Miki's Baptism!

Hey family,

Alright first of all we had a crazy busy day today so I only have a couple minutes to email. Here are the major deets from this past week.

The baptism of Miki was wonderful, definitely one of the biggest highlights of my mission. Tons of crying and lots of happiness.

 

days like this are the best days

On the same day of the baptism Elder E and I had a crazy experience taking care of a struggling Elder who was trying to run away from the mission. We talked to him for a long time and hopefully it helped. He is doing a lot better now. We love him so much.

I have been blessed with the chance to work as a regular missionary for my last three weeks in Japan!!!!!! This next week will be my last here in the mission office as we train the new assistant, Elder Strauss, who is an amazing Elder whom I look up to a lot. This will be a great week.

You're probably wondering where I will be serving for my last three weeks.......I'M GOING BACK TO FUKUROI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The latest news is that the area is really struggling and they need an extra push in the right direction. I'm not sure if I am exactly the best person to help with that but since I know the area and the members I may be able to help out a little. I am so excited.

I love you all and miss you very much. But I just love it here.

Hopefully I will have more time next week to tell you more. I love you!

Love always,

Elder Naylor

Today we went to the park with our new investigator Ali, He looks exactly like Tom Cruise, right? ha! and the new elder there is Elder S, the new assistant I'm helping to train this last week . . . before I get to be an AWESOMELY regular proselying missionary again

PS Oh yeah, I'm going back to the Coast Guard on May 4. Cool. Grateful. Legit.

Okazaki for the day

Dear family,

I am writing this email from Okazaki, my beloved old area!! I have been given the wonderful blessing of returning here for the day to participate in and perform the baptism of my past investigator, Sister Fujiwara Miki, at her request. She is a wonderful miracle story.  Her faith is rock solid, and I am really looking forward to the baptism later today. I will send pictures and details next week!!

I am a little anxious about the results from the Coast Guard, whether or not I will be able to return....if they say no, I would like to stay in Japan until June. But of course I am hoping and planning on them saying yes, haha. Please let me know as soon as you can if you hear anything. I haven't heard anything yet. But here's a shout out to my friends who got their first assignments at Billet Night, Congratulations!!!

I am so grateful for you and I love you all so much. Thank you for your prayers. ERIC HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN A COUPLE DAYS!!!

Love always,

Elder Matt

with the Ayuzawa family

Miki's baptism

Hey family,

I love you all and I am grateful for you. I am really shocked and very sad to hear the news about the cadets killed in the car crash.....I knew Soso Makaridze pretty well and he was such a wonderful guy. We all loved him and he was really kind to everyone. I am praying for all of my friends there. I really miss them so much.

I still have not heard back from the Coast Guard about my readmission, but as you know my release date has been changed. I'm really glad that I get to stay here as long as I can. If possible I would like to spend my last four weeks not as an AP, but maybe go work as hard as I can in some other area without having to worry about office work or other stuff pertaining to the mission as a whole. I wish I had taken more advantage of that time earlier on during my mission. But it has been a huge blessing serving here in the office with Elder S, Elder E, and President Yamashita. I have learned so much from them! It is a blessing to serve here.

President Yamashita has given me permission to go and baptize one of my former investigators in Okazaki, Miki, who requested that I return to baptize her. I am so excited for her and really happy to see that she is ready to make her commitment to the Lord. I will let you know more about how that goes next week. I am so excited! She would definitely make it into my top favorite and most prepared investigators that I have taught during my mission.

Here's a news story about President Ballard's recent visit here. It was awesome!

I want to thank you again for your constant love and support. It's weird to me that things are starting to wind down towards the end but I am really doing all I can to not let that dwell in my mind. I am kinda feeling that sense of urgency that comes into the minds of missionaries who are close to going home, and I just want to do everything that I can up until the end. I am excited for another few weeks of miracles.

I love you and love hearing from you!

Peace and love,

Elder Naylor

ネイラー長老

My Favorite Thing!!

Hello family people,

I just want to tell you how much I love you. Thank you for always being there.

Japan is genki and I am still as happy as ever here. I miss you but I love this land. We have been seeing some great miracles lately and the mission as a whole is progressing. We have been going around to various zone conferences these past weeks meeting with all the wonderful missionaries and pumping each other up about how awesome the Gospel is. We are finding people to teach and people are getting baptized.

out driving yesterday and saw the zone leaders talking to someone on the street--THIS IS MY FAVORITE THING!!

I don't have too much to say this week other than how grateful I am for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It will never get old to me, telling all of you how much it has blessed my life. To be more specific, I just never have to be alone. He is always there. He is always waiting for me with open arms, even when I mess up, which is far too often.

I hope we may all never let go of this priceless gift. We are too blessed to let it slip away.

Thank you for being my family. I look forward to seeing you again after a little bit, but for now I am so happy here. I am also looking forward to spending eternity with you. I have the greatest family. You are all my favorite people.

Love you so much.

Love always,

Elder Naylor

ネイラー長老

 ran into Brother M during a crazy bad rainstorm, we were feeling a little goofy . . .

P.S. Joe what the heck about the mountain lion? I want details!

P.P.S. Eric how is your new job?

P.P.P.S. Dad, can you tell me more about this Engineers Without Borders thing? I am really interested.

P.P.P.P.S. Mom, I have lost count of the amount of times that Japanese people have mistaken you to be my girlfriend in pictures of you and me together, hahaha. I think it's hilarious.