Fixing Lunch for 20 People

Shinto Temple...Dallin is in the back with BYU t-shirt

This week has been another great one for us. We have been riding all around Sapporo because we have gotten a couple referalls from sister missionaries in places sort of far out. So we have a fun time trying to contact all the way out there and all the way back. We usually find at least one good person each way.

For Bryce's birthday I didn't get to do anything special, but I did see two black people that reminded me of Bryce.

We had a great lesson with a guy named Allen on Tuesday (I can't remember if I told you about him yet). He read 3 Nephi 11 and he had a ton of questions. He asked why the people say "Hosanna", how we avoid disputations concerning doctrine, and how we feel about Christians that aren't baptized into our church. It was a really good lesson and we are really good friends with Allen. I just can't figure out how to help him really desire to know the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

We had a good lesson with Doi san, the kid that we set a baptismal date with last week. The team-up that we used was a kid that went to the same high school (a long way away from Sapporo), and we had that member talk about why baptism was special to him. He talked about how he got baptized on his eighth birthday and it made his birthday extra special to him. After that we were discussing Doi san's baptismal goal for September 19th, and our team-up perked his ears and said, "September 19th?!? That's my birthday! That is the day that I guy baptized!" So that really strengthened Doi san and he is really excited to get baptized.

He came to church yesterday and had a really good time. As soon as we walked in with him he asked if he could go sit by the two members that we have used as team-ups for his lessons. After church we talked with him and he said that he felt a sacred feeling at church. We discussed the feelings of the spirit and it went really well. We are way excited for him.

Yesterday was the Sapporo Marathon. Normally I wouldn't care, but the route went right across our path from church back to our apartment. I was really concerned that we wouldn't be able to get back to our apartment, but we eventually found an over-the-road walkway.

On Friday we had a Zone Training meeting. It went alright, but I wish we could have prepared a little better. Normally we ask the Relief Society of a nearby ward to fix lunch for us and we pay them the money (whichever building we plan on using, we ask that ward). But there was a mix up in communication and the RS never got asked. So Elder Fetters (the other zone leader) and I ended up fixing lunch for 20 people. It was pretty crazy!

At the top of Maruyama Mountain...Dallin behind hand

Well, that is about it. I love missionary work.