Blessings

Fall approaches Matsumoto and it is beautiful. Cool during the day and a little cooler at night - it is the best time of year to be here. Proselyting has been pretty good lately as well - finding many interested people. Also, Sister Wang is doing just great. We went with her and another member down to my old area of Suwa this past saturday night to see some fireworks. In Japanese, they are called `Hanabi` hana is flower and hi (which changes to bi when it comes after certain things) is fire - so fire flowers. It was good - but way slow. It took two hours to shoot off as many fireworks as a 10-minute show in America. Still fun though.

Lots of people have been coming to our free English class lately. An engaged couple from China have been coming and came to church as well. Their English names are Ken and Enni. They saw Sister Wang get baptized and have lots of really good questions about God and religion. I am excited to teach them some more. Elder Pratt and I are learning a few Chinese words. I thought japanese was hard - no way.

However, as I have been looking over the Chinese books, and as I recognize some of the characters from the Japanese I know - I wonder what it would like to serve a mission in China. It certainly would be fun - and no one would ever need the gift of tongues more I think.

I feel like I`ve finally got a hold of what it means to be a missionary and how to preach the gospel. In two days - Sept. 5th - I will have been in Japan for one year. What a milestone. It is going way to quickly.

I got a letter this past week from my good friend Elder Alex Aggen who is a missionary down in Argentina. He was telling me about the amazing time he`s having down there and the large numbers of baptisms they`re seeing. i read that and felt a lot of joy for him. However, unlike before, I felt so blessed to be in Japan instead amongst the wonderful people here. I love these people so much. They`re part of my family. The Lord knew where to send me - I love it here.

Today I was reading through James in the Bible. That is an amazing set of scripture so packed with great council. I recommend it.

The Lord has been mindful of us. He blesses those who serve Him - of that I can testify. May we all serve Him with faithfulness and long-suffering is my prayer.

Yours,

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