Conference and Good-byes

October 10, 2016

My best friend Ben.  Singing in the Priesthood session.

Not only did I see Ben but many of my old school buddies.
 Man I would have loved to sing in the choir.

No I am not home!  I am at Costco Japan!!!

On exchanges with Elder Wilde.

Elder Faganello, Elder Wilde, Elder Ricks and Elder Unsworth
eating pizza for lunch during our exchange.

Saying goodbye to Elder Queiroz at the Station.
Elder Ricks, Elder Nita, Elder Queiroz and I.

Old Man Joe

Dinner at Bishop Sugimotos house. He invited his neighbor over so that
we could talk with her. She is the nice older lady by the sister
missionaries and me.

Hey there everyone!  How is it going and wasn't that an amazing conference?  I know most of you already saw General Conference but over here in Japan we get it a week after everyone. But that's okay because it was amazing!  I loved how President Uchdorf talked about the Plan of Salvation. I loved President Nelsons talk about finding Joy in our life. I loved our beloved Prophets words about the Word of Wisdom and the Plan of Salvation. How blessed are we to have loving Prophets and Apostles on this earth who lead and guide our church. I love them with all my heart and I support them 100% in all their doings. I know they represent the Savior and I know they are doing his will. I can only but scratch the surface because the conference was so good!  But I loved each and every talk and I felt as if each talk had some way to relate to me.  I am so grateful for this church and its teachings and even more thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. 

One thing that I really learned from Conference was about the Holy Ghost.  People often feel the Holy Ghost, they have in their lives very special times where they feel him and know that God exists.  However, over time they forget or even question that experience.  One thing I learned was to write down my spiritual experiences and when the hard time comes, because they will, remember the times when the Holy Ghost touched your life.  Remember how you felt and how special that day was to you.  Often in my missionary life I come along days where they are just bottom line hard.  I don't like what I am doing and I just want to give up.  What keeps me going is when I think back on the experiences and the days when I felt as if they Savior was walking beside me.  I think about they days when I am most happy and when I felt the Spirit and I can not deny it.  Those are the days that keep me going, those are the days that have converted me.  They are special days and they don't happen all the time, but when they do, they are unforgettable.  I am so happy that the Apostles council members to think about the times they felt the Holy Ghost before they do anything that might jeopardize themselves and their salvation.  The Holy Ghost is here to help us and to guide us along the straight and narrow path, we could not do this life with out him.  

Another part I really liked about General Conference is how much the Apostles talked about Gods love for us.  They all reaffirmed the Atonement and the need of repentance.  They also talked about how Jesus Christ is the light of our life. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has taught: “There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the ‘light that is endless, that can never be darkened’ [Mosiah 16:9]. It is the very Son of God Himself.”  I also love this quote from Elder Holland which talks about the love that Christ has for us.  In a past general conference, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland declared: “However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made … , or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.”  I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we all can come home again.  We all can have the light shine on our dark and gloomy life's again and we can feel the love that Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ, has for us.  I know that the Atonement is real and I know that it works.  Jesus Christ came to this Earth to redeem us and to save us, but he also came to comfort us in times of trial.  He is our Savior, Lord, Redeemer, our Best Friend, our light, and our love.  He is the literal Son of God and His light ever shines in His church.  I love the Savior, Jesus Christ, and I know that He lives!  

I am so thankful for General Conference.  If any of you have yet to see it or missed a talk or two, I urge you to go back and watch them.  They will help you find joy in your life and they will help you more than anything on the internet could.  These men are called of God and they are here to help you return to live with him again.  I love watching conference as a missionary because it fills me so full of the Spirit.  When I am full of the Spirit, I just want to go out and find all day long.  I want to share the love that Christ has for everyone.  I want everyone to know that Jesus is the Christ and that He has restored His true and everlasting church on the Earth again.  I know that this church is true without a doubt in my mind.  It has changed my life for ever and continues to change it.  I am so lucky to live in such a wonderful dispensation.  I love you all so much and I hope you all have a time to go back and watch some of your favorite Conference talks and reflect about them during the week.  I love you all and I will talk to you next week!  Take care!

Love You!!!! :)