January 30, 2017: Understanding the meaning of Frozen Chosen.❄

 

Hello everyone!! How are you all??  It's cold here, as in bone chilling.  It was a numbing cold wind all week long and I can't decide which is colder; the winters in Utah or the ones here because at home I wasn't outside in the winter for about 7-8 hours a day.  Now for all you people in California, Peru, Australia be grateful for the sunshine and constant warm weather!!  This is what they say in Sendai...

The real scripture

D&C 121:34 Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

The Sendai mission scripture

Behold, there are many called, but few are frozen.  And why are they not Frozen?  Answer: Cause they didn't get called to Sendai!

The miracles started Monday night!  We were housing in a apartment complex that is near our apartment.  We are knocking away just getting kekko after kekko (NO).  Finally we knock on the door of a man named Miura san and he lets us in.  We sit down around his kotatsu and start by introducing ourselves and he goes on to tell us that he knows us, received a BOM in the past, and had been to church to play ping pong with past missionaries.  We teach about God and he asks if he can pray.  We could have ended the lesson right then and there!  Then we schedule a another appointment for Wednesday which went really well.  Sunday rolls around and we had invited him to church but we didn't think he was going to come..... but he shows up for sacrament meeting!  We have a little meeting with him and now he holds a bap date for the 25th of March!  We met him again that night which went great and we have a lesson scheduled tomorrow at the church!  It's looking good!  He is praying and having a good time at church!!

We also meet a guy from Vegas whose brother is Mormon but he isn't religious but WAY NICE....  he told me that his brother was Mormon and I almost said "your joking right??" Lolol.

Tuesday played some baseball with some kids from the nearby high school.  That took me back! In the morning we had a lesson with our recent convert who is legit.  He takes the lessons that we are teaching, he likes to review the missionary lessons.  We are going along and he runs with it, starts talking and teaching us.  At the end of those lessons I get so much info and new insights it's just unbelievable.  He will probably be the next branch president!!  #SUZUKIKYOUDAI2019!

 As of right now we have 3 people on baptismal date.  We only meet with the one this week cause, of course, they are busy or had something come up!  However, we have had contact with them all and they seem like they are still progressing a little bit at a time.   Some might not make their date but we are hopeful!!  And praying for them!

I know that God lives and we are all His children!  Doesn't matter where you come from or what kinda background you have, we are all still Brothers and SIsters!  Book of Mormon is true and I love my family!!

See you all next week!

Elder Halverson

ハルバソン長老~日本仙台伝道部

 

 

January 23, 2017: Traveling!! 🚌🚌

On Tuesday we took a bus to Sendai (1.5 hours) and stayed the night.  Then Wednesday we attended a 5 hour "new missionary meeting" and then did the 1.5 hour bus ride home.  Got off the bus and headed to the church for the eikaiwa.  We wake up the next morning and head back to Sendai for another meeting.  So long story, Elder Davies and I didn't have that much finding time.  However, we were able to get alot of stuff done.

On Friday this week we had another great lesson with a guy named 星さん (star in Japanese houshi). He is a great man with a heart of gold.  He told me all about what is going on in America with the president and all the crazy stuff that is going down.  Let's just say that I am glad I am not in America to witness all this.  After hearing all of that we had a discussion about the Book of Mormon and God. The discussion was completely normal but I was feeling so much love for this guy cause of his circumstances.  He lives by himself, all his kids live in different places all over Japan, and years ago his wife passed away.  During the lesson I was understanding him perfect, just like if we were talking in english!!

The gift of tongues is real!  After we finished up he accepted a bap date for the 21st of April.  He needs some encouragement and some actual confidence that he can do it but that is our role!  :)

Well some cool things from this week

-meet a really cool member from Tokyo named brother sasaki lives in Chiba -an investigator finally came to church!!  Lee san is from China and he speaks fluent Chinese and Japanese!

-finally ate tonkatsu again, it's been a while.. too long!

-the branch is really nice and helpful again!

-lastly nobody showed up to our eikaiwa class this week! lol

                that isn't a cool thing just thought i would add it in because you never know what will happen here.

Love you all and have a good week!

Elder Halverson

ハルバソン長老~日本仙台伝道部

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 16, 2017: Good Morning from Japan!

It is another bright morning in Furukawa and the weather is a constant -4 degrees Celsius with a wind chill of -9 degrees.

Hello, how is everyone??  Those of you in a nice warm tropical place I hope you are loving the weather cause it's bitter cold here.  Probably the miracle of the week was that while Elder Davies and I were working, we didn't freeze and become popsicles.  Also, the fact that I still have fingers and toes is a miracle in itself.  This week we were able to spread the gospel to a bunch of people and for the first time in a while we got into a house.  The guy who let us in was a PI (potential investigator) named Houshi san and we found out that he is way good at English and has meet / heard lessons from the missionaries 15 plus years ago and received an Old and New Testament from them.  Seriously, this man is awesome and has a heart of gold.  So nice.  He gave us milk and mikans and told us to eat as much as we want:):).   We had a little lesson about the Book of Mormon in Japanese and English.  We have an appointment with him on Friday which I wish would come faster.  Lol.

As far as investigators go we are still in contact with Sato San.  She was really busy this past week and couldn't meet but we have a appointment with her on Wednesday and plan to teach her and her kids.

Those lessons are always way fun.  We have been texting her and she is doing great!  Just a bit busy.

On a funny note, because of the freezing weather this week I couldn't open my mouth and talk properly.  All that would come out was just mumbling and alot of people couldn't understand what I was saying.  I had to say it again slower and make sure that it all came out.  I am starting to speak like an old Japanese dude.  One day all the blood was gone from my face when I gave a commitment to a less active sister.  She said that she was scared of me.  She said that I was looking her right in the eye and had a straight face that was pale white and said "READ THE BOOK OF MORMON".  We laughed about it but apparently I scared her into reading for the week. Haha a win is a win I guess.  Last one, I was so tired from working and the cold I almost fell asleep walking home one night.

Haha

The gospel is true.  There is a feeling that comes over me when I am teaching promising blessings.  I know that that feeling is from the Holy Ghost.  It is teaching not only the investigator but also me that the gospel is true, God lives and He loves each one of us on an equal level.  I am grateful for the gospel. I am so thankful for this opportunity in Japan to teach and testify.  Lastly, everyone, when you go to any church function take your scriptures! Mark them up because they hold a power that you can't get feel through the electric devices! 

Love you all and have a good week

Elder Halverson

ハルバソン長老~日本仙台伝道部

January 9, 2017: Hellow Everyone and Happy New Year!

Sorry for no email last week but I was busy partying with all the new years festivals.  Elder Davies and I went to Izumi then to Sendai to see some of the culture and sight see.  In sendai at this time of the year there is a japan famous shopping spree that goes on and i was right in the middle of all of it.  There was hundreds of thousands of people gathered around to get the next deal on sometime it was nuts!!

Anyway this week was a lot of cleaning and recovering from the festivities.

The work was really hard this week cause lots of people were still doing stuff with there families or still hadnt returned from where ever they went for new years. So there was alot of people not home!

Which was a bit unfortunate. However we were still able to meet our investigator with a bap date sato san.  I wasnt there for the lesson cause a split but from what i heard is that she is doing good and is progressing steadily.  She has a lot of questions and her kids a tad bit crazy so we need to take it slow haha still exited for the 25 of feb!  This is going to be short again but everyone i hope made new goals for this year.  We can all really change. I believe that.  But not in a year a month or six weeks.  We can change everyday thanks to Jesus christ and the atonement.  We can take those small little steps every day to reach the final goal of eternal life and becoming just like our father in heaven!  So everyone lets do our best everyday and take the small steps to "be a little be better, try a bit harder to reach a little farther to be a little bit better" President Hinckley.

I know that god lives and we can talk to him though pray and he will respond always!  I love you fam and have a good day!

 

Elder Halverson

ハルバソン長老~日本仙台伝道部

January 2, 2017: New Years 明けましておめでとう

Happy new year we are going to party in Sendai so I won't email love you all!

 

Oh btw this week we got a baptism date!!  The name is Sato please pray for her!!

 

Elder Halverson

ハルバソン長老~日本仙台伝道部