Alex Fuller's Mission to Japan

Alex at MTC From June 2006 to June 2008, Alex is serving
a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints in the Japan Tokyo
South and Japan Nagoya Missions.
(click pic to enlarge)

Sunday, March 16, 2008

A Week In Fuji

So this past week I have actually been by the side of Mount Fuji on a week long companion exchange with Elder Peterson. There was a family getting baptized back in Suzuka, so the missionary who taught them for six months actually traded places with me for a week so he could perform one of the baptisms. Although it would have been fun to see, it`s been a week of small miracles here. Teaching up a storm, talking to lots of people, and finding a few interesting new investigators.

Thursday morning a phone call comes to the apartment. A man by the name of Mochizuki asks if we can meet him at the train station. We agree and head over before lunch time. Walking around, trying to figure out who this person could be, I was very surprised to see a familiar face. More than a year ago, when I was serving in Shimizu (about 45 minutes south of Fuji), I had met a Mochizuki. Well, one year later, and in different areas, somehow we are led to meet once again. Mr. mochizuki is a very nice guy, who has been meeting with missionaries on and off for around 30 years, he said. We were both surprised to see each other, and I was also very glad that I remembered him so well - many details about him. It was a nice reunion. After fifteen or twenty minutes, I challenged him to be baptized - and he`s thinking about it. It`s so interesting how God works - putting us in positions, so naturally, but anything but by chance.

I have always frimly believed that there are those who are prepared and ready to recieve the message which I have the opportunity to share with them. However, having met some of those people - realizing after the fact that this person is one of those who God wanted me to meet, it causes me to think. Most people I meet aren`t anything spectacular. They`re just normal people, treading water like we all are, trying to stay afloat. They face the same problems I do. There is nothing peculiar - and yet I have come to love them. Brother Satake, Sister Wang, Brother Reinaldo, Brother Kondo, and many, many more - normal by all aspects - except that I`ve grown to love them so much. They are my brothers and sisters. Just like Aimee - she`s not anything amazing - just a normal silly girl - and yet because of the things I`ve gone through with her, because of her reltionship to me, I love her very much - as I do all my family - temporal and spiritual. Even Christ, our Eldest Brother, is a man, and yet so much more. I`m not quite sure how to express this relization, but I hope it kind of gets through. Each person is ordinary, and yet so precious.

My gospel study has been pretty scattered but quite intersting. Alma 20-24, Hebrews, and then King Benjamin`s address are a few things I`ve read over a few times these past couple days. The latter is such an increadible discourse. If the Book of Mormon just had that one sermon - it would be a powerful book. The people at that time did just have that sermon, I guess, and it was as powerful then as now. His advice concerning the poor was particularly impressive to me today.
I quote from Mosiah four:

17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—
18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.
19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

Reading this, it still is chilling as I feel the call to repentance. Aren`t we all beggars in the end? Wow...profound. If only all leaders had something of the morals and inspiration that King Benjamin did, then great steps would be taken forward towards building Zion.

I love you all so much. I think about you from time to time. I don`t want to come home at all, but it would be fun to see you. If you flew here, with some mexican food from Chipotle, then life would be as amazing as it could get. :) I pray that you are all safe and happy. Work hard, and have fun too. Talk to you next week.

Love always,

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

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