Email February 25, 2018

Email February 25, 2018  - Elder Jackson Kunzler Burton

Hey Everyone!

Hey Everyone!

     Wow this week has gone fast. It feels like last P-day was yesterday! Lots of great things are happening here in Hakodate. On Tuesday, we went to visit a less active member, but they weren't home, but as we were walking away a neighbor was just getting home, so we asked him if he knew this person we had been trying to visit. He didn't, but he answered in fairly good English, so we asked him where he learned English. He paused for a second, and then without answering, he invited us into his house because it was cold. We were really surprised but we went in, and he sat us down, gave us some warm milk, and then went upstairs without really saying much. (And it was so hard not to watch the Olympics that was playing on his tv haha) So we were sitting there kinda confused and then he came back down the stairs and in his hand was an old copy of the Book of Mormon. My companion and I were both just thinking "No way!" Turns out he had taken the lessons 15 years ago, he had gone to church a few times and English class and he told us he still believes the church is true. His only problem then was the word of wisdom, he just couldn't keep it so he never got baptized and I guess eventually just stopped meeting with the missionaries. He was actually a former investigator in our area book and he's been called by previous missionaries since he stopped taking the lessons but he said he wasn't interested. But we ran into him not knowing he was a former investigator, and he decided to let us in and now he wants to come back to church again. I know that us running into him at that time wasn't an accident, I have a testimony that God knows each of his children, He doesn't forget about us when we stray from the path, and when the time is right, He'll help us get back again.

     The rest of this week was good, we've been teaching one investigator over Line, which is basically a Japanese version of Facebook messenger. Hopefully in the next week or so we'll be able to meet in person, but he's progressing pretty well anyway which is great. We also had a lesson with this mom and her three year son who the sisters are actually teaching, but because my companion and I are the only gaijin (foreigner) missionaries in Hakodate we help out whenever someone wants help with English. So we taught English to a three year old Japanese kid, and I'm pretty sure he's better at reading and writing English than I was when I was three. He already knows the alphabet and can write his name, and he's pretty good at speaking too. It was fun. We also had a first lesson with a man named Ryu that went pretty well. He's gonna read the Book of Mormon but he won't commit to pray yet but he's definitely willing to meet again and learn more so that's good. So yeah it's been a good week, we've also found some good potential investigators, we've just got to meet with them again. Everyone keeps reminding me that I've almost been out six months and it's so weird. I still feel like I've just started but I'm almost a quarter of the way done. It really makes me realize how short this mission is and how precious my time is. I've got to pick up the pace, keep improving and getting better and accomplish what I was sent here to do. And that applies to all of us in life too. Our time here on earth is short, we've got to make the most of it. I love you all, have a great week!

Love,

Elder Burton