Missionary work

Well I have 30 minutes to write and I don't know what to write about..... I think that the sky is blue and that the weather is great around this time of year...  there is no way that I could type as fast as my comp does......

One thing I have been thinking about lately is the Ukifuji Family more (they have a baptismal date and I think that they could use all the help they could get....) I don't really know how to do more than I am right now, except pray more for them. I love that the work we do is really having an effect of them and that they are really trying to do good. I know that the mother is the strongest of them, and I worry for them because I know that it is hard to be as good as we want to do. They are doing way good though. They are reading and praying every day, they just need help coming to church.

It takes time and effort and a lot of discomfort to become a saint. I see those who have joined the church and I feel nervous for them because they have joined themselves to no ordinary work. This is the way to salvation, and it is not an easy road. But there are good times too... it would not be true to say there is an easier way to real and lasting happiness. I love this work. I know that even when I am discouraged I will have the help of God. When I meet a hard road block I know it is the will of God and I do not worry about if I will be able to endure it. I worry more about if I will endure it well.

If I consistently check myself to see if my actions and thoughts are in line with the will of God, and that I am founded in the teachings and the doctrine of Christ, then I am secure. Then I do not fall, because He is more stable than any other thing, and there is not any mistake in His works and word. If I am acting on Faith in Christ, then I will be unshaken to the end of my life. I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ it make me secure in a very good way. I am also glad that I have come here to teach it and to use it every day.... there has never been a time in my life when I have learned more about what the Gospel is, then right now. What wonderful blessings have been given to me! I am so blessed!

Love to all,

thanks for all the emails and letters. : ) 

Elder Bevan

Answers

First of all, to answer Questions, no I do not need anything, my clothes are holding up great, i haven't quite done the BYU application, my companionship is going great (Elder Pettit is one of the best), the hardest part of the mission is when I forget to rely on the Grace of Jesus the  Christ. My favorite part is relying on Him, because then I know that I do God's work. The worst thing I have eaten is... um.... a nato, okra, and small little fishes, sandwich. But even that I could handle just fine. My favorite people!? I cannot choose favorites! I will just name a few names that I think I will always want to remember. Matano Kazoku, Ohira Kazoku, Kogachi Kazoku, Mallen Choro, Miyagi Kyodai, Egawa Shimai, Tung Kyodai, Zhan Kyodai, Miyase Bishoppu, Akiyama Kyodai, MacLane Choro.... anyways. The list is a long one. I think the most surprising thing I have seen in Japan, was the shrine in Nagasaki full of slaughtered pigs heads. :)

This week on Saturday Elder Nelson came to the mission and gave a training on how we are going to use iPads! It was way cool and we all got to shake his hand and he taught about the Savior for a straight 30minutes... it was way cool! I love this Church. It is God's!  

I am out of time now, but I love you all!

Thanks! Elder Bevan

Thoughts on Faith

There are people in the world who have philosophized that the only thing a person can know for certainty, with 100% assurance they are not wrong, is the reality of their existence. " I think, therefor I am." They asserted that we cannot know anything else beyond this. Everything that we know could be doubted away to that point. If I am not wrong, I think they might say "we cannot know if we are not simply the figment of someone else's imagination.... our perception of reality might be totally skewed."

It is a very "smart" idea... In a way it is true. Now, this might sound strange at first, but I kind of like this idea. I think it shows how much faith is a real part of everything that we do. Everyone uses faith, everyday, all-day. It is part of us. If this idea is true, than everything we do is based on faith.... I say faith, but this is not the same kind of faith that we talk about in church. That "Faith", is Faith in Jesus Christ. I am still thinking about this, but I think that these two faiths might work in about the same way. If you need faith to do normal everyday things and to carry out all of the tasks that we do all day. I think in the same way, we need Faith to carry out spiritual things. If everyday faith motivates us to try and do good in our work and our human relationships, then it would make sense that Faith in Jesus Christ would leads us to be much better than we already are. And if faith was what it took to send a man to the moon, or to make iPads, imagine what a real and vital faith in Christ could do to the souls of God's children!

I know that God lives, Jesus Christ is the Atoning One, and that the Book of Mormon is true by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Love to all, Elder Bevan

This is me and my "brother" and my "dad". Elder Harvey will be "dying" soon. .... gooofy picture :) I like it.

This is of our last zone conference. There are actually almost two zones in this picture... President and Sister Gustafson are right up front middle. I love them.

Still in Kumamoto... Mom's questions

Halo everyone!

I said last week was transfers but didn't say if I or my companion transferred.  I am still in Kumamoto. Elder Pettit is still my companion. We are getting along. I am still trainer. there are four missionaries in our ward, and I love the members here. Unlike America it is very rare to get member refferals, and it is kind of hard to work with peopls scheduls to teach with them, but that is no worry I love the people and they are fantastic. I love them becuse they are all so strict to give ear to the word of God. They desire to do what is right, and work hard, and are concerned for the lives of those they work with. Of course, as is everywhere thre are many who go less active.. how I wich that were not so! but there is smuch good in the hearts of the people here.
my arm is all healed up and no one is the wiser for it. We are on ou bikes all of the time that we are not teaching or studying. Today we went though a kind of country like area... that means that there are a few fields... and I could smell the manure and felt at home... it smelt like good old work.:) But even the most country areas of Japan I have been in are more suburban than Emmett.

I have been studying that for the past while  about the strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I will have read the Book of Mormon through, studying about that subject, by the end of my mission.
I have though a lot and prayed about filling the responsibilities that I have been giving as  a missionary.... how can I do the things that I have been given to do? I have been able to see a little clearer that I will be able to do the things that I have been asked to do in one way or another if I will rely on the Lord.
I have been reading through 2Nephi lately and have come to learn a lot about the power of the Atonement of Christ through the Isiah Chapters. What wonderful lessons! Christ is our light and our water, He is our food of life. If we will rest on him he will give us the things that we stand in need of.... Those symbols are used over and over in Isiah (in one form or another) and I love it! One of the ways that Christ enables us to do his work is mercifully giving us knowledge... and I think all good missionaries have seen themselves be guided be revelation to do things that they needed to do. He doesn't just do this but He is our sustenance. When we rely on him we are given strength to go forward.

I love you all!Thanks for everything,
Elder Bevan'

New and Old Transfers

This was from Baily: How is your mission?Do you like your it so far? When are you finished with your mission?Are you amazing at speaking Japanese? Have you baptized a lot of people?

My mission is awesome. I love it. I am super grateful that i am able to serve here. I love the People and love to speak the language, (although I am not very good at it). I have baptized four people. I love theme all very much. I am sad that I don`t always get to stay with them, but I am glad that I know them. I have a long time to the end of my mission.

We just finished the numbers for the last transfer. It has been such a good transfer! I am so excited to keep working this way for the rest of my mission. It has been a great help to me to be able to work withe the Spirit and to plan well. I think that learning how to better apply our plans into our schedule has helped me a lot these past six weeks. Instead of just writing notes on what we need to do I have been writing notes in the day and time that we should do them, and that seems to help a lot. We have seen some really awesome miracles this transfer.

Shoot, I don't know what to write about again. We met a Nepal人 a couple to weeks ago and He accepted the invitation to be baptized this week.  He also is keeping a commitment to pray and so we are happy for him. The family that we met last week is doing great, they all came to sports night on Friday, with friends. We were very happy that they overcome the hurtle of coming to the church building. I am very happy for them.  I think they will go far. They couldn't all make it to church because some things came up, but three of the sons did come and they all had a pretty good time. We are excited for them. 

The gospel is not a sad or a hard gospel, it is one of rejoicing. In D&C it says "lift up your hearts and rejoice, for I am in you midst and am you Advocate with the Father".  I never feel better that when I have said what I needed to say. When I have opened up my mouth and "declared the gospel".  

Well anyways my computer is being a little funny right no and I think that I will have trouble going back and fixing it, but that is OK... 

I think that this work is really awesome and I think that I need to improve in a thousand ways, I just want to do what Is right and I want to come out of this with friends that will stay true with me until the last day when we will stand with each other in the celestial kingdom of God and rejoice together. I look forward to that day very much. I hope that all of my efforts are those that they need to be in order for that to become reality.

Love to all,  

Elder Bevan