June 21, 2010

Okay! Hear we go! I hope I can get everything in this letter! This week has been way awesome!! I don`t know where to start. So first off, Transfers were this week, and I`m glad to say I`m staying in Kiryu, and I`m now a transfer 3 missionary here in Japan. Crazy huh? And as of today, we have 4 baptismal dates! And that is where I want to start.

So on Sunday we had Stake Conference, so for that we went to Takasaki. After the conference on Sunday, we taught Julia and Haruki a little lesson. We really just talked again about baptism, and we set up a date with Julia. We asked her if she wanted to do it in two or three weeks, and she just about jumped out of her seat and said two! So that was really cool. It was way cool to see her excitement. I think she really has been wanting to be baptized for a while, just has not had the opportunity. So we just set that with her, and asked Haruki if he`ll be baptized. He said no. We expected that. We talked with the father and he said how he really wanted Haruki to be baptized too. We totally agreed. So the next night we went over to teach the commandments. There was Julia, Haruki, and Izumi. Izumi is Julia`s friend who has been coming to church the past five weeks. We taught the commandments, and played ゴーフィーシュー　with them. (Go fish). We made two cards for each commandment, went through all of them, and then played the game. It went well. Then they all commitred to follow them, and then next went ate dinner! We had udon, and tempura, and some other delicious things. As we ate we talked to Julia about being baptized and the interview. Her friend Izumi was surprised and asked if she was getting baptized. We said yea, and asked if she wanted to be baptized too. She said yes. Izumi was not there on Sunday, but said earlier that she wanted to be baptized. So we got the two girls who wanted to be baptized, but we still had not convinced Haruki. Well I have been really trying to develop a good friendship with him, and we have been getting along way well. So we were just playing a game, and his parents asked if he wanted to be baptized before I was transferred. Because in six weeks, obviously, the possibility of me getting transferred will arise. When they mentioned that, he seemed to be thinking, but he did not say anything, so we continued playing. But then later after, we sat down and started talking with him. This kid does not like to answer. We asked him if he would be baptized, and he said no. We asked why, and he said because its mendokusai. We told him its not. He told him how amazing it is, and how we literally become a new person. But he still continued to say no. I really had a feeling like he wanted to be baptized, but he was just doing this for attention, but we needed him to say yes that night, cause Wednesday is going to be the interview. So we continued to talk about baptism a little. After a while, I asked if he believed in Christ. After a while he finally nodded his head. I asked if he wanted to follow Christ. Again, after a while he nodded yes. I explained that Christ calls everyone to come unto him through baptism. I told him. `Right now, Christ is telling you to come unto him.` Then I asked, `won`t you come unto Christ?` He did not say anything, but I had a feeling like I should continue. I told him that in this life, we are either following Satan, or we are following Christ. And I told him `Haruki. If you don`t get baptized with your sister next week, you are not following Christ`. Now quickly I know hes only 9. I know he is young, But I had a feeling like if he did not get baptized now, that he may never will. And I did not want to baptize just the sister. He needed to be baptized too. His parents also wanted them baptized together. I felt like Haruki just needed some boldness. Well He did not answer. So I again asked `Won`t you follow Christ?` He did not respond, So I told him that we needed to go. And I stood up and put my hand out to shake. He shook my hand, and I asked him on last time. `Will you be baptized with your sister next week`.......... He looked at me, and nodded his head. I asked him again, you`ll be baptized next week? He said yes. Right when he said that I wanted to pick him up and give him a big hug!! It felt like my little cousin Tyler. I just wanted to give him a big hug and throw him in the air. Seriously this conversation lasted for like 20-30 minutes. My companion kept turning to me and saying that he won`t answer, and that maybe he`ll get baptized later, but honestly, I wouldn`t accept that. This entire time I was really feeling the spirit, and felt like I should continue. It was probably the boldest I have ever been, and it was a really spiritual experience for me, cause honestly, I felt like I was not doing much. Going into it, I was praying and begging the Lord to help him accept. I felt like when we were talking the spirit of God was helping to know what to say. Helping me know how he was feeling. I have no doubt in my mind that the Lord helped me that night. Again I`m just an instrument in the hand of the Lord, of course, but I really felt like the Lord helped me know what to say. On Sunday we were just playing after conference, and a some of the ward members started asking Haruki if he was going to go on a mission. If he wanted to become like me, and serve. That really hit me, and that was something I was thinking as we were talking with Haruki last night. If he did not get baptized, I don`t know what would happen to him. I did not want that on my concscience. Sorry I kind of get on a roll there. But this was a really amazing experience for me. I know that this church is true, and I know that the Lord does help us here in our lives. I`m so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary. I Love the Lord. I love the Gospel. I know everyone in the world can benefit from this church. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

スチュワート　長老