What a sweet scripture to think about....Simple yet so profound and Randy couldn't have explained it any better...
Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, Friends
Hello Monday!
Let`s see, it snowed last week monday, so I was freezing cold. Tuesday I went to Akashi and had Zone conference. That night, English class was basically me spending time trying to keep control of the class because we had a schiztophrenic lady that kept interupting me all the time while I was trying to teach. Phew... that was long and annoying. Wednesday...... We taught a couple Less active members.... Thursday I rode my bike to Himeji for Companionship Exchanges. That was over an hour and a half of riding our bikes. Friday we rode back, and that was another hour and a half, plus we rode to the other side of our area which added another half hour of bike riding. Saturday was just a regular day of Dendo, nothing interesting happened at all. Sunday was another day of church, and that all went well.
I guess all I`m saying is that, my week was just another week. Nothing at all interesting happened this week. Lots of walking, lots of bike riding and lots of talking. That`s all.
O no.... This letter is short. Ummmm.... Yea I have no filler. I just realized how boring my week was.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
Well..... I`ll share something simple, and a little entertaining I guess. Here is the shortest scripture in all of the Scriptures
"Jesus Wept."
Two beautiful words in my opinion. Jesus wept! But why? Because his friend, Lazerus had died. Then comes the next verse "Then said the Jews: Behold! How he loved him!"
Jesus Loves everyone. He has wept for you and me. He has shed for each of us his own precious blood that we might not have to suffer. He has prayed for each of us, that we might find the peace and joy that he has to offer us.
So, "Jesus Wept!"
The perfect man, wept.
I share this with Love, in his sacred name. Amen
Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
An Eternal Perspective
Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, Friends
Another beautiful week passes by in Japan.
Step by step we go
Day by Day we grow
Some Days Shine
While others Die
Some moments so Sublime
Yet others so Malign
Step by Step we go
Day by Day we Grow
Then one moment Comes
In Distant Future`s Time
When Age has come
And years past by
When life`s memories
Flash throughout the mind
Yet all we know
All we hear
And All we see
Are Sweeter Times
Are Sweeter Joys
All pain and sorrow gone
And in their place
Is Peace and Joy
It`s truly been a beautiful week, filled with great prayers, and greater sermons. Even if it felt so uneventful throughout the week, even though during the week it felt normal, now as I look back I realize how great it was.
Monday, I just wrote letters to Adam and Whitney. Then we went and visited a less active. Matt Fugal from American Fork Utah. Tuesday we had Eikaiwa, Which was fun, being able to testify about God and how he loves all of us. Wednesday and Thursday nothing really special happened at all. Friday we went to Akashi and had a Valentine`s dance party with all the YSA in the neighboring areas, and a few from Hiroshima Mission that traveled over 4 HOURS to come. By the way I didn`t dance with any girls. ALthough I did do the Chicken Dance with my companion. That was utterly hilarious. He had no idea what was going on, or what to do.
On Saturday Elder Cook of the Quorom of the Twelve came and visited us for a Mission Conference. I realized how much Love there is within the Quorom of the Twelve, how well they know each other. I also could feel strongly from that experience how much love they have for every member of the church, and especially for missionaries. It was an amazing experience, and I`m so glad I was able to participate. I also LOVE singing hymns, they are one of the greatest ways to bring the Spirit. I remember at the end of Mission Conference as we sang "I know that my Redeemer Lives" in Japanese, how strongly I could feelt he Spirit Testifying to me those same words.
Sunday we had a wonderful day at church. I got to go into primary and testify to a little 6 year old boy about the Savior. A wonderful experience. I`m loving this work, and I can`t think of anywhere else that I would want to be than here.
Elder Tateishi`s Message of the Week
Eternal Families.
Big words in my opinion. Eternal: lasting forever, continuing forever, never ending, without end. Family: A place of love, a place where we can have the greatest joys in the world. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it is our ultimate goal. That Eternal Family, or in my words Eternal Joy.
My greatest goal in life, is to be the perfect Husband and Father. The thing I want the most for my future children is a perfect Father. The thing I want most for my wife is a perfect Husband. Big goals I know, and one that I`m working towards slowly but surely.
Now, what am I talking about? I don`t know.
The world today is filled with filth, with so many things that destroy the family. I hear of so many couples being divorced and so many children wandering astray down forbidden paths. I see families torn down and brought to destruction and ruin. I see how much pain there is in the world because of this, and Japan is no exception to it. It saddens me to see the family destroyed. To see the greatest source of Joy that we can have in this world torn down.
I know that there is one sure way to defend our families. The Gospel, The living prophets, the scriptures, prayer. When, as a family we are sealed in the Temple of God for all Eternity we must recognize that goal! We must remember it always in our heart. We must also remember that we cannot do it on our own. We shoot for an Eternal FAMILY, not an eternal ME. When built upon the firm foundation of Christ, looking forward with an of faith, a family that is bound together will not fall. Husbands and Wives support each other and raise their Children. Children learn from the parents, but also support their parents. Brothers and Sisters watch out for each other and talk to each other.
Yes I know I`m talking about a perfect family. I know that no family is perfect. But we can try, and we can succeed so long as we all look to to God for help. In the Book of Mormon when King Benjamin adressed his people it is written, that all of the people were camped around the temple, each with his own family, the door of their tent pitched towards the temple so they might here the words of the Prophet while they dwelt within their tents. Can we not do that today? Isn`t it MUCH easier today than it was back then. Twice a year we can hear the words of the prophets through TV, Every Month we can read their words in magazines, every week we can study their words at church, and every day we can read from the words of ancient prophets.
Follow the prophets and you will NEVER be lead astray. We can learn what to protect our familes from, we can learn how to make our familes stronger. We can teach our children principles of righteousness and love. There is a way to have that perfect family, but it takes work, and it takes effort.
I`m but a 20 year old boy. I`m no father, nor am I a Husband. But I will be one day, and I look to my own parents to find a basis for what I want my family to be like. I look to my Father in Heaven as the perfect example of a father to us all. One who loves us with all his heart. When I become a father and a husband, I plan to spend many hours on my knees seeking his counsel, I plan on listening and searching for that counsel within the words of Modern and Ancient Prophets. I know I can find what I need there.
I love you all, even those I`ve never met. And I know that our Father in Heaven loves you even more than me, or anyone else upon this earth. I bear witness of this, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
With Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Best is Yet to Come...
Randy is plugging away...we are T-minus 11 months till he is home and I can't wait...Although, I am not aloud to mention that fact in any emails I send to him...He wants to enjoy and be in the moment where he is. Things are going well and pretty much un-eventful....which is good...
Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, and Friends
To quote Elder Holland: "The best is yet to come!"
And so it is. Everyday brings new adventure and new life. When one strives to follow the right course, Everday is better than the last. and so "the best is yet to come."
It`s been another beautiful week here in Japan. The sun is shining, the weather is warming up and Spring is just around the corner, I can feel it coming.
Monday we went to a nearby Bhuddist temple and looked around, twas pretty cool. I love the architecture here, and I want my house to have a Japanese style exterior, of course the inside will be more American because Japanese houses are TINY! Tuesday was a wonderful day, English class went well. There were 9 people that came last week, when usually there are only 4. It caught me off guard and I wasn`t prepared for so many people! I was interviewing people, finding out how good their English was and what more they wanted to learn. Barely got half of them done. But they all had fun talking to each other.
Wednesday and thursday we didn`t have anything to special, but we still had fun. Friday we went to Himeji and had District Meeting, nothing exciting there, except we went to a Brazilian all you can eat buffet. Just like "Made in Brazil" down in St. George. Wasn`t nearly as good, but it was still good to have some nice tasty meat. Meat is WAY too expensive in Japan. Then Friday night we met with one of our Investigators, Bruce, I ended up dropping him as an investigator because he really only had interest in English. It was kind of sad. I HATE dropping investigators, because I don`t want to give up on them, but I know I have to because we don`t have the time to work with people that aren`t even going to try. I did give him one finally testimony though.
Saturday was nothing special either, except we went to Akashi and played Basketball again. I SUCK! Yea, I`m really horrible at basketball, but it was fun and some good excercise.
Sunday was a beautiful day. I had an amazing fast, filled with the Spirit and filled with Love. I heard some wonderful testimonies given at church and I was able to bear a wonderful testimony as well. It`s amazing how easily things flow from your tongue when guided by the Spirit. We had a wonderful Gospel Principles class taught by the Ward Mission Leader. All in all it was just wonderful, despite the fact that I was sore from basketball, tired from not sleeping well the night before and exhausted from spending the whole day without eating. By the time I got home I almost crashed as soon as I finished eating I was so tired. But the thing was, I was satisfied. Certain that I had done my best.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
Belief
Hope
Faith
Ether 12:4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
Belief, Hope, Faith. All intertwined but all different. So close, yet still seperate. We must first belief, must believe that God Exists, that he is our father, that he loves us. Then we must hope, hope that the world to come will be better than the world we have now, that the future will present us with something better. Then we must have Faith, have faith in God, and take those steps forward to follow him. Belief and Hope reside in the mind, Faith is action. Belief and Hope build Faith.
Faith points to the future, it always looks forward, it always WORKS forward. Faith is action, is acting upon belief, doing what we believe God wants us to do, Faith is folloing the commands of God and ever seeking to do what is right, just, and good. Faith leads us to progression, Faith is climbing the stairway that leads to Heaven. Through Faith we gain a greater Hope, we see that our Faith is getting us somewhere, that our Faith is leading us to glory and exaltation, and we learn that we can Hope for even better. Then our Belief, turns into Knowledge, for we know that the stairway we climb is one of righteousness, is the one that God has built for us.
Belief, Hope, Faith. Light in the darkest night, Anchor against the mighty storm, A Firm foundation against the greatest of eathquakes.
Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build (Belief, Hope, Faith) your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
Got Faith?
In the name of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, and Friends
To quote Elder Holland: "The best is yet to come!"
And so it is. Everyday brings new adventure and new life. When one strives to follow the right course, Everday is better than the last. and so "the best is yet to come."
It`s been another beautiful week here in Japan. The sun is shining, the weather is warming up and Spring is just around the corner, I can feel it coming.
Monday we went to a nearby Bhuddist temple and looked around, twas pretty cool. I love the architecture here, and I want my house to have a Japanese style exterior, of course the inside will be more American because Japanese houses are TINY! Tuesday was a wonderful day, English class went well. There were 9 people that came last week, when usually there are only 4. It caught me off guard and I wasn`t prepared for so many people! I was interviewing people, finding out how good their English was and what more they wanted to learn. Barely got half of them done. But they all had fun talking to each other.
Wednesday and thursday we didn`t have anything to special, but we still had fun. Friday we went to Himeji and had District Meeting, nothing exciting there, except we went to a Brazilian all you can eat buffet. Just like "Made in Brazil" down in St. George. Wasn`t nearly as good, but it was still good to have some nice tasty meat. Meat is WAY too expensive in Japan. Then Friday night we met with one of our Investigators, Bruce, I ended up dropping him as an investigator because he really only had interest in English. It was kind of sad. I HATE dropping investigators, because I don`t want to give up on them, but I know I have to because we don`t have the time to work with people that aren`t even going to try. I did give him one finally testimony though.
Saturday was nothing special either, except we went to Akashi and played Basketball again. I SUCK! Yea, I`m really horrible at basketball, but it was fun and some good excercise.
Sunday was a beautiful day. I had an amazing fast, filled with the Spirit and filled with Love. I heard some wonderful testimonies given at church and I was able to bear a wonderful testimony as well. It`s amazing how easily things flow from your tongue when guided by the Spirit. We had a wonderful Gospel Principles class taught by the Ward Mission Leader. All in all it was just wonderful, despite the fact that I was sore from basketball, tired from not sleeping well the night before and exhausted from spending the whole day without eating. By the time I got home I almost crashed as soon as I finished eating I was so tired. But the thing was, I was satisfied. Certain that I had done my best.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
Belief
Hope
Faith
Ether 12:4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
Belief, Hope, Faith. All intertwined but all different. So close, yet still seperate. We must first belief, must believe that God Exists, that he is our father, that he loves us. Then we must hope, hope that the world to come will be better than the world we have now, that the future will present us with something better. Then we must have Faith, have faith in God, and take those steps forward to follow him. Belief and Hope reside in the mind, Faith is action. Belief and Hope build Faith.
Faith points to the future, it always looks forward, it always WORKS forward. Faith is action, is acting upon belief, doing what we believe God wants us to do, Faith is folloing the commands of God and ever seeking to do what is right, just, and good. Faith leads us to progression, Faith is climbing the stairway that leads to Heaven. Through Faith we gain a greater Hope, we see that our Faith is getting us somewhere, that our Faith is leading us to glory and exaltation, and we learn that we can Hope for even better. Then our Belief, turns into Knowledge, for we know that the stairway we climb is one of righteousness, is the one that God has built for us.
Belief, Hope, Faith. Light in the darkest night, Anchor against the mighty storm, A Firm foundation against the greatest of eathquakes.
Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build (Belief, Hope, Faith) your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
Got Faith?
In the name of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
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