August 13, 2011

Well I did not get transferred this week!! I'm staying in Takasaki, and I'm getting a new companion. His name is Elder Richmond. He is actually my last companions beanchan. He is transfer 3, and from Kearns, Utah. Calvin Richmond. He went to Kearns High. We woke up at 5 in the morning, we had to walk to the train station, then go to Omiya. In Takasaki here we have two Sisters as well, and one of them, Utsumi Shimai, who I was in the MTC with, is going home tomorrow, so we said bye to her. Then waited at Omiya for a while, got my new companion and then headed back here to Takasaki.

So yesterday I gave a talk at Church, and it was my first talk that i didn't write down everything I was going to say. They asked me to speak for 8 minutes, and I unfortunately went over, so they had to slip me the note telling me to end. Haha. The theme was what events led me to serve a mission. I talked about two major things. One was my brothers, who both served missions. I saw them leave, and come home different people, and I wanted to see that change in me too. I wanted to become like them. The other reason was because of the Blessings I have received. I've grown up in the Gospel, I have a testimony, I've received so much love in my life, and i felt like it was my duty to share it. If I didn't serve a mission, I truly didn't appreciate it. I felt like there are people waiting for me. Friends that were waiting. There is a story called Ill find you my friend, that I also shared and talked about. As a missionary and as members of this church, we need to find those friends we had in the pre-world who asked us to find them. We must find them and help them to relearn of the Gospel. I didn't talk about this is my talk, but we have this one investigator named Negishi. He is a shoe polisher, and he works at the Eki. Hes 22 years old, way cool, and way nice. I really feel like he is one of those friends that I promised I would find. We set a baptismal date with him for 9/10, and hes looking good for it. Its still the beginning, but I think he can really make it. I'm glad i wasn't transferred because now I can continue to work with him.

Im now transfer 13, getting more and more tired everyday. I cant believe how fast time is going by. Its blowing me away. I know this Gospel is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet, and Thomas S. Monson is God's representative on Earth today. I know that is true.

Elder Stewart