6 Mar 2012

How is it already a week into March?!

Hey, well, this has been a way good week.  Or really, a way good last couple of days! 

So let’s start on Thursday.  So, one of our Eikaiwa students has been on a kick of having us out to eat and giving us tons of food lately.  His latest venture was on Thursday where he bought us roughly $80 worth of beef (crazy good steaks) and then to an all-you-can-eat Yakiniku (fry your own meat) restaurant!  I don't know what he's thinking but, I will partake as I can!  I think because I always help him with his English questions and understand him when he uses Grammatical terms that he's become fond of me, even if it does seem a little creepy at times.  He's a fan of love songs and has me help him translate some of them..... "Some say love...."  Fun stuff.

Oh, for the last Eikwaiwa of the Transfer we are planning a big Cooking Eikaiwa event where we're going to make Brownies!  Elder Okada made a hand drawn flyer for the event (I'll try to send one to the parents) it turned out pretty sick!  Now we'll just have to see if people come to the event.  3/14 (it's a holiday in Japan called White Day.  See on Valentine’s Day all the girls give the guys chocolates, and on White day the guys have to give something in return to whoever gave them something on Valentine’s Day.... Only in Japan).

Also March 3rd, Saturday, was another festival here.  (Japan has at least 2 a month, sometimes more!)  This was the Doll festival (Hina matsuri)  that's usually just for girls, but we got invited to 3 different meals that day!  Next time I get a chance to send over some pictures I'll try to get some over!  Meals are always nice, but they're even better when we get to have a way good lesson with one of our members who’s having a hard time.  He came back from his mission after only 7 months, so we've been trying to work with him to help him keep in good spirits!  He's graduating from College this next week and we had a really nice talk about how doing simple things like reading your scriptures, saying your prayers, attending church, can help you overcome any weakness or any difficulties you have.  Not only that, but it will improve your life in all aspects: finding a job, family relationships, friendships, using time wisely, helping others, really, everything!  

6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

            7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

 We may think that we don't need to do the simple, seemingly insignificant things that we know we need to do, but it's true, it will confound the wise how simple acts will have a greater effect on a person’s development than any sort of event could ever have. 

This past Tuesday our District meeting was all about Obedience and how obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles.  We learned about the rut-o-meter,  that tells you exactly how far in the rut you are.  It comes from D&C 88:35

1) Break a Law [you break a law once, you can repent pretty easily]

2) Abide not by the law [breaking the law becomes a habit (sleeping in regularly or not reading your scriptures or praying)]

3) Seek to become a law unto yourself [your attitude is entirely contrary, much harder to repent now)

4) Willeth to abide in sin [you begin to brag to people about how you can get away with it]

5) Altogether abideth in sin  [breaking this law is not enough, you have to now find new ways to be rebellious, previous breaking wasn't good (bad) enough for you]

Hopefully we can all identify our rut and get out of it before it becomes too deep.  I encourage you to find your rut, and to do the small and simple things, step by step, that will take you out of whatever rut you may be in.  Find your rut, and with some help and patience, you will prevail!

Days are always better when I get to see a letter in the box, but when it's packages, 3 no less, that's a good day!  I got everyone's Valentines messages (I may have showed them off :]) and good eats from the Family (I totally forgot that it's girl scout cookie season!)  I'll try to be better at returning the letters!  (Writing is definitely not my forte ~.~)

I love you all!

Elder Everett