reason to think about everything we're grateful for. I'm especially
grateful for our Savior and His gospel and the blessings we receive
from them. I'm so grateful for my mission, for all that it has helped
me with and the opportunity that it gives me to help others. Also,
it's gonna be nice to have some good cookin' this year for
Thanksgiving. Being in the English Ward is extra nice for the
holidays! We actually have 2 Thanksgiving meal appointments, one on
Thursday and another on Saturday. I'm excited! Hope you all have a
good time with family this week and share my love!
It's it's been a good week here in Tokyo. This past week we were able
to go to the baptism of an old investigator named Brother Uchiyama. He
was a referral from a member back when Elder Broberg and I were
together. We taught him for a few weeks and then referred him to the
elders in the Ward he lives in. He's an awesome guy and is gonna be
such a great member! I'll send a picture of us with him at his
baptism. I do have some kind of rough news though.. Our investigator
Iwagi kyoudai has had a pretty rough time as of late. He's the one
that was in the accident and just had surgery on his hand, but he has
kind of decided as of late that he doesn't really want to study the
gospel as much right now. His body condition from his injury hasn't
been the best lately and so it's just kind of hurt him motivation wise
in all aspects. He's not completely rejecting it, and he still loves
us and the members, but he says he's going to stop living the gospel
and see if he notices a difference in his life. That has been pretty
darn tough, because I've really grown to love him over the past few
months that we've been teaching him. Sometimes people's agency just
makes you so sad! But that's just part of God's plan, huh. So, we'll
keep praying for him and definitely stay in touch so hopefully he'll
realize how much he needs the gospel. Other than that, our
investigator Tsunashima Kyoudai is doing so well, he has his baptism
date and is progressing towards it! So lately our mission has started
a new free English teaching program, in which we are helping high
school and college students prepare for big entrance exams here in
Japan called the Eiken and TOIEC. Pretty much all Japanese students
have to take these tests, so by providing these prep courses it's
expected that we'll really increase the foot traffic in the church,
which will of course increase new investigators and baptisms. This is
going to BIG! So recently our days have been consisting of hitting the
streets finding new investigators and new students, teaching lessons
and English, and studying! It's the life.
I want to share an insight on something I've been studying and
learning about. It's about receiving guidance and revelation through
the Holy Ghost. God of course wants to guide us throughout our lives.
But receiving that guidance of course is predicated first upon our
obedience. We all know that one, so lets be obedient! But the
frequency and clarity of promptings kind of depend on a few things.
First, how willing we are to act on promptings and how much we're
actually seeking them. For example, are we praying to find missionary
opportunities but never opening our mouths about the gospel? It also
depends on how prompt we are to act on the guidance that we receive.
It's my challenge to you to always be seeking for the guidance of the
spirit, being willing to act and to act promptly. I have a sure
testimony that God is there and guides us through the Spirit. Love you
all, have a great Thanksgiving week!!
Elder Snyder and Elder Nitta
