"Don't afraid to make mistake" - Inaba Choro

                                     Halloween

  I've thought a lot about that wonderful English that Inaba choro
said weeks back. What a good lesson we can learn from him. Its so
important to try the best we can in everything that we do, because if
we don't, we are losing out on so many big learning opportunities.
Being afraid to screw up or make a mistake is just holding you back
from a great learning or growing opportunity. I'm grateful for inaba
choro's nice word of wisdom. I've learned a lot from that.

  This past week was a quick one, and we got a lot accomplished and
found new people to teach! We also had a great lesson with Jessica and
her son, Hiroyuki! Hiroyuki accepted to he baptized so we picked a
date for him in February where he can get baptized with one of the 8
year old members in the Ward so it isn't as scary. I'm so excited for
him! He is such a good kid!  Jessica is still doing so great! She is
preparing to go to the Fukuoka temple!! Her and Hiroyuki study the
scriptures and pray together before bed every night, and we didn't
even ask them to do that. What an amazing little family. I sure love
them so much!

  Jay is also doing great. He has been praying to know for himself if
the church is true or not, but he feels like he hasn't received an
answer yet. But he really wants an answer! So we met with him and had
a great lesson on faith, and how we receive answers from the spirit. I
love teaching him because he has a testimony of the Book of Mormon. So
if he ever has questions about anything, we just point to the Book of
Mormon and he says "oh yes of course!"  He understands so easy when we
use the Book of Mormon, so that has helped me strengthen my own
testimony! We are so blessed to have that book and I hope we are all
using it daily. I personally want to be better at studying the Book of
Mormon.

  The nishiyama family (chikako and eternity) are doing well. We had
a lesson with them yesterday, and it was a bit frustrating. We asked
her if she had prayed about the church and she said yes! She had
gotten an answer that it was true. We asked her how that answer came
and she said it was a warm feeling and she new it was from the spirit.
The frustrating part is that she isn't ready to let go of Buddhism,
and still wants to do both religions even though she has gotten an
answer. So we are trying to figure out how to help her change, because
she is really afraid of upsetting her ancestors. We are working to
help her understand that her ancestors need her help. But her daughter
(eternity) is doing great and would be baptized tomorrow if she could!
They are both planning on coming to church in 2 weeks, so I am super
excited for that. Please keep them in your prayers.

Well, that's about all that I have for this week. I sure love Okayama
and love the people that I have the opportunity to work with. I hope
everyone has a fun, happy and SAFE Halloween! Love you all!!

Elder Evans

Long Lost Matsue Friends

My two favorite kids from Matsue.  They are both being baptized in December!

I don't know if this past week went bye slow or fast. It just
kinda.... went! On Saturday and Sunday we had stake conference up in
Niimi (about a 2 hour drive from Okayama)! I was able to see all of
the Ward members that I worked with in Matsue again and talk to them
for a bit! Im sure grateful that I was able to spend 3 transfers up in
Matsue, those members have become very close friends of mine and I was
so happy to get to see them again.
  On Sunday for stake conference, Jessica and her son, Hiroyuki came
all the way up to Niimi! Hiroyuki is now starting to take the lessons,
and he wants to get baptized. So we are so excited for him to start
learning about the church! It was also great that they came because
the Okayama elders (who are both Japanese) had one of their
investigators who is also from the phillipenes come to stake
conference and Jessica was able to meet him and tell him why she got
baptized. -Go Jessica!! - Since the Okayama elders investigator just
came to Japan, he still is working on learning Japanese. So I had the
chance to translate 2 hours worth of talks during the meeting.
Translating was a lot more of a challenge than I thought it would be,
but it helped me to see where I can improve in my language, and it
also gave me some good translating practice. It was a really humbling
experience to say the least!
  The rest of the week went well! We had a great lesson with Jay at
the church on Wednesday. We taught him lesson 2 and committed him to
pray that what we are telling him is true. He has a strong desire to
know, but doesn't feel like he can get an answer. We told him if he
has faith that he will receive an answer, and if he asks with true
intent, ready to act on whatever answer comes, then he will surely get
an answer. He committed to do it, and we have another appointment set
up with him this week to see how it went. Please keep him in your
prayers!
    We also met with a less active for the first time this week named
Fujimoto kyodai! He is a really nice guy who wants to learn. He got
baptized 3 years ago, and since then he hasn't really came to church.
But we had a great lesson with him and were able to get a relationship
with him. After the lesson he told us he really wanted us to keep
coming because he felt so good while we were there. So we set up an
appointment with him for next week! While we were over in his area, we
did some housing and found a new investigator named Okagi! We are
really excited to start teaching him as well! He seemed to have lots
of interest and set up another appointment with us right away.
    As we have been teaching this week, I have really felt the power
of the Book of Mormon, and how it is truly the thing that holds the
church together. If we have questions or things we do not fully
understand, if we would just turn the Heavenly Father in prayer, and
read from his scriptures, we can have our hearts softened and our
questions answered. So go read the Book of Mormon!!!

    Well, things over here in Okayama nishi are going great! We are
tired as can be, and loving life everyday! I hope everyone is safe and
doing well. Thank you all for all you do!!

I love you all more than Deschamps choro loves Halloween! 🎃 👻
Elder Evans


More Matsue Friends

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Deschamps choro is the man. We learned this week that God sees the efforts that we are putting into the work, and that he blesses us for that! It was a week of finding here in Okayama nishi. We decided it was time to get a new teaching pool. So we did hours and hours of knocking doors, and talking to people on the street. We tried so many different approaches, and so many different methods of finding, but no results were coming. By Friday night, we were so tired, we  came home to the apartment and both fell asleep at our desks. - We still had not found any new people to meet with. Saturday, we gave it one try! We talked to everyone, and we were literally so tired, we couldn't stand. It felt like the week was a waste. We still had no one new to teach... THEN CAME SUNDAY:

 On Sunday morning, the Okayama sisters had a baptism, so we watched that, and then headed to our church in Okayama nishi. The spirit was so strong during the baptismal service, and it really set the tone for the rest of the day. At church in Okayama nishi, a member from the Fukuoka temple presidency, and his wife came to speak. Jessica, Jay, kouno, and hamano were all able to come and listen. During Sunday school, I went with a member to talk meet with Jessica (recent convert) and Jay (investigator), and Deschamps choro went with another member to teach kouno. (Our deaf investigator) When I asked Jessica how her baptism went and how it felt to get the Holy Ghost she said "it felt like I was floating on the clouds". - The spirit is real people. - Jessica was able to testify about her journey to the church and baptism, and Jay was taking it all in. In that lesson, I invited Jay to be baptized in 4 weeks and he said yes. I am way excited for him! In that same lesson, Jessica told me how she wants her 14 year old son to get baptized. She said they talk about the church all the time, and he has some questions. So we set up an appointment with them to teach him so he can get baptized as well! AWESOME!!!

  After church, we had an appointment with the nishiyama's. They are a mom and a daughter who have been taking lessons for a long time, and they are struggling to let go of Buddhism. We talked about the Book of Mormon, and addressed their concerns. After that it felt right so we invited them to prepare to be baptized together. They said yes, and although they still have some concerns, they are working toward the goal of being baptized! - we were amazed.

    Last night we were able to watch a special fireside done by Elder Bednar. He was in Tokyo and gave a talk addressed to everyone in Japan. It was awesome! Two things that really stood out to me were- 1. The name of the church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. - a couple days ago, Deschamps choro and I were talking about how we are known as "the Mormons". We both talked about how we weren't the biggest fans of that, and that that is not our name. The church is Christ's church. We are followers of Christ. We literally live in the latter days- the days that have been prophesied about and talked about forever. The days where the world is bad, where prophecies are being fulfilled of the second coming of Christ. Elder Bednar said These days are "THE GREATEST SEASON OF THE CHURCH". He said "the attacks against the church are proof of the truthfulness it has!" These attacks are Satan, so elder Bednar said we will have lots of challenges. But we should not be surprised when these challenges come, because we understand the season we are in here on earth. THE LATTER DAYS!  Satan is doing everything he can to stop the progression of the church, - but we already know who wins. So press forward. Know the season you are in here on the earth. And when trials and challenges come, be prepared. Welcome them as growing opportunities. 

     The second big thing that stood out to me is: IF WE WANT TO BE HAPPY, WE CAN BE HAPPY! Happiness is a choice. Joy is a gift from the spirit. We will not receive this gift if we are asking for it in a selfish manner. We WILL receive this gift if we use it to bless gods children. And through blessing Gods children, we will receive that gift for ourselves as well. It's all about getting rid of the natural man, and becoming like Christ. - Christ, who would give of himself in every situation. Who would turn outward when the natural man would turn inward. SO GIVE OF YOURSELF THIS WEEK! AND CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!! 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Love, 

Ebanzu Choro

General Conference

Konnichiwa everyone!

  This past week was transfer week! Korth Choro and I expected to both
stay, but on Tuesday night we got a phone call, and Korth Choro
transferred to a little island in between Kobe and the big island of
Shikoku. So this past week was a lot of packing, saying goodbye, and
planning. My new companion is a 6th transfer stud from Colorado named
Deschamps Choro. His Japanese is great, and he is so excited to work.
We are way excited to work here together this next transfer!

  One night as Elder Deschamps and I were going to visit a lady, I got
a prompting to stop at a less active mans house on the way, who I had
visited twice before but he had sent us away. As we were walking up to
his door, I was trying to figure out what I was going to say to him. I
rang his door bell and he came and opened the door. I don't know what
happened at the beginning, but he started conveying his feelings
openly to us. He said he had stopped coming to church because the last
time he was there (a year or so before), a missionary said something
to him that hurt his feelings. He said he had nothing against the
church, he was just a little nervous to go back. He then asked us to
come in, and talk to him. I was humbled to sit in his one room
apartment and help this man know that the Lord needs him. I was amazed
at the humility of this man. He had forgiven that missionary before,
and just wanted to figure out how to become happy again. As we said a
prayer before we left his house, I could feel the spirit so strong. I
asked him if he still had a copy of the Book of Mormon. He said no,
but that he would absolutely love one. We were able to give him a Book
of Mormon and testify that it will bless his life. The next day
(Sunday) he came to general conference, all dressed up on his old,
warn out suit. Conference was exactly what he needed to hear, and he
plans to come back to church every week from now on.

  This week I felt a lot of opposition. The beginning of the week was
long, and I felt like I just wasn't a good enough missionary. Then, on
Saturday and Sunday we were able to watch general conference! It was a
nice little wake up call for me, because it told me exactly what I
needed to hear. Elder J. Devn Cornish's talk was addressed just for
me. He talked about how we need to stop comparing ourselves to others.
He said if we are going to compare, compare you from your past self!
Comparisons are a trick from Satan! It was nice to hear that talk,
because that's what I had been doing at the beginning of the week. He
said, we need to be really trying! And "really trying" means doing the
best we can, recognizing where we need to improve, and then TRYING
AGAIN! All God asks from us, is our best. - I also loved the talk by
Elder Kazuhiko yamashita! (Not JUST because he is Japanese) He talked
about being ambitious in Christ. Being motivated, focused, and
dedicated to the Lords work. It reminded me again that this work is
not about me.
I felt like there was a lot of talk about missionary work, and Japan
this past conference. And it has given me more motivation to get out
there everyday and work as hard as I can. I sure love Japan!

  I sure hope everyone was able to watch conference. I have really
come to love conference since coming on my mission. If you have not
watched it, go watch it! I hope all of you have a great week!

Love,
Evans Choro



Saying goodbye to Elder Korth

Transfer 9

  I've got good news! Jessica was baptized yesterday!! Woohooo! She did awesome and she said afterwards that she was just so happy and felt so good. Goooo Jessica!!! Everything with her happened so fast and you could definitely tell that she had been prepared by Heavenly Father. THE CHURCH IS TRUE PEOPLE. 

     This past transfer has gone by so fast. This week is transfer week, but I think I will be staying here in Okayama Nishi! We will find out tomorrow what is happening with transfers so I'll let y'all know next week. Korth Choro and I have had a great transfer together, and we saw so many miracles! It's been fun to work with him, and I hope that we both get to stay and work together for another one. 

     Other than the baptism this week, we worked hard and talked to lots of people, and we also had a great zone training meeting. I love Zone training meeting, because I leave with so much motivation to do better. And it's always good to see the other missionaries and hear how they are doing. This past zone training meeting Korth Choro and I were asked to do a training on how to get member present lessons because that has been one of our focuses of late. It was really fun to get up there and tell people what we are doing. Though, we are still not where we want with member present lessons yet, we are going to continue to make that a focus for this coming transfer. And through doing that training, it gave us more motivation as a companionship to get lots of member present lessons. 

     Anyways, I'm running out of time so I am going to have to cut it short today. I love you all and hope you all have a great week!! 

Love you all!! 

Evans Choro 

Tacos!!!

    

Zone Training