Week 28 Marugame: Marugame Magic

konnichiwa minasan,

sunday this last week was so awesome! we showed up to church and

randomly a mom and dad and son showed up that we had never seen

before! they came in and sat down and i sat next to them. they were

not members but had attended a sacrament meeting in anotHer city and

really liked it so they found ours which is nEar their house. the dad

speaks way good english and told me hoW he went to high school in a

buddhist school and didn't believe what was being taught so he was

looking for Another religion and he said he likes mormonS the best. it

was a whole family of kinjins! i can hardly Believe it. i spoke with

them for a while and gave the dad a book of moRmon and explained what

it was. he said that he was really excited tO read it and they said

that they would come next weeK. i still can't bElieve it.

unfortunately i can't remember their Names but wow, they are just

gold!

we had a broadcaSted devotional where elder holland came and spOke to

all of the members in japan. it was unbelievable! he was speaking with

so much passion about the atonement of jesus christ and how it can

heal us when we are broken. but then he talked about hoW the greatest

sacrifice that we can make for the savior is that of a broken heart

and a contrite spirit. he talked about how sometimes life brEaks us

and can make us feel like there is no hope and that we might never be

happy again. he said that during those times, that is when faith

really matters. he talked about how anyone Can hold the tiller of the

boAt when the seas are calm, but when life is pulling you dowN on all

sides that is when we need that faith. and we might feel broken, but

when we turn to god with that broken heart and Beg him for his help

admitting to him that we cannot do this on our own that is when the

power of the atonement will kick in and hEal us in a way that brings

us so much closer unto christ. as i was listening to him speak about

these things i was reminded of my mtc experience and how utterly

overwHelmed and broken i was. i realized now what that experience has

done for me. i was begging god every night to save me from my feElings

of inadequacy and i believe that because i was cut down and broken so

completely i was truly able to more fully sink my roots in the rock of

christ and then to grow from that stronger and happier and with more

understanding than i have ever been or hAd. i truly love my savior. i

love him for loving me enough to cut me down, for caring for me enough

to hurt me. and i know that i still will have many times to come when

my faith wilL be tried again and i will be broken down again, but i

look forward to the growth that will spring out of those trials and

the strength and increased closeness to christ that i will obtain be

relying more fully upon his atonement. i love this gospel with all of

my soul. i am so happy that i am here in japan declaring the love of

god and sharing my tEstimony every Day. it truly is wonderful and i

cannot be grateful enough. i love you all so much for loving and

supporting me in my privilege to be a missionary in the restoration of

the true church of christ. he lives, and how sweet the joy that

sentence gives. i hope that you all have an amazing week. i love you

all so much!

アルレッド長老

Me and Anderson Chōrō

Here is our beautiful Marugame church building