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