Hey Everyone!!!
This week was way interesting. Just lots of new things and such.
First off, Brother S. entered the hospital! Please pray for him!! We weren't able to contact him this week. :P
Next, I went to MLC this week - Mission Leadership Council. I'm not a mission leader, but I did get to take notes on the meeting. It was interesting to see what happens more "behind the scenes." So I basically just wrote down everything that was said, and now my notes are being sent out to the leaders of the mission... so hopefully I didn't mis-translate anything (good chunks of the meeting were in Japanese).
We starting visiting people in the ward this week as well! The Bishop, some less actives, and some strong members too - we should have started doing it earlier!! So... if you go on a mission, work with the members!! Way more effective than just streeting all day. Plus, you can still talk to people all along the way.
Aside from that, we had some good finding time! Or as I call it in my planner 金人を見つける時間 - or time for finding golden people. And we found some great people!
We met two that were pretty awesome.
First, we met someone that walked up to us on the street and said he was interested! He said he wanted to learn how and why we pray, and we said we could do that. He gave us contact info, and we should meet again soon.
The second went like this:
(me, probably awkwardly staring, trying to figure out why this person looked familiar, feeling like I should talk to them)
"Hey! We met before, didn't we!" (Brother H.)
"Oh, yes, we did!" (me, realizing this is someone we met earlier, but weren't able to get contact info from)
"It is pretty incredible that we met twice in Tokyo, isn't it?"
"yeah. It is."
It then continued, he apologized for not contacting us, saying he was busy. We got his contact info, and he said he wanted to meet!
But so do a lot of people - however, I called him yesterday (Sunday), and!!!! He didn't pick up. Then he called me back and said that he wanted to meet today (Monday)! We met, and he told us that he wanted to start coming to our church activities, particularly on Sunday. We told him that that would be great!
After we gave him a brief tour of the church, taught him the restoration, and committed him to Baptism. He said no.
However, we talked about it some more, and (this is the best part), he said YES! He should be baptized on the 20th of next month.
So... he is pretty golden. :)
Now, I want you to consider the chances - us, out of crowds of millions of people, in the city of Tokyo, meeting the same person twice. Almost zero right? And not to mention, at totally different times in totally different places! We could not have met him again if we had not followed the Spirit!
To me, this is one of many pieces of convincing evidence that this is the true church on the earth! However, I want you to consider a few other things as well:
Could a young man, Joseph Smith, write a book, such as the Book of Mormon, with minimal education? Could he find people who would be willing to tell the world they had seen the plates and become the three and eight witnesses? Could he start this church, and this great work, which now spreads across the entire work? Could he have done these things if it were not true?
Not likely. But would that same young man endure persecutions, and later die, for such things if they were not true?
Almost impossible. And consider this: would I be in Japan declaring it to everyone I can, if I did not KNOW it was true? No.
If none of this is evidence enough that the Gospel is true, I add my testimony that I know that Jesus is the Christ - that He died for you and me. And He restored the Gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon through the power of God, and this IS God's true church on the earth. Through it, we can live happily with our families now and eternally.
This is the happy and true message that I share! And the best part is that no one has to take my word for it - nor any of the evidences I have given. You can know for yourself!
So this week, consider what the Gospel means to you, consider what it would mean if it were true (and I testify that it is!), and how AWESOME that is!
Have a fantastic week!
Hurrah for Israel!
Elder O'Reilly
P.S. P day next week is Wednesday. I'm going to the temple. :)
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| Went to sushi! My comp ate 30 plates! |
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| This is what I made as Tech Staff... there is a Japanese version as well. |
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