Tuesday, December 29, 2015

JT - Christmas full of service

Dear Everyone,

I hope you all had a great Christmas!! I had an awesome one, but it was completely different than any other Christmas I've had. I was able to Skype with my family!! It was so great! I love any opportunity that I have to speak to my family. I love them so much.

I don't have a lot of time; we are going to go to Osaka Castle for Preparation Day today and I wrote a fairly long email to President Welch.

This week was filled with service opportunities! We had a couple Christmas parties on Tuesday and Wednesday that we were in charge of. There was a few people there, but we talked, ate some food together and just tried to share the Christmas spirit with the people of Japan. We had this really special opportunity to go to a hospital on Christmas Eve. A member in this ward is staying there and the missionaries were invited to participate in their Christmas program. This is a hospital where older people with disabilities stay; kind of like a retirement home, but with people who need more help than normal. So there, we sang Christmas songs to the patients; "we wish you a merry Christmas", "White Christmas" (because that is popular in Japan??) and "Silent Night". Then, my companion, because he is tall(ish) and American, played Santa Claus for these patients. There were probably about 60 people there and they all loved Santa Claus! It was so cool to see the look of Joy in each of their faces. It's really humbling and touching to see a couple 80 year old men shedding tears of joy as they receive a present from Santa Claus. It was like they turned into a little kid again. Wow, I was just so amazed at how happy each of them were. It was just a simple little gift that we gave to them, but to them, it meant the world. It was a humbling experience for me to witness this.

On my mission, and especially this past week, I have come to understand better the famous scripture Mosiah 2:17 "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." I testify that it true. As you give of yourself, the Lord will notice and he will bless you accordingly. It was a really happy Christmas for me. I didn't receive much at all, but I tried to give, and because of that, God blessed me. And he is continuing to bless my family back home. I marvel at how much the Lord gives to us. We are always and forever indebted to him. He has given us life, our salvation, and he gives us the chance to have eternal happiness. It is up to us to make the most of our life and to live worthy of those blessings. God is so good. Put your trust in him and not in the arm of flesh. God loves you immensely and as you give of yourself, you will gain more than you could ever imagine.

Sorry it's short! It was a great week! I hope you all have a great week and you celebrate the new year safely. Next time I email, it will be 2016!!! Holy cow!! Time flies. Love you all!

Love,
Elder Lamoreaux ラムロー長老
Japan Kobe Mission 日本神戸伝道部


 
We had a Christmas Conference on Wednesday!  This is the Osaka, Kyoto, and Sakai zones!


More than half of the MTC district reunited!!  Sister Arnold, Sister Madsen, Elder Otani, and Elder Pinero!

Yes.  'Tis my first burrito in about a year and 4 months!  I miss Mexican food...(Never thought I would say that)

Santa selfie.  Way to be Elder Parkin!


Skyping the family!  Sorry, I only got this screenshot...


Christmas dinner at a member's house!  Look at how American this is!!!  Holy cow, it was so good!  This year's Thanksgiving and Christmas feast combined.

#unity! The bishop and the missionaries with matching ties given to us
by President Welch!
共に歩まん Walk with me.

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