Working Hard

I love working hard! I get to do exactly that when I go on splits with
missionaries in our zone! Furthermore I love 長崎!
We went on two splits this week. One to an area just north of here, by
sonic train only about twenty minutes, and then split with the two
elders in our apartment. we worked hard and found two new
investigators, and did lots of good work. We leave tonight for
another.
We have also needed to go to a few special trainings on iPads and this
week we have another on Wednesday to help us apply ourselves to the
work and not get distracted. We do a lot of finding in this mission.
It is good, but it is hard to see the results of our efforts
sometimes. Because I know that God loves us, I believe that one day we
will be able to meet all the people that we helped, and who are
grateful for what we have done for them. That will be a good day.
For now though, I am trying to focus on how we can improve our
effectiveness in doing the work that we are striving to do. "How can
we help others come to Christ more effectively?" Is on my mind.
 I love this work this is The resurrected Jesus Christ's true church.
Thanks to all, Elder Bevan

Busy Week

This week we went to saga on a companion split. The elders down there
are solid. There were a ton of things that I learned. Mostly I think
that I learned to be more positive. I shared my goal to improve my
attitude over the day with Elder Christiansen, and he suggested that I
simply refrain from saying anything negative. It worked well だと思います.
On the way to saga our train was stopped for a 突然police inspection. We
waited at a stop for nearly two hours, and got to the apartment at
like 10:20 at night! :) it was a fun little adventure.
Besides that, we were kept busy with zone things and finding new investigators.
My companion is one of the most loving missionaries in this mission I
think. He will take his time in anything to talk about how I am
handling things and how he can help. And I have never 伝道'ed with
someone who loves the people he talks to more.
I am low on time but, just wanted to thank everyone for all your
support. It sure helps when things are rough.
I am so grateful for the chance to be her as a missionary of the
church and to talk about Jesus Christ, everyday all day. I am glad
this is His work and not my work. I'm so grateful for all the
blessings that I have received because of Him!

With love,
Elder Bevan



Thank you so much for the package!
Love you!

Temple trip, Zone training

I am on my way home from the Fukuoka temple, and am writing this on my
iPad. It has been at least a year since I have last been. I love the
temple, and the Spirit that is there. It was good to be there and know
that God is still there for me and remembers me.
This week was a great one. On Tuesday we went to Fukuoka to attend a
training as zone leaders and to get trained on iPads. On Wednesday we
planned with the sister training leaders on what we would do for our
zone training meeting, and then on Thursday we held the zone training.
It was awesome! We began with an analogy of the atonement, an elder in
the zone did push-ups for everyone to be able to have a candy bar. It
was a powerful reminder of what the Savior did for us. The emotions in
the room were very strong, and I came away with a greater commitment
to follow Him, and a deeper love of Him. How great love he had for me!
So great that he suffered sweat and agony for me, and even asked that
it be taken from Him.
I love the work! It is taking a lot out of me but I love it! Better
than that, I am growing in my love of God. I am grateful that He loves
me and that He teaches me how to show my love more.i hope that I will
be the person that H wants me to be.
Thanks to everyone!
Elder Bevan

長崎に戻りました！

Well I have arrived in Nagasaki.

It feels just like coming home. All the streets are familiar, and I love the people. I got the call on Tuesday and then packed and met people on Wednesday, and then left on Thursday. These are a few pictures for the week. 

This is Sister Yoshida. (with Elder Pettit and I) She is an eternal investigator that often had us over to eat and loves the missionaries. It kills me that she is not a member, but there is nothing to be done about it.... she really is a wonderful person. Maybe someday a missionary or the members in Kumamoto will be able to make an impression on her strong enough that she will want to make those steps for herself.

This is the Kumamoto Eikaiwa (English class). I love these people too!

This is in front of the Nagasaki church building with all the missionaries working in this area. We all got to watch General Conference this weekend at the church building! It was so Awesome! The sisters names are Sister Lowe and Sister Klein. They are all great!

 

Then I got pictures of all of the elders this morning.... ha ha.... we got up early to go shopping and so we were all a little out of it.

This is Elder Takita.... 

This is my great companion, Elder Merrill.

and this is Elder Rostrom.

They are all studs and I am glad to be working here again. How cool it is to be sleeping in the same room that I slept in a year ago, and to see the same sights, and to talk to the same people! It is crazy to recall the places where there are potential investigators, investigators, and members. It is wonderful to be able to see them and recall the small things about them that I have not thought about in so long!

There are things changed... some things, but for the most part  it is still the same place that I love. There has never been a stronger motivation for me to work hard and to serve with all I have to bless this area. I am so glad that I am here!

I am grateful to be able to say that I know that God loves me, and knows me, and cares for me. I am grateful that He cares for me enough to hear and answer my prayers and to give the opportunity to serve this mission. I know that the Prophets and the Apostles are the Lords Prophets and Apostles and that this is His church. I know that He does His work through those men. I am grateful for the gift of His atonement. Thank you for all you prayers!

With love, 

Elder Bevan

Transferring back to Nagasaki!

Mom, I love you.

Today is pday because this is transfers week. I got my call from Gustafson Kaicho and found out that I will be going to Nagasaki !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nagasaki is my bean area! I am way excited! I will be a new zone leader with my new companion Elder Merril. I have heard a lot of good about him, and everyone says he is a great missionary. I will, I think, be in the same area that I was when I was a bean, and I will be able to talk to the people that I worked with before, and hopefully with my converts too. From what I have heard they are struggling a bit. I am excited also to be able to work really hard. 

I love going on junki's (splits) because I always get to work really hard and always feel good about the work that I do, and now I will be able to do that quite a bit! 

If there is anything that I have learned over the past year, it is that I am not good enough for the job. I have so many weaknesses and so many faults I have no way to say I can do it. I will need to rely on the Savior, who made Ammon great, and David strong. I will need to rely on Him, and know that if I do His work He will be with me. 

Sorry that is all for today! I will try and do better next week. Thanks!

With love, Elder Bevan 

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