Callings

I'm coming up on week three of my second semester of school. Church-wise, I've been given more responsibility. I've already been serving as one of the ward pianists since last semester. For this semester, after getting our groups organized, I was extended a calling to serve as a co-group leader (a sort of "FHE dad", in addition to an "FHE mom" as some would refer to it) for our Family Home Evening Group, composed of myself, five other guys and six ladies from our Young Single Adults Ward. If you've been a longtime reader of my blog(s), you might recall when it was the last time I actually served in some kind of leadership capacity. You might also recall on how I feel about certain callings when taken into certain perspectives. If you've followed my blog up to this point, you'll know that not all the feelings I had about these topics were positive experiences.

Needless to say, I'm on pins and needles right now. I've got butterflies in my stomach. Last semester, there were times I had to take the lead on FHE group lessons/messages. Despite my attempts to be professional and maintain composure, I felt those times were next to borderline-disastrous (not complete disaster, mind you). Thankfully, the Lord doesn't expect anyone including myself to be perfect at anything.

On a similar topic, my family and I experienced good news as my younger sister received her mission call; I am a strong supporter for having more sister missionaries now that the age of eligibility for missionaries have been lowered. My sister has been called to the Singapore Mission, Malay-speaking. Where she is going was somewhat a surprise for all of us because no one in our family that I'm aware of has served a mission anywhere around that part of the world yet. Her call to serve has put me into a state of reflection as I looked back at my time in the mission field in the Japan Nagoya Mission. If I were to summarize my mission experience in less than ten words, I would say "A lot of things turned out unexpectedly." Unexpected things such as:

• The 2011 Touhoku earthquake and tsunami disaster affecting the country
• Having to cope with an influx of missionaries from the neighboring Tokyo Mission when it had to be shut down along with other consequences that were the results of the disaster
• Being sent to areas where the focus was Spanish or Brazilian Portuguese instead of my assigned language of Japanese
• Not becoming involved in some leadership capacity when all my mission I strived in the hopes to be one

To be honest, I had many ups and downs on my mission. There were numerous times when those experiences were by far the most frustrating moments. With regards to leadership (or resentment), well, I don't think I have to mention or repeat anything I clearly stated previously. I clearly remember my dad's E-mail that he wrote me during the height of those frustrations: 

"In missions and in life we are given assignments. You have been given assignments, and you have done them to the best of your ability. We don't always understand the reasoning behind those assignments... So take your assignments and continue to do them the best way know how. The other stuff will take care of itself. We all have jobs, they are all important. Sometimes they aren't "prestigious" or "high-profile", but they are all important, and not everyone can do them. So take pride in the fact that you can do them, and do them well and with success. You have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. You should be proud of your accomplishments and proud of yourself as an individual. I am. Take a new perspective. Don't worry about your peer group, you only have to measure yourself by what YOU know you are capable of, by YOUR yardstick (and maybe a little bit of MY yardstick). I measure you, and I see the good stuff you do. I couldn't be prouder of you, or prouder to be called your dad."

These words from my number one father figure really helped me to carry on especially this past year, as the going got tough. As I think about my dear sister my pride as her older brother is shining. I can see her facing new a host of challenges and feeling frustration and disappointments from time to time. But I know she can tackle them and overcome every time. Whether it's a mission, a calling, or in life, we do these things to grow. Oftentimes, we serve in our church callings and leadership capacities because we need to grow and learn something. And that's what mortal existence here basically winds down to: growing and learning. 

Going back to my recent calling I received to serve as a group leader for our Family Home Evening group, I expect to grow from serving in this calling; I expect to learn a thing or two. Since having a hiatus in leading in ANYTHING this last year, I hope to fulfill my responsibilities to the best of my abilities. If you read one of my earlier posts, I repeat what President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:

"Certainly you are not overlooked or unwanted by your Heavenly Father. He loves you. And I tell you with certainty that you are needed by your Church... But when God works through us, no one and nothing can stand against us. This is why you are needed. You have your own special contribution to make, and God can magnify that contribution in a mighty way."

I can't say I'm confident in any of my abilities but that's not going to stop me from striving to make my contributions and learn and grow. I have a testimony of the importance in our church callings, assignments and obligation. Fulfilling them usually leads to new discoveries in one's own abilities and is a major opportunity for personal growth. Oftentimes, there are those set aside to fulfill certain tasks and only they can accomplish them because the Lord sees it fit to be so. Let the Lord's will be done.

The Priesthood: Benefits of Father Figures

I'm now back in Rexburg and classes start tomorrow. Before driving back, I asked my uncle Sam to give me a father's blessing. It is highly encouraged for us to get blessings from our fathers prior to specific moments of our lives; for example, it's appropriate to get one before leaving for a mission or embarking on military service and even before a term of school. I'm pretty sure there are other specific situations that I can't think of off the top of my head where receiving a father's blessing would be appropriate.

Even though my uncle Sam is not my dad, he is a worthy Priesthood holder and I see him as a father figure like how my dad is; I feel that way with all of my uncles in addition to my own father. I feel very blessed to have this quality within my family because not all extended families are close to each other like mine. In the absence of my dad, my uncle stepped up and administered to my needs and help me find comfort and confidence as I prepared once again to face fears of the unknown and battle to control my emotions at the start of another semester of school at BYU-Idaho.

You probably noticed the term "father figure" in the title is plural. Well it's because I believe in multiple father figures. At the same time, I realized how much I've taken for granted the benefits of the relationships I share with my extended family. I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's a real benefit in having family close to where I'm going to school.

I love my family (immediate and extended). It takes priority in my life over everything else and nothing is going to take that value away from me. I have a testimony in the importance of families. In tough times when good friends aren't around, members of family will be the best friend.

April 2013 General Conference Highlights

Well, among all the studying going on for classes (and final exams coming up), this weekend was General Conference weekend. I had to multi-task in order to listen... Well, I take that back; I was hardly listening at all while I was getting my homework done so I really can't go off on much. But I managed to attend Priesthood Session at the Ashton, Idaho Stake Center while staying with my relatives over the weekend. I think my all-time highlight came from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's address. The following words are the things that stood out to me the most:

"Serving God and our fellowmen will challenge us and transform us into something greater than we ever thought possible. Perhaps you might think that you are not needed, that you are overlooked or unwanted, that you are nobody. I am sincerely sorry if any priesthood holder feels this way. Certainly you are not overlooked or unwanted by your Heavenly Father. He loves you. And I tell you with certainty that you are needed by your Church. Do you not know that “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to [put to shame] the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to [put to shame] the things which are mighty”? Perhaps it is true that we are weak. Perhaps we are not wise or mighty. But when God works through us, no one and nothing can stand against us. This is why you are needed. You have your own special contribution to make, and God can magnify that contribution in a mighty way."

I've certainly felt somewhat useless and even under appreciated from time to time. During my missionary service in the Japan Nagoya Mission, my Mission President emphasized repeatedly with passion on the the subject of gratitude and I suppose his influences have helped me to be a little more grateful for a lot of things taken for granted. There have been many times I've done things for people and even the church and I never got a single "Thank you" out of it. And a simple expression of gratitude can be enough to make a person's day worth while. While attending the Salem, Oregon Young Single Adults (YSA) Branch, I had three callings: Branch Missionary, Sunday School Pianist, and Family Home Evening (FHE) Photographer. 

As a Branch Missionary, I found myself working with the full-time missionaries often and I have certainly enjoyed it. We even had an Elder from Japan serve in our Branch for a few months and I certainly felt blessed (and I'm pretty sure he felt the same way!) to have been able to work and communicate with each other in our native languages. As for my other two callings, I fulfilled them to the best of my abilities.

I'm almost embarrassed to mention this, but my skills as a pianist are limited. There are only a handful of Hymns I can play off the bat; any others I want to learn will take me time and practice, but mostly a lot of time. I absolutely hate it when people in charge of the music ask me to play something I don't know or can't read. I hate it when people expect me to play something because personally, I don't care about "their" expectations; they just don't matter to me in the long run. I mentioned this before, and I'll mention it again: the only expectations that matter the most are one's own aligned with God's will. 

I really had fun serving as the Branch FHE photographer mainly because I got into the hobby of aircraft spotting and aviation photography. A result of this little hobby of mine is posting those photos up on my online aviation photo gallery through social media. My YSA Branch also utilized the social media so at least once a week, I've been able to put up photos of our weekly FHE activities. 

As I said before, I really enjoyed this calling. I will admit however, feeling somewhat under appreciated from time to time for showing up every Monday night to take photos for the sake of memories. As a photographer, I rarely end up being in the photos. I can recall maybe two or three people thanking me directly for my efforts. Regardless of that, I made the effort to be selfless by fulfilling my callings to the best of my abilities.

This is one of many reasons why I believe in this saying: "The church is true. The members are not." And for the most part, I believe in that saying because we're all imperfect. From experiences in the mission field, I have witnessed and heard of this far too many times, especially to fairly new members of the church over there. The things they have to do in order to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are of great sacrifices, or more in a country where cultural barriers serve as part of the problem. And I'm most definitely not the perfect member of the church as well. I even get frustrated with a few things about the church. Taking the importance of callings of fellow members for granted is one of them.

Despite my personal frustrations and weaknesses, I want you all to know the importance of having a heart full of gratitude. A simple "Thank you", the two most important words of the English language can make someones day. Even when feelings of under appreciation hits me from time to time, I know I am needed. And you fellow members are needed in the church as well. I encourage you to look for the things you are grateful for often. I also highly encourage you to be grateful for the righteous actions and service of others. Don't just be grateful for them; verbally express your gratitude to them and let them know you're grateful! The two most important words of the English language can make the difference between a good day and bad day. Strive to make someones day with two simple words and help them feel needed. I could have used it on certain days. But President Uchtdorf's words helps in some ways and therefore, became the highlight of my conference weekend.

Familes Can Be Together Forever

Last Thursday evening, I received a text message from my dad informing me that my uncle Paul passed away. He was 63 years old; too young in my opinion by today's standards... I was able to visit him in the hospital the weekend prior to his passing and I am so grateful to have been able to see him one last time. His passing came as somewhat of a surprise to us all. I can't help but reflect and think about him now that he's gone. The news brought me to tears as I tried to accept the fact he really was gone... Thankfully, having family here in the region, not to mention the ones here at school (and my awesome roommates), brought some form of comfort. The viewing and funeral services were carried out this past Monday and Tuesday respectively. Both were just beautiful. There was a slide show compilation depicting the life of my uncle. Again, it brought tears to our eyes.

We as a family were gathered together; I saw cousins who I haven't seen in a couple of years. My aunts and uncles, second cousins, my dad, as well as my grandparents were also in attendance. We cried together. We celebrated his life together. We were there for each other. It was a much needed thing to have so many family members present, as we rendered to each other mutual support during these tough times. It was heart-warming to have all that.

The day of the funeral, the weather was absolutely gorgeous; we couldn't have asked for better weather. The things said about my uncle were just beautiful and spot-on. It was hard to accept the facts of reality. It was hard to say good-bye. It was hard to observe others as they wept. Sadness has been in the air but it would eventually be overcome with hope and a better resolve. It was a time to appreciate the blessings each and every one of us had. The memories we have gained are now a treasure...

Being in this gathering also caused many of us to realize how much we really should appreciate the things we take for granted. Life and death is a natural part of our existence. But still, I found it hard to believe that my uncle was gone. Now, we as a family are all touched by the memories we shared with him. There is a hymn I love and I thought about it as I reflected on how my uncle touched our lives:

Each life that touches ours for good

Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord; 

Thou sendest blessings from above

Thru words and deeds of those who love.

What greater gift thou dost thou bestow,

What greater goodness can we know 

Than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways

Strengthen our faith, enrich our days.

When such a friend from us departs,

We hold forever in our hearts

A sweet and hallowed memory,

Bringing us nearer, Lord, to thee.

For worthy friends whose lives proclaim

Devotion to the Savior's name, 

Who bless our days with peace and love,

We praise thy goodness, Lord, above.

(Hymn #293 'Each Life That Touches Ours for Good')

I am sad that he is gone now but I know I will see him again someday. Our savior Jesus Christ through His Atonement made it possible for us to return to Him and to reunite with our families. There's another hymn I just love to sing and play on the piano and the promise made in the first verse is comfort enough. I think the lyrics to this hymn is self-explanatory:

I have a family here on earth.

They are so good to me.

I want to share my life with them through all eternity.

Families can be together forever

Through Heavenly Father's plan.

I always want to be with my own family,

And the Lord has shown me how I can.

The Lord has shown me how I can.

(Hymn #300 'Families Can Be Together Forever')

For those of you who are close to your family and relatives, be sure to spend quality time with them. Tell them you love them, no matter how cheesy it may sound. Be grateful for their influence they had on your life. And never, ever forget about the things that they have done for you. Because, one day all of this will become nothing but a cherished memory when they are gone. Don't give yourself any regrets regarding your family.

I want all of you who read this to know that I know God loves each and every one of us and He knows what we are going through. He has set in motion for us a plan of salvation, in which we can return to Him and be with our families again when our mortal journey is complete. He has sent His beloved son Jesus Christ to blaze the trail for us. Without a doubt, I have a testimony that families can be together forever. This knowledge has lessened the sting of death just enough for us to press forward, with faith and hope shining brightly in hearts and minds. The gospel is still true! My testimony of these words and thoughts to you, in the 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.

Priesthood

This is short but every word of this is worth putting on here.

This past Sunday, I drove up to Ashton to be with  relatives. I drove up with my aunt and grandparents. It was really a special day; not only was it a three-day weekend but my twin cousins also received the Aaronic Priesthood. We arrived in Ashton just in time for the ordination. With my uncle, grandfather, and a few of the ward leaders, we ordained the twins (as I like to refer to them.). To be a part of the process was a tremendous privilege. I couldn't help but marvel at the importance and responsibility of having the Priesthood.

This day was a cause for reflection. Conferring the Aaronic Priesthood to my twin cousins brought back memories when I received the Aaronic Priesthood. In reflection, I still find it hard to believe how far I've come and how many more steps I've still yet to take on...

I certainly have a testimony of the importance of the Priesthood. I'm certainly grateful for it; in addition to being a holder of it, it has also guided me in some of the more trying moments in my life. I certainly encourage church members in need to turn to it and someone who holds it. It will go a long way. And I certainly encourage every young men to use it to prepare for their lives ahead; whether it be a mission, to go to the Temple, or eternal families, the Priesthood is an important part of our lives.

"As Zion's Youth In Latter Days"

It was the second day of classes (Tuesday) for my first semester at Brigham Young University Idaho. Lingering in the back of my mind were thoughts cultivated from fear wondering, "Can I do this?" or "What have I gotten myself into?!" I don't mind admitting I was feeling a little scared and intimidated, not to mention the on-and-off feelings of homesickness... Of course, my mind was buzzing and preoccupied  in struggling to keep my schedule neat and prioritized. Between study time, class, and personal things my schedule seemed like it was on the verge of falling apart... Then it was time for the weekly devotional, which happens to fall on Tuesday on a weekly basis...

At first I was skeptical about going because I had a class I needed to go to AND find since it was the first day for my second batch of classes. In the end, I went. Obviously, the setting was a rather large auditorium with superb acoustics. I sat where I could make a swift exit and a straight shot for class right afterwards. I tried to listen to what was being said but I could barely remember. But what I do remember was the special musical number as well as the closing hymn. Music has always spoken to me in ways I could never fully explain. At closing, we as a congregation sang from the hymn book #256, 'As Zion's Youth in Latter Days'; I have long forgotten how much I love this hymn since it wasn't in the Japanese hymn books I've been used to using for two years on my mission...

As I sang, the words just hit me bringing tears to my eyes:

As Zions' youth in latter days,

We stand with valiant heart,

With promise shining in our eyes, 

Resolved to do our part.

Upon a noble past we build; 

The future fills our view.

We face the challenge of our day

And pledge we will be true.

The truths and values we embrace

Are mocked on ev'ry hand.

Yet as we listen and obey

We know we can withstand

The evils that would weaken us,

The sin that would destroy.

With faith, we hold the iron rod

And find in this our joy.

Thru test and trial we'll have our fears,

But we will not despair.

We're here to serve a righteous cause;

Truth gives us strength to dare.

We'll love, and learn, and overcome;

We'll sing a joyful song,

As Zion's youth in latter days,

Triumphant, pure, and strong.

I realized I can get through this. Though not all of it, some of my confidence was restored on my current circumstances. Fact is, what I pursue will be for the right reasons and the journey will not be easy in some places. But I know that Heavenly Father allows these hardships for a reason and we need to learn from them. I also know Heavenly Father is mindful of me and my hardships and the same goes to you. His love is infinite. His patience is infinite. He sent us to this era in time so we can fulfill certain roles reserved only for us.