I thought I'd start off with a little spiritual thought this week. This morning I read Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." I had heard this scripture before, but for some reason, it meant a bit more to me today. If you remember, I chatted with a person named Jesse Cattell a week ago in the referral center. She wanted proof - "Tell me one thing that will make be believe in religion, that there's a God." Oh wow - we watched Testaments on Sunday Night, and the scene of the Trial with Kohor and Helam is very applicable to this thought. Kohor goes about using logic, reason, and cunning intellect to try to win over the governor. He said, "There is no cause, there is no guilt, and there is no Messiah." But then Helam steps in and talks about how he is not a man of clever speaking, and a stranger to lawyers and the artifice of law. He bears sincere, simple, powerful testimony of the messiah! This concept is amazing!
I've said it before, but religion cannot be proved by logic or physical evidence. This church is true, the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is real, but we're not going to convince anyone using hard facts. Faith is our evidence. It is after the trial of our faith that we receive the witness, proof, and confirmation that we need (Book of Mormon, Ether 12:6). Once you soften your heart, let go of your fears and concerns, and pray in faith, truly and sincerely desiring an answer, THEN you will receive. You have to have faith. We have it, and it is ALL the evidence we need.
Well, still no word on whether Elder de Menezes will stay longer or not. Thursday is the day; he will be going with an interpreter up to Salt Lake City for a consultation with the surgeon. He thinks it's going to go through. I want it to, I want him to be happy. If I could just have all of you meet him and have him bear testimony to you, you would feel his spirit, and the power of his testimony. I hope he gets this, he deserves it. Please pray hard for him. I'll let you know next Tuesday what the verdict is.
Today we took a little trip off of the MTC campus - down to BYU Laundry services to get Elder D's suit coat altered (too long). It was kind of nice! Walking on the sidewalk, seeing cars and people pass by. Wow. Oh, and the weather was SO wonderful today. Perfect Preparation Day weather! Someone even pulled over to ask if we needed a ride, but we politely declined - the Laundry building is a few hundred yards south of the MTC gym, I don't think MTC missionaries are allowed to accept unauthorized rides anyway. So we had the seamstress pin up his sleeves, and all will be well. But, check this out: I noticed a few green Army ROTC Class A uniforms lying around. I even brought my ROTC uniform in way back in the day. I asked the seamstress if they got a lot of ROTC uniforms in. She told me that the supply man from BYU's ROTC had just come in this morning. (Now, remember, BYU and UVU share the same over-all ROTC battalion). He said that the Cougar Battalion is now the largest. At UVU, there are now about 300 cadets signed up! Holy cow, when I was there we only had like 50 or 60! I don't know if you'll think that's cool or not, but I sure thought so!
So, I had a really good interview with Jacobson Sensei on Thursday night. I had been kind of down for some reason, and the talk really helped. I had been letting concerns about classroom behavior, attitudes of other missionaries, and other things tear at my thoughts. I was encouraged to just let those concerns go. If I don't want to deal with them, I can give them to the Savior. The atonement can cover these types of feelings as well. Amazing!
Dad, could you possible send 3 or 4 of those ties that I left with you. I might be sending some back - yes I probably will, but there's this whole tie-exchange craze happening, and I want to trade with a few elders, just for memory's sake of course. I'm even trading one with Durney Sensei tomorrow, and I already traded with Elder D.
Oh, Yoshihiko Kikuchi of the 70 spoke tonight! Awesome! He talked about how our bodies are temples, and then on self mastery. Amazing!
I love you so much! Hope to hear from you soon.
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!
*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!
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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!
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