Three Mission Experiences

Written by Elder Joshua Matson

One day my companion and I were on our way to an appointment when we began to run into some problems.  The member who was going to pick us up went straight to the investigators house and our phone died. It was a train wreck!  My companion and I ran home, plugged our phone in and called our investigator to cancel, but something didn’t feel right.  I talked to my companion and we decided that there was something we needed to do at the train station.

The next thing we knew, we were on a trail back to the station.  When we arrived, I turned to my junior companion and told him to point at the first person he thought looked remotely like someone we should talk to. 

Within three seconds, he pointed to a man in a blue shirt.  We talked to him for a few minutes and we were able to make great friends.  We even got his phone number and he became an investigator the next day.  This experience has been a testimony builder for me of the power of the spirit.

Written by Sister Chalese West

I think the experience that stands out to me as the most miraculous experience, and one that I’m deeply grateful for is the experience I’ve had working with Kajita Yuuji san.  We (Sister Ishihara and I) had been really trying to find new investigators, but weren’t able to find anyone.  So we fasted the next Fast Sunday to be able to find people we could teach.  

That Sunday as we were just finishing the missionary coordination meeting, a ward member rushed down to get us to tell us there was a new face at church that day.

We hurried upstairs with him to see who it was.  That’s when we first met Kajita san.  He explained that he’d gone to church in the Philippines, but 7 months ago when he moved to Japan he thought the Church wasn’t established here.  But he did a search on the internet and found the Church and where the closest ward was.  He then came by himself to church that Sunday.

After Sunday School we talked with him a little more and made an appointment to meet again.  The next Saturday we reviewed the message of the Restoration with him.  We asked him if when he met the missionaries before, if they had asked him to pray to know if it was true.  He said they had.  We asked if he’d done as the missionaries asked.  He said that he had.  So we asked how he felt when he prayed to know if it was true.  He paused and then said, “I feel it is true.  I don’t know how to describe it.  I just feel it’s true.  I don’t have any doubt.”

I was so blown away I didn’t know what to say.  But then I felt I needed to ask him right then if he would be baptized.  However, the member who came with us was a little faster than me and said, “So what then?  You are saying you want to be baptized then, right?”  He said, “Yes, I want to be baptized.”

I was and still am so amazed at his faith.  He is an example to me.  He had a beautiful baptism service on Feb. 9^th and bore a strong spiritual testimony of his faith.  He was confirmed on Feb. 10^th.

Written by Elder Zachary Gish

The last day as a missionary is one of the craziest feelings ever!  As soon as this day came, a reflection of my entire mission flowed through my mind.  All of the amazing people I have met!  All of the areas I went to! And all of the people I taught and shared my testimony about the Restoration of the Gospel!  It’s crazy to think how fast time actually flew.  Everyone said it would, but I never thought it could happen.  It’s truly the best definition of feeling of a bitter sweet feeling. 

I’m super excited to see my family, but I will miss Japan SO MUCH!  I always knew one day I would return to my family back home.  But when will I have the chance to come back to Japan and see all the wonderful people I met?  My heart is filled with joy like Ammon to have served Japanese people.  I can never forget them.  I will miss them dearly.  But I am grateful for these two years and I will forever be grateful for my God who gave me this opportunity to be called to Japan Nagoya Mission.  HOIZA! HOIZA! HOIZA!