Christmas in Saijo!

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

I don't have a lot of time so this one will be short. But this week was super amazing! 

We have a lot of investigators with miracles happening and some real progress being seen. Hopefully at least one of them will be able to be baptized by the end of the transfer.

This past week we went to a school as the 8 elders in the Hikari ward. There were 150 kids we played games with and did a presentation on christmas. It was such a great opportunity and the kids loved us and were so happy! We made a tunnel at the end and were giving all of them high hives. It was super fun! I know that when those kids are grown up and missionaries knock on their door they are for sure going to listen to them. 

Also yesterday we had a christmas fireside in our new Saijo church room! It looks beautiful and it was such a successful fireside! We weren't sure how many would come, but we ended up getting like 12 non members there, including investigators english students and others it was super great!

Everyday there are miracles I love it!

Love you all! Elder Walton

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

We had so many awesome miracles this week! 

Remember the guy we visited who went from "no im buddhist" to being full of interest? We were able to go back and teach Morita san and his wife this week and it was so good! We were worried about his wife having interest (we've been having tough time with interested husbands with uninterested wives) but she was sooo dang nice, and she seemed just as interested as he was, and guess what!? They now have a baptismal date! It's is a pretty dang awesome miracle! Finding and teaching families is not super easy here. But God can work so many miracles if we have faith and believe.

And actually on Thursday while we were weekly planning we got a call,

"huh who could this be" we thought.

"Shoots its president Gustafson! What did we do wrong!?" Was our first thought. 

But he told us he had been reading our letters, and while he was reading mine, about how we had fasted and prayed for a family and found Morita san and what a miracle it was, he said he was just so caught up in my letter that he felt like he should call us. And we were able to tell him we taught them again and they have baptismal dates. "Thank you for your hard work elders, this helps me really believe that we can baptize in Japan" 

Now I know this really wasn't anything due to me and Elder Bloomfield, we really were just instruments in Gods hands as he performed a miracle, but it is so cool to be a part of that! I think that is my favorite feeling of being a missionary. That feeling of whether or not people are listening, as you give up your whole soul to God, he uses you to do his work, though me may not be able to do some things, he can do all things and perform so many miracles for his children.

Also it's official that we will have the first Saijo church on the 22nd. Which we will be so cool! We have a whole bunch of people we're planning on bringing including the Morita family. Honestly we'll probably end up with more investigators than members the first week. 

And of course there is our main man Sho. He has had his problems with the commandments. But he is progressing bit by bit, he is following the word of wisdom, and has committed to follow the law of chastity. And though his family and upbringing is pretty athiestic he has slowly transformed the way he thinks and speaks, from that there is no God to that there is. It's kind of funny actually, he'll say he doesn't entirely believe in God, but then he gives some of the most sincere prayers I've heard. More sincere than prayers I've heard by many a member of the church. If all goes well, he will be baptized by Christmas! 

The change to become a member is a huge change for him, but he is such a trooper, and he has tasted how the holy ghost feels and influences his life. I love him so much.

Don't give up when things are hard, I've come to believe that some of the greatest blessings that God gives us, are the ones that come through trials, at least that is what I have learned on my mission so far. And though I know they will hurt, and not be fun, and I'll probably wish that they are over when I get to them haha, at the same time, I look forward to them, because I know how they can bring me to the lord, and refine me to be a better, more loving, more compassionate person than perhaps anything else can. So bring them on. 

Love you all so much! I pray for you everyday!

Elder Walton

Pictures:

We got to go to Miyajima again this week It was so dang gorgeous!

The Best Week of Miracles Yet!

Wow was probably the most miracle filled week yet, so I'm going to have to speed through to share them all! 

First off. It's official! We have the keys to the room we will have church in Saijo!!! We probably won't have church there till maybe the 15, but from now on we can use it for lessons and for all sorts of stuff! It's so great! I'm so dang excited!!!!!!!! =D =D

Sho has had his struggles, but he is getting closer and closer to baptism every day. He will probably be baptized in the next two weeks! I'm so excited for him! He's already given up tea, which was pretty hard for him. He doesn't think he has that much faith, but he really truly does!

Also we had three thanksgiving dinners this week. Man am I stuffed! Two of them were with american families in Hiroshima and the third is actually a bit of a thanksgiving miracle. 

So a senior couple here in Hiroshima Zone was thinking a while back, Hey lets get the missionaries at our place for a zone thanksgiving dinner. But then as the zone grew and grew from 18 to now like 40 they realized we needed it at the church. So they went to costco and asked them if they could cook the turkeys in the ovens at costco since the church didn't have room for turkeys. But they said they wouldn't. Undeterred Elder Schroeder wrote a letter to the CEO of Costco essentially saying, There are 38 young men and women serving as volunteers for two years far away from their family, and we just want to give them a thanksgiving dinner, we will still love costco if you can't help, but we would love to just give them a good thanksgiving dinner. So the CEO got that letter and then called the head of the costco here and said, "Give these people everything they need to have a thanksgiving dinner" So we had a thanksgiving dinner entirely paid for by Costco. It was so delicious and it really helped me feel God's love despite being so far away from home.

Another miracle is haven't been able to meet Gary lately, but we ran into him and his wife at the 100 yen store the other day. It was such a random chance, but it allowed us to talk to his wife, (who we havent seen in 3 months and is what is holding him back) and helped us to be able to hopefully get her and them to something where they can feel the members love, so that she will be okay with Gary being baptized. He is so close!

Then on Tuesday night we were housing and we met a man named Morita san. At first he said, " Oh I'm buddhist" "Cool you're buddhist? What do you believe as a buddhist?" we replied. "I actually don't believe anything" (Which is pretty typical of the "buddhists" here. So we both laughed with him. (He's a super cheery guy) Then shared some of our message and he said "Oh Im not really interested) But for some reason I felt impressed to share how before I came to Japan I didn't like curry and wasn't interested in eating it, but now after I tried it I love it. And he was like "Ahhhh now I see haha" "So can we can come back and visit and share our message?" "sure" he said, so we set an appointment to come back thursday night.

Thursday night we went back, and I wasn't sure if he would let us or not, but we came and he let us come into his house, (actually pretty dang rare) and we sat down. He brought out his 1 year old child (so so cute) and we talked and shared the message of the restoration with him. He went from "Oh im not interested" on tuesday, to at the end where he said he was "kyomi bukai" or "full of interest/really interested" That is the one word every Japanese missionary wants to hear! We have been praying and fasting to find a family this month for Saijo. And since that we went from having all single investigators to now, more than half of our investigators or potential ones are now families including two other families we've found in the last two and a half week that might listen. "Ask and ye shall receive knock and it shall be opened unto you"

This gospel is so true and changes the lives of so many! Thank you for all your support! I love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Walton

A Week of Miracles in Saijo! II

Dear Loved Ones,

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.

A Week of Miracles in Saijo!

Well this week has been an amazing week full of miracles and an awesome p-day!

For P-day we went to Miyajima, one of the most famous places in our mission and really in Japan. (its the place with the giant red gate in the ocean) It was so fun! We took a ferry to get to the island, and I felt like I was in spirited away entering the spirit world. Miyajima is a super old island with tons of really awesome shrines. It also is full of very domesticated deer that will come up to you, let you pet them, and then try to steal your food. Actually one headbutted me when I wasnt looking. It was quite a surprise! I will throw some pictures on so you can enjoy them too!

Also while we were heading back we found this place where you could have fish eat your feet for 10 min if you payed 5 dollars. So of course we did it. They are actually called doctor fish and they eat the dead skin off your feet and do a lot of good my feet felt so smooth and good afterward. It felt so weird and ticklish during it though, and looked hilarious with all these little fish eating at my feet, but it felt so good! It was such an interesting experience haha!

But the spiritual aspect of this week has been even better! We got 4 new investigators. One of which named Kojima san was really interested and we have a return appointment with. We also taught Sho san, a chinese college student. He is super interesting and asks the craziest questions (he asked us if we could read dreams the other day) but he is really interested and prays and reads the Book of Mormon everyday.

Gary is another chinese college student, and if it werent for his wife he would probably be baptized now. He has so much faith and desire for good, but his wife is really concerned about a lot of things right now, and doesnt think he should be joining a new religion. But he will be able to be baptized someday I know!

And there are several other investigators here! Its amazing how the work is exploding!

The best part is that in a few days we may get a place to have church here in Saijo next month! Its so hard to get investigators to church in Hiroshima, but if we had it here, the work could really explode! Pray that we can for us please!

This week has been filled with miracles too full too count! I felt so truly through the power of prayer God do miracles. And I know that if we rely on him he can heal anything, whether its a body, a soul, a heart, a family, a marriage, a companionship.

I love you all!

Elder Walton

Week 2 in Saijo!

It's been a great week here in Saijo! All the leaves are turning and it's so so gorgeous. I cant help but be incredible grateful to be here. I was really hoping Id be somewhere north for the fall to see how gorgeous Japan is in the fall, and wow!

 

Some fun things that happened this week, we had a stake barbeque where we grilled up all sorts of delicious meats ourselves (really they were so so good) and had rice and other delicous foods and then played games, it was super fun! Also we wanted to meet an investigator so we ended up meeting him at this bible study. It was this group of christians who meet every friday to study the bible. It was really interesting being there. It was composed of two phillipian girls, a bunch of black people from various countries in africa, and one Japanese man playing the guitar called Farmer John. We sang for half an hour, and read the bible. I learned some cool things from them, but one thing I really learned and appreciated is how the Book of Mormon really helps us understand the bible. There were so many things they werent entirely sure about but the Book of Mormon answers perfectly!

 

Also we met with several investigators this week!

 

Gary is a chinese man (he speaks really good english) who has so much faith. He reads the Book of Mormon and prays everyday and he would probably be baptized now if it weren't that his wife wants him to be focused on work and school and not religion. But he committed to talk to his wife, and so doing we hope his wifes heart will soften. Gary is the coolest guy every!

 

Then there is Rueben (the investigator we met at the bible study) and he is from Sierra Leone studying peacebuilding at the university. He has a strong christian background and is so prepared. He just needs to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon and everything else will fall into place.

 

And then we have Takamatsu who is our only real Japanese investigator (we teach so much in english) He is addicted to video games and smoking, but he wants to change his life. Hopefully we can help him make that change.

 

Saijo is such an amazing place I feel so humbled to be here. The lord is performing miracles here everyday.

 

Love you all so much!

 

Elder Walton

Off to New Places

Hello Everyone!

Well something sad and happy happened this past week. After only 6 glorious weeks in Sasebo, I got transferred. I am almost on the other side of the mission, in the north most zone in Saijo! It was sad to go, but its going to be so great here! As my bus pulled away from Saijo a little 9 year old member named Yumeko (dreamchild) ran after my bus smiling and waving. I teared up.

Sajio is so great though! Its about a 30 min train ride just outside of Hiroshima. Which is actually where we go to church! Saijo is a town probably somewhere around the size of Provo. And it too has a really quite large University. The university has international students from allll over. So the investigators of Saijo include an iranian, a man from Sierra Leone, several chinese, several Japanese, and now one we found yesterday a man from Sri Lanka. We teach some of them in English and Some in Japanese so that`s exciting!

We are in a 4 man. My new companion is Elder Bloomfield from Texas! He has actually only been on his mission for 3 months (6 more weeks than me!). So between us we have not a whole lot of Japanese, but we have a lot of faith! The other elders are Elder Trane whos a really great missionary on his last transfer, and Elder Henderson who just got here from the MTC. They are both awesome missionaries and both ridiculously tall as is Elder Bloomfield. Im the only missionary that doesnt hit his head (in our tiny apartment) on a regular basis haha.

Saijo does actually not have a branch right now. There are only about 5 or so active members. But the Lord and the mission president really want a branch here. 2 months ago there were only 2 missionaries here. Then in one transfer it became 8! We have 4 elders, 2 sisters, and a senior couple. Saijo is on fire right now. It had two baptisms last transfer and it has so many investigators. Its awesome here!

Also today for P-day we went to the Hiroshima peace park (the memorial of where the atom bomb fell) I will probably send some pictures next week of it. But it was a really beautiful and reflective, but sad place. Im glad I got a chance to go to it.

Fight hard, Press on and Keep the Faith. Love you!



Elder Walton