This week was crazy. I took a ton of pictures and tried to send them
out but it was too big so I'll have to send out many small emails this
week, sorry. This email will be the events and maybe a couple of
pictures, the following emails will be the remaining pictures.
Ok, let's get started.
So this week we had Temple P-Day. I think I wrote about it
before, but I'm writing about it again because it was cool. We rode
the AquaLine to get to Tokyo. It's this cool underwater highway that
goes across the Tokyo Bay. There's a mall out there too. Sometimes
it leaks and fish fall through...just kidding! It's perfectly safe.
But you know that game where you have to hold your breath while you're
in a tunnel? I died. Several times. It's like a 40something minute
ride. After we got to Tokyo I was feeling a little fishy...we went to
the fish market. They kicked us out and said it wasn't open until 10,
so we had to leave. We went to the temple and had an awesome session.
There were a lot of missionaries, probably over 40. Then we grabbed
some other Elders, Elder Roberts, Elder Sharp (they were with me in
the MTC), Elder McCune, and Elder Ishikawa. Naturally Elder Purba and
I were the leaders even though we were just as clueless as everyone
else. I've spent all my time in the rice fields, I don't know the
city! But they let me lead the way and we didn't get lost. We went
to the zoo and it was pretty awesome. We got there in time to see
them feed the penguins and then it started to close. We hightailed it
all over the place, taking pictures as we went and then made a mad
sprint for the pandas before they kicked us out. It was fun. After
the zoo we went to the Hard Rock Cafe. One small burger cost me
almost as much as a week of groceries! Luckily I had a lot of money
saved up. After dinner the other elders went home. Elder Purba took
me to a giant lantern and then we went to SkyTree tower. We didn't
have time to go up but we saw the bottom. Then we sprinted across the
city, saw the sister training leaders and smiled so as to appear not
crazy, and then jumped on a train to a bus to our bikes back home. It
was an awesome day.
Then, that same week we went to a private Middle/High School
called Shorin to volunteer to help the students with a BYU speech
contest. It was really fun and we helped a lot of kids. Now here's a
miracle to go with that. I traded emails with some kids and wrote to
them and one boy wrote back saying that he wants to meet us! This
week! I'm excited, he's a really cool kid.
Oh, something that I've noticed is that my emails seem to have
become more like Nephi's large plates: just the history and not the
spiritual. Sorry, I will repent and start putting at least my
testimony in every weekly email. Anyway, for this BYU speech contest
the kids were supposed to write about families. Let me tell you,
Japanese kids cannot write a happy story, especially about families.
All of their stories were about how they have terrible relationships
with their families or how they never see their family because they're
at cram school or work. It was super sad. It made me think about my
family and how grateful I am to have a family who loves me. I have
lots of great memories of spending time with my family and having fun.
We take care of each other and care about each other. We aren't
afraid to say that we love each other. I wish everyone could have a
good relationship with their family. Now this might sound like I'm
just saying it because I'm a missionary but it's true, if these kids
had the gospel in their life they would be happy. They would know
that they can be with their families forever and how important they
are. They would know that we're all part of one big family and that
God is our Father. They'd feel loved and important. They just need
to know. I try to tell them all the time but they just don't seem to
have any self esteem. I wish they would listen so they can feel the
Spirit telling them that it's true and that God really does love them.
After being around them I thought a lot about families and how
important they are. I don't remember where it's written but some cool
guy once said, "The home is the only place that can compare to the
temple in sacredness." Two songs I thought of about families were
'Love at home' and 'Families can be together forever.' I really like
those songs because of the simple message they teach and the hope they
bring. You should listen to them or sing them sometime. (That's not
for a specific person, you should all do it ;) ) I guess the point is
that families are important.
Throughout the week we go out and look for people to 1) become
new investigators and 2) at least come to our free tutoring. We have
been doing this all day every day for nearly 4 weeks with no results,
until now. We had someone come! It was an old man that Elder Purba
met five-ever ago but he still came and had a great time.
We had splits with the Zone Leaders this week. Elder Viehwig and
I were together and we talked to everyone by the train station. We
got a little bit lost but it turned out to b a good thing because we
found an 18-year-old kid who is interested in the gospel. He doesn't
have time but we told him that when he does some missionaries like us
will probably appear and when that happens, he should listen to them.
We also met a cool firefighter who became a new investigator! We're
meeting him on Wednesday and he really likes Jesus because he helped
everyone. He became a firefighter so he could help people so he
really looks up to Jesus now.
On Sunday we had a surprise. We were supposed to teach the
Sunday School lesson but completely forgot! It was about the
importance of work and how to balance it with recreation and
relaxation. A funny thing I'd like to point out, Japanese has 3
alphabets. One of them is designated for foreign words. Relax is
spelled using that alphabet. Yeah. Anyway, I just went for it and we
had a good discussion. It turned out really good. After church we
had a Branch (more like a Twig) lunch. We set everything up and
comfortably fit all 17 of us in and then we sang for a girl who will
be going to Hawaii on her mission next week. So lucky. You have to
be the luckiest person alive to get called to Hawaii. Anyway she was
happy and cried and gave a speech and it was awesome.
And that's the week. Now, like I promised, a brief testimony.
I know now more than ever that this church is true, that God is
at the head of it and that He is completely and totally in charge. He
is hastening His work in all corners of the Earth. He has promised us
that if we do our part well in helping build His kingdom, we will have
a place prepared for us in it. I know President Thomas S. Monson
receives revelation for us as a church that we can know how best to
fulfill our purpose. I know we all have a purpose and that God really
does have a plan for all of us individually. We may have our own
plans that we think will make us happy but I promise that His way is
better. He sees what we can't see and He knows what's best for us.
If we are humble enough to listen to Him when He speaks to us, whether
that be through a prophet, the scriptures, or just a feeling, that we
will receive guidance and support. He gives us exactly what we need to
get through each day. I know this church is true and I love it with
everything I am. I say these things in Jesus' holy name, amen.
Love you, take care and be good!
Elder Rogers
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