Just plain nice.....

Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Friends, and Family

Another week rushes past in the blink of an eye. I woke up Sunday Morning and was like "Ahhh another Tuesday..... Wait a second.... It`s Sunday!?" Yea my days are starting to get mixed up here and there. We actually only have 1 more week before we get transfer calls. I have no idea if I`m going to stay or go, but I do have a feeling I might get transferred. We`ll see though, with President McIntyre anything goes.

This week.... Well We visited quite a few people this week, Had fun at Members Houses and had plenty of great experiences. My favorite investigator Nakanishi has been very Genki of late. Called me his favorite missionary and we`ve had many a good laugh together. It`s always wonderful to see someone you really care about become happier.

On Friday though we had a special Zone Conference. Elder Kikuchi Aoyagi, of the Asia North Area Presidency and Quorum of the Seventy came and toured our mission. We got to hear him talk to us and he gave some very wonderful training along with President McIntryre. I Loved hearing President McIntryre talk about "Zion`s Camp" and how everyone has their own personal "Zion`s Camp" Moments. The times where we are called to do something, and we do our best to do it but we see no results. When it seems that there is no success and then we are called to something else. Most of the time we`ll look back and see nothing come of what we have done and believe that we were called to the wrong position. Well maybe, just like Zion`s Camp we were called not to complete the job, but simply to see if we`d try and do it, to see if we would be Obedient, and maybe it was for us, for us to grow and to learn.

Other than that the only Highlight has been that of one of our Eikaiwa(English Class) Students. Last week he came up to me after class and asked me to pray for his Mother, who was deathly ill, and asked how too pray. So I taught him how to pray, and prayed for his mother. This week he came to class extremely excited, and thanked us because his Mother`s health was recovering and she was beginning to feel much better. She is about 80 years old and it was a miraculous recovery.

Well I don`t have too much to report this week. Just that and lots of mosquito bites on my ankles. Life is good, and everything is beautiful and fantastic.

Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Moment of the Week.

Well, another week, another Gospel Moment, another pause to find out what I should write.

Of late I`ve been reading from the Old Testament. As part of my goals I wish to read all the Standard Works(Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price) and the last one I have left is the Old Testament, which is a beast to tackle. I`ve just finished reading Joshua and am now just beginning to read into Judges. But now I`m kind of thinking back to the whole story of Israel going into Canaan and conquering the people.

The People of ancient Israel truly do amaze me. Throughout the Books of Moses and Joshua they continue to rebel and forget about God. They do it very quickly as well. When they escaped Egypt and worshiped the Golden Calf, when they complained to God about not having meat to eat, when they feared the people of Canaan more than they feared God. How quick they were to forget. No wonder they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years!

But why is that? How could anyone forget the great miracles that Moses wrought before their eyes? He split the red sea, and caused plagues to come down upon the Egyptians without harming the Israelite's, and yet how quick they were to forget that. They forgot how God rained Manna from heaven, how he had scattered other enemies before them. It is quite amazing when you read their stories.

But how can we learn from their mistakes? I don`t think any of us would quickly forget if we saw President Monson cause a Mountain to move, or a river to reverse it`s course or any huge miracle. I certainly wouldn`t. We can learn by applying the same principle to the smaller things. How quick are we to forget the words of our Prophet? How quick are we to forget the spiritual messages that we have received? It`s like the Pride Cycle, we are knocked down low, and humble ourselves and repent and then God Blesses us, than we forget what he did for us and boast of ourselves only to be knocked back down.

How can we avoid this cycle? By being grateful for what we have. If we can do as President Monson has taught us in this past General Conference, and nurture an attitude of gratitude than we can avoid the pride cycle for the most part. If we are always thankful for what the Lord has given us, and always remember the many blessings he has poured out upon us we will remain humble before the Lord and avoid Pride. We can avoid those same pits and falls that we had fallen into before. So just be grateful, and as the Hymn goes, "Count your many Blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, and see what God hath Done." Our Blessings are many. I know this, I can`t count all of mine, but just to list a few: My wonderful Family, My Friends, My Mentors, Those that Love me, To have this opportunity to Serve a Mission, for My Companion, and also for the wonderful time in which I live. I could continue to list more, but that would take too long.

Just Remember, I know that God Lives, I know that he loves me. I have seen his hand in my life and in the lives of others around me. When I open the eyes of my heart, and search to find God, I find that he is not far away at all. I am indeed grateful for his unsurpassed Love, and I am Grateful for his mercy and greatness. I know that Christ Lives also, that he loves also, that he has paid the price for us all, and for that I am eternally grateful, and at times I wish I could sing praises all the day long for what he has done for me. I bear testimony of Him, of The Father, and of The Son, in the Holy name of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, Amen.

With Love,

Elder Randall KK Tateishi