Dang this week was nuts! Shintaro is doing well but as usual we don't really hear from him all week and then he shows up to church for all three hours and is willing to study with us for as long as we want. Since his baptism is next week we had a lot to cover. The three of us had a lesson/interview with Bishop. There are such amazing leaders here in Japan, bishop is just such a boss. We went from that to a baptism in Takao so that Shintaro could see one. We went back, ate at the church together then practiced the baptismal interview. We realized pretty quickly that his faith is not as strong as we thought. I think he was really nervous so he started forgetting and overthinking things but we ended up having like a two hour lesson about faith. During church he had expressed in a prayer that he wants to be worthy to have the Priesthood and has previously expressed desires to become like some of the church members, be baptized, etc. We read through Alma 32 (I love that ch. so much) and tried our hardest to help recognize his faith. Shintaro eventually agreed to pray his hardest to know if the church is true. That was a really intense and sincere prayer. He didn't recognize an answer at that time, but God will answer him when he is ready. He then went into his baptismal interview and I was pretty worried... He passed though! I guess he was super nervous in the interview. He isn't positive about how he feels about the church or that he is feeling Gods guidance but he is following what he feels is right (God's guidance) and he is looking solid for the 31st! I don't usually ask for your prayers for things, this may be the first time but please pray that he can feel and recognize the Spirit of God.
We had a pretty crazy day this last week, running into people I've met. We ran into a Nepalese guy that Elder Cook and I had met on the street and set an appointment with but he bailed and never answered our calls or texts. So seeing him randomly on the street was probably uncomfortable for him, I bluntly asked what happened and he said he was busy. He gave me a different email than before which is a little mysterious... He was with a guy from Sri Lanka who told us he used to meet with missionaries. I looked him up and it turns out he has a long history of meeting with missionaries. It's way bizarre they're friends. Later we met another friend, Takahiro, Elder Cook and I had met that has since blew us off. Awesome guy, he's just really busy. Also all in the same day I ran into Aaron and his GF from last week! It was the day of English class and they reassured us they were coming, then didn't show up. It was nuts how many people we ran into though.
You guys remember when I was in Atsugi a year ago and we would meet sometimes with a guy from India named Hari? He was really struggling at that point but wouldn't let the church teachings help him. At one point Busteed and I went and hung out at his place and said a prayer with him. Elder Nelson also served in Atsugi so he knows all the people I did, including Hari. We were able to Skype him this last week in India and he has a baptismal date and has changed a ton! He is doing so much better that before. He said the first time he ever felt the spirit was when we prayed together with Busteed.
Today we went to lunch with Shintaro and the one and only Motoki Maeda from Yamate! Ah man I love him so much. I payed for both of their meals because I was just so happy to be with them haha. We planned the baptism with Shintaro, he asked me to baptize him, which is awesome, but I was hoping he would ask Elder Nelson or one of the ward members. Motoki is doing great. At the end of this week he is headed out to Nigata to a small, church supported college that's like a mini BYU. He is strongly considering serving a mission but talked to me about how he knows that either way he will be trying to share the gospel with those around him, that he doesn't need to be on a mission to help others. I love his faith and attitude. He's praying to know what he should do.
Other than that we met with a Chinese guy named Sunny. He hit us up to play ping pong and agreed to come early for a lesson. He wants to believe in God and learn more about Christianity because Christians seem so happy and he doesn't feel like he is happy. He also said he wants his son to learn more about God. Sunny will take some time but he is really humble and I love him.
I know it already blew up in America but Pokemon-Go came out in Japan this last week. You have noo idea. It's soo turnt here. I kid you not 90% of the time I see someone with a phone out they are playing Pokemon Go. We are using it to our advantage and just stopping people by saying "Hey! Are you playing Pokemon go?" The other night we were talking to this Nepalese guy and his friend interrupted us telling him to follow. His friend didn't even look up from his phone though as he passed us. We got up the next morning to go running and we see the same guy walking around, eyes glued on his phone, wearing the same clothes as the night before. We asked if he had been playing all night, he excitedly said, "yes!!" An entire night spent walking the streets trying to catch Pokemon....... Lol
Love y'all
1. Long time no see... Motoki!!!!
2. The skype with Hari!
3. Bro. Noguchi, I promise he smiles... Sometimes hahaha
We had a pretty crazy day this last week, running into people I've met. We ran into a Nepalese guy that Elder Cook and I had met on the street and set an appointment with but he bailed and never answered our calls or texts. So seeing him randomly on the street was probably uncomfortable for him, I bluntly asked what happened and he said he was busy. He gave me a different email than before which is a little mysterious... He was with a guy from Sri Lanka who told us he used to meet with missionaries. I looked him up and it turns out he has a long history of meeting with missionaries. It's way bizarre they're friends. Later we met another friend, Takahiro, Elder Cook and I had met that has since blew us off. Awesome guy, he's just really busy. Also all in the same day I ran into Aaron and his GF from last week! It was the day of English class and they reassured us they were coming, then didn't show up. It was nuts how many people we ran into though.
You guys remember when I was in Atsugi a year ago and we would meet sometimes with a guy from India named Hari? He was really struggling at that point but wouldn't let the church teachings help him. At one point Busteed and I went and hung out at his place and said a prayer with him. Elder Nelson also served in Atsugi so he knows all the people I did, including Hari. We were able to Skype him this last week in India and he has a baptismal date and has changed a ton! He is doing so much better that before. He said the first time he ever felt the spirit was when we prayed together with Busteed.
Today we went to lunch with Shintaro and the one and only Motoki Maeda from Yamate! Ah man I love him so much. I payed for both of their meals because I was just so happy to be with them haha. We planned the baptism with Shintaro, he asked me to baptize him, which is awesome, but I was hoping he would ask Elder Nelson or one of the ward members. Motoki is doing great. At the end of this week he is headed out to Nigata to a small, church supported college that's like a mini BYU. He is strongly considering serving a mission but talked to me about how he knows that either way he will be trying to share the gospel with those around him, that he doesn't need to be on a mission to help others. I love his faith and attitude. He's praying to know what he should do.
Other than that we met with a Chinese guy named Sunny. He hit us up to play ping pong and agreed to come early for a lesson. He wants to believe in God and learn more about Christianity because Christians seem so happy and he doesn't feel like he is happy. He also said he wants his son to learn more about God. Sunny will take some time but he is really humble and I love him.
I know it already blew up in America but Pokemon-Go came out in Japan this last week. You have noo idea. It's soo turnt here. I kid you not 90% of the time I see someone with a phone out they are playing Pokemon Go. We are using it to our advantage and just stopping people by saying "Hey! Are you playing Pokemon go?" The other night we were talking to this Nepalese guy and his friend interrupted us telling him to follow. His friend didn't even look up from his phone though as he passed us. We got up the next morning to go running and we see the same guy walking around, eyes glued on his phone, wearing the same clothes as the night before. We asked if he had been playing all night, he excitedly said, "yes!!" An entire night spent walking the streets trying to catch Pokemon....... Lol
Love y'all
1. Long time no see... Motoki!!!!
2. The skype with Hari!
3. Bro. Noguchi, I promise he smiles... Sometimes hahaha
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