June 6, 2011

Hello Minna!

This last week we went up to the areas hit by the Tsunami... It was really sad, as you can tell from the pictures, it was a sacred place. Really devastating. Besides that, nothing big has happened this last week. Yamaguchi said he wants to get baptized in this month, We met Makoto Kyodai again last night at his house. He was really really drunk, so that was fun...... A little scary. (Former Yakuza member)

So something I`ve learned this last week, is that ultimately, Having faith is a choice. There was a talk last fall conference, about that. Faith, as described in the scriptures, is just hoping for something not seen. We all have faith. We all hope for something. Then we must test that faith, then it can become a perfect knowledge. But that choice to nourish the faith is essential. I was listening to some music, and it had a cool line. It said something like `there will come a time in all our lives, when we will need to decide, whether or not we truly know if the gospel truths are so` (4Ordained, Do you believe). We all must decide whether we believe in Christ. That is what it starts with. Some people feel and even see Christ, but decided NOT to believe. Faith is a Choice. As Richard C. Edgley said in his talk, We must `Choose faith over doubt, choose faith over fear, choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, and choose faith over pessimism` (http://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/faith-the-choice-is-yours?lang=eng&query=Faith+choice) Its all a choice.

I love you all! Thanks for all your letters and love.

Elder Stewart