Mom and Dad,
Good to hear you made it back from Hawaii safe and sound.
This last week it's been really nice weather wise, but it's been getting warmer
and I can definitely feel the humidity. It's been great on my skin, nose, and
eyes, but it definitely can become a bother when we're out dendo-ing. It's only
getting warmer from here on out too - joy! In Kochi there are some places we go
housing like you described, Dad. I'm not sure if there's anything that they're
called or referred too, though. But, there are also some more rural/inaka areas
too that we've gone housing in.
About the letter I sent you, it was a
picture drawn by one of the Eikaiwa students. She's an older lady who's really
energetic and speaks a lot and loudly. She's really nice though, and she drew a
picture of Elder Day and I and had everyone at class that day write a note about
us to send to our parents. I thought it was pretty funny, but
sweet.
It's been a good week. We've been blessed to find quite a few
Potential Investigators. We also visited a former investigator who wants to
keep meeting with us, and we called another former investigator who was too busy
to meet before but has a yasumi on Sundays now and would like to
meet.
It's been a bit concerning with our 17 year old yakusokusha. We
went out to eat with him this last
Friday night just to talk about his concerns and to talk to him
about receiving answers to prayers. He still hasn't asked his parents for
permission to be baptized. He's kind of scared of them - he says they have a
bad image about religion. That, and he and his parents don't have much of a
close relationship - not a bad relationship, but not good either. He also says
he hasn't felt that he's received a confirmation of the truth of The Book of
Mormon. But he is so solid and has so much faith. He really believes it's true
and Joseph Smith was a prophet. We pray hard for him and have faith that he'll
be able to receive an answer.
The other concern we have with him is being
able to meet with him and teach him all of the lessons - and more importantly
make sure he is converted to Jesus Christ before he is baptized. We were
supposed to meet with him yesterday and Saturday - but
he caught a cold and wasn't able to meet or come to church. Since he's busy
with school most other days, we had planned out when we would teach him things
so that he would be ready for baptism on Mother's Day. Even though these
problems have arisen, we are really trying to have faith. When President Zinke
announced the Mother's Day goal, it was clear it was a goal that he had received
revelation about - that every area in the mission could have a baptism on
Mother's Day. We trust that revelation and trust that the Lord will provide a
way for it to be fulfilled. We are going to do all we can and then trust and
have faith that the Lord will provide for the rest.
Lately I've been
studying the power of the Atonement. I started rereading the Book of Mormon
looking for and marking specific references to the Cleansing power which opens
the door to The Spirit and revelation, and the Enabling power which allows a
mortal man to accomplish and fulfill revelations and things beyond his own
power. It's interesting to see the pattern in just the first 7 chapters of
Nephi. Lehi receives a revelation, Nephi and His brothers go and do all they
can working with faith, and the Lord makes up the rest. The revelation is
fulfilled. It's truly how a missionary should work, I feel. Doing all we can
to be obedient, clean and worthy - allowing the Spirit to be within you to guide
every thought, word, and action. Receiving revelation for setting goals and
finding and teaching. Acting on that revelation with a belief that we'll be
able to accomplish it, and trusting that the Lord will make up what we can't
do. Then, seeing the miracles that take place as the Lord gathers His sheep.
It's an amazing privelege to be able to help in this work, and I hope to be able
to have the faith to work miracles according to the Lord's will.
I'm
happy and healthy. Sleeping well, and we've definitely got plenty to eat. Life
is good, dendo is great!
Love,
Elder Kyle Hutchings
