#42       August 10, 2015

Dearest Family and Friends,

This week went well. Today was fun. It took lots of time because we
had a zone p day. We played capture the flag, Tokyo West zone vs Tokyo
East. Elder Henderson is now in Tokyo East. We destroyed them 3-0. I
outran Elder Henderson and it felt so good. All the missionaries here
in Nakano are so amazing. We saw some cool miracles this week. Sato
Kyoudai, a member here, knocked on our door during dinner and asked to
go dendo with us. We went and visited a different member and prayed
with them then went out and worked for an hour and a half. We were
able to find 2 potential new Eikaiwa students and give out a Book of
Mormon. It was cool. Working together with members is a big focus
right now in the mission. We're figuring out how to do it, but
visiting members before dendoing is a really good idea I think. That's
about it for the week. It went really well and as always, there is a
ton of stuff to report, but I'm plastered right now and have zero
time. I'm sorry that I didn't get to email anyone today, I seriously
sent out zero individual emails so please don't get mad at me for not
emailing you. I read an amazing article by Spencer W. Kimball from the
July 1978 Liahona. It's about keeping the Sabbath day holy. Here are
some of his thoughts:

"The Sabbath is a holy day in which to do worthy and holy things.
Abstinence from work and recreation is important, but insufficient.
The Sabbath calls for constructive thoughts and acts, and if one
merely lounges about doing nothing on the Sabbath, he is breaking it.
To observe it, one will be on his knees in prayer, preparing lessons,
studying the gospel, meditating, visiting the ill and distressed,
writing letters to missionaries, taking a nap, reading wholesome
material, and attending all the meetings of that day at which he is
expected.

One good but mistaken man I know claimed he could get more out of a
good book on Sunday than he could get in attending church services,
saying that the sermons were hardly up to his standards. But we do not
go to Sabbath meetings to be entertained or even solely to be
instructed. We go to worship the Lord. It is an individual
responsibility, and regardless of what is said from the pulpit, if one
wishes to worship the Lord in spirit and truth, he may do so by
attending his meetings, partaking of the sacrament, and contemplating
the beauties of the gospel. If the service is a failure to you, you
have failed. No one can worship for you; you must do your own
worshiping of the Lord."

"The purpose of the commandment is not to deprive man of something.
Every commandment that God has given to his servants is for the
benefit of those who receive and obey it. Man profits by the careful
and strict observance of the Sabbath, man also suffers by the breaking
of the laws of God."

I really love how this gospel is all about our happiness, and that
keeping the Sabbath day holy can and will make us more happy. Sunday
is a good day, and I am grateful that I am learning to appreciate it
more.

I love all of you, have a fantastic week!

Love,
Elder Calhoun

 Teaching Yuichi, on the far left and his friends.  This is from last week.  The man next to Elder Alder is coming to church in the first week of September when Yuichi gets back from his vacation!

 Me and Elder Henderson.  My tie is from Lindsey.  It's way dope and I received a lot of compliments.  Thank you so much Lindsey!  Sorry for no email.  You rock.

 I broke my third chair of my mission this week.  I don't know how I'm breaking so many chairs.

 Balling in Yoyogi Park.  It's super fun and really good finding.  TK, one of our progressing investigators, was found here.  We found another PI and had a blast doing it this past week.

 We found Mexican food today.  It was delicious and our table was a football table and we had way too much fun.

I pet a squirrel monkey today.  It was so cool.  Today was such a good day.  It was someone's pet, and it also had its own little pet monkey stuffed animal.