Japan Tokyo South Mission: Pretty Good B-Day

Thanks to all of you that wished me a happy birthday last Saturday. It turned out to be a really good one, at least considering the fact I'm a missionary... haha. At the start of the day we played basketball and our three friends that came to church last week came! (Kaito, Alec & Motoki) Then we had a lesson with Motoki. This kid is soooooo legit! I can't stop thinking about how dope he is, love him. I made sure and got a picture this time! Since last week he said no to baptism because he doesn't know much we thought this lesson we might hold off a bit. Earlier in the week I had such a good study of Alma 32. I've read it so many times but still get new things out of it. Read that chapter, so money. So we read that together and he understood like every bit of it. He said that he felt like he has planted the seed of faith in his heart and seen it grow.

"But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves "It must needs be that this is a good seed."

As we talked he realized he needs to nourish the seed now that he knows it's good. We asked how? He said, "Well I think I better keep meeting with you, going to church & reading this book." Haha he is so dope. Anyways, long story short we ended up asking him again to be baptized. This time was a for sure yes! It sounds like it will be the middle of May.

Then we got pizza for dinner as a district and they made me a card and gave me cookies! Later that night some awesome members here, the Bartons, brought over 8 pieces of this suuuuper good (and probably expensive) cake to our apartment. I'll send a picture. It was great :)

Anyways, the next day Motoki shows up at church in a suit looking far more suteki than any of us! He loves church and really looks up to Bro. Omine one of my favorite members here. They are both from Okinawa (little island off of Japan). Motoki is way outgoing and already growing tight with all of the members. One member who recently got baptized told him it took him awhile to get baptized because he had to stop drinking coffee. Motoki looks at us (first time hearing about Coffee) and says, while laughing, "I'm addicted." Haha we will work on that. He also heard about Tithing and seemed cool with it, without us even telling him why we do those things. I feel like we aren't doing anything except being his friend. Guess that's how it should be.

Today we hung out with Ishii from Atsugi again and went crazy at Costco. Motoki joined us as well! 3 days in a row! Haha. Went to one of my favorite places with two of my favorite people! When I invited Motoki last night on the phone he told me to not forget to pray before bed. I love this kid haha.

Even though this is my favorite area so far I was kind of thinking I wanted a change going into this transfer, that maybe I have been here in Yamate for long enough. Though just in this week I have already seen why I need to be here with Motoki! We both love basketball, the same music, tv shows, etc. We only met like 3 weeks ago! Plus my new companion is Elder Molen, he is great and we have been going hard so far. It'll be a good transfer.

Love you guys! <3

1. Dapper Boyz (ft. Motoki)