06/26/2016 | Transfers...

Well... It's been a transfer week. That means I am on my 15th transfer, and just getting that much closer to being done... Ugh... It is really hard to believe. So, We had a transfer week. And I didn't transfer. That was really nice. It looks like I will actually get to stay in Shinkotoni until the end of my mission. It makes me very happy.

I would like to take a second to thank everyone for the prayers on behalf of Oohashi san, and Doi san. Just to give you a little update on them, Oohashi san is going to be baptized. We had a good lesson with him this last week, in which we started going over some of the commandments with him. As we talked, instead of the typical reaction of "darn I can't do that anymore?"  He just had an attitude of OK. If that's what God wants, then I'll do it. It was a really good lesson. He will be baptized either on the 9th, or the 10th of July. We are very excited for him. Doi san, will probably not be baptized on his current scheduled date, however, he will be going down to the Honshu area to do something for his job. In doing so, when he is done, He will have more time to take off, and will be able to start coming to church, and start meeting with us, and fulfill his dream of being baptized as well. I know this is all from the power of prayer. Thank you so much for all your help. 

Other than that, not to much else is going on here. We are trying really hard, and are excited for the temple open house starting up next week. We have been giving out flyers like mad. Hopefully we'll
have a good turn out. We still have no idea what our role will be in it. The sisters will all be coming in to Sapporo to help with it, but we have not been told what the Elder's will do. It is all being handled by our higher ups. Like higher than President Nakatuska high. And he doesn't know anything either. It's giving us a lot of stress, but we are working hard.

Well other than that, not much more to talk about this week. I hope you all have a great week, and have a fun summer. Good luck to all those figuring out college stuff. I've heard it's rather difficult.

See you next week.
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Elder Eliot

06/12/2016 | A week of Spirit

New Sapporo LDS Temple Public Open House is in Aug (click photo for info) 

We had a wonderful week. First I've got to say sorry to all those who don't get water in Elk Ridge (their main city well went down and no yard watering awhile). Sounds like a rough situation. I'll put some water in an envelope, and sent it over to you this morning, so hopefully it'll get there in about a week :) lol  

Anyway so this week, we had several great experiences. First, we were able to make another baptismal date with a man named Doi. Doi san is a very interesting man. We need some help to get him to his baptismal date. He really wants to be baptized, but he is a poor man getting a little over $300 a month from the job that he works very long hours at. I don't know if he needs to get a new job, or ask for Sundays off, or what needs to happen, but right now he can't come to church. We need some prayer helps for him. I told him that I would have everyone praying for him, and that if it was the will of God (which it is) he would be baptized. Now we just have to have faith, and push forward. 

Anyway so this week we learned, and felt, and used the Spirit A LOT. I am physically spent right now from the amount of Spirit. On Saturday, we had a Mission Zone Conference, in which President Nakatsuka taught us a lot about the Spirit, in what it feels like, how we can personally feel it more often, and more powerfully, and how we can teach investigators the same. Lot's of deep things occurred. Something I personally learned, is that we can pray ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. We say it all the time, but do we really believe it? I realized, that something I personally can do, is pray more often. As missionaries we pray A LOT. But I still feel like we could pray more. If we do so, we will feel the spirit more often. We will be able to have it with us more often. Why? Because we are "Taking his name upon [us], and always remember[ing] him". 

The last experience I will share, was from yesterday. We had a family feeding us last night, and so we shared a message with them. I took the bullet, because we hadn't had time to prepare much, and so I pulled something out of mid air. I testified of the Truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, and about the Truth of this church, and about the Truth. As I was doing so, I suddenly was out of my body. I was hearing myself say the words. I wasn't thinking about what to say, and words were coming out of my mouth. The Holy Ghost was speaking through me. It was way interesting to learn from myself, but the feeling afterward, of being used by God, was the best feeling ever. My body was exhausted. But my Spirit was full. I challenge you all to be worthy of having that happen whenever God needs it to happen, because you don't know when he'll need you. You can feel it too. I love God. I love Dendo. I love Japan.


Everyone have a wonderful week.
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Elder Eliot

06/05/2016 | Transfers (Already)

New Sapporo Temple Public Open House is Coming In Aug (click photo for info)

Well... This week has been kind of crazy. So me and Elder McCreary were having an amazing time, had made a baptismal date with one of the coolest people ever. Then everything changed on Tuesday. 

I got called up this last Tuesday at about 5pm. It was the Assistants to the President, calling me to tell me I was being emergency transferred... I had to leave Moiwa. I only got to be there for 3 weeks, and they kicked me out. The exciting thing, is that I have been moved back to Shinkotoni. I get to come back and hang out here once again. 

I have been moved over now with an elder named Elder Plummer. He came to Japan at the same time as Elder Pace, and Elder Thurston. He was in the MTC (Missionary Training Center) with them, and he's probably the funniest of the three. Way cool. I have enjoyed getting to come back. 

This last Sunday was great. Getting to re-meet everyone was amazing. We even have an investigator just like Matsunogo Yuuki. If you don't remember him, he was the one that got baptized last year in Shinkotoni. Currently Matsunogo Yuuki has moved up to the city of Asahikawa to get a Drivers Licence. He should be coming back down sometime soon. Our investigator though is waaay cool. His name Is Oohashi Yutaka. He is a 26 year old kid, moved up here for his job. He is extremely Golden. We taught him yesterday about the Plan of Salvation, and when asking him if he had questions, he asks, "Well then what should I do." So we made a baptismal date with him for July 9th. What a great Birthday present. 

Well that's about the time I have for this week. I'm really excited to work here in Shinkotoni again. I feel very trusted that President Nakatuska thinks I can still help this area. It makes me happy. I am way excited to work here, I love Denedo (missionary work).

愛しているよ
Elder Eliot