Happiness

This week was kind of crazy. Malcom Choro and my companion Oshima Choro had to prepare for zone training meeting and then for mission president interviews on Monday. For most of the week we have had to plan our days together, all four of us. Oshima Choro and I would go in and sit on the tatami with the other two missionaries, and then Oshima Choro would talk about zone stuff with Malcolm Choro in Japanese for a while, then we would finally figure out that I would just be working with Chung Choro for so and so amount of time, and then he and I would sit down and plan how long we should find on the street, and how many Book of Mormon we wanted to give out, and how many people we wanted to talk to, and so on and so forth. After that we all rushed to be in our futons on time and I would just kind of lay there while Malcolm Choro talked and we finally all got to saying our prayer. 

Every night I try and tell my companions why I love them, but we don't have bikes right now because of the recent transfers and so we are running a lot, and I am just so tired by the end of the day that I try and stay awake until Elder Oshima Ends his personal prayer, so that I can tell him, but I always fall asleep before he does... Man I love missionary work.

The other day, Chung Choro and I had four or five hours to just go out and dendo (missionary work/ finding) and we taught something like ten totsuzen (sudden or quick) lessons to the people that we talked to, and gave out four Book of Mormon. It was Awesome, and I was Dog-tired when we got back, but I was thrilled with the work. We always go "streeting" whenever we have anytime that is not filled. Yesterday Chung Choro and I went out again for a little bit and He said "I'm happy to be doing dendo, I don't even know why, I'm just happy!" 

Man! what a blessing that was to hear! What I change in tune from what he had been singing  before then! 

This week looks like it is going to be jam-packed too, I'm looking forward to it. Oh... before I forget, Nagasaki got to welcome a new member this week into the branch. His name is Yamasaki Hirouki. I found him with Harvey Choro and Malcolm Choro before the transfer ended. What a blessing! He is the fourth baptism I have seen. I am so blessed! He is so amazing!

I know the Church is true. I know the Savior lives. His Atonement is the single-most important event ever to occur. Prayers are answered and Heavenly Father is merciful.

Love to all.

Especially Family, during the Easter season. 

Elder Bevan

Baptism!

 This is an investigator that Harvey, Malcolm Choro, and I found. He gave up smoking and was prepared for baptism within two weeks of our meeting. What a blessing! 

Brother Yamasaki! Shiawase!!

Rain and New Companions

Man this week was awesome! Elder Oshima is awesome. I am so blessed to be working with him. He teaches me so much and he is a wonderful example. He is 178cm tall... I think that I am like 185cm. or something like that, so he is a pretty good height. He was born and raised in Nara Japan and has one younger sister. This is his 9th transfer. He got right to work and I think he probably knows more names people in Nagasaki then I do already. Before we picked him up on Thursday we picked up Elder Malcolm's new companion who's name is Elder Chung. He was born in Hong Kong and moved to Australia when he was like eleven. He is a funny guy and it is good to have someone that I feel like I can help with the language. Since Elder Oshima has zone things to work on with Elder Malcolm, I went with Elder Chung on Saturday to find people on the street (so as to not waste time). The rain was crazy, and when we returned to the apartment Elder Chung poured his shoes out and wrung water out of his socks.... shoot, I'm out of time... it was awesome I love missionary work.   

I know that the Savior lives and that this is His work. I love Him and his work.

With love to all,

Elder Bevan

Transfers and Things

Well today has been kinda hectic. We got transfer calls today and I will be getting a Nehonjin (Japanese) Companion! His name is Oshima. I will be staying in Nagasaki and Harvey Choro is becoming zone leader of Kumamoto Zone. My new companion will be Zone leader with Malcolm Choro... That means that when they go off and do Zone Leader things I will be working with Malcolm Choro's new companion. He happens to be a brand-new missionary from China.... 

It should all be fun. I'm looking forward to the next six weeks. 

The past week has been good too. Having Malcolm Choro as our companion changed a lot. Our focus shifted on certain things and it changed the dynamics of our companionship a lot. I learned a lot about the things that I need to work on, and what I would like to be better at. I think those lessons are probably what I needed for this upcoming change in the district, and getting my new companion. I hope that I will be able to continually learn and apply these kinds of lessons for the rest of my time here. 

I will miss Harvey Choro. He has been a great friend and support to me, and especially in these past few weeks I have realized just how invaluable He is. He will do fantastic in his role as a Zone leader and I am sure that He will bless many more lives as he serves. I hope that I can become the missionary that I need to be to follow his example of loving service, and ultimately the Savior's example. One of my friends wrote me recently and bore testimony of the reality of the Saviors life. Of that, I also would like to bear testimony. I know that the Savior's sacrifice has effect on us, and that it is real. I know that Heavenly  Father hears our prayers, and that this is His Church once again established on the earth. I love Him.

My love to all,

Elder Bevan 

  My tricompanionship:  Bevan Choro, Malcolm Choro, and Harvey Choro

                                   

The District

Zone Conference

My Second Tripanionship!

Well this week began began with zone conference on Monday, and proceeded form there with oddities. Tuesday was p-day. On Thursday our zone leader got a call from the mission president calling him as the new AP. On Saturday he left and the other zone leader became my second companion. The new AP's name is Elder Coelho and my new companion is named Elder Malcolm. We a lived in the same apartment before now, so it isn't like this is extremely weird but it is definitely different.

On Saturday, after Elder Coelho left, we had the chance to go hiking to the top of a Nagasaki mountain. it was a great experience and we got to be with two new converts and two investigators. On the way back out of the mountain we passed by a Shinto temple. I felt like I was in some sort of Zelda Game or something. It really was perfect. All around us was covered in green and everything was quiet. The entrance was cut through a rise in the ground and the walls were covered in moss and greenery. 

As we passed through, the elders quorum president talked a little bit about the similarities between Shinto religion and Christianity. That was king of interesting too. 

Sunday was crazy too. We came to the church at eight thirty and practiced a musical number that the Nagasaki Missionaries, had ward mission coordination meeting for an hour, then taught priesthood, then stayed with our investigators throughout Sunday school and then went to Sacrament meeting. In sacrament meeting I had the chance to speak. I did not do so great because of the language and because I didn't have a lot of time to prepare, but I did my best and It inspired me to work harder at the language. For the rest of the meeting I tried to repeat in a whisper everything that was said and realized just how hard it was to do. I understand a lot more than I can say, but I'm glad that I can at least understand the little that I do. I really am blessed. 

I guess the final thing I want to write is about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the foundation of all that we have, and all that we, as members, do. Without the Atonement the restoration is not important. Temples, families, and service are useless. Without the atonement of Christ we are are nothing. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is true and real. I have seen it at work in my life. I am grateful for it.

my love to all

Elder Bevan

Elder Malcolm

Elder Harvey,...Elder Bevan

Awesome week

This week was Awesome! I am so grateful for the miracles that the Lord is doing here, and for the chance that I have to be a part of them! I am learning to have faith and trust the Lord. I am learning about the things that the Lord wants me to do and how He expects me to work. I am doing everything I can. I work as hard as I can and try to all that I can to be what I need to be. I try to be exactly obedient and to do everything that I am asked to do. I learn every day about how I can improve, but mostly we trust the Lord and simply do what He asks of us, and then we get to see miracles happen.
I wrote this to the mission president about what is happening in Nagasaki:

We had 9 investigators at church! What a miracle! For me it is even more of a miracles because almost everyone we teach knows enough English for me to be involved in the lesson and help teach them. I am never not involved, and I am seeing how much the Lord has blessed and helped me with the language so far. What miracles I have seen!
We thought we were going to have to cancel a baptism this week. Zan, a Chinese College Student living here in Nagasaki, had not learned or committed to the law of tithing, and then he stopped answering texts the day before his baptismal interview. We were to say the least, worried. We were worried especially because he has only had the time for the past few months to meet with us once a week. We prayed for him. Elder Coelho and Elder Malcom, our roommates and zone leaders fasted. Zan made it to Sacrament meeting, and told us that he had dropped his phone and broken it, and that is why he couldn't reply. He then read the tithes and offerings pamphlet, and, in our lesson after sacrament meeting, shared how much it meant to him. He expressed the truest Christian sentiment I have ever seen towards helping those in need, and helping the poor, and committed whole heartedly to living the law. We went over the interview questions, and we held the interview with no scruples. He will be baptized on Tuesday 28 January 2014. 

We really do see miracles every day.

Other things make living in Japan good too. Everything here is beautiful. The mountains/hills are covered in green, and the city is beautiful. The people are better.

Yesterday, the day of Zans interview, we had a lunch after church. It was wonderful!!! Everyone is kind and considerate. They are so loving, and in such a small branch they really love each-other. It really was just amazing. I love these people!!!   ...The food was great too :). I really cant express the love I feel for my people. I love them, and am so grateful to serve them.

I'm out of time again. My love to all.

Elder Bevan

Elder Harvey and Bevan