One and Done...Transfer Fun!

Well, it`s been a month and a half here in Suwa and I`m leaving. Yeah, way too fast, and shocked me. But, as President called me this morning he assured me not to worry, because I`m staying in the same zone. Actually, I`m just moving 40 kilometers north to Matsumoto. That was quite the shock. Actually, the biggest shock is the position I`m filling. I will be the mission`s youngest and newest zone leader (meaning I co-preside over Nagano Zone which contains Nagano prefecture), and I will also be co-training a new missionary with the other zone leader.

One of my new companions will be Elder Pratt, from London. He`s a fantastic Elder and his favorite fruit is the potatoe (I don`t think there is an e on that, but I like Dan Quale`s spelling). My other companion, the brand new one from the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, I won`t find out until tomorrow. I`ll be riding the train to Nagoya today and meeting him tomorrow morning.

So there are a million things going on. President was laughing on the phone when he heard my shock. I don`t know if I`m ready for the assignment, but President Traveller assured me it was what the Lord wanted and he felt very strongly about it. Whom the Lord calls, he qualifies.

So though I haven`t head a whole lot of time in Suwa, we have seen some great things. Two of our good Brazillian friends - Erika and Washington - came to church with us this last Sunday. I seriously think I taught more lessons to Portugese speaking people this last months than Japanese. It`s just so fun teaching those whom will recieve us.

When I got to this area, the apartment was TRASHED. It was really, really, REALLY dirty. But, Elder Brough and I spent about six hours yesterday cleaning it vigourously. It was some unpleasant work, but it`s so nice now.

Last week on tuesday and wednesday, we had really, really hard days. No one at all was listening and others were just rude to us. We were quite depressed. However, thursday morning, we prayed. We prayed a lot; deep sincere prayers. We left our apartment and headed towards an area of college dorms. Somehow, we found so many very nice and humble people. All day long we taught and met amazing people. I know this short explanation can`t do justice, but the spirit was storngly felt and we returned hom rejoicing in the answers to our prayers.

Hard times keep coming, but it is because of those hard times especially that we have the gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course we need faith, but that faith is also hope. We may be alone today, but we will be with Him tomorrow. Because we know that, we can make it through today a little better. If we die, we come to God. If we live, God comes to us. That`s my testimony and I`ve felt it hundreds of times.

Thank you everyone for the love and letters you send. May God be with you `til we meet again.

Always,

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