Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, and Friends
Ok! Well, it`s another week. Ummmm.... Where do I start? Monday was hectic, ran around getting a new washer and were barely able to have it delivered in time before we had an appointment to go eat at an all you can eat pizza restuarant with a less active high school kid. So that was a little crazy. Tuesday we had all you can eat at a members house, and wednesday I skipped lunch because I was stuffed and decided that I didn`t need to eat for another month because I was over fed. Thursday me and Elder Perry from Joyo area worked together and lots of fun running around and visiting members. Friday me and Elder Toyosato spent the day planning and had only a little time for Dendo. Saturday I was absolutely destroyed in a game of Table Tennis by a 15 year old girl and then obliterated in a game of Shogi (Japanese chess) by a man in a wheel chair. Sunday I ran around like a chiken with its head cut off trying to work out lessons and Splits in order to teach two teenage girls and get one extremely shy investigator to the christmas devotional. So that was my week in a nut shell. Pretty hectic but really good.
To go into more detail about Sunday we had two of our investigators at church, both of them are teenage girls. One is the daughter of a less-active couple and the other is the girlfriend of one of the YSA that is preparing to leave on a mission next year. Both of them get along really well and act as if they have been members their whole lives and have instantly created great friendships within the ward. When we taught them after church we had to do splits and so I taught the member`s girlfriend which was way fun and way surprising. She told me flat out that as she hears the lessons she doesn`t want her boyfriend to be there. She also had the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Bible on her Iphone before she had ever come to church. I was sitting in utter amazement and my Member companion was just saying "Kids these days are so different." Then our extremely shy investigator came to the Christmas Devotional and actually talked with the members and was very open and had a good time. It was just a miraculous day yesterday and full of surprises.
Not sure what it is I need to write this week, other than everything is going to get even more hectic this week as my companion prepares to return home to Okinawa. We have to get all of his stuff packed up and sent off before Sunday and then Sunday night we have to head of to the Mission home in order to get him home by Sunday. Things just keep getting busier and busier, which just makes time move faster and faster.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
D&C 25:12 "The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me."
Singing hymns or songs of praise is a wonderful way to invite the spirit. The Lord has caused that many hymns should be written and he himself enjoys those beautiful melodies and lyrics that are sung. Songs can bring comfort, peace, love, and Joy both to those that sing and those that hear.
A few years ago as I was travelling about with my High School Choir for Christmas we sung in a Hospital Lobby as worried parents, friends, spouses, children and patience scurried in and out. I always remember one little boy, who was rolled up in a wheel chair and hooked up to an IV bag, he was hairless and his skin was pale and his body frail. He asked us to sing one of his favorite christmas melodies. As we sang through that song again I remember seeing him smile and his parents, standing behind his wheel chair cry, moved with emotion. I felt the joy that comes from sharing the love of Christmas through singing as I saw his family obtain just a small little piece of joy on that day.
With much love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Sometimes, the Lord knows exactly what you need....
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
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
Monday, November 28, 2011
It's almost the end....but a future to look towards...
Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, and Friends
Well, another crazy week flies by like lightning. Not sure what to write. Things just never work out as planned anymore. Makes planning seem almost pointless to me now since we never manage to get even half of the plan done ever. Quite entertaining but at the same time quite a nuisance.
Let`s see... What I remember the most from this week is being absolutely exhausted every single day. Not sure why but I`m constantly tired. We did have a few good lessons though. On Tuesday we met with Okuda Yuta, the investigator that I had found over a year and a half ago, and talked to him and asked him a lot of questions trying to find out what he`s thinking. It was way fun and way cool to get him to open up and tell us that why he didn`t want to get baptized was simply because he didn`t even believe in God yet, and he didn`t want to get baptized if he isn`t going to stay in the church or have a firm testimony. So now we know how to work with him.
Other than that we had a lesson with another investigator a few times that just liked to talk a lot. Kind of gets frustrating when people don`t focus or don`t let you continue on with what your trying to say. Guess it just means I`m supposed to learn a lot of patience.
We also had Zone Conference, which was way fun, got to see a few good friends and learn really cool things from President Zinke. Also was taught about how to stay healthy and told not to mentally criticize myself by the Asia North Area Missionary Health Advisor Missionaries peoples.
After that I beat my companion, Elder Toyosato in a game of Shogi (Japanese Chess) and his rear bike wheel is falling apart. He`s way funny and way chill about what`s going on, but we`re both wondering why that at the very end of his mission when he wants to work hard his bike breaks, his health gets worse, and other things just get in the way of him working. Poor guy, I love him to death, but long hours waiting in front of the bathroom also make me very tired.
Not sure what else to type. I want to go out site seeing but, between my companions broken bike, and our broken washing machine we don`t have all that much time. Hopefully next week we`ll be able to start seeing some cool stuff.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
As we visited a family last night I asked them a question "What has been the greatest blessing that hs come from knowing the Gospel?" As I thought about that question for myself, and how I would answer it myself I came up with a very simple answer: "My Future"
Being raised in the Gospel has always been a great blessing to me. The Gospel has always blessed my life and my family as I learned righteous morals and ideals. It has given me many strong and valiant friends and shown me many great examples of righteous people. The scriptures opened my mind to the truth, and the Holy Ghost has testified to me of it all. I have been comforted by the Comforter, I have been forgiven of my sins, and I have seen many miracles performed before me. Those blessings are all wonderful and amazing to me, but still not the greatest blessing to me.
My Future has been the greatest blessing to me. As I look back to where I was 2 years ago, before I truly knew the Gospel was true and before I truly learned to repent and rely upon God and upon my Savior, I can see exactly where my life would have led. I can see that I would have little hope for the future if any at all. I would have lived and then I would have died, with no success no true happiness, nor joy. Yet Now I can look forward and see what lies ahead. I can see that in my future there is of course trials and tribulations but far more than that there is Happiness and Joy indescribable. I can picture easily in my minds eye my future family filled with the joy of the gospel. I have that hope that I can live together forever with my family. I can look forward, past the here and now, past the current trial or the current tribulation and understand that the "Best is yet to Come" (Elder Holland).
"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." (Ether 12:4)
Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
With Much Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
Well, another crazy week flies by like lightning. Not sure what to write. Things just never work out as planned anymore. Makes planning seem almost pointless to me now since we never manage to get even half of the plan done ever. Quite entertaining but at the same time quite a nuisance.
Let`s see... What I remember the most from this week is being absolutely exhausted every single day. Not sure why but I`m constantly tired. We did have a few good lessons though. On Tuesday we met with Okuda Yuta, the investigator that I had found over a year and a half ago, and talked to him and asked him a lot of questions trying to find out what he`s thinking. It was way fun and way cool to get him to open up and tell us that why he didn`t want to get baptized was simply because he didn`t even believe in God yet, and he didn`t want to get baptized if he isn`t going to stay in the church or have a firm testimony. So now we know how to work with him.
Other than that we had a lesson with another investigator a few times that just liked to talk a lot. Kind of gets frustrating when people don`t focus or don`t let you continue on with what your trying to say. Guess it just means I`m supposed to learn a lot of patience.
We also had Zone Conference, which was way fun, got to see a few good friends and learn really cool things from President Zinke. Also was taught about how to stay healthy and told not to mentally criticize myself by the Asia North Area Missionary Health Advisor Missionaries peoples.
After that I beat my companion, Elder Toyosato in a game of Shogi (Japanese Chess) and his rear bike wheel is falling apart. He`s way funny and way chill about what`s going on, but we`re both wondering why that at the very end of his mission when he wants to work hard his bike breaks, his health gets worse, and other things just get in the way of him working. Poor guy, I love him to death, but long hours waiting in front of the bathroom also make me very tired.
Not sure what else to type. I want to go out site seeing but, between my companions broken bike, and our broken washing machine we don`t have all that much time. Hopefully next week we`ll be able to start seeing some cool stuff.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
As we visited a family last night I asked them a question "What has been the greatest blessing that hs come from knowing the Gospel?" As I thought about that question for myself, and how I would answer it myself I came up with a very simple answer: "My Future"
Being raised in the Gospel has always been a great blessing to me. The Gospel has always blessed my life and my family as I learned righteous morals and ideals. It has given me many strong and valiant friends and shown me many great examples of righteous people. The scriptures opened my mind to the truth, and the Holy Ghost has testified to me of it all. I have been comforted by the Comforter, I have been forgiven of my sins, and I have seen many miracles performed before me. Those blessings are all wonderful and amazing to me, but still not the greatest blessing to me.
My Future has been the greatest blessing to me. As I look back to where I was 2 years ago, before I truly knew the Gospel was true and before I truly learned to repent and rely upon God and upon my Savior, I can see exactly where my life would have led. I can see that I would have little hope for the future if any at all. I would have lived and then I would have died, with no success no true happiness, nor joy. Yet Now I can look forward and see what lies ahead. I can see that in my future there is of course trials and tribulations but far more than that there is Happiness and Joy indescribable. I can picture easily in my minds eye my future family filled with the joy of the gospel. I have that hope that I can live together forever with my family. I can look forward, past the here and now, past the current trial or the current tribulation and understand that the "Best is yet to Come" (Elder Holland).
"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." (Ether 12:4)
Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
With Much Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Quick note....
Dear Mother, Father, Sisters, Brothers, Family, and Friends
Well, I`m back in my first area, Fushimi. Everything is also going haywire. Lol, I love my life, full of excitement and adventure.
Let`s just say that I love Fushimi, 2 of my old investigators that I had when I was here over a year and a half ago are still around. 1 has been going to church constantly since I left, even sang at the stake conference on Sunday with the YSA. Everyone seems pretty excited to see me back and way surprised that I can actually speak Japanese now. It`s been loads of fun seeing everyone again and I`m excited to be working here again.
My companion is currently sick and we have spent all of Preperation Day in the apartment. He looks like he`s about to die still, but we came out just to let everyone know that we are still alive. His name is Elder Toyosato from Okinawa. He`s on his last stretch as a missionary and goes home on the 18th of December. He`s sick, so I spent my whole day watching some church videos at the apartment. Including the Joseph Smith Movie. Yea, our washer is also broken so we haven`t been able to wash clothes. Life is fun, full of adventure!
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
D&C101:16 "Be still and know that I am God."
Being still? Yep.....
Know that God is? Yep!
"Be still my soul, thy God doth undertake to guide the future as he has the past. Thy Hope, thy Confidence, let nothing shake. All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still my soul, the winds and waves still know his voice who ruled them while he dwelt below." (Hymn 124; "Be still my Soul.")
Amen.
Well, I`m back in my first area, Fushimi. Everything is also going haywire. Lol, I love my life, full of excitement and adventure.
Let`s just say that I love Fushimi, 2 of my old investigators that I had when I was here over a year and a half ago are still around. 1 has been going to church constantly since I left, even sang at the stake conference on Sunday with the YSA. Everyone seems pretty excited to see me back and way surprised that I can actually speak Japanese now. It`s been loads of fun seeing everyone again and I`m excited to be working here again.
My companion is currently sick and we have spent all of Preperation Day in the apartment. He looks like he`s about to die still, but we came out just to let everyone know that we are still alive. His name is Elder Toyosato from Okinawa. He`s on his last stretch as a missionary and goes home on the 18th of December. He`s sick, so I spent my whole day watching some church videos at the apartment. Including the Joseph Smith Movie. Yea, our washer is also broken so we haven`t been able to wash clothes. Life is fun, full of adventure!
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
D&C101:16 "Be still and know that I am God."
Being still? Yep.....
Know that God is? Yep!
"Be still my soul, thy God doth undertake to guide the future as he has the past. Thy Hope, thy Confidence, let nothing shake. All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still my soul, the winds and waves still know his voice who ruled them while he dwelt below." (Hymn 124; "Be still my Soul.")
Amen.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
12 weeks and a Halloween....
Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, and Friends
Wellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had an AWESOME week. And I`m way happy and as we say over here in Japan I`m Genki!
We had a way busy week running around from place to place, visiting members and less active members, finding people to teach and teaching. It`s been just way fun. Let me just give a few highlights of what we did this week.
So I`ll start with the fun things. We had Halloween on Saturday. There were hundreds of little kids running through the church, most dressed up like witches or pumpkins. There was a ninja and some Arabian, an Angel, and a Groom. But the Japanese people are not very creative when it comes to getting costumes for the kids. I personally dressed up like Harry Potter, because everyone always tells me I look like him. Elder Wilkes dressed up as a cook and we had a blast. Some of the YSA were dressed up as Jack Sparrow and Angelica from Pirates, there was a cat, a dog, and a Fox, as well as some Japanese Cartoon character that I can`t remember the name of. But needless to say Hideo Kyodai, a returned missionary who served in California, had too much fun talking in english and me casting spells on him. He even came up next to me and asked "So Harry, how did you survive the killing spell?" I turned and replied "WHOA! A Talking Dog!"
Thursday Night a young man walked into the church during institute in tears and was talking with the members about how he wanted to find peace and relief from the heavy burden that he felt. They gave him a Book of Mormon and tried to set up a meeting with the Missionaries. The following Saturday as we showed up an hour early for the Halloween party he was there again talking to the bishop and then we managed to get in and talk with him. His name is Fujishima, he`s 24 years old and he`s a very shy guy. We decided then to begin teaching him and as everyone was scrambling to get ready for the halloween party we found an empty room and sat down, his eyes looked up at a picture of Christ in Gethsemane with a look of curiousity in his eyes. Immediately I felt the Spirit fill the room and prompt me to talk about the picture and the atonement with him. As we talked together and explained the atonement he found peace and felt much better, he opened up to us and told us his dilemna. We showed him that there is a way to remove the burdens that were upon his shoulders and now he is reading the Book of Mormon. We did nothing, the Spirit of God did Everything.
Thursday Night me and Elder Wilkes ran out of people to try to visit, we didn`t really know where to go and so we said a Prayer. Elder Wilkes felt as if we should go further North, into a part of our area that we don`t go very often because it`s so far away and not very many people are out there. So we went to go try and visit a Less active family and on the way I saw a cyclist on pull of to the side of the rode and start checking out his bike. I stopped and pulled out my handy dandy flashlight to investigate his bike and help try to find out what the source of a strange noise was. To my surprise it was simply a small plastic sticker that had gotten stuck perfectly on his chain guide and was simply hitting the chain. We talked with Morisaki for a while and he wanted to learn more about what we have to teach, and about God. So we`ll meet again and teach him more what we have to offer. We did nothing, God did Everything.
Anyway, those are the highlights from my week. I love Life, I love the Lord, and I love this work.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
Paul once exclaimed "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:55)
I wish to write about the Deat and the resurrection quickly, a topic that I don`t necessarily talk too much about. I`m still young and so it is something that I don`t think too much about either, but it is something that is inevitable, something that will come whoever we are. Whether we are great and exalted among men, or whether we are poor and lowly. No man can escape, no man can avoid it. But peace be unto you all for Death is no enemy.
We all look at the life of Christ and many of us think of the Cross, of the death of Christ and his suffering for us in the garden Gethsemane. We think of how Christ Atoned for our sins and has set us free from those awful chains of hell that bind us down unto destruction. But just as great and just as beautiful as the Docrtine of the Atonement is the Docrine of the Resurrection. Three days after Christ was slain upon the Cross for the Sins of the world he rose again! The grave was opened and he lived again! He Still lives, he still holds a body of flesh and bone and in that very hour that he arose again he loosed the bands of Death and set free all those that lay asleep within the graves. Because of his resurrection he has made it possible for all mankind to rise again and obtain a greater glory than what we have here on this earth.
"Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets. The asoul shall be brestored to the cbody, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a dhair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and eperfect frame." (Alma 40:22-23) We have been promised a perfect body, one that will no longer be subject to the elements, nor will it be subject to pain nor death nor sickness nor disease. Those that have lost limbs shall have them again, those that never had a fully functioning body shall gain one. This Resurrection shall pass upon us all, the wicked as well as the righteous and it is a free gift unto all mankind. But if we live righteously, if we have chosen to follow the Lord our God than we will be raised to even greater glory and be able to live again with those that we love, we will be sealed together with them for all eternity and lifted up at the last days to dwell in eternal glory and happiness with those that we love. O what great joy we should feel! O how great is the hope that we hold!
I exclaim as Paul "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?.... Death is Swallowed up in Victory!.... But thanks be unto God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" Fear comes because of doubt, but if we shall not doubt that fear shall have no place within our hearts. The Faithful may face death without fear, for they can see the Hope that lies beyond! Trust in the Lord God and know that all is well, for in days to come shall we be reunited with those whom we have lost and once again will we be able to take up our bodies in glory and live again. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
With much Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
Monday, October 24, 2011
Sometimes things just happen....
Dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Family, and Friends
You know, I`m starting to wonder if I should really bother emailing so much anymore. It`s not all that long before I go home and I`m just running out of things to write. It might just be "Old Missionary" Syndrum, and just focusing on working or just everything feels the same. Not sure, because I do know that everything does seem to blur together a lot.
This week was pretty good though, although it was filled with quite a bit of frustration. With not being able to find people to teach for the past couple weeks it`s been very frustrating on me and on Elder Wilkes, who is still new and wants to see many big miracles. Patience has been a key role in all of this, and it was running very thin through a lot of the week. But we`ve gotten over that and with a new investigator found a lot of that pent up frustration has been relieved along with a great laugh.
We also had two companion exchanges this week. I got to work with Elder Dantas, a Brazalian missionary and that was pretty fun. He can really talk my ear off though. Then I worked with Elder Bailey again, and he`s been in the area right next door to mine for just as long as I`ve been here. So it was good to get together and almost like old friends. We had a good time and talked a lot of people and just generally had fun.
Now for the experience of the week:
"Shinpo Kyodai"
So, we have this 80 year old man in our ward that just recently got out of the hospital. His back had given out because he`s old and so now he`s confined to his apartment and has to use a wheel chair to get around, which is horrible for Japanese people because their apartments are so small and there is absolutely no room to manuever in there. We decided to visit him to cheer him up and share a quick message, but instead it turned into one of my most hilarious experiences in my mission. Let us just say that we sat down together on the floor like must Japanese people do and I asked him how he was doing. That was my first mistake, because I spent the next 45 min. trying to say something to let him know that we needed to go. He talked at full speed and I swear he didn`t take a single breath at all as he spoke. I could understand quite a bit of what he was saying but there was no time for me to jump in and reply or say anything. He just spent 45 min. complaining about his life. With only a few intervals that made this experience all the more hilarious.
After a few minutes he asked me to grab something, and I didn`t understand the word for what he wanted me to grab. (I don`t even know what to call it in english) I got up and started looking for this mystery object as he described to me what it was and where it was. "It`s that plastic container thingy under the chair!" He was very urgent and so I reached under the chair and lo and behold to my surprise it was a "pee bottle!" I quickly handed it to him and he started unsipping his pants and turning away from us, so me and my companion stood up and left the room for a moment to let him have some privacy, before he called us back in. The rest of the time we were just trying to get out of the there to no success.
But it gets even better. As we finally manage to let him know we need to leave Elder Wilkes asked if we could say a prayer and Shinpo Kyodai said it was just fine. Well, Elder Wilkes start saying the prayer and I start hearing Shinpo Kyodai shuffling around. I open my eyes and Lo and Behold! I see him unsipping his pants and turning around again to go pee. The rest of the prayer me and my companion were trying are very hardest not to laugh as Elder Wilkes was praying and I was literally biting my lips trying to stiffle my laughter. As we ended the prayer and apologized to him for interrupting he thanked us for the visit and we left the apartment. As soon as we were out the door and in the elevator we were laughing so hard.
We felt so bad afterwards for laughing, but we just couldn`t help it.
That was the highlight of my week. and other than that we had an awesome time going about teaching people and also finding people to teach.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
"Be still and know that I am God!" (Doctrine and Covenants 101:16)
When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt they were chased by pharoh and his chariots. When the Israelites saw the Egyptians they cried out in fear and desperation to Moses "Because there were not enough graves in Egypt, didst thou bring us out here to perish in the Wilderness!?" They were afraid that the Egyptians would come and slay them and many of them were angry for what Moses had done for they said it would have been better for them to be slaves in Egypt than to perish. But Moses Boldly turned to the Israelites and said "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." (Exodus 14:13-14) With that God commanded Moses to split the Red Sea and we all know the story from there. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea on try land and performed one of the most famous miracles in Biblical History.
The simple key was Faith! Moses trusted in the Lord that all thing swould be will. He stood still, calm despite the pressures around him and he rose his staff and caused the Red Sea to split hither and thither. When our lives are hectic, when we are seemingly overwhelmed with a list of things that just have to be done, do we remember the Lord our God? Will we pause and remember the words of the Lord "Be still and know that I am God?" Those are powerful words to me. Even moreso with the way Moses phrased them; "The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." Or in other words "I`m God, I`ll do it, you be quiet and watch."
So let us not be like the Israelites who quickly forgot about the plagues that God placed upon the Egyptians, or like Laman and Lemuel who quickly forgot that they had seen angels and heard the voice of the Lord. Let us be like unto Moses who stood fearlessly before the waters of the Red Sea, or as Nephi who stood to go and get the plates and against Laban; "For [God] is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?"
God Lives! In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
With much Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
You know, I`m starting to wonder if I should really bother emailing so much anymore. It`s not all that long before I go home and I`m just running out of things to write. It might just be "Old Missionary" Syndrum, and just focusing on working or just everything feels the same. Not sure, because I do know that everything does seem to blur together a lot.
This week was pretty good though, although it was filled with quite a bit of frustration. With not being able to find people to teach for the past couple weeks it`s been very frustrating on me and on Elder Wilkes, who is still new and wants to see many big miracles. Patience has been a key role in all of this, and it was running very thin through a lot of the week. But we`ve gotten over that and with a new investigator found a lot of that pent up frustration has been relieved along with a great laugh.
We also had two companion exchanges this week. I got to work with Elder Dantas, a Brazalian missionary and that was pretty fun. He can really talk my ear off though. Then I worked with Elder Bailey again, and he`s been in the area right next door to mine for just as long as I`ve been here. So it was good to get together and almost like old friends. We had a good time and talked a lot of people and just generally had fun.
Now for the experience of the week:
"Shinpo Kyodai"
So, we have this 80 year old man in our ward that just recently got out of the hospital. His back had given out because he`s old and so now he`s confined to his apartment and has to use a wheel chair to get around, which is horrible for Japanese people because their apartments are so small and there is absolutely no room to manuever in there. We decided to visit him to cheer him up and share a quick message, but instead it turned into one of my most hilarious experiences in my mission. Let us just say that we sat down together on the floor like must Japanese people do and I asked him how he was doing. That was my first mistake, because I spent the next 45 min. trying to say something to let him know that we needed to go. He talked at full speed and I swear he didn`t take a single breath at all as he spoke. I could understand quite a bit of what he was saying but there was no time for me to jump in and reply or say anything. He just spent 45 min. complaining about his life. With only a few intervals that made this experience all the more hilarious.
After a few minutes he asked me to grab something, and I didn`t understand the word for what he wanted me to grab. (I don`t even know what to call it in english) I got up and started looking for this mystery object as he described to me what it was and where it was. "It`s that plastic container thingy under the chair!" He was very urgent and so I reached under the chair and lo and behold to my surprise it was a "pee bottle!" I quickly handed it to him and he started unsipping his pants and turning away from us, so me and my companion stood up and left the room for a moment to let him have some privacy, before he called us back in. The rest of the time we were just trying to get out of the there to no success.
But it gets even better. As we finally manage to let him know we need to leave Elder Wilkes asked if we could say a prayer and Shinpo Kyodai said it was just fine. Well, Elder Wilkes start saying the prayer and I start hearing Shinpo Kyodai shuffling around. I open my eyes and Lo and Behold! I see him unsipping his pants and turning around again to go pee. The rest of the prayer me and my companion were trying are very hardest not to laugh as Elder Wilkes was praying and I was literally biting my lips trying to stiffle my laughter. As we ended the prayer and apologized to him for interrupting he thanked us for the visit and we left the apartment. As soon as we were out the door and in the elevator we were laughing so hard.
We felt so bad afterwards for laughing, but we just couldn`t help it.
That was the highlight of my week. and other than that we had an awesome time going about teaching people and also finding people to teach.
Elder Tateishi`s Gospel Message of the Week
"Be still and know that I am God!" (Doctrine and Covenants 101:16)
When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt they were chased by pharoh and his chariots. When the Israelites saw the Egyptians they cried out in fear and desperation to Moses "Because there were not enough graves in Egypt, didst thou bring us out here to perish in the Wilderness!?" They were afraid that the Egyptians would come and slay them and many of them were angry for what Moses had done for they said it would have been better for them to be slaves in Egypt than to perish. But Moses Boldly turned to the Israelites and said "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." (Exodus 14:13-14) With that God commanded Moses to split the Red Sea and we all know the story from there. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea on try land and performed one of the most famous miracles in Biblical History.
The simple key was Faith! Moses trusted in the Lord that all thing swould be will. He stood still, calm despite the pressures around him and he rose his staff and caused the Red Sea to split hither and thither. When our lives are hectic, when we are seemingly overwhelmed with a list of things that just have to be done, do we remember the Lord our God? Will we pause and remember the words of the Lord "Be still and know that I am God?" Those are powerful words to me. Even moreso with the way Moses phrased them; "The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." Or in other words "I`m God, I`ll do it, you be quiet and watch."
So let us not be like the Israelites who quickly forgot about the plagues that God placed upon the Egyptians, or like Laman and Lemuel who quickly forgot that they had seen angels and heard the voice of the Lord. Let us be like unto Moses who stood fearlessly before the waters of the Red Sea, or as Nephi who stood to go and get the plates and against Laban; "For [God] is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?"
God Lives! In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
With much Love,
Elder Randall KK Tateishi
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