Things
are looking up in Odate!
Last
week as we were leavin the church, this man walks into the second floor of the
church (where all the
missionaries are) and starts to talk to us about an event that is going on
close in the area. Then the conversation switches to when the tsunami hit
in 2011 and then he goes on to say that he had a lot of questions about
God. He then shared a story about an LDS man in Miyako that helped him. Long story short he gave us his business card and we
gave him a Book of Mormon!
Really
solid pi and the better news is that he works really close by to the church and
the apartment!
This
week I experienced the gift of tongues the strongest I ever have on my mission! So here is the story. The other day we were housing (as usual) but we were a
little short on time. So we decided to split up and take either side of the
street by ourselves so I took the right and Elder Sato took the left. After a couple houses of nobody home suddenly a lady
from Jerusalem appears!!
Then the
next house I get to is the money maker! This mom comes out and I start talking with her and I
ask her the purpose of life and explain it briefly. She starts to talk and normally I can understand when
people are talking normal to kinda slow speed but this lady was just a little
on the fast side.
The
thing is I understood everything! She says that she is Buddhist but she believes in it
because in her words (shinjou dekinai). Basically is that Buddhism is the only
religion she can believe in because she can't do faith. We talk some more and I can tell she was feeling the
spirit and so was I! She took a pamphlet and said she will listen and made an
appointment!
I
want to share a quote from President Smith that I think applies and what I have
been trying to do.
"Obedience
is the first law of heaven. To the degree we are obedient, the
heavens will poor out its miracles. We don't wait for the miracle or
blessing to come before we are obedient. We are obedient from the start
with faith, hope, and trust that the blessings will come according to the Lords
time!"
We are praying for miracles in Odate!
Yesterday
we watched a fireside of the Sapporo temple from the chapel in Odate. Crazy enough we had a FHE lesson on temples this past
week! It makes my so excited
to finally be able to go back when I have the chance! And with that the biggest temple in the Asia area is
now finally complete and it makes it so much easier for the members I am serving
right now to go to the temple.
Because
the next closest one was in Tokyo which is very far and very expensive. I am seriously so glad that the temple is done and the
open houses are starting. The temple will start running in August!! It's beautiful!
Elder Halverson
ハルバソン長老~日本仙台伝道部
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