Flight Plans

As y'all can probably tell, we got our flight plans this week! We leave at 3:30 AM on Monday the 21, and leave SLC at 9:00 AM and go to San Fran to Tokyo to Fukuoka. It's like 20 hours total of flying time, which for my first time flying that I can remember is so so so long but I'm so so so ワクワク(excited). I'll be in Japan in four days! Anyways, this week we had an interesting experience. Sister Rosemary Wixom, the General Primary President (and more now if you've been keeping up with Church news, it was a HUGE thing to have her come) came and spoke on Tuesday and she starts out her talk by saying, "I know you all are a little disappointed because you wanted a General Authority or Quorum of the Twelve to come and speak to you and you got the Primary President instead but I hope I can teach through the Spirit tonight" and I felt like that was directly addressed to ME because when I found it it was her I was kind of just like "UGH. If it's like conference she'll say something about her granddaughters and flowers and cookies and divine worth like they always talk about in conference and we're 70% men and we want to hear about cool things and get chastised at by Elder Bednar (if you're going on a mission, watch Character of Christ when you get to the MTC and you'll know)." BUT, it was my favourite devotional I've ever been a part of and I can't tell you how many Elders and Sisters I saw crying at the end of it because it was SO POWERFUL and I'm teary a little bit just thinking about it because the Spirit is so strong even right now. The best part was since I always sit on the second row and 'camp out' for good seats, I got to shake her hand afterwards and say thank you and she was just radiating spirituality and the love of Christ and just by talking to her makes you want to be a better person; a more Christlike person and it leaves you with no doubt in your mind that this Church is true. It leaves you with no doubt that Christ's church is built on love of everybody and mankind. It's built on compassion, caring, and service, and she is the definition of that. SO, I challenge you all to serve somebody completely selflessly everyday and help and love everybody. That means everybody. Christ has said multiple times that we must forgive 70x7 and forgive everybody and not hold grudges, for if we don't forgive others, that is the greater sin and we will be judged accordingly. So love everybody! Care for everybody! This is going to sound SO stereotypical Christian, but in everything you do just ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?" and you'll never have to think about your conviction to the Lord. You'll never not know what to do. You'll never not receive guidance and help if you just remember that simple question. "Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect." Or as He says when He came to the Americas after His resurrection, "Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in Heaven, or as I am perfect." 

I'm just so pumped to be a missionary and represent the Lord in everything that I do. I know that this is only two years worth and I've already learned so much and I want and need to learn more. It's kind of a sad experience that this is my last few days in America for the next couple of years (that was sarcastic, it's not sad at all) and I know that through me, the Lord will bless so many people's lives and that I'll make the best friends I've ever had on my mission and help bring people closer to Christ, to His one church, His one faith, His one doctrine. 

Everybody, please read the Book of Mormon everyday. Write down feelings and impressions you get. Everything good comes from God. You will, I promise you that you will, receive so much guidance and love and know that the Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book and that it's Christ's pure doctrine and humbly shows people the way to return to God. Just reading it regularly and humbly will make you feel it's power and truth. There's no other way of describing. I know if you study it, you will know for yourself. If you don't read it, which I can't force you to but oh do I wish I could, you won't know for yourself that this is Christ's church. That's about as simple as it gets. It's either one way or it's not. After studying from the book and praying about it, you'll know what I'm talking about. I know you will. 

Everybody, I love you all so much and you've all impacted me in ways that I wish I could describe but I would need 900 P-Days to do that! Do P-Day email hours rollover? ;) Keep on keeping on! And what my Branch Presidency always says (I'm not a fan haha but it's okay) is "Give 'Em Heaven!" 

愛しています！

シャーキー長老

Pics

Me doing service with Jess' sick glasses. She's one of the custodial employees in 18M where we always have service and she's so cool.

Me, Chadwick, Olsen, and Sherman Chourou outside when it was pouring rain and hailing. It was like we had jumped into a pool, no lie. I look fat in this picture.

 Post rain. Just to prove that I'm not fat...

 The Elders in my zone all making faces that Budge Kyoudai makes aka his anime faces.