Temple Trip

Hey, so this is going to be a short letter, because my iPad decided to eat my email I was writing and delete it before I sent it. Sorry.

I went to the temple this week, it was way awesome! I got to listen to it in Japanese with an English headset, so that was way cool. I just thought a ton about how God loves all of his children, regardless of where they are from.


I had this thought about faith this week, and it's all about being centered on Christ. If we stay focused on Him, and the power of his Atonement, and His love, everything will come out right. Everything will work out how it should and you will grow so much through the trials that Christ helps you to overcome. He is so loving and is always reaching out to help everyone, so let Him help you! He loves you and wants to help you so much!

Much love everyone!

Elder Nelson

I took a picture Yes!

Elder Yamashita visited!

This week has been awesome, especially as Elder Yamada and I have been working with the ward members here in Fuchu. The ward has about 100 people in it, and a lot of them are super fired up about missionary work. We try to meet with several members and less actives through out the week to strengthen them and give them chances to do missionary work with us. The best thing is when they have referrals, like that seriously makes your whole day. Like someone has a huge bag of
Skittles and tells you to eat them all. It feels that good.

This week we had a zone conference with Elder Yamashita, who is in the first quorum of the 70, and he is a spiritual giant. We had such a good conference, where we talked a lot about being bold and using the first 7 chapters of 1st Nephi to help someone along their path of conversion. President Wada (mission president) likes to all it "Helping people find their own golden plates" as we help them accept the Gospel of Christ. It was amazing and really opened up my mind to being more open to spiritual promptings and doing whatever the Lord tells you, even if it's a scary experience or something that makes you uncomfortable. Just do it! That's the best advice for how to receive more spiritual promptings, follow the ones you get now with exactness, especially if they scare you or you really don't want to. That's Satan trying to stop you from doing good! You tell him to skeedaddle and
follow the Lords work!

I've been learning a lot from the Book of Mormon on how to be bold and loving at the same time. Pretty much, as far as I can tell, if you love someone, you can't be too bold! Just follow the Spirit as it
directs, let the person know you love them and be bold.

The challenge I want to share with everyone is learn to dig into the Book of Mormon, there is seriously an infinite amount of good stuff in there. That's not something that I embraced when I was at home. Learn to get answers from the Book of Mormon and follow those answers. Something President Wada shared is to "Read, Ponder, Liken, and Apply" Every single time you read a scripture, stop and think of how it applies to you. How can this be an analogy of what you going through or how am I like this person are great questions to always be asking yourself. If you do that, I know you will have an enormously different spiritual experience with the scriptures, and with the Lord. He loves you and wants to help you, so let Him help, and read!

Love you all!
Elder Nelson

Have a great week!
PS I burned y tongue on a hot squid ball. Worth it
PPS I named my bike Shasta. It's pronounced Shaaaaaaaaaastaaaaa

I ate sushi! And I cut my own hair this week! Yes!

Claimed Mt Takao on Pday. Way fun!

this passed by my apartment. 

I rode a train today

Man, what a week. There has been a lot of learning and growing that went one this week. I'm lovin it! (Don't tell McDonalds)

This week I spent a lot of time on trains going places. On Tuesday, we had a zone meeting about an hour away. It was really good, we went to the park where Japan was originally dedicated for missionary service and did some training stuff. We talked a lot about some Japan specific training stuff, like simply teaching people who God and Jesus Christ are. It's really simple and I love it! Often, I've found, that the simple doctrines are the best teachers and can be the most moving. We also rode a train out again on Friday for some iPad training. I'll be getting to use Facebook soon for missionary work! I'll be posting on my wall in a couple days explaining things better, but simply put, I'm using Facebook to fellowship and find more of God's children online. So, my posts will be both in Japanese and English, so that's fun! But still, if you want to reach me, still just email me. I can read emails at any time in the week, so if you want to tell me something that day, go for it! I'll only reply on Pday, but I'll read me as they come ✌

It's finally getting a bit cold at nights now, but still really nice. The leaves are changing and some streets are looking amazing! Fall is coming! I love it!

The absolute best part of this week was getting to watch General Conference! This conference was my absolute favorite one yet! There were co many great talks that hit home for me. I tried something different this year that made all the different, I went in with several questions written down that I looked at while every speaker spoke. By doing this, every single one of my questions were answered. After all the sessions, I went through and re read all the info and rewrote everything important. It's been such a good changing experience for me.

My challenge for everyone this week is to do as so many of the speakers invited and receive spiritual confirmations from our Father and then follow those promptings. Doing this will increase your daily spiritual life and keep you nourished. Day after day of doing this, you can promise you will receive more and more light until you come
into that perfect day, and feel fully and always of a Gods love.

Love you all!
Elder Nelson

PS I ate a fish sausage. I don't recommend
PPS I've begun my Batman training. Ice cold showers to give me self control 
PPPS I ate something called shabu shabu. It's dipping meat in boiling water and then in a sauce. Shabu shabu is the sound the water makes. My preferred sauce was the raw egg. Surprise delicious!! Who knew? (Don't try it with American eggs, I think they did something to prep it so I wouldn't die)

A whole week has gone by?!

Man, time is flying by. I hope everyone had a great time, and is enjoying Conference! I don't get to see it here until next week, so you all get to see it before me! You lucky mongeese!

Man, so much has happened this past week. Elder Yamada and I have been hitting it pretty hard this week. We did a ton of finding activities this week, which has lead to some really cool miracles and
experiences. Firstly, though, I just want to talk about Japan and the people. The people here are so fun! Like, I'll be walking down the street and see this Japanese man walking the other direction. He will glance up, see a huge white guy smiling at him and walking straight at him, and he will do one of two things. One, he's put his hand up, like he's trying to use the force to stop you, and then you kind of just let him go by, because they won't stop and listen to you. But, they might be to scared to do that to a big guy like me, so in their moment of confused silence, I jump and and start talking! I've talked with some great people, so less interested than others, but still having a blast anyways.

So, this place. I'm in a really urban area, so I'm always on the streets and sidewalks. I love it! It's really cool seeing all these building tower over you on all sides and walking by literally thousands of people each day. I do really miss seeing the mountains from home, but hey, that's just something that I'll get used to. Buy, the weather is perfect right now here, with everything being a mild 70ish degrees and it's not too humid. The rain has only fallen a couple times, but when it has I've loved it. The only downer is it's hard to talk to people in the rain, but otherwise it's still super cool.

One of the biggest miracles that happened this week happened while Elder Yamada and I were out trying to contact a potential investigator. We didn't find iim, but a less active lady stopped us
and talked to us for a while. We talked and eventually set up a teaching appointment with her and her non-member husband. It went really well, and we're going to hopefully continue meeting her. It's
just amazing to both of us that she stopped and talked to us in the first place. She must have listened to the Spirit and really made a turning point in her life.

One spiritual thought that I want to leave is that God loves everyone. Here in Japan, many people have never heard of God or Jesus Christ, or have very different versions of who they are. So, something that we're trying to really focus on God's and Christ's character while we teach.
Who they are, what's they want from us, and why it matters to us. And everything that I study always points back to the fact that God loves us, so deeply and intently. He weeps with us in our trials and
rejoices in our victories. Try to keep Him in mind this week as you go along with your day to day life and really focus on how much you love Him and how you an show that love by serving those around you.

Love you all!
Elder Nelson

PS There was a wind storm that hit while we were biking, and it was blowing us all over and throwing trash in the streets. It was so fun! I had this big huge dorky grin on my face the whole time.
PPS If anyone tells you you can't learn the mission language in the MTC, they be dang wrong. You won't be fluent, but I can stand as a witness that you can talk with the people, you just have to try your hardest in the MTC and rely on the Gift of Tongues.
PPPS If you thought Frozen was big in America, you ain't seen nothing yet. People here love it. I see Frozen stuff all the time, and that movie has been out for almost two years.
PPPPS I keep eating weird food and liking it. It's strange.

I'm in Japan! I've become a giant among men!

It's finally happened! I am in the land of the Japanese! And I love it here! The people are friendly (in a manner of speaking) and the food is good (when someone else makes it). There is so much going on all the time, but it's so fun being out and about doing actually missionary work.

There have been some many learning opportunities this past no also a lot of humbling opportunities. First, the language. I actually learned more in the MTC than I thought I did, but nowhere near enough to say everything I need to. There is a lot to learn, but it's coming. That's a large part of where humility is coming in for me right now, I've accepted the fact that I have no power to do any of this work on my own. It's got to be all on God or nothing. Same with the language, same for teaching, same for even walking around during the day.

I've been reading a lot of awesome things in the Book of Mormon. I've read Alma 31-33 and there is great stuff in there. In those chapters, it talks about how the Zoramites main problem was pride. So, humility and faith are huge sections that Alma talks about. The first half of Chapter 32 is all about humility, and how much better things are when we choose to be humble before the Lord. I know that that is true, and there are so many blessings that come when we strive to achieve this Christlike attribute.

I love you all!
Elder Nelson

PS Almost everyone in this country comes to about mid chest for me. I feel tall.
PPS A lot of people think that I look like an American movie star. I ain't saying he's wrong
PPPS I have what people are calling "greenie Fire" and "gaigin powers". I try to literally talk to every single person I see, and chased after a person. Apparently when a big white guy runs up to you
to talk, that's a no no. So, I learned a lesson that day. But honestly, it's so fun to talk to everyone and see them freak that a white giant wants to talk about Christ to them.
PPPPS I ate some weird food, like this weird herbal tea that tastes like dirty, which every loves for some reason, and some nato, or fermented soybeans. I would recommend not eating that, if the
opportunity arises. Just take my word for it.
PPPPPS The Japanese toilets are so much fun

Me and the comp. Elder Yamada

Arrival: Photos and Map

September 25, 2015

Dear Brother and Sister Nelson:

Your son arrived in the Japan Tokyo South Mission on Tuesday, September 22nd, in good spirits and ready to commence his proselyting assignment. We had a wonderful time with him.

Elder Nelson has been assigned to work with Elder Yamada and they are serving in an area called Fuchu.

Your son can receive his mail at the following address (Mission Home address):
Elder Joseph Brent Nelson
Japan Tokyo South Mission
1-7-7 Kichijoji, Higashi-cho
Musashino-shi, Tokyo 180-0002
Japan

Attached is a picture of your son with Sister Wada and me, of himself, his companion, and a group picture of the new missionaries, trainers, and Assistants. We have also included a map showing the locations of the various areas in the mission. You can use it as a personal record of his assignments.

By the time you receive this letter, Elder Nelson should be adjusted to his new proselyting area. The positive sustaining support he gets from you at home will be a great blessing to him. May the Lord bless you and your family as you share in your son’s mission experience.

Sincerely,
President Takashi Wada

View the Mission Map here.

Safe Arrival

Dear Parents,

We just want to send you a quick note to let you know that your missionary arrived safely in Japan on Tuesday, September 22, 2015.

President and Sister Wada had dinner with the missionaries, visited shortly, and then sent them to bed for a much needed rest.

Today, Wednesday, is orientation and training day. On Thursday they will meet their new companion who will be their trainer. In the afternoon they will be off to their new area to begin their missionary work. Pictures will be taken and you will receive another email with pictures attached.

Our Mission’s preparation day is on Monday. This is the day missionaries can email family and friends. When missionaries have a temple day, which is normally on a Tuesday, this becomes their preparation day. Please have your missionary let you know when temple day is so you will know of the change.

Thank you for entrusting your missionary to us in the Japan Tokyo South Mission. We so appreciate all you have done to get your missionary ready for this experience!

Sincerely,

Sister Yamashita
Japan Tokyo South Mission Secretary