Week 68!

     Hello everyone!  How are you doing? I am so happy! Holy cow I cannot even believe it. The work of the Lord continues. How can we not rejoice every day?! I am just always so happy and I love it!! This is the greatest work on earth! 

     This week was great. My MyLDSMail got deleted so every single one of my emails I have received in my mission is gone so that might have been the saddest day for sure. Then to top it off after that... after 2 weeks of putting ointment on the burn that was our investigator thinking I was a woman on the phone... (My voice goes up when I am nice and really sincere or excited to people! Like when you talk to a kid or a dog it happens!) after the burn was nearly gone, it happened again!  We went to visit a less active member but she would not come to the door because she was sick so she spoke to us through this window. The glass was the kind that's blured so I could not see her face. Just a blurred image. And she could not see mine. She was an older woman so I was using my kind voice and trying to be sincere and told her we just wanted to see how she was doing and she really appreciated it! She said it was so nice and she said, you know what, I will come to church on Sunday. I was way excited. That is awesome! We will be waiting for you at the church. We can go in together. She was excited and said ok. What is your name? I said Elder Aiken! Elder?? Elder?? You aren't a girl? Aren't you one of the sisters? My companion just lost his marbles. He about wet his pants. Two times was too much for the man.  I know sister missionaries have power and I guess Elders do too who sound like them!  Not one of my better days!

    This week I have not thought out a really deep thought per say but I had a very powerful experience I would like to share. Last week we got ready for the day and started off our personal study. It was the day we were planning on meeting Maki. As I sat in my study and tried to ponder what we should teach specifically, I thought of the trials she is facing with her divorce, raising two kids alone, facing the world with no light. No Savior. She was wading through these waters of life without knowing there was a life guard who walks upon them. In an instant I felt a love and a spirit that I have literally never felt in my life. In this moment I felt a pure love and spirit for Maki. I do not think I have ever felt more humbled in my entire life knowing I have been so blessed to always know I have a Savior there who can take it all. Maki did not know that. I literally tried but could not comprehend what it must be like not having that knowledge because I have always known. And I literally slumped in my chair and began to cry. I felt as Alma did when he said "O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!" In that moment I felt such a love for the people of Japan that I have never felt. I wanted every single person to know that they have a Savior and a light who can take it all. I wanted them to know it is going to be ok. The spirit filled my soul and it stayed with me literally all day. My thoughts were constantly directed towards that lesson and his work. I felt like I was one with the spirit in my purpose and calling. We met with Maki and had an amazing lesson. She finally told us her experience in person where she heard God speak to her and say Come unto Me. She said that normally she would think it was her own thoughts, but I told her I can promise it was the Lord because he has given us this direction and plea in the scriptures written by his prophets to us. We then shared Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

And she was in shock. She said, "It is in the scriptures!" We told her Ya it is!! It was so cool to see her reaction. Then we went on and we told her we wanted to teach her about who it is we are coming unto. Jesus Christ. We testified of his life and his atonement. We told her imagine that Jesus Christ could take all of your pain, sin, stress, mistakes, sadness, etc. everything! She closed her eyes and just sat there for like 2 or three minutes. Then I said is that something you want? She opened her eyes and just began to weep and said yes it is something she wanted. The spirit was literally tangible. It was wrapped around me and around the room. It enveloped us. We told her the way is to be baptized. We asked if when she knew that this message is true if she would be baptized and she said she would but it would take some time. Little by little. It was so powerful to see her faith!

     I cannot describe the love I feel for the Japanese people. They are my people. I love every second I have with them. How can just a mere 9 more months be enough for one person to be with the people he loves. I am treasuring every day. If you give people a hope it will open their eyes. If you give people a Savior, it will open their hearts. And that is when the spirit can enter. That is when conversion takes place. 

     Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken