Week 56!

With Elder Judd - a former classmate at Brighton High School!

     I cannot believe how fast time is going! We had a good week this week. Last week we went to the biggest mall in Asia and I was intense!! Holy cow it was huge! Blew my mind. There was even a Cold Stone...but I held strong.  Then we had Temple P-day! So that is why I am emailing today! I truthfully cannot describe the peace and joy I feel at the temple! I just cannot stop smiling. Everyone looks at me so weird. I am just so happy!! Through thick and thin I have found my Savior. Now on to the spiritual side!

The Adachi Trio!

     Today I wanted to talk about trials! A word, when looked at in a certain light, is viewed as a deterrent in our lives. It is viewed as something that weighs us down and something we all wish we did not have to face all the time. But, if we look at trials in a different light, the Light of Christ, we can see that trials are God's way of letting us access the Atonement. He will never send a trial we cannot face or a battle we cannot win. Absolutely they can hurt and humble us in every way, but that is the refiner's fire. It is a test of our faith. Many times in our life, in our hearts, seeds of faith are planted, but sometimes they are planted in deep soil and they do not receive the water they need to grow until a storm comes. Those storms give those seeds a chance to receive the growth that can turn into a certain knowledge where our faith can go dormant. I truly thank God every day for the storms he sends in my life, because my faith in our Savior, even Jesus the Christ, has grown into a sound knowledge. He suffered everything that we have and will suffer. He knows us. But sometimes, maybe we need to experience trials in order to know Him. Perhaps we need to experience the depths of mortality in order to understand Him. He could have known how to succor us simply by revelation, but He chose to learn by His own personal experience. He chose to experience what we felt, because he has an undoubting love for us. He felt our pain. He knows our pain. Pain. Another word with a negative connotation, but "pain is a gauge of the healing process. It often teaches us patience. Perhaps that is why we use the term patient in referring to the sick." 

     In times of pain and trial, sometimes the only way we can make it is to endure. Empower our faith and patiently endure. Face the storm with our Savior and have the faith that He will calm it. Yes it hurts sometimes, but pain lowers you down to a level of humility that allows you to ponder. It brings us closer to the Father. I wanted to write a message of hope today. Never give up, never give in, and never give out. Hold strong! I know life can have hardship sometimes, sometimes all the time, but we can make it! Let these storms of life allow your seeds of faith to grow and set a foundation for our conversion on the Savior. Through these storms, let us stand on that Rock of a foundation and endure. Everyone has mountains to climb. You are not alone. You never will be. 

     Have the best week ever!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken

Find the beauty in life!

    

     It has been a great week!! The trio fire is still building in Adachi. I have had two and four man apartments, but three apartments are the best. We are working so hard to find new investigators and those that are prepared. Our area has really reset recently. Our recent convert Ben had his grandma get a really bad infection in her leg and she is in such a serious condition that he returned to China to try and see her one last time before she passes and he will not return until next year. He was so devastated when he heard. He was so close to his grandma and the news really shook him. Also, Rose, who was just baptized is going to the Philippines next week for 2 weeks so she will be gone until next transfer, so hopefully I stay. But we are in need of some new people who are interested in learning. 

     The week finished off with some fun stuff for P-day today. We are going to Lake Town, the largest mall in all of Japan and probably Asia to be honest. It is way bigger than any mall I have seen in America. And usually everything in America dwarfs everything in Japan in size. But this is something else. There is just about anything you could think of there. Including a huge Disney store might I add. 

     I am just so happy. Every day is just amazing. Sure, maybe there are some hard days and some rough moments, but at the end of the day I can almost never remember them. I try to focus on the little miracles of every moment. Are we doing that enough?  Someone once said: "Do you take time to discover each day how beautiful your life can be? How long has it been since you watched the sun set? The departing rays kissing the clouds, trees, hills, and lowlands good night, sometimes tranquilly, sometimes with exuberant bursts of color and form. What of the wonder of a cloudless night when the Lord unveils the marvels of His heavens--the twinkling stars, the moonlight rays--to ignite our imagination with His greatness and glory? When last did you observe a tiny rosebud form? Each day it develops new and impressive character, more promise of beauty until it becomes a majestic rose." 

     Isn't this life amazing?? Isn't it wonderful?? We have glories all around us. I can still remember countless nights of my dad on the back porch calling my name, "Trev! Trev! come look at this Sunset! It's amazing." Or, "Trev! Trev! Come look at the stars! They are so beautiful tonight!" He truly showed me at a young age that this is a life where we can take a moment and see what truly matters. Take a moment and see the beauties that the Lord has given us. We are one of the noblest of God’s creations. His intent is that your life be gloriously beautiful regardless of your circumstances. He wants us to be happy! He wants our life to be beautiful and full of beautiful days! Sure, sadness, disappointment, and severe challenges are events in life, but they are not life itself. I hear so many people say "I have such a sad life." No... You have sadness in your life, but it is not your life. "I have such a hard life." No you don't! You have hardships in life, but it is not your life. The purpose of this life is joy! Find it!! It is there whether you want it to be or not. Sometimes we want to be a Debby downer, but I am sorry, we flat out cannot deny the beauties and glories of this life! No shot! This gospel is hope! This gospel is change. Please never give up. We can succeed! Our success is never measured by how strongly we are tempted but by how faithfully we respond. Let us rise up and dust ourselves off. Respond boldly to the temptations and powers the adversary sends to bring us down and stand tall. Find the beauties in your life. They are and will always be there!

     Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken

What? Krispy Kreme!

YES!!!  Krispy Kreme!!

     Hello!  This past week was awesome. Started off with a huge game of Capture the Flag in Yoyogi Park. Which was followed by, on the next day, numerous mosquito bites on my right leg that got so swollen because they were so close together and huge that they turned black and it was a great time for everyone. Never had mosquito bites hurt like that. 

     Sadly, one of the elders in our apartment this week had to go home early because of health reasons and he was struggling. We became a trio this last week because there are not enough missionaries in the area as of now to send us another missionary, but hopefully we'll get one. We are down to about 150+ missionaries right now. Our mission is so small... It was at 220 when I got to the mission. It is decreasing every day. But we, the three Amigos of Adachi are killing it right now. It is just straight fire up in this place. There are some amazing miracles being seen!  We had zone meeting this week and I got called the night before and was asked to sing I Know That My Redeemer Lives. I had no practice but I got to sing and I loved it. I just love singing so much. I definitely want to try to sing when I get home. But it was great week altogether. It went so fast. I cannot believe how fast it has gone. I am treasuring every second and I have never been happier! But anyway... on to the good stuff. 

     This last week, I was thinking about desires and how strong my desire is to follow my Savior Jesus Christ and turn away from the things of the world and the temptations of the adversary. The thought really hit me that Jesus Christ and Satan are very different people with very different purposes in the grand scheme of things, but in reality they have many things in common. One of the most notable being.. they will never make you follow them. It is always our choice.  The Savior did not make the water solid for Peter to walk on, and he will not do so now for us. He gives us the choice to choose faith and to choose Him. We stand in a world where we have to choose between two forces and the choice is ours. 

     In the pre-existence as everyone was making their decision to follow the Savior or the adversary, they stood in a valley with a fence, the line that drew the decision they would make. One by one everyone chose their side and faded off into the distance as they picked a side of the fence and walked with the Savior or the adversary away in their directions. Yet, this one man could not decide. He could not choose the way to take. He liked things from both. So he had the ever so brilliant idea come to his mind that he would sit on the fence. He would straddle one leg on each side and he would have the best of both worlds. He sat there alone thinking he had won; had made the perfect decision. As he sat there Satan returned to the fence to find the man and asked him what he was doing. He told him, "I am sitting on the fence," he said so ever confidently. Satan replied simply, "Don't you know? I own the fence." 

     The choice will ever be ours to choose the path we take and whom to follow. We chose it once and made the right choice, but we make it again every single day. To follow the Savior or to follow Satan. But everyday we wait and sit idly by in the middle ground we only serve him, the one who would bring us down to misery and woe. The one who wants us to fail and be miserable. We cannot serve God and mammon. Christ will never make us follow him, and even though we often think otherwise, Satan cannot either. He cannot make us fall into temptation and turn from our Master, Lord, and King. Choose the Savior. Choose Him. Each and every day choose Him! The most important control is self control. It is never too late to choose Him. Because he is always choosing you. He always will. He loves you. He lives!  

     Have the greatest week ever everyone!

\

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken

I found my friend!

This is my friend!

    One day... One day and I am out a year. I cannot believe it. It has gone so fast! I do not know where the time has gone! How much I have changed... holy cow. It was a very fun week and so much happened. Including my comp going to the hospital on Monday, (which is why I am writing today) but he is okay! But there was a blessing from that experience, because today.. I am going to Costco... I am going to eat Costco pizza... Just another testimony builder for why I am supposed to be here I am sure of it. Haha just kidding but only a little bit. But all joking aside, on to the spiritual side of things...

     The following event took place in a ward in Salt Lake City in 1974. It occurred during a sacrament meeting and was told to me by a Regional Representative of the Twelve who was in the meeting. A young man, just before leaving on his mission stood in sacrament meeting and bore in essence the following testimony: 

Brothers and Sisters, as you know, the past two weeks I've been waiting for my mission call. During the time I was waiting I had a dream. I knew it was not an ordinary dream. I dreamed I was in the pre-existence and awaiting my call to come to earth. I was filled with the same anticipation and excitement that I had before I received my mission call. In my dream I was talking to a friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I've never met him in this life. As we talked a messenger came and gave me a letter. I knew it was my call to go to earth. In great excitement my friend and I opened the letter. I gave it to him and asked him to read it aloud. It said: "You've been called to earth in a special time and to a special land. You will be born to the true church and you will have the priesthood of God in your home. You will born into a land of plenty, in a land of freedom. You will go to earth in the United States of America." 

My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call, and while we were rejoicing the messenger returned. This time he had a letter for my friend. We knew it was his call to earth. My friend gave me the letter to read aloud. His letter said: "You've been called to go to the earth in circumstances of poverty and strife. You will not be raised in the true church. Many hardships will attend your life. Your land will be fraught with political and social difficulties - which will hinder the work of the Lord. You will be born in Costa Rica." We wept, my friend and I, as we read his call. And my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes, and said, "When we are down on earth, you in your choice land and me in Costa Rica, my friend, please come and find me." 

The this young missionary, with tears in his eyes, said, "Brothers and Sisters, I have received my mission call. I am going to Costa Rica." 

There is a sequel to the story. About a year after the sacrament meeting, the bishop received a letter from the missionary in Costa Rica. The letter had one sheet of paper in it and on that sheet written in capital letters were four words: 

I FOUND MY FRIEND! 

     This past week held one of the most powerful experiences of my life. I truly did find my friend, and just as this story, it was just around my one year mark. I could not of asked for a better way to celebrate my halfway mark than to baptize Rose just 5 days shy of it. It was such a special experience for me. When Rose came up out of the water she quietly gasped. 

Rose's baptism!

     Only I heard, but I did not ask her why because I thought it was just because she was a little nervous because I made sure she went low into the water so her hair or dress did not come out. But later that night we went and visited her and we talked about her baptism and just how happy she was and I just felt that I should ask about the actual experience. She asked me if I heard her gasp and I told her I had. She told me the reason. She said that as she was lowered into the water, it was as if all of the anger, heartache, and despair she had felt from her divorce and from just all of life's challenges, along with her sins, mistakes, and bad feelings, could not enter the water with her. She said that as she lowered beneath the surface, she could literally feel them leave her body as if a weight was lifted. She said that she felt as if her past could not enter the water with her because she was being reborn and beginning a new life. It was one of the most beautiful and amazing descriptions of baptism that I had ever heard. She was so happy. During her baptismal service, I sat beside her up on the stand the whole time. We did it the hour before Sacrament meeting so a lot of members were there and it was so powerful. When the service ended, 40 or so members lined up single file with flowers, chocolate, or gifts  to give to Rose and congratulate her. I was next to her and tried to move away because it was her big day, but every single member came up to me after talking to Rose and thanked me. Just a sincere thank you for what I had done. I had truly only been an instrument in the hands of the Lord and it was not anything I had done, but the members were so grateful that they could have a baptism in their ward, partake of that spirit, and have a new member come into the fold that their joy was bursting! It truly was such an amazing sacred experience. I could not have asked for a better week to reach my year mark. 

     Can't we all do as Rose did this last week and lower ourselves back down into the waters of humility and change? Start anew through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ? Cannot we all gasp at the glory of our Savior as we find ourselves clean and renewed? I know and testify that we can. Because our Lord has promised us so, He Always. Keeps. His. Word. Let us all be willing to lower ourselves down to where he can lift us up. Let it be down on our knees. The more you bend your knees and lower yourself to the ground, the higher you will leap as push yourself off the ground, upward. Let us change ourselves! Let us allow ourselves to put ourselves lower in humility and also accept the low times of life, knowing that the lower we get, the more force and strength we will receive on our next upward leap. As our lows get lower, our highs are magnified. 

     I love you all!

Elder Trevor Aiken

Week 50!

     It has been an amazing week, has it not?? Our investigator Rose is doing awesome! She is really progressing. She is seriously just a rock star! 

     This week we got to go teach again at our weekly service that we found at the school called Free School. I do not know if I told you because my memory is terrible, but it's a place where kids go because they were bullied or mocked and never felt accepted, so they dropped out of high school and they come to this Free school. We go once a week and teach the youth English. It is way fun and so awesome. Also, fun fact. In Japan, middle school is the last required thing for school. High school is optional and you actually have to apply just to get in so getting into good schools is competitive. Thought that was interesting. Also, no school buses in Japan. Kids have to take the train or bus or walk. What else... This sister in my ward keeps giving me recipes and teaching me how to make desserts so I am getting pretty good at those (just for future reference if you are ever hungry). I have also started on my official diet with 6 small meals a day through out the day and it is the best! How funny that change is from my pre-mission life. I hated healthy stuff more than anything, but now I am addicted. I hate eating fattening. How the mission will change you! 

It has also been interesting seeing my companion enter his last two weeks and just seeing how fast it goes. I will hit a year one week after he leaves. It is just so insane how fast it is going... You never really know until you experience it yourself. 

     Sorry that was all over the place but this week was interesting. This week two things finally happened in my mission! First, I finally let an elder cut my hair... And... As I am writing this it is still not finished because we did not have enough time to finish last night after planning so I am just trying to avoid the public eye until after it is finished but it is so abunai (dangerous). The second, and funniest thing of my week, was when a woman came up to us and told us she had lived in America for a little while and that she asked if we were Mormons and we said yes we are. Then the first thing she says (it was hard for us to try to figure out what she was saying at first because of her broken English) is, how many mothers do you have? Yes - I finally got it in Japan! I was wondering when it would happen. She asked, if it was one wife for each day of the week in our church or how it worked and continued to say that that would be the dream life for her, if she could have a different husband each day of the week. Needless to say it was the most interesting day. Sometimes Heavenly Father sends people our way because he knows we just need a good laugh sometimes I think. 

     But anyway! This week I wanted to talk about forgiveness! Sometimes it can be a pretty scary word and sometimes it is not on our agenda, but I love the poem that President Monson quotes.

School thy feelings, O my brother;

Train thy warm, impulsive soul.

Do not its emotions smother,

But let wisdom’s voice control.

School thy feelings; there is power

In the cool, collected mind.

Passion shatters reason’s tower,

Makes the clearest vision blind. …

          

School thy feelings; condemnation

Never pass on friend or foe,

Though the tide of accusation

Like a flood of truth may flow.

Hear defense before deciding,

And a ray of light may gleam,

Showing thee what filth is hiding

Underneath the shallow stream.

School thy feelings, O my brother;

Train thy warm, impulsive soul.

Do not its emotions smother,

But let wisdom’s voice control.

     How often have we let anger control our emotions and we say something that we do not mean. We say things that end up, because of our pride or the pride of others, ruining relationships for lifetimes, sometimes generations. With family, friends, or the like. Why do we do it? Why do I do it? Why do we let anger control us? Why do we feel that when someone wrongs us that they need to be punished or wronged back? Stop thinking that if we do not forgive, justice will not be paid. God sees everything, and a tear today will be paid back a hundred times with tears of rejoicing tomorrow. Let us please stop getting angry or impatient with others just because they have weaknesses or flaws in their personality or actions. We all do! We all are trying to improve. We all have problems. Honestly think, are we any different to them in God's eyes? See others not as they are, but as who they can become. By the way, am I the only one who keeps going back to Elder Renlund's talk about seeing people through God's eyes or a parents eyes, because that talk was so good. But if we saw those around us as children of a Father in Heaven or treated them as if he were present in the room, I feel we would treat people so much differently than we do now. Please, let us strive to be better in any way that can. Please forgive, and give the rest to the Lord. Free yourself of the anger, the grudge, the weight. Just let it go. Having that contention does not help anyone. 

   The happiness we feel when we win an argument is so temporary and fake. Even if we know we are right, let us have the strength, be the better person, and just let it go. Give it up. Lose once in a while. Little by little our hearts will be purified. That is my thought for the week. 

     I hope you all have the best week ever brothers and sisters. I love you all so much! Thank you for all you do! 

Love,

Elder Aiken

Time flies!

  

    Hello everyone, how are you doing? I am doing so good!! I am so sorry it has been so long. It has been a crazy few weeks. 

     This past week was amazing! We got to go to the temple which was just a great experience. I love the love I feel there. I love the peace and everlasting joy that just hits you as you walk in the front doors. It is literally like you are just leaving this world for a few hours. You can get away. Then I hit my 11 month mark which does not even make sense. And believe it or not I felt my first earthquake on that day. I know it is crazy but I never felt one before then. I slept through one or two but that was it. Plus, I was not even close to the big earthquake the other day if you are wondering, so I'm fine, but it has been hard to see families who have family there and the worry they feel. It is scary that it could happen at any time. A big earthquake has been predicted to hit Tokyo but I have no idea when. 

     But anyway! It is going too fast. This transfer is already over in 2 weeks and then I will be transfer 8. Half way. Disgusting. Time flies when you are in the work of the Lord! 

     This Sunday we had a huge miracle I want to share really fast. One of our main investigators, Norris, has canceled the last 5 times we have tried to meet and we did not know why but he finally told us he fell down his stairs and that was the only thing he told us. So we stopped inviting him to lessons for a week or so while he was recovering and just followed up.  He works two jobs Monday-Saturday and Sunday. Sunday came and I asked how taking the stitches out went and he said, "I am coming to church man." He had never come and that had been our main problem was getting him to church. But he came and told us he fell because he was drunk and he knew he fell because he was not obeying the word of God and he needed to stop drinking. (Humbled) miracle. Then (he had already asked his boss for work off on Sunday's but his boss said no) he told us that his boss told him that he could have Sunday off to rest because he had told him that he wanted to worship on Sunday's! (Humbled) Miracle! Then he had a great experience and we had a lesson after church where we taught about fasting and committed him to fast this Wednesday night to know if he should quit his job on Sunday and come to church every Sunday. He said he would and we will do it with him! Such a cool miracle! Please pray for Norris! 

     It has been a great week, but even more so a spiritual one. Seeing these people in such worry and sadness because of the earthquake and those who were lost to it was heartbreaking to see and it was hard to see their sadness. But such peace came to me because of what I know. Truly I thought this gospel is the glue that keeps my heart together. Knowing that anyone I lose is never lost. They are just being turned over to better hands. Not even to the point of losing loved ones, but even just being separated from them for an extended time. I miss my family terribly, but I know that our Father has a plan for all of us and I put them in His hands because there are none better. We need not worry about the "separations" of mortality. Sometimes separating from family, friends, or those we love can be overwhelming and can seem unfair, but true love must contain the idea of permanence. This gospel is true love. We have someone who gave up his life for us, because He, above all, knew how permanent love is. He knew it was not the end. Rather, His sacrifice made it so there is no end! Never give up!  I miss you all terribly, but I rejoice in the thought of seeing you all again, because I know I will. If we rejoice in such a powerful way when we see those we love, think of the rejoicing in heaven for our Father in Heaven when we return unto Him. He loves us perfectly and desires more than anything to see us again. The hope of this gospel is forever. There are happy endings and risings from the dust. I love this gospel with all that I am, and I am so grateful to be here to share this message. There is no harder separation for anyone at any time than our Father's separation from us. Let us all live to close that gap and return to him. Let us all live to live again. I hope you all have the best week ever! 

Love,

Elder Aiken

Fellowship of the Unashamed!

The cherry blossoms are out!

    This week was such an awesome week! Our area is progressing so much and it has been so fun.  I had my first district meeting as the DL this transfer and it is the best. I love to lead and I'm grateful for the opportunity! I love to be able to share my testimony and testify to these amazing missionaries that they can and will see miracles according to their faith. But the best part is being able to learn from them. I get to talk to each of them as my brothers and sisters of God and ask them the best ways they have found that would help me to return with them to our Father. I love this work so much. This is the best time of my life. It goes way too fast. I cannot miss home because I am so busy that I do not have time to and it is the best blessing ever. 

     I hope everyone enjoyed conference as well. We do not get to see it until the week after here so no spoilers! It is funny, before my mission I liked conference, but when I was younger I liked it because it started an hour later than church! As a missionary it is like a new movie is coming out that has been hyped up all year. I get so excited for conference. To feel of that spirit in such abundance, and to be able to receive revelation just for me personally. Isn't it amazing?? How great is this gospel everyone??!! Is there a greater joy??

     I had the chance this week to go and give my first blessing in Japanese and it was so interesting to see the spirit call upon the Japanese I have learned to help me say what was in my heart to the best of my ability. It was such an amazing experience. But I think the best part of Japan right now is that we have Sakura season! That is when the cherry blossoms come out and it is the most beautiful time of the year! I love it!

     Brothers and sisters I am just so happy. Ammon put it perfectly in Alma 26:

     "Behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with cjoy, and I will rejoice in my God... yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."

     I cannot describe the joy that feels my heart as I share this gospel message to as many as I can. I am truly changed forever. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I cannot put it into words very well, but I will use the aptly spoken words by Bob Moorehead.

     "I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made... I am a disciple of Jesus. I won't look back, go back, hold back, let up, slow down, back away, hesitate of be still! My past is redeemed, my present remade and my future re-aimed. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, dwarfed goals, deficient faith, and cheap grace.

     I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, prestige or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. 

     My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my gift is grace and my God is good... My road is narrow, my way is rough my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear and my power sufficient. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, diluted, distracted, deterred, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, wilt in the heat of the battle, or meander in e maze of mediocrity. 

     I won't give up, shut up, let up, or burn up until I've preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, worked up and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. I walk in good company, I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go until he comes, give until I drop, preach until all know, stay until all gland work until He stops. And when He comes to get His own, He'll have no trouble recognizing me... My colors will be clear! Amen."

     Have the best week ever! I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. 

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken