Week 78 [87]: A New Land of Promise

Monday, May 30, 2016

Well! I don't have too much time this week, but I would just like to share a few updates, and a spiritual thought!

I'll just cut right to the chase. We got transfer calls! I will be transferring to a new area called Tokorozawa. It is the northern most area in the mission! My new companion will be a missionary named Elder Languido. He's from Salt Lake City, and he has been in Japan for about a month-and-a-half. I'm really excited to work with him and do follow-up training with him!

So this last week I had the amazing opportunity to go on exchanges with the wonderful missionaries of Yokota, Elder Palomino and Elder Gutierez. They are wonderful people! I had a great time with them, and we were able to see a ton of miracles. Elder Palomino is a great friend of mine! Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures with them!

So as for a spiritual thought, I just want to keep it pretty simple. This week, we had a baptism in the ward for one of my favorite kids on the planet, Zen. He is a hoot. I love him. Anyways, as a congregation, we sang "I Am a Child of God." As we were singing, I started looking around at all of the little children who had the song memorized, and they were giving it their all to sing this song. As I was watching them, I pondered about Christ. Out of all of the people Christ could have chosen to spend His time with, He often spent time among children. Why would He do that? We are talking about a literal deity, who has all of the power of all of Heaven and Earth, power over life and death, and He was often found among children. What does that say to us? For us to truly grow closer unto Christ, we must become as the children.

Now I'm not saying we need to act as children would act, but we need that purity. There is nothing on this earth more pure than a child, and in order for us to be accepted in the presence of Christ, that same level of purity will be required. But nothing is impossible.

I am a child of God. And he has sent me here. Never have I heard more true doctrine in my entire life. Wherever we are called to serve, or no matter where we find ourselves, we are here to help us learn what it means to be children of God. And in the end, that's all that matters.

I love you all, and hope you have a great week!

Elder Tolen

 希望を持ち続けてください。旅を続けてください。

Me with my Japanese Parents

Me and My Main Man Osamu