(We received this email from Trevor's mission president on Friday night)
"We were awakened by an earthquake this morning at about 5:30. Everyone is fine and there seems to be no damage of any significance. It was centered about 25 miles south of Kobe and has been reported as 5.8.
We have a couple of Japanese sister missionaries just a few miles from the epicenter serving in the Sumoto Branch. They called within a few minutes of the quake. They reported that they were fine and that some church members were with them already. They were nervously laughing with the members. A lot of things in their apartment had fallen off shelves but nothing was broken. The sisters were a little shaken and began running to the mountains in their PJs in case of a tsunami. After a bit of clean-up they dressed and went to assist some members at their homes.
Today and tomorrow the saints here gather to see General Conference broadcast at the stake centers, wards and branches."
Here is Trevor's letter:
Hello World. I would like to inform you that I survived the earthquake. The apartment survived as well. We were called upon to see if the church still stands. It still stands. all is well. Although the earthquake was intense, all is well. It all started when I was sleeping on my futon. The room started to shake. I thought my companion was just shaking me or something! haha. But then I realized the whole room was shaking. Then the phone started vibrating and my companion looks at it and says `the phone says we`re in an earthquake!` haha. I rocked back and forth about an inch or so for about 30 seconds. It was pretty scary, but somehow I survived. Miraculously, the church still stands, and no missionaries died. It was, however, pretty fun.
So yeah, a better week. We set some goals and thought realistically about what we needed to do to see some success. The goals missionaries usually set aren`t all that encouraging if you can`t find any people to teach. So we set some smaller goals, such as talk to a certain number of people in a day. Extend this many contacts in one day. It was easier to put faith in simpler goals like these.
So, we did that. And that same day we went out, talked to tons of people, and in a matter of 3 hours we set up 4 new investigator appointments, one of which we already met with and set up a return appointment. Pretty sweet.
We had a great general conference. We had to get a signature from the district leader for the baptismal record we finally got a hold of (for brother Akiyama) so we biked to Sakai Church Saturday, and watched it with them. Then we watched Sunday in the kitchen of Senboku church on the branch president`s laptop. So all in English. They use hard words in conference, so it would have been rough in Japanese. haha.
I particularly liked Holland`s talk on faith. Specifically about receiving help from both sides of the veil the moment we seek it. Reminds me of the time Peter walked on water, and as soon as he called out for help, Christ immediately reached out and saved him. I`ve felt help like that come immediately before, and I`ll probably need it again and again. The great thing is that it comes every time.
Well I love you all and please know that I am doing great! and earthquakes are fun! as long as they don`t destroy anything. haha.
Elder O`Reilly
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| We made some pretty good fried rice! haha. |
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| The district minus us. We were at the table across from them. |
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| Lunch after district meeting. It was good, but I like sushi more. haha. ^^ |
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