96th week in Japan
6/12/2017
It has come to an end...

Dear Family and Friends,

I wish I knew what to say in this final email, but in all honesty I
don't have any idea. It has been an amazing two years full of great
change and greater understanding of the truthfulness of the gospel. It
has been an absolute blast and I wouldn't trade it for anything else.
I have loved the mission and I have grown a great love for my Father
in Heaven. If I had to say the biggest thing that I have learned on my
mission it would be the principle of putting Heavenly Father first. Obedience to his will brings blessings. I love being a missionary. The gospel is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Questions:

Do you know if Elder Busby will be staying in Nara?

1. I believe that he will be, but I am not certain.

Has it hit the rainy season there in Japan yet?

2. Yes, but lately the weather has been great!

What kinds of cars have you seen there most? Trucks, SUVs, cars?

3. Cars, but a lot of them are oddly shaped in Japan.

When you go back to visit Japan sometime where would you want to visit most?

4. Kyoto is great. Nara is also a very touristy area.

We just took a trip to Salt Lake and saw several huge flags flying by the freeway.  Do they fly the Japanese flag there much? 

5. I see it sometimes, but not that much.

What is the worst health problem you have had to deal with there in Japan?

6. I have been blessed with great health. I got sick once with my
first trainer and that's about it.

Besides seeing everyone what are you looking forward to most when you get home?

7. Changing my life, living an active lifestyle, learning, studying,
going to church.

I love you all.

Elder Hirschi

 

95th week in Japan
6/4/2017
Life is good!

Dear Family and Friends,

I don't have too much time to write to you this week. Elder Busby and
I are doing well. We are working hard to help Simon and Brother
Yoshiyama to be baptized on their scheduled dates. I hope all is well
at home.

Questions:

Did you have zone conference with President Welch recently?

1. Yes. We had it last Thursday.

Have they sent you your flight itinerary yet?

2. Nope, not yet.

Did you decide what you want to do with your bike?

3. I am still not quite sure. There is a way I can send it for pretty cheap by
ship from Japan, but it might be too big to send. I will get it
figured out today.

What are the yards like there in Japan?  Do most people have lawns that they mow?

4. Nope. Hardly anyone has grass at all. Those that do have grass
don't really take care of it.

Did they say if you have to give back your ipad or can you pay for it and keep it?

5. I have to give it back. I can put all of the information onto my
hard drive though and just take that back with me.

What is something you have learned to do on your mission that you didn’t do before and you are glad you learned?

6. I am glad that I learned how to wash dishes. ;)

Elder Justice Hirschi

94th week in Japan
5/29/2017
特別な日

Dear Family and Friends,

I don't think that I ever realized exactly how fast the time was going
until I hit this last transfer, but there is still time, and Elder
Busby and I are going to work hard until the very end. I am grateful
for my companion and his commitment to serve the Lord. I have learned
many things from him in our couple of transfers together.

Just 2 days ago we met with our investigator Simon Robertson again.
He hasn't been able to meet with us for a while due to his family
being busy. His wife is up in Tokyo for a few weeks and we met to do
another lesson with him. Simon expressed his feelings towards some of
the beliefs in the church and he has a desire to come unto Christ and
be baptized. As we taught Simon that day, and as we prayed about when
he could be baptized many days previous, we decided that he could be
prepared for baptism by the 11th of June. We felt that God had set
this date for him to be baptized.

When we extended the invitation for him to be baptized on the 11th of
June, he paused for a moment. He looked at us both and said that June
11th was his birthday. A month or so ago when we first met Simon he
told us that he wanted his baptism to be special. I truly believe that
God had answered our prayers to know that June 11th was that special
day that he was looking for. Simon proceeded to tell us that he could
not be baptized on the 11th because he already had plans with his
family on that day... It was sad to hear that he wanted to postpone
the date on such a special day, but he told us that he would be
willing to set a date for the 18th.

We are going to do all that we can to help Simon to be baptized by
this day. Please pray for him and his family. I know that the worth of
every single soul is great in the sight of God. I am grateful to be a
part of helping others come unto Christ and change through him. The
gospel truly does bring joy. In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Questions:

Do many of the members there do family history work?  Have many of the members been to the temple?

1. A lot of them do. Most of the members take trips together to the
temple on buses.

When is graduation from school for the Japanese seniors there?

2. I am not exactly sure. Around the end of May I think.

What has been one of the neatest places you have visited in Japan?

3. I liked Amanohashidate a lot

It is Memorial weekend here.  Do they have a Memorial day there?

4. Not sure.

Is Sunday still your favorite day of the week on your mission? 

5. Yes. I love meeting with the members.

What are the youth like in your ward there?  When do they get out of school for the summer?

6. They are fun to be around. They get out around June for a month and a half.

How are the investigators in Nara doing?

7. They are doing well. We currently have 2 people with baptismal dates.

Elder Hirsch

93rd week in Japan
5/21/2017
喜び (Joy)

 

Dear Family and Friends,

Last week on Saturday the missionaries of the Japan Kobe mission were
recently given the opportunity to meet together at Ibaraki in Osaka
and hear from an apostle of the Lord. Elder Oaks from the quorum of
the 12 apostles came to our mission to speak to us. One of the things
that we were challenged to do is to write about what gives us joy in
our journals at night.

Since Elder Oaks addressed us I have been thinking a lot about joy and
exactly what does bring me joy. As I have been reading the Book of
Mormon challenge that we received from President Welch I have been
focusing on what things bring us joy. Today we are reading Alma 26-30.
These chapters are full of joy.

Before these chapters Ammon and the other sons of Mosiah had a desire
to go up to the land of Nephi and declare repentance to their Lamanite
brothers and sisters that they may be saved. They were laughed at by
the people. "Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said unto our
brethren in the land of Zarahemla, we go up to the land of Nephi, to
preach unto our brethren, the Lamanites, and they laughed us to
scorn?" (Alma 26:23) Despite what their Nephite brethren thought they
made their journey to the Land of Nephi to preach the gospel.

Ammon had great success through his labors. His brothers, on the other
hand, had suffered much and were cast into prison. "And when Ammon did
meet them he was exceedingly sorrowful, for behold they were naked,
and their skins were worn exceedingly because of being bound with
strong cords. And they also had suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds
of afflictions; nevertheless they were patient in all their
sufferings." (Alma 20:29) However; they were patient. After enduring
through trials they all saw thousands of the Lamanites become
converted to the gospel.

I imagine there were many more trials that they suffered than just
those that are written in the Book of Mormon. After all, they went to
teach the gospel for 14 years. "And they had been teaching the word of
God for the space of fourteen years among the Lamanites." (Alma 17:4)
After 14 years of trials and seeing miracles through the power of God
they returned home to the land of Zarahemla with their converted
Lamanite brethren. On the way back to Zarahemla, Ammon and the sons of
Mosiah ran into a good friend of theirs named Alma. They had been
separated for 14 years and finally reunited. Alma says, "this was a
joyful meeting." (Alma 27:16) In fact it was so joyful that Ammon due
to being swallowed up with joy was "exhasut[ed] of his strength; and
he fell again to the earth." (Alma 27:17)

Many things can bring us joy and I have come to realize that one thing
that brings me joy is the people around me. We are all sons and
daughters of a Father in Heaven who loves us. We all are in this trial
of life together. It brings me great joy to know that we are not
alone. In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Questions:

 Is it the rainy season there right now?  How is the weather?

1. The weather has been great lately. Rainy season hasn't quite started yet.

Have you seen any missionaries lately you haven’t seen for a while?

2. I have. On Saturday we had a meeting with all of the missionaries
in the mission.

What has been some of your favorite service projects you have done there?

3. I enjoyed helping the Nishidate family out with their field. I like
working in fields a lot more now.

What kinds of pets do you see more there?  Cats? Dogs? Have any does chased you on your bikes?

4. No dogs have chased me. The most common pet is probably cats.

 Have you given any blessings recently?  Have you been on any exchanges recently?

5. No blessings recently. I gave one in my last area. We went on an
exchange with the zone leaders a couple of weeks ago.

What are some things you have learned to cook there in Japan that you like?

6. I like cooking curry. It is really good. I also have really come to
like nato. I hope that we can find some in America so that you can try
it.

I love you all. I challenge you all to look for the joy in your lives
this week and write what brings you joy down in your journals.

Elder Hirschi

92nd week in Japan
5/15/2017
Skype!

Dear Family and Friends,

It was great to skype with you today. Thank you so much for letting me
share my experiences and encouraging me to keep going to the end. I
love being a missionary so much. It will be hard to go, but I will
work hard to the end.

We have recently been reading in Mosiah and I have realized how
powerful King Benjamin's sermon is. I recommend reading Mosiah 3 and
4. They are all about the power of the atonement. I hope that everyone
is doing well. I love you all. Have a great week!

Questions:

What are the youth like in Nara and your ward?  Are there very many

1. They are great. They have great faith to come to church without
that many friends here. There are about 4-5 youth.

How have your zone conferences been in Nara? 

2. They have been very spiritually uplifting. Something about
President Welch just helps me to feel and learn through the spirit.

Do you want to buy anything else while you are there to bring home?

3. I think I would like to send my bike if that is alright. I might
send a box with some heavier stuff because I think it would cost more
if it is overweight in my luggage. I also might pick up something for
whoever wants some Japanese stuff before I go. If anyone wants
something and you don't mind me buying it let me know.

Who are some of the members that like to feed you there?

4. The Ooshima couple, the Numata couple, the relief society, Nagura
kyoudai, the Ono couple, and other members have fed us. I love the
members here.

Have you had any more game nights lately? Ping pong, bowling?

5. We haven't done ping pong in a long time. We went bowling on a P day though.

Did you find out if you can send your bike home somehow?

6. I haven't found out how yet, but I will before I go.

What  is one of your favorite places to eat in Nara or Japan in general?

7. I like to eat at Yakiniku restaurants, which is all you can eat meat

91st week in Japan
5/8/2017
Let the work continue!

Dear Family and Friends,

Sorry I don't have too much time to write this week. My companion and
I both stayed for transfers. I am so grateful to be working with Elder
Busby this transfer again. He is a fantastic missionary and a very
quick learner. We are working hard to help others come unto Christ.

Right now we are focusing on helping Simon and his family come to
church so that they can enter the waters of baptism. I love being a
missionary. I still have plenty of time to work on my mission. We are
going to work hard and have another good transfer! Have a great week
everyone!

Ponderizing scripture: D and C 18:15

Questions:

 How did transfers go? 

1. We both stayed! Our district changed up a bit though, which was a
bit of a surprise.

Did you decide on a time for skyping for Mother’s day?  

2. Yep.

How are your English classes going?  Have you met some new people lately?

3. They are going well. We have met quite a few new people. We have
got some new students coming to our English class.

Do many of the members feed you guys there in Nara?

4. Actually yes. We get fed a lot. This is probably the area where I
have been fed the most my whole mission.

Do you still write in your journal every day?

5. Of course :)

How is the Doctrine of Christ challenge going? 

6. It is indescribable. I love the challenges that we receive from
President Welch. It is cool because I started with this challenge and
now I am ending with it.

 What is something the Japanese culture has taught you that you will always remember?

7. I will always remember to thank people for meals.

Elder Hirschi