Thursday, August 25, 2016

Sapporo Temple Dedication



Last week with Elder Vui

 Well, my 7th transfer is now in the books! It's crazy how time works
on a mission. But I'm truly grateful for these last 7 transfers and
for all I have learned and all the great people I have met. This past
week in Nara has been action packed so it went by super quick. Because
it is transfer week this week and we got a nice phone call from
President Welch this morning telling Vui Choro that he is staying in
Nara and training a new missionary! I will be transferring, but I
won't find out until tomorrow where I am going. So it looks like mine
and Vui choro's time working together has come to a close. We have
worked 3 transfers together in 2 different areas on opposite corners
of our mission. We've seen weekly miracles, wards strengthened,
baptisms, temple dedications, less actives come back, and seen each
other learn and grow. It's been an honor to work with Vui Choro, and
I'm grateful for all that he has done for me. He is going to be an
amazing trainer!

  This week, we as the Nara district have been focusing on teaching
the message of the restoration. It is the special message that we
have. I have studied the restoration deeply this week and really
enjoyed it. So for district meeting we learned about the restoration,
and practiced teaching it. I was grateful that we practiced it,
because after district meeting we taught the message of the
restoration many times. One of these opportunities came when we
decided to teach the message of the restoration to one of our older,
active members. She is very strong in the gospel, but while we were
planning for the day, we had a prompting that that was what we needed
to share with her. As we opened up our teaching, we started to share
the restoration with her and she stopped us. She told us that the past
couple days she had had some doubts that Joseph smith REALLY saw
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Then, the morning of the day that we
came, she was reading the scriptures and the story of The first vision
came up and she had a good feeling about it. Then as we came for our
appointment, we had the same message. Through that it was an answer to
her prayers, and she was reassured of the truthfulness of the message.
That really strengthen my own testimony of the spirit and of the
restoration. I truly know that what Joseph smith said is true. He is
not a liar. Joseph smith translated the Book of Mormon through the
power of God. The fullness of the gospel has been restored to this
earth today. And I couldn't be more grateful to be part of this work
today.

  Yesterday we were able to watch the dedication of the Sapporo Japan
temple. Wow, was the spirit so evident. As soon as I walked into the
building, I could hear hymns being sung and immediately I could feel
the presence of the spirit. Luckily! We were able to watch the
dedication in English upstairs so we understood everything that went
on in the dedication, even though translation was a little slow. It
was still a blessing to us.

  It has now been 10 months since I've been to the temple, and holy
cow I sure miss it. I sure will be going back to the temple as soon as
possible when I return home. I hope you all take advantage of having
temples so close to you. Please go. The temple is the best place to
be. And I hope you all realize and take advantage of the blessing of
having temples so close. So here is the challenge!! GO TO THE TEMPLE
THIS WEEK! Have a question in your heart and ask God with an open
heart. He will answer you. The temple is the best!!

I love you all and am so grateful for all of your love and support.

Until Next Week!

Elder Evans

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