Week 73: December 25, 2017 - Christmas!

It's crazy that it's already Christmas again!

And that it's my second one in Japan!

I'm not really sure what to do actually... the time flies by, the

weather is nice, I'm living on a tropical island, speaking a language

that by conventional wisdom I should not be able to speak still, and

it's the times like these that help me reflect on what I am doing, on

who I am serving.

This Christmas, I am once again blessed to be in full time service of

God, representing Him and His holy son, Jesus Christ. It's through His

grace that I got here, through His guidance that I can speak, and

through His love that I can testify. It's the times like this that I

find myself saying "I stand all amazed", because really, how can you

not be amazed? We are blessed to share the Christmas message with all

the people on this island, and how can you not be amazed that the

Savior of the world was born in a manger? That He descended, in order

to succor us individually? That we have a Father in Heaven that cares

about is individually, enough to send His son as a sacrifice? I know

that it is Christmas, but as President Hinkley said, and I'll

paraphrase, 'Without the events of Calavary and Gethsemane, the babe

born to Mary would just be another babe in Bethlehem'. But the latter

events of His life did occur, and it was for us! I can't comprehend

even the smallest bit of it, but I can promise that it is true.

As an example, there was a member that Elder Arnold and I visited

yesterday, on Christmas Eve. She is older, and hasn't come to church

in a while, but we thought it would be good to stop by, and share a

little about Christmas. So we go, share our message, and are about to

leave, when the Spirit whispers to me 'Ask a question'. My companions

already half packed up, but I say the first thing that pops into my

head, 'Is there anything you would like to say or add, Yamada

Shimai?', and then we have the chance to listen. Listen to her

worries, her concerns, her fears. Everything that she has been holding

in for who knows how long. And then, through the same Spirit, we can

testify. It's simple, but we promised her that God is there, He does

care for her. No matter how many times you ignore God, or don't follow

Him, He still reaches out His hand, because He loves you. His goal is

for us to return to Him, because heaven is a real place. And like any

father, He will do anything and everything to help us reach that goal.

And I can make that same promise to everyone. God cares, and He guides

us through the Holy Ghost to bless His children. Sometimes we are the

ones guided, and sometimes we receive the help, but no matter what, He

is there.

It's crazy to think that for all of 2017 I have been in Japan,

privileged to work with these amazing people. I've learned so much,

and just wanted to share that little bit with you. Love you more than

you can imagine!

From Ishigaki,

Elder Mitchell Woodhouse

Week 72: December 18, 2017 - Almost Christmas!

I can't believe how fast time is going! This past week I got Christmas

cards from the Mitchell's and the Woodhouse's, and I kept thinking to

myself that everything was coming early. But, here we are, one week

until the celebration of our Saviors birth, and I feel like I haven't

even got ready! Thank you all so much for everything you sent out, and

more than the gifts, for the example you have all been in my life. I

know that you all are lighting the world just by living every single

day, and it's amazing to have built upon that foundation.

The crazy thing from Japan right now is the fact the took us off the

island! For zone conference, we flew up to Naha, on the main island of

Okinawa, and got to do interviews with Kaicho and participate

face-to-face in the conference. What was really cool for me was the

chance to work with Elder Coleman on Thursday, in the little time we

had before conference started. We went through the MTC together, but

haven't really had the chance to meet and talk in over a year. I guess

that might not be long in the real world, but it feels really long

here. Just talking with him, it was clear how much the missionary

experience has already molded him into one of the Lords leaders. We

are obviously both 20 year old kids still, but as we do the Lords

work, He grants us a special spirit, a guiding hand, something that

cannot fail. I was able to see that in Elder Coleman, and I hope that

I have also been able to cultivate that attitude in myself throughout

my time in His service.

And that personal growth is going to be really important, because we

just received landslide news from church headquarters. Effective

immediately, our mission, and I believe many worldwide, has been

approved to use the internet to continue on with the work of

salvation! In practical terms, that means that we have been asked, by

a prophet of God, speaking for God himself, to dust off our facebook

accounts, make Line accounts, and spend part of our time teaching

using these resources.  To be fully honest, I'm not 100% sure what it

means yet. If you have questions, I would refer you to the 'online

proselyting' tab of the 'missionary' section of gospel library,

because that will answer it better than I can. But what I do know is

that these tools will help us reach people we've never reached before.

People like Harada, who I talked about last week, who can't take the

time to meet in person, but have a phone on them all the time. People

like the youth of the world, who kinda just do things whenever the

feel like it (not that easy for missionaries). So I'm excited. The

Lord is hastening His work, and to be a part, to do my best to follow

Him, is an amazing experience in my life.

Love you all, can't wait to talk to you in person next week! As

always, I'll try to answer any questions you send my way! Don't be

worried when you see facebook active!

With love from Ishigaki,

Elder Mitchell Woodhouse

Week 71: December 11, 2017 - Already through December?

It's crazy, everyone keeps emailing and saying that it's only two

weeks until Christmas, and I have to check the date every time. It

still doesn't feel like December has started, and the time just goes

by so quickly! To think we are 11 days into lighting the world, and I

didn't even realize! I know that you are all doing amazing things, and

that your service means the world to those we get to help. My mind is

drawn to one simple quote as I think about this, which goes,

"To the world, you may be one person, but to one person, you may be the world."

This obviously applies to service, and all the small things we can do

for people, but something I've realized in Japan is that to our Father

in Heaven, to our Savior Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate, whose

example we follow, we are the world. It's beyond my understanding, but

I am everything to them. They would, and have done everything for me,

as an individual. And somehow the reach of Christ's love, of His

atonement, is infinite, and encompasses each and everyone of us on an

individual level. It's the least we can do to give a little of that

back, as I hear all of you doing every week when I read your emails.

With the Christmas season comes the bustle of getting things ready

for the end of the year, and with it, helping our brothers and sisters

prepare to change their lives forever through the covenant waters of

baptism. Elder Arnold and I spent a lot of time this week thinking and

pondering specifically about Harada, an man in his mid 30's who has

fully embraced the gospel. We done know 100% what he is looking for,

but he knows that it's in the gospel, and we know that it's in the

gospel. So he really has the desire to follow Christ, to change his

life, and to grow through it all. The only problem is that he works

killer hours every day of the week except Sunday. Great for church,

hard for lessons. We finally meet with him Friday night and set up

everything that needs to happen before the 24th, his target goal for

Baptism, and things go great. Harada is ready, we have everything set

up! Until the next day, when an emergency with work in Fukuoka calls

him away from the island for a week. Obviously we don't know why, why

we won't be able to meet as scheduled, but what we do know is that God

knows. He doesn't plan to send His children away, but to draw them

unto Him. So we've got more bustling to do, to do our part to help

Harada continue progressing to the peace he so desires.

As an honorable mention, Brother Strickland (former Elder, one of the

previous mission Assistants) came to visit Ishigaki with his dad last

week. Being the best guy he is, he took me and Elder Arnold to a

little park on the north part of the island, and it just added to the

bustle of the season. I think the pictures can speak for themselves.

Love you all, and can't wait to talk at Christmas!

Elder Woodhouse

Week 70: December 4, 2017 - Ishigaki!

Well, like some of you have said, I'm officially getting no snow for Christmas!

After getting off the plane to transfer down here, I immediately had

to shed my jacket and suit coat, which I wore down to save space. I've

since found occasion to put them back on, primarily because suit

season started with December, but the weather is beautiful, and from

the little bits I've seen, so is the island. Sadly, I don't have my

bike yet, so we haven't been exploring, but I'll make sure to get some

good pictures once we get around!

Like I mentioned last time, the upcoming transfer I'll be privileged

to work with Elder Arnold, who came to Japan with Elder Zeller. He's

from California/Hawaii, depending on the day, and he is crazy

energetic. There is not a person we see that doesn't get a full does

of the restoration of the gospel as part of their day. I love it! The

craziest thing for me is that this is my first companion to do that.

In the past three days I've already learned so much from him about

what I can do to be better, and it feels like he is breaking me,

instead of me breaking him into missionary life. So I'm way excited.

And because of Elder Arnold and Bacons (the Elder I replaced) hard

work, the Lord is working miracles on this island. Specifically, one

of our investigators,  Masako, has been struggling with family

problems, and never been able to come to church. But after our lesson

on Friday, she really took the promises of the Lord to heart, read

from Moroni 7, and out of the blue called us the next day, saying she

would be there on Sunday. And of course, she came. Once more, I've had

to find room in a heart bursting with gratitude to make space for the

Book of Mormon. There is a power in it greater than any man has, for

it truly is Gods words for us, and through it are miracles wrought.

I'm jumping right into the middle of an amazing work and wonder here

on Ishigaki, and I'm excited for where it takes me!

Love you all, thanks so much for the love and prayers!

Elder Woodhouse

P.S. I got the package from Mom and Dad

Another addition: 

I meant to attach this to my group email. My travel was a boat, and a train, and a plane, over the course of about 30 hours. It was crazy to be alone for so long, but I think it was a good experience. Thanks for the emails!

Week 69: November 27, 2017 - Transfers!

Hey everyone,

Once again, I'm way sorry about last week. We mistimed our

thanksgiving activity, so I had next to no time to email anyone. With

that said, I've got plenty of time today, so I can tell you all about

it! And about the weather, because it's about to be December, and we

are still out in shorts and short sleeves for pday. We also got

transfer calls today, and after four months on Amami, I'll be leaving

Elder Zeller and the island behind. Not to fear, starting on Friday,

I'll be moving to a different island, the island of Ishigaki! It's the

farthest south point in the Japan Fukuoka mission, and actually closer

to Taiwan than mainland Japan, so it should be an adventure! My new

companion is named Elder Arnold, he came into the mission with Elder

Zeller and Elder Ehlert, so it will be fun to keep working with him.

Also on the island is Elder Yanada, who I lived with on Amami, and

Elder Watanabe, who Elder Ishizu trained after I left Okinawa, so I'm

really excited for the upcoming transfer!

Of course, moving on means that I'll be leaving Amami, and all of the

great people that I've meet here. If I tried to mention everyone, I'm

sure I'd miss many a person, so I'll keep the list short. One of my

favorite people to work with has been Miwa and her family. She has

known missionaries for a long time, and is really supportive of us,

acting almost as our mother away from home. The main reason I want to

write about her this week though is a question she asked us about

baptism, about our purpose. To quote, roughly, "When people believe

that they are right, does that excuse them from their actions?" She

has been asked many, many times by missionaries about when she will be

baptized, because the missionaries know it will help her. But she

hasn't had her answer yet. It was a testimony builder for me because I

was able to share my purpose,  which, above all, is to bring others to

Christ. Of course, baptism is an essential step, and I recommend it to

all those seeking comfort and solace. But just because she isn't

baptized, I don't think time with Miwa has been wasted. To bring

someone closer, to bring even a little more light into their lives,

that is why I was called. And I've felt that with her.

She is just one of many people that I think I was sent to Amami for.

Another person is obviously me, for personal growth. And another thing

might have been our thanksgiving party. In Japan, instead of grilling

hot dogs and hamburgers, you yakiniku, which translates to grill meat.

Knowing it was thanksgiving, as the four missionaries, we planned an

all you can eat yakiniku party, which turned into a huge success. For

exactly what it entailed, you can look at the pictures, but suffice it

to say I felt American again. Not thanksgiving American persay, but

definitely a good time.

Sorry to skip out last week, but I'll make sure to email again with

picture of my new island! Love you all!

Elder Woodhouse

Week 68: November 23, 2017 - Gomen!*

Hey everyone!

Sorry to be late, and short. To answer questions, Japan doesn't really

celebrate thanksgiving, but we did! Sadly, that took most our free

time, so I can't write near anything. Love you all, I'll tell you more

Tuesday on transfer pday!

Also, if anyone has pictures of thanksgiving, my eikaiwa would love to hear!

Love,

Elder Woodhouse

*Editor's Note: Gomen means "I'm sorry" in Japanese.  Eikaiwa means English conversation school