Elder Watkins Japan Nagoya Mission: Father Tanner!

Our MTC doki, (most of it) Moulton, Strauss, Tanner, Smith, Brown, Me, Nakamura shimai, Papenfuss Shimai

Hey y'all, it's a hottttt day in Toyama ken! They said this place was
cold like Nagano. They were wrong. Still, makes me thankful I'm not in
Aichi ken, which is basically Africa. Anyway...

We had the welcome President Ishii conference last week! We took a
long train and I spent the night in Fukutoku area, in Nagoya. There
were 8 of us in the apartment. It was crazy, and we didn't sleep very
well. We dendoed a little at night. It was good to be back on the
streets of Nagoya again after so long. Felt like being in Nonami but
on the other side of the city.

My follow up training sons!

I saw many old friends at the conference, including my partner in
crime Elder Tanner, who is now an assistant to the president, making
him one of the head honchos in charge of the conference. He is such a
good leader, always caring about everybody. I also saw my boys Elder
Tallent and Elder Laumatia. They have changed and grown a bit. Along
with my dear MTC companion, Elder Brown who is in Nagano now. He has
changed a lot too since I last saw him. We talked and reflected on how
we have all become better since those first 9 weeks locked up in
Provo. This was the last time to see many of the sisters we were in
the MTC with too since they are returning home after this transfer.
And Elder Bills who is leaving early for school.

There were also a great deal of new faces, many young missionaries
who I've never seen before. It's crazy to see how the mission changes.

Antoinette shimai going back to the Philippines.

President and Sister Ishii are so very nice. The first thing he said
in front of the mission was a cheerful shout of "Nagoya dendobu wa
Saikou desu!" Meaning "Nagoya Mission is the best!" Followed but a
round of applause. Ishii kaicho wants us to work hard and obey all the
rules, but have fun as well. He also emphasized unity in our
companionship and with the Lord. They shared many stories from their
life along with their testimonies that this work is true. It's really
exciting to have them here.

Well on the way back Elder Dana and I missed a train and were
stuck in Nagoya station by ourselves for two hours. Well the only
things to do were to buy dinner and dendo some folks. As we walked
around an image popped into my mind, I hadn't thought much about it
since, but on my first day in Japan, Elder TuAkoi took me to a very
high tower were we could see the whole city. I knew it was close by so
we went to that tower, just across the street, and went up to the 42nd
floor. It was like a time machine. When I stepped out the elevator I
recognized that I was on the exact location I remembered and
everything was exactly how I remember seeing it 1 year and some months
ago.

Again the the Iida fufu, they're our doki too after all!

I looked out at the large Nagoya city, now with a year and a half
experience as a missionary, having been to various places and met so
many people and learned many important things, and a stronger
testimony than I had the last time I'd stood in that spot looking at
that sight, not knowing what was ahead, or how great it would be. At
that moment I bowed my head and said a prayer in my heart, 'thank you
for sending me to the Japan Nagoya Mission.' There is no place I would
rather have spent these two years. It was a very spiritual moment for
me.

Soo much other stuff happened this week! We had ZTM, 2 awesome
lessons, and Ward conference, to which an investigator came and we had
a huge shokujikai with lots of stake people. I talked to all the young
men and young women and found out one of the boys loves power rangers
and knows everything I do about the show in Japan and America. Total
bro!

Two of the coolest stake people ever!

Anyway you people are awesome. You know stuff may be hard, but I think
this thing with places is not just for missions, I think in many
instances, if we are doing right, the Lord puts us were we need to be
at the right time. Perhaps we don't always know that, but I believe it
is true. So keep it up guys.

That's my motto, fight the fight, finish the course, keep the faith.

Yours,
Elder Watkins