Dearest Mother,
I am penning this with heavy heart, and saddened with the burdens of my lonely existence. Not a fortnight ago, Elder Leftwich, my brave companion, and I set off on a journey. But alas, all good things must come to an end, (except eternal families) just like our companionship.
hahaha Anywho, we had transfer calls! It really will be sad to see Elder Leftwich leave, but I will always remember the days that we got to spend together with fondness. He is a great missionary and I learned a lot. He is a great leader, and someday will be a fantastic father. I am sure of it. But, I get a great new companion as well! :)
Let me introduce, through words, Elder Driscoll. The first time that I met Elder Driscoll was one of my first days at the MTC. He is my doki (the same group that came to Japan with me). He was not in my zone at the MTC so I did not know him that well, but there was one thing that I knew him for. And it was something that I learned during our exercise time......on the field.....the soccer field. :D He is an incredible soccer player!!! :D So, needless to say, he made a very good first impression on me. He is a great missionary, and is currently serving in an area just north of me. He will become my new companion on Thursday. I am a little bit nervous to become senior companion again, especially as zone leader, but at the same time I am really excited for the challenge. :)
I have been thinking a lot about how best to help my zone a lot recently, and I came to the conclusion that inspired goal setting was needed. Well, is still needed. I have thought about and learned a lot about goal setting recently, and I hope that you are continuing to set goals. Long term as well as short term. Both are so vital. If you do not have an end goal, a vision, in mind, then you aren't going to push yourself to do and be better. If you don't have short goals to help you reach that goal, then you aren't usually going to be able to make it. Thus, both are very important. I plead with you to make sure to set good, inspired goals and to follow through with them so that you can better grow in the gospel, as well as in personal hobbies, health, and things like that.
I would also like to talk a little bit about Ryosuke and Tommy. I may have mentioned when we found them just a little while ago. Like....last week or two weeks ago. But, anyway, we got to go to a family home evening in the Wada's home with Ryosuke last week. These two incredibly musically talented elders gave a really good lesson with a bunch of performances about feeling the spirit through music, and it really helped our investigator. He was able to recognize that Spirit and to have just a small taste of that fruit that Lehi talked about. And then on Thursday we were able to meet with both of them and have dinner, go to our Sport's night here in Kichijoji, and then give them a church tour. It was incredibly spiritual, and they said that they want to learn and study from the Book of Mormon. And today we get to meet at least Ryosuke as well! :) haha it is going to be way fun. We wanted it to be more relaxed today, so we are going to watch Meet the Mormons with him and just help him get a bit more introduced to
the Mormon Culture.
Anyway, that is a little update on me! :) How are things going at home? Oh! I remembered one other thing that I really want to share with you. Yesterday in church a man by the name of Akamatsu Kyodai gave a really really good talk about praying. And the point that he emphasized was giving thanks. It made me think a lot about my prayers, and how much thanks that I give in relation to how much I ask for. I really want to make sure that my prayers are full of thanks, and that is something that I am going to work on from here on out. I want you to do the same. Make sure that your prayers are full of thanks. The Lord has blessed you so so so much, mom, and I hope that you recognize that and regularly tell that to him. Mom, you are incredible. Thank you so much for all that you do for me, and for our family. I hope that you know you are an example to so many people. More than you could know. You have touched a lot of lives here in Japan with your example, and they have never even met you before. I love you so much, and I hope that you have a fantastic day! :) <3 And Happy Fourth of July this week! :) <3
I love you!!
Love, Elder Livingston
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