日本の冒険！Week 29: The True Source Power 真の力の源

So, good week. Spent some time planning for district meeting and the meeting went really well. I translated for the Japanese Elder while the Zone Leaders gave an hour long training! First time translating. haha. Well, it was rough at the beginning, but I kind of figured it out by the end.

Well, lessons were scarce, but had some great experiences. We were able to set up a return appointment with the Yamasaki`s, the investigators from 40 years ago I mentioned last week. We are meeting them tonight. We also found a Family to teach! We will be teaching them this Thursday. Kind of reminded me how easy it is when you find someone prepared to receive you. We didn`t say a whole lot, but they just told us, sure, we`d love to hear your message! kind of thing. So that was exciting.

I`ve had a lot of time to think about my strengths as a missionary, and as a person in general. The Okayama Zone Leaders have always said to `Work from your Strengths`.

The Zone leaders also asked me to read Elder Bednar`s talk in the April Ensign (https://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/04/the-atonement-and-the-journey-of-mortality?lang=eng) about the Atonement.

From these I`ve been able to disern my greatest strength. It was something I knew was a strength I had, but did not fully realize its importance.

My greatest strength is my knowledge of my Savior, my Redeemer. Of His infinite Atonement for all the Children of God. That through the enabling power of the Atonement, I can gain power to overcome my circumstances. It is not a common knowledge. In fact, it is extremely rare. To have that knowledge and feel that connection is an incredible gift from God. Too often I have taken it for granted. Through that Atonement, not only can I be cleansed from my sins, but be strengthened from my imperfections, receive divine power over weaknesses, and essentially conquer the Natural Man and even Satan himself.  Christ knows who we are. He has endured everything we have and more. But more than that, He knows what we can become. If every person could have even a small glimpse of the person Christ knows we can become, anyone would realize how much more they can give, how much more they can grow. Christ knows because he has suffered for not only our sins, but our weakness and our infirmities. He knows our weaknesses. He has given us the power to overcome them though the infinite Atonement. He has given us the power to achieve the Potential within us all. He has made the sacrifice sufficient for each person on this Earth to become perfect, regardless of what weaknesses, insecurities, or doubt that they might be harboring. All we need to do is access the power he offers to Everyone.

Well, a busy week ahead! including today! Have a great week! Miracles are ahead. The Lord is Hastening his work!

Love you all,
Elder O`Reilly

Teaching English! preparing before class.

Random place while we were knocking some doors.

Yeah, we went back to this place. haha. Soooooo good. I had 7 plates of food. A lot of it was sushi. haha. Elder Ogasawara was surprised by some of the foods I liked. Said he has never seen an American who likes those foods. haha.

This was last night, on the way home from where we were working. The word that comes to mind is `tranquility'.
Pretty sweet shot. Even cooler in person.

So this E-mail place has free ice-cream and soda, but today we got here a little earlier than normal (we woke up earlier), and they have this for morning customers for free! pretty great. Although it is a weird combination of food. haha. Toast, corn, and fries.