日本の冒険！What you have been searching for is in front of you 捜し求めていた答えは、あなたの前にある。

Ok, the title sounds better in Japanese. I promise.

Alright, well I don`t really want to tell you about this week. It wouldn`t be all that exciting anyways.

But I do want to tell you the true power of some things you probably already know about.

So. I`ve been learning much through observance, thought, and experience. It is curious how something you thought you knew all along can end up being completely foreign to you. Even something as basic as a Christ-like attribute, or a scripture mastery can present ideas that have never occurred to you before.

I, along with many others I am sure, have often just looked for what secret I am missing. What I need to do in order to perform mighty miracles,  to perform works such as missionaries of old. I don`t believe that it's just because the Lord doesn`t want to bless the people right now, that it is not in His time. The Lord loves the people too much to allow them to suffer in darkness any longer. Nor do I believe the Lord is just `Testing my faith`. Perhaps these excuses are occasionally valid, but I think they are perhaps used too often to push the blame for lack of mission success onto the Lord. The reason perhaps, is as the Lord explained himself, to his disciples.  ( I don`t remember the reference right now) When they asked him why they were not able to cast out the evil spirits and Christ was, He told them that it was because their Faith was insufficient. These, the very men who worked along side the Master, did not have sufficient faith. There is no secret I am missing.  The power of God can work through me. The book containing the fullness of the gospel is at my disposal.

Well, in short, I think perhaps the reason we don`t see as big of miracles today is because people have become afraid to admit to weakness. They have contented themselves with excuses that lead to nothing. I am no exception. If we were to accept our nothingness and depend fully on the Lord, then we would be living in a time full of miracles. It is curious that only once we have accepted our nothingness and humbled ourselves, we become the most powerful.

Yeah, so nothing too crazy happened this week. Had an exchange with Elder Ogasawara again, which was cool. A guy came to church, but wasn`t too impressed. We had a good number of appointments set up, but they all canceled. I suppose it is a sign that we need to prepare ourselves a little more before the Lord will trust us with His Children. Time to get to work then. ^^

This week there will be a special ALL MISSION meeting, in OSAKA. Pretty exciting. We have to leave the night before, and stay the night in Sekime, the heart of the craze that is Osaka, and in the morning leave for the meeting in Abeno. So should be pretty good.

Well, I`ll do my best to prepare myself quickly, because the Lord has more in store than what we saw this week!

Love you all.
Elder O`Reilly

We went to the castle again. Pretty cool.

Here is some random red-haired guy in front of the castle, just in case you wanted to see him.

somehow still pretty in the winter.

Me at the kurashiki church again.

Why do I love bridges so much? haha. This one is in Kurashiki. (neighboring area)

This is what we did at service this last week. uhh...... yeah, I don`t really know either. That`s my companion.

日本の冒険！Week 31: Wait for it....... ちょっと待って。。。

So I have a new companion now. A sudden drop in level of responsibility... kind of nice actually, not so much stress all the time. I still stress out too easily. I`ve been able to refocus myself and overcome a lot of my stress this week. So that is good. I`ve been able to allow myself to enjoy the work a lot more. Also, with less stress, my studies have been more effective and my speaking ability has increased.... even in just 3 days I`ve noticed.  It also has a lot to do with the really epic zone conference we had last week. Like I said before, I`m not going to say what it was specifically about, but it affected every part of my missionary work. I`ve gained more confidence, become more effective at stopping groups of people on the street, and my language ability is just soaring. Gift of tongues for sure!

My new companion and I get along fine. As long as my companion likes hard work, we get along fine usually. ^^

So numbers-wise, not the best week ever...... in fact, it was the worst week ever. ummm.... literally. I was a little surprised by that. Transfers takes a little bit of time out of the week, but still!  Well, can only go up from here! I can feel the Lord`s hand in the work. Just yesterday, I stopped the first guy I saw after church on the way to the apartment for lunch, and just straight-up invited him to church, without saying much else. He said sure! and we traded numbers and then he agreed to hear more about the message! so pretty exciting. We`ve had a few experiences like that and we will see how they turn up this coming Sunday.

Well, other than just talking to a billion people, we went to the Hirokane family`s place for dinner yesterday! It was way good. Japanese pizza. It has good stuff on it, like eggs and corn and such. Way tasty stuff. They are such a great family.

So yeah...... wait for it......... and when I say that, I mean the big stuff. Because It didn`t happen this week. I know the Lord`s vision for Japan, for Fukuyama, is just around the corner. I just have to DO it.

Love you all!
Elder O`Reilly

A sunny day by the church.

Pretty cool!

It is raining today a little....... haha. Ok, its raining a lot.
This is the view from Fukuyama apartment. Yeah, the view from Joyo was WAAAYYY better.

The pizza just kept coming!

I played a quick game of Battle ship with one of the sons.

 It was fun ^^ I lost. You can`t see him in the picture. haha.

There he is!

Dinner with the Hirokane`s is always way fun!

日本の冒険！Week 30: A marvelous work is coming forth 驚くべき業が現れようとしている。

And it begins. It turns out that everything was merely a prelude to the moment that God knew the conditions would be right for the hastening of his work in Japan. Well, the conditions are right, it seems.

On Friday, we had a Zone meeting. It was from 10 AM until almost 7PM. It was also probably the best meeting I`ve ever attended.  President Zinke is quite the leader.  He basically told us the time is now, to fulfill revelation given by the prophet Heber J. Grant about 100 years ago! He prophesied that the work in Japan would one day `astonish the world`. There were many other things discussed in that meeting about how we would bring this about. This mission has so many great missionaries in it.

Well, its only been 3 days since that meeting, but the miracles that have been preformed by missionaries across the mission are certainly `marvelous`.  All the number indicators shot up and the `miracles across the mission` section of the E-mail included a list of about 10+ miracles instead of the usual one miracle.  Elder Hunt and I have had our share of the success, including teaching a progressing investigator who we had lost contact with for over 6 weeks, finding people who can come to church, and teaching a past investigator we`ve never met with. We got back into contact with our other previous investigator who had a baptismal date set. All of that happened in the past 3 days. yeah, I know, right? The mission is exploding with enthusiasm and power it hasn`t seen before. The number indicators are higher then they`ve ever been. I am so glad to be called to the Kobe Mission at this monumental start of something great.

Last night we also had the great opportunity of visiting the Mizuta family again for Home Teaching. We had the famous Hiroshima Okonomiyaki again. soooo good. ^^ We shared with them a message about charity.  It was a great message, and reminded me how much I am blessed, and how far I am from perfect.

Oh yeah, I also gave a talk in Sacrament. About Church welfare. uhhhh...... yeah I don`t know where that topic came from. haha. I didn`t even know the Japanese word for welfare. I think a talk about welfare in English would have been tough. haha. But I just talked about how sharing the gospel is a form of welfare. haha. Talking missionary stuff is easy. ^^

Well, Thursday is transfers. I`m staying, Elder Hunt is going. My new companion is Elder Rice, who also has red hair. haha. He is going to be the new district leader. He is on transfer 14 (out of 16). So it will be weird to just be a junior companion again, but the extra study time will be nice. ^^ I`ve really learned to appreciate study time.

Well, great things are happening! So be excited for next week`s report!
Love you all!
Elder O`Reilly

Last P-Day, we went to some cool place with the district. Not sure what the name was. haha! Yeah.... this is the only picture I got with everyone in it. sorry. :P That is Elder Ogasawara in the air, my camera got the picture pretty good, huh? it was on a timer! Elder Hunt is closest to the camera, and Elder Rasmusen is in the back.

It is glasses month I decided ^^

WOOAAHHH....  haha.

We felt pretty adventurous. It was a way cool place. The whole thing looks like an old ninja city or something.

Probably the coolest tree ever. I`ve gotten pretty good at taking pictures of myself, huh? haha! XD

The place is in Kurashiki. So if you look up famous places in Kurashiki, you can probably find out what it is. haha!

A cool building. ^^

The center of the place. The weather made for a really cool mood.

We were asked to assemble this at the service place.... so we did. It was pretty fun and I learned a little about what it is. On the left is Seiichiro. He is the most physically capable of any of the patients there. He is way cool! ^^

First companion exchange with a Japanese Elder! It was way fun. I realized how much I`ve learned. He doesn`t speak a lot of English yet, so the whole exchange was in Japanese. We worked in Kurashiki.

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.

日本の冒険！Week 28: Trust 信頼

So I`ve begun to change my thought process a little.  In my studies I have discovered a few things. First of all, we don`t know a lot about the spirit world. Secondly, much about angels in general is pretty vague. While the fullness of the gospel is restored, (the gospel being Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end) beyond that, we don`t know a ton.

What we can do is work from what we have. It just so happens that the phrase repeated more often than any other scripture is seek and you shall find. Curiously enough, it is used the most often in D&C, after most of the main revelations, like the Book of Mormon, were already revealed.

It also states in Article of Faith #9, God will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

I don`t think that these examples were all listed in modern sources just for the use of the Modern Prophet.

If we ask in the spirit, and with faith, we can have great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God made known unto us.  And when I say `we`, I mean you. I mean me. Just regular people. Just Children of the Almighty God.  If we were to ask in Faith, we would be endowed with the Power of God. The power to do anything. We could become as Nephi (in 3rd Nephi), to whom angels appeared daily to minister to him. We could speak with such power that no one would be able to disbelieve our words. (also 3rd Nephi)

Why is it then that I can`t do those things? Well, time to build my faith some more! Is it really all that much harder to move a mountain than to receive inspiration from the Holy Ghost? I don`t think so. Any difficulty is simply a perceived difficulty.

So, the way my thought process is changing is really just realizing who I am. I am a Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Ok...... cool...... what does that mean? I am a Servant of the Almighty God, a Defender of Righteousness among the greatest enemies to the forces of Evil, a warrior endowed with divine power from God to the destroying of the Adversary`s reign in the Vineyard of the Lord. Ok. That is a cooler title. Sometimes it is better to think of it like that, because that is what it truly is. The forces of the Devil are real, and they are deeply embedded in the world. My companion and I alone hold the authority for Convert Baptisms in this area, in which tens of thousands of people live. Apart from us, there is no escape from the devil`s wicked grasp. He is destroying families and bringing people down to an awful destruction. There is no time to be weak in this war of eternal consequences!

Well, I rather enjoyed that rant. I think I gained some things from it as well. Gosh, I miss being able to type all the time. I don`t have time to write this all on paper. So it is good to get it all down somewhere. This week was good. Taught 2 new investigator lessons! Both to previous investigators. One was found in the area book. Good first lesson, but it was just at her front door. Kind of unfortunate.  The other was a pretty cool story. So we were knocking some doors late one night, and one answer, and they say, Oh, the Latter- day Saint missionaries!! Long time no see! Come in!  ..... woah. ok. So they were investigators FORTY years ago, investigating as a young family. They are now in their 70s but still remember the missionaries names, that the center of the church is in Utah, and even a primary song! woah! So we will visit them again this week.

Funny story of the week. We knocked on a door. Heard some arguing behind the door about whether they should open it. Saw a guy look out the window at us (probably about 70 yrs old?) and then eventually, after like 5 minutes, he opens the door. We explain we are missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ and his wife says, We`re ok! ( a common refusal in Japan) but he just says `what was that??` and I say it again, slower. He says `Oh..... that is absolutely not going to work here!` haha. It was funnier in Japanese. He told us, `well, if I get another chance I`ll think about it, but for today,` and he held up an `X`    `no. There may be another chance, and maybe there won`t, but today is no.`  haha. ok. Next time.

Well, I`m going to expect big things this week, so you all expect the same. ^^

Love you all!
Elder O`Reilly

OK. so we went to this new buffet place for district meeting with the district. OH MY GOSH BY FAR BEST FOOD OF MY LIFE. it has everything. Yakiniku (pictured here, just a huge wall of raw meat you take and bring back to the table and cook), sushi, fried noodles, rice stuffs, ice creams of every flavor, Takoyaki, the list goes on. Pretty cheap too, when it is lunch.

I had a few plates just for sushi. Good stuff.
Just open the cabinet and take as much as you want. my first plate had like 20 or so on it haha.

The other Elders in the district, Elders Rasmussen and Ogasawara.

All you can eat cotton candy as well. Like they really had everything.
I am not very good at making cotton candy.

                                 Sorry I`m always taking food pics. haha. It is the only time I am just sitting there.
                                 I`ll try to remember to take a good picture this week. haha. I`ll probably forget. :P

WOAH! SNOW ON THE GROUND THIS MORNING!
It all melted by the time we left though. Pretty surprising though.
It has actually snowed a few times, but this is the first stick.
Snow is better than rain, you don`t get soaked. So it is warmer. ^^

Any Zelda fans out there? When we rode by this on our bikes late at night, it looked just like the
grave yard in Ocarina of Time! It was awesome! haha.  I don`t think I`m going to pull any
gravestones and jump down into any ancient tombs though.

日本の冒険！Week 27: Overcoming Adversity 逆境を克服

So. This week. What changed. Well. Let me tell you.

Not a whole lot. As I strive to always improve myself, seek humility, and rely on the Lord I have found strength. Yet I suppose I am not quite prepared for what the Lord has in mind for me, because I`m not doing it yet.

I am still not a good conversationalist or a powerful teacher. I know that the Lord knows that though. And he called me because of those things, not in spite of them. He calls us to this work because of our imperfections. He calls `the weak things of the world` because they have to rely on him. Well, that I am a `Weak thing of the World` I am sure. So I suppose I am fit to `Thrash the Nations`, specifically Japan. Alright. Now what exactly does thrashing a nation mean and how does one go about doing that.....? haha.

Well, we had interviews this week. In Okayama. First train ride in like 3 weeks. It was good to ride a train again. I talked to President about it a little, and he said many missionaries hit a wall, on about their 5th transfer. Which is the transfer I am on. He said just to make sure I am doing all I can do and just keep pressing forward, and I`ll come out on my 7th transfer OK. uhh..... I wish he had said on my 6th transfer ok.... but he said 7th. haha. Well, I`ll try hard to come out of it before then. :P

I really want to teach someone. A family to teach would be awesome. But anyone would be great. Our investigators we`ve taught in the past we either can`t contact or they can`t meet with us for various reasons. We did have a lesson of sorts this week, but....... the guy we taught doesn`t focus very well..... haha. So pretty tricky to teach much really....

Well, I`m preparing for another district meeting this Friday  and a companion exchange. Lots of stuff to remember as District Leader still, haha. District meeting will be at night, the Zone Leaders are going to be visiting all the districts and doing some training during half of the meeting. (the other half is mine to plan)

Well, love you all. I know that the Lord is preparing me for great things. I am closer to the spirit each day. I sometimes feel the adversary working at me, and he wants to destroy me. Well, if the Lord didn`t have anything in store for me then he wouldn`t want me destroyed so bad. Regardless of what the adversary attempts, it is nothing compared to the power of God, which fills me more and more each day. Nothing can stop this great work from moving forward. D+C 1

Love you all!

Elder O`Reilly


Only 1 picture this week...

Ramen! gooooood stuff.
We went with the priesthood in the branch, and they bought it for us.
 Pretty awesome branch.

日本の冒険！Week 26: Seeking Power through Faith 信仰を通して力を求める

Well. I wish I could tell you this week I experienced a vast change as far as success rates go. But I suppose it was not in God`s plan for this week. What I can tell you is God knows how to strengthen his servants. I think I will share with you my letter to president this week.

{
Well, it was another pretty rough week. We worked hard, we sought specific revelation, we strove to improve our efforts in every way we could think. We are preparing during our studies to teach the family that we will eventually find, but we just aren`t finding them yet.

It is interesting to note however, that during the hardest time of my mission so far, I have experienced perhaps the greatest strength to my faith. God works in mysterious ways, and he knows how to strengthen his servants I suppose. My testimony is stronger, my resolve is firmer, and my desires are focused on my purpose.

While becoming a greater person and missionary is great and all, I really hope that we will be able to participate in the work of God a little more in depth this week. I feel more and more prepared to do whatever it is he has prepared for me everyday. I know that God will recognize that preparation and bless us with a family to teach.

We are beginning to get family potential investigators here and there. It has really been our focus this transfer and last, and so we spend a large deal of our time talking to families. The next step is just finding a family who we can set up a lesson time with!

Well, big things are ahead.
}

Just think. Knock on a door. A stay at home Mom opens the door, with young children around her. The family lacks what is more important than any other obtainable thing in this world, the Gospel. The truth of a Father in Heaven who loves you. The constant support of the Holy Ghost to guide and protect you. The feeling of peace and safety that come when you know you can live together with your family forever. What would you tell her? How would you begin to describe the Joy and Truth that that family lacks? Where would you begin? It is something I think about all the time. I am in this circumstance hundreds of times a week. Sometimes I only have a few seconds. Sometimes a few minutes. How do I convey such a pure, beautiful truth in such a short time? How can I instill a desire to learn more about the greatness of our message in a few short minutes?

As I strive to answer this question, I have felt that Spirit direct my thoughts toward things that are important to understand when undertaking such a task. I knew, of course, that if a missionary has prepared adequately, that the spirit will fill the missionary with words to the `convincing of men`, but I never knew it could be a gradual thing. I feel closer to the spirit than before, and I can tell more of my words are influenced by the spirit than before. I find myself testifying with more power, teaching with application, and preaching with more confidence than before.

I am so grateful for this Gospel. Is it not the spawn of all truth? the origin of all blessings?  It was so easy to take it for granted when I was surrounded by people who knew the truth, experienced the light, tasted the fruit. But out here, it is so different. The people are great, very kind, humble and gracious. But they are missing what is greatest above all other things. The plain and simple truths that I have. How great is my calling.

Well, as I stated in my letter to president, big things are ahead. I ask for your prayers in that I`ll be able to teach a family the gospel. I`ll shoot a prayer your way in return. ^^

Thank you all for your love and support.

Love you all

Elder O`Reilly

Hey! a poster! 心から神を信じなさい。 Believe in God with all your heart.
 There is no sign of who put in there or anything,
but I saw these posters in Joyo as well.
 Different sayings though. No church name is on it.

We passed this cool demolition site one day. Way cool.
The thing on the end is like crazy powerful pliers.
 It just crushed things and cut off large sections of cement.

A large piece of cement in mid-air

At service they asked us to do calligraphy.  uhhh..... don`t know how
 this helps anyone, but OK! haha. It was my first shot at calligraphy.
  They were pretty impressed. haha. This one says 希望, hope.

信仰が山も動かす Faith moves even mountains.
A famous Japanese proverb. Pretty cool, right?
 Probably from ancient Japanese Nephi.

A package from Trevor this week:

A member's husband in Joyo made this plane from a model kit
and sent it to us. We got the package this week! So cool!
Thanks Kosaka! ^^