Ok, so, I don't even know
where to start with this week!
So, Monday and Tuesday were pretty good. Tuesday we made the trip back to the investigator’s house up at the top of a mountain in the neighboring city, oh my goodness that was a 45 minute climb to get to the top of the mountain! I felt like my legs were just about to fall off, but it was all good, because we got to talk to her again and really get her settled in for her May 27th baptism. The main problem she's been having is that she works at a boxed lunch store, and Sundays from 10 to 1 are essentially, must work hours. But through a lot of prayer, work, and some divine intervention she managed to get every Sunday off until her baptism on the 27th! She's been trying to get baptized ever since last February, and it's finally getting to the point where she can seal the deal!
So the big news!
Wednesday we get our Transfer calls and, well, it was quite a morning. Elder Takahashi got transferred out of Oita, and is going to be serving a bit further south in this place called Miyakonojo in a three person companionship (which makes the second person in a row that has gone to a three person companionship) and I was not told who my new companion was going to be, because, well at that time it hadn't been decided. (You see, they don't confirm where new missionaries go until Wednesday night, and I had just been called as a Trainer!)
So Wednesday, after a long day of wondering who in the world I'm going to be with I finally learned that my next companion for the next 6 weeks, at least, is Elder Gandy (pronounced Gyandy, which in Japanese sounds very much like candy), from West Valley Utah. He is a brand new missionary, fresh out of the MTC (so fresh that he was actually in the MTC choir at the Saturday Afternoon session of General conference.... I know; I found him!) and full of what we call here, "Dendo Fire" or, a desire to work. I really don't know what it is, but in the past 5 days we've really seen at least a miracle a day! New investigators that magically speaks English so that Elder Gandy can bear his testimony to them, self-referrals that come to church asking if they can join, running into a member randomly on the street and getting invited to dinner the next day, getting in contact with a less active member for the first time in over a year, or the investigator who finally got her job to give her a break to come to church; we really have just seen a ton of miracles every day.
So in the special language that is missionary lingo, people tend to call trainers Fathers, and new missionaries beans, or the more affectionate sons. And I always thought it was a little strange, but really, I think I've come to understand why; because I feel a love for Elder Gandy that I can really only equate to what I imagine a father must feel. It's his first time out in the world on his own, in a brand new country, speaking a strange language, and trying to be the missionary that these people need. It's a scary time, I know, and all of the sudden I'm in charge of helping him become, not only a better missionary, but a self-sufficient, successful man. Maybe it's a little overdramatic, but it. is. true.
So one of the first things you have to do with a new missionary is go to get them a bicycle. So we get this nice 21 speed mountain bike and get going. And what happens, not even 20 minutes later? We go down this one road where the side walk turns into dirt, and make one wrong move, and totally face plant and flip the bike........I managed to get off with some pretty grody scrapes, but it was all good (I always keep a first aid kit in my pack for such occasions) but we've just been telling everyone that Elder Gandy beats me up at home.
Saturday we finally got to meet up with Naoya again! He's doing way good! So he's been super busy because they have a big festival at his college at the start of June, and being on the RA group, he's been called to have a big part in planning, and preparation. We ended up meeting to eat dinner together at this place called Naruto Udon (it's a delicious udon store that you can choose between 300g, 600g, and 900g of noodles.... all for the same price (that's like a pound and a half of noodles!)) He's keeping busy, and he seems to be really excited to meet with us again. We gave him a triple combination in English, with a letter from my parents and he was very excited to receive them! It looks like we may be able to start meeting with him on most Thursdays, and we'll see if we can keep that going!
This transfer looks like it's going to be amazing! It's been a jam-packed week so far, and I can hardly imagine how we're going to keep this up for 6 weeks! But oh man, how awesome will it be if we can!
Remember who you are, remember that you are all a son or daughter of God. We are all in His family, and we all have a divine inheritance that is waiting for us, and we are the only ones that can stop us from receiving it. Because all we have to do is keep the commandments and endure to the end, and if we do, we will receive Eternal life, which gift truly is the greatest of all the gifts of God.
Have a good week!
Lots of Love
Elder Everett
So, Monday and Tuesday were pretty good. Tuesday we made the trip back to the investigator’s house up at the top of a mountain in the neighboring city, oh my goodness that was a 45 minute climb to get to the top of the mountain! I felt like my legs were just about to fall off, but it was all good, because we got to talk to her again and really get her settled in for her May 27th baptism. The main problem she's been having is that she works at a boxed lunch store, and Sundays from 10 to 1 are essentially, must work hours. But through a lot of prayer, work, and some divine intervention she managed to get every Sunday off until her baptism on the 27th! She's been trying to get baptized ever since last February, and it's finally getting to the point where she can seal the deal!
So the big news!
Wednesday we get our Transfer calls and, well, it was quite a morning. Elder Takahashi got transferred out of Oita, and is going to be serving a bit further south in this place called Miyakonojo in a three person companionship (which makes the second person in a row that has gone to a three person companionship) and I was not told who my new companion was going to be, because, well at that time it hadn't been decided. (You see, they don't confirm where new missionaries go until Wednesday night, and I had just been called as a Trainer!)
So Wednesday, after a long day of wondering who in the world I'm going to be with I finally learned that my next companion for the next 6 weeks, at least, is Elder Gandy (pronounced Gyandy, which in Japanese sounds very much like candy), from West Valley Utah. He is a brand new missionary, fresh out of the MTC (so fresh that he was actually in the MTC choir at the Saturday Afternoon session of General conference.... I know; I found him!) and full of what we call here, "Dendo Fire" or, a desire to work. I really don't know what it is, but in the past 5 days we've really seen at least a miracle a day! New investigators that magically speaks English so that Elder Gandy can bear his testimony to them, self-referrals that come to church asking if they can join, running into a member randomly on the street and getting invited to dinner the next day, getting in contact with a less active member for the first time in over a year, or the investigator who finally got her job to give her a break to come to church; we really have just seen a ton of miracles every day.
So in the special language that is missionary lingo, people tend to call trainers Fathers, and new missionaries beans, or the more affectionate sons. And I always thought it was a little strange, but really, I think I've come to understand why; because I feel a love for Elder Gandy that I can really only equate to what I imagine a father must feel. It's his first time out in the world on his own, in a brand new country, speaking a strange language, and trying to be the missionary that these people need. It's a scary time, I know, and all of the sudden I'm in charge of helping him become, not only a better missionary, but a self-sufficient, successful man. Maybe it's a little overdramatic, but it. is. true.
So one of the first things you have to do with a new missionary is go to get them a bicycle. So we get this nice 21 speed mountain bike and get going. And what happens, not even 20 minutes later? We go down this one road where the side walk turns into dirt, and make one wrong move, and totally face plant and flip the bike........I managed to get off with some pretty grody scrapes, but it was all good (I always keep a first aid kit in my pack for such occasions) but we've just been telling everyone that Elder Gandy beats me up at home.
Saturday we finally got to meet up with Naoya again! He's doing way good! So he's been super busy because they have a big festival at his college at the start of June, and being on the RA group, he's been called to have a big part in planning, and preparation. We ended up meeting to eat dinner together at this place called Naruto Udon (it's a delicious udon store that you can choose between 300g, 600g, and 900g of noodles.... all for the same price (that's like a pound and a half of noodles!)) He's keeping busy, and he seems to be really excited to meet with us again. We gave him a triple combination in English, with a letter from my parents and he was very excited to receive them! It looks like we may be able to start meeting with him on most Thursdays, and we'll see if we can keep that going!
This transfer looks like it's going to be amazing! It's been a jam-packed week so far, and I can hardly imagine how we're going to keep this up for 6 weeks! But oh man, how awesome will it be if we can!
Remember who you are, remember that you are all a son or daughter of God. We are all in His family, and we all have a divine inheritance that is waiting for us, and we are the only ones that can stop us from receiving it. Because all we have to do is keep the commandments and endure to the end, and if we do, we will receive Eternal life, which gift truly is the greatest of all the gifts of God.
Have a good week!
Lots of Love
Elder Everett
Elder Benjamin C. Everett
Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hirao-josuimachi
Chuo-ku
Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka
810-0029
JAPAN
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