Sigh.....change....

I feel for Randy and his last change in his mission. I know in his heart he wanted to stay in the same ward he had been in for the past 8 months. Difficult as it may be for him to move on, at least he will be with old friends in his first area he served in Japan. We are now getting so much closer to Randy coming home and lots of feelings are happening in my heart. I'm so excited to be able to see and talk with him again, yet I know that the growth he has experienced has amazed myself and I'm sure himself. It is a hard thing, change...yes it is. But we all know that it is for our own good that things happen and the willingness he has to go where the Lord would have him go is a blessing...


Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, and Friends

Well! I got transfer calls today, and to my surprise and great mix of sorrow and joy I am being transfered. I can say that this will be the hardest move I`ve ever made on my mission, but also the easiest. Yea I know I`m talking in paradoxes but the reason why is that I am leave an area that I have lived in for 8 months, that I Love with all my heart and I love the people. I don`t want to leave this all behind, and I don`t want to have to say goodbye. On the bright side, I am going back to my first area. Back to Fushimi, which is a place that I had wanted to return to for a long time and I`m excited to go see those people again, and actually be able to talk with them.

Ummmm..... Let`s seeeeee... I`ll just give you the one highlight from my extremely busy week and that highlight was Sunday.

One of our less actives had committed to come to church. So as sacrament meeting started I sat in the back waiting, praying, and hoping that she would come. But she didn`t, I was devestated and extremely disappointed. I was actually really sad. As I took the sacrament I was praying really hard. I was hoping that something would happen, and then to my surprise, an old man walked in that I recognized. Someone I had met 3 months ago at church. Sugita, a referal from a ward member, had decided to come to church completely unanounced. He didn`t even let the member know that he was coming. When I saw him I almost leaped for joy. I was so excited for him as he came and as we sat and talked. He had many questions and many thoughts. He was still looking for peace of mind and heart, and he even said that he was going to try and do his best to take work off on Sunday`s so that he can come to church. It was a miracle!

Yea, I know that this email is short. I love you all and all I want to say is that I Love the Lord! These 8 months that I have spent in Kawachinagano have been the most grueling, the most difficult, the most painful, the most sorrowful, the most joyful, the most exciting, the must fun, the rewarding, the most growth, and the best 8 months of my mission. I love this place, I love these people. There is no other place in the world that I would rather be right now than where I am right now. This is where the Lord has called me to be, this is where he`s asked me to go. As I have loved him, and trusted him he has taught me so much. He has given me more than I could ever even hope to repay. "The Lord is my Light! Than why should I fear?" The Lord is my all, he is my Saviour, he is my Redeemer, and my heart is drawn out to sing endless praises unto his name. Words cannot describe what it is that I feel inside. No melody can match the glorious tune of my heart. May the Spirit of God testify to your hearts even just a hundredth portion of what is is mine. I love you all and I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

With Much Love,

Elder Randall KK Tateishi