Elder Walton in Japan: 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

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