Tokyo Japan Week 41

Hello most awesome family in the world!!

It's been another really awesome week here in Tsukuba, and I'm so stoked to talk about some of the great miracles we were able to see this week. So! First off, this is a long transfer, so still no transfer calls, but next week I will find out! I'm really hoping to stay another transfer here in Tsukuba, it's really been such an amazing area, and I really love it so much. It's an area I really feel like I've grown so much in, but I'm really excited to just go forward this last of week of the transfer, and just give it all I have. We had the awesome opportunity to have Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Joseph Maynes come and tour our mission! It was so awesome to hear their love, feel of their faith and desire, and just learn so much from these great men. Sorry I didn't mention it sooner! I heard somewhere we weren't supposed to tell anybody until after the conference, but it was really so amazing! It was combined mission conference with Tokyo South and I was able to see my old MTC companion Elder Scott! It really made me so happy to see him again, and we had so much fun talking and reminiscing about the MTC. I can't believe that the year mark is coming up! Missionary life has started to become such a normal thing, but I love being a missionary with all my heart, and I'm so thankful to be in such an amazing mission. Elder Cook spoke a lot about the mission decision process when they see our pictures and gain that revelation where we should be called to serve, and it really made me feel so thankful to be a missionary here in Tokyo Japan. I love Japan and the Japanese people so much, and I'm so thankful to be here spreading this great news of the Gospel.

Also Mom! I received the first package, and I seriously love it! I wore the tie to the combined mission conference, and I absolutely love the shirt! Thanks so much for sending a piece of home to me, and please know I appreciate the time you took to make that package for me. :) You and Dad sound so busy this summer, and I'm really thankful for the time you took to make me feel that love of home. Thanks Mamma, you're awesome. :) I'm so stoked for package two!! And Alexa I'm so pumped to hear you got that job!!! I was gonna send you a personal letter saying I was praying and fasting for you, but I'm so glad you got that job! I know that the Lord loves you so much, and he's so happy to bless you at this time. Keep being awesome, and tell me about the job and what you'll be doing! Tyler it sounds like Europe was amazing man! I'm way glad you had such a great time, and especially that you weren't "Taken"! That would be crazy lame. Haha, but it sounds like a trip you'll always remember, and I'm really glad you're making some awesome memories man. Love you! And Whit, holy goodness Iceland!! All of those pictures you sent were so crazy pretty, I was so blown away. I have a new goal to go and visit Iceland someday, I'm so happy you got to go on such an incredible trip, and I know it's one you'll remember for the rest of your life. Thanks for being such an awesome example to me of going for the things you desire in life, and just for being so awesome. You're my hero Whit!

But anyways, recently I've been really thinking a lot about this time as a missionary, and really trying to follow Dad's advice and put down on paper those things that have been learned so far in this time as a missionary. It really has been such an amazing experience, and one I'm really so thankful for. Today was such an awesome p day because we were able to visit a recent converts family today, and they were so thankful to meet the missionaries, and although they aren't church members, they loved the Spirit that was able to be there in the simple message we shared about families. After that we were able to grab some dinner with Tugs and his other sumo wrestling friend named Rekishi, and they both were so excited to learn about the Book of Mormon, and learn about that eternal happiness that can be found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As well this week my AWESOME friends Shohei came all the way to Tsukuba to visit me! He's such an awesome friend, and I'm really so thankful for they chance I got to meet him here as a missionary. We started talking after English Class, and he said some really nice things that really made so thankful for this opportunity, and especially to the changes it has brought to my life. Elder Sakamoto and I were riding here to the church, and I just felt such a strong thankfulness to this special time of being a missionary, and I'm so thankful for all of the miracles that Heavenly Father has blessed me with during this time as a missionary. I have a testimony that the atonement of Jesus Christ is so real, and is such an amazing gift that we have in our lives. No matter the mistake. No matter the person. No matter the situation. We can all truly change and become the person The Lord has always wanted us to become. I'm still really full of mistakes, and definitely had to do some repenting this week, but I'm so thankful for this time as a missionary, and the changes it has brought in my life. I love this Gospel with all my soul and I'm so thankful to have been blessed with such an amazing family that has taught me the importance of being a missionary since I was very little. I love you guys so much, and know I pray for you all every day by name. :) I can't believe it's just about 1 year until we're all back together again, but I'm so thankful for this time, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world right now. I love you guys so much, have an awesome week!!! がんばろうジャステセン家族！

Love,
Elder Justesen (DR.J)