Wow...transfers happened this week and he is now a "Senior" companion, which basically just means he is in charge. He is happy and content and still loving life. Read his letter. I love that soon I get to call him on his Christmas day and get to hear his voice again. Just that thought keeps me smiling:
Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, and Friends
I wish ye well from the far east! Well... Techinically I`m further west than I was last week, also further North too. Mom, you were pretty close with your guess, I`m actually realllllllly close to Kobe. In the same Province Actually. I`m in Kakogawa City! East of Himeji, West of Akashi. Beautiful place, and I`m back in the city. I got the beach still (not that it matters because it`s soooo flippin cold out here), I got a wonderful train station with lots of people, I sparkling shiny new companion, and a City filled with new Adventure. I have finally achieved the long dreaded position of Senior Companion, yes I`ve dreaded this. I don`t like being a leader, but o well. My new Companion is lovely Elder Hale, hailing from Boise Idaho, a near genius in mathematics, science, and english, although lacking a little on the Japanese side, but he`s only a transfer 4 missionary. He still has the fresh out of the MTC Luster, which is fine by me, gets me pushing a little harder to have him see some more success here. We get along splendidly, have loads of fun and are generally alike in tastes, although I do find myself outclassed in smarts. Then again, I never really was all that smart, just good at faking it xD.
So this past week has been bitter sweet, filled with entertainment, and fond farewells. Newfound Determination, and shrugging off of old ways. Every Transfer, every area, every new companion brings new adventures, new progression, and generally just new things.
I started out the week with a wonderful little escapade to Misaki Koen at the very most southern point of Sennan. I watched Monkeys throw poo, American Racoons, Endagered Japanese Cranes, Pink Flamingos, Kangaroos, Giraffe, Lions, Tigers, Red Pandas, Japanese Deer, Beavers, Small Japanese Bears, Penguins, and Dolphins dressed up like Santa Clause (yes I really did). It was aweeesssssssssooooooooomeeeeeeeee. We got to watch a Dolphin show, in which they did awesome flips, awesome tricks, and was just utterly amazing, I didn`t get wet though, which was a good thing.
Tuesday I found out I was going to Kakogawa, so I said farewell to my beloved investigator, Nakanishi, I also said goodbye to Sora, who took us out for dinner that night. I then packed on Wednesday, taught English for the last time in Sennan and said goodbye to everyone. It was slightly a depressing day. Although as I walked out of the church after Eikaiwa and was just about to lock the door one of the Ward Members Drove up and ran up to me and threw a Bokuto (Wooden Katana) in my hand and said "HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Good Luck in Kakogawa!" and ran off. I looked at it for a moment and thought: "O thanks.... but how am I goign to get it to Kakogawa since I just sent off all my luggage already."
Thursday I began my adventurous trip to Kakogawa early in the Morning. Had my backpack on and my bokuto sticking out of my small carryon bag that I have acquired (cheaply), crammed into a stereotypical Japanese train. Fitting maybe 50 more than the suggested max into each car. I literally felt like a sardine in a can, trying not to stab people with the wooden sword. Made it to Tennoji in Osaka without any horribel incidents and met up with a large group of missionaries. Said hello to my beloved MTC companion elder Cannon, who was actually about to meet up with my other beloved companion Elder Escalante. I then headed off to Sannomiya, in Kobe, and met up with my new companion Elder Hale, found out that he and Elder Escalante had just been working together in Kakogawa, and so I said hello to Elder Escalante and then goodbye as I headed to my new home. Came back, The doorbell rang a grand total of 9 times in about 4 hours time period, 3 from Fukuyama about bikes, 2 from the mail, 1 from a random newspaper salesman, and 1 from Sagawa about luggage, and 2 from me being a punk. I also got called a whole bunch from mentally handicapped person who I had no Idea was mentally disabled. Yea she was calling and wanted us to go over immediately and save her from something. I then called a ward member who actually ended up being her Home Teacher and told me that she was kind of insane. Got a cold but still dendoed.
Friday we dendoed more, I still had a little bit of a cold, found a young mother while housing, met a totally awesome guy named "The Caves" or at least that`s his music name, singing in front of the Train Station. Also used the fact that it was extremely cold outside to talk to people, which was probably the greatest form of Dendo I`ve ever done. I confused a whole bunch of Teenagers, and young adults by simply saying my name. Every always questions me as to whether I`m Japanese or American after I say my name. "My name is Tateishi." and the reply is usually "JAPANESE? Really?" Then I have to explain everything, it`s really good for catching people`s attentions and making friends. But really annoying when they think you really are Japanese and think that you can understand everything they say. Still Sick
Saturday we had a mini Christmas party at which I met possibly the oldest member in Japan. She`s 91 years old and was baptized when she was 30, also did a lot of the work for translating hymns from English to Japanese. That was an interesting conversation... because she doesn`t remember anything more than 5 seconds ago. Asking me the same question at least 5 times. I then met with the bishop and talked with him a little. Then we dendoed some more and I got to testify to a bunch of punk teenagers that were nothing more than troublemakers. That was fun, told them the meaning of Christmas and silenced all mocking words with a strong and firm testimony about Jesus Christ. Still Sick
Sunday was wonderful, we had an awesome day at church, met with one of our Baptismal Candidates.Taught her a little lesson. I also met a lot of the ward members, who were confused as to whether I was Japanese or American. Had to give a talk at a Missionary Fireside after church, and generally just had fun talking with everyone. Came back, ate lunch, did some housing and streeting, ran into a Less active named Matt, an American from Utah. He was a cool guy, talked a lot about football and other random tings and shared a scripture. Still Sick.
Which brings me to today. Still Sick.
The apartment is an utter mess, which I need to give Elder Escalante a firm beating for when I meet him again. Managed to clean the kitchen a little bit today, and a the mess I made from unpacking. I still need to finish cleaning the kitchen, the closets, the bathroom, the Shower, and the Kitchen. It`s quite disgusting actually. But just one step at a time. And yes I`m still sick, stuffy nose, no fever, and my voice doesn`t work very much so singing is full of squeaks and cracks.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Moment of the Week
Like always I`m not all that sure what I want to talk about this week. Actually, I`ll just bring it back to Obedience.
This week I have been nearly Perfectly Obedient to all the missionary rules here in the Kobe Mission. I can`t say Perfectly, because I`m not perfect. But I have been very obedient in keeping the rules. Despite being a little sick, I still get up on time and excercise and study fully like I`m supposed to, I leave the apartment on time, I take 1 hour lunch breaks and no longer, I talk to as many people as will stop and talk to me and generally keep all the rules.
Why do I share this? Because I want to tell you that with being obedient comes a confidence that I have never had on my own. Most people that know me, know I`m not all that confident of a person, Especially when it comes to people work. Book work I know my stuff, or at least have confidence, but when it comes to People I`m an epic failure. I always hated giving talks in Sacrament and to be honest I did my best to weasel out of them. Now to compound that, I don`t speak Japanese fluently, so it just takes another blow to my self-confidence. But here, this week, when I`ve had a junior companion who`s Japanese is at best below par, I`ve had a confidence in myself to step up to the plate and talk to people. I Haven`t been afraid to open my mouth and just talk to people, or stop people. With that confidence came even more blessings, because as I opened my mouth to speak it made me more obedient, for God commanded me to open my mouth and speak to people. With following that I have seen scriptures fulfilled: "Open your mouth, and it shall be filled, and you will be able to confound the wise."
I was able this week to fulfull my responsibilities, to speak to many different people, to testify of the Divinity of Christ and his wonderful work. I was able to stand as a witness and proclaim loudly "The news of glad tidings and great joy." And I felt that I was successful. I felt the Spirit of God Working through me and I knew I was doing the right thing.
I refer you again to one of my favorite messages that I gave around 4th of July. WIth Obedience to the principles of the Gospel we will be blessed. True happiness comes by living true lives and living true principles. Christ taught those principles, the Prophets reiterate them and expound them for us today. As we follow them, the living Prophets, Christ, and God, we will find blessings in our lives. We find ourselves more in Harmony to God, and as in many languages we say "Closer" to God. So it is. We draw closer to him and are closer to the pure source of light and energy. Just as we move closer the fire in the damp cold night, we find it`s warmth seep deeper inside of us, so it is as we move closer to God.
As a Missionary my duty is what many people think it is, I spend all my days crying to the world "REPENT REPENT!! Prepare ye the way of the Lord!" or in other words "Come, follow him who will take away all your burdens and all your cares, follow him the good shepard who will guide us to green pastures." I say unto these people as Alma did of old "Repent ye, and prepare the way of the Lord, and walk in his paths, which are straight; for behold, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God cometh upon the face of the earth. Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism." (Alma 7:9,15)
Fear not to Follow him. Lay aside your doubts, your fears and follow him. Be obedient to the principles of the Gospel and I can promise that you will be blessed, you will be happy. Sin is pain and Sorrow, Obedience is Peace and Happiness, I know both, I`ve felt them both. As we follow the commandments we are blessed, of Course we do not escape all pain and all suffering, that is life, everyone is to be tested and tried, everyone is to suffer temptations and difficulties, but how much easier it is to pass through every fire, every trial, every pain when you have the confidence that God is on your side. When you know the scriptures that say: "For I will go Before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."
Finally I requote King Benjamin: "And Moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are recieved into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of neverending happinss. O remember, remember that these things are thre; for the LORD GOD hat spoken it." (Mosiah 2:41)
I testify to you that this is the truth, that it lies here in plainness for all to see. "Repent ye, Repent ye, and prepare ye the way of the Lord." I quote Alma again: "Behold, he (The Lord God) sendeth an invitation to ALL men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he sait: Repent, and I will recieve you. Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life: yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and waters of life freely." God awaits us all with open arms, awaits us to take those steps towards him. He loves every one of his children, every human being that has ever, is, and will ever live upon this earth. WE are all his children and all he asks is for us to come home, to return to him. Repent! Let go of sin and enter into the loving arms of God.
I love you all, and I testify that this is the truth, this is God`s work. That he Lives and watches over us all, he loves each and everyone of us all more than we could ever hope to know. I know Christ lives, I know the sacrifice that he has made for me, I know he stands beside God, our Older Brother, shining the light on the pathway to God, taking us by the hand and showing us the way home. I bear witness of this, in his sacred name. Amen.
WIth much Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
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