73rd week in Japan
1/2/2017
"Through goals our hopes are transformed into action" -PMG

愛する家族友達の皆さん、明けましておめでとうございます！
Dear Family and Friends, Happy New Year!

The year of 2016 flew by. It is good to be able to start a new year
though because now we can look back, reflect on the things that we
learned, and set new goals to improve ourselves. One goal that I have
set for myself is to read a chapter of the Book of Mormon every day.
Of course we are reading the scriptures all of the time especially as
missionaries, but I want to make sure that I am able to read at least
one full chapter a day.

The Book of Mormon is unique from any other book in the world. It is
also "the most correct of any book on earth," (Introduction of the
Book of Mormon). We can learn so much from the Book of Mormon no
matter how many times we read it. The more we read, the deeper our
understanding becomes.

I hope that each of you are able to make some goals for the upcoming
year. In Preach My Gospel we learn that through making goals our hopes
are transformed into action. We have something that we desire, so we
set a goal for it. That goal pushes us to act in order to obtain what
we desire. In the scriptures we learn that God grants us our desires,
if they be righteous. "And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my
name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall
be given unto you." (3 Nephi 18:20).

God is here to help us. I know that as we strive to do his will, we
will be able to achieve our goals. I know that God loves us. I know
that we are children of God and he wants what is best for us. I
challenge each one of you, as you are setting your goals for this
year, to ask God what he wants you to do this year. I know that, if
asked with sincerity of heart, your prayers will be answered.

Ponderizing scriptures: (I forgot last week, D and C 25:10). This
week, 3 Nephi 11:11

Questions:

Do you have any plans for New Years?  Will you be making Mochi?

1. We didn't have much planned. We went and did missionary work with
some members. The branch president invited us over for lunch today
though. We probably won't be making mochi; however, last week one of
the members came in while we were at the church looking up addresses
and he gave us some mochi that he made. It was very delicious.

How did transfers go?  Any new changes?

2. Transfers went well. Everyone made it to their areas safely. We have
someone who is training and we got 2 new Elders who replaced some of
the younger Elders in the zone.

 Did you get a small package with a gift from Grandma and Grandpa in it yet?

3. I did get a small package! Did it have a tie in it? Thanks tons!
Let them know I said thank you please. It was great to see them over
skype as well :)

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

4. I saw Smith choro at the Christmas conference! It was so great to
see him there. I also got to see Elder McArthur! It felt like we were
back at the MTC. I miss those days...

Did you cook up some Alfredo yet?  What is your favorite thing you got for Christmas?

5. Yes. It is delicious. Thanks so much. My favorite thing I got for
Christmas... The family tie is pretty awesome. I also think the shirt
that Talia made was pretty cool!

How are your investigators doing?

6. They are doing well. We have quite a few, but a lot of them aren't
progressing, so we are searching for those who are ready to receive
us.

 Are you still writing in your journal?   Are your shoes still holding up okay?

7. Yes I am. Every day. Some days I get behind, but one of my New
Years Resolutions is to write in it every day. My shoes are holding up
well. One pair got ruined, but I used it on rainy days. The other pair
is actually really good.

Well everyone I hope that we can all set some great goals for 2017!
頑張ろう！Love you!

Elder Hirschi

72nd week in Japan
12/25/2016
メリークリスマス! (Merry Christmas!)

Dear Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas! I hope that everyone had an awesome Christmas. I also
hope that everyone was able to remember why we celebrate Christmas. It
is such a special privilege to share with the people here in Japan
about their Savior Jesus Christ. In Japan not many people know about
Jesus Christ, other than his name. Declaring to others that they have
a Savior who they can lean on for help gives so much joy.

On Christmas my companion and I had the opportunity to ride around to
others houses and sing them Christmas carols. Many people were
extremely surprised, but you could tell it helped them to feel the joy
of the gospel. We, ourselves, truly felt the joy by focusing on others
during Christmas day. It was definitely a Christmas to remember.

I testify that Jesus Christ lives. He is our Savior. He loves us. In
the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Questions:

How did your Christmas go?  Did you listen to any Christmas music?

1. It was awesome! It was great to skype with you. Thanks for all of
the packages too! We did listen to some Christmas music.

How is your new companion?  What does he like to do?  Where is he from?  What is his first name?

2. He is amazing! He used to do parkour before his mission. He is from
Draper. His first name is Evan.

Does your ward have a Christmas program on Sunday?

3. The relief society sang a hymn that was good, but other than that
it wasn't too different. A few of our investigators showed up though
which was great.

 What has been your favorite thing about the holidays there in Japan?

4. I would say being able to share about Jesus Christ and why he is so
important.

Have you been to eat at any members houses lately or on splits with them?

5. Yamauchi shimai invited us over to eat once and sometimes some of
the other members do as well. We didn't go on splits yesterday, but we
did go caroling with some members.

Is your new companion a zone leader too?  How does he like it there?

6. He is. He loves it here!

Do people go caroling there?  Is there a rest home in your area?

7. Other than the members/missionaries, no. There is a few I think.
The number of old people in Japan is way high, so they have a lot of
rest homes.

Thanks so much for all that you do! Hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

Elder Hirschi

71st week in Japan
12/19/2016
信仰によって奇跡がもたらす (Miracles are brought by Faith)

Dear Family and Friends,

Sometimes crazy things happen on a mission, like when you get a call 2
weeks before transfers saying that your companion is headed to a new
area in 2 days. We had some emergency transfers due to the
missionaries going home early for Christmas. Elder Johnson was
transferred to a new area called Wakayama. My new companion Elder
Zollinger came to Fukuchiyama last Thursday. He is awesome! It feels
like forever since I have seen him. We were in the same zone at the
MTC and he is one transfer behind me.

Even though it has only been a few days since Elder Zollinger got
here, we have already seen some miracles happen. One of the things
that I am sure we have  all read about often in the scriptures is how
faith brings miracles. This last week Elder Zollinger and I really had
the opportunity to experience this while we were out serving.

On Saturday we had a pretty well planned day and confirmed with
Heavenly Father for whether or not it would be effective. We were
excited to get out and work. We got to meet with the branch President
and talk about the work in the area and how we could help him achieve
the goals for next year. So we started off the day with some success.
Afterwards we decided to go visit some potential investigators and
less actives. Nobody ended up being home. Even though earlier that day
we felt like God wanted us to go visit these people, we could not
understand why nobody was home.

So we decided that we should find in the area next to one of our less
actives. We started out with a sincere prayer asking Heavenly Father
to tell us where we should go and to bless us to be able to find those
who are ready to hear the gospel according to our faith. We started
off getting rejected after the first 2 or 3 doors. Then by the next
door we met an old lady named Nakamura san. We talked about how we are
missionaries for a nearby church and she told us that she hadn't been
to church for over 60 years. So we asked her if she would like to come
again to remember what church was like. She gladly accepted to come to
church. Now to some of you this may not seem like the biggest miracle
in the world, but it is very rare that people in Japan are willing to
come to church, especially due to how busy they are. We gave thanks to
God for the miracle that he blessed us with.

Later that night, on our way home, we met a kid named Yuto in front of
the church who told us he had and his parents had interest in learning
about Christ. He had a little time to talk, so we took him into the
church, and we taught him the message of the restoration. He committed
to reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know the truth. God truly
blessed us for having faith while we served that day. I know that
Moroni was right when he said, "And now, I, Moroni, would speak
somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that
faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute
not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the
trial of your faith." I testify of this truth. I testify that it still
happens in the world we live in today. Miracles will not cease, as
long as we remain faithful. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Ponderizing Scripture: 1 Nephi 4:6

Questions:

 Did you have a ward Christmas party? 

1. We will have our ward Christmas party on the 24th.

Did you get your other Christmas package yet?

2. Yes, I did! You didn't have to send 2. Thanks so much!

When are your next transfers?

3. Well they are actually supposed to be on the 26th, which we still
will have them on that day, but we also had transfers last Thursday as
well.

 Do you know if anyone in your ward plays a musical instrument besides the piano?

4. Our Ward Mission Leader, Yokoyama kyoudai, plays the guitar.

Do you guys have any plans for Christmas besides church?  Do you think you will go caroling in your santa hats?

5. We might do some caroling I am not sure. We have a Christmas
conference on the 22nd that 1/3 of the mission will be going to. There
are 3 of them.

Will you be skyping at the church and what time?  Do you get 40 minutes again?

6. Yes, we only get 40 minutes... We will be skyping at the church. I
think that 9:00 a.m. Here and 5:00 p.m. There would work great. Is
that okay?

Happy Holidays!

Elder Hirschi

70th week in Japan
12/12/2016
信仰と悔い改め (Faith and Repentance)

家族、友達の皆さんこんにちは！(Hello family and friends!)
最近すごく楽しく伝道していて恵まれています！(Lately we have been having a lot of fun and we
have been blessed!)

I hope that everyone is having a great Christmas season so far. I also
pray that we have all been able to find some good service
opportunities lately. Sometimes it is difficult to do service for
people in Japan because they don't accept help very often, but the
times that you are able to serve are very rewarding.

Last week on Tuesday we had the opportunity to go to the mission home
in Kobe for Mission Leadership Conference. I don't know how else to
describe that meeting other than full of the spirit and revelation. It
is a great opportunity to be able to hear from President and Sister
Welch. One of the coolest things that I have learned about President
Welch on my mission is that no matter what questions I may have before
a meeting or interview with him, he is able to answer them all,
regardless of if I ask him or not. It is an absolute testimony builder
for me that he has been called of God to direct us in this part of the
Lord's vineyard.

The Friday before that President Welch gave us a new Book of Mormon
challenge. He asked us to take a new Book of Mormon and look for
examples of faith and repentance, and he asked us to study the meaning
of both faith and repentance. At MLC I learned more of what it means
to repent and how to do so. I learned the importance of changing and
elevating my thoughts. Keeping my thoughts and actions in line with
God's will. I have been thinking a lot about Faith and Repentance
since I began this new challenge and it reminded me a lot of Elder
Renlund's talk in this past general conference. His talk is called
"Repentance: A Joyful Choice." From his talk we learn that changing
our attitude and behavior is only a part of repentance. However, if we
try to move on to repentance without first having faith, it will only
be miserable behavior modification.

So what does it take to find the joy through repentance that Elder
Renlund speaks of? It first starts with our faith. As Preach My Gospel
states, we gain our faith by "diligent study, prayer, dedicated
service, and obedience to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and the
commandments. Your faith in Jesus Christ grows as you become better
acquainted with Him and His teachings. As you explore the scriptures
and search them, you learn of His ways, His love for all people, and
His commandments." After we have gained this faith in Christ then we
are able to move on to the process of repentance.

I find great joy every day here in the service of the Lord. I know
that the things I have learned and will continue to learn here will
have an impact on me for the rest of my life. I know that God loves
us. He is our Father. He hears our prayers. Through faith in Christ
and repentance we can walk correctly on the straight and narrow path.
"And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait
and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you,
Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ
with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who
is mighty to save." (2 Nephi 31:19) I testify of the truth of what
Nephi has written. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Questions:

Did you put up any Christmas decorations yet?

1. I was able to put up the tree. I took a picture so I will send it.
Thanks a bunch! It is great to get into the Christmas spirit even when
it is not celebrated much here.

How are your investigators doing?

2. Our investigators are doing well. Nakajima shimai's baptism is set
up for Christmas day and she is so close! She really wants to be
baptized and has done almost everything she can do be baptized. She
just has 1 more step to take. Setsuko shimai hasn't been able to meet
with us for a while, but she is also doing pretty well. She promised
to stay up on her reading last time we met. We have a few other
investigators who are progressing, but we still have a long way to go.

  Have you or your companion had to speak in church lately?

3. I actually spoke in church yesterday. We speak in church, not every
other week, but about once every three weeks. It is fun though. I feel
like it is a privilege to be able to learn by teaching and help the
branch out.

Have you planned any basketball or ping pong or Christmas parties?

4. We have a Christmas party for the 24th which should be a lot of
fun. We haven't been able to play any basketball or ping pong lately,
but I think we might try it after this week. We are pretty busy this
week.

How did your mission leadership conference go?  Did you get to see some missionaries you had not seen for a while?

5. I don't have the words to describe it. I just love MLC. The
missionaries there are some of my best friends. I got to see my old
companion Elder Tanaka, My son Elder Philburn, and a lot of other
great missionaries.

Do they have Santa’s out ringing bells for donations anywhere there?

6. I haven't seen it at all. It doesn't seem like there is much going
on here in Fukuchiyama. They have a few lights set up here and there
but not much else.

 Do they have any different kinds of decorations for Christmas there?  Do many people put lights on their homes or Christmas decorations?

7. Very few people put lights on their homes here in Fukuchiyama. I
haven't really seen any unique decorations either. I think in a more
urban area you would see a lot more lights.

Have a great week!

Elder Hirschi

69th week in Japan
12/5/2016
Short One from Elder Hirschi

Dear Family and Friends,

Sorry it is going to be a short one this week. We are headed to the mission home for Mission Leadership Conference, so I am writing this on the bus. I hope that everyone is having a great Christmas season. I am not sure who all knows, but we are doing the 25 days program this year and trying to serve others. If you haven't seen the new Christmas video yet, I really recommend watching it.

I just want to testify to everyone that we have been given the greatest gift of all during this time of year. It was over 2000 years ago, but because of Heavenly Father's great gift to us we can find joy in this life even in the hard times. The Savior truly has a great love for us. Whenever we feel alone, sad, tired, depressed, or hurt, we can always remember that he has gone before us. He paid the price for us. Through the Savior's grace we have been made free. I know he lives. I know he loves us. I testify of these things in his sacred name Jesus the Christ, amen.

Ponderizing scripture: Alma 58:37

Questions:

Did you get any packages lately?  Were you able to make a Thanksgiving meal yet?

Yes, I got the Thanksgiving and the Christmas one! You are the best! We were getting bombarded with package slips in our post box and had to call them a bunch because Elder Johnson got a few too. We have not been able to make a Thanksgiving meal yet. We haven't really had too much time to do it. Thanks for the food though. It's not everyday that you get to eat some delicious stuffing in Japan.

What has been your favorite thing about being a zone leader?

My favorite thing about being a zone leader is probably going to Mission Leadership Conference and seeing all of my good friends there. There are so many great missionaries here that have become great friends. 

 How is everything holding up besides your bike?  Clothes and socks and things?

Everything else is good. Thanks so much. The bike costed a little bit to fix up, but it is working awesome now! It will last me for a long time. 

Have you been doing the stuff on your advent calendar from the Church?

Yes, but we didn't realize until after a few days that it is actually mostly for kids. For example, one of the things was to help your parents make dinner... well we made dinner for ourselves haha. It's fun though anyways.

Will you get out your Christmas music and play it?  Do you still have it?

I do still have it and I have already played a little.

Have you seen any snow in your area yet?  Does it still rain quite a bit or not too much?

There has not been snow yet, but apparently it snows a lot in Fukuchiyama. Lately the weather has been great though. It still rains here and there. It's not too bad. 

 Have you seen any couple missionaries lately?  How was zone conference?

I have not. There is only a few in this mission. I guess we saw the Bills at the mission home and we will probably see them today. They do a bunch of the office work. Zone conference went well. 

Well have a great Christmas season. Remember to look for service opportunities around you each day. 

Elder Hirschi