December 4, 2016--Happy December!

I have like no time today so this will be a short one! Transfer calls came yesterday and surprise! I am staying in Aomori! I thought for sure I would be leaving, but I will be here for a 4th transfer! We moved back downstairs on Saturday, so when we were packing things up to move apartments, I decided to save some time and just pack everything in my suitcases. But then I found out I am staying! So my stuff is very organized now haha. I am excited to stay in Aomori! Murakami Choro unfortunately will be leaving, but I will be training a brand new  Americajin! I don't know his name yet, but I will be training him and I will be the Aomori DL so I have to leave this afternoon to go to Sendai for training meetings all day tomorrow and Wednesday morning.


One highlight of this week was when I went on splits with Nathan Choro right after ZTM (while our companions were in a leadership meeting). We talked to a bunch of people on the street, and we meet one guy named S. He is a firefighter, in his 20s. Super cool guy--we had such a good conversation with him, I was actually a little shocked how much both of our Japanese has improved since being in the MTC. We talked to him about his job, his goals and dreams, and talked about Christmas and Christ and why God is important. The conversation eventually led into baptism, and we asked him if he wanted to be baptized! Then he said no. But, he is interested in learning more. So we asked for his number, and he said he forgot his phone today and he doesn't have his number memorized (which is generally a sign that they are not actually interested...) so we were like, "ok, here's our number, give us a call when you have time!" So far in my experience, no one has ever called if we give them our number but don't get theirs. But this is where the miracle happened! He totally called us! The first time, he called us from a pay phone. He said that he is interested in Christ and God, but he doesn't want us to pressure him into joining our church. But he likes us and invited us to go out for sake sometime. So I told him we don't drink, but he said he'd still like to go out to eat with us sometime, but just as regular friends--he doesn't want us to try and convince him to join the church.

Of course we said yes, so then he called us from his personal phone and we will probably be going out to eat sometime! It is kind of a weird situation but I think it has good potential. Because normally, people don't have the desire to hang out with random people they met on the street that day, especially when they are wary that said people will pressure you to join a church. But something touched him, told him that we are good people and makes him want to be around us--it reminded me of the multiple times Elder Bednar told us in the MTC, "it's not so much about what you say, but who you are that matters." I know he felt the spirit while Nathan Choro and I talked to him on the street, even if he doesn't recognize it yet. So we'll see how that one goes!

Other than that I got hugged by a female Eikaiwa student when she heard that I might transfer out of Aomori, that was scarring. I didn't hug her back. My hand was still out, ready for the handshake. The sister missionaries were almost crying from laughing at me so hard. I also got a couple packages this week! Really feeling the love!!

Thanks for all you do! Love you momma!!!

パスケット長老
Elder Paskett

Zone Training Meeting

That service project a couple weeks ago.

Christmas calendar!