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About
The adventures and misadventures of Elder Shaw as he teaches among the Japanese, and is no doubt taught in return.
Head to the 'Profile,' section to read more about who I am, and what I believe in. For more information on where I actually am, please click
here.
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Profile
My name is Brian Shaw, though you can just call me エルダーショー (Elder Shaw). As of the 19th of May 2010, I have been rigorously engaged in serving the Lord by laboring to bring the Japanese people back to their savior, Jesus Christ; and I will continue to do so faithfully until the 19th of the same month in 2012.
I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I have an unshakable testimony that this church
is of Christ. I know Christ lives, and I know he suffered for my sins, so that I could return to live with my Heavenly Father after this life. I know that Joseph Smith, the founder of this church in the latter days, was called of God to restore Christ's authority to this earth, and establish the covenants and ordinances that were lost long ago. I also know that Joseph Smith was given a set of gold plates to translate into scripture called the Book of Mormon. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
If you would like to know this just as I do, please click
here, or click
here for a
free copy of the Book of Mormon.
2 Nephi 25:26
"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."
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Entries
11.01.2010 / 11:27 AM
Sashiburi desu! (Long Time no see)
Hey everyone... Sorry there was no e-mail last week. It was transfers week, and well... You probably guessed something went on! Well, so much has happened this last week... Ah. I don't even know where to begin!
First I'll start with the pitures. (Haha suspense. You don't know if I got transfered or not yet)
IMG_2872.JPG 1,050.00K - Last week we had a Halloween Party! Yipeeeeee. It was lots of fun. No time to really talk about it. This was everyone that came minus the one taking the picture.
IMG_2873.JPG 950.00K - This weeks comic
IMG_2840.JPG 1,022.00K - Halloween Party picture
IMG_2836.JPG 1,156.00K - Same as above
IMG_2791.JPG 929.00K - Hahahahaha. Enjoy this picture please. This is how people eat in Japan. Or maybe I've just become a slob.
IMG_2714.JPG 765.00K - This is a piture of Furukawa, and me, sort of.
IMG_2881.JPG 874.00K - This is Elder Swenson and I.
Wait what!? Who's Elder Swenson! That's right! Elder Aiura was transferred to a new area, and Elder Swenson has been transfered into Furukawa with me! Yipee! So, Elder Swenson is from Washington, and this is HIS LAST TRANSFER! So he'll be 'home in time for Christmas' or however the song goes.
Surprisingly however, I have been made Senior Companion. Elder Swenson was getting a little... Well you can probably guess. He's a great guy and all, but sometimes Missionaries are a little to excited to go home. But we get a long great! However... If anyone has any advice on how to deal with those who... might not be quite as excited to get to work as other missionaries, please share. I'm open to all suggestions from anyone.
Oh! Also, thanks so much for the wonderful mail! I love getting your letters and hearing how you are doing! You are true examples to me! Oh gee. I am always running out of time. :/
However, today I want to share a spiritual message that's been on my mind the last little while. As you might have noticed, I have been in Japan for quite some time now, and still have not seen a baptism. This has been somewhat discouraging to me. I'm sure you will all want to tell me that quantity isn't important, or that people just 'don't baptise in Japan,' or whatever else... But frankly, people do baptise in Japan, and it's discouraging to me that I have yet to fulfill my purpose. However, I've begun to learn some of what it means to be patient.
The scriptures are riddled with stories of patience. Noah waiting for rain. Enos waiting in prayer to receive forgiveness. Jacob waiting for Rachel. Jospeh Smith waiting in liberty jail. The Nephites waiting for Christ to visit them. Etc... They are all over the place. But they all promise the same thing: If you wait on the Lord in faith, you will be delivered.
I recently found a book titled 'When do the Good things come?' or 'Itsu, ii koto wa kuru kana?' in Japanese. It's a Japanese and English Charlie Brown comic strip book. I obviously didn't have time to read the book. But the title intrigued me. When do the good things come?
Well, after study (see Mosiah 23), prayer, and serious thought, I've come to the conclusion that you can never really know when the 'good things' come. I don't know when I will see a baptism, I don't know when I will learn Japanese, but I know that if I trust the lord, and wait, those good things will come. There is a video on youtube that I was privleged to see in the MTC by Jeffery R. Holland. I think it's called 'Good things come to those who wait,' or something to that effect. It impacted me greatly, and I still remember it.
It depicts a man struggling with his family to find their place in this world. They are stranded twice along an old road near Kanarryville Utah. In the movie, as the father is doing his best to figure things out, the world seems to combine against him, but he just keeps on moving forward. I can still hear it in my mind now, Jeffery R. Holland imploring the young father, and me: "Don't you quit."
Don't worry. I do not, have not, and will not ever, intend to quit. I know that for me in Japan, the good things will come as I trust the Lord through, prayer, scripture study, and faith. And I also know that, that same promise applies to you. I don't know your problems. I don't know your needs. But I do know that if you trust the Lord with all your heart, through prayer, study and pondering, all will be well. I promise that, all will be well.
And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Thanks again, I love you all.
--
Truly,
Sincerely,
Elder Shaw
PS. Remember too the saying: 'A patient man often must wait a long time. But no more often than an impatient man.'
