Lamoreaux Choro: A week about Job (the bible dude Job)

Dear Everyone,

This week was basically a normal week as a missionary in Japan. Recently, as a mission, we have set the goal to teach 20 lessons a week, which will be a stretch for everyone. With me and my companions, we have been averaging probably 7 lessons a week, so this past week, we really wanted to hit that 20 lesson mark. We had the help of our Branch President to do so as well. We tried visiting all of our investigators and a few less active members as well. We also went with our Branch President and taught a Home Teaching style lesson to a couple members. Along with our finding efforts and everything else, we ended up with 13 lessons, which isn't the goal, but we had a significant jump in our numbers; almost half! I know about the power of setting goals; number goals, study goals, personal goals, etc. I have seen that when you have your mind set and focused on a goal, you will work harder to reach that and you will receive help from Heavenly Father in order to make it happen. We will work even harder this next week to get up to that number. It will be a little hard though, because we are going to Kobe for a meeting and won't be in our area for a couple days... But, I believe and have faith that it is possible.

So, in explanation to the title of this week, I have been studying a lot lately about Job. If you think it is random and "why would he study that?" Then you are thinking like I am because I honestly have no idea either. As I was talking on the phone with one of my Zone Leaders, I had a question about how I could be a better Leader for these missionaries, and he suggested that I pick a leader in the scriptures to study and learn about so that I can learn how to be a leader from them. When he said that, the first person that popped in my head was Job. So, thinking that it might be the Spirit telling me to study Job, I picked Job. So why study Job? Hopefully I won't have to go through some of those insane trials that Job went through (for example, in one day, all of his cattle and servants were captured and killed, lost all his riches and all of his children were killed in a freak tornado. Not to mention, after that, he then suffered insane amount of sickness and bodily grossness that no body could recognize him. Also, all of his friends are accusing him of sin... Just little trials like that, no big deal.) However, despite the 'out-of-nowhere-ness' of this study, I have learned so much from the example and story of Job. Job was essentially perfect; perfectly obedient, incredibly faithful. Even despite these trials he puts all of his trust in God and even Praises God for all of his blessings, even though he literally lost everything. Job 1:20-22 says "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, 'Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.' In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." Also, in Job 13:15, Job says "Though he (God) slay me, yet will I trust in him:" Wow, what do you think of that? How much faith and trust does one need in order to say something like that? So much faith, so much trust that I cannot comprehend. As I have been studying the life and example of Job, I have learned a lot about trust, faith and also how to properly comfort people in their trials (because his "friends" did not do a good job at all.) I am excited to continue to learn about Job and how I can apply this in my life.

I love you all! I am so grateful for all that the Lord has blessed me with in my life. I am so grateful to be in Japan as a missionary. Even when serving in Japan is hard at some points, I wouldn't have it any other way. Have a great week!

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

How could I forget!

Dear Everyone,

I can't believe I forgot to write about his experience! So, on Thursday, we were going to do weekly planning, but we get a call from our Branch President asking if we were free to go with him and give someone a blessing. So, living up to our calling as ministers, we dropped what we were doing and went with him. He got a call out of nowhere which said that a member's father was going to die in a few hours, so she wanted the Branch President to give him a blessing before he passed. So, this was a very humbling experience; another reminder to always be worthy to hold the Priesthood. We went to the hospital room, and he was pretty well gone; attached to tubes and everything. Our Branch President gave a beautiful blessing as my companion and I participated. After that, we left and the man passed away a few hours later. Definitely a special experience and I am grateful for the power and blessing of the Priesthood. It is real and it is truly the power of heaven on earth.

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