More Snow

I had a really busy week as usual, but this time it was a bit more
like a big snowy adventure. We got another 5 inches or so and they are
saying that it's the most snow in this part of Japan for a 120 years!
we're expecting another storm on Wednesday.

This week was Mission Leadership Council. President Budge talked to us
a lot about our vision and purpose as missionaries. Elder Whiting told
him that we needed to raise our vision. President Budge, however, felt
that that wasn't really the problem. Our standards of excellence are
really high and we aren't even succeeding in reaching them yet. He
talked to President Heaton of the MTC about it and President Heaton
talked about our focus. He said that becoming consecrated, trying to
reach the standards of excellence and focusing on baptisms were all
good things. However, if missionaries really focused on their purpose
and there role in this work that we wouldn't need to focus on any of
these other things, they would naturally increase as missionaries
focused on helping others.

In D&C 88:73 it says that The Lord will hasten his work. HE will
hasten his own work. It doesn't matter whether we are here to help or
not, the work will be hastened. Our purpose is to focus on the people
and help The Lord help them. A lot of missionaries are struggling
because try as they might they don't see a baptism their first two
transfers or they worry about their Japanese skills etc. They get so
caught up in these things that they can't help anyone. Elder Neil A
Maxwell said that we often "get caught up in the thick of thin
things." I feel like that statement is really profound. Our goal is
not to learn Japanese, or to fix a wards' problems, it's to help
others come unto Christ. Our entire focus as missionaries is helping
other people. That's why they call it "SERVING a Mission." Our
Re-Vision is that we need to take the pressure off of ourselves and
start focusing on the people behind the numbers. They are there!! They
are waiting!! President Budge talked to us about the Leadership Model
and how we as mission leaders would help everyone make this 2 degree
adjustment. He talked about how after we had a Re-Vision that we
needed a Re-Alignment, followed by a Re-Charge and a Re-Model. The
Re-Model was probably the most important part. We as Zone Leaders need
to be asking the right kind of questions to help the missionaries we
work closely with help others progress.

The question that President Budge posed was a great one. he said, "Who
is God working on in your area? What do they need?" He then talked to
us about the Circle of Revelation and how it all begins from heartfelt
prayer. We also receive revelation during our personal study, our
companionship study, our language study, during our planning sessions
etc. As missionaries we have to act on this revelation in order to
better help our friends. It was an incredibly enlightening conference.
I feel much more capable as a missionary because I feel like this
conference really helped me focus on my purpose. It was simply the
basics, Re-Visited. I'm excited to share this with the zone.

Exchanges this week were really fun. I had a chance to work with Elder
Kitagaki in Okegawa. Because it was Valentines day and because it was
snowy and cold we thought we should do some sort of fun valentines day
dendo to cheer everyone up. Elder Kitagaki had the great idea of
buying chocolate and giving it to people on the street. In Japan there
is Valentines Day on February 14th and there is White Day on March
15th. On Valentines Day the women give the men stuff. On White Day men
give women stuff. Anyway we decided to give out chocolate and stop
people on the street. It was nearly impossible with the snow, but we
managed to stop a few people. It was really fun actually. A lot of
people took the chocolate we gave out and listened to our message. We
still didn't find anyone but we had a lot of fun. I think that's the
most important part.

Yesterday all the Sakado Elder's went to help a family in our ward
who's car port hd collapsed because of the snow. I wish I had taken
pictures. It was a sight to see. The 4 of us in our suits and ties
walked an hour in the snow tear the thing apart and then walked about
an hour back, all before Sacrament Meeting. If that isn't missionary
work, then I don't know what is.

Well that's the update! Here's a couple snapshots of the week!

Elder Chen and I at the Temple