Week 37: The Arm of Flesh

Hello Everyone!!!!

This week was incredible. We found SO many people to teach this week - to the extent, that we can't fit in all our appointments tomorrow. And then from Wednesday we become a threesome companionship with the Zone
Leaders because one of them is going home for school (one week before the end of the transfer). They also have a lot of teaching appointments... So our week will probably be filled with teaching this week!

Now, if I were to say the main difference that happened this week, it would be the difference between relying on ourselves and relying on God instead. When we started this transfer, we were so confident that we knew what we were doing. We were told by our leaders that talking to 100 people would find us 1 new investigator, and out of 10 new investigators, one would be prepared enough to be baptized, so we went out and talked to a lot of people - and saw no success.

This week, instead of focusing on just what we thought we should do - going to people filled places and stopping everyone - we really prayed about what He would have us do. As we sought His will, we didn't talk to as many people, but we found more people that listened! In one day, we found 4 people that wanted to hear more! One is particularly interested in baptism, one is interested in learning how to use the Atonement, one wants to hear about the Book of Mormon, and one is just curious in who we are. And those are just the people we found in one day! Plus, everyone that dropped off the map before I got here started calling us and wanting to meet. It was as if someone just came and lit our area on fire!

One experience that stands out to me in particular was on Thursday. We were looking for some less actives with little success - the addresses have like no pattern in Japan, and not even Google maps can get it right. We realized that with the time we spent lost, we wouldn't have enough time to complete all our plans, so we prayed to seek direction. Previously, perhaps we would have just shot out to work and find people, but, we felt that we should just get back to the apartment a little early. Such a thought would have never come to me, but the first kid we talked to was interested in learning about Christ!

So, if I learned one thing this week, it was not to rely on the arm of the flesh. I did everything in my power for 4 weeks, and then we strove to do it God's way for one day and had more success then all the rest of the transfer combined. God is certainly a God of miracles, and can do His own work if we will let Him! So seek His direction
through prayer this week, and then really listen for His direction! I can promise that He is waiting to bless you, you just have to let Him!

Stay Awesome!!!!
Hurrah for Israel!
Elder O'Reilly

When I looked up Thomas's address on google, look what I found... haha!

Eating Ramen as an apartment. Ramen is SOOO good in Japan.

Played frisbee and soccer in the rain with the YSA and the 1 youth in the ward :)