Sweet and Simple

Amazing how testimony grows when you are on a mission. Such a sweet and simple lesson on the Book of Mormon. Again, he is such a loving young man and when he comes home he will make some girl very happy. At the very least he will keep her laughing with his mission stories.

Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, and Friends Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.............
I`m still in Kawachinagano, for my third transfer............... and my fourth companion in the area. Yes, I have switched companions yet again. I am now with the amazing Elder Cloward from Kaysville Utah. He is the youngest companion I have ever had, only second transfer...well barely even second transfer. He`s only been in Japan for 5 weeks. His Japanese is pretty good for being only second transfer.... but then again I can`t remember how horrible or how good I was when I was second transfer. I just remember my companion doing everything becauseI never had any idea what was going on. In any case he is awesome, and we are going to have an awesome transfer here in Kawachinagano.

So as for my week. Tuesday we got transfer calls and Elder Hart jus tpacked up all day. We then ate dinner, all you can eat shabushabu (I`m not even sure how to explain this), with some members. It was delicious and I was absolutely stuffed. Wednesday was more packing and visiting a few people before we had Eikaiwa. Not very many people showed up this week though which was very sad. Then Thursday rolled around and me and Elder Hart parted ways, he headed off to Okayama West to be a zone leader and I waited for my new companion. While waiting for my new companion had a good long talk with a random person on the street, that didn`t really go over to well, but was good nonetheless. I then met my companion and we turned around and headed home. We got home, ate a quick lunch before we headed off to go visit a whole bunch of less active familes, ended upgetting invited to dinner for sunday night, and then just came home and did some planning.

Friday was another good day, we did more planning, a little bit of Dendo and then went with another member home teaching. Got some banan abread out of that one. It was way cool, the member was awesome and way nice. I learned a lot more about Japanese culture too.

Saturday we went to go stop by an investigator`s house, but she wasn`t home, so instead we said hi to a member that lived right next door, then we ended up going to the church with him and found out that they were having a primary activity. We then got invited to lunch by a family, which worked out perfectly because we really didn`t have anything to eat in the apartment other than rice. Had lots of fun with them, they gave us some food to make for dinner and everything. It`s kind of like what Christ told his disciples, "go out and don`t tak eany money or extra clothing or food with you, I`ll provide for you." We then tried to dendo in the rain, which didn`t work out to well, so we ended up visiting a less-active before we came home for dinner and the rest of the night.

Sunday was just plain awesome. We had a missionary from the Sendai mission return home and he bore his testimony and we all had a grea ttime at church with the members. After church we tried to dendo but the zone leaders called us and told us to go home and stay in the apartment because it was a typhoon. It wasn`t raining all that bad ,but we still went back to the apartment. I studied, and had an awesome study experience, full of the Spirit. Then we went to a members house for dinner, shared a quick message, and rushed home, 30 min. late. xDBut the Zone Leaders forgave us.

That was my week, it was awesome and I`m loving this transferalready. Everthing is going amazingly and we are going to see miracles this transfer! Although, tomorrow I`m going up to Kobe, for some special training on how to be a trainer. By the way, it`s now rain season, and it`s raining like crazy.

Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week

This week I feel impressed to talk about the Book of Mormon. I think it might be because that was what my major spiritual experience was yesterday. Anyway, I`ll first start by explaining the Book of Mormon for those who do not know what it is. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we believe that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and also the Holy Bible as far as it is translated correctly. We believe in the Holy Bible and all of the truths that are contained within. We believe in the great testimony that it gives of God the Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ.

But we have been given another Testimony, another witness to go alongside the Bible, and that is the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is a collection of writings of ancient prophets that lived from around the destruction of Jerusalem to about 400 years after Christ was born. But these prophets all lived upon the American Continents. They taught of Christ and his great mercy and his love. They testified of God and his great plan. From their teachings we can gain a full and clear explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, of the Plan of Salvation, the Plan that God has laid out for us, and know all that is necessary for the salvation of our souls.

The purpose of the Book of Mormon is just that. It is there for us to gain a clear and unobstructed view of God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost. To teach us the truth about God and all that he has planned for us. It is there for us as a witness of Christ, that we might know that he lived, and still lives, as our Saviour, our Redeemer and the only begotten Son of God. That through him, and only him, we might obtain eternal life and eternal happiness.

It warns us of the consequences of sin and gives us hope for the life after as we strive to follow its teachings. The Prophet Joseph Smith said that "The Book of Mormon is the mos tcorrect of any book upon the earth, and that through it a man might draw closer to God."

I stand as a witness to that. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I felt its power as I have read from its pages. I have tasted of its goodness and have seen its fruits. When I read from it the other day, I felt within my heart that it was true. As I read it every day, and strive to learn from it, to follow its teachings I grow closer to God. It is the Keystone to our religion. It is what testifies that this church is true, it is what shows us the way to Eternal Life.

Great Joy comes as we read, and learn from Book of Mormon. I know that God lives, because of the Book of Mormon. I know that Christ is my saviour, because of the Book of Mormon. I know that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet, Because of the Book of Mormon. I bear witness of this, in the name of my Saviour, and my Redeemer, even Jesus Christ. Amen.

Sincerely, Elder Randall KK Tateishi