weekly email: Alda and Airy

Elder Canuto is transferring. My wish to stay in Ichinomiya until the end of my mission came true. The member missionary work here is incredible and I should’ve planted those carrots sooner. I Definitely feel the responsibility and trust that was given me to be put in such a model area. 

Elder Canuto and I saw miracles here. The biggest ones went all the way to baptism. After our first month, my friend Elder Reis (who was serving in 犬山 next door) sent us an address to check out. One night when our investigator didn’t answer the door (and we ended up dropping them), we only had 1 hr left, it takes 30 to get home and 20 to visit the address but we went for it. 

Hahaha the lady recognized us as the Mormons, we went inside and had a great lesson that went way overtime. They came to church that Sunday. The next week, we referred them to the Sisters. Over the next two weeks, they came to church consecutively but for some reason the lessons weren’t moving forward. 

Then, we held a FHE with a member family and taught the POS. Also ate too much spaghetti for my delicate stomach. It was almost awkward how long the invitation to baptism was prolonged, they accepted it in a heartbeat. The mother and daughter cried with joy at the prospect of the Celestial Kingdom. 

Then the WML went all out as he set up for a baptism in two weeks. There was daily contact, and like  three lessons a week. Some sicknesses and unexpected events made it look sketchy, but it was ok because Alda and Airy sucked in the lessons like fish breathe water. Alda quit smoking. Airy threw out her huge immodest wardrobe. They read the BOM and shared passages that moved them, confirming the truth. 

The baptismal Service on June 24th was so sweet. I don’t know how but I baptized Alda and Elder Canuto Airy. A surprise gift to Alda came, a video of several cousins she hadn’t seen or had contact with for 30 years congratulating her. Alda broke down, her husband (who came special to see the baptism) broke down, everybody tearing up and the the Spirit we had all been feeling went overflow. 

The details are incredible and truly witness that God has his hand in the minutos, loves each of his children and provides a way for them. 

Sorry that my emails recently haven’t been all that, we’ve just had so much going on it’s hard to write down.

愛しています！

カードん長老より

Elder Cardon 

weekly email

I had an interview with President Ishii for a short-term temple recommend, and afterward he asked me what I’ve learned on my mission over two years. 

In a nutshell, Genki + Obedience = miracles. 

The most effective way to spread the gospel is to live it! We say the gospel is the way to happiness, but we must show and be every ounce of that happiness! It’s not just 

When we are obedient we bind the Lord to our side, and then he will direct our paths and provide. 

愛しています！

カードん長老より

Elder Cardon 

weekly mission email

Elder Canuto is taking charge of our Dendou this week and it’s really insightful to see how much he has progressed, how much he was relying on me, and what’s still missing in his training before he can train on his own. Most of the problems are restricted to Japanese, though, so that’s good because we use Japanese for everything. But a solid week, and we saw a miracle when several less actives we’ve been working with for forever actually come to church on Sunday. 

General Conference April 2002 Elder Scott “Full Conversion Brings Happiness” recommend, it was interesting to reflect and see what kind of conversion I've gone through on my mission. How much I struggled to always remember baptism and Christ, and to put enough faith in every moment as I call out to a stranger on the street. But, there’s still a lot more left if my conversion is ever going to be “continuous.” I feel that that's one of the biggest struggles I’ve fought against. Elder Scott succinctly summarized what my mission has been like.

愛しています！

カードん長老より

Elder Cardon 

weekly mission email

What is Family History? 

Most people think that it’s for old people and mostly involves looking up old records. 

If you don’t know your immediate family, you haven’t done family history. If your records are complete and don’t look like they’ll go anywhere soon, maybe the best family History you can do is asking about your living relatives and their immediate connection s. A good family History is also just knowing the difference between each great-grandparent, their stories, and their legacies. Certainly, when we know these people they will play a larger part in influencing, guiding, and supporting our lives as spirit angels. 

We’ve learned so much about the huge role family history plays in missionary work recently. “The field is white, already to harvest.” Are you going about working without reaping off the work of your predecessors, and their planting? I bet the field is much whiter in the Spirit world than it is on Earth right now, but we often ignore it. 

D&C 43:16 is a PMG quote directly linked to Family History. 

You can never run out of questions to ask about the family. It’s the greatest social unit of Time.  

愛しています！

カードん長老より

Elder Cardon 

weekly mission email

I remember a lesson I taught one Sunday about a year ago. 

There are three pillars to the Plan of Salvation, and the Atonement is one of them. I’ll spare the details, but if you read 3 NE 28:11 it says: 

11 And the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men, because of me. 

Everyone mentions how much the Spirit does the work, that really we can only be the tools through which the Spirit will truly accomplish the Lord's will. How can we gain the Spirit if we do not use the Atonement? I would wager that every time you feel the Spirit, it is because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

An infinity symbol touches at a single, threadbare point before continuing on and on in endless loops. What does this say for our time now? How much more can we use our time for others? 

愛しています！

カードん長老より

Elder Cardon

Ah, there might be one last thing. Just a shoutout to Bishop Foley, thanks for having us (priests) go take the sacrament to shut-ins of the ward. Love them. This transfer the mission is emphasizing using family history, and while we haven’t found a solid investigator from it yet we’ve certainly made some grandmas' days by listening and trading stories about ancestors for a while. We talked like 30 min to a grandma last night before we could slip out and come home before curfew. It was nostalgic for a moment. It made me want to go visit old folks' homes every week and just talk with people (potential college service activity when I get back). Bishop Foley made me feel the Spirit of Elijah before I ever even understood what the regular Spirit is.

weekly letter

Some notes 

Use your talents. Elder Canuto saw a man walking down the street with a bare guitar, asked to play the guitar, and the guy is very chill and lets him.  Other people for talents mostly are investigators who are interested in learning from my deteriorating English. Use your weakness, too, to get appointments with members for improving broken Japanese. Always. 

We’re Working with a part member less active family. The kid is preparing for baptism at age 8 and the mom and grandma are the strongest less active members you’ve ever met. They just don’t want to force the kid into baptism, so it’s all very hands free and see how much the kid likes it. 

We Referred our referral to the Sisters, and those referrals came to church and strengthened full members more than themselves because translating services between Japanese and Portuguese. The referrals are super solid and are more active in church activities than most members. 

愛しています！

カードん長老より

Elder Cardon 

some stories from Paul

I purged the apartment as my last comp was packing and prepping to transfer. No trash behind, not a lick. It was going to be perfect for the Bean coming in. We moved the study desks into the other room (not the kitchen), finally, and I felt ready.

At Trainers training , we sang as the beans walked in, then sat down and waited as names were read and we were paired off to sit down again. My comp was tall, with blue glasses. Cool. In the Testimony meeting that ended the training before we left, every Bean was asked to bear testimony. My Bean went (last) he was SO shy. Like, I was wondering what problem he had, how much extra I would need to love this it into the work. But he got up and gave the most profound, most loving, heartfelt, spiritual testimony simply. That’s the type my comp is. I need a lot of patience, encouraging, and creating opportunities for him.   

Since the last transfer, it’s been miracles. We are Guided to Investigators. They are Flowing to us. Elder Canuto is only restrained by language; but he goes fire 🔥. 

One example: the first Sunday, we were invited to give a Message after a Member meal appointment. We talked about the sacrament, I mostly explaining as we went through the game, video, and scripture. Then, I turned to Elder Canuto and he was sitting on the floor, watching me with all the kids like he wasn’t part of the message. No, no, I wouldn’t have, and pulled him up to bear testimony. He turned to me begging and asking that I would forgive him, let him do it next time he promised. Haha no, I had him do it there and even though the Japanese is super broken, the Message comes across and the spirit filled the room. The only time Elder Canuto has ever said that he hated me was after that event. 

I’ve been adjusting to his Portuguese way of thinking into Japanese, not English into Japanese, so it’s been difficult to understand most every time he tries something new. Just ..I never thought about trying to put that word into Japanese before. Wow. 

Elder Canuto isn’t shy. He’s the boldest, most straightforward and pure missionary I know; he's never not thinking about the investigators. 

We had Exchanges training with the District Leader, and it came down to street contacting in front of a busy station. Elder Canuto was the most engaged in the work, despite his restrictions. The DL asked why Elder Canuto loves to talk to people to much, why he can Open His Mouth when he has such a handicap, and Elder  Canuto replied! “I Love to bear testimony.” I think that's great, it’s the only thing we need. If you become a missionary, love your testimony. Love to share it. If you don’t like it, like it.  

Haha but sometimes the love comes off in weird ways. He's always thinking about the investigators, right? Well, sometimes it’s strange the ideas he has to help them. One of our first lessons, the investigator was struggling with sincere prayer, and it was so cheesy but Elder Canuto insistes that we make sandwiches in front of the investigator and explain the “prayer sandwich.” I’ve never used the “prayer sandwich” before in my life, but whatever. It was love. But, the investigator happened to have a bad stomach that day and couldn’t eat the sandwich anyway. 

We are always eating sandwiches. We are eating economically, and if we have a day trip to the other side of the area (or mission), we are Packing sandwiches. We Live sandwich . 

We are Adjusting  Lang Study for Elder Canuto's needs, rising earlier so that we can take extra time later for Japanese Study. We keep a tight schedule.  

You can probably find a funny story or two from my weeklies, no more time. Thanks! 

愛しています！

カードん長老より

Elder Cardon