Changing to the Japan Fukuoka Mission

In February of 2010, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints published this statement to let its members know of changes happening in the Mission Field. Paul's mission, the Japan Hiroshima Mission, was one of the missions affected by this change. This is another article about the change to his mission. As of the first of July 2010, he is a part of the Japan Fukuoka Mission.

*As a side note, I stumbled upon Paul's new Mission President's blog where they have pictures of their missionaries. I don't know if there are any pictures of Paul, but I thought it was neat to see his mission from a different perspective!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

MTC #2: Companions and Teaching

Tuesday night was wonderful, my district went to the temple with Elder De Menezes (hereby abbreviated as Elder D) as he went through for the first time. It was a wonderful experience. I got to serve as one of his escorts, the other was a Portuguese interpreter.
On Thursday night, we taught some "pretend" investigators. I was kind of nervous, but I thought it went okay. Then I realized all the things I did wrong. I was so worried about Elder D's language barrier that I completely forgot that it's not all about following a structured lesson pattern. We're supposed to teach based on the investigator's needs and interests. I was afraid that Elder D wouldn't know quite what to say, so I wrote some phrases down for him to use. We both agreed in Companion Study the next day that we wouldn't do that again. As long as we put enough effort into our studies, we will be able to go in there next time without anything written down.
That companion study on Friday last week was amazing. It was the first time pretty much that we were able to have an actual companion study session. Every other day almost, we were too busy with trying to figure out the problems with Elder D's bank card, and what not, but we've finally started a good flow of companion studies. I think we'll be a lot better off now. I'm still kind of nervous; we're teaching lesson one in English again on Thursday (with a 15 minute time period before hand using our get-to-know-you-in-Japanese skills). Egh, I'm even more nervous about three weeks almost from now when we have to teach lesson one in Japanese. Oh well, it will all work out.
I love my companion, and I'm trying to communicate with him to go to bed earlier, but he keeps staying up late. It keeps me up later because the light is so bright, even though it's just from the desk.
My Japanese is coming along quite well. I'm enjoying learning all this religious lingo. I have the basics pretty well covered, and it's helping me to pick up prayer and testimony stuff quite well. We got challenged to always pray in Japanese after we learned how, and so I have been. Even on Sunday, when I saw Bro. Eggett at MTC choir and he asked me to pray: I said it in Japanese. No, I wasn't just trying to grab attention. Okay, that might have been a small . . . NO! Really, I wasn't! I'm still working on obedience. I'm trying to keep my commitments! I can do this! Oh, and I saw Ellen Amatangelo, she took a picture for you, Lacey. That was kind of cool.
Well, my dear family, I love you so much! Next week, I'll bring my journal with me so I can remember a bit more to say. Ah, the stories, the memories, the people, it's all wonderful. Love you!
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"Lord of the Rings" Relates to Missionary Work

J.R.R. Tolkien, in The Fellowship of the Rings, wrote this:

"The road must be trod, but it will be very
hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will
carry us far upon it. This quest may be
attempted by the weak with as much hope as
the strong. Yet it is oft the course of deeds
that move the wheels of the world: Small hands
do them because they must, while the eyes of
the great are elsewhere."


Alma 37:6 -- "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness
in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple
things are great things brought to pass; and small means
in many instances doth confound the wise."

By small and simple efforts, the young missionaries of the
church really can "confound the wise" and help the kingdom
roll forth!