Week 66

 Getting lost in Christ and Members are awesome!

A lot of people say "get lost in the work". Get lost in serving others. But you need to remember the why's.

Lose yourself in Christ!

Losing yourself is losing yourself. Seeking yourself is losing yourself. But if you lose it in Christ. He will heal you, he will change you! 

We had a lot of interesting things happen this past week, but it was great. We had a great SKK (companionship daily planning) and discussed what we could do to do the best things rather than the better or good things. 

We taught the Restoration to this lady that we have been helping with English! It went well and it was so cool to see that she wanted to know why Christ died for us. So we explained a little bit and then we read the introduction together which was great. We are going to read Mosiah 14 in the next lesson!

We went streeting one night and it was a little tough. Sadly we haven't been much, but we are trying to include more in our schedule. But I was a little reluctant at the end to talk to some younger kids, but Elder Bettinson was firm about it (which was awesome!) and we ended up talking for about 25min. We talked about them for a bit. And then we asked them about questions they've had about life and we showed them a bunch of life's questions and one of them wanted to learn more about life's purpose. He said he was really scared about dying because he loves trying. And once he dies he feels he won't be able to "try" because he's dead. So it was cool to teach him that God is our Loving Heavenly Father and that we do have purpose here! It was super cool. We then gave him a Plan of Salvation Pamphlet!

We had a great Sunday! We had a decent DCS and talked about ideas on how to help out the ward and the people in it. We decided to set up a meeting with the less-active family and their son that we are teaching and the bishop and the ministering brothers and sisters to set up a plan to help them stay active!

The rest of the Sabbath was awesome. We had a great sacrament service and talked with a ton of members. We set up a message, discussed with some other people on how to help some of our other friends. In all, a very solid church service. I then had a weekly report with the Joyo Shimaitachi and later that night with the Ibaraki Chorotachi. It was great talking with Elder Matsumoto haha. 

We actually went to a member's house and had a lesson with Kataoka San there. We talked about God's attributes and charity. Super awesome!

We had another great pday and went on another tour with Doke Kyodai and with the Ibaraki Chorotachi. It was a blast! We went to Arashiyama and Elder Bettinson and I and Doke Kyodai went to this really good hamburger steak place for lunch.

Remember to lose yourself in Christ! I invite you to look at yourself and find what is preventing you from trusting in Christ more. Find that thing, choose to change, repent, and trust in Christ. I know you will receive the strength to change from Christ!

Love you all!

ロバートソン長老

Week 65

Covenants, Zone Conference!

Well, for those who like short emails, I have time this week, so sorry for another long one ;).

Tuesday was a great day. We left for Ibaraki City and had District Council there! We did introductions as it was the first District Counsel for this Transfer! Our district is mostly the same. Elder Bettinson and I, Elder Walker and Matsumoto, Sister Parmley and Nitta, and Sister Rich and Belnap. And I'm not sure if I mentioned it two weeks ago. But Elder Matsumoto was with us in Fushimi for my first two transfers! It was great to hear he was coming back to the district. He is awesome! What made it more hilarious is that he literally went to the farthest area not just from the mission home, but from Kyoto. Literally the opposite corner of the mission. It's about an 8 hour bus ride from the office (in Kobe) to Uwajima. And it's about an hour and a half from the office to Ibaraki. Haha, so much traveling!

But in District Counsel we really focused on covenants. Last transfer we focused on Christ and we had several amazing counsels. This transfer it's about applying what we learned about Him and remembering the promises we have already made! It was a very simple and yet great District counsel. 

Haha we started a English/message type of lesson with this lady that set up a lesson with us. She literally stopped us and set up a lesson. How cool is that? It is mainly for English, but we hardly get any service opportunities where I live (out in the countryside, probably a different story). But we also have been sharing a short spiritual message as well. We talked a little about the Restoration as she knows about religion and God. 

We had a good amount of meetings this week. Had a District Leadership meeting and then a TTTM (for trainers and trainees). 

Saturday was interesting to say the least. This past week was just interesting. There were a lot of hard parts. A lot of self-reflection and recommitting. I got blocked on HelloTalk. Someone asked me where I did our English class. I wasn't going to lie, I told him my address (the church's of course) and then BOOM. Blocked. Haha it was kind of funny, but not really. It was a great place to serve the Japanese people and to be an example of Jesus Christ, we weren't allowed to do religious things of course, it's a language learning app. But it is a shame I can't help people with English :(.

Sunday was amazing as usual. Loved talking with all the members, our friends talked with a ton of members and we left them upstairs and spent our time with the youth. Didn't understand anything, but it was a great lesson! We had a great lesson that night on repentance and a broken heart. The Spirit was there and then we bonded a bit with the members. 

A great miracle I've seen has been in the hearts of the members here. One Brother texted us after we invited him to share his testimony on social media and thanked us! He was scared about what his co-workers would think, but he did it and saw blessings! He was super grateful that we invited him to do that. It blessed us as well to hear! Another Sister started reading the Book of Mormon again everyday and she saw lots of little blessings and experienced an opportunity to serve another co-worker! 

Zone Conference was great! We did an activity where we "spent time with Jesus" and they played this slideshow with tons of scriptures and played music. We then spent time and wrote on a piece of paper our thoughts about Him. We then shared our testimonies. I learned a lot. Spend time with Him. I promise there is no better way to spend your time. We then practiced for the Kyoto Stake Christmas Concert and then after 9 we planned our District Christmas party. It'll be awesome!

God cares about the little things in our life. Isn't that so amazing! He cares that you are happy. So if you aren't, start today! Read the Book of Mormon. I promise you will see increased power and strength to overcome this world. Reading the Book of Mormon everyday isn't a "Oh, I got a big decision, better study" or a mission thing. It is a life thing, everyday, little by little. I'm going to put some spaces here, because this is important. And haha, most people don't read most of the email (don't worry, I don't either).

I have met thousands of people. The happiest are those who read and feast on the Words of Christ everyday through the Book of Mormon and other scriptures.

It's that simple, people on the streets, members, family. The ones reading everyday with the right focus have more peace, more joy, and are still experiencing hard things. So start today. I promise you will experience the promises from the prophets and from God. I know Christ lives! I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and President Nelson holds that same office.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Well this is later today, but I was able to ship my family a Christmas package! It was a very hard process, especially since it was international. But it worked out! Had a good personal study and did some good shopping. We then dropped off a heater to some Sisters in our District, haha it was literally just going there and then coming back and that was the last part of our pday, but they needed that heater! They've been sleeping in their futon closet. Anyways, hope you all have an amazing week! Remember to listen to the Spirit and to read the Book of Mormon everyday. 

Love you all!

ロバートソン長老

Week 64

 Time goes, but what do you do?

Today will be a short one. 

We had a great miracle. We were walking and this lady asks us if we are Christian and were like "Yes!". She then proceeds to schelude an appointment with US! Haha it was amazing and a great blessing. 

I think this might be my shortest email to date. But I stayed in Fushimi for another transfer with Elder Bettinson! This probably will be my last transfer in Fushimi, but I have faith! Love you all!

But I don't need many words to say that Christ lives and he loves each of you!

Elder Robertson 

Week 63

 Family and Stake Conference!

I have talked a lot about this idea in my emails, but it is so interesting and a constant source of correcting myself and helping others. 

As you follow Christ's path with faith you will meet Him! You won't have to wait till the 2nd Coming or till you die. As we walk His path, the Gospel, we are literally striving to do the actions He did. The Gospel is doing what Christ did. Literally. Recieving baptism, enduring our "crosses". Dying and being resurrected. Christ did those things! So the Gospel isn't something list of ideas, it's literally what Christ did and as we walk it, we meet Him. He is the point, the focus, and the way. 

We had a great week! Our last district council of this transfer went well. We all talked about what we learned from this transfer, we talked of Christ and rejoiced in Christ. I learned from the Holy Ghost and so did everyone else. We then tried to leave and the Hankyu train line died. 

We starting teaching a family which is awesome and they are planning on coming to church the 20th! Please pray for them! 

We had an amazing pday as it was Horie Shimai's last pday. But we had a lot of fun and explored Arashiyama. 

Remember that you are loved! Sorry it was a shorter email. But I it was an amazing week. We also had a great Stake Conference this past weekend! Our friends are doing well and please keep praying for Kataoka San!

Love you all!