Dear Everyone,
It sounds like everyone had a fun Halloween :) Over here we had a Halloween party with our English class, and the Kunitachi primary all came dressed up in little costumes.
Recently we have been changing our focus. For just about 3 months now we have been focusing on trying to meet the old, dropped investigators again. We have made calls and left messages, fasted and prayed repeatedly through that time to try and meet them, we have some results:
1. Ichikawa family. A really nice couple who likes the missionaries. We are meeting them tomorrow for a lesson! :) The wife has some interest in the gospel, the husband doesnt, but they both listen. They have met several times before, but still have not yet accepted the invitation to either read the Book of Mormon or try praying. We are going to try again.
While this is a very small change, it is the biggest one we have had so far. We hope they will feel the spirit and realize that what we say is not just 'nice' or 'good morals and manners', but actually important.
However our focus is going to change now. We are going to stop spending time calling so many former investigators, especially if they have already been called dozens of times with no response over such a long time. We pray that they will have the courage to contact us when the time is right, but we have to move on.
So now we are even more focused on finding new people. We meet several interesting and fun people each day, such as:
1. An 80-year old mathematician who gives research reports all around the world.
2. An old man who wants us to do his funeral when he dies.
And many more that I forgot already. However, fun people aside, there is really only one person that can make my day, and that is someone who actually wants to meet with us someday. We found one person;
1. Oobayashi-san. He's about 40, and has a family. We met him on the street and he listened to what we said. We shared our testimonies with him. He seemed interested and when we asked him if he wanted to hear more someday, he said YES. This is the first YES I have heard in a long, long, LOOOOOOONG time, and so we were very excited. He said that while we talked, he felt a 'good feeling'. :) He gave us his phone number.
We have called him twice, and will keep calling until we can get ahold of him. He is our ray of hope. I feel like we were supposed to be there at that time.
So miracles are still happening in Kunitachi. Thank you everyone for your prayers and thoughts and support. Kunitachi is fully prepped and ready for an investigator. The ward is great, we have all the time in the world to meet, everything is in place for when someone comes with interest.
And when that day comes they very may eventually make it down that road that leads to baptism and becoming closer to God. I hope so. Even if I dont get to see that day while Im here or even while Im a missionary, I feel confident that someday there will be a change here. The Lord would not send missionaries to a place where he didnt have a work prepared for them. There is someone who is just waiting for us, and we have to figure out where he is and what time he's not busy. I know we can do it.
(Elder Mumford is anxious to taste the fruits of his labor.)
I know that this church is true, because I have tried the promise of the Book of Mormon myself, which ANYONE who tries it will also find a similar answer. (Click here to see the promise.)
Alright, on a more practical note...
- Just so you know I may be fixing my bike brakes this transfer. They are getting a little bit metal-on-metal. That should be about 6$ to 50$ depending on the shop (so I have heard), which I have with me in my wallet now in personal. Just so you know what Im spending all this on :)
Requests:
1. Haha, the "stick-on mustaches" would be a great for the next district meeting :)
(Do you think the missionaries in his district would look better with a mustache?)
2. One or two more pictures of the cats. (love the pictures of the family too, keep those coming as well if you like) :)
3. I really cant think of much, but Ill start thinking about it now so the next email I can actually request something. In the meantime just send anything and whatever you like. Ill accpet happily.
4. Im preparing another package, and if possible I will include the 3-transfer newsletter. Wierd, but all 3 are in Kunitachi! Also Its going to be a rather big package, so I'm going to try and buy a standard size box at the post office. Lots of fun things members have given me :) Plus lots of pictures of course.
Thank you everyone, We reallly apprecaiate the fact that so many people around the world (and in temples) are supporting us in prayer.
Thanks! Have fun everyone!
Love,
-Elder Mumford
-Tokyo, JAPAN
Karen,
ReplyDeleteWe appreciate feeling a part of his mission with your blog posts! Thanks!