Week 53: Better Plans

Hello Everyone!!

Don't even know where to start. So much happened this week!

First, out of the five new investigators, 3 or so seem to have good potential, and we've been finding some more along the way. Seeing the importance of the Spirit in missionary work!! I've tried talking to literally everyone, and So I know the average ratio of acceptance... but it is incredible to see that the Spirit can guide us to someone with interest and desire to change even when we are busy and just have time to talk to a few people in a day. We even found a new high schooler today, after talking to only some 10 or so people!

So, first, Brother O (new investigator with a baptismal date for this month... We'll probably have to push it back for legal reasons, but he is keeping all the commandments!) came to church, and so did Brother P. (Long term investigator, but due to a language barrier, he never understood the Restoration until now! We read it with him from the Book of Mormon picture book - we think he will start progressing now!). Brother M (the less active college student who we barged in on the other week) also came to church!! He really just needs the joy and direction that comes from having a testimony of he Gospel, but it's hard for him to see it that way... :P

Then, we got to meet a couple times with Brother I (16 year old new investigator) this week! He read from the Book of Mormon before we even met; he likes 2 Nephi 2. yeah. I was impressed. He's a smart, golden kid. He wants to get to the Celestial Kingsom, but is worried about what his parents and peers would think about baptism and such... But we plan on meeting him tomorrow.  Going to help him honor his parents and such so his family can see the Gospel as a good thing. Excited for him! :)

Then, we meet with Brother Y Saturday. He likes baseball, and so does my companion. They get along GREAT. It is actually hard to get them to stop talking. :) he is also the one that we found after passing many people on the way to the station. I'm excited to see him progress! We need more young people in Niigata! (He is 22ish) We meet him Saturday.

Also working with a good number of less actives. One that has been a miracle recently is with Jacob. (His nickname) He came to the church randomly on Wednesday night to meet with us. We were going to teach Eikaiwa, so we couldn't teach him.  However, the power went out, and everyone went crazy trying to fix the breaker, and I sat with him by a window and began to talk.

It came to my mind to ask him how much he had been smoking. Not something I think I would normally bring up, but I asked anyways.

"One box... So maybe about 20 a day?" He paused, I waited, and then he said, "but I think I want to stop." Ok. That's cool. So we built a plan to stop together, (including tips from Brother Pinkston on overcoming temptations, memorizing scriptures, reading the Book of Mormon, praying, etc.). We talked about when he is usually tempted, and wrote down what he will do to overcome each temptation. He wrote down the last part, and the power came back on. Literally perfect timing. I went home that night with his last cigarettes, and he hasn't smoked since! I thought I was going to teach Eikaiwa that night, but I guess God had better plans!

Well... If I had one thing that I learned for sure this week, it is that God loves us, and He gives revelation so that we can bless the lives of others! So rely on Him this week, pray for the Spirit, and follow the promptings. I can promise that you will see miracles if you try to serve others and Him!

Hurrah for Israel!
Elder O'Reilly

Incredible meal with a member!! Sister Nishikizawa pulled out like eight courses!!
And all of it was delicious!

Beach was a blast!! Went with the zone... We have zone meeting tomorrow.
 Giving a training on finding... Pray that the Spirit will
teach them what I clearly can't! Haha. :)