Happy Easter! Truth be told, if they hadn't mentioned it in conference, I don't think anybody here would have known that it was Easter.... It's not a holiday that's celebrated in Japan, hardly even the members know about it.
So this week was a super busy week full of conferences and meetings! Monday we had to make it over to Kumamoto for Zone Conference that Tuesday. So, Oita, it's a great city, a ton of things to do here; it's super pretty with the Sakura (cherry blossom) trees everywhere and really nice sea views.... But it's really in the middle of nowhere. It's a 4 hour bus ride to get to Kumamoto over several mountains and the next closest area is a 2.5 hour bus ride away!
Ok, I have to confess.... On the 4 hour bus ride to Kumamoto they were playing the movie 'Unstoppable' and I may have watched it all. In my defense, I didn't actually listen to it, but I did do my best to try and read the subtitles that were all in Japanese. I can call it Japanese practice right? I did get to develop a pretty good relation to the gospel from the movie though, and I am planning on using it in an upcoming lesson. That's how it's supposed to work right?
Well, the Zone Conference was awesome! So we combined with the Kagoshima zone and here's the interesting thing. Elder Clements, my first companion, is now an Assistant to the President (AP), and trained at the meeting. Then Elder Koyama, my second companion, is now a Zone Leader (ZL) for Kagoshima and also trained at the meeting. Then Elder Beckstrand, my third companion, is now a ZL in Kumamoto and also trained at the meeting! I ended up getting to meet 3 of my 4 previous companions again! It was a way cool thing and we got to learn a lot of awesome things.
What stands out most in my mind though, is the training from the APs. So, they didn't really teach anything, but provided rooms full of quotes, activities, and spiritual thoughts so that we can find and focus on the subject that we each felt we needed to focus on most. We ended up having a half hour of personal time to learn and study for the things we needed most, an individual, very personal training.
My favorite activity was all about Hymns. We had to pick our favorite hymn and read through it, just reading the words. After reading it, write in a journal how you feel, what it means, why it is your favorite hymn, and how you can apply its teachings. Of course I read "True to the Faith"! It's been my favorite him since I was 12, and it just keeps having more and more meaning as I continue on!
Shall the youth of Zion falter
In defending truth and right?
While the enemy assaileth,
Shall we shrink or shun the fight? No!
True to the faith that our parents have cherished,
True to the truth for which martyrs have perished,
To God's command,
Soul, heart, and hand,
Faithful and true we will ever stand.
While we know the pow'rs of darkness
Seek to thwart the work of God,
Shall the children of the promise
Cease to grasp the iron rod? No!
We will work out our salvation;
We will cleave unto the truth;
We will watch and pray and labor
With the fervent zeal of youth. Yes!
We will strive to be found worthy
Of the kingdom of our Lord,
With the faithful ones redeemed
Who have loved and kept his word. Yes!
True to the faith that our parents have cherished,
True to the truth for which martyrs have perished,
To God's command,
Soul, heart, and hand,
Faithful and true we will ever stand.
Take time and really read what the words mean. We are called to a fight, a fight against sin. No matter where we are, we will face adversity, we will have hardships, it will be a hard time, but that is good. We have a stronger power on our side, we have a greater cause we work for, we have a more powerful way. Recently I've been reading from the New Testament. In several of the epistles from Peter he talked about the hardships that we will inevitably face. The most important thing we can do is to make sure that when we face adversity, that we face adversity for doing good and following Christ. Everyone can face adversity for doing wrong, for doing bad, but how blessed is he that does good, and will suffer for the Lord, for his is the kingdom of Heaven.
Ok, so that ended up being a little more down-trodden then previously planned, but the truth stands. For a more happy tone, remember the reason for the Season. We do not celebrate Easter because we like seeing colored grass, decorated eggs, chocolate bunnies, and pretty flowers (but they are fun), we celebrate it because we know that the Savior lives. Because He lives, we too, along with everyone in the entire world, will also live. I know that this is true, we will one day all live, we will all receive the sublime blessing of an immortal and perfect body. I know that this is true, and my faith and testimony of this only deepens as the days go. Don't drown out the truth you know with the trivial acts of daily life; we know more, and thus we must do more. And we can do it.
Much love to you all!
Elder Everett
So this week was a super busy week full of conferences and meetings! Monday we had to make it over to Kumamoto for Zone Conference that Tuesday. So, Oita, it's a great city, a ton of things to do here; it's super pretty with the Sakura (cherry blossom) trees everywhere and really nice sea views.... But it's really in the middle of nowhere. It's a 4 hour bus ride to get to Kumamoto over several mountains and the next closest area is a 2.5 hour bus ride away!
Ok, I have to confess.... On the 4 hour bus ride to Kumamoto they were playing the movie 'Unstoppable' and I may have watched it all. In my defense, I didn't actually listen to it, but I did do my best to try and read the subtitles that were all in Japanese. I can call it Japanese practice right? I did get to develop a pretty good relation to the gospel from the movie though, and I am planning on using it in an upcoming lesson. That's how it's supposed to work right?
Well, the Zone Conference was awesome! So we combined with the Kagoshima zone and here's the interesting thing. Elder Clements, my first companion, is now an Assistant to the President (AP), and trained at the meeting. Then Elder Koyama, my second companion, is now a Zone Leader (ZL) for Kagoshima and also trained at the meeting. Then Elder Beckstrand, my third companion, is now a ZL in Kumamoto and also trained at the meeting! I ended up getting to meet 3 of my 4 previous companions again! It was a way cool thing and we got to learn a lot of awesome things.
What stands out most in my mind though, is the training from the APs. So, they didn't really teach anything, but provided rooms full of quotes, activities, and spiritual thoughts so that we can find and focus on the subject that we each felt we needed to focus on most. We ended up having a half hour of personal time to learn and study for the things we needed most, an individual, very personal training.
My favorite activity was all about Hymns. We had to pick our favorite hymn and read through it, just reading the words. After reading it, write in a journal how you feel, what it means, why it is your favorite hymn, and how you can apply its teachings. Of course I read "True to the Faith"! It's been my favorite him since I was 12, and it just keeps having more and more meaning as I continue on!
Shall the youth of Zion falter
In defending truth and right?
While the enemy assaileth,
Shall we shrink or shun the fight? No!
True to the faith that our parents have cherished,
True to the truth for which martyrs have perished,
To God's command,
Soul, heart, and hand,
Faithful and true we will ever stand.
While we know the pow'rs of darkness
Seek to thwart the work of God,
Shall the children of the promise
Cease to grasp the iron rod? No!
We will work out our salvation;
We will cleave unto the truth;
We will watch and pray and labor
With the fervent zeal of youth. Yes!
We will strive to be found worthy
Of the kingdom of our Lord,
With the faithful ones redeemed
Who have loved and kept his word. Yes!
True to the faith that our parents have cherished,
True to the truth for which martyrs have perished,
To God's command,
Soul, heart, and hand,
Faithful and true we will ever stand.
Take time and really read what the words mean. We are called to a fight, a fight against sin. No matter where we are, we will face adversity, we will have hardships, it will be a hard time, but that is good. We have a stronger power on our side, we have a greater cause we work for, we have a more powerful way. Recently I've been reading from the New Testament. In several of the epistles from Peter he talked about the hardships that we will inevitably face. The most important thing we can do is to make sure that when we face adversity, that we face adversity for doing good and following Christ. Everyone can face adversity for doing wrong, for doing bad, but how blessed is he that does good, and will suffer for the Lord, for his is the kingdom of Heaven.
Ok, so that ended up being a little more down-trodden then previously planned, but the truth stands. For a more happy tone, remember the reason for the Season. We do not celebrate Easter because we like seeing colored grass, decorated eggs, chocolate bunnies, and pretty flowers (but they are fun), we celebrate it because we know that the Savior lives. Because He lives, we too, along with everyone in the entire world, will also live. I know that this is true, we will one day all live, we will all receive the sublime blessing of an immortal and perfect body. I know that this is true, and my faith and testimony of this only deepens as the days go. Don't drown out the truth you know with the trivial acts of daily life; we know more, and thus we must do more. And we can do it.
Much love to you all!
Elder Everett
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