Kobe and Back

This past week has been incredible. Thursday, we had zone conference in Nagoya - Sunday I went with President Traveller to a very small congregation in a place called Ina while Wang Junting was confirmed and recieved the gift of the Holy Ghost. And Monday - Both the Nagoya and Kobe missions gathered in Kobe to hear from Elder David A. Bednar from the Quorum of the Twelve.

The Matsumoto branch president - President Kawabata - gave Sister Wang some very special blessings as she was confirmed a member this last sunday during sacrament meeting. I wasn`t there unfotunately, but Elder pratt that she was promised that she would marry in the temple and that she would be one of the leaders in the church in China. Quite some amazing promises - but I believe she was foreordained to great things before she came to this earth. She is amazing. And way fun.

I went down with the steak president to meet my mission president in a little place called Ina. Right now there are no missionaries in that area - and only about sevenor ten active members, but it was a spiritual meeting. Truly from small things, great things come to pass. 　Though they were few, there was a spirit of love amongst them that will attract the pure.

Everyone in the mission (about 100 missionaries) came down to Nagoya and spent the night Sunday night in the church there. We arose at 3am, got on the bus at 5am, and made it to Kobe and were in our seats at 9am. Elder Bednar came in trained us for about three hours. It was increadible. He opened it up to questions for about an hour - which was very interesting. He told us the story of his dad, who was catholic, but became a Latter-Day Saint when his son was 27. Most of Elder Bednar`s talk is actually what his article says in the upcoming September Ensign - how the two hand in hand principals of `Preaching the Gospel` and `learning by faith` work with each other. He focused a good deal of time on how we learn by faith - that faith is a principal of action and power. It was very profound. I have much to think about and much to improve, but it was overall quite motivational.

Riding back on the train this morning from Nagoya - we kept passing through tunnels and my ears kept popping. I thought about pressure. I`ve heard a little bit about the pressures at the bottom of the ocean. Also, in order to return to the surface, humans have to go through some depressurizing which takes some time. If the depressurizing isn`t performed correctly, then it can destroy our bodies.

As I thought there - I thought about heaven. I think heaven might be a little like the surface - and we`re on the ocean`s floor. We fell pretty far and are wading through deep, deep waters. However, in order to return to the surface, we need some preperation. We need to be living the laws of heaven before we enter the kingdom much like our bodies need to be adjusted the the pressure at the surface before we step out into the light. An interesting idea.

I am very tired right now. I haven`t been home in about three days and miss my shower. However, I am at peace. Peace is better than any other feeling I think - because Satan can`t fake peace and therefore it has to come from God. I pray that we may all feel that heavenly peace.

Yours,

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