The Rowlings Family: Missionary Moments

Ah, my version of trunkiness has started, and that is that I feel really sad! I kind of want to stay in Japan forever with all the friends I have made, but at the same time I want to see you all again as soon as I can. The only solution I feel is to pack my bags with as many Japanese and Filipino people as I can then try to smuggle them all through customs. I am thinking Skype and Facebook will be busy times for me in the coming weeks, I hope to be able to introduce you to a few friends, and start making my plans to come back to Japan next time I have time and money!

The past week was good. We got to meet with a lot of people and teach some more doorstop lessons. We had two PI's in an apartment, and we tried one, but her husband came out, so we taught him, and he was interested. Then we checked the other, and her older sister came out, so we taught her too. We have really gotten the hang of housing, I feel like we can do almost anything when we are prepared and trying to work with the Lord. We managed to give away quite a few Book of Mormons this week too. Of course though, just as things start to get good, they come to an end...

We went out to eat and spend time with Ken on Friday night. That was a lot of fun. We ate out at one of our favourite restaurants and also taught him the plan of Salvation. He understood everything so well. We were using an example to explain Christs atonement, after he asked us to explain it, and he took the simple example we gave and extended it for his understanding, resulting in one of the best explanations I have ever heard. I am grateful this understanding could really hit home to me and investigators so close to Easter! It was sad though, I feel like I am leaving behind another great friend.

The downside to the week, and today, is the amount of rain. It has been raining so much recently! It isn't very nice having to sort out wet and dirty clothes during bag packing. I have to try to fit both my bags to under 30kg, which isn't the easiest thing in the world. Sacrifices are being made.

I feel like I spent the weekend in the Philipines. On Saturday night we rode down to Kojima where our friend and recently returned member from last week, Le Marc, lives. It just so happens he lives in a dormitory thing that has 30 other Filipinos there, who all respect Mormon missionaries and were eager to be with us.....We thought it was going to be a dinner out with maybe just two of them, but Le marc made dinner for us, a traditional Filipino food called Adobo which was delicious, and then gathered some of his friends, so we ended up sharing a message to 5 of them. That was good, even though the bike ride home was like swimming in a pool because of all the rain.

The next day, even though he had a basketball game booked, which he canceled, he brought along another two friends to Church, one who is not the usual run of the mill factory worker, but a Filipino guy who works for the board of education in Kurashiki whose English was better than ours. He liked to talk, and we probably spent the entire day in conversation with him. The members were really good this time, and got translation and everything for them, so we could focus more on Church. Sister N. also turned up to Church too, because it was our last Sunday, and she brought her ancient Mormon kei (an old japanese version of the book of Mormon) and a Bible. It seems she is going to try to take Church seriously which is great.....

After Church one of the families took us and the Filipinos to her house for a family home evening/ fast breaker/ YSA activity which lasted the rest of the day. Despite it using up all our work time, it was really nice to spend good time with them all and make even better friends with the Filipinos.

There was a lot more in the week, but I am struggling to recall it now. It looks like things will be working out smoothly until I leave, but it is still hard.

The gospel is awesome, and is true. That I know for certain. Despite whatever mistakes I make or failings I have in life, my knowledge and testimony are cemented in place. My mission experience has really blessed me, and I hope it has gone to blessing the lives of at least a few around me too. However, like President Welch mentioned, and Dad too in his last email, it should be onward and upward from here. I am seriously looking forward to continual service in the Church and making it a true centre of my life. I look forward to sharing these things I know with all my friends and family. God lives, Jesus Christ lives, and because of his sacrifice, we all have the choice to return to God and be happy forever. One thing that has really stood out to me is choice. All we need to do is choose God and all that he has prepared for us, and the rest is no worries!

I look forward to seeing you all this Saturday!