Hello amazing family! Wow, I can't believe that in less than 10 days I'm going to be a 20 year old... That is so crazy! Time is really flying by so fast, but this week I'm feeling really so thankful for this incredible chance to be serving as a missionary here in the Tokyo Japan mission. :) Every day is changing my life so much, and I feel so strongly that those little rough edges are being smoothed out, and I'm so excited to keep striving to be the missionary, servant, and son of God that He really wants me to be. This week there were some seriously awesome miracles, and I'm so stoked to talk a little bit about them!!
First off I just want to say thanks so much for being the most amazing family, and always sending such amazing emails that build me up so much. Starting up a new area here near Saitama University and having ten missionaries in the area has been such an amazing blessing, but as well there definitely is that weight of responsibility, and sometimes it's super easy to feel so overwhelmed, but! I can always count on the love from home, and the incredibly kind words that push me forward and keep me striving to be the best missionary I can be. Just want to say thank you all so much, and I really do appreciate it so much. :) I'm so stoked for the birthday package! I know it's going to be so awesome, and I'm so thankful for the time and effort you put in to send me this awesome little piece of home.
It sounds like you guys are all doing super great by way! I'm so stoked to hear Whitney found a super (FASCINATING) job. ;) Haha, no but seriously, it sounds like such a great stepping stone into Seattle! It's all going to pay off so much Whit, just keep it up! I'm so so happy as well for how much you're making Heavenly Father a part of what you're doing. I promise that doing that will bless you so much, and he's really going to show that personal love he has for you. You're an awesome example to me of chasing the things we really want out of life, and you're inspiring me so much with your determination to do what's right, and follow the will of the Lord. So pumped for you! Thanks for all you do, and as always the awesome example you set for me.
Lexa sounds like things are going pretty great as well! Thank you again so much for all you do to help and bless the missionaries in your area, I know that they are so thankful for all of the love and kindness you show to them. As well, I know that as you seek to help out with them, Heavenly Father is going to bless you so much. Missionary work truly is one of the greatest gifts and opportunities we have as members, and I can say from experience, it'll change and bless your life! You're amazing, keep it up! :)
Tyler! Loving the bike, brother. Haha, I'm so excited for when we can ride together next year, it's going to be so awesome! It sounds like things are all going so well, and I'm praying for you every day. Thank you so much for the incredible example you set for me in serving a mission, and just being such an awesome older brother to me. Love you tons, man!
Mom and Dad! Man... Just want to say I love you guys so much. :) Recently in Urawa we've been working a lot with the Hashimoto family, who are an awesome family with so much missionary fire. They actually have a son serving a mission in Kobe Japan, and it's so fun to see how they get so excited to share with us his pictures, emails, and his experiences, and it always gives me a little picture of what it must be like whenever the missionaries come by our house, haha. They remind me so much of our family as well, and Sister Hashimoto is such an amazing cook! Maybe not as good as you, but then again Japanese food and American food are very different. ;) I'm so thankful for the many many times we had the missionaries, and the incredible examples of service you always showed me. In being a Zone Leader I've really had to rely on that example you set for me, and the things that were taught in our home have blessed and strengthened me so much in this time in serving my mission.
This week was pretty busy, but overall so great! We had a Saitama Stake and Tokyo Stake Zone conference, and it was amazing to see 90 missionaries in this awesome Zone Conference! President and Sister Budge gave such awesome trainings on the power of love and charity in missionary work and in life in general. It was such a great opportunity to look at myself, and see more of the helper and more charitable missionary I want to be, but I'm so excited to keep going forward and doing all I can to change and improve each day. Recently I've been studying a lot from President Eyring's recent talk called The Priesthood Man, which talks a lot about the importance of being a Priesthood hero, and I've been learning so much from it. He talked about how we can focus on the three characteristics of the Priesthood hero, which are: a pattern of prayer, a pattern of service, and a rock solid determination to be honest. In focusing in on those three things this weeks, it's been so cool to feel the love of Heavenly Father, and really how striving to have those three characteristics can change so much of our daily attitude. It's been so awesome!
Well, I'm so excited for Urawa this transfer, and to just keep giving this work my whole heart. We're working really hard with our great friend Teshi, and he's looking great! It's been such an amazing blessing serving with Heavenly Father's children every day, and to witness the amazing miracles of this great gospel. I know that the foundations and principles taught in the this great gospel can truly change and bless the lives of all people and help us to realize and feel that we are literal children of our Heavenly Father. That he sent his son Jesus Christ to live and die for us, so that we could overcome all that seems unfair or wrong in this life. I love this gospel so much, and I love being a missionary so much! This short time has truly blessed and changed my life so much, and I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving here in the great country of Japan. Little by little each day I'm feeling more and more the truth that coming to this incredible country was decided long ago. It's a country I've really fallen in love with, and I'm so thankful for the incredible people here. I'm so excited for these next 9 months, and I'm especially so stoked for this coming Christmas! We've been talking a lot lately in the mission about what we will give Christ this Christmas, and I'm so excited to give Him all that I have. I'm so excited and so thankful for this chance to be a missionary, and I'm so thankful for the blessings Heavenly Father has given me every day of this special two years. I love you guys so much, and I'm so excited to keep going forward with faith! I miss you guys a ton especially around this time of year, but I know that pretty soon it's going to be such an awesome reunion, and I know that it's going to be a lot like Alma 27. :) I'm seeking to be a truly humble seeker of happiness! Haha, well anyways, I gotta get running, but I love you guys so much! Have an amazing week, and know I'm praying for you all every day by name! The book is blue, the gospel is true, and God loves you!! Have a gnarly week!
Love,
Elder Justesen
Monday, September 8, 2014
Monday, September 1, 2014
Tokyo Japan Week 55
Hello everyone, happy September 1st! We just finished up having an awesome P-day today, and it's definitely starting to feel like Fall again here in Japan! I seriously can't believe it's coming to that time of year again, but I'm so excited to keep working and giving my all to this great work. Just want to say... I love being a missionary! I'll admit I had a bit of a panic attack when I realized I've hit the single digits, but I know that as I stay focused, and have that focus on giving my whole heart and soul to this great work, it's going to be the most awesome 9 months ever. This week we saw some really amazing miracles, but one I wanted to share with Tyler today! So today while traveling home from a Costco in Koshigaya, I ran into a new friend named Jean! Jean is from São Paulo, and is seriously such an awesome miracle! So we were waiting at the station for our train and we went forward to talk to some people, and I started talking to Jean! He's about 22 years old, and three of his friends served faithful missions for our church. As well he met with missionaries many times, and he said he's always loved the Mormon lifestyle, and as well the missionaries that met with him. I just wanna say thanks so much for being such an awesome example in Brazil, and I just wanted to let you know that the example you set over there helped me out today. :) He had such a positive look on missionaries, and he said he's only ever attended the LDS Church, but when he went he seriously loved it, and he's so excited to come to our ward music night in the next week. He lives outside my area so we'll have to refer him to the other elders, but! It was such an awesome miracle, and I really feel like it was a really big thing running into him at the station. I spoke a little bit of Portuguese with him, and he was just a way cool guy. The whole time I just thought of my awesome older brother, and the example you've always set for me, thanks man. Love you! Eu não fallo Portuguese! Moito te amo!
Haha, but anyways, this week was pretty awesome, just getting started with the ten missionaries here in Urawa, but it's looking so great! I'm so thankful for the chance to be serving here in Urawa at this time, and I'm so thankful for the blessings Heavenly Father has given me in this short amount of time. With the ten missionaries, the Lord has already blessed us so much, and we're so stoked to keep seeing those awesome miracles. Being a missionary definitely has its ups and downs, and there's still so much I'm learning everyday, but I'm just so thankful to be here, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity the Lord has given me to change, and become more of the son and brother to others he wants me to be.
It sounds like everyone is doing so great, and Whit I just want to say thank you so much for your amazing miracle! It really meant so much to me, and I promise, doing those things that you wrote will truly bless and guide your life. There's a great talk called The Fourth Missionary I'll try to send to you! It's a talk that really showed me the incredible importance of giving our whole will to the Lord, and fully trusting in him. I promise you that doing those simple things of reading and praying every day will create such an awesome pattern of receiving revelation in your life, and as well the life of your future family. If you can teach your future children this great truth, I know that they will make such an amazing difference in the world. There are so many things that can steal our focus in our lives, but we can't ever lose the focus on the Lord. Daily prayer is something I've become really so thankful for, and I know it will help so much! Start keeping a prayer book and asking Heavenly Father those questions directly, and then listen for the answer. Then write it down, and make sure to act! I'm sure you've seen the Hope of God's Light Mormon message! We've been using it quite a bit with our investigators, and just like he says in the video, action is that deciding factor. :) Love you so much, and I know Heavenly Father loves you to, you're onto such an awesome path I promise!
Lexa as well it sounds like things are going so great in San Fran! Just keep the faith, and I know that Heavenly Father is going to lead you. I know as you keep helping the missionaries as well, it's going to bring such an awesome amount of blessings in your life! You're such an awesome example to me of the member missionary I want to be after my mission, and I'm so excited to see what Heavenly Father has in store for you! You're going to be awesome!
 |
| Check out this sweet farmer's tan ;) |
As well Mom and Dad it sounds like you guys are doing so awesome! I'm so excited to hear about the miracle business-wise! I know Heavenly Father is blessing you guys so much for the help you're doing with the young women and in the Gospel Principles class. :) as well here's a little note for the Tokyo Exchange Student!! こんにちは！カルフォニアにようこそ！
Hope she can read my Japanese! Slowly it's getting there, but I love it so much. It's been such an amazing time learning the language, and just talking to the people. I hope she has a great time in California!
Well I have get going to prepare for Zone Conference tomorrow, but I love you all so much! Thank you so much for all of the constant love and kindness you share, and I just want to let you know I love being a missionary with all my heart! This short time has changed my life so much, and I'm so excited to keep going forward with faith, soon to be 20! That seems so intense, but I'm so excited for what age 20 has in store. :) I love you guys so much, thanks so much for all you do, have an amazing week!!!
Love,
Elder Justesen
Monday, August 25, 2014
Tokyo Japan Week 54
Hello everyone! It's been another seriously awesome week here in Urawa, it was probably one of the most intense weeks ever! So this week we had transfers, and the ten missionaries have arrived all safe and sound in the paradise stake of Saitama! I feel so lucky and so blessed to be here at such an awesome time, and I'm so excited to go forward with the transfer! So... there are a lot of things I could say in this email this week, but I wanted to write about one thing in particular, and that's the incredible blessings of being a missionary. So this week had one seriously amazing miracle, but something as well that was pretty sad. First! Brother Saito was baptized this week!! I actually had the great opportunity to confirm him a member in Japanese! It was pretty intense, but it was such an incredible experience to feel the gift of tongues really working forward, and helping me to know the words that needed to be said. It was such an awesome service, and we were actually able to Skype the missionary that taught him in Sapporo who just returned home! It was so cool to see this miracle stretch from here in Japan all the way back to the United States, and I feel so blessed to have taught brother Saito. He truly has so much incredible faith and desire, and he has such a strong desire to follow the Savior's example in his life. Really amazing miracle. :)
But the kind of sad thing... my best friend Shohei is moving to Kyoto this week! He called me up a few days ago, he let me know the sad news, and he said he may not be returning to Tokyo for quite a little while. He's going to do all he can to come visit, but he's pretty bummed to leave his home... and especially the missionaries. From there we set up a P-day meet up today, and it was so great. We had plans to go into Tokyo, but due to some train schedules, we ended up meeting with some other missionaries, and played hide and seek in the church, haha. It was super strange seeing a bunch of 20 year old guys running around hiding, but you know, haha, that's missionary life. ;) But what was really so amazing was after the games, it was us and Shohei for a little bit, and we started taking some goodbye photos, at least until next time. As we finished up, Shohei and I were talking, and I just told him thanks for being my friend here in Japan, and as he gave me a hug, tears started to fill his eyes, and he just expressed his thanks to all of the missionaries he had met in his life. It really hit me so hard, and I felt in my heart the true blessing of being a missionary. For this short time we're given this chance to give not only our hearts, but whole souls to the people we meet, and there truly is no greater blessing than that. To completely forget about yourself, your needs, the things you wish you were, the things of the outside world, and completely focus on others has been the greatest blessing in my life.
I love being a missionary with all my heart, and I'm so thankful for Brother Shohei Yoshida. He's truly changed and blessed my life so much, and has shown me the reason why we do this. The reason that young men and women can drop everything for 2 years, arise at 6:30 each morning, work all day until 10:30, and have one day off where usually you're still working. Why we take the bikes out even when it's raining like a typhoon, snowing a blizzard, more than 100 degrees in the hot sun. Why we meet with, talk to, say hello to thousands of people, try with all of our effort to share this message of happiness and peace. Why we come to foreign countries, not speaking any of the language, and using every effort we can to learn how to say, "you have a Father in Heaven who loves you!" It's for the people like Shohei Yoshida. It's for the people that are prepared to receive this restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and have been looking for something more in their life. It's for the love and peace we have felt in our own lives that has come from this great truth. Despite the days that leave you pretty worn out, feeling like you've given your all, and still no results, you gotta love being a missionary. You gotta love this work. It's truly life changing, and heart changing. It can take the desires you once had, completely change them, and place you more on a path that you've always wanted to walk. Through this great gospel of Jesus Christ, it can take the person you used to be and completely change you. It can help you see and feel the potential you have as a son or daughter of God, and what's more the people around you. I love being a missionary so much!
Whoa! That was an intense paragraph. Haha, it's just been such a great week, and something that's really been on my mind lately. With my birthday on the way, and realizing that all of sisters in my MTC group will be heading home in about 3 months, it's really caused me to reflect on those awesome things I've learned in the past year, and it's given me such a great excitement to keep going forward with all I have to make every day count. Brother Saito was such an incredible miracle this week, and I'm so excited to keep going forward and looking for those great brothers and sisters!
It sounds like you all are doing really great! Tyler you sound super stoked on life, and I'm way excited to see your present! Seriously thank you so much for all you do for me man, and the awesome example you set through serving your own mission so faithfully. Whit, it sounds like Vancouver was gnarly as usual! I'm so glad you had such an awesome time with your friends, and I know there's really amazing things in store for you. I always picture you doing such awesome things with your photography, traveling around with your family. I know as you keep trusting in the Lord and always seeking to follow his will for you, he's going to lead you to those path you're meant to walk. Alexa! Don't give up hope on things! If I gave up on every person that told me they're not interested in me here in Japan, that'd be a pretty short mission, haha. But seriously though, I'm way sorry, I'm giving you a super big hug through the email! I'll be praying for you every day. A lot of times, Heavenly Father will have us wait right until that brink, and then the blessings begin to flow. Just keep the faith, and invite Him to be apart of all you're doing! He loves you so much. Mom and Dad! I just want to say I love you both so much, and am so thankful for the incredible example you always share with me. This week was really one of the busiest weeks of my whole mission, and I always remembered the amazing example you showed me of how to ask Heavenly Father just for that daily bread to push through another day. With Elder Mobley being the area Senior, I was left to be the Senior, with 9 other new missionaries that didn't know the area, and myself only being here for six weeks! As well, I had to coordinate all of the meetings with the bishopric, and stake president, who is awesome by the way! See if anyone in Folsom knows an Elder Dorff! His dad is amazing! But on top of that we had a baptism, haha. It was such an intense week, but I always looked back on the amazing example you set for me of being diligent, and just always leaving that trust in the Lord. Love you so much!
As for the care package for the birthday! I just want to say thank you so much for making this for me, it really means so much to me, and I'm so excited to be turning 20 here in Japan! I was thinking this year...It may actually be really awesome to have some new garments. I washed my garments this past week, and summer in Japan is pretty intense and it looks like I may be in need of some new tops and bottoms! Haha, anything will be so appreciated. :) As for anything else, I may just borrow some money for a P-day or something, but just letters and pictures would be so amazing! Thank you so much, I really appreciate it so much. Just like Dad always told me, your birthday as a missionary is just kind of another normal day, and sometimes you don't really realize you're having one! Haha, it's gonna be so awesome though to receive this package though, thank you so much!
Well I love you all so much, and I'm so thankful to be a missionary this week! We moved into our new apartment this week which is right next to the Saitama University, so I'm doing more college student work! I'm so thankful for the amazing miracles Heavenly Father has blessed with us already, and I'm so thankful for this chance to go forward and work here in Urawa! I love this work with all my heart, and I love you guys so much! Have an awesome week!!!
Love,
Elder Justesen
But the kind of sad thing... my best friend Shohei is moving to Kyoto this week! He called me up a few days ago, he let me know the sad news, and he said he may not be returning to Tokyo for quite a little while. He's going to do all he can to come visit, but he's pretty bummed to leave his home... and especially the missionaries. From there we set up a P-day meet up today, and it was so great. We had plans to go into Tokyo, but due to some train schedules, we ended up meeting with some other missionaries, and played hide and seek in the church, haha. It was super strange seeing a bunch of 20 year old guys running around hiding, but you know, haha, that's missionary life. ;) But what was really so amazing was after the games, it was us and Shohei for a little bit, and we started taking some goodbye photos, at least until next time. As we finished up, Shohei and I were talking, and I just told him thanks for being my friend here in Japan, and as he gave me a hug, tears started to fill his eyes, and he just expressed his thanks to all of the missionaries he had met in his life. It really hit me so hard, and I felt in my heart the true blessing of being a missionary. For this short time we're given this chance to give not only our hearts, but whole souls to the people we meet, and there truly is no greater blessing than that. To completely forget about yourself, your needs, the things you wish you were, the things of the outside world, and completely focus on others has been the greatest blessing in my life.
I love being a missionary with all my heart, and I'm so thankful for Brother Shohei Yoshida. He's truly changed and blessed my life so much, and has shown me the reason why we do this. The reason that young men and women can drop everything for 2 years, arise at 6:30 each morning, work all day until 10:30, and have one day off where usually you're still working. Why we take the bikes out even when it's raining like a typhoon, snowing a blizzard, more than 100 degrees in the hot sun. Why we meet with, talk to, say hello to thousands of people, try with all of our effort to share this message of happiness and peace. Why we come to foreign countries, not speaking any of the language, and using every effort we can to learn how to say, "you have a Father in Heaven who loves you!" It's for the people like Shohei Yoshida. It's for the people that are prepared to receive this restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and have been looking for something more in their life. It's for the love and peace we have felt in our own lives that has come from this great truth. Despite the days that leave you pretty worn out, feeling like you've given your all, and still no results, you gotta love being a missionary. You gotta love this work. It's truly life changing, and heart changing. It can take the desires you once had, completely change them, and place you more on a path that you've always wanted to walk. Through this great gospel of Jesus Christ, it can take the person you used to be and completely change you. It can help you see and feel the potential you have as a son or daughter of God, and what's more the people around you. I love being a missionary so much!
Whoa! That was an intense paragraph. Haha, it's just been such a great week, and something that's really been on my mind lately. With my birthday on the way, and realizing that all of sisters in my MTC group will be heading home in about 3 months, it's really caused me to reflect on those awesome things I've learned in the past year, and it's given me such a great excitement to keep going forward with all I have to make every day count. Brother Saito was such an incredible miracle this week, and I'm so excited to keep going forward and looking for those great brothers and sisters!
It sounds like you all are doing really great! Tyler you sound super stoked on life, and I'm way excited to see your present! Seriously thank you so much for all you do for me man, and the awesome example you set through serving your own mission so faithfully. Whit, it sounds like Vancouver was gnarly as usual! I'm so glad you had such an awesome time with your friends, and I know there's really amazing things in store for you. I always picture you doing such awesome things with your photography, traveling around with your family. I know as you keep trusting in the Lord and always seeking to follow his will for you, he's going to lead you to those path you're meant to walk. Alexa! Don't give up hope on things! If I gave up on every person that told me they're not interested in me here in Japan, that'd be a pretty short mission, haha. But seriously though, I'm way sorry, I'm giving you a super big hug through the email! I'll be praying for you every day. A lot of times, Heavenly Father will have us wait right until that brink, and then the blessings begin to flow. Just keep the faith, and invite Him to be apart of all you're doing! He loves you so much. Mom and Dad! I just want to say I love you both so much, and am so thankful for the incredible example you always share with me. This week was really one of the busiest weeks of my whole mission, and I always remembered the amazing example you showed me of how to ask Heavenly Father just for that daily bread to push through another day. With Elder Mobley being the area Senior, I was left to be the Senior, with 9 other new missionaries that didn't know the area, and myself only being here for six weeks! As well, I had to coordinate all of the meetings with the bishopric, and stake president, who is awesome by the way! See if anyone in Folsom knows an Elder Dorff! His dad is amazing! But on top of that we had a baptism, haha. It was such an intense week, but I always looked back on the amazing example you set for me of being diligent, and just always leaving that trust in the Lord. Love you so much!
As for the care package for the birthday! I just want to say thank you so much for making this for me, it really means so much to me, and I'm so excited to be turning 20 here in Japan! I was thinking this year...It may actually be really awesome to have some new garments. I washed my garments this past week, and summer in Japan is pretty intense and it looks like I may be in need of some new tops and bottoms! Haha, anything will be so appreciated. :) As for anything else, I may just borrow some money for a P-day or something, but just letters and pictures would be so amazing! Thank you so much, I really appreciate it so much. Just like Dad always told me, your birthday as a missionary is just kind of another normal day, and sometimes you don't really realize you're having one! Haha, it's gonna be so awesome though to receive this package though, thank you so much!
Well I love you all so much, and I'm so thankful to be a missionary this week! We moved into our new apartment this week which is right next to the Saitama University, so I'm doing more college student work! I'm so thankful for the amazing miracles Heavenly Father has blessed with us already, and I'm so thankful for this chance to go forward and work here in Urawa! I love this work with all my heart, and I love you guys so much! Have an awesome week!!!
Love,
Elder Justesen
Monday, August 18, 2014
Tokyo Japan Week 53
Hello amazing family! It was so awesome to hear from you all today, and I wanted to start off by saying happy birthday to the most awesome mom in the whole wide world!! Thanks so much for everything Mom, you're so awesome, and I'm so thankful for all that you do for me every day. :) We just finished having a seriously awesome two-zone P-day, and it went so great! I tried to revive my old first zone P-day, and it ended up going so great, and overall an awesome time! We had a special skills relay race, and it was a blast. :) And then the transfer calls came! Super crazy... I'm staying in Urawa though! Elder Mobley, my amazing companion, is heading to the other side of the stake in the other zone, and my old MTC Zone Leader is going to be my companion! His name is Elder Shumway, and he's so awesome! I'm so stoked to go forward into this next transfer! He's from Utah, and he's been working as the tech staff lately, and it's looking fun this coming transfer. Elder Dunbar, my old companion, is coming down to Urawa for his last transfer to white wash the new area in Urawa! It's going to be such a blast working with him again, and I'm excited for this next transfer. I'm so thankful for all of the incredible blessings Heavenly Father has given me in this short time as a missionary, and I can't believe I'm starting transfer 10 today! It seems like just yesterday Elder Burgin and Elder Hamada were picking me up from the mission home, and now boom! It's gone by so so so fast, but I'm so excited to keep working and going forward with faith. I know that if I trust in Heavenly Father, and continually give my whole heart this work, it's going to be so amazing!
 |
| Sports Day! |
It sounds like you're all doing so awesome! I was pretty sad not to hear from Whit today... But! I'm sure she's having a seriously awesome time with her photography friends, and I'm excited to hear from her next week! Love you Whit! :) And then it sounds like internet is a tough spot right now, but I just wanted to say thank you all so much for the constant love and kind words that bless and help me so much every day. I know that I was really so blessed to be a part of this awesome family, and it's so cool showing investigators and friends my family picture, and they all comment that Mom looks like she's in her early 30s, Dad looks like a super cool beach bum, and Whit, Alexa, and Tyler all look like Uniqlo models. Haha, pretty awesome! But in all honesty, I just wanted to say thank you all so much, I love you guys so much! I miss you like crazy, especially on Mom's birthday, but hey! I'll be home for the next one! I can't believe that we're already going into September, and I'm going to be 20 soon! No more childish things, I'm becoming a straight up man. A manly man. A handsome man. A majestic man. A frivolous man. A jolly man. A happy man. A skater... Man. A guitarist... Man. A coking man. A candy eating man. A MAN.
 |
| The city! |
Man, I'm way excited! I'm so excited to take this incredible time to become more of who Heavenly Father wants me to be, and I'm so excited to just keep going forward with faith. I love being a missionary with all my heart, and I'm so excited to have my second birthday in Japan! Also! For the package... Anything would be so appreciated! I used about 40 dollars last week and bought a new set of scriptures from the temple! They're English, and I'm not planning to really use them until after my mission, but I thought it'd be way awesome to have a set of scriptures that were purchased in Tokyo, Japan at the temple. Other than that, the package would be so cool! Candy is always greatly appreciated, letters are so awesome, and anything else that you think I need for being 20 would be so awesome! Thank you so much for going to all this trouble to send me a package, I really appreciate it so much, it's definitely going to make my day!
But with the really big miracles this week, there is Brother Saito! He's scheduled to have his baptismal service this week, and we're really so excited for him! This past week he had a overnight shift going from Saturday evening at 7 to Sunday morning at 7, and he came all the way from work to church, just to have that chance to receive the sacrament. He had his baptismal interviews right after as well, and he's looking so great for this Sunday. Keep him in your prayers! He's a great 24 year old guy from Sapporo, and he's just awesome. He loves the Savior so much, and he's so excited to more fully follow Him at this time, and I feel really so blessed to be working with him, and being able to share this awesome message with him. Heavenly Father truly prepared him so much, and it's looking pretty great!
Again thank you so much for all you do, and know that I'm praying for you guys every day! I'm so thankful for all of the love and kindness you so openly share with me, and I'm so thankful for the wonderful examples you've shown me. Especially this week, alongside thinking about Mom a TON, I was thinking a lot about Tyler. I just wanted to say thanks so much for everything man, and for being such an awesome example to me. If I had to pick somebody that just goes with the Lord's will every time, I definitely think of you. You're really such a clutch player, and I've tried my absolute best to be more like you as a missionary. This week we're becoming a group of 10 missionaries in a single ward, which has never been done before, and it's definitely pretty high pressure! But I just think of you, and how you always just put that trust in the Lord, and roll with it. I really want to do the same, and I'm so thankful for the amazing example you always showed me. Love you man!!
And also there's Mom! Mom, I just want to say thanks so much for everything, I love you so so much. I'm so sad I can't be there with you today to celebrate your birthday, but I was thinking so much about you all day yesterday. I'm so tankful to have you as my Mamma, and I'm so thankful for you! You've blessed my life in so many amazing ways, and I'm just so thankful to be your son. I'm so sorry for those days I was pretty rough to deal with, and maybe those times of showing off my muscles during homework was pretty annoying, haha, but Mom you're just the best because you always had that true charity for all of those around you. Never have I seen someone so willing, and able, to drop everything to help the one. It's definitely an attribute I'm trying to apply in my life, and I'm just so thankful for the love and kindness you so happily share with all of those around you. Mom, you're a superhero, and you've totally shaped and changed my life, especially in this time of being a missionary. Your consistent follow up on my decision to serve has blessed me so much, and I just want to copy your quote and say you make my heart sing! Thank you so much for all you do, and I hope you have the most amazing birthday! See you at the next one, huh? ;) Haha, love you so much Mom, know I'm giving you the most gnarly air hug ever, because my muscles are so big, and I love you so much!
Have an amazing week!! The gospel is true, the book is blue, and God loves you!!!
Love,
Elder Justesen
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Tokyo Japan Week 52
Hello amazing family! Hey everyone! It's been another seriously awesome week here in Urawa, and to top it all off today was temple day! It was so awesome to go and be in the temple once again today! Last transfer we actually weren't able to go, but it was really so awesome to go today and feel the Spirit there. :) It was especially super awesome today because I got to see my old MTC companion Elder Turley! He's finally made it to the field, and it was really such an awesome blessing to see him, give him a super big hug, and just spend some time with a good old friend. As well with all the elders at the temple today, it was just such an awesome feeling of being surrounded by your brothers, and it's been a feeling I've been so thankful for these past few weeks. I love being a missionary with all my heart, and I'm so thankful for this amazing chance to share the great message of the gospel, and do all I can to help spread this awesome news. Today during the temple session, my mind was thinking so much about the things I've learned this past year, and I felt such a strong feeling of peace and appreciation for the brothers and friends I have gained here in the country of Japan. Heavenly Father truly does prepare the people we meet in this life, and I'm so thankful for the people in this missionary experience. They've all blessed and changed my life so much, and I'm so excited to just keep going forward and looking for my brothers and sisters out there!
Okay one really awesome somewhat funny story today! Today we were riding the train back, and August in Japan is the hottest month of the year! Basically the train was like a sweat box, and I was finally able to grab a seat next to a young Japanese father and his family. We started talking about the church and volunteers, and what I was doing in Japan as a missionary. He gave me a way nice compliment and said I looked like David Beckham! Clearly the man was using his eyes incorrectly, but I thought it'd be fun to joke around a little bit, and I told him I actually used David Beckham cologne, which makes you smell the way I did! Which wasn't great...but he thought it was funny, and we had a chance to talk about the importance of finding joy in life, and having fun. :) It's the best to be able to now bring some of myself into the Japanese, and I always love joking and having fun while sharing this great message with the Japanese people!
Also this week! I had the chance to meet Nori and Yamaguchi, two 40 year old skate boarders! They've actually been doing this for 17 years or so, and they meet every day after work to skateboard, and have great times with their close friends while boarding. It was awesome to sit down and talk to them more about Heavenly Father and how He gave us those things in life so that we could have joy, and they both said they'd like to hear more of the message! It was awesome skateboard dendo!
I just wanted to say again as well thank you all so much for all of the awesome emails! Your kind words always uplift me so much, and bring me so much confidence and desire to give my all every day. Being a missionary has really shown me the type of family I hope to have one day, and I know I'll be modeling so much of the pattern of our own family into that. I miss you guys a ton, but I'm so thankful for this time to learn and grow, and especially to be here serving the Lord. It sounds like you all are doing so awesome! I was so stoked to hear about all the fun things you're doing, and all the great blessings going on in the family! Whit it sounds like and looks like Seattle was such an awesome trip, and I'm way pumped to hear that the ward hopping was fun! Haha, also Lexa it sounds like you're just having tons of fun in the Bay Area! I love telling some of my companions and friends that you hopped out of Provo, and are now tearing it up in CA! It's definitely your place, and I'm super stoked for Sid! He sounds like someone so prepared by the Lord, and I'm so happy to hear he's making that decision to be baptized! It'll be the greatest decision, and he's truly surrounded by brothers and sisters that love him a ton! :) Actually keep an eye out for a Sister Dorff! She's apparently serving in the San Fran area, and she's the daughter of the stake president here in the Urawa ward! He's the most awesome guy ever, and his family is super great! Tyler as well it looks like you're having such a great time in Utah, and I'm way pumped for when we can ride some bikes together, and spend some awesome time together! Just wanna say I'm sorry about some of those lame arguments in the past man...Definitely wasn't worth and I just want to say I love you ton! You've seriously made such a huge impact on the person I am today, and your decision to serve a mission truly influenced and blessed my life so much, and I'm so thankful to have such an awesome older brother that decided not only to serve, but serve fully, and with all you had, and just be such an awesome example to me. Love you tons man!
Also today I just wanted to send out a quick special note to Mom and Dad. :) Yo I'm coming up on twenty years! How gnarly is that?! I just wanted to say thank you so much for being the most awesome, chill, loving parents in the whole world. :) I've gained kind of a reputation in the mission to always be smiling, Californian Missionary (sometimes called Sunshine, haha) but I seriously owe that attitude all to the home I was raised in. Home was always just a place where there was a lot of laughter, smiling, and so many great feelings, and I'm so thankful for the effort and love that you both put into making home such an awesome place. Thanks so much for everything, I'm really so sorry about some of those days I was so easily upset by such little things, and I'm so sorry for the way I behaved some of those days.. I'm striving every day to become just a little better, and I'm really so thankful for the love and never ending support you always give to me. :) Love you so much!
Next I really wanted to write Mom a more personal note for her awesome birthday!! I can't believe it's already the second one I'm missing, it seems like the first one was just yesterday! I was riding in a car, not understanding anything that was going on, and just thinking about how awesome Mom is! Well, one year later, not much has changed, haha, but I still know and just want to say Mom is the absolute best! Seriously the Mamma of all Moms. :) I'm going to do all I can to prepare something sweet for your birthday, but I just wanted to say thank you so much for all you do Mom. :) You've seriously blessed and changed my life so much, and I'm so thankful for all of the wonderful memories that we have together. Whenever we drove down to Cottonwood together, or just anywhere, I really felt like I could open up and just say anything with know, and I was really never concerned about judgement or anything. I know you would always listen, and always give the best advice. I love and appreciate you more than I can say, but I just wanted to say thank you so much for all you do for me. I love you so much, and you make my heart sing!!
I love you all so much, and hope you all have such an awesome week! I'm always praying for you every day by name, and I'm so thankful for this awesome chance to share the gospel with the people of Japan. This short time has changed and blessed my life in so many ways, and I'm so excited to just keep going forward! Transfer calls are coming up next week, and I'm so excited to go forward into the next transfer! It's going to be such an awesome time, and I'm so excited to keep going forward and strive every day to give my whole heart and soul to this great gospel. I know that the gospel is truly that key to finding true happiness in this life, and I know that before we began this life we were living and loving side by side our Father and Heaven, and we all were so anxious and eager to start the journey, and come to this earth to have these experiences that we are having everyday. I love being a missionary so much, and I'm especially thankful for the awesome friends and family in my life. :) I love this message with all my heart, and I'm so excited to go forward with faith! The gospel is true, the book is blue, and God loves you!!!
Love,
Elder Justesen
Monday, August 4, 2014
Tokyo Japan Week 51
Hello amazing family!! So today I don't have a ton of time to write due to some seriously fun P-day activities with Brother Shohei, but I just wanted to write a little bit about some really amazing miracles that happened this week. :)
So first off I just wanted to say thank you so much for the awesome emails! They're always so encouraging and full of love, and truly bless my week so much. It's always so awesome to hear about all of the wonderful things you guys are all doing, and it brings me so much great help throughout the rest of the week. Recently there's been an announcement of having 10 missionaries in the Urawa ward, and it's definitely some intense pressure on the Zone Leaders since this will be the first time a ward has ever had 10 missionaries, but I'm so excited! The ward is so excited as well, and it's going to be such a great time going into next transfer. :) I recently got to sit down with President and Sister Budge this week for interviews, and it was so awesome to sit and talk with President Budge, and talk to him about some of those things. It's so awesome having a fellow Californian as a mission president! He's got so much great faith and love, and it's been so awesome working with President and Sister Budge. :) It also brought me so much comfort and happiness when Sister Budge told me that President Budge thinks really highly of the work I've been doing this past year, and it was just that little boost to keep working harder that I needed. This missionary experience has truly blessed and changed my life so much, and I feel so thankful to be serving here in Urawa at this 埼玉ステーク 浦和ワードの梅村兄弟です。 一緒に勉強してます。^ that's a side note from a recent convert in Urawa ward! Needed some help writing my email this week. ;)
This week was so awesome! I feel so bad, I hardly have anytime to write tonight, but I just want to say I love you all so much, and am really so thankful for all of the love and kindness you share with me. I'm so thankful to be a missionary, and I'm so thankful for the past year here in Japan! This short time here has changed and blessed my life so much, and I'm so thankful for the eternal friends made and that the Lord has blessed me with. They've all changed my life so much, and I'm so thankful to be here sharing this great message with the people of Japan. Today we got to go spend some great time with Shohei at Lake Town, the world's largest mall in Japan! It has a Krispy Kreme. So it was seriously so much fun, but it was so crazy talking to Shohei about how we became friends nearly a year ago when he gave me that red tie for my birthday! Haha, ever since then, he's been such an amazing friend, and a really amazing blessing in my life. As well I received a really amazing email from my trainer Elder Burgin now from home, and I'm forwarding that over! Basically made my day. :) Heavenly Father truly prepares and grants us such great people in our lives, and every day I feel so grateful for my decision to serve a mission. Is every day easy? No of course not, but every day is filled with tiny and large miracles that make up this divine work, and those who receive the blessing of witnessing and joining it, if you allow it to, it can truly change the course of your life. It can change your heart and desires, and it can change the way you look at this life. It will change the way you look at the person in the mirror, and it will help you to realize and feel you are a true child of a loving Father in Heaven.
Today I just wanted to share my testimony due to the busy schedule, haha, but I just want to let you all know how much I love being a missionary. I can't believe I've reached a full year circle, but I'm so excited and stoked for the next year! I know that if I give my whole heart and mind to this great work, it's really gonna be so awesome. :) I'm so grateful to you guys for helping me so much in preparing for my mission, and I'm just so stoked to be here! I realized today that time is so short, but I'm so excited to just keep working hard, and keep giving this work my all. I love it so much, and I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father let me come and serve here in the amazing country of Japan! I love you guys so much!! Have an awesome week! :)
Love,
Elder Justesen
Monday, July 28, 2014
Tokyo Japan Week 50
 |
| Urawa Church! |
 |
| The Saitama Urawa building! |
Hello most amazing family in the whole wide world. :) This week has really been so amazing, and I'm so excited to talk about some of the amazing miracles Heavenly Father really blessed us with this week! First...thank you so much for the amazing care package! I promise you I wore that San Francisco Giants shirt so much this week, and it's looking really awesome next to my Hawaiian shirt! So stoked when I saw that. ;) As well, the candy was so delicious, and my companions were super happy when I shared with them, haha. It was so awesome as well to read so many amazing letters from you all, and it made me feel so thankful to have such an amazing family. Those words of comfort really blessed and helped me so much this week, and I truly felt the power of your prayers this week. I'm so stoked to write about the miracles, but I really want to just write a quick thing for you guys!
 |
| When we ran into Teshi |
 |
| With Teshi in Shinjuku |
Thank you so much for all you do! This week I've been really blessed to talk to so many awesome friends about the gift of families in my life, and I just felt such a strong thankfulness for my family. You guys really are so amazing, and have blessed and changed my life so much. I just want to say thank you so much for all of the love and kindness you are always so willing and happily sharing with me. Not all days of being a missionary are super easy, and I'm so thankful for the blessing of my amazing family. I love you guys more than I can describe (and that's not just because I'm forgetting my English!!) Haha, but I just want to say thank you so much. :) I miss you all so much, but I'm so thankful for this chance to be serving a mission for this wonderful gospel, and message of happiness. Recently we had zone meeting, and it was so awesome to see so many amazing and hard working missionaries giving their whole hearts to serving Heavenly Father's children. Such an awesome work going on here in Japan. :)
 |
| Almost found an In-N-Out :( |
 |
| Kimchi nato curry |
So this week for miracles! So many this week it was so crazy! I just want to share the one that really meant so much to me, with our main buddy Teshi! Teshi is a young investigator here who is about 21 years old, and he's just way cool! He's got such a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and coming to church, and he's got such an awesome love for his Heavenly Father. We finished our Chinese night which was awesome, and we decided to go pray where we should go next. We felt such a strong impression to go to the nearby eki, and we ended up running into Teshi! He was running through the eki, and we were able to sit down and have an awesome lesson with him. He told us as well that he never usually ran by the station, but he felt something in him that said he needed to run to the station that day. So awesome! It was such a huge testimony builder of the guidance Heavenly Father gives to us every day. I love being a missionary so much, and I love this gospel! This week I hit one year in Japan!! It seems so crazy, but I'm so thankful for this amazing opportunity to serve. I love His gospel with all of my heart, and I'm so sorry this email is short! We have 3 areas white washing this transfer, and Zone Leader responsibilities can be pretty intense, haha. But I'm still taking that time to sit back and enjoy the wonder of this incredible work. :) I love this gospel, I love my family, I love being a missionary. Have an awesome week, promise I'll write more next week!! P.S. All of your words of kindness and love came at the most perfect time, I'll explain more next week. :) love you!!!!
Love,
Elder Justesen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)