Tacos Party

So we had a way dope tacos party at the church on Saturday and we tried to gear it towards the young people and YSA in the branch. Well it turns out that not many of them could actually come for whatever reason and it turned into a branch activity and we had about thirty people come and we made tons of homemade tortillas (you can't really buy them here) and made some pretty bomb soft tacos and stuff. We had a total of like 6 investigators come too between all the missionaries and it was way successful. But the best part of the taco party didn't happen to me, but our young investigator Akira said to elder Reed "I can't come to church tomorrow, but if I come two more times I can be baptized right?" So he's thinking about getting baptized pretty seriously! He really wants it. We had a lesson on Tuesday with him and we asked why he wants to be baptized and he said "because I want to go to heaven." Man. He's so great. Also the other elders had a baptism this week with Fukumori san and he's way solid and I've been able to help teach him a few times and he just amazes me. He has a way strong testimony of the gospel and wants to share it with his family. He has
changed so much and he knows he has too.

Besides that the week has been alright. Nothing too spectacular happened. I met a polite white dude that gave us his number from Florida. That was a first. Also met a Peruvian dude that's lived in Japan for 16 years. He was an investigator in Peru who knows when I think. Or his brother was. I don't remember. My comp is kind of trunky (wants to go home). I guess that's what happens when you don't really like Japan at all and have a girlfriend. He's still a hard worker but this week was a harder one. He has a few transfers left and is kind of
just hanging on. I'm so glad I got dumped before my mission because it really is so much easier to work. But we get along great and don't have any relationship problems.

So I've been thinking about what it takes to continue strong in the gospel for the rest of your life and stuff. I was reading some of Brigham Young's teachings and he said something like "I hate when people say they will never go less active because they usually do. I will never say that I will never go less active. Why? Because saying that means you are relying on yourself and not God. Therefore you will leave. I really on God everyday and if I don't then I don't know what will happen to me." But he said it a lot better. Pretty much continued activity is a choice. Do you love God more than yourself or not? That's all it comes down to. That's all it takes. And if you love God, you will do what he says. Read scriptures. Participate in church. Help others. If you do so everyday, you will be on track with the spirit in your life. Anyone can go less active. I've known quite a few members here in Japan that used to be really strong leaders and they stopped because they got tired. They couldn't finish. They still can, but honestly the odds are that they're not going to. It's so sad, and all it comes down to is the little things that are so easy to forget, and one simple question. Do you love God more than yourself?

I also finished the Book of Mormon again this week. It's true. I invite you all to read it. No matter how many times you've read it, read it again.

Love you all!

Elder Tschirki
君を愛してるよ

 Taco party minus a few. Our young investigator Akira is next to elder
Reed behind the kid in the blue shirt.

A cool park. There was also a white lesbian couple a couple benches away from us. Not sure I've seen that in Japan.

 

A statue and river in Kagoshima. This place is pretty big and those buildings aren't that big. 

Sakurajima from up the hill to the church

 Me and elder Miyagi at tomato ramen