So, I won't comment too much this week. I was away in Seattle when Randy emailed and he got some great news from his older brother Bobby and his wife Amy...they are expecting their first child and Randy is very excited and so is the rest of the family. We are reaching, or have reached the half way mark of Randy's mission. He reported to the MTC on January 13, 2010 and today is January 12, 2010....Wow does time fly....before we know it he will be home and ready to start his college life possibly at BYU....
Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Friends and Family
O How beautiful is the World! How Wonderful is my God! How great are the blessings that I have recieved! What rapture fills my heart, what Joy encompasses my soul!
My week has been fantastic, despite the fact that nothing really interesting happened to me. What really has me jumping for joy are all the emails I recieved today from home. Lol, It raises my spirits so much to see my family blessed at home, and my dearest friends. Cheryl, if you read this, I love you!
This week, wasn`t anything all that special actually, Tuesday was filled with knocking on doors with little results, Wednesday we went to Kobe and had interviews with the Mission President. That was very nice, and I felt so great after interviews and District Meeting. We then ate at a Buffet, called "The World Buffet" which had pizza, pasta, and then just a lot of Chinese and Japanese Foods. Not quite a "World" Buffet, but it was delicious. Japanese Pizza`s are wierd, they put corn and mayonaise and other random toppings on them.
Thursday was Thursday. Friday we tried goign to a different place to Dendo, and had a little bit of fun out there. Saturday we had quite a few lessons, met with some less actives and taught our good friend Bruce(Aoki). And we also went to the beach to check out and see if anyone was there. No one was, but it was a beautiful Sunset. By the way, I LOVE the new camera, takes awesome pictures. I forgot to bring my SD cardreader today, but I`ll send pictures next week.
Thanks Mom for the Wallet and the tie, Love it!
Sunday we had church, which was pretty good. I had to give a talk in Sacrament meeting. By the way, if you think it`s scary giving a talk in English, try doing it in Japanese! Trying to find the right words and all that, and trying to read the scriptures while on the stand. If there is one thing I`ve learned on my mission, one of the major ones is what it`s like to be illiterate and stumble over words while reading. Man it`s hard.
This morning we did some deep cleaning in the apartment, man this place is dirty X.x. I cleaned out the closet and threw away a whole bunch of junk that other missionaries had left behind. Cleaned all the grime off the stove and cleaned the Kitchen sink again. I haven`t started getting to work on the bathroom and shower stuff yet. That`ll probably be next week.
So next week the 20th is Transfer day already, and today is my 1 year mark as a Missionary.... O.O, wow, that was fast.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
Well, as I just said, I`m a year old missionary. Or at least, a year ago was the day that I got set apart as a Missionary, 3 more days and it`ll be my year mark from when I reported to the MTC. From here on out, it`s all down hill. The days will count down and not up. It is indeed a bitter sweet time. Many times I think of what I`ll do when I get home, where life is going to take me, Where I`ll go and what I`ll do. It`ll be strange going home, going back to the regular world, leaving a life and a world that I have come to love. Leaving behind people that I have loved, that I have taught, that I have helped. That will be a sad day.
What I wish to talk about today, is what I`m doing here. Many of you, those members that read this, probably already know, but there are some that read this that do not know, or only have a vague idea of what it`s like.
I`m a missionary. My day consists of waking at 6:30 am, preparing, studying, and then leaving my apartment by 10:30. From there I spend my day wandering streets, teaching lessons, Talking with people, knocking on doors, and serving those around me. By 9:00 PM I`m back in the apartment, planning and preparing for the next day. By 10:30 I`m in bed, saying my nightly prayers and saying good night to my companion.
Everyday, when I leave the Apartment have a goal set, a simple goal. That goal is to spread the Gospel to as many people as will hear me. And I really want to focus on that one word: "Gospel." In Japanese it is Fukuin, 福音, or "The Blessed Sound." Or as many may know the meaning of Gospel, "The Good News." As a Missionary I have been called to "Raise a voice of good tidings and Great Joy." My duty is to share my heart, to give freely to those who will accept, something that has brought true joy and happiness into my life. To teach of Christ, my savior and my Redeemer, the one who knows me and guides, who is the very reason for all I am.
Simply the Gospel is this: Believe in Christ and Follow him. Christ, as our Saviour, is the one being that has the power to cleanse us from sin, to purify us and make us worthy to return to our Father in Heaven, and live in Never-Ending Happiness. He has provided the way, by which our families can become eternal, where the ones we love in this life will continue with us into the next. He has been given power over death, by which all men may be resurrected unto perfection, by which all men might obtain a perfect body, free from pain and free from suffering and handicap.
These things, the ordinances and authority by which we can obtain these things, eternal families and eternal life, and the truths of the gospel, God`s great plan of Salvation and other truths were once lost. But I go forth and boldy proclaim that they are here again in this Church. That a young boy named Joseph Smith saw God the Father, and Jesus Christ, was commissioned by them to restore the True Church of God, and to bring back the Priesthood. That this day, and this time we have a living prophet, who is called of God to guide this Church.
I teach people how to know for themselves the truthfullness of what I teach. I show them the way to the Living Waters, to the gates of Eternal Life. I teach people who have never prayed in their life how to commune with God, I tell them to ask for themselves whether I speak the truth or not. I give them the Book of Mormon, a book containing many of the truths of God, a book through which we can learn of our Father in Heaven and be able to feel his love. I take them to church, to see one of the most simplest ordinances performed in the church, the Sacrament, I tell them of Baptism, the way by which they can recieve a remission of their sins. I tell them the commandments of God and show them how they can be cleansed from sin and obtain true happiness in this life, and a pure hope of eternal life in the next.
That is what I do as a missionary. I talk to people and tell them the truths that I hold. I share with them the love that I have felt from God and desire for them to have that same peace and happiness. I love my duty, my responsibility. I do wish I were better at it. I wish more people would open their hearts to what I have to say, would listen to the words of God. But I am simply a messenger, trying to tell all the way to God. As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can`t make him drink.
With all my heart I invite everyone to try this. Dip your ladle into the Living Waters, and take a sip. Say a prayer to God, and ask him yourselves, open the book of Mormon and read a page, Go to Church and see us worship our God in Heaven. I know it`s true, and I can promise you that if you try these things, and truly seek to know for yourselves, you can.
I love you all, and I wish only for the best for all people. I bear testimony, that this work is true, that This is truly God`s Church. I know that Joseph Smith restored this Church, that Thomas S. Monson is the current Prophet of God. I know Christ is my savior, my redeemer and that he loves me and each and everyone of you. I write these things, in his Name, Jesus Christ. Amen
WIth much Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
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