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