My last Christmas in Japan!

     
     Merry Christmas world! It is the greatest time of all! I love Japan! I am never coming home! No I am serious!  I might have prayed about it and I might need to stay here forever. Haha I love this place. 



     It did not feel a lot like a Christmas here in Japan with no snow and not many celebrations but it was so fun to share that Christmas Joy! Light the World! I got to sing at the train stations and carol for people and the other missionaries gave out fliers for Christmas and our English class and that was a blast. I also got to sing at our ward Christmas party, a nursing home, and since my bishop found out I like singing, yesterday during Sacrament meeting he is speaking and just says, "and now we will have Elder Aiken sing a solo for us with Joy to Athena World." I was like what? Haha I was so caught off guard but it was fun. I love singing. 
     We got to have a Christmas dinner at a few members houses which was a blast. I just literally love these people. I love Japan. I love the members and I love my area! I love my companion! We have just been going hard and hitting the pavement! I love this work and I am going to give every second until the end! Best time of my life. 

     This week all I wanted everyone to know is that I am in love with this work and these people. I never want to go home. I love my family to death - sorry fam, but I just want to stay forever. 
    Merry Christmas everyone! Also here is a picture of me rolling at the hospital for my 3rd MRI. Straight SWAG!



Have a geat week everyone!
Love,
Elder Trevor Aiken

Hip? Not!

My new companion - Elder Barrett!

    How are you all doing??! I have officially left the island. It was a quick trip but now I am serving in my 6th area in my 13 transfer with my 13th companion! What an adventure this mission has been. I am now serving in Sakado! I am back in Saitama Zone and I am back to my old district with Kawagoe! I am neighboring my old area and I seriously love love those people! Literally my favorite area of my mission! But we will see if this area beats it... maybe. 

     But it was a crazy week. We took the ferry from Sado to the mainland and then we slept the night Sunday night, woke up at 5 to run and take the early morning bullet train (which was pretty sweet by the way. So fast and so smooth and so quiet. But 100 bucks so that was a bummer!) across Japan to get to a city called Omiya where we switched to take 3 different trains to get to Abiko to go to the hospital for my hip. They were not able to do the MRI on that day which really was hard for me but they will do it this week on the 14th and then I will get my results on the 16th. It is crazy and kind of annoying but I have lost all faith that they will find the problem so I am just going to fight through it til the end because I am not going to let my stupid little hip stop me from doing the Lord's work! No unhallowed hip will stop the work from progressing! I will go to the end. It will take pain pills, no cardio, my new used previous sister's electric powered bike oh ya baby, and a lot of patience. 

     But the love I feel for these people and this work is 10 times stronger than any pain I feel in my hip:) Shall we not go on in so great a cause brothers and sisters! I love this work. 

     What an amazing week it was to be able to meet new people. I have found on my mission that that is my favorite thing ever. Meeting new people and cheering them up through laughter, the spirit, or through helping them feel loved. Almost everyone is Japan is more quiet and calm in public because that is the culture. So when they see my loud, too energetic, beyond positive attitude when I talk to them they just light up and just laugh. They love it. They think it is so funny because it is a fresh dose of something they do not get every day. If that is all I can bring to the table here in Japan that is enough for me. I love these people. If I could just bring them home with me it would make life so much easier. 

     But I treasure the time I have being back in an area now where I can go to the temple each transfer and feel of the spirit there. I will be going there next week so I will not email until Tuesday fair warning fam. 

     But lastly just about my companion!! He is transfer 3. Just finished training and he is the best. He is from Eagle Mountain Utah but has moved a few times within Utah. He is half Japanese and his name is Elder Barrett! What an amazing elder! I was in this district 2 transfers ago so I already knew him so it has been a quick transition. He is a great elder. He has such a desire to work and to see miracles! And so we will! I have faith!🤗

     So my only message is this. Unless they somehow find the problem this week at the hospital, I am staying until the end! I will never quit. I will finish the race. I will be a Finisher. The thought I have is from a talk my dad recommended me to read.

“Stick to your task ’til it sticks to you;

Beginners are many, but enders are few.

Honor, power, place and praise

Will always come to the one who stays.

“Stick to your task ’til it sticks to you;

Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it, too;

For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile

Will come life’s victories after a while.”

And...

“To dream the impossible dream;

To fight the unbeatable foe;

To bear with unbearable sorrow:

To run where the brave dare not go.

“To right the unrightable wrong;

To love, pure and chaste, from afar;

To try when your arms are too weary

To reach the unreachable star.”

—and you will thus become a finisher.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken

Week 81

     How fast these weeks go! It was a good week. We took the ferry again to Niigata for Zone Conference and it was pretty smooth but Zone Conference ended around 4:30 and the ferry we needed to take was at 4:00 so we did not know what to do.  President Nagano gave us special permission to take the 7:30 ferry to get home that night and it was late, stormy, and the ferry was rockin. I was like don't rock the boat baby don't tip the boat over. Wow, sorry! That was a bad one.  I sound like my dad! 

     But it was a great Zone Conference. We watched the district (and we also found out they just finished filming the District 3 if you were wondering! That is like seeing a preview for a new Star Wars movie for missionaries!  Hope it comes out soon!) and the sister just said, "my time here as a full time missionary will now soon come to an end..." and I was done. The lights were off in the room so no one could see me but I just started crying. The thought of going home even in 6 months just was too hard for me. I feel like I still have sooo much more to do and to learn. As a missionary as time goes on and the time to go home approaches, the more you realize that you are already home. Japan has become my second home. I love these people. 

Going to miss Sister Riggs (behind me) who just went home!  We were in the MTC together.

     But the work is great! Seriously me and my companion are like the same person sometimes. We talk and laugh literally... always. You have never seen two people talk this much ever. 

     This week I had a spiritual thought come to me that I really wanted to share with you and it's about prayer.  

 I thought about how many times I have kind of zoned out in a group prayer just to zone back in for closing in Christ's name to say the resounding "Amen." Or sometimes giving a really heart felt prayer at a set pace, slowly speeding up and saying that closing line thoughtlessly because it becomes so routine. But I really thought about what we are saying when we say, "Amen." So many times I feel like we say it robotically like it is nothing. Like it holds no meaning. But through that Amen we connect ourselves to that Heavenly communication with the Father by agreeing to what the person praying is saying. We have heard that before. Amen is like agree. But what are we agreeing to do. To ACT. We are agreeing and promising to the Father to act. Especially on the promptings we receive. That humble Amen that we say to end that heavenly "phone call" with the Father is our way of promising him we will do what was said in the prayer and what He told us to do as we listening to what we felt in that prayer. Promising him that we will act in order to be worthy to receive blessings or help for the dozens of blessings and guidance we just asked for. We do the same resounding Amen at the end of every talk in church and conference. Every testimony and lesson. But we sometimes just shove that one word under the rug and don't give it a second thought. In prayers it is probably the word that gets the least amount of thought to be honest.   

     But this week I have a challenge. I want to challenge us that every time we say Amen in our prayers this week, mentally change it out for Act. Thank the Lord for what you have been given, ask the Lord for guidance, tell him what you wish to improve, then close in the name of Jesus Christ, Act. Of course do not say it out loud but mentally agree with the Lord and the other person praying, or yourself if it is a personal prayer, to act. To act on promptings received. Act to be able to receive the blessings and help that you just pleaded for. I love you all. May we all Act, on the promptings we receive and all that we know to be true. 

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken

Happy Thanksgiving!

     What a great week! I got to play basketball for one of the very few times on my mission and I finally got to just practice my shot for about an hour. And it is coming back! Finally! I am getting that lefty love back in my shot!

     Best of all, we've been hitting the pavement all week trying to find new investigators and to build kankei (relationships) with the youth on the island. We went to a high school basketball game (which is nothing like America by the way.) There were four parents, no students, no other fans, no cheerleaders. Nothin. It was so quiet. So sad.  We met a principal of one of the schools and talked to him about teaching his kids English at his school which is a huge miracle you don't even know! He said he wants to call our branch president and talk to him about it. Hopefully we will call and talk to him and we can set something up!

     Also, my brother Brock had his birthday! Brock thank you for being the best big brother/twin ever! Everyone you better wish my brother happy birthday! Give him something nice ok! Wrap it up, put some love in there. No elephant giving.  Brock I hope you had the best birthday ever. We are 90% the same and that will never change! The 10% comes from the annoying little brother complex which stops further progress. 

     Anyone who was at my house when I opened my call will probably remember that I said "I never thought this day would come but here it is." I couldn't believe the time had come for me to serve a mission. That happened again yesterday when I hit my 6th months-to-go mark. The last stretch. It has gone so fast. I can't believe I am already to that point. Where has the time gone... it seems like a dream.  I hit my ending 6th month mark and my companion hit his starting 6th month mark. I am one year ahead of him to the day. When I hit that first 6th month mark I was in this same zone one month earlier... oh boy. I'm old. So fast. Yet at the same time I have grown so much and had so many trials, hard experiences, moments of pure joy, and soooo much change, that it seems like this mission has been a whole different life.  The person before my mission truly seems like another life. My mission saved me. The Savior gave me my life so how could I not give just these 2 years? I thought I would show the Lord my gratitude by giving Him this mission but it has been the exact opposite. I have not paid anything in these two years. I have only received. Only been given. I can't believe I saw these 2 years as a sacrifice. I gave up seeing football games and blockbuster movies to see the kingdom of heaven at work. It has been an amazing year and a half. 

     Almost every single sister I have known is gone home now. Every one I knew in the MTC, at BYU, or came to Japan with has gone home or goes home in 2 weeks. So fast.  Without tone of voice and seeing me in person it is hard to really show my love and testimony for this gospel, but I want to testify with all of the power of my soul that this church is true. This work is a stone cut out of a mountain without hands and will spread throughout all the earth. It is the Lord's work. I know it is true! I will never deny it! I love this work and I love my Lord. Anyone who is thinking or has ever thought about serving a mission, serve! Just Serve. Don't doubt, or think of how hard it will be because it is the best decision you will ever make. It will change your life if you let it. I truly want all of you to know that this is without comparison, without a doubt the best time of my life. Way better than BYU and BYU was amazing. It holds 100 times more worth than just about anything I did before my mission. And I treasure every day. I have found true joy. When we strive for joy, remember, it is only found when we seek for it in the right priority. 

Jesus Christ

Others

Yourself

Also since we are on the acronyms today here is another one I loved that a member told me yesterday. 

Father 

And

Mother

I

Love

You 

I love you all! Have the best week ever and Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken! 

Life's Autobiography

    Hello everyone!  What a week it's been.  People here have been very interested with the elction in the U.S..  All week people would stop us just because we were white even though my companion is Brazilian and he had no idea about it.  It was a perfect opportunity to talk the gospel! But what a great week with more beautiful pictures of this beautiful Island and more of the Lord's work being done. 

     I had an amazing chance to go on a split finally with Elder Judd this last week in his last transfer. He is a traveling assistant and came up to work with us! We went to Brighton together and had multiple classes together so it was way fun. He has been a part of my mission since the beginning. I saw him my very first day in Niigata because we just luckily ended up in the same zone. We had a fun time. I will miss him. 

     I had a member from my previous area call me yesterday and he just told me, "Elder Aiken I don't know why but I just got this really nervous feeling like you were not ok and I had to call you. Are you ok? How are you doing?" He is the best of all time. I told him that everything was fine except for my hip injury. He goes, "I knew it! I knew something was wrong. That's so interesting isn't it? That I got that nervous feeling..." Then he went on and asked about my hip and everything. He is the best. 

     Another miracle is that I have been looking for a cheap place to cut my hair here because I do not trust my companion. I am not letting Edward Scissorhands over here cut my hair. But then with Elder Judd on splits we housed into this young man who has a lot of interest in learning English and he told he cuts hair and I just got really serious thinking this is my one shot. So I took a deep breath and fired out the moment defying question we all face at one time in our lives... how much? He looks at me and says a mere... ¥690 or $6!  Needless to say he was pretty hyped when we said we would come on Monday. 

     The other miracle was we housed into a 26 year old man and he's a soccer coach for 150 youth on Sado and coaches them every week. He coaches at three locations with about 50 youth each.  He asked us to come help him coach and because he said the youth would love us. Now my soccer skills are just a few strokes below par. Or over par. However the saying goes to say that I am bad. My English is dead people. I had to tell him I was good because I have a Brazilian companion who by nature has to be amazing so it is fine. They will all focus on him. But the reason it is such a miracle is because President Nagano always has such a strong push on working with youth so we are excited! Rising generation! Sorry that was long, now onto a spiritual thought! 

     I want to talk about something President Harold B. Lee once said:

“In His Sermon on the Mount the Master has given us somewhat of a revelation of His own character, which was perfect, or what might be said to be ‘an autobiography, every syllable of which He had written down in deeds,’ and in so doing has given us a blueprint for our own lives.” 

     The Savior wrote his own autobiography not with pen and paper but with his words and his deeds. He wrote his autobiography to us with his life. How are we writing our autobiographies? Now we might not have our sermons on mounts in our lives but what about when we testify in Sacrament meeting? Testify to our families? To your kids? To your friends? Are you giving somewhat of a revelation of your own character? What character are you revealing? Is it a character that is in line with the Lord's? Not just in church or spiritual moments but in our daily lives. What words are we using? What deeds are we doing? Are we showing love? Are we serving? Are we use kind, clean language? Are we selfless and humble? Are we holding grudges, easily offended, or contentious? Are we writing an autobiography that you would be willing to sell to the public? The Lord had nothing to hide about his life because it was completely in line with our Heavenly Father. How are we doing? Are there things we are doing or words we are saying that we know are not in line with what the Lord would have us do? So we rip out a page, hide a page, or withhold the book altogether and stop praying to the Lord or worshipping on Sundays. So we start hiding parts of ourselves or our emotions from our family and friends. Then projecting a built up anger or sadness at those around us. But the fact is that this life is the editing time! When this life ends and we approach the judgement bar we will have to bring that book to him and he will read it as it has been edited through the atonement. My plea is that as we write our own autobiography and we reveal our character in our words and deeds that it can be one to be proud of. Take it to Lord in prayer if you have any doubts. Then if you need, take it to your bishop, and with the atonement, fix any typos, bad autocorrections (impulsive acts), and erase sentences, paragraphs, even chapters of our lives if need be. The atoning blood of Christ is like that red dotted line underlining a word that is out of place or misspelled. It is clear to see, but through that atonement, easily fixed. That atoning power is the whiteout of our own life novel. Let there be nothing to hide. Let us live an amazing autobiography! Be a light on a hill!! Be an example! People always watch what you do! Your kids, peers, coworkers. People on the street! Everyone sees your character. Everyone sees you. How do they see you? More importantly, how do you see you? Write an amazing Autobiography this week! Just start by doing it for one day! Improve yourself for one day! Give yourself to the Lord's will for one day! Then do it again... and again... and again. I know we can!

     Have a great week everyone!

Elder Trevor Aiken 

Loving Sado Island!

     I am just lovin life up here on Sado Island! It was a fun week. We have had to travel to Niigata back to the mainland like 3 times in the past two weeks for splits or meetings and we have to go back again today! When we go it is usually for about three days because there are only 2 ferrys a day to make morning meetings or full day splits we have to go the day before on the 4 o'clock ferry and get to the apartment at 8. Then we stay the whole day and take the morning ferry on the third day and get back to the apartment at about 1:00 so it has been hard to get the work going this far. But after today we will finally have some time to work and find up here. 

     It is really cold up here on Sado. I might have already said this but The Island is like two parallel mountain ranges with a valley in between so the wind has been funneling between the mountains through the valley and it is crazy windy. With the humidity it goes right through your clothes. We have had some cold bitter nights. But that doesn't stop us! Proverbs 20:4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

     We will have something this winter! The Lord has a plan for this Island! I know it! I have such a responsibility and a work to do here. Our third Priesthood holder had his wife kick him out of their house because he joined the church and has now made it a priority in his life. She doesn't like that he goes every Sunday and to Family Home Evening. She has always been against the church but she finally reached her tipping point and kicked him out and he is now living in his car and trying to find. Because of the situation he is not coming to church anymore which is so sad. He is really struggling but we cannot make contact because we do not know where his car is and he is not at home obviously. One member has contact and is making contact but it is so hard. The adversary does everything he can to stop us from accepting and loving this gospel. Walking in and blessing or passing the sacrament every week, talking every month, and not having a Priesthood and relief society meeting each Sunday has really humbled me and turned my heart towards these people. What a faithful little branch of Saints they are! They deserve my 100% effort. I am giving  my all. We found two new investigators and we are working to find those that are prepared here. Working with less actives and our PI's. 

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." (D&C 64:33).

     We can never give up!! Especially when we don't see immediate feedback. We can't give up on ourselves, those we love, and those around us. It takes time! Change takes time! It takes the Lord's time. And patience to that time. But we do need to work every day. I am striving to work every day. I strive to see the Lord's hands at work, But I first have to do my work first.  "For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." A companion scripture found in the Doctrine and Covenants describes with equal clarity and conciseness our primary work as the sons and daughters of the Eternal Father. Interestingly, this verse does not seem to be as well known and is not quoted with great frequency. "Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and strength."

     Are we doing our work... are we really doing our work?

We must be obedient to the Lord and the promptings of the spirit. Not just in the obvious, but also being obedient to the still small voice that distills upon us personal revelation and tells us how to improve. How many of you have gotten the feeling, oh I need to be better at this... anything from reading your scriptures to controlling your temper. From showing more love to listening more. Attending the temple every week to truly preparing for the sacrament every week. That is not a personal thought or epiphany! That is revelation from the Lord by his Holy Spirit and if we do not act on the revelation we receive which he expects us to act upon then we will not receive more. We need to repent of our shortcomings or of not acting on promptings we have received. Repentance is not just for sins. When we don't act on those promptings it is like going day after day without piling the chain on your bike. Little by little it goes slower and slower until it stops. The promptings will grow dull until we won't recognize them or receive them. We need to do our work in this blink-of-an-eye life, because the Lord will do his work for eternity. Please let us do our work! Have the best week ever!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken

Happy Halloween from Sado!

     Happy Halloween!  It was a great week. I am on the Island! They have not voted me off yet so it is all good. We have 12 active members, 4 Priesthood holders and 2 young women. We are rolling! We just have this little rented building with three rooms for our church. But I love every member here already! My companion is Brazilian and I am not lying, he is the first person I have ever met in my life that speaks more than me. And not by a little bit! He never stops talking so all of you who know me know how interesting this relationship must be.  He's awesome!

  

   This week another thought came to me that Elder Bednar said when he visited recently that I want to expound on. He said, "I am going to tell you something so simple you may have never even seen it this way. It's that simple." He went on to talk about the Tree of Life in Lehi's Dream. Now maybe everyone that reads this already thought of it this way but it was interesting to think of it this way for me. He talked about the group of people who progressed to the tree, partook of the fruit which was the love of God or Christ. But when I read that it was always hard for me to understand how the people could just immediately turn away from that great amazing feeling. I always read that when I was younger and was always dumbfounded just thinking you already came all that way! How could you just turn away that fast?? But Elder Bednar said the fruit of the tree is the Atonement. It is repentance. And I sat back in that meeting and realized how many times I was in that second group. How many times I had chosen not to use the power of the Atonement. How many times I have repented and then made mistakes again. How many times in our lives have we turned away from our picnic at the tree (I know that sounds interesting. I am not saying that in the way that it is like a picnic and so easy. Just painting a picture) to set down our have eaten fruit to go and look around. Saying that we will come back and finish it later. When I saw the fruit as the Atonement and repentance, my standpoint changed in the way I ponder on the dream. I always put myself in that first group that reached the tree and stayed. It seemed so black and white. Simple. No gray area. The other groups were not related to me. But I realized there have been times where I set down the fruit for the world for a minute and joined that second group. Sometimes a lot longer than a minute. But the Lord has always been merciful enough to let me come back and partake again and again.  Please,if you have set down the fruit for a while, or even just for a minute, pick it back up and partake of it always. You can never be too full. We can never be too full of His love and His atoning power. But it is ever so easy to set it down to go look around for a while. Especially when no one is looking. To sneak away even only with the intention to look around. You will never find a better fruit. What is better than love. Pure love. Perfect love. From a perfect being. I would choose that over "fun" or "exciting." 

     But sometimes I know in the moment we don't always choose right. We aren't thinking clearly and we make mistakes. Sometimes we cannot see the Lord's ways and see the bigger picture so we give up on the faith thing because we do not understand or we do not see immediate feedback. But "Man's goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?" Proverbs 20:24. That fruit is always back by the tree. We just need to humble ourselves enough to humbly approach that picnic at the tree again and partake. Sometimes we know if we approach the tree, no matter how quietly, that the people by the the tree will turn their heads and see us approaching and realize we left, or watch our humble walk back and we fear their judgement. Just let them deal with their fruit and go partake of yours. We approach the tree for His love not for their love. 

     In Lehi's Dream they pressed forward for His love. God's love. The Savior's love. I pray every day that we (So many of you by name) may be able to desire and focus on His love, press forward, and partake of it. Then... Stay. 

     Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken

Transferring to Sado!

     Hello everyone.  I apologize it has been a while since I last wrote.  But it has been a week with huge ups and downs. My companion had to go home this past week for medical reasons a year into his mission. That was very hard for me seeing him go and definitely a lot harder for him. But he is set in trying to figure out the problem and get back into the field if possible. 

     This week I had one of the most powerful, spiritual, and tender moments for me on my mission. We had Elder Bednar come and speak to us last. The Tokyo South mission came up and also joined us. We were about 6 rows away from an Apostle of the Lord. But not the ones you see in conference. He was so funny, so relaxed. He was just like any other man in the way he joked around and was way funny. But he held a spirit and a power that led me to listen to and hear what was not being said and receive personal revelation of how I need to improve and change and grow. He instilled such a desire in everyones hearts to be a little better. A little more obedient, dedicated, and consecrated. That is what I will be. I am striving for it and seeking improvement.   

     One thing I loved is how Elder Bednar and his wife both went up and said, "Didn't Elder Christofferson put God's love in a new light last conference." I love that the apostles still grow and learn from each other. They all have their own insights and knowledge to bring and I love that. Sometimes it just seems to me like they all just know every single thing so what other apostles say is not new to them, but that is not true. Loved that. You could just see the respect and the love that they have for each other. 

     I learned so much in the conference and I will probably tell you some little by little each week, but one thing I loved was that he talked about how we have agency and need to be agents not objects. We need to act and not be acted upon. He said how one time someone asked him if he had ever been in a boring sacrament meeting or other meeting. He said that anyone who has ever said that they have been in a boring and bad meeting was because they were not agents, they were objects. They allowed themselves to be spoken at. They sat there and just said ok give it to me. Make it fun. Like it is entertainment. You need to be interacting. You need to be listening for what is not being said. For what the spirit is telling you. Do not just sit there and be acted upon. He said that when someone says they were in a boring sacrament meeting or class, that says nothing about the meeting and everything about that person. In our church of course there are many people who are not always super energetic and fun and or are still working on teaching skills. That is why we need to be agents, not objects. I loved those thoughts. There have been many a time when I was younger that I have said that about meetings. On my mission sitting there not being able to understand any of the Japanese coming from the pulpit has caused me to think along the same lines sometimes. Especially when everyone is laughing and I don't know why so I just laugh awkwardly so people think I get it. But just a little quieter than everyone else so it is not obvious I am faking! But I loved what he said. We need to act and be agents not objects. 

     It is transfer week as well and I am transferring to a little Island called Sado. It is the farthest away area in our mission. It is way up north! I am going back to Niigata for winter again. It is going to be a cold one. I was so sad to hear I was leaving Kawagoe, but time for another new journey!

     Talk to next week from Sado!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken

A great baptism!

 

    Hello everyone! It has been a fantastic week. Our investigator was baptized Thursday and it was amazing! He was so happy! He was baptized during the week with only the missionaries and the bishopric in attendance.  All the missionaries who had taught him who had not already gone home came to his baptism and it was so powerful. I got to sing which I love to do. It's always so nice see the spirit that music can bring, especially in the atmosphere of a baptism. He testified powerfully. He was not shy or nervous about being a new member. He was so excited to be confirmed. I had the great opportunity to confirm him a member in Sacrament meeting on Sunday and he was just glowing! He was already talking about his preparation of becoming a missionary and going to the temple. He is so excited. Such an amazing week. 

     Then we got to finally meet with our other investigator Mr. Wang from China. He is awesome. But we have not been able to meet with him for about 3 weeks. He came to the church and we asked him if he had had the chance to read the Restoration pamphlet we gave him. We were kind of thinking he had not because he said he had been so busy and it was really hard to meet. But he told us that not only had he read the whole pamphlet but he had prayed about it 3 or 4 times and believes it is true. We asked him, if he believed it was true, what is the next step? He said, well... Baptism. We asked him if that is what he wanted and he said yes. He knows it is true and wants to be baptized. He said he is figuring out his visa and work and there some definite bumps in the road but he wants to reach it. So exciting! We are working with him to reach that goal. 

     I just never want to go home. I cannot picture a life where I am not a missionary where I feel as much joy as I do now. I am in love with this work. I never want it to end. It is so simple. So focused. So driven. I love these people. I am dreading the day where I walk into church on Sunday and I do not get to say another ohio gozaimasu and talk to these people I love. I treasure every day, because they are so fleeting. So fast. It is already the third week of this transfer. I love Japan. I love this work. I am soo happy!! It is the best! I love seeing the mercy and love of God in this work. He always forgives! Teaching those around me of repentance and the chance to change and seeing that change in the life of the investigators in this area is so humbling. "It underscores the thought I heard many years ago that surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it." God wants to be merciful. The Savior wants to forgive. And the spirit wants to show us how. Oh how merciful the Lord has been to me. He has changed me. A lot of times we don't receive God's mercy because we do not accept. "I am not worthy of his love." "He does not want to talk to me." "Not after what I have done." "How could he take everything... Again?" BECAUSE. HE. LOVES. US. He loves us PERFECTLY! Undeniably. Unfathomably. Incomparably. The Savior always walks upon the waters that we so tenderly fear to walk. Sometimes not because we think we can't do it. But rather because we can. Because that means change. That means growth. That means faith will turn into a perfect knowledge where faith can go dormant and can never turn back from the truth. Because it means conviction. Consecration. And sometimes we are humble enough to give just that. Please let us believe that God is merciful... Then accept his mercy. His hands are ever hanging down to lift us up! Have the greatest week ever! I love you all!! 

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken

  

Week 71

It's true...I'm the ping-pong champion!

    Hello!  It has been such an amazing time this week full of miracles here in Kawagoe! It has only been one and a half months but it has been the best!! We also found out that Elder Bednar is coming to our mission to have a conference on October 18th!!!! I cried... No I didn't but I am so excited! It is going to be unreal. I am ready for the spirit to pierce my heart and tell me how I need to improve. Very excited. Also, we had a wedding in the ward and had the reception in the church. Sister Murayama got married and it was a great day.

     This week I felt prompted to talk about confidence and how it directly relates to obedience. Confidence in ourselves and in the Lord. First I want to talk about confidence in the Lord. There are so many times in life where people lose the faith and confidence in the Lord's promises. We often lose confidence in the Lord and give up on the Lord's will, when in reality it is because we have been giving up on Him. Either from pride, selfishness, or disobedience. Not even the pride of selfishness of thinking we are better than the Lord, but the unwillingness and desire to change when change is needed. We see needed change, are either too lazy or selfish to do it, and blame the Lord when He does not just give the change to us or bless us and we lose confidence in Him. Especially in disobedience. 

     As missionaries there are so many things that are against the rules here that would not be consididered disobedient in normal life. I have had times where I have wanted just to look up my friends or family on Facebook just to see a latest picture of how they are doing or see the wedding photo of my numerous friends getting married haha. But the people of Ammon did not bury 99% of their "weapons of rebellion." They did not keep a part for themselves. That little disobedience and pride would show a lack of faith and confidence in the Lord. It is the difference between testimony and conversion. Between knowing and actually doing. Conversion is an offering of self, of love, and of loyalty that we give to God in gratitude for the gift of testimony. When we say a little lie to someone, are disobedient in what we justify as a little thing, or we're too prideful to change, our testimony and knowledge might not be altered yet, but our conversion will. We are not showing that gratitude. And testimony is not enough. It will falter and fail. Because we can't fight against the spirit and win. When we are disobedient or fight against what we know to be true and refuse to convert ourselves, our testimony will eventually give out under the pressure because testimony brings increased personal accountability. The spirit will tell us what we are doing is wrong and we will give in to change... To conversion or apostasy. 

     In middle school, high school, and I will say college as well, teenagers are very self conscious and sometimes pretty down. But almost always it comes down to two things. The first, one that comes to everyone is the brutal life of being a teenager! Teenagers are brutal and people can get really hurt by what they say. They get down because of what other people would say to them. But the other half might be one that parents do not always stop to think about. One that adults often do as well. The lack of self-esteem that comes from disobedience to the Lord. Knowing that what we are doing is wrong and that guilt that comes in turn. Guilt which, when left unresolved, turns into projected anger or sadness. But some times parents see it and think, "oh, they are just teenagers they are in a mood swing." Or someone probably said something rude to them at school. That is true as well but also the latter happens more than people think I believe. We lose confidence in ourselves when do not keep the commandments because we lose sight of who we are. Sons and daughters of God. And we begin to identify ourselves with the names that others give us in order to fill the empty name tag that we now carry. It is like we just hand the marker around and allow people to write whatever name they want on there. But if we love God, do His will, and fear His judgment more than men's, we will have self-esteem. There is confidence in conversion, trial in testimony, and fear in faltering. Strength and confidence comes in obedience and conversion. Conversion is believing, exercising, repenting, experiencing, and becoming. As we love him and do His will we will be confident in Him, feel His love, and in turn be confident in ourselves. 

     I have changed so much on my mission. I have finally found true confidence in myself. I am becoming who HE wants me to be! I now carry two names on my name tag. Not many people know this I guess but I was so self conscious about who I was before my mission. About how I looked, what I said, what other people thought... About what God thought. But now I have self-esteem and pure joy every day!!:) because I feel the spirit and God's love every day. Because I know I am doing what He wants me to do and I know I am being obedient. I pray that we can all find self-esteem in following Him who gave us life. The One who really matters and loves us perfectly. Not just merely have a testimony, but convert ourselves to Him. "Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion. We should know the gospel is true and be true to the gospel" 

     Have a great week everyone!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken

Week 69!

All gone!

     Well.. To start off..  BYU won! BYU won! BYU won! That time of year has come baby!!  I literally looooooove BYU football, but seeing a miracle performed by the Lord is still much better than watching a touchdown by Taysom Hill.

My new P-day shirt!   

     Our investigator, Maki, who we are meeting on Thursday, called a member on Sunday after church who fellowshipped her very well and said she wanted to talk about her life with her. Like a heart to heart. The member said why don't we meet with the Elders first and then we can talk after as well. They want to meet you. She said that would be awesome. We met with her and we just asked her how she felt about the last lesson. She said she loved the message but... She did not know if it was all true. She said she has a strong desire but she does not know it yet. We told her of course she will not know it right at first and that it takes time. Don't be worried. The spirit just prompted to share Alma 32:26-27 and I said I think there is a scripture that is perfect for you and what you are feeling. We read it and she was so caught off guard. She said that is exactly how I feel!! How did you know?? Did you prepare it beforehand? How do the scriptures always contain exactly what I need? It was such an awesome lesson! The spirit was so powerful and we went on and finished the lesson and we are meeting again on Thursday. 

     Lastly, my favorite. So the area I am in had not seen a baptism in almost 2 years. I came in about a month ago and Elder Rhea and I have been working really hard and we have been praying to have 24 hours of faith each day and when that day is up... Pray for it again. Then show it. We were able to have an amazing baptism a few weeks ago and then this week we saw an amazing miracle. We have an investigator whose name I will not reveal who is of a different faith. He lived in a different country but has since moved Japan. He met the missionaries almost on the day he arrived in Japan and has been taking lessons ever since. He has kind of been on and off for a year and we thought he would never get baptized.  We have been working with him and it was kind of stalling. It went for a few weeks and we could not meet him after trying a few times but finally he just called us and said I want to meet...today!  We said absolutely and we met him at the church. He came, sat down, and told us that there was something he wanted to talk about. He said, "I want to be baptized. I know it is what I need to do. I have come to know Jesus Christ and everything in my heart, every feeling I have tells me I need to get baptized. But I know how dangerous and how hard it would be so I do not know what to do."  I leaned forward and I said, I think the spirit is telling you you should be baptized. I promise this is what God wants for you. I told him what we can do is have you meet with President Nagano and he can interview you and see if you are safe to be baptized and he can meet with you next week. Will you do it? He was so caught off guard with how straight forward I was and with how I had set a time frame for the following week. He said... Let's do it. President Nagano was so kind and came the following Saturday. Interviewed him. Actually also went through all of the baptismal questions as well and he passed both! President Nagano called the area president and sent an email to Church Headquarters and they cleared him to be baptized!! We are going to teach him the rest of the lessons and he will be baptized here in the next 3 or 4 weeks!! Yes!! So amazing!! Such an amazing miracle!! 

     Which leads into my spiritual thought. This week I wanted to share a quick thought on patience in the Lord's timing but also His will. You might have already heard part of this but I just wanted to testify of it. Of patience in and through trials.  President Thomas S. Monson has said, "God left the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests unfelled and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, not the ease of finished things. He leaves the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation." God does not give us finished things. He never will. He gives us the raw materials and agency to grow and face adversity in this life to grow and become like him. And the beauty of his creations is he always creates things that can keep on creating. 

      I also want to talk about trials.  The word that does not taste good when it leaves the tip of your tongue. Trials are God-given chances to open our eyes to, and highlight the characteristics of Christ that need the most work. And almost always, patience is involved. Patience in others, and more often than not, patience with our own weaknesses. God knows what we need. He will not give us patience, but he will give us chances to be patient. He will not give us faith, but he will give us chances to exercise and grow it. 

      Patience is not bearing something or gritting your teeth and just getting by. When Elder Neal A. Maxwell was undergoing the trial of Leukemia, he told Elder Bednar that, "I have learned that not shrinking is more important than surviving."  We cannot lower our faith or expectations in the Lord just because something is unbearable, or so it seems, and something does not go our way. No matter how hard. I know coming from a 20 year old kid this does not seem like much because I have not faced terrible trials. At least that is the image everyone sees when they see me always smiling and laughing and loving this gospel. Which I do. But we all have our crosses. Another 20 year old woman had a very hard cross to bear. That was three weeks after she got married to the love of her life for time and all eternity, a 23 years old named John. John found out he had very serious terminal cancer and it was not looking great. Elder Bednar went and visited John and they talked for a while and then John asked for a blessing. Elder Bednar was more than happy to do so, but he said first I need to ask you some questions. Then the spirit took Elder Bednar a very different direction than he thought, but he asked, "John, do you have the faith not to be healed? If it is the will of our Heavenly Father that you are transferred by death in your youth to the spirit world to continue your ministry, do you have the faith to submit to His will and not be healed?  Have we not all had numerous times where we asked Heavenly Father like the Savior did as well to "take this from me." Have we not all cried out begging him to take away some pain we are feeling. I have spent years sending that prayer and plea to Heaven's height in my life with different things. But how many times have we asked the Lord, "Lord... Help me to accept thy will for me whatever it be, and to help me carry this cross." Rather than "Lord make me whole." We all have crosses to bear. I wanted to leave this thought with you and I ask you to please ask yourself if you have the faith not to be healed. To have the faith that the Lord definitely COULD heal us, but not always that He would. Believe in Him. Trust Him. He knows our needs. He knows the bigger picture. Do we have the faith to not be healed even when it makes no sense not to be? In our eyes, and often the eyes of many around us. Let us have faith. Let us look upon Christ with a steadfastness to walk on water and never falter I pray! 

     Have the best week ever!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken