Last post! The End....

Wow.... This is it, the last email. Never saw this coming. When I started this mission I never thought the end would come. It wasn't bad, two years just felt like an infinite amount of time. But dang, did that go by fast. I have spent a lot of time this last week reflecting on my past areas, past companions, past members, past investigators, past memories, the good times and the bad. It's been a roller coaster of a two years, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I know that my mission has been perfect for me. Every experience, every area, every person, has been just what I needed at just the right time to grow and become the man my Father in Heaven wants me to be. I've learned so much, and I can't even begin to describe all of it in one email. This has been an incredibly surreal week, and a great one to end on. We've had lots of fun, and we've had lots of good times with the members here. They threw a farewell party on Friday that we invited lots of investigators to, and had a great time. We had dinner with the bishop and his wife last night, which was great. He is stinking one of my favorite people. Gave me lots of good advice about life, marriage and what not. And at church, I went to the young women's class instead of gospel principles.  Elder Skinner and I got asked to bear our testimonies and share an experience about the priesthood, that was a blast. And now today, we are going to asahikawa for the flipping third time. Haha! So much travel this transfer, it's been crazy.

    I've really felt the sweet presence of the Holy Ghost this week, comforting me and pressing me to keep going to the end. And telling me that the lord is, happy with my work. Particularly yesterday while taking the sacrament, I was praying, and I just had the most overwhelming feeling of gratitude and love for the lord, and for my mission. I probably looked pretty silly, crying up on the front row.

Hehe. This really has been the greatest two years of my life. I've been able to prepare for the rest of my life in ways I never could've imagined. I love the Lord. He is my Savior. I love my Heavenly Father.

And I so desperately want to return to them for eternity with those I hold dear and near to my heart. This church is true. It is inspired of God, and led by his prophet.

   I know. I really do know. I can't wait to see all of you again soon. Leaving Japan and my Japanese people will be the hardest thing to do, but I know that this has to be. Thank you for all of you're undying support and love for these two years. I love all of you.

   With all my love, 

       Elder Dialogue

Japan week #94

This was another great week! We were busy, and this upcoming week is going to be even more busy.

  Last Monday Elder Israelsen and I went on splits, and went south to the boonies of Ebetsu, and found the coolest forest and hiking trails, and a flipping baseball stadium! And it was open! So we got to go and throw a couple pitches. Haha! But we had a really fun day, and a member in the ward fed us that night, which was very nice and fun.

   On Wednesday we took an hour and a half long train ride to a place called Takikawa to go teach English since its two Japanese elders only. And that was really fun too! The branch president came and picked us up at the train station, and fed us dinner, was very nice of him.

   Friday we got to do some good dendo and then went and played soccer with one of our investigators and some of his buddies, which was a BLAST. We got to build a much better relationship, and meet some other really cool kids. And then we all went to a tenpura place for dinner, which was super good. And it made for a really fun day.

   And that was about it for this week. I cannot believe that I am starting my very last week of dendo... We are CRAZY busy with dinners, and investigators, and parties, and activities, and all sorts of other stuff. Should be crazy fun, but busy, and too fast. Time to rock the last week. This is it. I love you all, talk to you soon!

  Love, Mike

Japan week #93

This week was a crazy week. It feels like it's been months since last pday. Feels like lots has happened, but really not too much happened.

  Last Monday we went to a place called Fireburg for lunch. I mentioned last week that we were going to lunch with our investigator that randomly comes to church, but won't tell us his name, that kid.  But anyways, we went to Fireburg, and at Fireburg, they have a food eating challenge. It's four pounds of meat, spaghetti, fries, and rice. And elder israelsen and I decided to give it a go! And that was a mistake... I feel like I could have put down all the food, but it was just disgusting. The meat was burned, the fries weren't cooked all the way, the rice was meh, and it was just not good. The meat was making me sick... So we failed, and it was embarrassing. But it was fun, and we had a good time. 

    This week we got to see lots of potential investigators, and made some of them into new investigators! Which was nice! Also got to meet some crazy nice new people, like an old woman that said that Christ is the best, and that he showed love to the whole world, even though she has no idea whom Christ is. It's been that kind of a week.

   And last Thursday, we met Y San, and was able to teach him a lesson, and made a baptismal date with him!! It was really good, and we're so happy that he's made the commitment. I'm so gosh dang grateful that the end of my mission has been so stinking blessed.

We've been working hard, being obedient, and the lord has been keeping his promises.  I have a testimony of that more now than I ever have before.

   Thanks for all of your support and love, love you all, and I can't wait to see you all soon!

  Love, Mike

Japan week #92

 One more week down... And boy was it fast! We had a crazy fun week, with lots of craziness... First off, pday was a blast. There is a big memorial tower in atsubetsu, about a thirty minute bike ride for us here in ebetsu, and it flipping looks like the isengard tower from lord of the rings! :P It's pretty stinking awesome so we went and spent some time up there. There's lots of walking trails too, so we had a blast walking and pics and what not. Even took a music video on one of the walking paths, be excited! :P haha!

  And then we had a zone conference in asahikawa.... Again... So we caught our train on Wednesday and headed up there. It was cool, and president gave some good workshops, but I didn't get as much out of it as I could've because of elder numano. He woke one morning last week with stroke like symptoms, like, his face is half paralyzed, and he's pretty sick. So I was trying to make him feel better the whole time, since we're super tight, and he's one of my favorite companions. So for that reason I didn't get too much out of conference, but I feel like the time was still well spent. Elder numano went home with a smile, so I feel that my mission was accomplished. There's only so much I can do with with the time I have left.

   And the with the rest of our week we got to dendo hard! Had some good teaching opportunities, got to talk to lots of people, and we're able to bring an investigator to a members house last night for dinner, so things are looking great here! We also got to see our baptismal date investigator, and he's just stays stinking awesome as ever! Making good progress! We also have this weird kid who's an "investigator" now... He came to church last week just randomly, but he's not normal, I think he has some crazy social anxiety issues... He won't tell us his name or anything, or what he does, and he isn't super interested in hearing anything about the church, he just came to church for who knows what reason. And he came again this week! And it was the same way... We're going out to lunch with him today though, so hopefully we can make some progress with him, and figure out if he even needs baptism or not. But he's a nice kid :) and I love him.

    Thanks for all you're support everyone!! Love you!

    Love, Mike

 Sapporo Temple

Sapporo Temple

Pictures from March and April

Japan week #91

Hey everyone, it's been another great week! Elder skinner and I have been working way hard, and we've had lots of opportunities to teach, which has been incredible. We had zone training meeting on Tuesday, my very last one of my mission.  We rode a three hour train to asahikawa and spent the night in the same place we did last transfer, suehiro. And ztm was really good. I was asked for my last testimony to give my words of wisdom. They gave me twenty minutes to just talk about what I wanted to so I did. Before my testimony we sang because I have been given much, and I was bawling like a baby, and then my testimony started and I was still crying. But it was good. I got it together, and I ended up talking about work, comp relations, and putting your heart into the work, and it was wonderful. Bearing testimony is really the best thing in the world. I don't wanna ever stop.

   And then we also had a bbq with the ward, and had lots of investigators show up, and it was wonderful! Really was a great week, we also got to meet our baptismal date kid this week, and it was epic! He's such a dang kinjin! Have a great week! Bye bye!

    Love, Mike

Japan week #90

Hey! This was a great week, honestly, nothing really happened. We had transfers, but that was pretty uneventful for elder skinner and I, we're staying together for my very last one! Which is exactly the blessing I wanted! We've been working super hard, and seeing lots and miracles, and so I didn't want to change it up for my last transfer.

We have some crazy goals, and we're going to be working way hard. I am not even close to be being trunky, and I don't think I'll have any problems at all. It honestly doesn't rally feel that much different.

The only thing that I really feel is different is my sense of its do or die. I've always had that, but the closer you get to the end, the stronger it gets. And I'm so happy that I get to die with my dendo sons. Elder Horne is now my zone leader, and my second son is still my comp so, this is going to be a great transfer! Looking forward to a great one! Love you all!

 Michael