Conference-style Talk/Research Paper: Families, Why I am Who I am Today

This winter semester, I'm studying parts of the New Testament in the Bible as part of my religious studies at BYU-Idaho. As is customary, I was required to write up a sort of research paper in the form of a talk on any gospel topic of my choosing for the midterm. This time, I chose to write about families, entitled "Families, Why I am Who I am Today", supported with some experiences, scriptures, and quotes from past General Conference talks to meet assignment criteria. Needless to say, I aced this assignment and now I'm publishing it here: 

I love my family! It is probably one of the most cliché things one can ever say amongst Latter-day Saints (and probably among much of society), but out of everything I will ever say in my lifetime, that is probably one of the truest, short statements I can ever make. However, unlike most Latter-day Saints families, I, along with a considerable chunk of the Church membership come from a part-member family; my mother, as well as her side of the family are not members. Growing up in a part-member family has made the topic of “families” that much more precious and important to me as a result. But just because I come from a part-member family doesn’t mean I’m any different from many of you. Like many of you, I found enjoyment and spiritual nourishment from the various activities and callings associated with the Church. I am who I am today because of my family, and because of the way my parents raised me. I am privileged to hold a current Temple recommend and be able to attend the Temple. I was also able to serve an honorable full-time mission. And thankfully, my non-member mother has been very supportive of me in the various activities of the Church, including my missionary service to Japan (which also happens to be the country she is from!). And I love my mother regardless!

Speaking of mothers, one of the best accounts in the New Testament that hits me the most is at the end of the Savior’s mortal life. As He is hanging upon the cross on Calvary, He sees his mother, Mary and tasked one of His disciples to care for her: “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” (John 19: 26-27) President Thomas S. Monson said of this account, “From that awful night when time stood still, when the earth did quake and great mountains were brought down-yes, through the annals of history, over the centuries of years and beyond the span of times, there echoes his simple yet divine words, “Behold thy mother!”” (‘Behold Thy Mother’, October 1973)

As all of you know, the gospel is centered on the family. We know from studying the missionary lessons in ‘Preach My Gospel’ that families are considered the most important social unit because they are ordained of God. President Boyd K. Packer said, “We focus on the family in the Church, and we counsel parents everywhere to raise their children in righteousness.” (‘The Key to Spiritual Protection’, October 2013) It is through the gospel that parents, through heavenly guidance, inspiration, and revelation are able to successfully raise their children, even in troubling times the world faces today. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “There is no area of parental action that is more needful of heavenly guidance or more likely to receive it than the decisions of parents in raising their children and governing their families.” (‘Love and Law’, October 2009)

Looking at myself and where I’m at in life, I think it’s safe to say I’ve turned out okay for the most part so that tells me my parents raised me right! I hope someday, I can at least be half as good as they were when I start raising my own children as a parent. I remember it wasn’t always easy as a family, considering some of the things we went through. But at the same time, we got through those hardships together as a family. I remember my dad being unemployed for a few years and I was old enough to recognize that it was a scary thing; I cannot even begin to imagine what was going through my dad’s mind during those times. I was also old enough to know that I should be supportive of my parents, especially during those tough times we endured. I especially heeded the scriptural advice found in the sixth chapter of Ephesians: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)

With my non-member mother, I have come to find that it’s important that our relationship be built on the grounds of mutual respect because we don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. I certainly have a great deal of respect for her and her family’s Japanese culture and beliefs. I remember at the end of my mission, my family picked me up and went to my mother’s hometown to visit relatives. They took notice of my missionary name badge almost immediately and asked about it. I was completely caught off guard when my mother described to her siblings, her mother, and here nieces and nephews what an LDS missionary does and what I have been doing in Japan for two years. The best part, she described it perfectly! Elder Quentin L. Cook said, “Our leaders have consistently counseled us “to live with respect and appreciation for those not of our faith. There is so great a need for civility and mutual respect among those of differing beliefs and philosophies.”” (‘Our Father’s Plan-Big Enough for All His Children’, April 2009) So even though I come from a part-member family, I feel confident that we as a family share a strong bond in our relationship regardless. I am who I am today because of that bond we share as a result of that mutual respect for our differences.

It should be well-noted that families are important, even in ancient times. A reliable account that supports this can be found in The Book of Mormon when the righteous Nephites was at war with the wicked Lamanites: “And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed. Therefore for this cause were the Nephites contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights, and their religion.” (Alma 43:47) The Nephites probably wanted to avoid going to war but were forced to do so in defense of themselves and their families. Though modern day circumstances are different compared to Book of Mormon times, that shouldn’t diminish the fact that our families are important to us.

For many, it’s important that there is quality time to be spent with family members. Families are to “live together in love.” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:45) Now, my family (both immediate and extended) is a little unorthodox when it comes to a few things and we’re okay with that. And I’ll tell you why by sharing an experience we had recently: My grandmother passed away late last year just before Thanksgiving and my parents and I drove out Eastern Idaho to be present for the funeral arrangements. This is where we Wynn’s are bit unorthodox. Some longtime family friends coming to pay their respects said to my dad, “We just walked in the door and heard laughter down the hallway and we figured, ‘Yep, it must be Wynn funeral!’” Another one of those “unorthodox Wynn-moments” occurred after the funeral services concluded: My dad and his brothers (who were the pallbearers) were carrying my grandmother’s casket out to the waiting hearse when the metal lid of the casket made a loud popping sound. Everyone in the family heard it and we were all thinking the same thing. We all tried to bite our lips, although unsuccessfully. My dad, in an effort to prevent the inevitable, quietly said, “Don’t say it!” Then one of my uncles went ahead and said, “I think she [my grandmother] wants out!” That’s when we all lost it and busted out into laughter! But we were okay with that because we were gathered together as one big, united family. And as somber as that funeral may have been, it is thanks to our belief in the gospel that this occasion was also a celebration, a time to be happy for a life well-lived and life now progressed into the eternities.

But not all families are the same and some are worse off than others, especially those who don’t know the joy we know and have. I feel sorry for those who don’t have the gospel in their lives. I feel sorry for those who don’t know what it’s like to have the bond I share with my family. President Dieter F. Uchtodorf said, “Many had lost out on choice memories that come from spending time with family and friends. They missed developing a deep connection with those who meant the most to them.” (‘Of Regrets and Resolutions’, October 2012) There are many reasons why we as Latter-day Saints should share the gospel; bringing families together should be one of those reasons. Compared to my part-member family circumstances, I feel fortunate that all is relatively well with us. Without going into too much detail, I have seen other families torn apart, dysfunctional, unable to work out differences and things ended badly for the family members, especially the children. If we’re doing things right with our families we desire nothing but the best for our family, like Lehi demonstrated in the vision of the tree of life: “And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.” (1 Nephi 8:12)

I know this is the true Church of Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ also is true; it focuses greatly on the family and I know that when we raise our families around gospel standards, those relationships will become stronger and each family member will also be better individuals as well. Because of the unique experiences I have coming from my family circumstances, I have a testimony on the importance of families. I also know that no matter what the differences in culture or belief, things can work out. Furthermore, I know that families can be eternally together forever. I also testify of the importance of mutual respect; you can appreciate one’s culture and beliefs different from yours better that way, especially when it’s from a family member who is close to you. I am who I am today, because of my family. I know God loves each and every one of His children regardless of culture or belief. My thoughts and testimony I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Conference-style Talk: Evaluating Your Own Integrity

Once again, for another semester, I was required to write a research paper/talk thingy for my religion class. This one is entitled, 'Evaluating Your Own Inegrity'. Graded, this did really well. Due to time constraints, we were unable to share our full talks as a class so I will publish it here.

I was on a small plane flying from St. Anthony, Idaho to Pinedale, Wyoming this past April during the week break in between semesters. The aircraft we were flying on is capable of reaching altitudes beyond 15,000 feet thanks to a turbo-charged engine, which is probably a good thing because there were mountains and rugged terrain to stay clear of on this flight. This particular aircraft has some history though. You see two years prior to my flight, this aircraft was involved in a landing incident where its retractable landing gears collapsed upon touch-down.

Here’s a little more background information: Depending on the aircraft-type, all airplanes are required by FAA regulations to go under a rather scrutinizing inspection called the annual-inspections after achieving a certain number of flight hours. This aircraft recently had its annual-inspection prior to this incident. It was during that inspection that a metal rod about two feet long in length designed to handle the stresses of a landing aircraft was discovered to have hairline cracks visible only under an electron microscope. The mechanic contracted to replace the needed parts rationalized that this metal rod was still good and did not replace it despite instructions clearly stating the need for replacement. Just like that, the landing gear system of the aircraft was compromised. It was only a matter of time after a number of landings that this metal rod would fail, causing the incident, damaging the aircraft, putting lives at risk, not to mention a financial headache for the owner to get additional repairs that weren’t previously necessary done. The incident was preventable.

There is a reason why air travel is considered the safest mode of transportation in most parts of the world; it’s because the industry and the agencies in charge of overseeing them scrutinize heavily on quality standards of safety and structural integrity. From my personal experiences being around planes and the knowledge gained about the aviation industry, I have discovered spiritual parallels with it regarding the principle of integrity. Like those industry standards we hear about for structural integrity or quality control, we too have our own personal integrity to keep in check. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Twelve once said, “To me, integrity means always doing what is right and good, regardless of the immediate consequences. It means being righteous from the very depth of our soul, not only in our actions but, more importantly, in our thoughts and in our hearts. Personal integrity implies such trustworthiness and incorruptibility that we are incapable of being false to a trust or covenant.” (April, 1990)

It’s possible that this mechanic who was contracted to tend the incident aircraft I mentioned was trying to saving money for the company he worked for. In this case, the innocent decisions and rationalizations made could have led to potentially disastrous consequences for the people flying that day, not to mention an otherwise perfectly-working airplane. Like an aircraft and its required inspections it has to go through, we too must assess our own personal integrity. So the question now is: How? In The Book of Mormon, Nephi exhorted his brothers with the following: “And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.” (1 Nephi 16:3) That is sound advice for us all.

We should all strive to live up to “Temple Recommend” worthy status in our lives. President Marion G. Romney once said, “I need not belabor the fact that the world is at the present time in desperate need of men of integrity. The proof of this statement may be read in every publication, heard on every radio, and both seen and heard in every visual and sound production. Our very civilization is in jeopardy. If it is to be rescued, it must be done by men of integrity.” (October, 1974) I echo the words of President Romney. Today, we live in a world where social standards continue to decay as sin and unrighteous behavior contrary to Church standards become the accepted norm of society. In a world where it’s easy to cheat and lie in our dealings with our fellow man, it’s more important that we stay clear of the worldly hazards and keep our personal integrity intact. We will stand out as a beacon to the world when we stay upright and righteous in our dealings. Our neighbors around us will notice how we stand out among the rest. And most importantly, think of the blessings you will receive and be eligible for when you do so.

However, what if your personal integrity wasn’t up to what it should be? The landing incident I mentioned earlier was preventable had that metal rod been replaced as instructed. And you can prevent a lot of grief in your own life by staying on that strait and narrow path. Stray from the path and you could potentially crash and burn and require spiritual repairs that would’ve been otherwise not necessary had you been obedient from the beginning. Said our Prophet Thomas S. Monson, “We simply cannot afford the luxury of a detour from which we may never return.” (October 2010)

Now we’re not perfect. All of us eventually hit a stumbling block, or two, or three, or more. Mortality is supposed to be full of trials and difficulties where sometimes our personal integrity is challenged. For some, these challenges are harder than it is for others. It was never meant to be easy. And it’s easy for us to get discouraged and even throw in the towel. But that is no excuse for you not to make things right. Please understand there is a path back; you can make things right. In the words of Alma: “But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice. For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved.” (Alma 42:23-24)

Integrity is often the indicator of our personal character and desires. I typically notice a connection between integrity and the armor of God. However, unlike traditional shields or pieces of armor typical of knights you see portrayed in the movies, the armor of God is only effective when our personal integrity is strong and upright in harmony with obedience of the commandments and Church standards. Ephesians 6:13-18 describe what I feel are the requirements needed to live a righteous life where our personal integrity can stand out and shine: “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Ephesians 6:13-18)

We know what we need to do. We have the necessary knowledge to know where we need to be in our lives. Our personal integrity, our armor must not have a single chink in it. May we always strive to stand upright before God. May our lives be full of enriching and righteous deeds to our fellow man. May we always, for those worthy and eligible, maintain a current Temple Recommend and strengthen our faith by going to the Temple often or when we’re able to. Temple attendance can shelter us from the world and strengthen personal resolve and discover answers that can help us.

I testify to you of the importance of personal integrity. It is the indicator of our lives that will determine whether we have a smooth landing or a rough landing. It defines moral character in which how others around us will see who we really are. I also have a testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel; it was restored by God through the prophet Joseph Smith. The Church today is led today by a man of integrity, even Thomas S. Monson who is our Prophet, Seer, and Revelator in these latter-days. I know he is the mouthpiece of God, from where we are able receive divine instruction. And most importantly, I’m grateful for the one who displays perfect integrity; our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know He came to this earth to atone and die for us. I know he was resurrected and has given us the opportunity to do the same. In times of trial, difficulty and repentance, when our integrity needs work, it is my hope and prayer that we turn to Him and the continuing works of the Atonement. My thoughts and testimony, I leave with you in name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mini-Conference Talk: Your Mission is the Mission for You

The following is a mid-term assignment titled 'Your Mission is the Mission for You'. I wrote this up for my Book of Mormon class at Brigham Young University-Idaho. It is classified as a "Mini-Conference Talk" and it seemed fitting to share it with you on this blog. Graded, it did decently well, though there's room for improvement.

One of my favorite “missionary” figures from The Book of Mormon has to be Ammon, one of the sons of Mosiah. In the seventeenth chapter of Alma, the things Ammon says in these versus serve as a prime example of what a missionary should be like: “And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell in the land among the Lamanites, or among his people. And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die. And it came to pass that king Lamoni was much pleased with Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife. But Ammon said unto him: Nay, but I will be thy servant. Therefore Ammon became a servant to king Lamoni. And it came to pass that he was set among other servants to watch the flocks of Lamoni, according to the custom of the Lamanites.” (Alma 17:22-25)

Of course, missionary work was a lot different back in Ammon’s time than it is now. In today’s Latter-day Saints community, young men set aside two years of their lives (and young women set aside 18 months) to go out and serve wherever they are called as representatives of the church and of the Lord, Jesus Christ. In his opening remarks of the October 2010 General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson said, “I repeat what prophets have long taught – that every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission. Missionary service is a priesthood duty – an obligation the Lord expects of us who have been given so very much. Young men, I admonish you to prepare for service as a missionary.” Though this admonition is directed to the young men, the principle for preparation of a mission equally applies to young women who desire to serve as well.

It’s been nearly a year now since I came home from my mission in Japan. I can’t emphasize enough on how much my mission meant to me. To every young man currently serving or who has served, please know that the mission you were called to serve in was meant specifically for you. Being half-Japanese myself, it was almost no surprise that I got called to serve in Japan; my family and I were all excited and grateful that I had received such an opportunity.

Despite the excitement and opportunities, there were times I felt troubled regarding some of my experiences in additions to all the good ones I had. Japan has become quite a diverse place, with people from many different countries residing there. Within my mission, there is an abundant population of Brazilian citizens living in the more industrial cities. With that being the case there are also many missionaries serving from Brazil as well. Much to my surprise, I ended up serving in some of these areas with a Brazilian Elder as my companion. With so much focus concentrated on Brazilian investigators, I had to do my best in learning another language. Without a doubt, I felt like I was being held back (and somewhat cheated) from utilizing the Japanese language, which I was originally called to speak. The way my mission turned out was unexpected; but then again, that ought to be the case for every missionary who serves. I ended up spending almost half of my mission proselyting in areas with fairly strong Brazilian and other non-Japanese communities. Elder Neil L. Andersen stated, “Missionary service requires sacrifice. There will always be something you leave behind when you respond to the prophet’s call to serve.” I really never expected to set aside the Japanese language at one point while in Japan!

At one point, I expressed my frustrations to my dad via E-mail (and my mission president indirectly in the end.). In response, my dad wrote back assuring me that this all happened through no fault of my own. Him being the wiser, he taught me that in missions and life in general, we are all given assignments and they’re all important and not everybody can do them. We don’t always understand the reasoning behind the assignments we’re given but only I was able to fulfill my given assignments. Sometimes these tasks aren’t “prestigious” or “high-profile” but they are all important and not everyone can fulfill them. My dad taught me to take pride (in a humble way of course!) with the fact that I could fulfill my assignments both in the mission field and in life.

To young men who have yet to serve, I highly encourage you to prepare for a mission. In this modern era, the church has become very accommodating thanks to the sacrifices of many contributing members concerning equalized financial matters. Whether you have yet to serve, currently serving or have served, you should be grateful because this wasn’t the case several decades ago. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in a conference address referred to his own experience: “When I was called to serve a mission back before the dawn of time, there was no equalization of missionary costs. Each had to bear the full expense of the mission to which he or she was sent. Some missions were very expensive, and as it turned out, mind was one of those.”

Unlike Ammon, missionaries of today will only leave their hearts and spiritual influences behind with the people they served, even until the day they die. Please consider how blessed you are to live in this time and age, for not being required to bear the full expenses. And please consider how grateful you should be for the sacrifices people in your lives have made so you could have the chance to serve. To this day, I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve my mission in Japan and for the people who reside there. I am grateful for this restored gospel. I know the Savior lives and He gave his life for us. I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know The Book of Mormon is true, as a testament of Jesus Christ. The gospel is true. I leave my thoughts with you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

September 23, 2012 Talk: We ARE Survivors!

Good day to you brothers and sisters. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to speak today. It's been about six months now since I came home from my mission and this is actually my first talk since my homecoming. I gotta admit, I was doing pretty well staying under the radar these last six months but two weeks ago I showed a little early for Family Home Evening and I got roped into giving this talk. Moral of the story: DON'T show up early for a Family Home Evening! I honestly had no intention of attending this Singles Branch mainly because 1.) at the time, we were meeting in West Salem and 2.) we had to meet at one o' clock in the afternoon. Funny story how I finally decided to attend: It was only a few weeks since I got home from my mission. Typical of me, my sleep habits were still pretty bad and I overslept and missed the meetings for Turner Ward scheduled at the time so I figured, "Eh. Might as well go over to West Salem and check out the Single Branch." I had forgotten that my uncle is a counselor in the Branch Presidency here and him being an opportunist, he handed me an information form and persuaded me to fill it out. And that's how I ended up being a member of this Young Single Adults Branch. Now that we're back here in our own Stake Center meeting at 1:30 in the afternoon, I was starting to think, "Maybe joining this Branch was a mistake!" (I'm just pulling your leg here!) I'm really grateful to part of this Branch and to be serving in the callings that I have.

I thought about what should I speak on; I prayed really hard about it... Just within these last six months, I've been doing a lot of reflecting, thinking to myself, asking myself:

"How have I served others?"
"How have I been influencing those around me?"

I gotta admit, feelings that emit from this reflection process was not always positive. There were times of resentment along with all the happiness that I felt. But in battle against resentment, I always tell myself something my dad told me just before I came home from my mission: "You have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. You should be proud of your accomplishments and proud of yourself as an individual." And I take those words to heart. Speaking freely, a lot has changed since I left for my mission and in the few years that followed. Whether we like it or not, things will keep on changing. For many, these changes could mean tough times. For many, uncertainty stares us in the face and that sometimes results in anger, hate, doubt, anguish, and sadness. But brothers and sisters despite the hardships we may face, we got to remember this: We have the gospel. It can take us higher and farther than we can imagine.

In the late 1960's, the United States Air Force deployed a couple of their then-brand new SR-71 Blackbird spy planes to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. It was around that time this really inspiring quote emerged. Now I don't know who coined this saying but to me, this is a really great parallel to how the gospel can bless us: "Though I fly through the Valley of Death, I shall fear no evil. For I am at 80,000 feet and climbing." (Good luck converting that to the Metric System!) This "Valley of Death" can represent our hardships and our trials. And the ability to be at 80,000 feet and being able to continue the climb is a representation to how the gospel can bless us and how it has blessed us so far.

Following and staying up to date with current events and new around the world, even I find it astonishing regarding how technology and means of communications have become. Especially when it's used and abused  for all the wrong reasons, as was the case over in the Middle East and parts of North Africa; as a result of disrespect and wrongful use of the social media, drastic consequences have taken place. Even a simple, innocent status update on Facebook or any other social media network is subject to becoming a battle ground of heated discussion or debate in the form of ten plus comments.

Brothers and sisters despite all the negative things that happen or what's been said, we know which grounds to stand on; we don't need to (and shouldn't!) make unrighteous judgments or come up with false conclusions. My dad also taught me something (via E-mail) during a particularly frustrating time during my mission. In a nutshell, he taught me that we shouldn't disrespect different religious points-of-view and opinions. He said: "It's fine to harbor SOME ill-will towards others. It's human nature, and sometimes that's all we can do because of the type of people they are. But we should be careful about painting a whole group of people based on personalities, characteristics, and actions of just a couple of them. I realize it's impossible to completely ignore it but we should try not to be too judgmental of entire groups just based on the actions of a few jerk individuals."

Although not always the case unfortunately, mutual respect can only be achieved when the concept of disrespect (and unrighteous judgment) is thrown out the window. I remember at the end of my mission, I had the opportunity to visit some relatives who lived just north of Tokyo. At the time, well over 15 years have passed since I last saw them and my memory of them unfortunately was faint and little. Also, I haven't been officially released as a full-time missionary so I kept my name badge on; I just knew my Japanese relatives were gonna notice it. Before embarking on the long train ride to northern Japan, I uttered a prayer to Heavenly Father that I'll be able to explain to them what I have been doing regarding my service as a missionary for the church in a simple, understandable way. For some reason, I felt this inexplicable feeling of calmness. And I thought I heard someone say, "Don't worry about it! It's all taken care of." And was thinking, "How in the world is it taken care of? I haven't seen them for 15 years!" But I trusted the prompting and went with it. As we reunited with my grandmother, my aunt, and couple of my cousins, they noticed my missionary name badge and asked about it. And this is what shocked me: my mother, a non-member explained to her family to the best of her knowledge what I have been doing in Japan for two years. And there was positive reactions from my relatives; they were generally impressed considering I was able to re-learn the Japanese language. And as a result, we established mutual respect regarding our different religious beliefs and the our cultures.

During this time, this short family reunion, about the second or third day spending time with them, we visited the grave of my grandfather, Rokuro Tsunakawa. I wrote about this occasion in my mission journal and I'd like to read some portions of it to you today: (Tuesday, March 27, 2012) "It was a pretty laid back day spent here in the REAL rural Japan. Aunt Kazuko took my sisters shopping at a mall near central Utsunomiya and I got dragged along to serve as a translator (and I was fine with that!). After a little quality time, we visited Jichan (grandfather) Rokuro's grave to pay our respects, thus fulfilling our unfinished business here in the Tochigi Prefecture. I gotta say though, I experienced a wide range of emotions here. Though my memory of him is faint and little, I miss him. I miss grandfather a lot. Not being able to see him before he died  is only one of a small handful of things I regret to this day. It is hard to believe that it has been ten years now since he passed away."

My grandfather died of cancer. He was a heavy smoker so I know what killed him. But despite that, he was a well-respected rice farmer and a well-known man in the community. When we visited the graveyard, it was just a really beautiful site full of mixed trees and bamboo on this little hillside. And you can see vast amounts of rice fields in sight beyond the treeline. I couldn't imagine a more beautiful place to be put to rest. As we went to pay our respects, my aunt said to me in Japanese, "It's okay to not fully take part or understand the Japanese custom in doing this." I responded, "I don't fully understand the meaning of Buddhism, but I wish to respect it." And to this day brothers and sisters, that mutual respect we shared is more precious to me than ever. This visit wasn't about converting them to the LDS church. And it was most definitely not about condemning my late-grandfather's smoking habits that killed him. It was about acknowledging the mutual respect we had regarding our religious beliefs and the culture we inherited. And we achieved that!

After parting ways with my dear relatives overseas, I learned that life is meant for making memories. And I'm grateful for the memories I shared with them six months ago. I'm grateful for a loving Heavenly Father for watching over them when disaster struck the region nearly two years ago. I remember a story members have told me towards the end of my mission. It is a story of sacrifice regarding the earthquake that happened in Japan in March of 2011. And I'd like to pass it on to you today:

"After the earthquake subsided, rescuers reached the remains of a house of a young woman. They saw her crouching through the debris. With much difficulty, the paramedic team leader reached his hand through the cracks in the walls in order to touch the woman's body. He was hoping that this woman would still be alive. However, the cold, hard body confirmed that she was dead for sure. He and the rest of the team left the sight and went to search a building next door which also collapsed. For some reason, the team leader was driven by this irresistible force to return to the house they just abandoned."

Now as Latter-day Saints, we can assume that this man was guided by the Spirit.

"Again he knelt, and used his hands to reach through the cracks to find the narrow little space underneath the corpse. Suddenly he shouted "A child! There is a child!" The whole team worked together, as they carefully removed the piles of debris around the dead woman. There was a boy about three months old, wrapped in a blanket under the dead body of his mother. Obviously, the woman had made the ultimate sacrifice to save her son. As the house fell, she used her body as a shield in order to protect her child. The boy was peacefully sleeping when the team leader finally extracted him. A field doctor was called in quickly to take the boy. As he unwrapped the little blanket, he found a cell phone. There was an unsent text message on the screen. And the message said, 'If you can survive, you must remember I love you.' There wasn't a single dry eye among the group; as the cell phone was passed around, each individual involved in the rescue broke into tears."

"If you can survive, you must remember I love you."

Such is the love of a mother for her child! I can't help but imagine a loving Heavenly Father saying that to each and every one of us prior to beginning our mortal journey here. Brothers and sisters as weird as it may sound, we too are survivors because we live in a time where the gospel of Jesus Christ is in full force. So long as we live the gospel standards, we will continue to survive. In addition, we can also show others; that is why I cannot stress enough the importance of missionary work. There ARE people out there looking for the answers, looking for the reasons regarding the purpose of life.

No matter what the circumstances, no matter where we may end up, and no matter what trials we may face, remember this: Heavenly Father loves us. I have certainly felt His love over the last couple years, and especially these last six months during troubled times filled with trials and difficulties. Brothers and sisters, we can overcome our trials and we can keep on surviving. In the 21st chapter of Revelation, the fourth verse is a scripture that I always loved: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

May we always continue to strive to live the gospel. May we always strive to remember missionary work and to remember those who are struggling for the answers. These are my thoughts and my testimony to you. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

April 22, 2012 Mission Homecoming Talk: Personal Revelation, the Church in Japan, and Aligning it all to the Lord's Will

My original plan was to humor you all, brothers and sisters with a few jokes about 'Yellow Fever'. But I later realized that there really IS a Yellow Fever that can kill you so I'm going to refrain from doing that today. But, having served in Japan as a missionary and myself being a "product of Yellow Fever", I can declare that a "win-Wynn situation" (no pun intended!). I sure do love Japan, brothers and sisters. And it has been a privilege to have served in the Japan Nagoya Mission. And me returning to Japan has been long overdue, I can tell you that right now. I realize I gotta be a little careful about my remarks today for I fear making my family or even the bishopric cringe in their seats; I have no intention of doing that!

Today my purpose in speaking to you this morning is on the topic of personal revelation and I was also hoping to connect that with missionary work and my personal experiences in the mission field. To start off:

I.) Personal Revelation:


We're entitled to it, every single one of us in this room. It comes to us at different levels whether it be on a personal level, at a family level (for example, if you're a father presiding over your own family), or even for a church calling. And especially for our callings, there's usually something for us to learn from it by way of revelation. Referring to the fourth chapter, page 89, Joseph Smith teaches, "Salvation cannot come without revelation; it is vain for anyone to minister without it" (History of the Church, 3:389; Preach My Gospel Chapter 4 Recognize the Spirit, p. 89). And if we go further into the section on personal revelation here, it also says, "Joseph Smith also taught that revelation is vital for you daily work: "This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted-by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed" (History of the Church, 5:135; Preach My Gospel Chapter 4 Recognize the Spirit, Personal Revelation p. 89). And it says further on here: "You have been promised inspiration to know what to do and have been given power to do it (see D&C 43:15-16). He will help you as you try to recognize and understand the Spirit through diligent scripture study" (Preach My Gospel Chapter 4 Recognize the Spirit, p. 89). It's pretty self-explanatory here, brothers and sisters. Without revelation, this church cannot exist. It's just amazing how well organized a church unit, a Stake, the church as a whole is organized through General Authority leadership, then going down to local leadership. Each of those men and women called to leadership or axillary positions have been entitled to receive THAT type of revelation, whether it be on a local level or a more general level.

Going further into Preach My Gospel on page 99, which is entitled 'A Word of Caution' (that should be a wake-up call to all of us!). First, it says "Revelation and spiritual experiences are sacred. They should be kept private and discussed only in appropriate situations." It also says, "Resist the temptation to talk freely about these experiences." President James E. Faust is also quoted here and it says, "If worthy, we are entitled to receive revelations for ourselves, parents for their children, and members of the Church in their callings. But the right of revelation for others does not extend beyond our own stewardship" (President James E. Faust, "Communion with the Holy Spirit," Ensign, March 2002). From what I interpret here, there are several prerequisites and post requisites when it comes to revelation. In 2010, the entire missionary curriculum at all Missionary Training Centers was altered and ultimately changed throughout that year. Part of that curriculum includes teaching missionaries how to become trustworthy missionaries and my Mission President couldn't emphasize enough on this. To become trustworthy missionaries, we had to become:


1.) Master Finders
2.) Master Teachers
3.) Master Planners
4.) Followers of the Master, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


Most of the prerequisites that I can think of fall under Followers of the Master, and that can be broken down even further. First is obedience; when we get the promptings by way of revelation, we should obey by acting on it. We should also as President Faust said, be worthy of it by obeying all of God's commandments. Second is faithfulness; sometimes we can be unsure even when one would think he or she has the answers. There's always uncertainty but having faith will lead to action. Third is unity. Now in the context of unity, we usually refer to missionary companionships being unified in teaching the lessons or allowing the Spirit to work through them. As members of the church, unity means we need to be living faithfully by Gospel standards, on the same page as the Lord and what His will is for us. Unity connects back to obedience and faithfulness; unity with the Lord's will means being completely faithful to Him and obedient to the standards we are expected to live as members of the church. Sometimes it might require us to be faithful to be unified, especially for those of us who may be living under standards or influences contrary to the Lord's standards. Fourth is determination; we are sometimes required to put forth the effort and work for the answers we may be seeking. Determination can be further fueled and strengthened by faith. So long as we have the faith that our answers that we seek WILL come AND throw in our honest efforts, we shouldn't have to stress about it! Fifth, a really important prerequisite tied back to obedience is cleanliness. The Spirit does NOT dwell in unclean places whether in a room, home, or in one's mind.


Post requisites to revelation includes being trustworthy of it and we can strengthen that trust by:


1.) Maintaining the sacred nature and the privacy levels of these spiritual experiences we have.
2.) Maintaining limited usage of it based on our level of stewardship. For example, you will never receive revelation to tell a Bishop or Stake President how to fulfill his calling.
3.) Act! Once we get the answers or prompting, act on that!


Personal revelation is really important in Missionary work. Each individual area that an Elder or a Sister is assigned to has different individual needs, based on the people within that area they come in contact with. The needs can be met by way of revelation; it's not easy but it's the Lords way, and it's the only way.


II.) Thoughts of Missionary Work and the Church in Japan


I don't have much time left but I would like to transition at this time and share a few thoughts with you about missionary work and the church in Japan. First I refer to Alma 13:24-25; this scripture became the backbone to my motivation and commitment to missionary work not too long after I went into the the Missionary Training Center. It reads, "For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory. And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in my day; but let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice."

I found myself asking from time to time whether or not a mission really is "the best two years" of a young LDS mans life. The answer to that question depends on how one makes of it. To me, a mission wasn't "the best two years" of my life and I don't mean to say that my mission was a miserable experience. I had a great time; to me, a mission is always going to be filled with bits of hardships and misery along with all the successes and the joy that comes out of it. To me, the words "the best two years" has been overused as a trademark saying based on a movie and I fear many missionaries serving today try to base their own experiences off it with a set of expectations... But I think a mission is an important two years because a young man goes through so many life-changing experiences. I didn't mean to offend anybody by saying what I just said but what matters most is that one did his or her best on their mission, fulfilling their responsibilities and following and living the standards of a missionary.

This leads me to my next point and I would like to speak briefly about expectations. I wish I knew some of these things before going out on my mission... Missionaries are expected to do a lot of things in addition to the things that they shouldn't do! We bombard them with it all the time and we should at least expect them to live by the rules and standards of a missionary. But of all the expectations we have for each other, the ones that should matter the most is ones own expectation aligned with the Lords will. Other expectations including ones from other family members, relatives or friends no offense, don't really matter. For example, don't bombard your missionary son or daughter with expectations of them becoming fluent with the language or becoming a District Leader or an assistant to the mission president. From personal experience, I didn't expect my mission to turn out the way it did. I still take this very personally but I wanted be serving in a leadership position sometime in my mission but I never got to. There were times I dealt with feelings of resentment about the matter but in the long run, I'm now at peace; I came to realize (and again, I wish I knew this long before) we're usually called to these positions because there is something that we need to learn from it so I take it that I had nothing to learn had I served in a leadership position.

I had a difficult time putting this into words brothers and sisters but regarding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan, let's just say there's plenty of room for improvement. It's tough to be Japanese Saint, brothers and sisters. It's hard enough when your co-workers pressure you to go out and get drunk with them every night after work when you have high standards to live. It's hard to be a teenager in Japan struggling to make friends unless you attend extracurricular activities also known as cram school which can eat up a lot of time, leaving little of it for church activities. Imagine your children attending in a seminary program that only meets once a week, or it's really tough, once a month. Despite the hardships and the faults the church has over there, it will improve; prophets have prophesied and testified of it.

In 1998, President Henry B. Eyring then as an apostle visited Japan and spoke at the former Japan Missionary Training Center. In his address, he said "... in reality, the Lord is laying  down the foundation. And upon this foundation, miracles will occur. These miracles will happen in the form of great changes occurring in the hearts of members of the Church in Japan. This has just now started to happen although it may not be easy to see. The day will come when members of the Church will consider it a privilege to speak to colleagues at work and people in their neighborhoods about the Church... But even if the Lord changes the hearts of those outside the Church so they hold feelings of respect for the Church, unless (Church members) decide they want to introduce their friends to the missionaries and their actions show the gospel is true so the people around them will turn their ears to the teachings of the Lord, the work of the Lord will be retarded in its progress."

That should be a wake-up call not only for members in Japan but to ALL of us. I understand it's sometimes difficult or even nerve racking to share the gospel with your friends. But all it takes is a little faith and if they reject the message, move on; you've done your part. I said that to the members over in Japan many times... Long story short, the members of Japan deserve so much more. Compared to Salem Stake, few of the areas I served in don't have what we have; consider yourselves blessed. Some of the members feel it's a burden to go to church; there are good explanations why over half of the total membership in Japan is less-active. How sad is that? A little over a year ago, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited the Asia North Area, making a stop in the Japan Nagoya Mission. As a mission, we gathered for an All-Mission Conference to hear Elder Holland speak; he walked up and down the aisles of the chapel we were in and just before closing, he turned the brethren on the stand, Elders Rasband and Stevenson who were accompanying him and said to them, "Brethren, I feel as if I need to do something here that I haven't felt before."

Elder Holland proceeded to extend an apostolic blessing not only to us but to the entire Asia North Area in our presence. He E-mailed my mission president a paragraph containing the blessing and I would like to read this to you today:

"Because this has been such a wonderful experience for us and because we feel the missionaries are working diligently, I feel to leave a blessing not only upon you elders and sisters here in Nagoya but also upon every mission in the area. In response to that prompting and by the priesthood I hold  and the apostolic office that has brought us to Asia, I do bless every one of you that you will feel the urgency of the work and the love our Father in Heaven has for you in laboring in his vineyard. I bless you with the Spirit of the Lord to be with you in your duties, guiding you in your study, leading you in your proselyting efforts, comforting you regarding any concerns you have here in the mission or with your families at home. God will bless you and all for whom you pray. He loves you, this is His work, and He pours out his blessings on those who diligently serve Him. Let your hearts be peaceful. Angels are dispatched to attend you and those about whom you care so much."

"I bless the nations of Japan and Korea, and the other island locations of our missionaries in this area. Father, bless the people that they will be responsive to the Spirit, that they will feel a hunger in their heart to find the truth, and that they will recognize these missionaries as being agents from Thee when they present Thy truth to them. To aid in that I bless political leaders, the economy of the nations, and any other forces that sometimes disrupt the work. May stability and tranquility come in those social and cultural forces. I bless members, priesthood leaders, and investigators-including the less active-that a major thrust will go forward from this apostolic visit to this land. I turn the key again, as keys have been turned in before, to bring a new chapter, a higher achievement, greater success in this most important work in the world. Such success can only come from heaven. We can work hard to prepare the way and deserve success, but the blessings come only from our Father in Heaven. In that, we honor Him, give praise to Him, vow to be clean and worthy, and diligently labor before Him to see a new era of the gospel rise in this Land of the Rising Sun and neighboring nations. May it be so now, with power and great glory, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

That right there was one of the most powerful experiences I ever had on my mission and probably in my entire life. It was indeed a privilege to have been in Japan at that time. Less than a month after Elder Hollands visit to Japan, one of the most powerful earthquakes to ever hit rattled the country causing devastation to Sendai and much of the Tōhoku region. Having relatives in that region, I thank a loving and merciful Heavenly Father for watching over them. It's been over a year but recovery efforts and problems there are on-going and it's my hope and prayer that things will finally get back to normal over there...

If there's anything I can pass on to the future generation of missionaries, I first repeat what Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita of the Seventy counseled us which is to bring a desire to preach the gospel, a developed testimony and love for others. My recommendations are by way of revelation prayerfully figure out what your expectations can be. Once you figured that out, find out what the Lord expects of you by aligning your expectations to His will. Also take something small you can carry around that has significant meaning to you. This can be a ring, your name badge, a pin but every time you're at your lowest point, at a dark hour of discouragement, reach down and touch the object and remember the meaning of it and beat the discouragement; let this small object of yours be the tool to help you beat discouragement during your mission and for the rest of your life.

Brothers and sisters, we are imperfect and that's a part of Heavenly Fathers plan. I hope each of you will take the time to count your blessings because there are others out there, not just in Japan but throughout the world waiting for the blessings we have. Please consider your own blessings and pray for those who deserve so much better. May we always strive to do our best in fulfilling our responsibilities whether it be in our callings or in our family life or our personal lives.

あまりたくさん時間は無いですけれでも今から日本語で証したいと思います。この教会は神様の真実の教会であることを知ってます。また主イエスキリストは生きてるので、彼の犠牲、彼の模範、彼の教え心から感謝慕いと思います。神様はジョセフスミス、召された預言者によって、この教会とこの福音を回復されたことを知ってます。本当に、この回復された福音を感謝します。私は宣教師として日本名古屋伝道部に伝道できたので心から感謝します。また、１５年振りに日本にいる親族もう一回会ったことに感謝します。また自分の家族も感謝します。とりあえず、この福音や生活あるので、私はがんばりたいと思います。愛する兄弟姉妹の皆さん、よろしくお願いします。この話と下手くそ証、全て主イエスキリスト様の聖なる名前をとして証しました。アーメン。