Dear Mother, Father, Sisters, Brothers, Family, and Friends
Well, this week has been hectic and fun. Just everything not working out the way I thought it would, plus my birthday and a load of surprises along with that.
Monday, was just absolutely crazy. We went the department store to buy a new washing machine, found one and called the mission office to get the money put on our cards so that we could buy it. They said they`d get it to us ASAP, well a few hours later of waiting and calling them again, they told us it would be a couple days before they could get back to us. By that time our P-day was over and so we just had to go out and work without getting anything else done.
Everything was pretty normal up until thursday night when we went to a member`s house for dinner. He fed us to the point where we were about to explode, bought me a very expensive wallet for my birthday and then still had more food for us to eat, but we couldn`t fit anything else into our already overpacked stomachs. But time was up and we had to rush back to our apartment to make it on time for Curfew.
Friday was just another friday but saturday was when everything started to pick up.
Saturday was my birthday and so I`m now 21 years old, and despite all my attempts on Saturday to avoid the Happy Birthday Song and lots of attention being drawn to me, I was foiled time and time again. The biggest of which was a member lunch that we had been invited to. Brother Mercado, an immigrant from Peru made us lunch and it was way delicious. As we finished up lunch and he was putting away the dishes and talking to his little boy when I heard the words "Birthday Cake." Then out of the kitchen he came with a birthday cake and him and his family and my companion sang for me. The biggest surprise was that the way he had found out about my birthday was because Mom looked him up and added him on facebook, and then he looked at my profile and saw that it was my birthday, and thus prepared for me. It was a very wonderful surprise and very welcomed.
The next surprise came that night at the Christmas Music night that we had, well after at least. During the program I was the announcer so I made absolute sure that my Birthday was not announced at all, but afterwards as almost all of the members were sitting around talking and we were talking to a few less actives my companion gathered everyone and they sang happy birthday for me. It was the beautiful Happy Birthday song I have EVER heard, and I`m serious to, they were all in perfect tune. It was almost like listening to a choir. They also bought me pizza from pizza hut.
Those were my birthday surprises, and Sunday was wonderful as well, we had 3 investigators at church and had some awesome lessons. Everything seemed to just work out and we had a great time with the YSA and Youth at the ward Family Home Evening activity, where 2 of our investigators came.
All in all it was a great week with loads of fun.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the week
3 Nephi 13:30ish "For your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things."
This week has been a very wonderful, but quiet and simple week, as I was really able to feel the truthfullness of this scriptures. God as our loving Heavenly Father knows all the things that we need. He knows what will make us happy, what will comfort us and what will be best for us. I feel as if God celebrated my Birthday along with many other people, that he reached down from heaven as if to say that he knows who I am and to wish me a happy birthday.
I`m far away from home, many thousands of miles away and speaking a language that is compeletely foreign and strange. To be honest it does at time feel lonely and sad. Yet this far away from home I can still feel the radiant Love of God and his many blessings. It was a miracle that Brother Mercado knew about my birthday, as I do not know how my Mother would have known that he was in my ward at all. That small gift, that sweet and tender moment wwas very powerful for me.
Also, in this work as a missionary, times have been tough and when things seemed to not be going so well I came across this scripture. Almost immediately I felt that everything would be all right and everything would turn out good. Then on Sunday we had huge success with our investigators coming to church and we have been recieving many referrals of late. God knows what we need to do his work, he knows what we need to achieve what he wants us to do.
I testify that God loves each and every one of us. That he knows us by name and by face, by voice and by action. He knows what we need, he knows what will bring us the greatest joy and he strives to use all of his infinite power to bring to pass our Eternal Salvation and Happiness. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
With much Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
No comments:
Post a Comment