Glad to get a chance to send out an update, the past week has been
pretty big. No major updates or crazy changes (yet), but lots of
amazing things!
First, the biggest news was probably the Whiting conference. So he
didn't have to go to every single zone, we met in Kumamoto, and had
Nagasaki zone come down, and Kagoshima come up, bringing in all maybe
100 missionaries together. So, it was pretty cool to see most the
mission gathering in one place, realizing that we march united with
the knowledge of truth. But besides just seeing everyone, we got to
learn from a General Authority, one of the guys who speaks in general
conference! It was amazing to hear some of the wisdom he shared, both
about the gospel, about our missions, and about life afterwards. He
shared many things, but one of my favorites was the idea that Gods
work is both a work and a wonder. Oftentimes as missionaries we focus
on the work part. We do missionary work, because that's what we're
called to do. But we need to stop and slow down, realizing that this
is also a wonder! Right now I'm sitting in the middle of Japan, typing
next to another white guy as we prepare to go out and teach in
Japanese. How wonderful is that?!?
And more wonderful than the fact that we are here, the fact that we
carry the Book of Mormon, translated not just from the plates into
English, but from that to Japanese, is wonderful. And on top of that,
we carry with us the authority to change lives. For example, this past
week we met with Kodzuma again. Already from the first time I meet him
I can tell he is a happier man. Where normal people look inwards, he's
starting to look out, trying to improve himself. And it shows, as he
reads the Book of Mormon he is finding this change. Or teaching Izuno,
who has spent most his life wondering how to cope with guilt, not sure
where he will go after death, among other deep questions. Knowing that
however imperfect our Japanese is, we are helping him, showing him the
perfect gospel of Christ, showing him a source of hope, is wonderful!
I've already seen as I've personally focused on these wonders, I've
become happier, more positive, and I love this work!
On top of just working with these amazing people, as missionaries we
also have the pleasure of biking around to meet them. It's another
wonder to bike around the countryside between appointments, though
sometimes that means we are in a hurry. So, for p-day Elder Erickson
and I spent some time in the mountains, enjoying and soaking it in.
Japan has such a rich culture and history, and I can't even imagine
the half of it. But even being around it, knowing that parts of this
country have been unchanged for hundreds of years, and being able to
see and be around those parts, it's just amazing. Again, there isn't a
better thing I can say than I've been blessed with this opportunity to
serve, and I love the time I've had here. God truly does watch over
each and every one of us, and we will see it as we slow down and look.
That's it for this week, love all of you back home! Thanks for all
your emails and letters!
Elder Mitchell Woodhouse
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