Elder Tolen's Adventures in the Japan, Tokyo South Mission: Week 15: Rainy Days and a Lizard

This week has been rainy. I don't know if many of you know this, but I'm not really a fan of the rain. I don't really know why. I just don't really like it. Other than that not much has happened.

This week there was supposed to be a music night back in Hodogaya that I really wanted to go to, but we needed an investigator, and it was the day of, and we still couldn't find anyone. I prayed, and I just felt like everything would just work out. So we kept searching and I was expecting to find someone. I was like, "The Lord told me it would work out, which means we will find someone." That was way wrong. Nobody would pick up. No one would answer the phone; no one would answer the door. We got to the end of the day, and we weren't able to find anyone. I got home that evening, and I was really bummed. I was so excited to go see all of my old friends back in Hodogaya. I was like, "Why did He make me feel like we would find someone, when we didn't?" But in reality He told me that everything would work out. It was a really weird experience. We got a call a few minutes later to find out that the music night was canceled. It wasn't going to happen until later in April. The Lord knew it wouldn't work out, and that is why no one answered. That was a real testimony builder.

On a different note, we lost an investigator this week. We had just housed into him early in the week and he was really interested in the church. It was amazing. We just talked to him for hours. After that we told him we would come back again. So we were able to get in touch with him last night, and taught another great lesson! It went amazing! But after he was like, "Well, thanks! I think I've learned enough about your religion! I don't want to join it, I just wanted to learn about it." That killed me. In Jacob 5 it talks about the Lord of the vineyard and it says, "He wept and cried out, what more could I have done for my vineyard?" That verse means so much more to me. I did everything I could. What else could I have done? It really hurt because I was like, "This right here will make you happier than you can ever imagine. Please just try it!" But it wasn't meant to be. I've only had two investigators actually drop me, and they always hurt.

Well, to end on a happier note, Elder Harrison got sick this week, so we went on splits and I stayed back with him. He didn't want to sleep anymore, so we decided to clean. I was cleaning by the front door, and was moving shoes when I picked up a pair of shoes and found a lizard. I still don't understand how it got in, but it was there. We caught it and put it on my companion's desk. It was fun.

I love you, family and friends! hope you have a great week!

Elder Tolen