Hello again. Crazy how another week has already flown by. A lot happened, as usual, but I won't bore you with a 40 page essay like always.
So this week we met with our 1 progressing investigator かたやまさん(katayama San). The last time we met, we talked about the word of wisdom. It's had been about two weeks and he told us he has completely stopped all tobacco and all drinking in the past two weeks. I was so stoked for him. He explained it was hard and that he's struggling a lot, so I thought we should talk about prayer and how you can receive comfort through it. Well, I was wrong. After we heard how he stopped all of his addictions for 2 weeks my companion kind of freaked out. He stood up and told me "change of topic" and went to the white board. He drew out this huge detailed plan on how every week katayama San would smoke one less pack, or drink one less drink. Ideally, the goal was for him to be at 0 in 7 or 8 weeks. It was a good plan in the long run, but then katayama San was basically asking "so it's okay to smoke 6 packs this week" I thought this whole plan was a good idea, but it kind of gave him permission to go ahead and drink and smoke for the rest of the week (it being Tuesday). That's why, I didn't think it was the right path to take saying "as long as you follow this... You can smoke today and 6 more times this week" He ended up lighting up right after the lesson when we walked with him to the subway station. The lesson was 4 hours long :/ and it seemed that all we accomplished was letting him smoke. I wasn't too happy with my companion, but I can't say it was his fault because I feel like I could've done more. Please pray for him
We have a tradition where me and my companion, as well as two other elders working in the mission home, go to a sushi bar called Toriton 2 or 3 times a week, it's dang expensive, but the sushi is so bomb. Well, this week they rang their bell and announced that they had a fresh octopus and explained a little bit about the size, where they caught it, etc... You want to see the picture. I watched the guy cut it up as it was moving. I also could see the head sitting on the side breathing and to be honest, was grossed out. Of course the only logical thing to do next was..... Buy some. Yep, I bought some and it was well worth the expensive plate. It was moving a little, which was a little weird, but I had to do it so my email would be a bit more interesting ya know? It was for the email, not the experience.
Did splits on Thursday with 小和田長老 a Japanese elder working in the mission home. Only spoke Japanese all day, and I felt pretty good speaking it. I'm obviously not fluent, but it was following unusually nice. We had a movie night later that day, and had a less active and one of our other investigators come. This less active 's name is ただの兄弟(Brother Tadano) and he's been coming to church, but struggling with creating ward relationships. Please pray for him. It was hard enough to get him to church, and seems like getting him to continue going is going to be harder.
So last story. Almost every day we do an hour of advertising our English class. Last week we met this sketchy guy who wouldn't tell us his name and kept saying it was Yellow Monkey. He's a little odd in many ways. He always carries a bunch of clothes (wig, 3 hats, 2 shirts, etc...) he came to our sports night last Saturday and was using some sexual language in Japanese, so we of course told him he needed to cool it. We haven't heard from him in over a week now, but yesterday at church we got pulled aside by a ward member, and introduced to two guys in black. They were cops! They showed us his picture and asked for info about it and all the contact we've had with him. We told them everything. I still barely understand Japanese, so I thought he was wanted. My first thought was SHOOT! Turns out he's playing a witness in some trial, and they're trying to put him into a mental hospital because he's not stable and is dangerous around children. I COULD'VE DIED! Jk I'm tough I would've been good. I thought I'd share that because that was pretty intense and I had a bunch of adrenaline. Good way to end the week.
I've been studying the New Testament and I'm about 3/4th of the way through and wanted to share some scriptures.
Romans 12:9-15,21
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless that which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Ephesians 4:1-7
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Please read them and think about them. They really strengthened my testimony.
Also, I found an awesome talk.
In Tune With The Music of Faith (April 2012) by Quentin L. Cook
He made mention of Lehi's vision of the tree of life, and proceeded to talk about the types of people in that vision. In his talk he said something that really stuck out. "While Lehi’s vision includes all people, the culminating doctrinal concept is the eternal significance of the family."
The family really is the most important unit in time and in eternity. I couldn't be more grateful for my family. Love you guys :)
Thanks everyone. Love you all. Of course this email is long. Who am I kidding? I can't make them short. I just have so much to tell and am so enlightening. Lol
Keep it 100 everyone
敬具 (sincerely yours)
ー シャイト長老 (Elder Scheidt)
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