Elder Antonio Lim

Dear Friends and Family!! This week went by fast! Didn't have a lot of time to house or anything this week so we didn't get anywhere near our goals. A lot of stuff came up and we were just super busy. We managed to contact 104 people Saturday though! New record! So funny story. So we were housing this neighborhood and in it the day before we got a return appointment with this lady who had two kids who were twins about the age of 9. So there we were, housing and we saw the twins and they were with a bunch of other kids playing some sort of dodge ball game at the park. So Elder Johnson was like, "Let's see if these kids are down to clown." So we went over to them and asked to play and of course you can't say no to gaijin! Super good opportunity to build a relationship with potential investigators. So we were playing having a good time, then I get the ball and throw it at Elder Johnson. So he tries to dodge it, but doesn't realize one of the twin girl

Dear Friends and Family, This week has been full of miracles!!! So we had this awesome zone conference in Hiroshima where we learned how to use our time more wisely and that our goals are weak and we need to think big! It was cool seeing some people from the MTC again! So anyways President Egan talked about these sisters that contacted 500 people in a week and found 9 new investigators. Normally we contact about 180 people on a good week. So 500 is a lot. So Elder Johnson and I, since Hofu is not as big as Fukuoka, (where these sisters where at) set our goal at 400 contacts a week and 14 new investigators. Zone conference was  on Thursday  and by  Sunday  night we had found 9 new investigators!! The Lord has blessed our hard work and led us by the spirit. Not only that is we set our goal with full faith that we could achieve it, then we put in the WORK to see these miracles come to pass. I am learning to listen more closely to where the spirit is telling us to go and we have seen s

Dear Friends and Family, So sorry if last week wasn't super detailed, Elder Johnson was rushing us cause he wanted to play rugby haha! It was way fun though, I'm starting to really like it and I kinda want to play for like fun later in life... I finally get the strategy now and so it's not just me trying to run past everyone as fast as I can haha! We played for like 3 hours.  This week has been awesome!! We finally have a new investigator! Literally the last day of the transfer and we get a solid new investigator. His name is Hirano Isamu and he's this genki older guy that is so nice! We contacted him earlier this week and set up a return appointment for  sunday , and when we came he was way down to talk. He let us in and gave us oranges and he taught him about who God and Jesus Christ were. It was crazy cause some how we both understood what he was saying the whole time! Thanks Spririt!! It was funny too cause he told us he could understand us better than he cou

Dear Friends and Family, So I'm convinced that every week at least once I fall off my bike... it's okay though cause a always have a phenomenal recovery. Well, mostly. Anyways so we had transfers this week and I'm staying here in Hofu with my ai suru companion Elder Johnson. We have yet to find our first investigator, but we've been learning a lot and getting to know the members and less active members. The members here are the best and always give us food! Thanksgiving was pretty normal, we had cereal for dinner but then made some curry right before bed so it was pretty solid. So I get to go on splits a lot in Yamaguchi and it's always a fun time. there are two new missionaries being trained there and I get to go dendo with them sometimes. So it's basically two new missionaries dendoing together going house to house and not understanding anything anyone says to us! Haha it's cool though cause I realize now how much my Japanese has improved and I usually c

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! Nobody really celebrates is here so no turkey for me :( So pday is today instead of last Monday and  on Tuesday next week  because of transfers. This week has been crazy! Lots of small miracles here and there. Last pday we went to Yamaguchi and played rugby with the Elders there. It was way fun and Elder Johnson was juking people out of their socks! Then randomly a helicopter dropped in the middle of the field and took a body out so that was cool!  This area is way different than Nagasaki I have to say! It's definitely not as busy of a city, but they are building so many new houses it's crazy. The apartment is way nicer too cause it's a lot newer as well. The coolest thing is that a lot of the houses are still very traditional looking with the sweet Japanese style roofs. We are also surrounded by mountains so it's very scenic! I love it here! The ward members are very supportive and loving. there's only about 15 or less acti

Dear Friends and Family, For those of you who don't know, I haven't just been ignoring everyone and stopping my weekly emails. I have spent the last six months at home. I had to return home to take care of things. This was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. I truly missed the mission. I had the opportunity though to come home and learn more about myself and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Let me tell you, the atonement is one of the greatest gifts on Earth. Through it and Christ, we can become reborn, changed, and grow closer to God. We can overcome our weaknesses and find true joy.  I have now returned to the mission field and am now in Yamaguchi zone, Hofu area!!! And let me tell you, I am having a blast!! I literally have the greatest companion, Elder Johnson!! He was in my MTC district!! It's so fun because we already know each other super well from the MTC. I'm literally laughing all the time. We helped chop down some bamboo and that was way fun.

Happy Easter!! I have never appreciated Easter more in my life! Even though I didn't get much candy this year! However the meaning has never meant more to me than ever before! I am truly grateful for Christ and His Hand in my life. Without Him, I would be lost. I hope that as you all celebrate Easter today, you remember the true meaning of Easter and utilize the precious gift of the atonement as much as you can! It's kinda sad cause in Japan they don't really celebrate Easter so it wasn't too big, but it was a beautiful day and we were able to share the special video the church made with lots of people! This week has been full of miracles.It's crazy seeing all the many miracles that happen each day! Every day I come home amazed at all the things that happened throughout the day! It's been such a blessing! I think I have been able to listen to the spirit a lot better now. We were able to stop people in the streets that I know were prepared by the Lord and h

Nagasaki is going great! So far we only have one Investigator that we actually teach so we don't teach too many lessons, but we get to do a lot of Dendou! (Finding/missionary work) It was really hard at first. It's hard approaching someone and trying to talk to them, especially when a lot of the time they just start walking faster and waving their hand haha. However it's been getting better each time. I learned that I have to be more happy when I do it! I can't share a happy message if I'm not happy! So I just have to think about the joy that this message is and has brought me and it gets easier to share! So far I've crashed twice on my bike, all graceful Falls of course! But yeah it's hard to make sharp turns in the rain without your tires slipping out from under you, and you can't cross train tracks very well in the rain either, especially while going through an intersection! So those were all fun times! I'm okay so far so it's all good!

Last week I totally spaced on telling everyone where I was assigned! My bad... haha I was assigned to the Nagasaki area in Nagasaki city and my trainer is Elder Jensen from Spanish Fork, Utah! It's been a crazy transition for sure! However everyday, it slowly becomes more like home. I still have a hard time understanding people, but it just encourages me to work harder in studying the language! It was a lot easier to do in the MTC, because we had more time! So those of you still in the MTC, take advantage of your time!!  Anyways, this week has been pretty fun. I finally got my bike so I don't have to walk everywhere anymore! Nagasaki is famous for it's hills in our mission, so I get a good leg workout everyday!  The food here is way good and the rice is so much different than in the States! It's so much better!!  Oh man so many things happen in a week but I don't have time to share everything!! I'll share one thing. So contacting people, stopping pe

I am in Japan!! It's still hard to believe at times, I always have to double check myself and be like, woah, I'm in Japan! It's awesome here! It's like being in the Oriental Market, or Uwajimawa back in Renton, except you can't walk out of the store! I can't really understand anyone either so that's fun! It's funny, you speak a little Japanese to someone and they'll be like "Oh no you're so good!" haha but I'm really not! Oh and they have squatting toilets in some restrooms, I have yet to try those, it's a little intimidating... Anyways, trying to stop people and talk to them can be hard sometimes, they all say they're Buddhist but if you ask them what they believe, they can't tell you! Haha some people are willing to listen though and that's always nice! It can be discouraging though when they put up the hand and run away. I have to admit, for awhile I actually got homesick for the first time ever. Being out here

Well, I have completed my final entire week at the MTC. I fly out to Japan early  Monday  morning. It's been such a blessing to be here, but I'm ready to go and teach real people. I know my language skills aren't amazing, but I know that when I get there I'll be able to learn so much faster. I have learned so much in my short time here and I have met so many amazing people. My testimony of this Gospel has grown so much, and I know that this Gospel has the power to change lives and help people find joy and happiness.  One sad thing that happened this week is that our Branch President of our MTC zone was released  on Sunday . He was such an inspiring man that really instilled on me what it meant to be a missionary, and what it takes to be a successful missionary. It was hard to say goodbye, but it puts into perspective how many times you say goodbye on a mission, and it can be so bittersweet.  I know that my time here at the MTC has shaped me into what I need to

This week has been so full of powerful spiritual experiences and lessons learned. Last week the new missionaries that were to be added to our zone came in, which included 11 日本人 (Japanese) missionaries from Japan! It's been so fun getting to know them and make such good friends with them even though we can barely communicate! However I learn so much every time I do have chances to talk to them. They are such a kind and bright people and I can't wait to go to Japan and serve the people there! I was truly humbled by the Lord this week. I started to have doubts whether or not I was being guided by the Spirit, and if I really felt everything I was teaching to be true. I prayed for an answer, and was disappointed by the lack of profound revelation as usual. Then Sunday came along and the topic of the day was "Recognizing and Understanding the Spirit." I was assigned to teach in our District meeting and when I was researching for my lesson I came across the answer to

Another week come and gone in a blink of an eye. It seems that as my time comes to a close at the MTC, time speeds up. These last three weeks seemed like no time at all. Yesterday the new Japanese Missionaries coming into our zone came in and it was so fun talking to them and very humbling to realize how bad my Japanese was! However it's such a blessing to get to talk with them often because I learn so much every time I talk to them and it has accelerated my learning. It's crazy to think that we are now Dai-Senpai and only have 3 more weeks left! One of the biggest and coolest things I learned this week is that the light of Christ is in everything because Christ created everything. We all have the light of Christ in us and we can show that light through our smile and our kindness to others. We can also feel the light of Christ through the sun. The sun is bright and warm and when we feel it's warmth, we can feel the light of Christ. There are many Scriptures in the Bo