Letter from Matlock – 21 June 2011

Dear (Family in Japanese characters),

            This week I set food on American soil!  And the best part is, I didn’t have to break any major rules to do so!  I went on exchanges to Fussa which happens to be an American military base branch.  The missionaries cover a Japanese branch and a foreigner branch which is mostly for the military families.  A family invited the missionaries over for dinner and so we went.  American apartments are in every way different from Japanese apartments.  It was such a culture shock!  They had carpet!  And couches!  And furniture!  So weird!

            On the way to exchanges I actually met an American missionary for a different Christian church.  We talked a little and then he pulled out his Bible and bashed me with it.  Ouch.  Apparently I’m accursed.  Look it up it’s all in Galatians Ch. 1.  He may know the bible inside and out but he needs to work on his people skills a little.  Reminded me of how the fullness of the Gospel is proclaimed by the weak and simple.  Don’t need a college degree in theology when you’ve got the spirit.

            Sunday by far had to be the most interesting day this week.  We went to visit an inactive family.  I knew absolutely nothing about the family when we went over there.  The father came out and started talking with us.  He told us how he hasn’t been coming to church because he has a problem with the commandments.  Then he told us he knows the church is true and told us he wants to come back so back.  He was testifying and crying that was a very sudden yet very powerful experience.  Apparently he’s reading the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants every day as well as going on the church homepage.  He’s a really great brother and I’m thinking as hard as I can of what we can do to help him.

            This was all done in English by the way.  In fact this week about half of all the people we’ve met on the street and half the members I’ve talked with have spoken English.  I’ve probably used more English than Japanese this week.  That’s fine with me – it is my stronger point after all.

Love you all,

Elder Wyman