4/22/2012

Hey Family,

Well, transfer calls just happened this morning. I would have to say, I`m very surprised at what happened. *Drum roll please*....I`ll be staying in Toyooka! bahahaha In fact, I`ll be training a new missionary while fulfilling the position of a zone leader! It`s nothing like I imagined...I totally thought that President Zinke would`ve kicked me out of the zone leader position by now but I guess not. I`m way excited though, I`ve always wanted to train on my last two but I never in a million years thought that I would be doing it in Toyooka. Now I`m literally the only one who`ll be running this zone, no zone leader companion to support me. Its a pretty big responsiblity! But its okay, no need to worry. The Lord knows my circumstance and there`s obviously a purpose that I stayed in Toyooka. I`m positive that He left me here not to fail, but to grow into the missionary He wants me to be. I guess its like, the Lord`s helping me out so I don`t slack off on my last two transfers. It was funny because President told me over the phone in his distinctive manly voice, "It`s alright Elder Saito. If anyone can do it, it`s you!" Well, it shows that President trusts me so I need to step up to the plate.

Well, I know that the next two transfers are going to include a lot of intense prayers, scripture study and plain hard work. I have learned the hard way that doing your own thing in Toyooka yields minimal results. I need to rely on the Lord and the Spirit more fully. I`ll be praying like it all depends on the Lord and working like it all depends on me. Be prepared parents, you may be picking me up in stretcher at the end of my mission cause I`m going to get to work now. haha I feel like I`ve been working hard for the past two transfers but I need to sacrifice more. Hopefully, I don`t end up killing my new missionary.

I wonder who my new missionary is gonna be? There are actually a few new missionaries coming in this transfer. A lot of people from my 同期 will be training this transfer. Oh yeah, Elder Burns finally made his way out of the mission home and he`ll be training in his bean area for his last two transfers. About time, he`s been in there forever. Elder Jindo will actually be training too...I kind of forgot where he was gonna go but yeah.

This next transfer should be a good one. I mean, we finally have a branch president called after a month`s worth of having no real branch presidency so the work should start picking up. Life would be great if we had a ward mission leader as well but we need to learn how to work with what we got. Whatever the circumstance, we must expect miracles! Its so important to understand that most of missionary work is mental. Need to imagine success first then do everything you possibly can to achieve it. Doubt and fear will hinder your progression forward and making excuses will keep your running in circles. I must be stronger, the missionaries in my zone must be stronger, the members in this branch must be stronger. Gotta give it all.

Please continue praying for the elect here in Toyooka so they may be led to us or so that we may be led to them. Thanks for everything you guys do! I love ya

Mucho amor,

Elder Saito