Their Love for Us

Abe and random elders in his district.

November 2, 2013

Hey everyone! Wow this week went by really fast, and guess what?  I only have two more weeks until I leave for Japan! That is crazy!  This past week I was in bed and feeling really crappy and coughing a storm up so I didn't get to do a lot. But I continued to study and try to work hard, and, after much prayer and perseverance, I am mostly recovered from the illnesses I had.  So quick funny story: there are two similar words in Japanese-one being doseiai and the other being dosei. The first means homosexual and the second means living together with someone before you are married. I bet you can already see where this is going :D Anyways, so yesterday me and my companion taught the law of chastity for the first time. We were explaining what the different parts of the commandment were and then I asked the investigator, because I knew he had a girlfriend, "Dosei shite imasu ka?" which means do you currently live with someone? The investigator, who is my sensei, thought I said doseiai and my companion didn't know the difference between the two, so they both start cracking up in the middle of our lesson and then after I ask my sensei if I said the right word he realized that he had heard the other word. He felt really bad and apologized a ton afterwards, but all three of us were cracking up and couldn't continue to teach the lesson. After much effort, I began teaching the rest of the law and then as I began sharing some personal experiences about following commandments and baring my testimony I began crying as I felt the Spirit so powerfully. Never before had I openly cried in a lesson. Our Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ loves us so much.  I know that with all my heart, and what great comfort and courage that knowledge does bring to my heart.  This church is the best thing on this earth today, and I know that if we follow the commandments of God we will never be happier in our lives and never will we make Christ and our Heavenly Father more happy.  It is that simple and yet so many people fail to realize the importance and worth of the commandments.  Anyways, through the Spirit and personal testimony we were really able to save that lesson and turn it into one of the most powerful and spiritual  experiences my companion, I and the investigator had ever had.  I love being a missionary so much; it is the most amazing experience I have ever had and I am not even in the mission field yet.  Oh Halloween was Thursday, Happy late Halloween!!! We didn't do anything in the Missionary Training Center to celebrate, except for that night me and my fellow missionaries ate a bunch of funky foreign candy that Lis had sent me. A lot of it was good and a lot of it was pretty rough :D That was a good night.  Also last Saturday, after I had already emailed everyone, me and my companion went and did a sealing session instead of an endowment session, and wow that was a great experience.  It was my first time and I had never felt more joy contained in a single room my whole life.  The things that being in this church enables us to do are amazing and powerful; where else are eternal families taught? Not really anywhere else.  I love Christ's church and all the blessing that come from it. Anyways, I miss you guys and hope everything is well.  I love you all and miss you. Matsu Jitsu Seito Iesu Kirisuto Kyokai wa shinjitsu desu yo!

     -Elder Bedard

"Me (Abe) and the hilarious Brazilian elder in
my roomthat I have become great friends with
and who's also going to Nagoya, Japan."

From Lis: I really enjoyed this message and I hope you all did too! In fact, I know Abe would love it if you take a quick moment and messaged him what you liked about it, your reaction, and what you've been up to. He loves hearing from you guys!

Email: abraham.bedard@myldsmail.net

Address: 

Elder Abraham Bedard

Nov 19 JPN-NAG

2009 N 900 E Unit 139

Provo, UT 84602

Abe with a member of Vocal Point, an acapella group. 

A beautiful tree at the temple a few weeks ago.