Unexpected Changes - Tokyo South Mission - Japan

Week 71 - February 5, 2017

Some stuff happened this week that Elder Hawkins and I weren't expecting

Tuesday:  We met with our investigator K----a again. The lesson we had didn't really go anywhere. He just had all these same questions and no matter what answer you give he still just confuses himself and overthinks it. Then he also doesn't search it out for himself so that is a problem still. We may or may not drop him soon, we aren't sure yet.

Zone conference: Elder Hawkins and I had to prepare for it a decent amount. We basically ended up talking about the doctrine of Christ and having a big conversation with the whole zone. One question I thought about is how baptism is performed in the name of the father, the son, and the Holy Ghost. I thought why is it done that way? I have also been thinking about other ordinances in the church and will continue to study the way and reason they are performed. We had a lot of conference and discussion items within the whole zone so this zone conference was a lot of that.

MLC:  We also talked about the missionary schedule changes and a ton of other things during that. We saw every zone's goal for baptisms for the year and it looks like everyone is ready to try really hard. There is also a new Ekaiwa program that is being started up. It's gonna be way good 'cause now it's labeled as a mission school so everyone who comes basically knows what's gonna happen there. Also, we are now offering help with English testing. With the new goals and new schedule and all this new stuff coming in with the mission I think that we are going to see a huge improvement in effectiveness.

Friday:  We basically had district meetings all day. We got some huge gyoza again in Kichijoji so that was fun as well.  I got sick from Tuesday around until Sunday so at night we went back to the apartment and just tried to call a bunch of people.

Transfer calls:  So ya, we got them this Saturday and I thought I was gonna be here for a while but I am being transferred to Kanagawa which is back to my first zone. It's the same church as Kohoku but a different area that we work in so I'll get to see a lot of people that I know again. My companions are going to be Elder Matsumoto (who was my first district leader, and is the current assistant to the President) and Elder Murata who was the district leader in Tokorozawa before he got emergency transferred out.  Also, Kanagawa is Elder Matsumoto's first area and this is his last transfer, so he is probably way happy.  I get 2 Japanese companions and they are both on their last transfer #doublekill. That's what we call it when you are with a missionary for their last transfer.  You are ending their mission, so in a sense "killing" them but ya that's the situation.

Well, I guess that's all there is for this week. It has been pretty crazy but I'm going back to Yokohama, I guess that's where I'm meant to be cause that's where I've spent most of my mission lol. Way excited and I'll talk to you all next. Love you!!

Elder Molen
The gospel is the best

It's Way Warm Today So I'm Happy!

Week 70 - January 29, 2017

Ya, it's like 19 degrees (celcius) so that's awesome.

This week we have been decently busy.

Splits with the assistants: it went really well. We talked to some people in weird places -- one guy on the train platform, another lady at the convenient store. We told them who we were and invited them to stuff. I hope one guy comes 'cause he said he would, but yeah the AP's are awesome. They are super great missionaries and help a lot with teaching us how to effectively proselyte. We took a picture with an inspiration message for this cancer foundation thing (shoutout to you Rilee) and it was fun to talk with the 2 guys doing it. In the evening we had stake priesthood meeting so we went to that and it went really well. The stake presidency is honestly so nice and cool. 

Thursday:  There was a broadcast for missionaries in the entire world. They helped us learn about our purpose more and made changes to the missionary schedule rules. We can now choose when we study and other stuff. Also, they gave us more time on p-day to get our big list of stuff done. So it was pretty awesome and it was good to hear the apostles speak. We had weekly planning and a dinner appointment with a member that day as well. All the members in Japan are amazing at making food!

Saturday:  We had a soccer activity in the morning. It was sooo much fun! I love playing sports. The ward members and friends are pretty good at soccer. We also had the Chinese New Year activity on that day as well. I got to see Elder Harrison and Elder Smith so that was way good. I also saw Motoki and a lot of other elders I hadn't seen in a while. We had a good time.  There was a big dragon that they bought for the event and it was pretty cool. There was so much Chinese being spoken and I realized that I should learn Chinese as well, but Japanese is still hard enough for now. 

Sunday:  It was a wonderful great service as usual. After church though, we went with our investigator Kamiya to Kichijoji to watch a baptismal service. He wants to be baptized but has tons of questions and doesn't really listen when you give him the answer. He wants to have the conviction that it's true but says he's not there yet, when in reality he could be there but he's not praying, reading the scriptures or coming to church on his own. He will pray and read with us but unless he does it for himself he will never know if it's true or not so that's what we are working on.

Today is wonderful, beautiful weather and a member made my favorite Japanese food for lunch for us. It's sukiyaki and I like it a lot. It's the one where you boil a bunch of stuff in sauce and broth and then dip it in egg and eat it. Needless to say it was delicious. Today is great, being a missionary is great, you are all great. Well that's really all until next week! Love you all!

Elder Molen

The gospel is the best. 

Japan, Tokyo South Mission, Tokorozawa

Week 69 - January 23, 2017

This week's honestly was fun and good but not much changed really.

Splits:  We had splits with the Tokorozawa Elders last week and it went really well! We were able to talk to a ton of people and it was a great time. We also taught a lesson to K----a but it didn't go very far because he has a lot of questions and it would have been very helpful to have a member there. We would have a lesson with him tomorrow but we have splits with the AP's so the other Elders are gonna take it for us. Anyway, that's off topic but, ya, it was great.

We didn't get to meet with A--i this week 'cause his health declined a little and he went to the doctor so we will check up on him again this week. We had a lot of planning to do this week. We had to teach a lesson for church on Sunday and Elder Hawkins gave a talk. Also, we are giving the lesson for FHE at the mission home tonight so that should be a lot of fun. Hope it goes well. We have been working hard and pushing forward as always.

Sorry not much to put in his email but not much time either, just know that I love you all. If we stay close to the Lord in our own heart we don't have to worry about drifting away regardless of what happens in our lives. We can pray with sincerity wherever we are and at any time. That's all for this week!
Man,  there are no pictures this week either sorry.  We didn't take any! But I still love you all
Elder Molen

The gospel is the best!

Week 68 - January 15, 2017

This transfer is going way quickly. Here's some of the updates.

K----a:  He has a ton of questions still which is good but I think he is focusing more on intellectual than spiritual understanding; but he is also really desiring to learn and is super great so that's awesome. When he prayed at the end of our lesson he said his heart was rejoicing so that was awesome.

A--i:  He is so good! We were teaching about the restoration and he called his wife in the main part of the house (cause we were in his workshop) and asked for some tea. She brought it over and he said please go ahead and drink it. And we said that we don't drink tea. He said "oh really??" And we shared about how it's a rule and it's for our health. He then pushed his cup aside and said "I will not drink this from now on." It was so awesome! We challenged him to live the Word of Wisdom, and he said, "yes," so that's great.

Aside from lessons, this week we found a guy who had met other missionaries before. He invited us in and gave us a bunch of snacks. He said that he's not too interested but likes talking and we shared 2 Nephi:31 with him and told him if he wants to know, then he can. It was kinda surprising but way fun.

We did a lot of weird stuff this week and I'm not actually sure what it was but needless to say it has been a fun and effective week, today is zone p-day and we are redoing a game called Crystal Maze which apparently was an old TV show in England. It's a lot of fun to get to do stuff with tons of missionaries instead of just your district.  This has been a wonderful time and we are way excited to keep working hard 

Love you all and remember to comfort those in need and help others. Here's the pics from the caroling that I didn't get for a while.

The gospel is the best!

Japan Tokyo South Mission, Mochitsuki

Week 67 - January 9, 2017

So basically I don't have any time to write. Ya, "ate??" the situation
This week we were able to set a baptismal date with A--- for the 11th of February. We are way excited and expect good things from here. We had an event called a Mochitsuki where you smack rice with a big hammer and it turns into mochi. So we did that and it was a lot of fun! We also had MLC this week which was really good. Sadly, I had to translate for it. Japanese to English isn't too bad at all, but English to Japanese is way hard, but ya it was really good. We learned about setting goals and planning a lot which was needed a lot I think. But, ya, that's all for this week.
The gospel is the best.