Okay, due to Zone P-day and a trip to Costco for the ever
rare and delicious pizza, last week's email was cut a bit short.
Japanese Costco Pizza; Literally exactly the same as in the states, even the box!
But
this week, it'll also be relatively short... we're going to Enoshima
Island and having fish eat the dead skin off our feet.
This past week was fantastic, but hey, when isn't it. We
received transfer calls, Elder Poff and taking on Fujisawa for
another 6 weeks.
Which works out, he's been teaching me how to play the
ukulele. I'm stoked to work with him again.
Nothing too crazy exciting happened this week except for one
thing. We had a conference with Elder Choi of the area 70. He was
absolutely
hilarious and we learned a ton from him. His big thing was
having fun with everything. Missionary work, studying, etc... It was a
huge
breath of fresh air. My favorite quote was, "If you
don't like it, like it." It's pretty simple really. Literally
everything is based off
your attitude. Learning to like something is like a domino
effect, once you start to like one little thing about something you
may have
disliked in the past, the rest seems to slowly fall into
place. It's so easy to get upset, angry, and just plain out annoyed with
a lot of things. Such as the way people act, school, and work. Before
coming out to Japan I absolutely despised a lot of things and took
a very
"bite the bullet" approach to basically anything
somewhat productive. I would do it, I'd try hard to not show I was upset about
doing it,
and just kind've persevered. But in the end I was just
making everything harder on myself because I was too lazy to put in
the extra
effort to change my attitude around. I can't express how
much happier I've personally become because I decided to simply change my
mindset, and quit making things all about me. It's a total paradox,
but when the purpose behind whatever you're doing is based on the
welfare of others, rather than yourself, you begin to find joy. On my
own I am completely weak. No amount of push-ups, miles, or peanut
butter can make me stronger than when I rely on my Savior Jesus Christ,
and his teachings to love one another.
Another quote from conference
that hit me was, "Today I obey. Tomorrow I understand." I
get it. Obedience is for squares. Be a rebel. You do you. Don't be a conformist,
it's unoriginal. It's so easy to look at obedience as a burden,
like it limits you. But in all honesty, you don't know if you don't
try. There's an obvious difference in my day, and in how I work
with others when I completely follow the teachings of Christ. No cutting
corners, because there's a difference between obedience, and exact
obedience. It's seems weird, dependent, and it's hard. But the
blessings are real, and they will come. Maybe not in the way we expect, or
when we want them, but nonetheless they come. No matter what. And no
matter
what, they are for the best.
One last thing for the missionaries who actually read this.
In a group
discussion during Elder's quorum we had a member tell us,
" I don't think you realize how much ward members rely on you. You
carry a light about you that people recognize. In times of trouble, and
stress, a lot of members anchor onto that light that you provide." It
honestly hit
me like a brick. I've always felt that I was some punk
teenager that threw on a suit and started speaking gibberish. As
missionaries, I don't think we always realize how special of a calling we're
involved in. Just remember to always be worthy of that calling, and
be a representative of the light you are called to carry.
頑張ろう
愛を込めて、
カフ長老
