Hi. I hope you are all doing well where you are. I appreciate your emails and stuff. Especially moms. Just so you know. And I'm jealous you had so much snow. the word for snow shoveling is yukikaki in Japanese. I really enjoy snow shoveling. But I never get to do it here. Sometimes it snows but when it does the sun melts it before I get to go outside. Sometimes I tell people my hobby is yukikaki. They think that is pretty funny.
So this past week has been pretty interesting. I have been having some very spiritual experiences that I think have changed my life forever. I can't describe it but God has become way more real to me than he has ever been and I can always feel him close by. And I have had some very special experiences connected with that this past week as I have taught people and as I have prayed more sincerely than I ever have in my life. I have had some very special experiences here. Experiences that have given me confidence in the mission and in myself and a knowledge without any sort of doubt that God lives and that there is nothing more important than this gospel. I am very grateful for these experiences and I will forever be grateful to for the opportunity to have such experiences.
So to tell you how I feel right now I feel confident that I am where God wants me to be and I have more motivation to work and I feel the Spirit all the time now. And I'm making progress and growing more than I ever imagined possible.
For the update on the physical rollercoaster I am riding all I will say is my knee hurts more than it ever has an my back is not so great either. But today I finally recieved pain pills from Sister Gustafson and hopefully they will help. And on February the 20th I am scheduled to call The Doctor. Who in fact resides Tokyo and most unfortunately not a police box. Either The Doctor got lame, American, and kind of old or I am calling a different doctor. Today in moms email she said someone was dreaming and when I read that I heard The Doctor saying it in my mind. Do we use that phrase in America? I don't really remember.
As far as an update on this alien language I have been forced to learn all I have to say is that it is getting a little bit better. I still usually don't have the ability to speak as fast as I think. But a couple times this week while I was teaching I was able to use all of the Japanese I knew and even a little I have never used but heard as fast as I was thinking. That is what I call a Gift of Tongues Moment. It was quite exciting. I would have been more excited at the time but I was focused on understanding the investigator rather than how to speak Japanese so I was distracted. But I can look back with excitment and gratitude in my heart to God for his many blessings. My weakness in Japanese is still the fact that I can't understand anything these people are saying. Maybe someday that will get better though.
To tell you who our investigators are that are making progress their names are Y_____ san, a mother of three children and married to a man working in Germany, Y_____ san, a 22 year old man going to college here in Hiroshima, S_____ san, who is like 40 and moving forward and is very kind and says many things nice about me, and finally K_____ san, who is a new investigator we found this week who is like a 40 year old woman and is a referral from a member here. She seems like she will go far. So we have investigators and that is nice. It keeps us busy.
So I think that is life here in Saijo. I hope your life back in the United States is going well. I just sang The Star Spangled Banner today. The 3rd verse. Its the best verse. Every American should sing it and remember God. Elder Yamanshi likes to sing hymns in English sometimes. That wonderful soul. I love him with all my heart. He is the kindest person I have ever met.
Also this week I was questioned by some people about whether or not war was a good thing and they really were interested in my response because they knew my dad was in the military. That's kind of pressurey in English let alone Japanese. But don't worry dad. I defended you and what you do. They were actually very kind and respectful people so it wasn't too bad.
Tell Kujo I love her. Tell my cello I love it. Tell my car I love it. And maybe try taking care of my car a little bit. If you have the time. And the warmth in your heart. I'm just kidding. But please deliver my message.
I love you all. And I will talk to you all in about a week. We will see if I ever get the chance to have a normal p day and email you on Monday. We'll see.
Peace. Love Elder Riddle.
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