Monday, June 16, 2014

unexpected transfer and a new calling

Family and friends,

Well I suppose I can start off this week with my most unexpected news: I will be transferring.

Even though I was still in the middle of training my new companion Elder Sch, President Yamashita called me this past Saturday to let me know that I am being sent to serve as a zone leader in the Okazaki Zone of the mission. I was SUPER surprised. It`s gonna be kinda unusual, since (1) I was still training a new missionary, and (2) my new companion will also be a new missionary (I will be follow-up training him). Elder Sch is awesome and he's doing awesome, so I'll go forward with faith.

My new companion will be Elder A, another Brazilian! Wooooo!! It`ll be interesting though because normally there are two zone leaders and they are both companions, but instead the other zone leader (Elder Cha-) won`t be my companion, but we will be sharing an apartment. My new area, Okazaki, has four elders and two sisters. Sounds like a really fine area, people keep telling me great things about it.

I am really going to miss Fukuroi though. This has been a wonderful district, and I have enjoyed serving here for the past four and a half months. I am also gonna miss my awesome companion, Elder Sch! We were only together for six weeks, but we have become the best of friends. He has taught me so much, and he is an amazing missionary. My last week here ended on a wonderful note though. Let me tell you . . . 

First of all, we had a really awesome barbecue here at the church this past Saturday. We had been working with the branch leaders to organize it for the past several weeks, and it was a huge success. We had probably about 50 people show up (more than we ever get at church on Sundays, haha), and most of them were friends, investigators, and other nonmembers. We had a great time mingling with people and playing games and just helping people realize that church members are totally normal people, haha. It was super fun.
at the branch barbecue, where I am normal
but Elder Sch sees the world upside down

Then on Sunday we had another unexpected miracle. A young man on his bike randomly showed up in front of the church right before Sacrament Meeting was starting and asked if he could come in. We had never met him before. His name is D, and he is from Indonesia. Super nice guy, became good friends right away. He had been looking for a church for quite some time and then finally a friend told him that where our church was (I want to meet the friend too!) and then D just showed up on Sunday. He stayed for all the meetings and we had the chance to teach him a lot. He absolutely loved it, and we`ll be meeting with him again soon (well, by "we" I mean Elder Sch and his new companion). I am super bummed that I am not gonna get the chance to teach this guy since I am transferring tomorrow, but I am so happy to see someone else start to take these first steps back home to his Heavenly Father, and I know that Elder Sch and his new companion will do a great job with teaching this guy.

Did I mention how much I am going to miss Fukuroi? So many great people here. And my district. Our district saw so much success this past transfer, and I was just so impressed with everyone`s hard work. I am excited for my new zone though and the challenges and blessings that lay ahead. It`s gonna be a fun ride, but goodbyes are tough.

breaking bread, er, chopsticks in Fukuroi for the last time
I am so grateful for the Gospel, and I testify from my heart that I know that we have a loving Father in Heaven who watches over us every moment, and that Jesus Christ is our beloved Savior and Older Brother.

Thank you everyone so much for just being awesome! I mean it when I say that I really love all of you, both family and friends! You`re all the best!

Peace and love,
Elder Naylor

ネイラー長老








farewell Fukuroi

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