Dear Mom,
How are you doing? I was really happy to get the emails from you this past week as thanksgiving and our favorite holiday (after Christmas) happened. Man, I really wish that I could have been with you for that one! I love the day after thanksgiving so so much! I was really really happy to hear that Jenna got to spend the day with you in my place,
though. :) I love you, Mom! :) I hope that your health and the health of everyone else is holding up. :) I know that with the holidays coming there can be more stress along with the excitement and the fun. :) keep the happiness and the love that you feel spread to everyone you know!
So, This past week was so so so up and down. Such a good week though! I believe I told you about my day with Elder Nagano (my old MTC companion) right? As a quick recap, we found two new investigators that day, and taught a whole bunch of lessons. It was really good. :) I loved it! Then we had the temple! But, to jump back into the part of the week that you haven't heard….
First on Tuesday night we had a lesson with a man by the name of N! He is one of the people that I found with Elder Nagano. It was great to see him, even though he ended up coming a half an hour late or so. While we were waiting for him we saw this man on the ground, who looked like he had fallen, and then we looked closer and he as bleeding all over the back of his head! It was a lot of blood, and definitely something I haven't seen in person before. Anyway, we met with him and were able to teach the third lesson, or the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. It was good, and he accepted the soft baptismal commitment. We loved meeting with him and invited him to meet again on Friday night, but to bring his wife! He said yes!! We were so stoked. Then Friday rolled around. We called him about five minutes before the appointment to confirm and he said that everything was still okay, and that his wife said that she was coming too! We waited for them at the church....and waited....and waited. Sadly, they didn't show up. We don't know what happened yet, because they haven't answered our phone call or any of our messages. Hopefully we can contact him and his wife soon. They seemed really prepared.
Then, on Wednesday we had a good day as well, going to a district meeting and then coming back for Boy Scouts English class! That was really fun, and we talked all about thanksgiving. And then Thursday happened. :) haha
Thursday was crazy. We had a REALLY long weekly and monthly planning, that went super well. Sadly, it also took longer than we wanted, which really took down some of our opportunity to get out and find people. Then, we went to the church for a lesson with K, who I had taught at Questions of the Soul with Elder Shurilla. This was a really intense, but really good lesson. We talked about the restoration, and then asked him what he would feel if he got an answer like Joseph Smith. He said that he doesn't want an answer from God, because he doesn't want God to be real. We found out again that he has had some really close people pass away, and he feels that if God is real, he would not let that happen. We listened and did all that we could to help him understand his need for prayer, and he finally committed to pray once. We also asked him to come to church, and he came! Sunday was a huge miracle! He came to church, and then ended up spending about 8 hours with us from church, to lunch at the church, and then going to a members house. It was so good, and I really felt the power of members in that lesson. They helped him a lot with his concerns, and as we talked about the Plan of Salvation he loved to hear that he could meet his loved ones again. I am excited to continue working with him.
Elder Cook and Elder Philips were also able to teach S in bible class is week! Also, after they taught, Elder Cook introduced some of the commandments. S seemed to be worried about some of them, and actually mailed us this weekend to tell us he doesn't want to take lessons anymore. :P We haven't give up hope yet, and are just going to do all that we can to help him. Please continue to pray for him and for his heart it be softened. :)
That was the biggest part of our week this last week! We had a lot of fun times, and I was able to go on splits with Elder Clark again. :) I love working in Japan. It is the best! I hope that things continue to go well at home. :) I also love hearing from you throughout the week.
I know the church is true. I love you so much, Mom, and I pray for you and our family. Please take care of everyone for me! I look up to you so much, and I hope that you can feel just how much I love you. I love you infinity!! :) <3
Love,
Elder Livingston
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