31 March 2008

Dear Family,

Just another week in paradise! [Joey sent a picture of the skyline from his old 11th-story apartment.] Unfortunately, Elder Moon picked up a cold last Tuesday, so we have just been focusing on getting him healthy enough to get going. It has given me a lot of thought and study time. We got both March and April editions of the Ensign at our Zone Meeting, so I had plenty materials to go over. I am repeatedly blown away by the strength and depth of the Brethren’s testimonies. We also had the chance to listen to a couple of talks. Wow! Elder Hugh B. Brown and Elder Holland both absolutely blew me away! I am very much supercharged for the work, to say the least.

As Elder Moon rested, we also took the opportunity to bake a little! We made lemon bars and they were sooo good! They actually tasted like they are supposed to, which isn’t usually how it works out for us! So that gave us something to give away to all the people we visit. Please forgive us, but we are a little proud of our efforts.

Well, I really liked your talk, Dad! It made me feel very warm and happy inside. And I can just imagine how cute Mari is getting! Thanks for the update.

The word is going quite well, too, regardless of our inability to really get out due to sickness. We are going to challenge one of our investigators (Isoda-san) to baptism this week. Both of his daughters are very strong members—one is married and living in Orem right now, and the other is great at jointing [yes, “jointing”] for lessons. We have had a vision of him going to the SLC temple with his two daughters from the get-go, and it has made all the difference. It gives us major faith and a goal for him. I have a testimony of getting a vision for every person we work with.

This week, I finished a thing called “passoffs.” It is basically to measure your growth in teaching the lessons and mastering the language. I was able to complete it relatively fast, so that is a major burden off of my shoulders. I am starting to really get to the point where the language isn’t really a problem in teaching & conversing, so I can be led by the Spirit instead of just shooting out the same sentences in boring monotony. And I know that my Savior has been my strength. I wear His name, and those He calls, He qualifies. I stand at this special time, in this special place, as a special witness of Him! He lives! He has looked each of us in the eye and said that He would take on our pains, our sorrows, our agony, if we but come unto Him and follow His perfect example. He loves more deeply than the wisest human soul can comprehend. I anxiously await the day where I can fall down at His feet with tears in my eyes and say: “thank you, I tried my best.” I love you all—have a good week!

[Japanese characters]