By Small Means...

...the Lord can bring about great things.

Konnichiwa,

Have you ever had a week that was just a series of miracles and blessings? That was this past week. All the work, the hours, the sweat, and the tears are being answered with the Lord`s choicest blessings.

We`ll start with church this past week. Two investigators came - Yamanaka, who lives out of his car as he travels all through Japan to `see the world.` This was the third time in a row he has come, and he shed tears during the closing hymn in sacrament meeting. It was the Battle Hymn of the Republic. The Spirit was so strong as 35 faithful saints met in the top of an old firehouse, hidden deep within the endless streets and buildings of Shimizu.

The other investigator, the oldest I`ve ever heard of at 93 years old, loved church. Satake came with his son, the former bishop Satake, and actually heard very little in sacrament meeting, I think. His hearing is kind of going. However, as we sat in sunday school, he interrupted the lesson and said, in effect, "I like everyone here. This is a good place with good people. I feel something warm and nice here. I wouldn`t mind becoming a member of this church." I`ll take that interruption anytime. We met again later that week and talked about God and how that feeling was the influence of the Holy Ghost. He is very close to recieving baptism, it is just a slow process in teaching him. We have resolved to teach him like a child, using the `Friend` church magazine to get across the ideas. Most of all, he is humble, and recognizes the Spirit that is with this church. What a joy.

In meeting with Yamanaka later that day, he said that Satake`s words about this church were true, and he too could see himself joining in the future. Yamanaka also said some other amazing things. He also thinks that I should run for president of the US, which I laughed quite a bit at. (He thinks Pres. Bush is, according to Venezuala`s Chavez`s words, "Satan". I don`t want to talk about politics at all, so I always skirt the issue and focus on eternal principals) America has such a bad image over here. Part of it is the way the press presents everything we do. The other part is American tourists who come over here. But it`s an overcomable obstacle.

So lately I have been working on a project. We have tons of Portugese pamphlets that are very nice and have great pictures in them of the Savior and gospel scenes. We do have a few Brazilians around, but certainly not 500, so I have done something. Buying frames at the dollar store, I have been framing pictures and then giving them to members, especially less-actives. They look relaly nice, certainly not dollar-store material, so they make veyr nice presents.

Monday night, I dropped one off at a certain sister`s house who hasn`t come to church for quite some time over something she got offended about. She didn`t answer the door even though we could see she was home. We left the picture, wrapped in newspaper, in the post slot in the door, and left. When we came home that night, a message was on our answering machine. It was her. She said thank you so much, and that she would be coming to church this next week, bringing her children and mother with her.

Now the reason she`s coming back certainly isn`t because of Elder Kruger and me. It is because the Lord loves her and has been working with her for sometime. We just happened to drop by a small gift showing the ward`s love for her, and the Good Shepard is bringing her back into the fold.

More than anything, I have realized how completely this isn`t my work. It is the Lord`s and it goes forward according to his will and timing. I am confident that a large part of my mission is to simply teach me humility and patience. I obviously can`t seem to get it since I never caese to be `taught` it. Nevertheless, when something does need to be done, and the Lord stretches forth his hand to help us, it certainly happens in a powerful way.

So the work moves on. All the months of work are showing success. Slowly but surely. I have come to love this small ward so much. Our invstigators are so good, humble, and kind. I love them as well.

Thank you for your love and support. Just as there are terrorist is the world, there are likewise peacemakers. The terrorists have their supporters, and vice versa. The difference lies in who supports who. Satan leads those who do evil, and Christ surely stands at the head of this great work of peace. We don`t carry swords or guns, but the word of God. We owe all our happiness to His words, and it is such a joy to share it with others.

Always yours,
Elder Alexander Todd Fuller
Japan Nagoya Mission
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints