It's
been another excellent week in the Lord's service. I love the work and
I feel so privileged every day to be called and set apart to preach the
Gospel. This week we've had quite a few days that were rather nice
weather wise. Mild and sunny in the day, but quite chill in the
mornings and as soon as the sun starts going down. Since Saturday we've
been having some stormy weather come in, I'm not sure if there is any
relationship with the storm in the Philippines, but it rained all day
and was pretty windy yesterday and it's raining pretty good right now.
Speaking of the Philippines, we found a Philippine-jin investigator
this last week. She's really nice and speaks pretty decent Japanese.
She gave us both those little cans of coffee and we told her we don't
drink coffee but she insisted we just take it and give it to our friends
or something. So right now we've both got a can of coffee on our desks
at home. We feel pretty wanapaku. Haha!
Last Monday and Tuesday the Assistants came and did a
kokan with us. It was so much fun! They came Monday night and stayed
over, then Tuesday we split up to work. Elder Kershisnik went with me
and we went to the church and he gave me some training on being a Zone
Leader. Through his training and example, I feel like I learned so much
about being a missionary and a leader.
Elder Kershisnik gave me a homework assignment
this week about "Who called you here? and What are the implications of
that?" He assigned me some scriptures to study and pray about. I've
come to realize more powerfully that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
called me to this work. I've also come to feel just how close my
relationship with Deity should be. I've realized that my working
relationship with Jesus Christ needs to be closer. Working with Jesus
Christ shouldn't feel much different than working with my companion -
because we are promised repeatedly in the scriptures that He will be
with us. Through realizing this about myself, I've come to realize how
it relates to me as a missionary and a Zone Leader. As a True Disciple
Missionary I need to help the investigators here understand their
personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ didn't just save
all of humanity, He saved and suffered for them personally. Also, that
as a True Disciple Leader, I need to help the missionaries under my
stewardship understand and strengthen their relationship with their
Redeemer and the great Commander in this war.
I'm so grateful for the examples that are all around
me. The examples of companions, church members, mission leaders etc.
The examples around me are a lot more real and relate-able to than
trying to meet the lofty standard of "What would Jesus do?" Sometimes
that's a rather difficult question to answer straight off. But when I
first ask questions like "What would Day Choro do?" or "What would
Kaicho do?" I'm better able to understand how I can become more like
Jesus Christ. I hope that makes sense.
I don't know if I already mentioned it, but
we've got one investigator who is in his 90's and is a genki little guy.
He has fields and works and farms most of his days. This last week we
got to help him harvest edamame. Basically just gathering up the
plants then picking off the decent sized bean pods that haven't been
eaten by bugs. It was fun! After we finished helping him we taught him
a bit about the Plan of Salvation. We have to basically shout at him
because he can't hear well.
Oh, just something funny I think I forgot to mention
last week. During the Saturday evening district conference, Zinke
Kaicho spoke and had all of the missionaries stand up and introduce
themselves. After the meeting was over, the District President came up
to me and said: "Gee you haven't even been out a year yet and you're a
Zone Leader, you must be pretty namaiki." I understood him all except
for namaiki. My companion and one of his counselors that lives in
Toyooka both laughed and agreed when he said it. I was still in the
dark, so I pulled out my dictionary and looked it up, and it was
translated as meaning: "saucy". The members around these parts are so
much fun!
About the hat, a Nylon and Grey would be great. A
large would probably be best. Please send that face mask too, I would
appreciate that. One other thing could you send me some more contact
lenses? I haven't really been wearing contacts until lately - but it's
been better to go with contacts as things have been colder and wetter
here and glasses fog up easy. I've got enough to last me another month
or two, but it would be good to have more on hand.
I love you, thank you so much for all of your support!
Elder Kyle Hutchings
