Hello!
This week we got transfer emails!
I'm going to be staying in Fuchu! I'll be getting a new companion. His name is Elder Ishikawa. He has been out in the field for about 10 months, and he is Japanese, and actually, I've lived with Elder Ishikawa before! We lived together in Takao, so I already know him! It should be great! But, the only problem is he speaks Japanese, and we live in a two man apartment. So I won't be speaking any English this transfer! That's going to be a lot of fun, but the grammar in my emails home will probably start to deteriorate... Sorry Mom!
Other than that this week we have been super busy! We had a music night here on Saturday, and I got to play the drum set with a little band we created, and make some really cool renditions of primary songs! It was a ton of fun, but we were also singing in about 6 other songs, so we have been rehearsing all week. It's been busy! But the music night turned out to be a success! A ton of people came, and a couple of our investigators came and were able to take some big steps in their progression towards Christ! I know that the Holy Ghost works through the power of music. Music really has an influence with your sensitivity to the Spirit.
We've been able to see a lot of miracles this week, and accomplish a lot! This week, I would like to share a short spiritual thought from the New Testament. It comes from John 9. In John chapter 9 we learn of Jesus healing a man who was born blind. His apostles asked Jesus why this man was blind. They wondered if it was because of his own sins, or possibly the sins of his parents. Christ answered them and said, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
We can learn a lot from that line right there: "But that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
I think we can kind of change the wording here a little bit and liken it to ourselves: "But that the works of God should be made manifest unto him."
In every single one of our lives, we have times where we may feel "blind"--times when our trials seem to have no cause, and no visible end. It's in these time we have to remember that all trials have one general purpose, and that's to make the works of God visible unto us. Now, we have to ask ourselves, "How?"
The blind man didn't get his sight back just because he wanted to see again. And he definitely did not get his sight back through his own power. Now, let's read a little further:
"When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing."
First Jesus had to anoint his eyes with clay. Now if you think about it, clay isn't the cleanest of things, and I'm sure it wasn't comfortable to the blind man to have that put on his face. But because of it, he was able to overcome his trial.
Sometimes, in our trials, we encounter times when we think things can't get any worse, and then sometimes, they still do get worse. Sometimes, putting the clay on our eyes will make things worse. It will make things harder, and it will definitely make you feel a little uncomfortable. The clay that I am referring to is the power of the Atonement. Something I didn't recognize from this story is that before Jesus put the clay of the blind man/s face, he had to touch it. He had to experience it. He literally had to feel it. And in case you didn't catch the change, I'm not just talking about clay anymore. He has to feel every piece of "clay" he gives us. He knows what it takes to overcome our challenges in this life, and sometimes, it just takes a different kind of challenge. I know that this is true.
I would just like to add my testimony to the countless others that have gone before me. I know Christ lives, and He loves each of us. He cares about us, and only wants what's best for us. This life has been created so that each one of us can reach our highest potential. I know this is true. Keep pressing forward, and keep daring to dream. I'm a firm believer that God doesn't give us desires and dreams that we can't aspire to. We can obtain anything the Lord needs us to. Keep persevering. Christ will always be there with you. I know that this is true!
I hope you all have a great week! I love each and every one of you! Keep flying, and dare to dream on!
Elder Tolen
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| Photo after Music Night |
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| The Most Vacant Place I Have Ever Seen in Tokyo! |
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