last area) to interview Yamashita san, the investigator I taught who got baptized right after I left for the priesthood. I'm so happy for Yamashita san and how the lord helped him to quit smoking, repent and be baptized and have that joy. 

This week we had some amazing experiences teaching the first lesson. In a lot of my mission I have kind of struggled sometimes with helping the first lesson be spiritual. Especially for non Christians sometimes it is hard for them to understand why should be so special. But thanks to advice from my best friend Elder Jeppesen I learned how to really make the sharing of the first vision really special, to have them close their eyes and imagine it. We did this yesterday with a chinese investigator named Tei san. He closed his eyes and listened imagining he was really there. 

Afterwards we asked, "How did you feel?"

"Amazing" He replied. 

"You too can know this is true through the book of mormon" We said, teaching him about the book of Mormon. 

Then finally we asked "When you know these things are true will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone with his authority?"

 He answered nodding his head, "Yes, yes I will."

The spirit was so so strong. The spirit truly testified to him that It was true and his heart was changed. 

Then also last general conference Elder Anderson challenged youth to record the first vision in their own voice then listen to it. I did that and I felt so much peace and assurance from the spirit as I listened to it in my own voice, I really felt that it was true. 

We did this with a less active too, had him listen to it in his own voice. Afterwards we asked him how he felt. He said, "I felt like I wanted to cry, my whole body felt warm" 

He was just so amazed and had such a fire to want to learn more, he committed to bear his testimony of Joseph Smith at the next testimony meeting. 

I'm so grateful for the counsel of modern day prophets, everyone should all try Elder Anderson's counsel! It is amazing! A testimony is one of the most worthwhile things in the world. I know Joseph Smith really truly was God's prophets. His simple sincere prayer brought more blessings in my life then I can ever explain. And one day in Heaven I will shake his hand and say "Thank you, thank you brother Joseph."

Love you all!

Elder Walton

Nagasaki Japan

Pictures:

-Nagasaki Dry Docks, SOO COOOL!

-Captain Moroni on the temple in bountiful, which little did we know was made out of ramen packets we got from a member. 

A Blast to the Past

This week I got to go on splits with the elders from my very first area.

I felt so nostalgic walking the streets that I had been walking exactly 1 year earlier. Many things were similar, but it also felt different. Like just like me it had moved on to others things, but it was an amazing moment I had to reflect on my life, on how much I had changed in this 1 year.

I really have changed so much from this work, I have become so much more filled with faith, so much more loving, and patient, especially with myself. I see so many things so much clearer than I did before.

I'm so grateful for so much of what this mission blesses me with, but especially for this change. Change to become more like my Savior Jesus Christ. Nothing is of more value to me.

I love him and I love this work!

Elder Walton
Nagasaki Japan

Pictures:

-Nagasaki Sunset

-Me overlooking the same castle I saw everyday 1 year ago

-Me and a member family that had given me so much love when I had needed it so much.

Interview and Sacrifice

Dear Everyone!


There are so many hills in Nagasaki....so so many hills. Hopefully my brakes survive...I think one of them is already shot though. But as whenever I have struggles, I like to realize I'm not just struggling in bad rain, or up hills or mud or whatever,

I'm struggling for Christ!

So it's worth it.


This week I did my first baptismal interview. We went down to Saga after training from President and I interviewed their investigator Imamura san. At first I could tell how nervous she was. She was really nervous about what it was and if she would pass. But as we talked and she shared all the spiritual experiences she had had it was truly amazing to see how converted and changed she was. She knew it all really was true and had such a strong testimony and light in her eyes from the gospel. After she passed she threw her hands in the air punching the sky and shouted for joy!

And I was so humbled "Wow I am just this 20 year old kid, in Japan representing Christ doing a interview for someone to make one of the most important promises they can ever make in eternity" The trust God could have in someone like me is unbelievable. I only hope I can live up to that trust.

Then this Sunday Udomoto, our mongolian college student, came to church again. He was so happy and smiling that you would never even realize, that he hadn't slept at all the previous night, he had worked from 5pm the previous night to 8am in the morning with only a hour or two of break.

That's 15 hours.

15 hours of work and no sleep, and then he comes to church? When I realized that I was so blown away. "How is he even walking?" I thought. But he was as happy as ever to be there. As I watched I was so amazed at the sacrifice he was making for Christ. And how important Christ had become in his life. I was truly inspired.

Love you all,

Elder Walton



Pictures:

-Me and Elder Willis on Splits in Saga

-Aiko san, an investigator the sisters taught in Nagasaki at her baptism this saturday with her cute little girl. Aren't they happy?

Dan Jones of Nepal

Dear All,

This week had some many great and crazy miracles happen!

First off me and Elder Willis taught our first zone training together. Man was that tiring. It was great being able to love and help other missionaries, but the first thing I've learned being a zone leader is that I don't know how to be a zone leader haha. But I guess humility is the first step to wisdom.

After that we had some of the first finding time we had for a while so we went off to where we heard there were some Americans. We get there and find a group of foreign college students. "Where are you all from?" we ask.
"We're all from America, except him (pointing to a student up ahead), he's from Mongolia"
The moment I heard that I dashed towards him "Sen bien no!" I called out, which means hello in mongolian (I learned form Mongolian converts in Sajio.) He was so excited that I knew some mongolian that we became instant friends and set up an appointment for the next day.

We got there and he, Udomoto, was amazing. He jumped straight into asking why we are here and about Christ. We told him and taught him about baptism and he was so excited! Apparently the past few years he has been studying christianity on his own and basically converted himself. We set up a baptismal date right there on that first visit in the lobby of a dorm. And then he came to church that week!


He walked up to us with the biggest smile on his face! He was so excited to go to church! He told us later that he had worked from 12am to 8am and then walked straight to the church at 10. Wow. He is a crazy miracle!


And then finally today we went to go meet a person from Nepal we set up a lesson with and we get there and he has a friend there so we start talking to them both outside of their japanese school. Then pretty soon there are about 7 or 8 nepalese standing around us and we are teaching them about christ in the simplest japanese we can muster. Then their Japanese teacher came out and we taught her about the Book of Mormon and shared 2 Nephi 31:20 and she loved it! "Im going to read this at work!" She told us. For about an hour all these different nepalese and vietnemese students came out switching with others and listening to us teach. Us just sitting on a bench with all these students gathered around us.


I felt like I was Dan Jones on his soap box just teaching this huge group of people. It was so amazing! I could never have imagined myself having that kind of confidence at the beginning of my mission. But God has changed me so much. I just had such a strong desire to share about how much Heavenly Father loves all of them to them and it just flowed out naturally.


Some missionaries think, wherever they may be, that there area is kind of a dead area, people have thought that about Saijo and Nagasaki, but if we simply have faith in the Lord he can do miracles we could never imagine. and He is teaching me that every single day here.


Love you all!

Elder Walton

Nagasaki Japan



Photos: Me my companion and our ward mission leader overlooking Nagasaki

a hat from the nauvoo legion apparently...?

Me and missionaries from my MTC district at Mission Leadership Conference

Also here in Nagasaki we get so so so much fruits and vegetables and stuff from a member of our ward. Like really it is ridiculous it goes bad before we can use it all. But hey I'm not complaining.

Grapes

Onions,
Stew Packets

Nagasaki Nostalgia

Dear everyone!

Well I had a great long letter for everyone written then.....I suddenly saw on the screen "your message has been discarded"

Technology has foiled me again haha.

Anyways I guess I will do the quick version. 

As I predicted I have indeed...

Transferred!

I am now in Nagasaki with an elder from my district in the MTC named Elder Willis. He is a really great Elder and I am really excited to work with him. We are both zone leaders. I haven't done anything but be a normal missionary so far so I am a little nervous, but I know the Lord called me so he is definitely going to be with me, guiding me and helping me. I am excited for this opportunity to learn love and grow. 

Right now we don't have any investigators, but as we planned we asked the Lord what his plan and vision was for us. And we made a plan of how many people we want to help make a covenant to follow him by Christmas. It was a pretty bold plan, I wasn't entirely sure it we could do it. But me and Elder Willis kneeled and asked the Lord if this was his Plan. Because if anyone is going to hasten the work it is him. And we felt a powerful confirmation that this is what the Lord wanted us to do and that we really could accomplish this bold plan. I know that with His help even this crazy miracle is possible. 

I got the chance to testify in Nagasaki church yesterday and I told them about how when I first came to Japan, I struggled, being rejected, blaming myself for people not listening etc...and it was really rough. But then on the first sunday I came up from Sasebo to Nagasaki for district conference and as I sat there listening to the speakers barely understanding anything I was so inspired by the faith of all these amazing members. So many japanese people faithful to christ and His gospel and I wept and was filled with the spirit. As I stood at the pulpit almost a year later relating that experience I again felt emotion and had tears come to my eyes. As I expressed my love to these good faithful members I felt so much love for them and I felt that this is my new family. And I love them so so much. 

So I am sad to be gone. But I know here in this new family there is so much joy to be found and people to be helped and I'm so  so so excited to dive into it all. 

Love you all!

Elder Walton 

The 300 Soldiers of Gideon

This week me and my companion Elder Rees were looking at our family history and I saw his fan chart and guess what I found? I found my own ancestor Drusilla Dorris! Apparently we aren't just best friends and brothers in the gospel we're 4th cousins! It only took us 7.5 months of being companions to find out. 

Just in time because it turns out I'm getting transferred out of Saijo after a year of serving here. I still don't know where I am going yet. But I am definitely gone. I'm sad to go, but I know the Lord has a bright future for me and great work for me to go!

In the bible there is a story of a Israelite captain named Gideon. At one point a large, I think Syrian army, comes to Jerusalem to capture and destroy it, far larger than any army the Israelites could gather, but the Lord tells them He will deliver them into the Israelites hands. So Gideon goes up with an army of several thousand, but the Lord says, no too many, and he narrows the army down to only a few thousand, then still the word is still no too many, narrow it down. So the army is narrowed down to just 300 soldiers, that way when they win there will be no way they can ever attribute it to any strength but God's. So God uses that little army, to confuse an army of tens of thousands to fight itself so that Israel does win without losing a single man. 

A few months ago our mission president set a goal that reminds me of this crazy prospect. 300 men versus 30,000+ enemies?

Our President received revelation in order to help more of God's children come to Him feel the joy of church and the spirit to set for this mission a goal of 200 non members at church throughout our mission on this past Sunday. To put this in perspective...

Our average mission amount is like 60 or 70, and our high is 85.

How could we possible get 200? Over double our entire mission high? 

Well how could 300 beat 30,000? When we have faith, the Lord performs miracles. 

In Saijo we took that to heart and decided our goal for just saijo would be 15 non members at church. About double the best we had ever done. So we gave it our all. Maybe my faith wasn't quite up to President Gustafsons but I believed and worked to see it.

Then this Sunday was crazy! We just watched as person after person came into church. People who have never been before, people who haven't in a long time. We hit our building capacity! (Which is actually pretty small because we are a small group in a small room haha) But it was a miracle! And we just barely hit our goal!

We waited that night for the news from the mission home, would we reach that crazy goal? Would we even get somewhat close? 

Then the news came in.

208 people came to church and felt God's love there. 

So many people will come to know God because of this miracle!

I was astounded! That was like two and a half times our best!

I felt like the soldiers of Gideon, because I knew right then. There is no way that was because of us. That was all because of the Lord. 

This week we taught Yamashita san about the word of wisdom. He has a smoking addiction. Please pray for him that he can overcome it! He needs your prayers! 

Love you all!

Elder Walton

For the last time, from Saijo Japan

Pictures: 

-All of our various language proselyting materials

-Saijo at night

-Elder Woods Birthday

Picture Week

Dear Everyone,


I'm going to have to apologize. I spent an entire week of my life, but I still feel like there is not anything to write about. Which is definitely a complete lie as we had an a zone p-day, helped two investigators set baptisimal dates, had a huge open house, a miracle filled sacrament meeting, and tons of miracles feeling God speak to people with the spirit.


It's just all so normal to me.


This really was a wonderful week! I just have become so used to all these things, but there were many miracles!


One thought we learned was about humbly following our leaders. We had some great training from the assistants and president and we really were inspired! We really tried to apply all of it this time around and it made such a big difference!


At one point though we got a little bit confused at what our zone leaders and the assistants were saying because they told us we need to drop the baptismal date of Yi song, the chinese college student because he is going on visiting his family for a few weeks, when he is actually a way solid date. Even our district leader was really confused. At first we were kind of miffed, but then we realized that we are in a Great War with Satan. And that that is exactly what Satan wants. He wants the forces of God to forget about him and fight each other, for the troops not to trust their leaders and go into chaos while he sits back and laughs. So we decided to be humble meek and submissive. Then that same day we met another chinese college student investigator and were able to set a date with him, and then a few days met another investigator and set a date with him too! It was a way huge miracle I attribute to blessings of The Lord for being meek and submissive.

We also this week had an open house that many investigators and members from Hikari came to including a less active mother in a family where only the husband is active, then the very next day the less active daughter came to church! And she became really good friends with the sister missionaries! It was miraculous!


Yamashita san and Yi song are both doing so good! They are loving the gospel and really have their hearts change and converted as they feel the spirit.



I love being a missionary! I love Saijo! I really hope I don't leave in a week and half, but I might. Then again I've said that like 4 times already and here I am still! Our ward mission leader predicted I'd stay though! Round 9 Round 9 Round 9!


But really it's wherever The Lord needs me. He's got a plan!


Love you all!


Elder Walton


Pictures:
-Our open house had tons of way cool posters!
-Me and our investigator Yamashita san and then the stake presidency 2nd counselor and his wife. (We're way good buds)
-Me and my main man Yi Song, another investigator

Pictures:

-Brother Tohma and the Lambs. They are all so wonderful!

-Making Takoyaki (Cooked bread balls with octopus in them) I had a few of the real Takoyaki, but my stomach struggled. I mostly ate our foreigner ham and cheese ones we also made haha.

-Zone p-day river adventures! We had a zone pday with sports, trying to go to an art museum that was actually too expensive, and then so so much gelato It was so delicious!

To The House of the Lord

Dear All,


Growing up I always heard about the stories of peruvian members or some other place who ride the bus for 5 days just to get to the temple, and I always admired them, but I don't know if I really understood. But getting to Japan despite having a temple above our mission home I never actually got to go.The months passed and still no opportunity, and I just wanted to go so bad. If I had been given the opportunity even if I had to travel for a week it would have been worth it! I just love the temple so much! And it built and built but I still had no opportunity to go...


until now!


It was arranged as part of a stake temple trip. We woke up at 2:45am to leave Saijo and get on a bus in Central Hiroshima with the rest of the members that left at 5. Waking up so early and riding a bus I felt a little sick the way down, and we didn't get there till like 9:30 but it was so so so worth it!


It was inspiring seeing youth and all these members (who I'm sure have so so busy lives) give up all this time, give up sleep and money to go down and serve the Lord at the temple of God.


We got to the temple and it was so beautiful! I felt so clean and pure going inside and I felt like I was home! We were able to do two sessions and it was amazing. I also saw members from my first area in Sasebo. What a miracle!


I decided to use this opportunity in the temple to just ponder and receive revelation about what kind of person God wanted me to be and I really felt like I got so much guidance. I caught a bigger vision of how important and how precious a blessing this opportunity to serve the Lord is. I love the temple so much.


On the way back we had hours and hours to just talk with the members. I was sitting in front of two faithful relief society ladies. I talked for hours with them about their conversion experiences, their favorite parts of the book of Mormon and how we can help recent converts, less actives, and our friends to come unto Christ. I learned so much from these faithful sisters!


The work is going so good! We have several really solid progressing investigators, we have been able to get 2 or 3 investigators to church every week and they love it! Two specifically, Yi Song and Yamashita san have baptismal dates they are so so excited about! And another Junior has a testimony of the book of Mormon so so strong, he is just working out his worries about what friends and family will think. But he loves it all so much and believes this is the path he should take in life.


I love teaching these people and helping them feel the spirit, it is so wonderful to see them feeling that joy and light come into their lives. I love being a missionary!


Love you all!
Elder Walton

Seeing the Change

This was a great week! It included among others, meeting a Japanese grandpa who had fought 2.5 years in Russia, getting a ham radio referral from Elder Rees's dad (he talked to him from around the world over ham radio) who became a new investigator, and many other adventures!

For some reason during the week me and Elder Rees didn't feel like we had actually done or taught that much, but then when we looked at how much we actually had we realized that we had actually taught more this week then any week in the past month or two! We (thanks to God) really were doing way well! But sometimes we just don't realize it, He really is doing miracles!

 

This week we especially just got to see the change in so many people's lives from the Gospel!

Okayama san got baptized on Monday and he was so happy! The other Elders had been teaching him. (though I got to help a few times) Apparently at one point he had a date, but missed church from sleeping in and wasn't going to make it. So the elders went in there thinking they'd set a new date farther in the future because he probably needed some more time to prepare. But then he came to the lesson and was like, "I got these days and these days off from work so I can come to church and then I want to get baptized on this day! Okay?" And he was just so excited to make that covenant! 

Then yesterday right after getting the holy ghost and the priesthood after church our ward mission leader invited him to join Missionary Coordination Meeting and he loved it. He seemed just part of us already. He is only 24 so he could even go on a mission!

We have been seeing so much joy come into people's lives from the gospel. Two investigators specifically Yamashita san and Yi Song especially. Every time we meet with them they are even happier than before because of the change the gospel is making in their lives. It really is bringing them so much light! It is so wonderful to be a part of it!

We are seeing so many small and big miracles everywhere! The greatest is just how the atonement affects and changes lives. We taught Yamashita san the other night about the fall and the atonement, comparing it to a story of a bunch of miners who got trapped in a cave, and were lost in darkness, but then a rescuer climbed into the darkness himself and said "tie yourself to me, I'll pull us both up." In the same way because of the fall we are all in that spiritual darkness, but as we tie ourselves to and trust Christ he pulls us up and we can return to the light! 

The spirit was so strong and it really testified to Yamashita san that it was true.

There are many difficult trials going on here too, some recent converts are struggling, and other difficult thigns. We love and pray for them and do all we can, please pray for the recent converts here that they may be strengthened in Christ. 

But we know through Him all things will be made well. Because He loves us!

And I love you!

Elder Walton

Pictures;

Elder Rees with a goat

"Berry-Niku" a combination of berries, vegetables and meat we tried to make....It was interesting.

Also before the baptism we went to Hiroshima Castle with Okayama san (with me) and two kids of a recent convert Mona and Mina who are so adorable!

The Scholars

This week we have been blessed to be teaching some real Grade A gospel Scholars here! 

We taught a muslim named M___ . He is way cool! His country is in a lot of turmoil right now and he is way sad. He is a strong muslim, but at the same time he is different from all of our other muslim investigators. He is actually trying to study and understand because he is curious and wants to know more, not because he is trying to convert us haha. 

He came to our second lesson with the lesson 1 pamphlet we gave all marked up. He had circled the vocabulary words and wrote all kinds of notes all over and had tons of good questions. He had even looked for and downloaded the arabic book of mormon on the internet. He is way way cool! He has tons of questions, but we still try to keep it under 45 minutes. (Its worth it) and then at the end of the 45 minutes he tells us, "What where did all the time go?!" If we let him he would probably read the scriptures and talk with us for hours on end soaking it all up. 

Our other scripture scholar is the golden Junior. He came to church this week for the first time it was so good! He ate it all up. He told us he wanted a triple combination because he has been reading the book of Mormon (He is probably 1/3 of the way through) and he sees all these footnotes for D&C and Moses and wants to look them up but can't find them. Also apparently he was a minister/pastor when he was 15. He is really religious and spiritual and is loving the restored gospel. We really didn't do anything he just already came super prepared!

Despite a typhoon this weekend yesterday tons of investigators came to church! There were exactly the same number of non members, missionaries, and members there which is probably not something you will find in almost any other area. 

When crazy miracles from God happen like this (This isn't nearly normal, I wish it was though) other missionaries sometimes ask "whoah what did you do?" And I always don't know what to say, because we really didn't do that much. I'm not even trying to be humble, we honestly didn't do anything, but try to be good missionaries and follow the spirit and the Lord was able to do his work through us, and He did crazy miracles. 

Finally a great miracle for Saijo, tonight the other Elder's investigator Okayama san is getting baptized!  He is this quiet 24 year old young man who works at a watch store. He loves fashion and is so excited to make that covenant with God and have the holy ghost in his life! I am so excited for him!

The Lord is doing so many miracles and I'm so happy to be His errand boy, bringing His love and gospel around the world!

Love,

Elder Walton