How Much Faith Do I Have?

Well, the weather has been nice lately. The rainy season is just about to start though - and being on the sea means LOTS of rain. It`s also going to get so humid that we have to keep the bread in the fridge or else it will mold right away. So it feels like good old Kansas in that aspect.

In missionary affairs...kind of a problem this week. Everything was going so well, seeing great things, and then sunday came. Mr. Yoshimi came to church. Church was fantastic - on the theme of eternal marriage. The Spirit was strong and the testimonies were powerful. Then, after church, as we stepped outside, Mr. Yoshimi started to talk with us. He knows the Book of Mormon and everything we have taught him are ture. He knows that it was divine guidance to meet my and Elder Seely last transfer. He knows also that Heavenly Father is answering his prayers. But... he doesn`t want to give up his freedom and make a covenant with God. He said that for now, he is done meeting with us.

Yeah, that was a little unexpected - but I`m not giving up. He said he`d continue to pray and read from the Book of Mormon. He has a testimony, and we as missionaries, and the ward as well, have really done everything we can. In the end, it is his responsibility. I have faith that he will come around soon, if not this week. He`s not my son, he`s Heavenly Father`s son, and so I will trust God to help.

It is hard though seeing someone who has recieved a knowledge for themselves still not continue in that knowledge. I guess that is how Christ feels a lot of times when you or I sin and go against what we know. He never loses hope in us, and likewise, I won`t lose hope either. I feel very strongly that one of the main reasons I came to Komatsu was to find and teach Yoshimi. In the end though, all we can do is pray hard, work hard, and leave the rest to the Lord.

And yet I am not sad at all. I am so thankful for so many blessings I have recieved and so many opportunities to teach people the resotred gospel. The Spirit has been with us this week so powerfully. We`ve taught many people and found more and more investigators. There`s never a day that goes by without some tender mercy of the Lord blessing my life.

Lately, I have been singing the great hymn `The Lord is my Shepard` a lot. I love that hymn. I feel so blessed.

Exactly one year ago today, the 18th, I was set apart to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ. Since then, I have learned so much. I have learned a language, lived in a new land, met so many new people, made life-long friends, and found some of His lost sheep. It was been the most increadible year of my life and I would not trade it for any other experience. It has been full of trials, but how else do we grow? In the end, I just have to sing glory to God and thank everyone who have helped me so much.

More than anything, I have gained a knowledge of God for myself. He lives. The Christ, Jesus, lives as well, and leads this church today through a living prophet. For myself, without a doubt, I know this from the Holy Ghost.

What a joy it is. I can`t ever describe it fully, but perhaps you know what it`s to have His Spirit with you and angels round about. The Lord is my Shepard, truly, no want have I known.

May you have the same blessings now and always is my prayer, yours,

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