5th week in Japan
9/14/2015

Dear Family and Friends,

It is so good to be able to write you on this Monday afternoon. I love that I am given the opportunity to tell you all about what is going on in my mission. I truly cannot explain how much I appreciate all of your letters, emails, and prayers of support and what they mean to me. It is so great to hear from all of you. I love being able to read about what is going back at home and how everyone is doing. I hope that you are all doing great back at home. I have had another great week here in Japan. I cannot believe how much I continue to learn. My companion and I have talked so much about how amazing this gospel is. I have learned more in the past 2-3 months than I ever have before about this gospel. I know without a doubt that this gospel is true.

My companion and I are continuing to teach a lot of people about the gospel. We have set a goal to get a baptism before the end of this transfer, and with faith I know that we can do it. We are going to work hard this week to teach as many people as we can. I truly do love the people here in Japan. The members continue to amaze me with how strong their faith is. We got a new Elders quorum president. He is such a cool guy. He served a mission in Japan and taught at the MTC. He lived in America for almost 10 years also. On Saturday we found out that our ward is only doing 5 percent of their home teaching during our Priesthood Executive Meeting. Brother Baba (the new Elders quorum president), turned to us in the meeting, and said (in English) "That is pathetic." The next day during Priesthood meeting he walked up to the stand (all happily), and he stood at the pulpit. He looked out at everyone and said "So I had an interesting experience yesterday. I was in this meeting and I found out that our home teaching is at 5 percent... paused for a second and then said isn't that terrible! It was silent for a second and then he said I invite all of you to work on your home teaching and repent." Then he walked off the stand happily. I am so glad he is our new Elders quorum president because he is awesome!

This week I got an email from mom and a postcard from Kelly about Romans chapter 8. I have never read that chapter from the bible before, but I really recommend reading it. I felt the spirit so strong testifying to me that we are all Gods children while reading it. I would challenge you to read Romans 8:16-18 and pray about it. Also when I got to the mission we were asked to do the Doctrine of Christ challenge. Our purpose as missionaries is to: "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." In the challenge we were asked to look for these things while we read and highlight them. I am going to be doing this challenge and highlighting anything that pertains to the doctrine of Christ. (Faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end). I would encourage all of you that would like to join me on this challenge to do it. It is amazing the difference I notice while reading the Book of Mormon. I have learned so much about these things, and I recognize how they are found everywhere throughout the Book of Mormon. Also if anyone would like to know I am currently reading in 3 Nephi 16.

This week I had the greatest companionship exchange ever! Elder Boettcher from Tsuyama came over to Okayama for a day. He is the coolest missionary I have ever met. We talked so much about basketball, and I felt like I could tell him anything. We had so much in common. The day of our exchange we went out streeting all day. I had a fear of streeting to people because I thought I would have no idea what to say or how to say anything of that matter. He showed me that you cannot have fear. He showed me how to talk to people and he is so personable. We talked to so many different people about the gospel. We were even able to find 3 new potential investigators. I also thought that I wouldn't be able to play hardly any basketball on my mission. We went to the park that day, and we saw some high school kids playing basketball. Elder Boettcher immediately turned to me and said lets go play some B ball! We walked over to court and asked if we could play. They let us join and we had soooooo much fun! I am so happy that I got the chance to play some basketball, especially with someone who is really good at it. We got pretty competitive, but it was so much fun. I will never forget the exchange I had with Elder Boettcher that day.

Before my mission the thing that I thought would be the hardest for me was talking to people. I am terrible at talking in front of people and especially talking in Japanese. I have been struggling with that a lot lately, but yesterday my companion told me something that will forever change me. First he asked me, "Do you believe that we are all sons and daughters of Heavenly Father," to which I replied yes. He then said, "Do you love these people as your brothers and sisters." I said yes I do. Then he referred me to Moroni 8:16 and said, "you have to love the people more than you fear them." I realized that, yeah Japanese is pretty tough. I may not be good at talking to people. I may fear that I will sound really dumb when I am talking to all these different people in a language that I hardly know; however, these people that I am talking to are my brothers and sisters. I know that we were all together with our Heavenly Father before this life, and that Heavenly Father wants all his children to return to him in Heaven. I have to love them, that I have no fear to say anything. This week I am going to strive my best to talk to everyone even if what I am saying makes no sense at all to them, I will do my best.

Sorry I may not be able to email some personal letters that I thought I would today. I will try my best to get them out next week. Thank you for the postcards and all the emails. I also got my keyboard this week. Thanks for letting me get one because it will help me email a bunch.

1. The members hardly ever feed us, but they buy us rice whenever we run out. They also give us other food, and sometimes they will make food for us.
2.They give us plenty of money to cover all of our mission costs, except for what I buy personally.
3. We teach English class every Wednesday. It is so much fun to get to know the people and help them learn English. I like being able to teach them and they help me with my Japanese sometimes.
4. The weather has been great recently! It has rained a few times, but other than that it has been nice and cool with no rain. Sometimes it gets a little hot but not to bad at all.
5. I think I am good. Just hearing from everyone in emails is my favorite thing.
6. We have not seen the castle yet, but next week is the end of our first transfer, so we will go for sure.
7. I love to eat at Indonesian curry restaurants. The curry here in Japan is soooo good.
8. I actually ate at McDonalds for my first time today. It is a lot better here in Japan haha. It is also considered a high up job if you work at McDonalds.
9. I have learned a little shuwa, but not much.
10. Sundays are so much fun. I love getting to know all the members more, and we help teach less actives/investigators.

I love you all so much. I hope I can send a few personal emails next week. I pray for you always.

Hirschi  長老

Picture with Elder Racker

Picture with Elder Boettcher on exchange and pictures of Kurashiki and a Korean BBQ