Halverson Chourou

Monday, August 15, 2016

August 15, 2016: Over the hump.

GOOD MORNING, MIYAKO JAPAN! It's a nice 26 degrees Celsius with 100% humidity. It's 12:36pm and it's time to start Elder Halverson's weekly email.

If I could recap this week in one word I would be "finding"! 工藤長老

Elder Kudo and I hit the streets and the rice fields of Miyako this week to find Heavenly Fathers prepared people. So it all starts on Tuesday, we planned appointments and got flipped around and wound up that Elder Kudo and I had to sprint to catch 3 different buses. But towards the end of the day we decided to expand the area. That takes us over in this place surrounded with rice paddies and farm type homes getting nothing but rejection. Miracles definitely come from enduring and going till we nearly had no time left. We were housing for 3.5 straight hours and with 19 minutes before eikaiwa, we decided to knock on one last apartment complex. We knock nobody nobody nobody and the last door opens up and it was a pi that we have been trying to meet with for 12 some odd weeks. He invites us in and we share a quick message about the Book of Mormon with his family. If only we had more time, he would have become an investigator but we will go back. It definitely was a miracle indeed, and it was the one that we needed. I know that if we use our time wisely the Lord will bless us and we will see miracles. If anybody has seen the Mormon missionary "Hello" by Adele video it is exactly what happened to me and my comp on Tuesday.

This week has been a lot of lessons learned and not to many lessons taught.

Right now it is the Obon Festival and it's basically Japan's Christmas. My comp (who is Japanese) said it like this. It's basically the holiday where everyone is actually acting Buddhist and then when it's over it's back to normal life. Also relating it to Sunday Christians. Haha he is a funny guy. But because of that holiday nobody was home and not a lot of people could meet and have lessons. So we were walking around most of the night talking to as many people as we could. From that I learned the holiday is for their ancestors. During this holiday people gather together, go to the gravesites of their ancestors and clean it up, hang out and honor them. Also after that they go home and give burnt offering to hotokesama (BUDHA). The similarities in the religions is becoming more and more interesting and the realization of the truthfulness is overwhelming. I know this is the true church and the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

Love you and thanks for making this year great and see ya in 1!

Elder Halverson

ハルバソン長老~日本仙台伝道部

Monday, August 8, 2016

August 8, 2016: It was hot!

Ok so this week was filled with bus rides and meetings. On Monday we jumped on a bus going to Sendai that took about 6 hours so I didn't really get a pday but it was way cool once I got to Sendai. There were a ton of mission buds at the mission home that I got to see! It was so much fun! Got to meet up and chat with them all. Anyway the next day was all meetings and bus rides back to the "metropolis" of Miyako. But serious President Smith is a genius. Both in world knowledge and the gospel. He is unbelievable. I hope someday that I can be like that.

But after we get home and settle in, it was time to get to work! Funny when I say “get to work” cause almost all of our appointments fell through and the ones we meet with didn't want to continue meeting for various reasons. So that left us with a lot of finding time. And a lot of learning. On Saturday we found from the time we left the apartment till we came home. We found the entire day, from 12-8 and all but one rejected us. BUT it was so much fun, preaching the gospel is fun and it brought Elder Kudo and I joy today. The one person that didn’t send us away has the potential of becoming a solid PI, they want to learn about the purpose of life.

*I learned that “found” or “finding” means tracting

Also we had a lot of fun this week and we are seeing miracles and lots to go and find!

Love you all and I know that the church is true and Christ is the bishop of our souls and he is always taking care of us. Love you and and じゃね

See 1 Peter 2:21-25. And bible dictionary under bishop.

It is fun hearing from you at home. Thank you!

Elder Halverson

ハルバソン長老~日本仙台伝道部

Monday, August 1, 2016

August 1, 2016: Ok Family

So today I might have not a lot of time cause I am going to Sendai today at 2 o'clock to attend a training meeting tomorrow. I am becoming the district leader in Miyako. My new comp is Elder Kudo, he is from Osaka and Elder Daniels is going to Aizuwakamatsu. This week was amazing!

On Saturday we had a baptism of an investigator and I was awesome! I'll remember it for many reasons, first of all it was way spiritual and even though most of the branch was in Tokyo for a temple trip, there was still a big turn out! The service was way spiritual and way fun! But the actual baptism was the most stressful thing to watch. Apparently, the investigator didn't get the whole concept of going completely under the water cause it took about 10 times. I was watching it and all the members are giving pointers to the youngest missionary in the area and the investigator was just as confused as the missionary. They tried standing, then one kneeling and one standing, then both kneeling. It was a sight to see indeed (to be honest I was thinking that this baptism might not happen)😁😁😁!

Well after 10 or so tries she finally went all the way under and everyone started to cheer. idk if that is appropriate or not but a win is a win I guess. After the baptism, since nobody was home because they are partying at the festival, we all went to the party as well. It was a blast! Imagine, seeing a baptism and then party like the Japanese! They had a ton of shops and culture celebrations that we are participated in!

Sunday was the same too! Woke up early and saw a baptism in the ocean! It all happened in Nakanohama in Miyako. This time it was a members daughter that was getting dunked. She was so happy. It's hard to describe how brightly she was smiling before and after the service!

I love you all and I know that this church is true and through the gates of baptism, one can return to the glory of our Heavenly Father once more!

Love you all and have a good week!

Again sorry I am writing this on the fly!

Elder Halverson

ハルバソン長老~日本仙台伝道部