Week 58

New Transfer, Trainer, and continuing in Fushimi!

This is the start of my fourth transfer in Fushimi! So I'll be here for 6 months by the end of this transfer and as the title says I'm training again!

Elder Jepsen was basically already trained, just an absolutely stellar missionary! But I was his "2nd Half-trainer/Japan Trainer". It was super fun, but he got transferred! I thought he would be staying, but God has some different plans for me! 

Again as the title says, I'm training! I'm training Elder Bettinson and he just got in Japan from the MTC! 

But we had an amazing week last week and just have been working and loving the people. It's crazy how time just flies. Time flies because we are just loving and serving. As you stop focusing on the world and things and start focusing on others, time literally does fly by. For charity endureth forever. When you engage in an activity that endures forever, as in loving others, time slips away. Because in reality we are all eternal children of an Eternal Father. 

Our friends have been well, Kataoka San has realy been progressing with being okay with going to Shimogamo ward and other things. 

And we still haven't watched General Conference! Since we are on Japanese time, it got streamed at 1AM in the morning on our time. So we'll watch it throughout the week! Can't wait to see it!

We have a great week ahead of us and tonight we are going to schedule a lot of new lessons with the members! 

Something I've been thinking a lot is that true joy endureth forever. And it always seems so wrong in this life when good things end. And because we live in this state, this mortal and imperfect state, we experience joy and sadness. And both are necessary to learn to be more like Christ. We are told that good things are good because there are bad things. And yet that is true. True joy in Christ never ends. Eternal families are eternal. So whenever bad things happen, good times end, your "golden" years are over, true joy doesn't end. And that is so mind blowing! That true joy is eternal joy that doesn't end. So whenever a good thing in life ends, remember that the most important things don't end. When we are bound for time and eternity through God's priesthood, His power, things don't end! 

Summer ends, winter starts, friends grow old, family die. Our lives need to be focused on what lasts, which is Christ and His Gospel. Yes we will have joy in this life, but it's still temporary. 

So focus one way on the things that endure. And you can live in a state of joy! We choose if we are happy, not our environment. 

Love you all! Stay safe and rely on Christ's Grace which is sufficient for everyone!