Missions are crazy!! So to describe last week I will use two words, broke and explosion. After emailing on Pday I put air in my tires for the first time in a long time but I did it at a bike shop with really good pumps instead of missionary pumps that take 30 minutes to work. So I over inflated my tires and as I  was riding. . . it exploded like a cannon. It was so bad - I walked my bike for 30 minutes to the bike shop, and the tire was also blown through. the bike guy said just try it with the messed up tire since you are going home soon so I did and five minutes later it got a puncture. So I didn't want to pay 40$ for a new tire, so I borrowed a returning missionary's bike for the next six weeks. Well, he is shorter than me, I raised the seat too high, and as I was riding - the seat bent the metal and his bike is now useless. I tried to use it for two days as a low rider seat, but it just made my legs hurt sooooo bad. So I paid to get my regular bike fixed. Sorry dad.  Then Elder Cowden went down a slope yesterday, hit the end hard, and his seat bent. So four bike problems later we made it through the week. What an awful bike week we weren't able to meet with a bunch of investigators this week.

 

It's super hot now too. Oh my gosh, the fan is my new best friend. I love it. I get home every night and just . . . am dead. It makes it easy to sleep though. It really is so hot but I am trying my best. We mad a couple of new friends this week and are just trying to get things going. I am enjoying my time in Japan as best I can. I love the people and try to talk to them all!!

This week is my last Japanese testimony meeting. I will bare my testimony probably about Romans 8:28. All will work together for those who serve God. I know it is true. At the end of my mission all
the people I love are still there. Hannah, parents, brothers and sister, Reinens, all the people I love. Missions are great. I love you all and have  a good week!!!

 

Elder Proctor

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No seat = sore legs

Neat Shrine

Very Hot in Sanjo

So today is  the beginning of the last transfer. I got my transfer and I will be staying in Sanjo with Elder Cowden for my last one. We have found a lot of good people and I am excited to give it my best for my last one. I'll try to tell a couple of good stories, then one spiritual thing. I translated for zone meeting again this week. It went a lot better although the old people I do it for sometimes start talking to me in the middle of it and it makes it super hard. I am like, "I am not the one talking to you! Stop. Turn around!!" haha I dont say that but I think it. It's fun although very humbling.

 

I had a funny experience. I was in the restroom at a convenience store and someone banged on the door. I knew it was a couple of middle schoolers cuz i could hear them. So I was excited to step out and it be me that steps out - haha so I did and they started freakinig out. They said, "Hey, I have seen that guy at the train station." in japanese not thinking I understood. I replied, "Yeah, I go there a lot." And they were like," ahhhh!!!" Then they started saying more and I started responding and it just got funnier and funnier. It turned into all of them taking a flyer for English class. That experience of people talking about you thinking you don't understand is rare, but super funny when it happens.

 

The sister's investigators name is C**** and we found her about a month ago. Sisters teach ladies we teach men so we referred her. She is now getting baptized next month!! On the 22nd. Her prayers for her soon were answered when she had a problem at shcool so now she wants to be baptized. Isn't that awesome!!! I was so happy. So she'll be baptized right before I leave.

 

Also, a guy we found a month ago is now an investigator cuz he has read a 100 pages of the Book of Mormon. WOoH!! Things went really well this week misisonary work wise. I enjoyed it. Now that I am at the end of my misison, I  realized this. I found this quote.

 

"Don’t give up what you most want in life for something you think you want now." 

 

At the beginning of my mission, I was struggling. Thinking I didn't want to serve God, wanted to give up, and take the "easy" route. I realize now though that what I wanted then and now is to serve God. I want to finish my mission, get married in the temple, have a family. I know what I want. I love you all and this is my last stretch. keep praying and I'll see you soon. Missions are hard, but in the end, the best thing you can do if you are 18 years old and have a desire is serve the Lord and never stop doing it. I love you!! have a great week!!!!!!
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The Spirit

 

So, I will be honest. The week until Friday was super hard. I have learned that misisons can get super stressful at the end. But on Friday I studied faith. Then I decided to fast on Saturday. I didn't know that our zone was fasting on Sunday too, so I ended up fasting for a super long time - haha. I learned a lot though - I had a lot of questions on my mind and really sought after God's will for me and my family. It was an amazing experience. I received so much personal revelation that really turned my life around. I feel so excited to see you all. I learned this week that sometimes we have to be brought our knees before God answers us. I was brought to my knees, and really prayed harder than ever. I then talked with my new mission President and he gave me pretty much the exact same advice. I took that as a hint from God that what I felt during my fasting was what God wanted for me. I really can testify that through fasting and prayer, we can find out what we are supposed to do in our lives. I know God is real.

So I have some interesting stories I'll try to type real quick. I went on a split with my workout crazy zone leaders and they got me going good. I am going super hard these last couple of weeks on workout. I love it - haha. I actually stopped eating chocolate and stuff:P don't worry, if you sent me some I'll eat it, but I just stopped buying it for my self. Fun split.

 

I also went to a mountain and cut down bamboo for our ward Nagashi women party. It's where you cut the bamboo in half and then send noodles flying down it with water and then everybody grabs them with chopsticks. I have videos ill show you soon:) I have pictures I'll send you today.

 

Our investigator K** is going to talk with his parents this week about being baptized. I hope it goes well. Please pray that it does. I am trying to go strong. I love the Gospel and if you make God your base, you will not FALL!!!!!

 

I Love you all so much and am so excited to see you all. You have no idea. I don't know how I'll speak when I get back. I'll figure it out - haha I am just so excited. Next monday is the beginning of my last transfer. Only 7 more weeks then my last week is just me packing and going to Tokyo, then leaving. I am going to go hard my last weeks. As best I can. I love you all so much. Have a great week and enjoy the pictures!! I have tons:)

Love,
Elder Proctor

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Sanjo

 

So this week was a better. I had a hard time on Wednesday. Just things - but was able to get it going. Pretty good week though. So we met President and Sister Nagano on Saturday. President Budge is gone! I miss him. He helped me so much. But president Nagano is awesome. It's cool having a Japanese President. I wonder if he will do my last interview in September in Japanese haha - I hope he does. They are really nice and during the little conference we had with them they really helped me out without even knowing. They said a lot of things I needed to hear. One was that one part of faith is being optimistic. I have had to be so optimistic in the last couple of weeks. It's been pretty hard honestly, but I realized that it is good that I am. I thought at first I was just being weak and ignoring harder things, but optimism is good I learned. So, towards my area, investigators, and anything else, I am just being as optimistic as possible. It was pretty cool

 

This week we taught a guy named Y****. He is pretty good. We taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and focused on forgiveness and repentance because he has had a hard time at home with people. So, my companion and I testified super strongly of the need to repent and humble ourselves before God, and also forgive quickly. It was really good. He really lliked it and is feeling better.

 

WOOH! Today was cool too. We went to Nagaoka and on the way back I talked to a kid on the train. He was 19 and AWESOME! I told him about missing you guys which i almost never talk about to anyone. I told him though that family and loved ones are the most important thing in life. That they leave an influence on you and eternal families and stuff. He was super nice and said he wanted a family which most kids don't say and we exchanged numbers and the Book of Mormon!! wooh! I think God sent him to me though. He helped me more. I told him about how awesome you guys all were. He asked about me having a girlfriend and I said yes and he thought it was cool that Hannah and I are making it. pretty cool. So that kid really made an influence on me. He made me appreciate you guys and your efforts to help me a lot more.

 

To welcome the Naganos we did the HAKA. you know, the New Zealand one. We practiced and did it for real - haha our zone vision is FEAR NO MAN so that's why we did it. I was nervous at first but then did it and enjoyed it haha  I was screaming my head off. Nice to let off some built up emotion that you can never let out as a missionary - haha God is real. Don't doubt it. I have been praying a lot more towards the end of my mission. Just seeking God's guidance and stuff like that. He really does answer. I have gotten so many answers.. It is amazing. So pray and EXPECT the answer!! I love you all so much. Have a great week!!!!!

Love,

Elder Proctor

 

 

 

I'm going to make this email a little quicker this week. One really cool thing that happened is I gave out a lot of scriptures this week and worked pretty hard. We found a kid named K**** and he is looking like he has a lot of potential.

 

I want to talk about something that I finally realized about my mission last week though. Everyone knows Helaman 5:12 right. Build on the rock of your redeemer and all will be well. I really have learned that throughout my mission. There was a point last week where I had a really strong prayer. Obviously I am nearing the end of my mission. I was looking back and now I realized that I have built that foundation on Christ. With God's help, I can say nothing Satan throws at me will get me. No matter how hard he tries, I am based off of Christ. He cannot get me. It was a pretty cool experience to realize this.

 

In my second to last basketball game at that college in Tyler I played well. Towards the end when it was a tight game, I made an "and 1" on a fast break and I remember landing then yelling, "AND 1!!!!!!!!!" that was one of the coolest things I have ever felt. I felt so in control. I realized that I had the same feeling of in control and nothing can conquer me last week. I was praying and at one point I just literally was almost yelling, "SATAN! YOU LOSE!!! YOU CAN'T CONTROL ME!!!!! GET OUT OF HERE!!! I AM WITH GOD!!!" It was the most free and happy feeling to realize that " I am built on Christ and free from Satan." This all may sound kind of dumb but thats how I feel now. I rely have gone these two years and built my foundation and now Satan has lost control of me as I keep focused on Christ. I am on a sturdy base. I love you all so much. Please read Helaman 5:12 and apply it to your life. If you buld on Christ, you cannot fall. I love you all!!!!!!!!!

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