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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
7.13.2010 / 11:03 PM
Hey Everyone!
Hey everybody! Sorry I'm getting this e-mail to you so late! You'd think the MTC would be able to work out network problems. But they can't. So most of the computers on MTC campus were down this morning and I couldn't get on to send an e-mail. However! Finally I have a computer with a working enter key!
Yay!
^_^
At any rate. This week has been fantastic! Granted, mostly the same as every other week... But a few things have stuck out. First, the Nihonjin (Native Japanese Missionaries came this week -- actually yesterday!). There are 10 of them and it's going to be great practice talking with them and asking them all sorts of questions about Japan. They all seem really cool. 7 Elders and 3 sisters. At any rate... The other interesting part of my past week was on Sunday where Jenny Oaks Baker came to give the Sunday Fireside. For those of you who don't know, Jenny Oaks Baker is a world-renowned classical pianist. And she came and talked about how music has taught her, pretty much everything she knows about the Gospel. Of course interspersed with some of the best violin solo's I've ever heard (sorry Kristy). It was quite possibly the most spiritual fireside I've had at the MTC yet! And that's saying something... Let me tell you! I truly see what you've all been telling me about music and the gospel (especially you Jen... I feel like everytime you bear testimony too me it ties back into to Music! Well... I get it! To some degree). I would recommend everyone go out and purchase her CD's right now and then go listen to them! They were fantastic!
At any rate, this week I've been thinking a lot about blessings and how the Lord shows forth his hand in our lives. I'd like to share an experience that I had long before the mission. And I'm going to tell it as if none of you are my family, just in case anyone who isn't you reads it. Right? Also, I hope no one takes anything I say improperly. I know everything in my life didn't nessecarily go the ideal way, but I wouldn't have it any other way. At any rate...
When I was quite young, my parents were divorced. I was little and don't remember a whole lot about it. Although I do remember one thing: Less. Less arguing, less food, less time, less tissues, less games, less house, less family...etc... Others had it a whole lot worse than me, for sure, but I wouldn't say it was an easy transition. Especially right after the fact. In my particular situation, my parents lived only a few minutes away from one another, and so, while my sisters lived permanently with my mom, my brother and I switched back and forth in between our parents house every 15 days. In general, the change didn't affect me too muchy, and I was just glad for the opportunity I had to spend time with each parent.
Like I mentioined earlier, for a while after the incident, there was some tension. Both parents were worried about offending us kids I suppose. Frankly, there were some times when it was just... awkward, for lack of a better word. You what I mean... Where things just get... Stagnant. Sort of like when someone shares something a little too personal with you, and you have no idea what to say because you don't even know the person! That's how it was.
At any rate, my dad, for as long as I can remember, got home from work at 5:00pm. However on one particlar day that I can recall, my dad got back from work maybe 1 or 2 hours late. I have no idea why, but he did. And he came back tired. My brother and I didn't really know how to cook (we were still quite young) and there wasn't very much in terms of snacks in the house, so needless to say, were were hungry. As a result, that feeling of disjoint I've aluded too crept in. I don't rightly know what it was... But the three of us just sort of looked back and for to see who would make the next move. But of course, no one moved. It was this very moment (however long that moment lasted) that a knock came at the door. It was an Elder Sister from my church bearing a home made loaf of bread and some jam. Immediately we three came to life, taking to the loaf as if it were our first meal in a month. As we ate we talked. And this continued until that entire loaf and jar of jam disappeared. Vanished. And you know what? I am so grateful that the Lord is mindful of me, and blessed me so much on that day.
Sure. My dad could have made something. It's not like we had zero food in the house. And sure. My dad could have even taken us out for fast food. But he didn't. It may not seem nessecary or even gigantic, but I know better. It was. And I have to be honest. In regards to what we talked about... I can't really remember a thing. Probably simple things. How our day went, what we planned to do tomorrow etc... it doesn't really matter though. What matters is how I felt. And that, I remember perfectly. I didn't feel awkward. I didn't feel stressed. I felt on. And for the first time since the divorce, I felt like a family again, even if my sisters and mom weren't there. I'll never forget that feeling.
Now is that story mind shattering? Mind boggling? Jaw dropping? By any means? No, of course not. It's not even moderately interesting. But as I've reflected on it,Something has occured to me. While certainly not the lone contributor, tithing, more than anything, is what qualified my family (however broken at the time) for a blessing such as that. I'd always wondered, In a family where financial concerns don't exist, where financial miracles aren't nessecary... What blessings does tithing give? And now, I know. I was promised sustinence. And I got it. In more ways than one. I know that on that day, God was mindful of me and my needs. And I know that he sent us his mercy in no small part due to my father and mother's faithful and continuing payment of tithing. I know it. We're promised that we will be taken care of if we give up simply 1/10th of our increase. What a sweet promise that is! I don't know if anyone who might read has ever struggled to pay their tithing or will ever struggle to pay their tithing, or maybe IS struggling to pay their tithing. But I beg, don't do that to yourself. Blessings are waiting for you, if you just follow the Lord's commandments. I know tithing can create miracles, as great as immediate financial success to as simple as loafs of bread. I know it. And I bear that in Jesus name. Amen.
I love you all! Until next week!
Sincerely,
エルダーショー
Elder Shaw
アドレス
Address
To my friends and family... Write me! And I promise I will write back as promptly as reasonable.
First, please do not contact me through e-mail. I have an e-mail, but have been told by my mission president not to read e-mails from anyone (not even family!). Sure, some other missions might do it differently, but for Sendai, I'm not supposed to read your e-mails. Just write me lots of letters instead!
And please direct all mail to this street address:
While at the MTC
Elder Brian Derek Shaw
Provo Missionary Training Center
MTC Mailbox # 89
JPN-SEN 0804
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
While in Japan
Elder Brian Derek Shaw
Japan Sendai Mission
3-1-5 Yagiyama Minami
Taihaku-Ku
Sendai-Shi, Miyagi
982-0807
Phone:81-22-245-8851
