Elder Watkins Japan Nagoya Mission: Survivor Takaoka

Takaoka, Toyama, and Takayama District

TRANS.... FER........ CALLSSSSS!!!!

The results are in... Elders Esplin and Smith have been voted off the
Island! Takaoka Elders 2 is gone. Elder Esplin will be a zone leader
in Shizuoka and Elder Smith will be going to the famous Mt Fuji. That
means that our 4nin is now just a 2nin and Takaoka is now all in the
hands of me, Elder Miranda, and the Man upstairs.

District lunch in the park

I'm kind of overwhelmed as I've never had an area all to just my
companionship, just the two of us. We have all the investigators now,
a huge area, and a big apartment. It's going to be kind of lonely. At
the same time I'm excited because we have many investigators now; some
close to baptism. With a set up like we have I feel like we can and
will see success this transfer.

And then so is our last transfer with Yamashita kaichou, so we've got
to make it good. This transfer is also only for 5 weeks instead of 6.

I'm really going to miss Smith and Esplin. In this one transfer
we've become good friends and a good team. It was a fun transfer and I
feel like we worked pretty hard. One thing I worked on this transfer
that I'd like to share with y'all is my relationship with and
understanding of the Man we are all here for.

Singing the song for our moms!

The iPad's have given me access to many resources I had not had
before including the bible videos and the book by James Talmage Jesus
the Christ. As I've read in my personal study the New Testament along
with Jesus the Christ and watched the Bible Videos, I began to feel a
personal connection to the Savior and an increased desire to serve
Him. I now understand more clearly what happened as He went to the
garden that night of the Passover. I see how His sacrifice not only
allows us to repent, but also gives us strength to do what we could
not by ourselves. And I know that He loves each of us and that He did
heal the sick and raise the dead. This was all stuff that I believed
already, of course, but now I see it in more perspective as though I had
been an onlooker as He walked the streets of Jerusalem. And I found
more questions and things that I still don't understand, but I will
study those more.

Kids Eikaiwa! There sooo cute!

It is so cool to think that I am continuing the work He began back
in those days. I would invite you all to try it too, maybe not the
same way I did, maybe there is a better way for you. Or perhaps you
already have a strong relationship with the Savior, but I know He
would always appreciate a visit so to speak. Even for a month, it is a
good spiritual experience that I am thankful for from this transfer.

Well, looks like we got a lot of work on our hands this time.
As always I am thankful for your prayers, it helps me a lot to know
that there are folks out there rooting for us in the Nagoya mission.
Let's do this!

Love and jelly beans,
Elder Watkins of Takaoka