Week 87 - Wow!

Anyone up for a chicken heart???

     Can you even believe it? 87 weeks... oh my. Wow. It is already week 6 of the transfer. It will already be transfer calls a week from today! This is easily the best time of my mission! My peak! The last six months of your mission really are what everyone says. It is just sprinting til the end, Foot on the gas, talking to everyone, loving every second. I have never been happier in my life. 

     It was such an amazing week!! So last Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we were inside all day. In Japan we are not allowed to do missionary work on New Years so we are inside all day for the 31st and the 1st usually. On those two days one day is dedicated to reading the Book of Mormon. We read it all day! Best ever! Then the next day we clean all day. In Japan, for the New Year everyone does their deep cleaning and deep deep clean their whole home. So we did that to our apartment, but I am 1000% sure that last year it was not done up in here because it was not good. It took us two days but it is all done! Everything! We had 10 huge bags of trash! It was the best. I love throwing away things that we don't need. 

At a YSA activity

    Here is the update on Maki! Maki cut her cigarettes from 20 down to 3. She had the most powerful lesson with two of her best friends who were members sitting in on the lesson. She is little by little getting more and more excited about changing her life and being baptized. She came to church for all three hours for the first time ever! Then she stayed after for an hour and a half to talk to members! She was so happy and every class she attended in the 3 hour block was changed and prepared for her. The lesson was changed to fit her needs by the teachers and it was unreal! She is doing so good! 

     Then onto the last one I was fed to share this week... have I told you all about Luka? If I have I am sorry for the repetition but here we go. Luka is a 21 year old huge beautiful Polynesian man who is like 6"1 and so strong. He is a college Rugby player and his dad was a professional rugby player in Japan and a lot of people know his dad. He was born in Japan but is Tongan and his parents are from New Zealand and he lived there for middle school and high school. He is a Japanese citizen as well and he speaks fluent Japanese, English, and Tongan. Years ago his aunt got baptized and then she married a member and moved to Florida. They had 10 kids who all went on to serve missions. Then 4 years ago Luka's older sister when to stay with his aunt because she was really struggling in life and wanted to get a way for a little while. While visiting them she fell in love with the gospel, founds it truth and was baptized. She came back to Japan and prepared to serve a mission a year later. Then about 2 years ago when she returned she took Luka to church with her every week in a place called Kumagaya which is pretty far from Sakado, but then about a year ago she got married and moved to New Zealand so he stopped going. Then 2 months ago Elder Barrett (not yet my companion back then) gave a Book of Mormon to this Japanese guy on the train who ended up being Luka's Rugby teammate! He went back to the dorms and he showed Luka the Book about 3 weeks ago and he asked what it was. Luka freaked out and said, "Where did you get it?" He gave Luka the flyer we gave him and he walked into church the very next week. He walked in 2 weeks ago with a white shirt and tie ready to feel the spirit. 

     Then!! Then!! This last week he flew to Utah!! He went and stayed with his cousins in Utah who are all members as well and had an amazing time. He then came to church yesterday and we had an amazing lesson! He knows so much about our message and church so we taught at a faster pace and he just ate it all up. He loved it and understood it all so well. We taught the whole first lesson and about temples and eternal families because family is the most important thing to him. I love Tongan culture regarding families! Then after the lesson he told us, "That was the best lesson I have ever had. Elders I already know this church is true. I know it is the path for me and that this is where I belong. I know I will be baptized. It is just a matter of when. I am pretty lost in my life right now regarding my future so it is hard for me to make these big decisions." The spirit was just tangible and it was amazing. But I told him, "Luka who better to ask about your future than the One who knows you perfectly. Have you ever actually tried going to a quiet place and praying one on one with God?" He said, "actually I never have. But now seeing Joseph Smith and the feeling I feel here I want to try." He is the best ever! The Lord prepares His children!! The church is true! 

     I love the thought that I was called to serve the Japanese people. I was called to serve the people living in Japan. And so far that has included people from China, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Japan, New Zealand, etc. This is the best mission on earth. This is my home. I am creating eternal friendships here that will never be broken! I love this work! "On to Zion" as my brother Brock would say. 

Let us be disciples of our Savior Jesus Christ! Let us do his work. I wear his name on my chest and it is the greatest honor I could ever hold. 

ACTS 19:13,15 

13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

     Are we true disciples of Christ? Do we testify from personal knowledge and testimony? Or do we testify of a God who we are strangers to? Testify of "someone else's God and Savior" because we have not come to know them ourselves? Do we act with the promise of that sacrament prayer we renew each week to remember and take upon us His name?! Does Christ know us? Do we know Him? Let us BELIEVE CHRIST! 

     What a great day it is to be alive! What a great day it is to be a part of this restored church. Aren't we so blessed?:):):) the church is true! I know it. 

     Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken