Friday, August 10, 2018

Mission Home Farewell


Week 105: August 6, 2018 - The last email...

Hey everyone!

Well, I guess this is the last one... I seem to be coming home on
Friday. With that noted, I guess there isn't really a lot of big news,
or at least nothing that will compare to the end of my time in Japan.

Of things that happened, when we were dendoing this past week Elder
Burr and I went to a small apartment, the type that normally really
old people and young college kids live in. We were knocking on the
doors, and out of one of them a large man opens up. He is from Africa,
specifically Cameroon, which we learn after getting over our surprise,
and has been Christian his entire life. He even runs back inside to
get his bible, and we just have a good talk about Jesus Christ, and
church, and long story short he decides to come on Sunday, because he
hasn't been in a few months. And then he actually shows up! Just a
great little miracle to end with, to help someone else feel the peace
of the Savior even a little more, and to share the Book of Mormon,
which he was really interested in.

We also met up with Kotaro, one of the kids Elder Valdivia and I met
way back when, and played some football with him. It ties into our
kickball dendo on Saturday, where we got with some other young kids,
and just built relationships. There are just so many good people here,
and the hardest part is always breaking the ice, because it's always a
little odd when random foreigners come up and start speaking with you.
I feel like we are getting better, and Kumamoto is in a good place.

Besides that, I've just had the chance to learn from the master
teacher for two straight years. It would be impossible to put all my
experiences in words, let alone on paper, but to close suffice it to
say that I know this has been two years doing the work of God. He
lives, and desires above all else to help us find everlasting and
eternal happiness. That is why He send His son, to guide us and allow
us a path home. That is why He answers prayers, to ease burdens and
comfort us. I have experienced all that and more, and testify thereof
in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Mitchell Woodhouse


Week 104: July 29, 2018 - 24th from Japan

Hey everyone!

It was the 24th of July! Even though you would never expect the
holiday celebrating pioneers to make it out of Utah and Idaho, find
peace in knowing that missionaries across the world still remember it!
Granted, we didn't do anything special, besides teach eikaiwa, but it
was in our thoughts, which I guess is where everything starts.

After that bit of news, I honestly don't have much to report on. It
just felt like a good week of being a missionary. We got to tract,
talk to college kids, testify of the Book of Mormon, focus on the
importance of the restoration, and look at how the gospel fits into
our own lives. I think one of my favorite moments was just Sunday
morning, before church, as Elder Burr and I stopped in a park to write
our testimonies in a Book of Mormon we were giving to a professor from
Pennsylvania.  It was just one of those actions that felt good, that
felt right. We also met up with a man named Tateba, who was here for
work until Sunday, so we met him in a park and unfolded the Plan of
Salvation. Just experiences where I fully felt that I was fulfilling
my calling to teach the gospel to all the world.

Besides that, my last thought is just on revelation. I've had a lot of
time to think and study on my mission, and one of the conclusions is
that God wants to teach us. He will freely reveal the secrets of
heaven to those who desire and search, if we would only put in the
effort. It's taken a lot of studying, but I know that if we feel it as
the desire of our heart, He will guide us, as He led the Israelites of
old. Makes being a missionary, and really just going through life,
that much easier.

Love you!
Elder Woodhouse




Week 103: July 22, 2018 - Junkais and Kickball

Hey everyone!

It's been another great week doing the Lords work. As some people may
have heard, or noticed (I have no idea what the weather has been in
the states), Japan has been under an oppressive heat wave. Thankfully,
we haven't noticed it horribly, but rather, have been taking lots of
salts and liquids, so things are going great and we are all safe.

And, the work is progressing well! One of the coolest miracles for me
continues to be Nathan, for the very reason that it barely feels as if
we are teaching him. When we talked about the gospel of Christ this
week, he already had his beliefs and knowledge about faith,
repentance, the need for baptism, and the Holy Ghost. He even asked
about infant baptisms, because the idea of individual accountability
has been on his mind, and I felt blessed to have a concrete answer
that God has revealed, both in the Doctrine and Covenants and the Book
of Mormon, that those young children are covered by the Atonement of
Jesus Christ. It's just a special experience to work with him, as he
prepares for his defense, and makes the time for God.

We also had a couple junkais, and I got to work with Elder Wheeler on
Wednesday, and Elder Watanabe on Friday. With Elder Wheeler, we got to
teach Nathan about the reason for trials, as centered on personal
growth, and then we undertook something called the king size
challenge. It's a bowl of beef and rice, rumored to be about 1 kg of
food, though I'm not sure about the weight. For size, pictures are
attached. It's actually the second time I've tried, with the first
being my first transfer in Japan, way back in Yamaguchi. Kind fun to
bring things in full circle. Elder Watanabe also helped with that,
because I lived with him on Ishigaki, but somehow that was 8 months
ago! The largest thing time has helped with is to allow me to see the
growth and changes he has already made on his mission. It makes me
think about how much I have changed, and what we need to do in order
to become who God needs. One thought is the difference between passive
and active changes. Obviously, if we just sit around, eventually
things will happen. But, if we reach out as President Nelson has
recommended, we will find ourselves higher and farther along the path
than we could ever imagine. It just takes some effort.

Last thing from this week was a party on pday! Not really, but we did
go play kickball with some eikaiwa students, and it was a good time to
get outside. Made me realize how much I miss sports, but a good chance
to be with people nonetheless.

That's about it!
Love you all!
Elder Woodhouse







Week 102: July 15, 2018 - We met the Mission President!

Hey everyone!

Thanks again for your concern, the part of Japan where I am (Kumamoto)
is still safe, and didn't get hit by weather at all. I've also heard
from the Hiroshima area, where it was worse, that all missionaries are
doing fine, and recovery is well on its way. Thanks for all the
prayers and thoughts!

With weather out of the way, we had a decently exciting week, with the
capstone probably being meeting President and Sister Mack! Due to the
number of missionaries they are meeting, it was impressive, because
they managed to meet each individual one on one for a couple minutes.
It makes me sad, because I won't get to keep learning from them that
much longer, but the training we did get was very well thought through
and spiritual. President Mack talked a lot about the doctrine of
Christ, our five foundations of faith that build us through life. In
order, that is Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, The gift of
the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. The key, as he taught, is
that these aren't simple things you do once, or once a week, or even
once a day. The goal is to interlace them into your very being, until
you are the living gospel, because then your very actions will teach
others more of the Savior. So, his challenge was to think about what
we can do, as individuals, to weave this doctrine more fully into who
we are, and become more as our Savior. Really a deep challenge, and
one that I'm still working on identifying. But a great conference,
where I learned and thought a lot.

After that we had junkais with Beppu, which allowed us to go ham with
the extra elders, and learn more about them. I think that it is one of
my favorite things I've been able to do, is to develop relationships
with individuals, and grow, not through them, but with them, as we
elevate each other. Such a unique opportunity that God gives each of
us, to be the leaven in the lives of all.

Our other way cool experience was after Beppu went home, as Elder Burr
and I were street contacting. We met these two kids on Thursday, both
15/16 students at one of the Christian high schools in the area. They
were nice, said they wanted to learn a little more, so we set up an
appointment for Saturday. As we keep talking over text, we learn that
not only both of them would be coming, but, in fact, the entire boxing
team would come to the church to learn about Christ after practice.
So, Elder Burr and I get to teach seven of these amazing young men
about the restoration. It felt like I'd already moved into the young
men's presidency! But they were very mature, had good questions, and
just a spiritual experience for all of us. And, of course, we got a
picture with them!

It was a great week!

Love you all!
Elder Woodhouse










Week 101: July 8, 2018 - Plans and Rain

Hey everyone!

So for those who haven't heard, apparently Japan has been under a
severe rainstorm, with floods and landslides all around the country.
To be honest, we are all doing fine, and I didn't realize it was that
bad, but in case anyone was wondering about the weather, it's sunny
now!

We had a fairly good week, with the aforementioned rain putting a
damper on most people's desire to stop on the street, but still saw a
lot of miracles and had good conversations with everyone. One person
that sticks out is an investigator we are working with named Nathan.
Last month he submitted his dissertation on chiral chemistry, which
has freed up time for him to meet before his thesis defense this
month. So far we have discussed the restoration, and the Plan of
Salvation, and the reason I mention it is because none of this seems
new to him. He has taken everything in stride, and interwoven it into
his life, because the words of God are speaking through us to his
soul. It's helped me to realize how much power we hold, and what He
has entrusted us as missionaries to share. And, how much this does
mean in the lives of everyone we talk to?

Our other exciting news this week was planning for the Meet the
Presidents meeting tomorrow. Everyone is really excited to meet Mack
Kaicho, and we have the opportunity of helping the missionaries in the
zone to learn through him the will of the Lord. So lots of time spent
in prayer, planning, and reconfirming what people need to be taught.
Amazing opportunities!

Last note, horse meat is famous in Kumamoto, so of course we got some
ramen with it last week.

Lots of love!
Elder Woodhouse






Week 100: July 1, 2018 - July?

Hey everyone!

It honestly feels like just yesterday that I emailed, which is crazy!
Our apartment is keeping all of the missionaries, and the zone as a
whole only switched 6 out of 24, so now that the craziness of
transfers is gone, we should be settling back down. With a new Mission
President! President Mack and his wife came over the weekend, and are
now the Lords mouthpiece for the Japan Fukuoka Mission. We don't get
to meet them until next week, at the meet the president tour, but it's
both normal and odd at the same time. Really normal, because both
President Mack and President Egan were simply conveying the will of
the Lord. But odd, because President Egan is gone, and I now get to
reflect over everything he taught me. Thankfully, we have lots of
study time to do so, and I'm sure it will last a lifetime.

Besides that switch, one of the fun things that the Tsuboi ward did
last week was to have a Nagashi-somen party, which translates to
running noodles (I think). The video should be self explanatory, but
we got to meet with all of the members, and eat noodles and socialize,
which I think was really good for us.

That's one of the things that we need to be focusing on, because in
reality both members and missionaries are doing the same grand
redemptive work. One of the miracles we saw this week wasn't a
referral, but talking to one of the older members about other people
who used to come to church. Elder Burr and I were able to visit one of
them, Oyama Kyodai, and it was just a spiritual experience. You can
tell that the gospel, when truly lived, changes your heart and
elevates it unto God. It gives you a purpose, a reason, and the means
to accomplish them. It is comfort in times of need, and joy in times
of sorrow. Of course, these things take effort, but one you have
engraved them into who you are, people can see that. Just a cool
experience to get a glimpse of how a God sees him.

Besides that, just a standard week doing the best work in the whole
world! Kumamoto is the best!

Love you all,
Elder Woodhouse