We had a really interesting week this past week. So on Monday at night the BYU Symphony performed in Tokyo and all the missionaries got free tickets to go with their investigators. It was super cool. I will send pictures. It was great to see what great influence our church members have. They sang a little bit at the end and sung of course about Jesus Christ. So cool to see them doing their best to share the Gospel too. They were super good. So that was fun.

 

On Tuesday we rode our bikes a ton. We went to a farther area in our area and it was interesting. Probably the funniest thing this week was as  I was walking  I saw a big thing of trash on the ground. A huge candy wrapper. I thought, "I'll be a good missionary and clean up the trash". (In Japan there are no trash cans ANYWHERE so if you pick up trash you have to carry it all the way home.) I did it though and as I picked it up, it was completely full?!?! Tons of chocolate. It was super late  and raining, there was no one walking around, so I couldn't really give it to the owner, so we all shared it. Super cool to see the tender mercies of the Lord. The next day we found 1000 yen(10 dollars) on the ground. We took it to the police station. I am expecting to get a car next. Slowly going up in the things I find :P

 

M*** is doing great. He came to church yesterday for the 2nd time. He really wants the guidance from God in his life. I gave a talk yesterday and it went well. I was super nervous because last time I only had 5 minutes to prepare, so I just went up there and said a bunch of stuff I have said a million times in lessons and it was fine. But this time I prepared more ideas and stuff so I had never practiced. It went really well though and it was the best one I've done yet. I was happy:) I talked about becoming a good example. We need to choose our examples correctly. Too many people trust the thing they read about Mormons on the interenet, even though it was written by people antagonistic towards the church. Or they trust their "friend" at school, even though that friend is only 15 years old. We trust the celebrities even though we have no clue who they are. We really need to trust our parents. Also our church leaders. Trust people who deserve to be trusted.

 

I had sushi again this week. I am starting to feel the pressure of returning home, so I am eating as much sushi as I can before  I return to America. I am going to miss the food here, but I can't lie, I am looking forward to the good food in America - haha. I am really enjoying Kamagaya still. We have transfers in two weeks again so I will probably transfer to my last area for my last 12 weeks. Crazy how fast time has flown by. Thanks for being such a great family. I love you all so much. If you ever have questions about Japan or missionary work or anything, just ask! I love you!

Love,
Elder Proctor

 

 

Skype was so much fun! Thank you all so much. It felt so good to see all of you and to know that I still have the coolest family ever. You guys are great. Sorry that we can't talk all that I want, but we got some stuff out I guess. It was kind of frustrating because it was so laggy at some pints, but it was great. I love you all so much and the next time we talk there is no limit!! WOOH!! I can't tell you all the stories I have been saving. I have some goooooood ones:)

 

So, this week was honestly a little bit slower. Our two progressing investigators were kind of hard to meet and are still kind of in the same place but still doing well. But I do have two cool stories. First about H****. I found him about 3 months ago at a train station. He is now going to be baptized in Chiba! My old area. He is doing super well. So that's awesome. Next is something that is proabbly one of my favorite experiences. Two weeks ago we played ping pong with M**** and randomly at 2 in the afternoon, a 15 year old youth, T****, shows up at the church. He came and played with us. he was just riding his bike around I guess. So we played and then did the lesson. During the lesson I felt nervous, because I didn't know what he would say, but I asked T**** if he had ever felt the Spirit in his life. He sat for a second and said, "I can't say I have felt it strong.......but, I have had impressions that I should do something, I did it, then I look back and realize it helped me a lot and that was the spirit." So he said that and that was great. But yesterday we went to Young Mens and he was in there. We were talking about Testimonies and he was asked three questions. Do you have a testimony? He said yes. Then the next question was: How did you get it? He said, "When I was in the missionaries lesson the other day, I got my testimony." Isn't that amazing!?!??!?!!!!! But it gets better, then the next question is how is this going to help you as a priesthood holder. He then said, "Having a testimony now is going to get me ready for a full time mission." Isn't that the best thing ever. He literally will remember our lesson for the rest of his life. He gained his testimony there. His first thought that I have a testimony was there. I am so thankful for these experiences. This is why you go on a mission. He is going to effect people for the rest of his life. I love being a missionary. That was so amazing.

This is a random funny quote from a talk, it is true....

"At times, the Lord needs a little help to assist some as to the
validity of this truth. I recall when I served as chairman of the
Church Missionary Committee that I received a telephone call from a
member of the presidency of the Missionary Training Center at Provo,
Utah. He advised that a particular young man called to a
Spanish-speaking mission was having difficulty applying himself to his
language study and had declared, "I'll never can learn Spanish!" The
leader asked, "What do you recommend we do?"
      I thought for a moment, then suggested, "Place him tomorrow as
an observer in a class of missionaries struggling to learn Japanese,
and then advise me his reaction."
      My caller responded within 24 hours with the report, "The
missionary was only in the Japanese language class one-half day when
he called me and excitedly said, "Place me back in the Spanish class!"
"I know I can learn that language." "And he did."



I love you!!!! Have a great week!!!!!!

Elder Proctor

Sent from my iPad

 

 

So its obvious we are skyping in less than an hour and that is going to be a blast. I am so excited, i am anxious and dying right now. I cant wait to see you all. Please hae some questions ready and i am just really excited to talk to you all. Elder Tsuchida just asked me if I am nervous. I said yes.

So this is what happened last week. We have had a couple of lessons with M*** and S*****. They are really great investiagtors! We should meet S***** again tonight but we are still trying to get his job thing worked out. He actually might take a job at a cram school that the bishops wife runs so that would fix the Sabbath day thing but he is praying about what he wants to with his job. We taught him with the bishop and asked him if he wanted to take that option and he is praying and really working hard to prepare to be baptized. S***** is awesome. Praying that he will baptized this month.

 

M*** is doing really good too. He is about done with 1 Nephi now. We taught him Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy too and it went well, he just also is trying to seek God's will and decide for himself if he wants to commit to Sabbath day observance. The coolest thing is he is friends with a bunch of the YSAs now and we found out randomly yesterday that he went with all of them to a fireside. WHAT?! We were really happy - haha so he is doing good. We also taught T*** but he is still slowly but surely moving. He is still a 75 year old Buddhist Japanese man haha, but really nice and open minded. We also this week went to a little concert held at a members home. Elder Tsuchida plays the guitar really well and other people sang. One girl sang the song from "Frozen" in English and it was my first time hearing all of it. Everyone was shocked - haha I need to see that movie apparently. It was funny to because she was singing in English without having a clue at what she was saying - haha.

 

Lots of good things happened this past week. We really enjoyed dendoing. Elder Tsuchida is an awesome companion. we really teach well together. You will get to talk to him for a second today - haha, he is super good at English but he can speak some Japanese to you too just so you can hear it I guess haha his English is really good. One of the better ones in our mission as far as Japanese missionaries go. He has only been out 6 transfers too.

 

Well. This is my last skype. I'll be home sooner than later and I can't believe it. I am really happy to see all you. I really love my mission. It is the greatest thing in the world. It really has changed me forever. I am so happy because I have had a lot of life training in such a little time. I am so thankful for the restored gospel. I love you and see you in......30 minutes?!?!?!??!

Love, Elder Proctor

Sent from my iPad

 

 

 

 

Can't wait to SKYPE this week!!!!

So things with S***** are good, but still just trying to help him with his job. It's pretty cool though, the bishops wife said she has a job he could have that is better pay and hours and everything so we are going to talk to him about htat. God really does help those that seek after Him.

 

M*** came to church for the first time yesterday. He can't come every week because he goes to an English class on Sunday, but we told all of the members that can speak English to speak English to him during church so he knows that our church is a way better resource for English. It worked! They pounced on him and spoke only English- haha. He had a great experience and it was a really good fast Sunday. I bore my testimony in Sacrament about how much I loved the ward and the work, and the gospel. It went well and it was a really cool experience to look back at the first time I gave a talk in Sanjo, and I could barely get my words out and I had to plan a ton, and then yesterday, I was able to just speak what was in my heart. Missions really do change you. I think that is a really big thing I learned yesterday too.

 

A member and his son bore their testimony. The dad was saying how he really wants his son to serve a mission, get married and all that good stuff and I thought of mom and dad wanting that for us too. It's so cool to see how everyone is in different stages of their lives, but God is always there, helping no matter how far you are into life. Thank you mom and dad for getting me out here. It really is the best thing to do.

 

It is getting hot now. I am kind of just dealing with it. I'm better at dealing with uncomfortable things now. It sure is hot though - haha we just ride bikes in the heat all day, but it is fun and worth it. We are finding lots of people and enjoying the work. The other Elders have an investigator who should be baptized this month too, along with our two, so it could be three in Kamagaya this month. Now I know why no missionary in Kamagaya transfered. God saw what was coming. I love you all. See you next week!!!:)))) I love you!! I will pray for Grandpa Bob too. I hope he is ok. Please pray for him. Let him know I am praying too.

Love,
Elder Proctor

Sent from my iPad