Mother's Day ever....I just love the calls that we, as mother's, get to make to our Missionaries. What a treat it is to speak to our sons or daughters about their missions, how they are doing, and just basically hearing their voice. I am down to 7 more months, or 7 more Fast Sundays, or one more call or...well sooner than later Randy will be home. How grateful I am for the little things he brings to my life, the joy, the laughter, the love....
Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sister"S", Family, and Friends
This Email will be very quick simply because, well I just talked to
everyone about an hour ago. XD.
HAPPY MOTHER`S DAY!!! Because It`s still Mother`s day in America.
Anyway, update for this week, my companion is awesome, loves to beat
box play skateboard and is just all around goofy. Makes me laugh all
the time. He`s like a typical Polynesian, laid back and always late. I
always have to start pushing him about 30 min. before so we can get
out the door no later than 10 min. late. x.x
Some of those pictures include, A delicious steak from Japan. It
wasn`t Kobe beef but it was possibly the most delicious steak I`ve
ever had. It practically melted in my mouth it was sooooo delicious.
The only problem was that it was also the fatiest and most greasey
steak I`ve ever eaten. Didn`t settle too well with my stomach after.
After that is a little Toy gun we saw in a dollar store. It`s for
Misty. And then there is Alma Motors, who is a member and his first
name is Alma.
No real highlights to tell this week. Elder Hart taught me how to do
an ollie on a skateboard. Took me about 30 min. to learn how. We
managed to talk to a few people while we were skateboarding. Lol. Yes
we are very strange missionaries.
I guess the greatest highlight was when we were out
dendoing(tracting) near a christian high school and stopped 4 high
school kids. It was really great. They go to a christian school but
they don`t neccessarily know very much about christianity. We taught
them about how Christ died for our sins and how his true church was
restored. It went on for about 30 min. and one of them even said "wow,
this feels good" and another was saying "There really is a religion
like that?" And all of them were listening intently as we taught and
testified, hopefully some of them will come to church next week
Sunday.
Life has been moving on very well of late. I`m still trying to work
harder. Working everyday to just be a little bit better. It really is
hard to be a missionary. I just keep thinking of a song that Elder
Hart has been playing lately, "It isn`t easy being a missionary."
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the week
So, Mother has requested that I talk about service, about serving
others. Which in an instant brings to mind a thousand different
scriptures that I could share.
Service, brings joy and blessings into the lives of those who it
helps. It is very simple to understand that when one recieves a
helping hand or a comforting gesture that it blesses that person`s
life.
I remember when I was a young missionary I remember the simple
encouraging words of a recent Convert as I struggled to explain in a
language I hardly knew about a Gospel principle. I stumbled over and
over again before I just gave up. When I gave up he looked at me with
a caring look on his face and said "Just try." His english was
horrible, but he could say that much. That meant a lot to me in that
moment of weakness. Just try.
Service brings some of the greatest joys that we can find. Many tiems
we hear people say "The look in their eyes made it all worth it" or
"The smile on their face was worth the effort." Service in and of
itself is a reward. No matter how small it is, it is well worth the
effort.
Recently a Member`s mother passed away. We had actually scheduled to
meet with her but she had to cancel because her mother had entered
into the hospital and left town to go visit her. We didn`t know her
mother had passed away for a little while but as soon as we did, me
and Elder Young wrote a little card for her telling her that we love
her, and that we would pray for her and her mother. When we finally
did get a chance to eat lunch with her we prepared a simple message
for her and sang a hymn: "Nearer my God to Thee." It really touched
her and helped her. At fast and testimony this month she stood and
bore her testimony thanking us for being there and comforting her. As
she spook I felt joy in my heart knowing that I had helped this woman
in her difficult time.
There is a scripture in the New Testament, I can`t recall exactly
where it is, but it goes like this: "When I was an hungered, you fed
me, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, when I was naked you clothed
me, when I was in prison you visited me." These are the words Christ
spoke, to those who will truly be accepted into heaven. For he said
"For what you have done unto the least of these my brethren, even so
have you done unto me." When we help even the most pitiful of persons
we are extending a helping arm to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
It is written: "Every Soul is precious in the eyes of God." The poor
as well as the rich, the prideful as well as the humble, the wicked as
well as the righteous. And so first amongst all the commandments of
God is to "love thy neighbor as thyself." There are thousands of
examples of this that could be listed, many are from Christ as he
reached out to heal the sick, or comfort the afflicted. Many stories
are listed in the Old Testament, the New Testament, The Book of
Mormon, and even more are told by Modern day Apostles and Prophets.
Service is a main attribute of a true Saint. In the scriptures it is
written: "If you don`t have charity you are nothing!" True Saints
extend loving hands to all those around them, no matter who they are.
True Saints Love the Lord and Love their Neighbors.
There are many that ask and complain "Why is there so much violence
and bad things in the world?" My first answer to them, is "What are
you doing about it?" In the words of Micheal Jackson: "If you want to
make the world a better place, you better start with the man in the
mirrior." (Sorry, not sure of the exact quote.) As we all reach out to
touch the lives of those around us, we will inspire others to do the
same. As we love those around us we can dampen the affects of cruelty
and hatred within the world.
I testify to you all that as we strive to love those around us, as we
seek to do as the Saviour did, not only will we help to change the
hearts of those around us, but in the process our own hearts will
change. We will become better people, and we will be able to walk mor
uprightly and righteously before God. I love you all, and wish all of
you well. I share these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
With much Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
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