Tokyo Japan Week 71

Me and the Hashimoto family!

Yes, my companion has a Ferrari back home.

Hello Awesome Family! Happy Almost New Year! 

Hey everyone! It was so awesome talking to you guys this past week. Just want to say thanks so much for all of the love and kindness on the call, it was so awesome, and a great Christmas Call! As well wow I'm still speechless about Tyler and Alexa! I'm so excited to hear more about what's going on, but I'm so happy for you guys! I'm excited to have some new brothers and sisters, haha. But Christmas this year was pretty amazing! That night we had a lesson with our great investigator Arai, and he said a goal to be baptized! We may need to reschedule it because of his work schedule, but it was still such an awesome miracle, and the Spirit was so strong during the lesson! Then after we went outside, it started snowing! How incredible is that? It was a true white Christmas, and just overall such an awesome day.

Elder Higashi and me! We work really hard. 

But this past Saturday was really so amazing. I was able to go to Brother Han Bing's baptismal service in Urawa, and it was probably one of the most amazing services I have ever been to. Brother Han bore such a powerful testimony of the faithfulness of Nephi, and he bore testimony of the Book of Mormon, and how much this gospel has blessed his life. He expressed thanks for all of the missionaries, and just his excitement to have an eternal family, and eternal life with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. President Budge actually came and attended the service, and he came up to Elder Shumway and I afterward and said he really believes that Brother Han might be a future stake president, or leader in the church in China! I felt so blessed to have met and taught Brother Han Bing, and I'm so excited for him! We talked for a little bit afterwards, and he's just such an awesome friend. Really love him a lot, and I feel so thankful to have met him! He's a true eternal friend. As well it was so awesome to see all of the Urawa Ward members, and feel of their love!

Brother Umemura, Brother Mizoe, and Brother Futoshi

After the baptism with the Urawa Ward!

Jake and I are pretty thug.

Overall though things are going really awesome! Urayasu Ward is doing pretty amazing, and the Bishop has so much great fire and faith, and it's really looking great! The whole Mikami Kids came to church on Sunday, and I think it was the most adorable group of kids ever, haha. Little Kasumi who is about 4 years old held my hand all throughout the baptismal service after church, and I've been nicknamed by the kids, haha. They all have such an awesome light about them, and you can feel so strongly the love that Heavenly Father has for them. We're working very hard with the Bishop to help them, and the bishop has been bringing them with his family to church each Sunday. We're all praying for a miracle that the parents will give them permission to let them be baptized, and it should be such a cool miracle here in Urayasu! I'm seriously so thankful to be working with Elder Higashi as well! He's such an awesome example to me of faith and diligence, and he's really teaching me so much every day. He's such an awesome companion!

More Urayasu! The view from our apartment

P-Day at the beach!

Brother Han Bing's baptism!

I can't believe that it's coming up to the year 2015! I feel like just yesterday I was starting 2014 in Maebashi with Elder Tu'ua, but it's already the new year! I made some great New Years goals and resolutions, and I included some for after June as well. I'm so so thankful to this year I had to serve completely as a missionary for this great gospel. As I look over the year of 2014, it's been completely amazing! Heavenly Father has truly been so kind, and I'm so thankful for this incredible chance to be serving as a missionary. The time is seriously flying by, but I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving the amazing Japanese people. I love them so much, and I'm so thankful for the chance I have to be serving here in the incredible city of Tokyo! I've really been blessed to make so many great eternal friends, and I'm so excited to go forward with faith, and continue to give this work every effort, and give my whole heart to this country I love so much. I just want to again say thank you guys all so much for the incredible love and examples you set for me. You've all blessed my life so many ways, and I'm so thankful for the amazing family Heavenly Father has blessed me to be apart of. :) I hope you guys all have an amazing New Years, I love you!! The gospel is true, the book is blue, and God loves you!

Love,
Elder Justesen

Tokyo Japan Week 70

Hello Amazing Family!

So sorry today's email will be very short mainly because we will be talking on Thursday! I'm so stoked to talk to you guys, but I just want to let you know I'm really loving Urayasu! It's a really prepared place with so many amazing people. And especially my awesome companion! Elder Higashi is such an amazing missionary, and he's already teaching me so much serving with him. He's been out on his mission for about 4 months now, and it's a blast working with his awesome faith! It's so cool to be here in Urayasu, and I'm loving serving as a missionary with all of my heart!


It's pretty crazy that it's coming onto the 6 months of my mission! I received a letter today concerning the last 6 months of my mission, including my release date. Crazy! I hope it's okay, but the date is actually on June 12! It's pretty intense there's now a specific date, but I'm so so excited to work with every effort to give this last quarter my whole heart! I love serving as a missionary with all of my heart, and I'm so thankful for this incredible chance to be serving the Lord at this time. He's been so incredibly kind and loving to me during this time as a missionary, and I'm so excited to keep going forward with faith! It's been an amazing year and a half.

It sounds like everyone is doing so great, it makes me so happy! I just want to say thank you so much for all of the prayers and love you guys always share with me, I really do appreciate it so much! I love you guys so much, and it's hard not to miss you guys during this Christmas season, but I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving as a missionary. It's blessed and changed my life so much! Leaving Urawa Ward last week was pretty sad, but I'm so thankful for all of the amazing friends that are there. On the last day Brother Futoshi and Brother Han were looking so awesome, and their baptisms will be coming up soon! Also! The Hashimoto Family showed me so much love and kindness, and I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving in Japan. I love being a missionary so much! I'll tell you all more about it on Thursday, it's going to be so awesome! Thanks so much for everything, I love you guys! Talk to you on Thursday!!

Love,
Elder Justesen

Tokyo Japan Week 69

Our view of Mount Fuji!

Hello Amazing Family! I'm way sorry, this email is going to be pretty short, but I've been transferred!! I'm moving down pretty close to Tokyo in an area called Urayasu! I'll be with another awesome Japanese companion named Elder Higashi! I'm so excited to work with him, and I'm so so excited to work really close in Tokyo. It's been seriously big change with all of the Zone Leaders as well, and it's a really big shake up in the mission! It's going to be an amazing Christmas season. :)

Cooking with Elder Shumway is serious business!

Speaking of Christmas! I'm so stoked to talk with all of you guys next week on Skype! It'll be so awesome to see all of you guys, and maybe some other people? ;) Haha, but it's so cool to see how much Heavenly Father is blessing our family, and I'm so excited to talk to you guys! I was thinking we could do just the same as last year and I can call at around 12 in the afternoon Japan time on Christmas Day? If that's okay please let me know! :) I'm so excited to talk to you guys, it's going to be awesome! I can't believe it's already my last Christmas in Japan, but I'm so thankful for this amazing country, and all of amazing blessings it has brought to my life. I love serving as a missionary with all of my heart, and I'm so excited for Urayasu! It's pretty heart breaking to leave all of these amazing people here in Urawa, but I'm so thankful for the amazing 6 months the Lord gave me here. I love Saitama, and I'm for sure going to miss it so much, but I'm so excited to keep going forward with faith, and keep giving this work my absolute whole heart and soul! I love being a missionary!

Yu Matsuhashi and Han!

Us and Han!

A quick update with the people we're working with, Brother Futoshi is getting baptized this coming Saturday! He's been such an incredible miracle, and I'm so thankful for the chance to be his friend, and share this gospel message. He asked that I would baptize him, so I'll be coming back to Urawa Ward on Saturday, and then the next Brother Han will be baptized! He's been such an amazing miracle as well, and he passed his interview with flying colors! After the interview, he said he's been looking for this in his life for so long now, and it made me feel so thankful to have met this amazing friend. I love this work so much, and I'm so thankful for all of the amazing blessings Heavenly Father is sending me. As well the Matsuhashi family is looking so amazing! We had dinner with them last night, and they're continually reading the Book of Mormon as a family, and they've decided that they want to be baptized! No specific date yet, but we're so so thankful for this amazing miracle.

Yu Matsuhashi and the elder!

Ward pot luck!

Well it sounds like everyone is doing so awesome, and I'm so thankful for all of the amazing things that are happening. I know that Heavenly Father lives, and that He loves us so much that He sent His son for us. I love this Christmas season, and I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving as a missionary. This short time has changed and blessed my life in so many incredible ways, and I'm just so thankful to be serving here as a missionary in Tokyo! I love this work with all of my heart. I love you guys so much, and I'll see your faces next week! Haha, Merry Christmas!!

Love,
Elder Justesen

Tokyo Japan Week 68

Hello Awesome Family!

A view from our apartment!

Wow, I can't believe it's already 2 weeks until Christmas! This December is flying by really so fast, but it's been really so amazing. I'm so excited and thankful for this great opportunity to be serving as a missionary during this special Christmas season, and especially for the chance to be sharing about the true meaning of Christmas. I'm sure you guys have heard all about the "He is the Gift" campaign, it's been going so amazing here in Japan! Missionaries and members are sharing it so much, and it's been so amazing to see the miracles that are coming from sharing that true special meaning of Christmas! I love serving as a missionary with all my heart, and I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving here in Tokyo Japan. I love it!!

Beshounuma Park

Well it sounds like you guys are all doing so awesome! I'm so thankful to hear of the great blessings Heavenly Father is raining down on our family, and I'm so thankful for all of the great things happening! As well I just want to say thank you guys so much for all of the prayers and kind words you always share with me. Recently I was reviewing my setting apart blessing, and there's a portion that talked about being able to feel the prayers that are in my behalf, and I have definitely felt that this week. I'm so thankful for the power of prayer, and the incredible role it is playing right now here in Urawa. Next week will be transfers, and I'm nervous as I'm more than likely heading out of Urawa! It's been an amazing 4 transfers here, and I'm so excited to keep going forward with faith! This past week was pretty busy, but there were also so many amazing miracles as well! I'm really excited to talk about some of them!

Recently we had Mission Leadership Council, and it was really such an awesome learning experience! The sisters of my district in the MTC will actually be heading home next week, and many of them were at this meeting. It was so awesome to see how much we've all grown and increased in faith, and it made me feel so thankful for the amazing people I've had the chance to be serving alongside. There really was such an awesome spirit of unity and love in my MTC district, and although I'm seriously blown away they're heading home, it's been such an awesome experience serving with so many great examples. Speaking of amazing examples, my trainer Elder Hamada is going to become a father right before I come home! I got some information this week that his first baby will be born in May! How incredible is that? It's amazing to see how much things can change in a year and a half! Haha. But anyways, just wanted to share that. :) As well at the Mission Leadership Council, President Budge mentioned he's going to send a lot of the Zone Leaders in that room back to serving as normal missionaries, as he really wants to start training new Zone Leaders, as well as building up for the next great group of missionary leaders. I'm pretty sure that means I might get a break! Haha, it's been such an amazing experience serving as a Zone Leader for the past year, and I'm so excited to go wherever the Lord needs me. I've definitely come to know that serving as a missionary, leadership or no leadership, is the most amazing gift ever, and I'm so thankful for this chance to keep serving wherever the Lord needs me. I love being a missionary so much! It's been the most amazing life changing experience ever, and this week has been especially amazing!

Brother Futoshi's interview

Brother Futoshi had his baptismal interview this past Saturday, and it was such an amazing spiritual experience. He came down the stairs, and when he gave the thumbs up that the interview went great, he burst into tears of joy. He's been searching so diligently to find this answer, and feel that reality of the faith he holds, and it just came full circle the other day. I'm so thankful for Brother Futoshi, and it was such an honor to just give him a big hug as he cried. It's going to be such an amazing service on the 20th, and I know he is someone the Lord has been preparing for such a long time. It's been such an amazing miracle to see how much he has grown in the past 6 months, and I'm so excited for him! As well Brother Han Bing is looking so amazing for the 28th! Brother Han is such an amazing miracle! He attended our English class, said he felt a warm feeling in the church, attended on Sunday, set a baptismal date on that first lesson, and know he's looking so great! Thank you so much for the prayers in his behalf, he's looking so great! Every time we teach him, he's already testifying concerning that lesson, and says things like, "in our church, in our religion, with our belief in God," etc. This past transfer has taught me so much that Heavenly Father will truly do His work, and we just need to give our best effort, and do all we can to be obedient to His will. It's been so amazing! And lastly there's the amazing Matsuhashi Family! I'll write more about them soon, but they've been such an amazing blessing in our life. I love serving in Urawa!

The Matsuhashi family!

But all in all it's been another amazing week having the greatest calling in the world! Serving as a missionary has been the most incredible life changing experience ever, and one I'm truly so thankful for. Today during the temple, I just felt such a strong thankfulness for this chance to be serving, and I'm so excited to keep going forward with faith, and give this work every effort I have! I love this work with all of my heart, and I'm especially thankful for my amazing family, and the incredible examples they set for me. Ever since a young age, you all have always shown me the man and son, father, husband, everything I want to be, snd I'm so thankful for that. One last cool thing! We had a Christmas concert at the mission home, and I got to perform with my great friend Daisuke and Elder Hansen! It was such an amazing experience, and one I'll never forget. We performed Silent Night, and it was such an awesome experience! The Lord has truly been so kind and loving to me, and I'm so excited to go forward with faith! It's been an amazing ride, and the wave is still going! It's gonna be an amazing Christmas. :) Talk to you guys in a couple weeks! Love you!

Love,
Elder Justesen

Tokyo Japan Week 67

Whoa it's already December!

Hello amazing family! It's been another awesome week, and I can't believe it's already December! The time is really flying by so fast, but I'm so thankful for all of the amazing miracles Heavenly Father has been showing us this past week! I'm so thankful this week especially for the chance to be serving in an area as amazing as Urawa. I've made so many amazing friends here, and I'm so thankful for the amazing ward as well. This area really has become really so close to me, and I'm so thankful for all of the amazing things happening near the end of this transfer. I love being a missionary so much!

Urawa Ward missionaries!

Brother Han is looking so great for his baptism! This week he came to church, and had a really great time. He's going to have his interview in the next couple weeks, but right now he's looking so great! Probably on my mission he's been one of the most prepared people I've ever met, and Elder Shumway and I really he feel is going to be a great influence on China! Recently we taught the law of chastity, and he instantly excepted it, and explained that he thinks is this going to be really helpful in China. What was really awesome though, was during his prayer he said thank you for receiving this great message in the name of the gospel, in the spirit was really so strong. He's a really prepared man, and one that Elder Shumway and I both are really thankful to know. He's scheduled to receive baptism on December 28th which is right after the transfer ends, but I'm really praying I'll stay somewhere close so I can come back! Brother Futoshi is looking so great as well! His interview will be this weekend, and he's looking really great! It's been an amazing Ward miracle, and we're so excited to help him join his two friends in the gospel! It's been such a miracle-filled season so far, and I'm really so thankful for all of these amazing blessings Heavenly Father has been showing the Urawa and Saitama Zone.

A very missionary Thanksgiving!

This week we also had Zone Conference! Elder Hansen and I were able to perform our cover of Silent Night and it went pretty awesome! It's been so awesome to be able to keep playing guitar as a missionary, and I'm so excited for this coming Saturday! Elder Hansen and I, and our investigator Daisuke will be playing Silent Night again at the mission home Christmas concert, it's going to be so amazing! Heavenly Father has really been sending so many awesome miracles lately, and I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving here in the Tokyo Mission. He's truly given me so much, and blessed my life in so many amazing ways, and I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving as a missionary. This short time has really changed my life so much, and I'm so thankful to keep going forward with faith!

Out for sushi

Mom I received two packages this week!! I'm so excited to put together this Christmas tree, I'm going to wait until next transfer starts though since I more than likely will be moving. :( It's been 4 transfers now in Urawa, so I think I'll be heading out, but I just want to say thank you so so so much! I'm so thankful for the amazing packages you've been sending. I really feel so much love when I read the letters, see the pictures, etc. Thanks so much Mamma, you're the best. :)

Shohei came to visit today!

Elder Shumway, Daisuke, and me!

Well it sounds like everyone is doing so great and so many great things are happening! I'm way excited to hear how everyone is doing, and I'm so thankful for all of the love and kindness you guys share with me. It's going to be so awesome to talk together in a few weeks! I just want to say I love you guys so much, and just thank you for being the most amazing family ever. It's been not always easy being away from you guys for so long, but I'm so thankful for the love and kindness, and especially the amazing examples that you all have set for me.

Apartment shenanigans 

Last night I had another dream about tyler! Haha, sorry man. But yeah, you and I were companions in Tokyo, and you were proclaiming to all of the Brazilians, and I was to all the Japanese people, it was such a cool dream! Haha, I woke up feeling thankful for my awesome brother, and I just want to say thanks, man. I love you a ton, and I'm so thankful for the great example you have always, and continue to set for me. You've blessed my life a ton, and I just want to say thanks! You're an awesome priesthood hero to me.

FHE!

Elder Ishikawa  

A Camaro SS!

Well I have to get running on with the P-day, but I love you guys so much! Thank you so much always for the prayers, and the love and kindness. I love you guys a ton, and I can't wait to talk with you again in just a few weeks! It's going to be an amazing Christmas season, and I'm so thankful for the chance to be serving here in the amazing country of Japan. This amazing country continues to change my life so much, and I'm so thankful for the blessings Heavenly Father has given me in my life. Have an amazing week, love you all so much!!

Love,
Elder Justesen

Tokyo Japan Week 66

Whoa Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Hey Amazing Family! So today starts the Thanksgiving week, and I wanted to start off today saying one of the things I'm most thankful for... All of you guys!! It's been the most amazing experience of my life serving here in the Tokyo Japan mission, and I just want to say that I'm most thankful for my amazing family! Here in Japan and in the States, there's family everywhere for me, but I just wanted to pop a quick list saying why I'm so thankful for you guys. Here we go! 

Reasons why I'm thankful for my gnarly family:

1: First and foremost because they show an incredible amount of love to me! Whether I was in the hospital with a broken arm, playing video games like crazy, or jamming on the guitar, my family is always showing me so much incredible love. Thanks guys. 

2: They're always in the kitchen making me sandwiches. ;) Haha, but really my family is super chill with my weird humor! I'm really thankful for the peace and comfort I know in the home that being myself was perfectly right. I'll forever be thankful for the incredible mother and father who urged me to pursue what made me happy in life, and awesome siblings that kept me from doing anything drastic, but always urged me to be my own self. Thanks, you guys. 

3: My family is a family that is patterned after the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm really so thankful for the immense amount of gospel lessons and learning experiences that my family helped me recognize, apply, and learn from in my life. I'll always be so thankful for the times Mom and Dad would say, "this will really help you on your mission!" Because those moments all truly have, and I'm so thankful for the family I was raised in that taught me to love the gospel. Especially for the amazing missionary examples in my family, thanks so much.

4: My family is always sending care packages!! Haha, I'm so excited to receive these next two! Thanks so much Mom, the last one I received was the conference package, but I'm so excited for the next two! The second half of my mission there have been so many packages, and I really just want to say thank you so much, I really do appreciate it. You take so much time to show that extra love for me over here in Japan, and I just want to say I'm really really so thankful. Those packages truly helped so much those couple months back, and I just want to say thank you so much! I love you Mamma! :)

5: My family is from California. That about says it. 

6: My family always urged me to improve and become more of the person Heavenly Father wants me to be. I'm so thankful for the incredible love and support you all always give to me in serving as a missionary of this great gospel. I'm so thankful for that support, and it's truly carried me throughout this time serving as a missionary of this restored Gospel. It's truly changed and blessed my life in so many incredible ways, and I'm so thankful for the counsel and urges you gave me to serve as a missionary. 

But anyways, I just want to say thank you so much for everything you guys have done for me! Always during these holiday seasons, it's hard not to think a little bit about the family, but I'm so thankful for this incredible chance to be serving as a missionary of this great gospel. Check out your Gospel Library Apps for the new He is the Gift video! It's really amazing, and it's getting me so excited to give every effort in this Christmas season. I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving as a missionary in this special time of Christmas. I'm thankful to wear His sacred name on my badge, and I'm just way stoked to completely lose myself in this Christmas season. It's going to be so awesome!

So a report quick on the week of tons of miracles! Our investigator Han is looking so great, and he's so excited for his baptism on the28th of December! He read the introduction of the Book of Mormon, and he felt it is true! He is probably one of the most prepared people I have been really blessed to teach as a missionary, and he's looking so great. I have a very strong testimony that the people of China are truly prepared to receive this Gospel, and it's been so evident with Han. We taught the plan of salvation on Sunday, and he felt so strongly it was true, and he's so excited to keep learning! He's been such an incredible blessing in my life, and I'm so thankful to have met him, and to be teaching him at this time. He's a true eternal friend, and I'm so thankful for this Christmas season for Han. As well Futoshi is looking so great for his baptism on the 20th of December! He recently told his two closest friends who are recent converts in the Urawa Ward, and they're so pumped for him! He's really excited, and he's feeling so strongly that receiving baptism will be the change he's been searching for in his life. As well we have another really amazing miracle this week! We met our next door neighbor named Kou, and it turns out he met with missionaries a few years back as an 18 year old! They hung out a lot, but he never went to church or anything, but he was really excited to meet us! We had a great church tour with him, and he's truly so prepared, and he feels like a true brother. He moved to Saitama due to his heart being pretty broken by a girl he loved a lot, and he said he's looking for that second chance. We discussed the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he said he'd really like to learn more about baptism and the second chance it gives us in life. He's awesome. His only concern was if the water was cold! We're so excited for him, and it's been such an awesome blessing to be meeting with him. 

That's probably been one of my favorite things serving as a missionary. I've met so many amazing people that the love just comes so naturally. You can genuinely feel like you were brothers in the pre-existence, and I'm so thankful for the many times I have felt that as serving as a missionary. I'm so thankful for the incredible outpouring of blessings Heavenly Father has given me and Elder Shumway in these past couple weeks. Just like Dad was saying in his letter, the blessings have just begun to flow as we've been fasting and praying as a zone. We've been meeting in the conference call every morning, and it's been such an immense amount of blessings. Our zone is looking pretty awesome! We're so excited for this Christmas season, and it's going to be so great. I love being a missionary with all my heart, and I'm so so so thankful to be serving in Japan Tokyo. This country has changed my life, and the people here have truly changed my heart and perspective. I love this Japanese people so much, and I'm so thankful to be serving amongst them. 

Some people may say that serving in Japan is hard, but I say not at all. Serving in Japan is the most incredible blessing, and a true privilege.

Sorry to get a little intense, haha, I've just been feeling that so strongly lately, and I'm so thankful for the amazing 6 months a few weeks I've got ahead of me! It's going to be so awesome, and I'm so thankful to keep going forward with faith. The time is truly flying by, but I'm so excited to give every moment my whole effort and focus, I love being a missionary!

It sounds you guys are all doing so great though! It sounds like thanksgiving is going to be so awesome this year, and I'm really so happy for all of the great things going on in the Fam! I'm praying for you guys everyday by name, and I'm so thankful for all the cool blessings. :) just to let Dad know, we copied your zone activity today! It was a smash hit! We had mashed potatoes, pan cakes, pumpkin spice cakes, French toast, sushi, pasta (made by me), huge salad, Japanese style rice, and tons of soda! It was so awesome to meet as a zone and have a cool thanksgiving feast, and talk about all of the cool things we're thankful for as a zone. Thanks so much for the awesome idea, it went so great! 

So lastly I just want to let you know of one really awesome thing I'm looking forward to in the next couple weeks! In the mission home there's going to be a big Christmas concert, and I've overcome my fear of performing and an investigator up here and I are playing Silent Night on the guitars! It's gonna be so awesome, and I wish you guys could see it! I'll make sure to get a video, and it's going to be so cool! Anyways, just wanted to let you know! It was such a cool miracle, and I'm really thankful to have this cool experience with this great college student investigator!  

Thank you guys again so much for everything, I hope you have an amazing thanksgiving, it's gonna be so awesome, and I'm so excited to talk to you guys on Skype again in just about a month! I love you all so much, have an awesome week! The gospel is true, the book is blue, and God loves you!

Love,

Elder Justesen

Tokyo Japan Week 65

Hello Awesome Family!

Well it's been another seriously awesome week here in Saitama, and I'm so stoked to talk about some of the cool miracles! I just wrote Tyler asking him about the dream I had the other night, hope to hear from him soon! It was so weird, I felt really strongly that something had happened, but it was a totally good feeling! But anyways, it sounds like everyone is doing pretty awesome this week!

I'm really so sorry to hear about the Hansen family this week, that's really such a sad thing. I don't know them too well, but I'll make sure to keep them in my prayers, and I hope that they'll continue to feel the love of the Lord in their home at this heavy time.

I just want to say thank you so much for the prayers and kindness you guys always share with me, I've definitely been feeling it so strongly this whole week! It's been such an amazing first week of the transfer, starting with our new investigator Han! Han is from China, and he came to our English class this past week! He said it was his first time ever coming to a church, but he felt such a good feeling inside the building! After that he came to church the following Sunday, and really amazingly he set a goal to receive baptism on the 28th of December! It was our first lesson with him, but he kept saying he's been looking for something like this in his life, and he really wants all of China to learn about Jesus Christ! He's an awesome humble guy, and I feel really so blessed to have met, and now be teaching him with Elder Shumway. As well this past week we met with so many great new college student investigators, and it's looking so amazing for this Christmas season in Urawa! One of the bigger miracles this week as well was the young Thai family Elder Shumway and I found a couple weeks back came to church this week! It was their first time, but their 4 year old daughter loved Primary, and the mother actually remembers learning about Jesus Christ when she was little! As well Elder Shumway and I strategically placed a Thai Book of Mormon on the front table in the church, and she noticed it, and was way interested to learn about what it was! We're so excited for their awesome family, and we're really praying to see an amazing Christmas miracle with them. :)

It's been so cool to see Heavenly Father's hand this week, and I'm so  thankful for all of the amazing miracles that have been happening recently. I was reading the points of the blessing I received before becoming a missionary, and I felt such a strong feeling of peace and comfort when I read over the blessing of being able to feel the prayers that are in my behalf, and I've definitely felt that so strongly this week. I know that in our adversities, Heavenly Father truly hears and answers our prayers, and even in times when we feel like we're not in his line of love, I know that he is always preparing amazing miracles to come our way. It hasn't just been our area that has been seeing this miracles, it's been all throughout the zone, and it's been so amazing to see the the love and blessings that can be felt in the zone. I feel really so blessed to be serving as a Zone Leader right now here in Urawa, and I'm so thankful for this chance to keep serving, and going forward with faith! I love serving as a missionary with all of my heart, and I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving Heavenly Father's children out here in Japan! I love this country with all of my heart, and I'm so thankful for all of the amazing blessings Heavenly Father  has given me in this short amount of time, I love this Gospel! :)

I just want to say thank you guys so much for all of the love and kindness, and just being the most awesome family ever. I love you guys so much, and I'm so thankful for this time to be serving as a missionary. It's been truly the most life changing experience of my life, and it's blessed my life in a innumerable amount of ways. As well I haven't got the latest package yet, but I'm so stoked to receive it! Thank you so much Mom for always sending such amazing care packages! I really appreciate them so much, and I'm so thankful for all of the kindness and love you share in them! I have the most awesome Mamma ever! :) thank you so much! For Christmas, anything would be so appreciated! Thank you so much!

Well I guess I better get signing off for now, but I just want to say I love you guys so much and I'm so thankful for all of the prayers, and the love! I definitely miss you guys a ton, but I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving as a missionary, and I'm so thankful for the chance to be serving during this awesome Christmas season! I love you guys so much, I hope you have an amazing week! The gospel is true, the book is blue, and God loves you!!

Love,
Elder Justesen

Tokyo Japan Week 66

Awesome Family! Wow, what an awesome week!

Hey everyone! Wow I can't believe it's P-Day again, it was such an amazing week! Starting on Monday, we received a call from our great investigator Futoshi, and he told us he wanted to meet up at the church! We ran down to meet him, and it turns out he said he really received the answer that this church is good and true, and he set his own date to be baptized on December 20th! It was such an amazing miracle, and one of the coolest things I have seen on my mission. We've been praying so hard and long for him to have that spark in knowing this Gospel is true, and Heavenly Father truly worked an awesome Christmas miracle! As well the rest of the week of was just really awesome, and Heavenly Father is truly blessing us so much as a zone. The zone is really starting to pick up this Christmas, and I feel so blessed to be serving here in Saitama, and especially in the Urawa ward! It's such an amazing place, and it's really looking so great for this Christmas season. I can't believe my last Thanksgiving is coming up, that seems so crazy! I remember the last one so vividly, and it seems so crazy to see it's already been another year. Heavenly Father has truly been so kind to me these past months, and I feel so thankful to be serving as a missionary at this really special Christmas season. It's a true honor to wear the name of Christ, and share the message concerning His life.

It sounds like you guys are all doing so great! I'm so stoked to always hear of all of the great things that are going on in your life, and I can truly feel Heavenly Father sending those blessings to our family. Sometimes I wish I could be there to be super stoked with you guys, but it's all good! I know that this is where Heavenly Father wants me at this time, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be serving in the amazing country of Japan. :) Those photos from San Diego were so pretty, Whit! I looks like you had a way awesome time, that makes me so happy. As well Alexa it sounds like Texas is awesome and full of barbecue, way jealous. Haha, and the iPhone 6 is actually everywhere in Japan, haha. They love the plus addition, even though it's seriously massive! Also Mom and Dad I'm way excited to hear how great things are going in your lives as well! I'm always praying for the success of all of the stores you're running, and I'm so happy to hear of all of the blessings. :) I just want to say especially thank you so much for always teaching me the power of prayer and the fact that Heavenly Father truly does answer and hear our prayers. I truly felt that amazing truth this week, with a really awesome experience I want to share! So yesterday Elder Shumway got out of church and began doing some work around the church, and it had just been a seriously amazing week, but we were still 2 lessons short of the goal we set that week in weekly planning. We tried calling all of our investigators to see if they could meet, but no one could, and it was looking pretty impossible. We had been praying all morning that we'd see this great miracle, and then out of no where our investigator Teshi calls us! He says he's coming to the church, and would like to meet up. So we had a great lesson with him concerning Jesus Christ, and the importance of thankfulness. After that our other new investigator Tuan from Vietnam says he's coming by the church later that night, and so we just needed to meet with one more person to achieve our goal! We decided to pray, and we felt we needed to visit a small family we recently found on the bus named the Matsuhashi's. We ran by their house, and they were so pumped to see us! They invited us in, and we were able to make real Thai green curry (Son Pon the Mother is from Thailand, and is a really famous chef in Tokyo!) and it was awesome! We were able to share a message of Jesus Christ, and how has blessed and strengthened our families, and invited them to learn more about him with us. It went so great, the we rushed back to the church, met with Tuan, and just had a seriously awesome ending to the week. It really strengthened my testimony that as we make a solid effort, and stay focused on the goals we desire to achieve, Heavenly Father will truly answer our prayers, and if the goal is right, he will help us to achieve it. I know he's so aware of our desires, and His love truly is infinite. I felt really so blessed to feel that this week, and I'm really so thankful to be serving in Japan. Although it's not the easiest country to be a missionary, it has truly been the most awesome rewarding experiences of my life, and one I'm really so thankful for. I love being a missionary! :)

As for the amazing care packages! Thank you again so much Mom. :) I received the conference package, and am happy to report the M&Ms are all gone, and the beef jerky was so good! Haha. I'm really so thankful for those packages, thank you so much! It really means so much to me, and I'm so thankful for all of the time and effort you put in them to send them to me. You and Dad are the best, I'm so sorry I never seem to send anything home! Just know I'm so thankful every time I head home and see the white envelope in the box. :) As for the Christmas package! Some deodorant would be greatly appreciated! I've run out actually, and it turns out Japan only has spray! Haha, it's not bad, but just one roll of deodorant will be perfect! Thanks so much. Other than that I think I'm doing pretty good! Just some homemade cookies would be way cool! Clothes I'm doing good, and recycle shops here sell anything I could need at a way cheap price. Today I bought an awesome peacoat since the Guess one broke last year, and it only cost about 7 dollars! Pretty awesome huh? But yeah! Just some photos, cookies, letters, and some Christmas CDs? The Lower Lights have a Christmas album I heard! Anything would be absolutely perfect. But for the members! I really love this idea! Maybe some American candy I could give to the Primary kids or youth in the ward? That would be so cool! As well maybe a Christmas card of our family? I don't know if we'll have that this year, but it would be cool to give to some of the ward members here! Thanks so much though, I'm so excited to give out some presents this season. Okay... This is just one last thing that would be so cool. I haven't had American cereal in such a long time, and it would be pretty awesome to have a bowl of Coco Puffs or Reese's Puffs. Nuff said. ;) Sorry I know that's so much, but I just want to say thank you so much for being so great and sending this packages! They really mean so much to me, and I'm so thankful to have such an awesome family that sends these packages all the time.

Also for Dad! I showed Elder Shumway what you did in your zone, and we decided we're going to attempt the same thing! We can't make a turkey dinner, but Elder Shumway and I have become pretty great at make indian curry and nan! It's kind of a Tokyo missionary staple food, and we're planning to do a Zone P-day and make Indian curry! It should be way awesome, thanks so much for the solid idea! I'm always so stoked to hear the stories from your mission, you should send some more! I always learn so much from your awesome example, and I'm so thankful to have you to look up to! Thanks Dad, you're the man.

Well it sounds like everyone is doing way great, and that makes me so happy! I was reading Elder Jörg's talk again today, and I know that as we utilize the power of the atonement in every aspect of our lives, we can truly become the sons and daughters Heavenly Father wants us to be, and he can truly guide and bless our lives so much. I've definitely felt this so strongly since becoming a missionary, and I'm so thankful for the amazing blessings this short time has given me. It's so crazy to realize that the Sisters of my district will be heading home next transfer! It gives me such a strong desire to work hard with every effort, and always strive to be the servant and missionary the Lord wants me to be. I'm so thankful for the immense change that this time has brought to me as a missionary, and I'm so thankful to make every change last, and strive to become the person the lord wants me to be. I know that Heavenly Father lives, and the through His son Jesus Christ, all the worries, doubts, fears, and trials of life can be made right. He will always show us the path we must walk to gain happiness in this life, and eternal life in the world to come. I love serving as a missionary with all of my heart, and I'm so stoked to keep going forward with faith into the Christmas season! As Elder Hamada used to always tell me, "頑張ろう日本!" It's gonna be such an amazing time, and I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving as a missionary in the amazing country of Japan. Thank you guys so much for all of the prayers and kind words, I love you guys so much! Have an amazing week!

最後に少し日本語で証したいと思います。本当にこの伝道する機会が与えられ自分の見方が変えましたし私の信仰も強くされました。神様が皆のことや私たちの心から望んでいることを良く聞いて下さるということを証します。そしていつも愛する家族と共にいるならばこいう気持ちを強く感じることが出来ます。またイエスキリスト様のおかげで私たち皆よみがえるということを証します。伝道は時々辛い時や難しい時もありますがぜったい神様と共いるなら何でも出来ると証します！伝道が大好きでーす。この福音が永遠なものですからこれからも頑張ろう日本！愛していますよぉ！

この福音が真実です。モルモン書は青本です。神様は皆のことを愛しておられます。

Haha, it sounds way different in Japanese! The gospel is true, the book is blue, and God loves you!

Love,

Elder Justesen