12/18/11

 

Herro Famiry,

HEY!!! Guess what , there`s only a week before Christmas. So, before I forget I`ll tell you when to call me on Christmas. Call me on the 25th, approximately around 5:00pm. Do it! Do it now! Okay and the number is...080-2149-6214. Well, I don`t know what to tell you guys. I`m way excited to hear from you youngsters but at the same time...I`m way concerned. If that make sense. Only, only because I know that this call will mostly consist of:

-uncomfortable and probably unintentional probing questions about my future choices of schooling, housing, life in general, etc.

But, I guess that's just the inevitable. Its happening to me family, I`m becoming old. At a very alarming rate that is...Itsn`t great to know that I`m going to be a social inept and probably senile in less then seven months? Oh well. Oh yes, I should probably inform you that I am, indeed, staying for a third transfer in Kobe with my beloved Elder Meyer. Transfer 12, bring it on!

Well, I bring good tithing to all of those who reads this email. Brother Yoshida was baptized yesterday!!! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Amen. No, but in all seriousness, it was a fantastic baptism. Brother Yoshida is a spiritual anchor when it comes to the Book of Mormon. After the baptism, he stood up and testified to the ward about his conversion. It was awesome because he told the ward how we were so persistent when it came to following up with his Book of Mormon reading...but it really helped him build a habit to read out of the Book of Mormon everyday. I love that guy!

Yeah...well. There`s a bunch of elders waiting for the computer...and I`m just gonna talk to you over the phone in a week so, peace! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Can`t wait to talk to all of you! Have a GREEEEAAAAA-T week. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Oh and thanks for the package by the way!!!

Mucho Love,

Elder Saito

Dear Grandview 16th Ward,

Thanks a bunch for all the Christmas wishes! I really love all of you guys! The work is going great over here in Japan and we are currently seeing miracles as our brothers and sisters are coming unto Christ. Please continue praying for them! Thank you so much! And thanks to the kind person who donated their well worked for 50 dollars! It shall be used for good.

Love,

Elder Saito

12/11/2011

Hey hey hey,

How are you guys? Thanks for the email!!!

So, let me start this email off with a crazy experience I had earlier this week. Well, if you look at the pictures I send to you guys first it may ruin it...but whatever. It was just Monday when I had received a package from a certain man by the name of Jordan Burns. I was excited, mainly because I love letters, packages, etc, but that's beyond the point. Well, within the package was a large blue scarf and a letter on a single piece of paper. I was already pretty stoked at that point because it was a good lookin` scarf and its starting to get cold up here in Kobe, but there was something quite peculiar about this certain scarf. I couldn`t figure it out but it just looked pretty...whats the word, antique? So, I just went ahead and read the letter...which led to my mind being blown. So, Jordan wrote to me that he had watched the last general conferenced and was very moved by the talk Elder Yamashita had given about "my father`s coat." He decided to send me a very special scarf that he had received from a little 17 year old girl named Mizuno Yasuko who lived in Nagoya, Japan during the winter of 1975. Yup Mom, you got that right, that 17 year old girl is you! Isn`t that crazy?! So, 35 somewhat years later...that exact same scarf is now being used by the son of the the little girl who made it herself on his mission. I`m tellin` you, there is no coincidence of this happening. This is purely the tender mercies of the Lord being made known to us! I mean, how else could something like this happenでしょ？ Yeah, that's my crazy experience of the week! (Jordan Burns was my mom's family missionary)

Yup, then after that we went to Luminaria...which is the special lights thingy that commemorates the lives lost in the Kobe earthquake 20ish years ago. Twas beautiful.

Yeah, so things are going crazy over here in Kobe. Extremely busy...but that's life you know? Well, ready for more good news? Brother Yoshida passed his interview on Thursday and now he`ll be going through this Sunday! This kid...is the best! I swear, every one of his lessons is just full of the Spirit. There is nothing better than an investigator who doesn`t understand everything but is craving to know more. I mean, he`s tearing apart the Book of Mormon right now. He`s already almost half way through Alma and he started reading seriously just a few weeks ago! Its so great to have investigators who turn to prayer and the Book of Mormon instead of missionaries when they`re faced with challenges or have questions of the soul. That's what leads to lasting conversion I`m tellin` you. But, just because he passed his interview doesn`t mean we can take our guard off. I think this is the time that we need to strengthen him the most, cause you know all them adversity and temptations will be goin at him. But, I think a consistent prayer in the heart and the Book of Mormon will help him out a lot. I also had a big impression to share with him Lehi`s vision about the tree of life this last lesson we had with him, and I think it fit perfectly!

Well, please continue praying for him okay? It`s almost Christmas you guys!!! 早いね！　Oh yeah...and what`s up with Spohr being engaged?!?! I am going to DESTROY him if he gets married before I get back! Ah, why is everyone getting married without me there? Whatever, whatever.

Anyways, I go now. Hope ya`ll are doing awesome! Can`t wait to hear back from you soon!

LOVE YA,

Elder Saito

12/4/2011

Hello Family!

Another fantastic week has gone by over here in Kobe! But first off, how are all of you guys? Its so good to hear from all of you guys, gotta love it! Well, good old Christmas is coming up pretty quickly. Tell me family, what are your plans for the holidays? Oh and for the Christmas calls...I haven`t gotten any updates on it so I`ve got no idea when you need to call me. I know that it`ll be on your Christmas day over there...but I`m not sure. Yes mother, and for the package...I don`t really need anything honestly. A few snacks, letters and pictures will be more than enough for me! Save the money for future uses...like buying me eccentric Japanese items half a year from now! ahaha I joke. I don`t think that far in my mission. No, but really I don`t really need anything. Well, would you guys want me to buy something for you guys from Japan? I mean, I`ve got no money whatsoever but I can buy you things from Daiso (100yen shop) if needed. Oh yeah, if possible, would you be so kind to send me my old iPod so I can put a few songs from the mission home? That`s pretty much all I need.

Anyways, its creeping me out to think that a year ago, I was only on my third transfer with Elder Rahn back in Okamachi. Goodness gracious that was ages ago! I can`t believe how much has gone by in the past year though...I also can`t believe how much I can`t remember. Thank goodness for missionary journals! I swear I have Alzheimer disease. Oh yeah, this was a worthy journal entry. So, we were aired on national television this past week!!! Remember when I told you that we were taped doing that ラジオ体操 (old man stretches)? I guess it made national television this week! It was funny, we had a bunch of members in our ward telling us all about it. One guy even taped it for us on a blue ray DVD! I can`t wait to watch it! A member described it as four rather large 外人`s (foreigners) surrounded by old grandmas and grandpas doing stretches. Can you say 有名人? Yeah, representing the church in a fine manner I would say.

Well, on a more spiritual note. This week was amazing! One of our yakusokusha, Brother Yoshida, made significant spiritual progression in a week! I`m telling you, this guy is a spiritual giant. I haven`t seen anyone manifest as much faith as he did in a long time! So, this last week he was unsure about on whether or not he really wanted to commit to receive baptism. He had legitimate concerns about certain things and we did our best to our ability to help resolve them but there was still something...something that we couldn`t resolve on our own because it wasn`t in our circle of influence. So, we laid it all on the table for him. I told him straight up that we could try our best to convince him with our words but in the end it doesn`t matter because its up to him to decide for himself. So, we did what every missionary should be doing and helped him turn to the Lord. We testified about the power of the scriptures, mighty prayer and how only by those means would he be able to know for himself. And it was great, because the next day I followed up with him over the phone and he told me that he couldn`t get a clear answer...BUT, he felt a good feeling inside when he read and prayed and he knew that it was a good thing! It was great because I told him right there that that feeling he had inside was the Spirit. And that same Spirit is the way that the Lord is teaching you that it is true! Once I told him that, he was all like "OHHHHHH" and it finally clicked for him. Then right off the bat he started testifying and reading to me scriptures that he found earlier that week over the phone. It was like, an hour long phone call but we testified, read out of Alma 32 together and helped him realize that the Lord is trying to teach him something. Isn`t the Spirit so amazing? So in the end, he told us at church that he still doesn`t know or understand everything but he feels that what we`re doing is right and that he had been saved by Jesus Christ! I know right, that`s the definitions of faith. Not a perfect understanding of things, but a hope. Yeah, well his interview is coming up this Thursday so please, please, please pray for him okay? He really needs it!

Yeah, so the work is moving forward! Life is good. Gotta keep working harder to see more miracles! Gotta go and set up Christmas decoration for the Zinke`s now! I LOVE YOU GUYS! 頑張って!!!　ファイト!!!

Mucho Love,

Elder Saito

11/27/2011

Hey, hey, hey,

Wow, my sister and my brother-in-law didn`t forsake me this week! Good job you two, good job. Holy cow, I can`t believe both Thanksgiving and Black Friday already passed by! ぜんぜん意識してなかった！That`s so ridiculous, what in the world happened to November. Well, I`m glad you guys were able to get some Black Friday shopping done. Did you guys go off and buy something new for the house? I remember when we spent a certain Black Friday in front of Old Navy waiting in line just so Richard could get some free Legos Starwars video game...dfksljjfdsajfkldsa

Oh yeah, and as for Christmas transfers chances are that I`m going to stay in Kobe. Mainly, because president doesn`t want that many people transferring in and out right before Christmas day. Which is good, I wouldn`t want to be transferred out just before Christmas and お正月(New Years) I would be terribly lonely! Nothing goes on during New Years in Japan because everybody goes and hibernates in their houses that time of year. So, the point is, you could probably send packages anytime.

Dad, I love how I don`t know anything about your life. Since when did you go on a European backpacking adventure in your mid-twenties? Garbage, how do I not know these things! Well, I do believe that we need to take a good road trip to New York or something after my mission so we can have a good amount of time to talk about your life. You too Mom, I don`t even know anything about you either. Plus, your conversion stories are good tools to use when we got certain investigators struggling about things. So yeah, get ready for a good old interrogation half a year from now, okay?

Anyways, this week was quick as usual. Oh yeah, Sister Funabiki was baptized yesterday! It was so great, I swear she is a super star! She testified a lot about missionary work and the concept of repentance during her testimony. Whats better than seeing an elect who`s heart had been prepared for ages to accept the gospel...and then is all gung-ho about going and spread the gospel to her family and friends after her baptism? Well, I had the honors to preform the baptism. It was a really good experience for me because I was able to really think deeply throughout the week about my responsibility of being a priesthood holder. I don`t know, especially after watching last conference I realized that I should probably try to realize the strength of the priesthood and how important it is within the whole big picture. I mean, that`s why the Restoration was so important! Not only because the gospel was restored, but the authority to perform everything that is necessary for salvation was. Yeah, it was a good opportunity for me to think things through again.

Well, other than that this week was pretty hectic running around the zone again. Oh, and we also had a zone conference earlier this week and President picked on me. During a presentation, he picked me out of the crowd and made me teach baptism in front of two zones. What made it worse was that he said "alright Elder Saito, now show us why you`re a zone leader!" right before the mogi. No pressure right? haha but no worries, I was able to teach it just fine. I mean, I`ve been teaching baptism for a whole year and a half now, I better be able to do it right? But no, it was all the Spirit teaching through me though. I swear, that's the best feeling. When you know the Spirit is teaching through you and the Lord is using you as a mouth piece. Cause I`ve felt times when I knew the Spirit wasn`t in the lesson...and it was painful! Anyways, life is good.

Okay well, I`m gonna go now. We need to go and get things done this P-day because President is pulling a barbecue party for all the zone leaders today before zone leader council. Gotta love that guy! Hope you guys have another awesome week!!!

I love ya!!! Peace.

Mucho Love,

Elder Saito

11/20/2011

Dear family,

Hello family! Its good to hear from all of you guys again. Well, here I am, complaining about time once again. Can`t believe its already Thanksgiving week already...goodness. I swear, I have no idea what happens to my days, no months anymore. Well anyways, how`s everything doing?

I see Selena and Richard have become slothful and didn`t send me an email this week. Excellent, excellent. I hope they read this statement, remorse for their wrong doings, repent and send me an email for once! I`m not a terrible person, I`m just fulfilling my responsibility as a missionary by crying repentance to my brethren. But as for you faithful parents of mine, thank you!

Well, this week was interesting. Mainly because we were only in our area for...three days maybe? Elder Meyer and I were able to travel around the zone and give good training to each companionship about organizational skills and follow up techniques. I know what you`re thinking, learning organizational skills from Elder Saito?! But trust me on this one, I have a good idea of what I`m doing...or at least I think I do. But it seems to be helping the zone out quite a lot already, especially them younger missionaries. The travel expenses were filthy expensive but it was well worth the empty wallets and bank accounts because we were able to strengthen the younger generation of missionaries so they can fulfill their responsibility as missionaries. I mean, the Lord has entrusted us with His precious elect, of course we have to do our best so that each and everyone of them is nourished by the good word of God and accounted for.

Oh, I was also sick this week as well. Nothing big, just a small cold but I was exhausted from traveling on the trains so much. But its all okay because I was able to perform when it came to teaching and finding just fine so no problemo! The best memory of the exchanges was when we went up to Kitarokko to work with young Elder Jeppson and Wilcox. We didn`t really think ahead when we planned to kokan because we knew it was going to rain but...nevertheless we didn`t bring any rain gear whatsoever. And in Japan, when it rains...it RAINS. Elder Jeppson and I had planned to go all the way to Sanda to go streeting because Kitarokko is a pretty inaka (country) area. Its a good 45 min bike ride over to the next city...and yes, we rode through the rain. You should of seen it, I swear the ocean was just falling on us! At first the rain was unbelievably cold and my suit and dinky jacket I found in the apartment didn`t do me much. I was soaked head to toe. But it was good, because we were able to talk to a lot of good people in the rain. They probably thought I was crazy...but who doesn`t? I don`t know, actually really enjoyed it though. I love the rain, I love the country side and I love long bike rides because there`s no one to talk to. It reminded me of all the good times I had as a younger missionary fro some reason. Anywho, the rain eventually got warmer throughout the day and then ceased right about the time we ended the companion exchange. BUT IT WAS AWESOME!

Well, I gotta go now. I need to go bake some brownies for my investigator`s birthday now. Gotta show my sheep that I love them! Yeah but good news, the Kobe sisters have a baptism going through this coming week and the investigator asked me to baptize her! I`m telling you, she is awesome! True definition of a "golden investigator." I`m honored to be able to help her take that first step to come closer to Christ. Please pray for her this week okay?!

Sweet, I love ya guys!

Elder Saito

11/7/2011

Hey family!

Well, I gotta tell you, its been quite another crazy week! Its been fast as usual, but that`s pretty much what I say in every email now-a-days. Oh yeah, thanks a bunch for the package...well suitcase by the way! I was way surprised, I didn`t think you would actually go through all of the work to send me a whole suitcase full of stuff. Yeah, its a wonderful feeling when you can say that you`re wearing something that actually belongs to you other than your garments. The white shirts are great, only problem is that the sleeves are a little shorter than usual but whateves, nobody actually cares when you`re a missionary. And the suit is sharp! I look like a Japanese business man prancing around in that stellar black suit. Its a good thing that I don`t need to look like a homeless person walking the streets of Kobe anymore. bahaha. Thanks mucho mucho!

 

Oh yeah, sorry for not writing Obachan back for a while. I`ve been so busy on P-day that I haven`t had any time to respond to anyone. But I`ll be sure to jump on to that ASAP. Seriously, Kobe just drains all of your time! But its all for a good cause. For example, we woke up today, got ready and jumped onto a 2 hour train ride to go teach an AWESOME young Chinese couple. Yeah that`s what I do on my preparation days, I teach the Elect. Seriously, this couple is the bomb! One of our members in our Gaijin (white-people) branch referred them and we taught them a bit of the Plan of Happiness yesterday. Man, they absolutely love the Plan of Happiness! Its amazing, we went over to the members house earlier today because its the only day that the couple can meet this week other than Sunday. We finished up the Plan of Happiness and they understood and accepted all of it! After we taught the Atonement, I asked whether they believe that they can be cleansed through Jesus Christ and they answered right of the bat, "Yes!" Ah, I love this couple so much! I tell ya, its awesome just being able teach and testify about eternal families and happiness. What better way to feel the spirit you know? Ah and it was a heart-melter when we had the husband pray at the end. He was praying in Chinese so we had no idea what he was saying but the wife started to tear up during the prayer. Turns out through out that during the prayer he was praying, thanking the Lord that he could be together with his wife for all eternity and how happy he is! Well, it is called the Plan of Happiness for a reason you know? I`m so excited for this couple, we`ve got them working towards baptism in the upcoming months and hopefully we can get them sealed in the temple too!

Well, Kobe is treating me well as you can tell. But wow, this transfer ended so darn quickly!!! So, I got my transfer call...and I`m being emergency transferred to Arkansas.

 

No, just kidding. I would cry! Twice! Nah, but I`m just gonna stay as a zone leader with good old Elder Meyer as my companion. I love that kid so much, we`re going to have another blast of a transfer. I just hope this one doesn`t go as fast as this last one did though! Seriously, time is going faster and faster. I blink, and I`ll be talking to you on Christmas day, conversing of all the classes I`ll be taking seven months later. Barf. I just try not to think about it! Time is literally my worst enemy right now. Curse you! I mean, its already been four years since I was playing football under Coach Pope and now he`s retired! Curses. Whatever, I`m not bitter that I`m getting old.

 

Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. I`m way stoked! This next transfer is gonna be full of miracles! I mean, we just barely got a referral from the sister missionaries. We gonna be teaching a Jamaican women! Whats better than being a Japanese-American teaching a Jamaican person about Jesus Christ and how His gospel has been restored in Kobe, Japan? That`s right, not much.

 

Well, I`ve gotta go and write some letters now. Thanks a bunch for everything! Oh yeah, Happy (late) Halloween! Please, please, please continue praying for the elect over here in Japan. They need your prayers! I`m good, no worries about me okay? Life is good.

 

Random fact of the day, this is how you say "My name is Elder Saito" in Chinese: Woshu Chetahn Jonglaou

Spelling is probably completely off...but whatever.

 

Mucho Amor!!!

Elder Saito

10/30/2011

Hello family,

Hey, thanks for all the emails you guys! Pleasure to hear from you all of you guys.

 

Anyways, thanks for making me feel even more gross talking about signing up for school Dad. I'll be sure to pray and figure out what exactly I want to do with my life. The first semester will probably be a bunch of general education classes...but who knows? Lets see, I still want to continue my major with PDBio but I do want to throw in Japanese and Spanish. Maybe I'll take psychology or chemistry...NO! NO! NO!!! I shall not think about it until it is absolutely necessary! Remind me again sometime around the middle of November so I don't become lazy.

So, I'm extremely distracted...again. I swear, its so hard to email over here in Kobe because there are always things going on over here. Ugh, time also goes so fast over here in God's door. Can you believe that this transfer is already over?! Well...next week that is, but this transfer has literally been the fastest transfer ever. I'm going to be on transfer 11 next week! Seriously, I can't even remember what had happened this last transfer because things have been so hectic. Oh well, I guess that's life. I bet its the leadership positions that is draining all of my time! All the meetings, training, companion exchanges and emergencies are time bandits. Way effective and needed , but time bandits none the less. Hopefully, for my last few transfers I can go and settle down in some way inaka area helping out. But, I don't need to care about those things because I need to fulfill my responsibility in the area that the Lord sent me to now.

I don't know, this transfer had been really interesting for me. I mean, granted we did see success, but I still feel like this transfer was more for me to learn an important lesson. These last few weeks have been such an eye opener for me. With a combination of the Elder Ringwood mission tour, President's interviews and other important factors, I've found myself pondering rather deeply of how missionary work really affects people in an eternal perspective. Missionaries, members and investigators are all effected by the work that is done in the world right now. I mean, my life definitely has changed! I've realized that there are things I still need to learn and apply before my time is up; so many things. It was a good wake up call for me!

Well, there's only one computer...and my companion is whining so I'll let him email now. This week has been great, our beloved office elders finally saw a baptism this past day!!! Awesome huh? His name's Yamada and he is the BOSS. Literally, they boss.

Anywho, Love you bunch!

Elder Saito