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