Week 96

Hey,

 

Tell Grandma a Happy Birthday and give her a Big Hug for me when you see her next if you would.  And let her know that she is in my prayers.  Thank you. 

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That's a bummer about the drought conditions too.  Looks like I picked the right time to be on my mission then huh?  xD  Sorry I don't mean to make light of a probably serious situation. 

So things with Elder Pronk are going well for the most part.  I think totally adjusting to the lifestyle of  a  missionary is a little bit of a change for him.  But he's doing well.  Yeah things are going pretty well if I do say so myself. 

 

So a couple things that happened this week.  One of them was that we went to go visit this family named the Ohyama's.  Way nice people.  They asked me when I was in the MTC.  When I told them it was in September of 2010 they said that they were there at the same time.  Then I realized... I had been reading in my journal not too long ago and we had this thing called the TRC where missionaries go and teach volunteers a lesson.  My companion and I one time had a Japanese woman named Ohyama-san (-san meaning mr or mrs).  Then when I asked if they had volunteered and they replied yes, I put 2 and 2 together and realized that it was the exact same Sister Ohyama that I taught almost 2 years ago.  It was so awesome.

 

Then the other awesome thing that happened this week.  Before now I never really considered how much influence 1 person could have in a big group of people.  So with our new mission president comes our new theme.  "Shall we not be united in so great a cause..."  So a while back I heard that our mission was going to be having 2 big half mission conferences as opposed to one full mission conference.  I was way bummed about it.  It didn't make sense with our mission theme in my head and at the same time I wanted to hear some people in my doki bear testimony and I wanted some people to hear me bear mine.  They wouldn't have if we still had the 2 half conferences.  So in my letter I wrote to President Budge and explained what I thought about having one conference and being in harmony with the mission theme and I also wrote my reason about bearing testimony.  The next day I had a reply from him.  He said thanks for the suggestion and that he would consider it.  So seeing his reply made me feel really good.  Not because I thought it was going to happen but because he took the time to consider my feelings.  When I read his response, I worked on just accepting the fact that my testimony would be heard by some and that a half conference would do.  A couple days later (ago) we heard the news that the 2 conferences would become one, a full mission conference. I was ecstatic.  But I figured that there were probably many people who asked for the same thing.  Then, today, the zone leaders (who are in the same apartment as us) came out, one of them said, 'Elder Keith you were mentioned in the conference call this morning!'  I asked about what and he said that President Budge mentioned me in connection to the 2 conferences becoming one.  I had never considered that my one letter my one thought, my one drop in the bucket would end up creating a wave.  1 person really can have an influence on what happens.  Even if they feel that they can't.  That was kinda my awe moment this week.  Yeah!  =D

 

And about extending too.  I think that I'm going to just keep my date for October.  I really would have liked to extend.  But I just think that at the same time, that time before school starting and everything, being around Adam and Thomas, and Grandma, not to mention my dearest parents of course heh heh.  xD.  But I've already promised myself that this will not be my last time in Japan.  I've grown to love this country too much to let it go.  But yeah you can go ahead and book the flights.  My finish date is the 9th and so if we could do a post-mission tour until the 19th would that be ok?  I think that would be sufficient time to go everywhere and do everything.  Thanks so much!

 

So because this has once again, zannen nagara (meaning unfortunately) become a chapter book, I will close.  Thank you for the upates and everything. Love you to bits and pieces!  And all those bits and pieces are put together and held there through the glue of the gospel!  (Just came up with that myself just now.)  xD  Love you

 

Elder Keith

キース長老