Japan week #85

I don't have much to write about this week, seeing as how it's only been like, 4 days but, it's been an INCREDIBLY AWESOME four days. :D Elder Skinner and I are getting along like non other, we're working till we drop dead every day, and the miracles are already coming. In this first week we put out better numbers than Elder Skinner and his previous comp's max from last transfer, so Elder Skinner is on a high. We are just rocking it up out here, and we're seeing the blessings coming from working with this kind of energy. :)
   We did meet one particularly cool lady who is a SUPER strong potential investigator. We are going back to see her again this week, so we're super excited. We were trying to find some former investigators around where she lived, but I messed up the addresses, and we were in the completely wrong area, but we had no idea. But it led us to find her! We were walking, and she was just standing outside of her house, in the cold, with just a long sleeved shirt on, watching the forest. And we ask her where we're at, and it turns into an hour long lesson. :) She told us about how when she looks at the trees, and hears the birds, and ponders nature, that she feels like there has to be a God, and that this all wasn't an accident. But though she feels like she knows that God exists, she doesn't know what he wants her to do, and she doesn't know what she should do to be closer to him, so we bore hard testimony, and gave her a Book of Mormon. Elder Skinner and I were walking away, and I said to him, 'that's the single greatest mistake I've ever made.' And we both laughed, swung our arms around each other, and walked away, two super happy missionaries. :) That's been this week. The Spirit, sweet experiences, and flipping JOY, working the vineyard of the Lord. I love it, and I love you! :D
 Love, Mike

Japan week #84

Hey everyone! This has been a GLORIOUS week. :) I have been transferred! And because of a big ipad training meeting we had on Monday the 23rd, we transferred late, and that's why I'm emailing today. I have been transferred to an area about thirty minutes from Shiroishi, called Ebetsu. Just a small little community that sits on the outskirts of Sapporo, and there is NOTHING here. :) I love it! It reminds me quite a bit of Otofuke, but just a tich bit bigger. So it's obviously not a very exotic area, but dang do I love it! :) My new companion is Elder Skinner, on transfer two. So I am his new trainer! Which is WAY dang cool! The funny thing though, is that his name is very misleading. He's Japanese. :P He's a half, Dad is American, but he's lived in Japan his whole life, and although he can speak English, his Japanese is much better, and much more natural. So it's a weird situation, but we get along DANG well. :) He is a VERY dedicated missionary, and wants to be super strict and obedient and WORK. Which is my life so... :D We're going to have a great transfer. ;) HAHA!

    I got to Ebetsu Monday afternoon, and we've been working our butts off, and it's been great. We don't have any investigators right now, which seems to have been the pattern for my whole mission. :P I always go to areas that need investigators. I love the area, I love the members, and I have a drive, and a fire, and a passion to work and do all I can in a way that I've never felt before. I have SO MUCH desire to put EVERYTHING I have on the streets these last two transfers, and come back home in a body bag. :) Cannot wait to see how these last two go. I am no longer ZL, and I'm not a DL either. I am just a trainer, ready to work. When Elder Skinner and I had our first weekly planning session I was telling him about what we were going to do this transfer, and about what I'm feeling, and he was like, 'What kind of missionary are you? I LOVE IT!' So we're DANG excited to work together. :)

   My last week in Shiroishi was very good, and very sad. I have LOVED that area, and I miss everyone in it so badly. Since we had a week before transfers I was able to say goodbye to lots of people, and that was nice. They will forever be a part of me, and I can never forget the great time I spent there. :)

    I love this work, I love Japan, and I love what I have learned, and am learning. I know that this is EXACTLY where I need to be, and I wouldn't trade this for ANYTHING in the world.

  I love you all, and cannot wait to see you all soon! :)

 皆様への愛を込めて、Elder Dialogue

Japan week #83

This has been a crazy week! We have had NO TIME in our own area, since we had splits, and meetings, and all other sorts of craziness. I keep thinking I'm gonna get time to work in my area, but it just doesn't work out that way. :P this has been such an incredibly busy transfer, and now it's over, feels like it's only been a week. Can't believe it! We had a busy beginning of the week with District Training Meetings, and Stake Mission meeting. Since we're the zl's, we were invited to attend, and talk with the stake leaders about the work in the surrounding areas, and talk about how we think we can move forward better with the members and what not. It was way cool! It's my second time attending it! 

  I also had my temple recommend interview with President Nakatsuka this week. Can't believe it's already been that long! :P 

    And then on Friday, we had a fun day of splits....a VERY exciting day of splits. During personal study, my split companion gets a phone call from President Nakatsuka, asking if he can come dendo with us today. :P So we ended up just working with pres all day. We did LOTS of housing, and had one lesson, and it was a BLAST. Freaking President Nakatsuka is SUPER good at dendo, and it was a blast getting to spend so much time with him in such an organic normal situation. It was super cool. AND SUPER out of nowhere. We were freaking out after the phone call ended. Dendoing with Kaicho...nerve wracking, but dang did I learn so much! :) 

  And then this sunday I was able to go a broadcast of Elder Russel M. Nelson speaking from Tokyo! Was way great, and he was super bold to the Japaense members, talking about now is the time to step up our game, and just testifying hardcore. :) LOVED it. At one point he asked all the full time missionaries, where ever they were, to stand up and show ourselves to the members. And it was way cool. :) And that was our week!

 This trasnfer has been unbelievably fast, and I can't believe that it's over...Calls are tomorrow, and then I 've only got two trasnfers left until this is over....Can't belive it. I've loved every second of it, and I can't wait to slay the rest! :D Love you all so much! Thanks for your constanst  support!

 Love, Mike

Japan week #82

 This week has been NUTS. We had lots of meetings, training, and other craziness. Had a bunch of elders basically spend the week with us for all of it...it was nuts! I had three comps of mine the same apartment! ;) It was way fun! Got to party hard with Elders Dobashi, Kojima, and Strachan! Had a great time!  

   Elder Ringwood from the Asia area North Presidency came and had a workshop. Which was  a blast! It was such a spiritual highlight of this week, and dang is he so cool! He's a way smart guy, and SUPER funny. Had a great time talking about teaching, and about how to be happy while dendoing. It was super great. :) And then we had our mission leader conference as per usual. We were with President from 8 to 5!!! PHEW! Elder Dobashi and I came home and died. :P We were EXHAUSTED from it! 

   And that was basically it for this week! Going to go play ball today for pday with some other missionaries, so that should be a blast! :D 

 Have a  great week! LOVE YOU ALL!

 Love, Mike 

Japan week #81

This has been a pretty uneventful week. I have no idea where the time went..it's crazy how fast it goes! I do not like it! I wish the time would slow down, and that I could do more but, this is always how it goes, right?

  We had one huge miracle this week. Remember Y San from last week? Well, she came to church yesterday! :D She was only able to come for the first two hours, so she missed the best part but...that's ok! She wants to come again, and we really wanna meet her and start teaching her so, we're super excited about that! She is a very wonderful person, who REALLY needs God in her life right now, and we had a great time at church teaching, testifying, and feeling the Spirit. :) I LOVE THIS WORK, and I never want it to end! 

  This week is going to be pretty exciting. We have the Asia Area North President, Elder Ringwood, coming to do a conference this Thursday, so that'll be dang fun! :D And Elder Strachan is coming to basically stay with us for the week because of it and our mission leader meeting so...I'M STOKED! ;) Haha! 

   Elder Dobashi and I have been working way hard, and it's been paying off. Investigators coming to church, lots of lessons, it's been a flipping great three weeks since we became companions. I can't believe how fast it's been! 

   Aside from that, this week has nothing too much to report on. I just wanna let you know that I love you all, and that I am so incredibly glad for all of your wonderful support, love and examples for me. I love this work, this gospel, and have really come to know for myself how true it all is, and how much it can help everyone. Have a great week! WITH ALL MY LOVE!

 愛を込めて

　　　Mike!