Dante Choro in Japan: The Field is White, Already to Harvest

Hello all!

This week we had quite a lot of experiences. It all started with Monday, as most weeks as a missionary do. We decided to try and find a woman that used to meet with the missionaries in Wakura and we started that way. That day, I was a little more fired up than usual and so, although it was when we were going downhill, I started talking to a man. I thought that he was Japanese, so I started talking in Japanese. When I asked if we could talk for a little bit, he looked at me and replied, "sure". Turns out he was from South Africa and his name was Hannes. That is all that we know about him. He was really funny with any questions that could give us any information on him. Then we biked to the lady's house and she wasn't home. Then that night we went to visit our friends Mario and Nishikawa intending to teach about family history, but the conversation was led into more about the Lord helping us to learn Japanese and what we do all day. Still a really good thing for them to learn. We also learned more about Hannes because everyone knows everyone up here.

The next thing that happened was Tuesday. The usual order this week. On Tuesday, we had a koukan and I got to work in Nanao with Elder Arscott. He is in the same douki as me. It was super fun and I learned a lot. Also we had some awesome lightning and storms that day. We found a youngster whilst housing that was super cool! His name was Tanaka, we housed into him and had a super good discussion about prophets. When we pulled out the Book of Mormon, he looked at us and said, "I want to read this book!" So, of course, we gave it to him and shared how to know if it is true. Then we prayed with him on the doorstep and it was such a great little discussion.

Then following the same order as has been set throughout many, many years, it was Wednesday. We got to teach peer support eikaiwa and talked about prettty much nothing. Everyone just said that they were sleepy the whole time. Then we went outside and Hirose (one of our favorite people ever) brought me his guitar to play right there. It was fun and has been quite a little while since I had played. Turns out I still remember a few songs even. Pretty cool. Then we had normal eikaiwa and once again only Brother Yazaki and Brother Uehira came. We taught them one of my personal favorites for the game: Egyptian Rat Killer. Good times, good times.

Thence Thursday didst commence. We stayed inside for weekly planning for much of the day. I was a really good time though. I feel that we got a lot done. Then we taught Institute and a miracle happened. We actually got to teach a lesson for more than half the time. Only short kablamo talks this week. And it was just about doing the reading assignment so that we can all learn together. And all were edifices once we were all understood. It was great.

Following was Friday which was freakishly white. Seriously though. We had ZTM for the whole morning and afternoon. Then we got to Nanao. Then it started snowing. We continued and did everything like normal, but it was snowing. I am so happy!!! I love snow. All the people here think I am nuts (missionaries included), but it is just great! Our appointment didn't go through on Friday, so we got to bike around in the snow for a little bit and decided to do some Language study like we had in the backup plan.

Simply put, it snowed all Saturday, unceasingly. We were having incredible difficulty with bikes on Friday night (I couldn't turn or brake) so we got permission to leave our area and go to the bike shop in Kanazawa. It took a little while. Also we got to walk there in the snow. And the wind. It was cold. And it was super great!!! We also got to shovel the church parking lot before we went because an appointment we had fell through. It was so fun! I just love snow. Anyway, we spent a lot of time on trains, walking to a bike shop, and sitting in said bike shop on Saturday. It was so snowy that the trains were all late and we got home just after 10:30...past missionary bedtime.

Then on Sunday, we went to church and were running. A little late for our normal hour early time and no one was there. Also the parking lot had regained quite a lot of its snow. So we went in and turned on the heaters to warm it up and wondered who to call if no one came. Then we heard the door open downstairs and it was not who we expected at all. It was one of our YSA and his friend who is also a former investigator. I say former because he has been a little busy and we haven't been able to meet with him. Anyway, they got there first and we were amazed. Then all the other peeps showed up and we had a good little sacrament meeting (because little sacrament meetings are all we ever have). Then we walked around and did our usual, just not quite as far because we didn't feel like it was a good idea to bike. Turns out they don't plow roads in Nanao. And we ended up over by the fisherman's wharf and built a snowman. We kept trying to get other people to help us, but they were content just watching. We got to talk to a few of them though.

Well that was pretty much it. It was a good week. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much (and hopefully more than) as I enjoyed living it.

Amen

Post-Amen:

This week we realized that we need to step up our game in all aspects of the work. And here is an analogy: The gospel will roll forth as a stone cut without hands and grow until it fills the Earth. In other words it will do a snowball effect. Well, as we learned whilst building a snowman, when you are rolling a snowball, it is really slow at first. And if you don't try and pack a little of the snow onto the ball (in other words, help the snow that stuck to the ball stick more) then it will fall off or just be too weak to be placed on the snowman. Also, you can only do it for so long by yourself. If you want a truly amazing snowman that is huge, you need to have someone help you push. And you need to be equally yoked in your pushing or it will get shaped weird. Therefore: When preaching the gospel, you will have slow times. And sometimes when a member first changes their life to the way of following Christ (snow sticking to the ball), they might need a little help to stay on. Otherwise they will either fall off or when the real trials come the whole area in the church will just fall apart. So we need to strengthen it as we go. And especially right after it sticks to the snowball. And the work is not meant to be done alone. All members of the church are missionaries. And that is for a reason. Missionaries are pretty strong just because we are around 20 years old. But even a 70 year old man could help us push a snowball if he had wanted. And all members can use their own talents to do missionary work. Truly we can, this is the Lord's work, and He wont let us fail. He will help you. "When you are on the Lord's errand, you are entitled to His help." Even the prophet says so, and I know that he is a prophet and so what he says is true. I bear my witness from my heart that no matter where we are, from Salt Lake City, Utah to little old Nanao in Japan, WE CAN DO THE LORD'S WORK! This is true and I know that, and nothing and no one can ever take that away. I know that Christ lives and through Him, we can be made clean. I have felt it. I know it from my heart. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

(Real Amen)