Getting Started...Again :)

Hello everybody! I hope you are all having a wonderful time! I encourage you to use the season to share your testimonies about Jesus Christ! Share that awesome video "He is the Gift"! I really love that scripture that they share at the end. John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

That is something that few people here in Japan know about. Very few even know why we celebrate Christmas! We can bring these "glad tidings" to those around us. I have been able to see the hope that comes from a knowledge of Jesus Christ and his atonement in the lives of some of the people here. This Saturday a man I got to teach named Hisashi was baptized. While I didn't get to go to the service, I know that the Spirit was there and testified to those in attendance that that is the way, that is the way to follow Jesus Christ, and in so doing, be enabled to live with our Heavenly Father again. Baptism is one of the first steps to get there. I am so excited for my friend. He has found the hope that Moroni talks about:

41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

So my new area is called Fuchu but it actually contains all of Chofu and another city called Inagi. I have not yet had a chance to visit either of the other two cities yet. We plan on heading over to Chofu tonight. The past couple days have been pretty good. They have actually been really cold. It has become a familiar feeling to gaze at an empty Areabook. This is my third time opening a companionship. It's pretty fun because we spend a lot of time finding people to teach; however, I worry that my teaching skills are not developed enough. Role playing only goes so far. The apartment is really nice. It's pretty big for a two man, but it doesn't have the gas turned on yet or desks, chairs, tables, cooking supplies, etc. Until today it didn't have a refrigerator, washing machine or microwave! Those three things came today and we are doing some much needed washing! Luckily the apartment has had beds and a little heater the entire time, so we haven't frozen yet! It will be exciting to have the gas turned on and be able to shower again! Today we went to the other Elder's apartment and got to shower. Up until now my companion and I have been braving the frigid tap water for just long enough to wash our hair! 

I will give you a little download on my companion. His name is Elder Wright. He has been out here for over a year now. Has just over eight months left. That's actually pretty old for this mission. He's a really funny guy, pretty entertaining to be around and a very hard worker. He has been in Fuchu for as long as I have been in the field, so this is his fourth transfer here. Right now we don't have anyone to teach, but we have managed to find a few potential investigators;-) We are working pretty hard on finding more people!

The work is moving forward, it always seems to be slow in the beginning, but I know that all of our hard work will start to pay off. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!

Elder Siebach