53rd Week in Japan, 61 Weeks

This transfer is half way gone! :0 That is so weird! I really can`t believe that I am living in Japan. Tomorrow marks my 1 year anniversary for living in Japan. 1 year ago today I was on a plane headed to Japan! I still remember when I was walking through the streets in Sapporo smelling all of the ramen shops, Bakerys, and old rotting fish! It was like walking into Disneyland for the first time. The only thing that has changed over a year has been me! My testimony of the gospel has grown deeper and stronger, God has taken my Japanese skills and improved them, Christ has replaced my heart with one more like his. I am so grateful that God loved me enough to entrust me with His mighty work of bringing hope, light, and love that comes from His Son, Jesus Christ.

This last monday we had a zone activity at Shinkotoni and played sports! I was a part of team batman (really original name right?) and we destroyed the comepetion. That was a blast! Thanks to my family, I was able to share the joy that Hostess treats bring with my district and zone leaders at DTM. And the rest of the week was just teaching lessons to eternal investigators!

This sunday I had the opportunity to bless the sacrament and it was a super special experience.This week I was reading in 2 Nephi 16 and it talks about Isaiah`s vision in which he saw God. Isaiah realizing his unthworthiness exclaims " Wo is unto me! for I amundone; because I am a man of unclean lips; and I dwellin the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyeshave seen the King, the Lord of Hosts."　Then a coal is placed in his mouth and he is told "Lo, this has touchedthy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sinpurged." When I was blessing and partook of the sacrament, my mouth became very hot almost as if the bread had just come out of the oven 2 min earlier. But it hadn`t. Then that scripture popped up into my head and I knew that it was the Spirit confirming to me that I had been forgiven and renewed. It was so cool! The sacrament is the most sacred ordinance in the church and everyone can partake of it and be clean! Isn`t this gospel awesome!?

Ok I love all you peoples, especially my family and Nephi Bushman! (Soon to be Elder Bushman!)

Elder Swenson