Week 53: And now for something completely different. 今から別の話ですが。。。

We`ve been having a blast. We`ve been talking to a lot of really cool people (its summer break for some people now)  and finding some really cool people. We`ve been using different contacting approaches than just trying to flag people down, and its way more effective and fun. For example, we found a dying secada on the ground and my companion picked it up (its huge) and we took it to people and asked them what it was. (even though we already knew, haha.)  It was good to break the ice and we will soon meet with a new potential investigator because of it. We did it again with a feather, and we are meeting with that guy tomorrow. haha. Its pretty great. Everyone just naturally loves my companion, so we can stop groups of people and families out for the day and have gospel conversations with them.

District meeting went pretty good, with 12 missionaries in the district, I was pretty nervous but everything turned out well. They are all outstanding missionaries, and the numbers in the district just skyrocketed this week. The other area in the district, with 8 missionaries in it, were able to bring NINE investigators to their ward of 40 people. That is a lot of extra people. haha.

We had a baptism yesterday! The baptism was awesome! I preformed the baptism, and he is going to be a great addition to the ward. Love that guy!

Well, looking forward to another really fun week! Love you all!

Me

So the festival we were going to go to last week wasn`t going on, so we went here instead. ( I`ve been here before.)

My companion is going to destroy it. haha.

We did this thing where we split a watermelon with Bamboo! I didn`t get to do it, but this is one of our investigators before he split that thing in half! It was awesome. It was at a family home evening activity the ward did. Really fun.

The party on Saturday!

BAPTISM! it was great. o(^-^)o

Week 52: start 始め

Hello everyone.

So it was a great week. I`m district leader of like the biggest district ever (12 people) so I`m on the phone from like 8:30 to 10:30 every night. Its crazy.  But its great to have the opportunity to serve them all.

My new companion is Elder Steers, from California. He, just like Elder Hoshino, loves rugby and surfing. haha, kind of funny how that works out.  He likes to work hard, so we`ll get along great.  We set another baptismal date on Thursday, and have some new investigators that`ll be progressing soon. Things are still going good! We`ve had 4 investigators to church 3 weeks in a row now.

Working with all these young missionaries makes me realize how far I`ve come as a missionary. I am not good with working with people, and I`ve never been a good teacher, but with the Lord`s help, we can teach a lesson that powerfully brings in the spirit to touch the investigator`s heart. The Gospel is truly something that changes people, and Its changing me!

Well, probably going to Kyoto today, there is a HUGE festival.

Love you all!
me

takoyaki. last meal with elder hoshino. (T.T)

Elder Steers! emailing his family!

Week 51: the rescue 救出

So we had a pretty exciting week.

First thing though is Transfer calls!
Elder Hoshino is leaving....................................... I`m devastated. haha.  He is so awesome. He is going to be a district leader/ trainer next transfer...... on his 3rd transfer. Which is unheard of. Really sad I only got to be his companion for one transfer.

My new companion is....... I don`t know yet. He`s still in America. haha ^^ Its a new missionary! I`ll be training again, this time from the beginning.

Also, Hirakata will be receiving 2 more missionaries, Elder Rasmussen, (who was in my district in Fukuyama) and another brand-new missionary.  Plenty of room in the apartment, so it should be fine. 3 MORE sisters will be coming to Sekime, making my district 5 companionships, 12 missionaries. wooooahhhhhh.

So the rescue, right? we rescued a person, physically. Well... mostly it was Elder Hoshino. (He wants to be a firefighter, so He knows what he`s doing). There was this 20ish year old girl laying on this bench, and we were wondering if she was OK, and when it started to rain, hard, we realized she was probably not ok. We ran over and she was breathing really hard, and in a lot of pain. (I don`t know what from, it was internal)  Elder Hoshino carried her out of the rain, (I saved her phone and purse...... woah! what a hero I am!) and then we helped her as best we could until the ambulance came.

Also, we set a baptismal date with another investigator! He`s 77, and he is way awesome. I`m kind of worried, `cause he talks a ton and I don`t always understand it all, (and now Elder Hoshino is leaving), but he`s great. We taught the message of the restoration, and I invited him to be baptized on August 10th. He accepted the invitation quite firmly. I love sharing the message of the restoration. There is always a special spirit that comes when the first vision is recited.

He came to church for the 3rd time in a row yesterday, (hasn't missed a Sunday yet) , along with 3 other investigators. Things are going quite well.

Well, I`m going to enjoy my last 5 days with Elder Hoshino!

Love you all!
me

Chilled chinese Noodle dish we made....... sooooo gooood............

Found this beetle in the house. Don`t know how it got in. 2nd floor window seal.

Now this is cool! It`s a secada, freshly come out of its shell. Extremely rare to see. Elder Hoshino said it was the 2nd time he ever saw this. It can`t move until it is dry or something....? it was right by our front door when we came home last night.  We got the shell this morning. haha.

Week 50: Break the wall 壁を壊す

Yes, we are breaking the wall. That is, exercising faith to overcome obstacles that appear to stand in the way of the Work of God. Things have been going quite well lately.

We have been doing really awesome as a companionship learning to work together and just having a blast working hard everyday.  Been seeing a lot of progress. This week, 2 times when we were out looking for people we found someone and had a lesson right then. 4 investigators came to church yesterday, and we have 8 progressing investigators right now, with more on the way.  We taught lessons everyday this week and deep cleaned the apartment today. haha. All in all things are looking good.

Our lessons are improving with time, and one of our investigators just said he likes talking to me because it makes him feel good.  I really love this area and the people here and my companion.

Well, I love you all! Have an awesome week. Exercise some faith and do some things you can`t. That`s what me and my companion say a lot. ^^

Elder O`Reilly


Hey mom, Japan celebrates your birthday! Its called the star festival! 7/7.  Pretty cool, right? it was a really good day over here in Japan. Everyone was really friendly and such.

Well, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! while I may have forgot 4th of July, I didn`t forget your birthday. Did you get my present in the mail? I bought it at fushimi inari.  I had everyone in the district sign it. haha ^^

Happy Birthday Mom!! From Japan.

Elders of the district at fushimi inari

The District! sorry, not the best picture. :P

Me with a lot of arches. and a weird face.

bought some chopsticks with OReilly written on them. In kanji. ^^

This one is just for Meagan. I thought of you when I bought this! It was waaaay good.

The Zone! (had zone training meeting)

日本の冒険！Week 49: Walking in Darkness 暗闇を歩む

Sorry, too lazy to think up a new title today. haha. ^^

Well the coolest thing that happened this week was actually last Monday. After coming back from hanging out with the district, we just walked around the train station talking to people. One guy called out to us. `I always see you guys on rainy days!` haha. We had run into him before, but that time he didn`t give us his phone number or anything. This time, he decided to walk 10 minutes with us to the church and hear a message! haha. He`s pretty awesome. Had another lesson on Friday, and he is now reading the book of Mormon and praying to know that it is true.  Miracles happen!

 Also had district meeting and a companion exchange. It went really good. I got a lot of compliments already about how the district meeting helped out a lot. It was about finding more Elect because of the simpleness and clearness of our message.

Well, this week should be awesome as usual! It is testing week for college students, so might be a little hard to meet with people but still have a good number of lessons scheduled.

We`ve been teaching more and more lately and it feels really good. Teaching is always a good spiritual experience. Helping investigators progress is probably the best way to progress as a missionary.  Now if just everyone knew how awesome missionary lessons are! I just want to baptize everyone! haha.

Love you all!
Elder O`Reilly

Downtown OSAKA! one of the most densely populated places in the world.  Those trees...... are on the like 11th floor. yeah. crazy, right?

Saw this water clock on You-tube before the mission. Way cooler in person, haha.  Its in the middle of just crazy city. in a train station actually.

GOTTA CATCH `EM ALL!!  ( the elect of God, that is. Maybe Pokeballs would help...?)

And finally a good picture of me and my companion.

And another.

The other Elders in the district.

(when I follow up with the Elders its in Japanese, and when I follow up with one of the zone leaders its Japanese. I`m more immersed than ever before and I'm loving it ^^  )

Going to Fushimi-inari again today with the district. should be fun! I bought a booster-pack of pokemon cards at the poke-center as a souvenir. It was nostalgic. haha. I got a rare holographic blastoise card. Ask any of the kids, they'll know who it is. haha. it was fun.