Hello,
I'm doing better this week. I've been taking care of myself. And I'm
making good strides forward, psychologically speaking. The doctor and
I found the source of my mental troubles, and it is that I have based
most of my self worth on what others think, and it's what I make my
expectations and plans for myself on, so when I don't live up to
those, then I get really really disappointed. But I'm doing better
now. My assignment this week is to write the next chapter of my life,
and to find the new Elder Mueller. It's fun. I've been doing new
things this week that I haven't really considered doing until now. I'm even
rethinking what I want to pursue as my future career. I don't have
lots of access to information, since I'm in the mission field, but I
think I should do something different than I've planned on doing
before.
I am making sure I take things slowly and to make sure I do not "run
faster than I have strength". And I think it's helping. I tend to push
myself too hard and then end up disappointing myself when my performance
doesn't rise to my own expectations.
My investigator's name is M...sawa. He's a really great investigator,
but he got really sick this week. So we haven't been able to meet him
since the music night a while ago. But I really think he will get
baptized. Even if it isn't while I'm here.
We got iPads this week. That's definitely a new experience. I like the
access I have to all the church manuals and things. I have a lot of
reading material. We're still in the primary stages of implementing
them, so there's still a lot of stuff that we aren't using yet, like
Facebook, and stuff like that. We're taking things slowly as a mission
regarding these things.
My companion is the best. Elder T...naka is hilarious. He's also really
patient with me and helps me out when I'm not feeling very good. We're
having a good time together. I'm also helping him a lot with English,
so we talk a lot about language. Other than the gospel, I think
language is the thing that I've talked the most about here in Japan.
Toyohashi is awesome. Although it has many strange things, like the
lingerie store 50 meters away from our apartment. The weather is
pretty good here. It's starting to get kind of hot. Although the wind
is pretty strong a lot, so in the evenings it still can be kind of
cold. It hasn't rained as much this week which is nice. There are lots
of parks here, so we go tracting there a lot. I am a fan of parks.
There's a lot of green here.
It's been a good week. I'm doing okay.
With love,
Alex
Softball!
Me and Elder T!
Hello. It's been quite the week.
We have an investigator who is awesome. He's 20 and he's really friendly and we are teaching him the gospel. He takes the initiative when making appointments and he comes to ward activities and has comes to church when he can, even though he works from 10 PM until 6 AM on Saturdays.
And more good stuff: this weekend, the ward had a music night. 8 people performed, and besides me and another missionary, all the performers were either less-active members, or nonmembers. And about sixty people came. About half of them were not active members. And I got to use my talents and perform myself and accompany two others. It was great fun.
Dear friends,
Hello. I have a new companion. He's Japanese and he's funny. He's nice. It was a big transition from Elder M, but we're doing good. He's quiet. And by that, I don't mean that he doesn't talk much. His voice is always just really quiet.
We've been doing good. The weather has been less than cooperative this week. It's been cold and rainy, less than pleasant. This week got kind of difficult due to some accumulating fatigue and the bad weather, but after some much needed rest and a nice sunny day, I was feeling better.
Conference was good. I don't think I've ever felt like so many of the talks applied to me. Probably a bit of getting older. Probably a bit of having changed my perspective of the gospel. The other companionship of missionaries and I watched conference by ourselves in the clerk's office in English. It was fun. One of our investigators came for one of the sessions. He was exhausted because he hadn't slept yet because of work, but I think he had a good experience.
I apologize for the lack of pictures. We have been e-mailing at an internet cafe for the past two weeks, and I can't plug in USBs into the tower. And also, the camera is dying. It sucks batteries dry like crazy. I've been having problems with it for a while. But I think the iPads will have cameras, so I'm kind of holding out for that for a while.
I guess there was one very exciting thing this week. This morning I walked out to my bike to find my helmet and no bike. . .I think it was stolen. So I talked to the police (that was a little nerve-racking. Luckily my companion is a native.) and they will be looking for it now. But I will most likely have to get a new bike. :P
Anyway, I'm 元気.
With love,
Elder Mueller
Q&A with Elder Mueller
Q: Are you going to have to pay for your iPad?
A: The iPad will be the mission's. So I will not pay for it. Neither will the ward.
Q: What did you do to celebrate Easter?
A: We just had a fast and testimony meeting. It was really spiritual though.
Q: Can you share with me just a bit about how music has helped you spread the gospel on your mission?
A: That's kind of difficult to say, because I have not been so obviously successful with sharing the gospel on my mission, However, when I play or listen to music it's been the easiest to feel successful. And that is simply because it's just so easy to feel the Spirit with good music. And when I have been troubled and trials have abounded, I have sung hymns to myself to help me feel better. And it's helped me keep trying and reminded me that my Heavenly Father loves me. Even when I have doubts about the truth of something that I read in the scriptures or hear in a conference, if I find the same thing in a hymn and sing it, then it enters my heart more readily.
I seem to have waxed poetic this morning. It is the dawn of a long awaited time. And my soul is filled with life and love.
Today marks the beginning of my twelfth transfer as a missionary. And my desires and my vision have been changing. The Lord is expanding my heart, and teaching me in quiet whispers what I am to do, and granting me the feelings I need to do them.
I received a blessing yesterday in anticipation for this next transfer, and the Lord made it clear that in no uncertain terms that my situation, my experiences, my heart, all is known to Him. He said that this transfer would be one of trials and hardships, but also one of miracles. This transfer I have been promised that as long as I am faithful, I will be blessed to find those who have been prepared, and who I will eventually be able to see come unto Christ.
The Lord is unfolding the gospel to me. All that I teach seems clearer and simpler than it has before. And I am receiving the skills and thoughts I need to teach the truths of the restoration to our brethren here in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Yesterday, Easter, was a very spiritual day. Elder D and I had the privilege of playing special prelude music before sacrament meeting (He on the piano, and I on the violin), and it brought a very special spirit to the meeting.
Elder M leaves tomorrow. And after that I will be working with Elder T...aka. I only pray that the Lord will fulfill His promises, and that I will be able to stand faithful.
Sincerely,
Elder Mueller
