Hey!
We had another good week. It was sempai week for Elder Gillespie, so he took lead in the teaching, planning, and finding. He did really well despite saying he was really nervous. I think one thing we both learned from it was how important the Spirit is in our work. There have been many times where I go to an investigator's or potential investigator's door with no idea how to start the conversation or the contact. Then it just comes to me. It's really cool.
This week we had a really good lesson with O Ryoku-san. We did how to begin teaching and then taught about the Holy Ghost and Prayer. He prayed at the end of the lesson too. We have another appointment with him tonight. We also had a couple lessons with Ishida-san. This week we had a lesson centered on the Book of Mormon and how we can follow Christ. We then invited him to baptism, but he is hesitant because of his age. We also learned about another concern he has with prayer, so we are going to teach about that on Tuesday.
We found another new investigator this week! We spent an entire day in Ena (the neighboring city in our area) dendo-ing, contacting potential investigators, and visiting less-actives and formers. It was a long day, but so worth it. Our new investigator's name is Miyuki. She is about twenty years old and has great interest.
This week I noticed how real life is kind of like the video game "The Sims." Maybe that's why it's called that, but I noticed this week that you can't just get people to do things you ask them to without some trust and familiarity in your relationship. It's like the relationships between people in the game, but missionary style. That would be a killer video game. Missionary Sims. Copyright that stuff right there.
So anyway I was craving some Christmas music like crazy this week. Everyone should be surprised because I'm the first one to complain about Christmas music before Thanksgiving. I think it's because Thanksgiving is just a hiss and a byword in Japan, so I'm just thinking about Christmas. I did hear some Christmas music at the super market last week, but it was just the tunes, no words, done with some synthesized instruments.
I was doing service at my branch president's house when they were tallying up the votes for the President. So at first I was really nervous for about three seconds when I found out Obama is President again. But then the Spirit said, "No big deal." I'm glad to see that virtually everyone else has adopted the same idea. This isn't our world, it's our Heavenly Father's. He has a plan for it and for us. That plan is specific. We can take confidence in the fact that Heavenly Father is there and hears our prayers. He answers them, too. I would like to quote a statement from the email I got from Dad this week. He said, "I'm pretty much over it - I say what ever happens - bring it! I'll tackle it head on, I'm not gonna let an inept President and corrupt congress dictate my happiness or affect how I care for my family." I really like this. It is pretty much my same opinion. I would like to point out the word "my" said twice in that sentence. Go ahead and re-read it with a little emphasis on the word "my." This is Heavenly Father's plan and it is for us. We have control of our realm. We can't control everything, but for what is in our control, let's take control of it!
We don't need to fear, to quote Cori in her email this week. Sure it's disappointing to see something go wrong, but God has it in his hands. I studied Ether this week. I found some good verses. Ether 2:12 says, "Behold this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written." and Ether 12:4 says, "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." There ya go, folks. Live the Gospel. Do what is right. Follow the Spirit. A million hymns just came to mind, sing those. We are in a time where solutions to the problems in this world can come by no other means than the Gospel. So live it!
I'm so grateful for the support you all give me back home. It sounds like Heavenly Father is returning the favor as he answers my prayers on all your behalf. Love you all.
Love,
Elder Sanderson
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