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