Tokyo Japan Week 74

 

Hello Amazing Family!

Hey everyone! I hope you guys are having a way awesome week, we just got back from the temple this morning! It was really such an awesome experience, and I'm so thankful that during my time here as a missionary, we can attend the temple every 6 weeks! It's such a huge blessing, and I really felt so thankful to be inside the house of the Lord today.

This week was pretty awesome! I just want to say thank you guys so much for the neck tie, cereal, and more candy! Haha, I got to be pretty careful not to eat too much of it, but it was such an awesome care package, and I'm so thankful for the little piece of home you guys sent over, it was so awesome. :) As well Mom, I just sent an email right away to President Budge with the link attached, so hopefully we should be good to go! It felt pretty crazy sending that to him, but I'm pretty excited to start school in June! It will be so awesome to start that next chapter in the medicine field, and I'm really praying that Heavenly Father will provide a way for things to all work out smoothly. Thank you so much for being so on top of all of these things, and helping me get ready for school! This past week my awesome eternal buddy Shohei Yoshida came down to Urayasu, and it turns out he's going to visiting Utah right at that time! I'm so thankful for the eternal friends that are being made here in Tokyo, Japan. :)

Elder Williams and I goofing off

As well another really amazing miracle that happened this week! So back in Urawa there was a small family that elder Shumway and I were teaching, and today Elder Shumway told me that the father made his own date to receive baptism, and it looks as though he'll be baptized on February 7th! His wife is going to Thailand to see what the church is like down there, but she's planning to receive baptism as well after him! In fact, he might be able to baptize her at that time, as he will have the priesthood! It was such an amazing miracle to hear about today, and it really gave me such a strong feeling of thankfulness as I walked into the temple. Today was really special time at the temple, and I felt so much peace and excitement for the future ahead. I know that as I continue to give a full effort each and every day, the final months of this missionary experience will be truly unforgettable. I love serving as a missionary with all my heart, and it really seems so sad to know that I only have about 20 weeks left, but I'm so excited to make each one of those days count, and give a full effort every single day.

Elder Higashi and me!

With Shohei Yoshida!

It sounds like every one is doing really awesome, and I'm so excited to hear about all of the amazing things happening! Especially Tyler and Kaitlin, that is so so awesome!! I'm so stoked for you brother. :) I just want to say thanks so much for always being such an amazing example to me, I look up to you so much! Also Whitney, congrats on the Flickr thing!! That's so amazing! I'm so proud of you, and I just want to say thank you so much for always being such a powerful example to me of pursuing our dreams. You're awesome! Haha. Also Alexa, I'm so excited to hear about all of the cool things you're doing in California! I'm excited to soon become a cougar like you at BYU, and hopefully I'll be as cool as you were when you went there. Also mom and dad! I just want to say thank you guys again so much for all of the love kindness, and so much support you always share with me. I love you guys so much, and I so thankful to be your son. I want to do all I can to be the missionary you both believe I am, and I so thankful for this chance grow, learn, and become more of the person I've always wanted to be. I love being a missionary so much!

The Mikami kids!

But anyways, this week was great! We're working really hard with the Mikami kids, and they all were able to attend church last week, and we had a really great experience with them! They all have such an awesome desire to receive baptism, we're just working to receive that permission for the mother and father. They both are Buddhist, and it's a little bit of a challenge, but with God and Jesus Christ, we know anything is possible! I was praying for them in the temple, and I felt such an assurance that things were going to work out soon enough, and I'm so excited to work alongside that promise. Although missions are far from easy, this truly has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve as a missionary. I love serving with all my heart, and I'm thankful for the chance to be in Tokyo Japan! It's the most amazing country and city ever, and I'm so excited for these next 5 months. It's going to be awesome. :) Again thank you guys so much for everything, love you guys! Have an amazing week!

Love,
Elder Justesen