This Work and this Gospel are True...

Hello Everybody, So it is already pretty late in the day. During the afternoon we had several appointments and things to do so I don't have very much time to email. Great to hear about so many exciting things happening over there with Zach and Eagles Scouts and Graduation stuff. I loved seeing the pictures too. The 4 of the Page siblings picture was kind of lonely, me being the only one not there, but I am just glad everyone is doing well. :o) Just an update, Mom, I told Sister Rasmussen that you wanted to talk to her so she will probably email you. But, speaking of my back, it has gotten pretty rough. It is pretty simple, the pain just gets a little bit worse every day. I am going to the hospital next Monday to take an MRI, but before then, all I can do is take painkillers and keep going. Even though my back isnt doing well, it didn't slow down the work this week and was one of my best in a long time as far as the work is concerned. Yesterday there were so many miracles and there were 6 investigators at church and so many tender mercies from the Lord in a time where there are things that are bearing down on me. It was a tough week for several reasons, but by the end of the week things cleared up and I was able to feel the power of the Spirit in my life. We also have a guy named Kawase-san who is solid to be baptised. I will tell you more when I have more time, but he is bound to a wheelchair and is a super humble guy who called us to come and teach him. He came to church on Sunday and already said that he wants to be at this church. This coming week looks like it will be pretty busy, the last week of the transfer. I can't believe that is already another one down. I will probably stay again because of Nation Choro, but President said something to me this week that of course, left me guessing about whether I was going to be here or not. He is impossible to predict. :o) I am doing alright. I spent a lot of time on my knees this week. I was able to have great experiences speaking very personally to my Father in Heaven. I testify that when we pray personally that he hears us and that he will answer our prayer ever so personally. I was able to see that again and again this week as I was sustained in times of trail and uncertainty. I love you all so much. Next week there my be a transfer email so just be on your toes. :o) This work and this gospel is true. Love, Elder Page

Be humble & recognize the Lord's hand in our life...

Hey everybody!! Thanks so much for the email Mom!! Sounds like things are pretty busy down there with missionaries going here and there and school wrapping up. Caswell sounds like it was pretty fun, however, I have to admit that I laughed out loud when I read about Dad getting hit by Abby in the Golf cart. hahahaha Even now, just thinking about that just makes laugh. Oh good ole' $teve. Having everybody there except me is kind of lonely, but I just know that time here will go quicker than I can say so I am not that disappointed. I can't believe that Zach is already going on his mission. Man, things in the time I have been here have changed so much. I was so happy to hear about Elder Forbes and how great he is doing. Somebody give him a hug and say it is from me, ok? :o) It was super shocking to hear about Kitty White's accident. I remember when you mentioned always visiting her not too long again. I will pray for the Whites. It is a wonderful thing to know very specifically exactly where she is now and when we can see her again. The Plan of Salvation is such a wonderful blessing and something that we can always express gratitude for having that knowledge. I had a pretty good week last week. Things were busy, and I am worn out, but I am feeling great. First of all, I went to the hospital about my back twice this past week. I went on Wednesday and, well, they told me some stuff that didn't really convince me of what the deal was. In the days following that the problem became worse, so I decided to go again to a different place on Saturday. This time they were able to tell me more about what was going on. They looked at an X-Ray of my back/spine and he pointed out that the disk space between my vertebrae was getting smaller. That decrease in space is making my spine do something weird and it is causing pain. He didn't understand why or what exactly I should do, so I am going to another place this week. What he told me was, "you are still young, but your back is old." I talked to Sister Rasmussen about it all, and we are trying to take care of it, but your prayers about this would be appreciated. It is causing quite a bit of discomfort and pain to my everyday life. I was told to rest, but I thought a lot about it and being Elder Nation's trainer and not wanting to interfere with his progress, for now I have just decided to bear with it for now until I know more about what is causing it. Other than that though, we were able to do a lot of teaching and helping of people's faith in the past week which kept a smile on my face. A lot of miracles that reminded me once again that this is God's work of saving souls and spreading joy to others. I really learned a lot about prayer in the past week. Something that I would challenge you guys to do, maybe as an FHE or something, is to read and study PMG page 93-95 about prayer and to find out how you can improve your prayers. I studied it a couple times and did a training on it this past week and was able to learn so much. I was able to relearn again the importance of gratitude and how when we are grateful, we truly do feel so much more joy in our lives. When things are hard, sing the song "Count your Blessings." It really helps when we are having a hard time, I know from experience. ;o) Part of our purpose of being here is to learn to be humble and recognize the Lord's hand in our life. I love this gospel. When I study it, when I hear it's sweet sound, I can just feel it in my heart. It is something that you just can't understand until you feel it. The food that you just don't know until you taste it. I truly do believe that with all of my heart. I hope you all are doing great and that you look for rainbows when there is rain. There is always one there in our lives. I promise that. Have a great week everybody!! I love you. Love, Elder Page

Mother's Day weekend with my kids...

It was so wonderful to have Matthew home for Mother's Day along with Dallin (thank you soooo much Jaclyn for encouraging him to come, I know he did not want to leave you!) We all enjoyed talking to Elder Page. He is doing well, and is so happy! I love all the chaos, and laughter that is in the home right now, it sounds even better when Zach and Jaclyn are with us. I love you all, and thank you for making my Mother's day special!

Mother's Day...

I am so far behind, I totally missed Mother's Day...and posting about the mom's that mean the most in our lives, my mom, Annie Isabelle, and Steve's mom Myra Ann. We just want you both to know how much we love and appreciate you. We celebrate all that you have done to touch so many lives, especially ours as your children and grand children. Thanks for all the hugs, advise, great food, and all the support. And especially your testimonies and examples of Christ like love and patience. We love you and hope that y'all have a wonderful Mother's Day!!!

I love this gospel...

Hello Everyone! It was so great to talk to you guys today!! Everybody sounds like they are doing so good and it was just surreal once again to hear you all again. There were so many little things that I had forgotten about you all. Abby and her little adorable way of talking, Tory and his sarcasm, Matt who always sounds like he is smiling while he talks all the time, Mom and her laugh, Dad and his funny hands, Dallin and his softspokenness(not a word?). I miss you all and it was a great reminder of how amazing my family is to talk to you all. Like I said on the phone, I am just doing good. Things aren't necessarily soaking wet with baptisms right now, but I am seeing the evidence of the Lord's hand in this work every day, and I have really learned to let that keep a happy smile on my face, no matter what happens. :o) I went to the hospital today and it was closed. haha That is something that is different about Japan, the hospital is not always open. :o) There was a sign that said that someone who works at that hospital had died and so everyone was gone to the funeral that day. So, I will have to just wait and go on Wednesday now, so hold off a little longer on that update. Elder Nation's mom said the nicest things about you Mom when she called Elder Nation. :o) She sounds so very pleasant of a person. I am sorry for my inability to communicate in proper English with you guys, and for just speaking in Japanese to Tory without realizing it, it truly is an interesting thing to have your brain work in two languages, especially two as different as English and Japanese. Well, just a couple things I didn't mention on the phone, we were in Sendai last week again for a conference with the new member of the Area Presidency here, Elder Yamashita. He is the one who gave the talk at conference last October about Missionaries. He is a really amazing guys and one of the most impressive examples of true humility I have ever met. He told us a story about when he became a general authority, President Packer told him that he needed to learn English. Also, he told us about an experience where Elder Nelson said that "English is the Language of the Restoration." Through those two experiences, he has learned English as much as he can in the past year, and he did his entire 4 hour training in English. Even though his english really wasn't that good, he followed the counsel of his leaders and did the best he did in a way that was obviously below his real capabilities. It was such a spiritual experience for me to just watch him. More than anything he said, his example brought the spirit to me and taught me. I testify of the power of a good example in bringing the spirit in to our lives. Well, this coming week we have a couple of splits and things and it should be pretty busy. Know that I love you and that I love this gospel and this work. I am doing my best to help others and be a blessing to you all too. Know that you are a wonderful blessing to me as you have been my whole life. I know that we are children of God. I promise that if we but learn to do his will, we will live with him once more. I pray always that he will always teach us and help us find that way. I bear you my humble testimony, as his servant, that Jesus Christ lives. Have a great week everybody!!! Love always, Elder Page

Can't wait for Mother's Day call!

Hey Mom, Thanks so much for emailing everything early for me today. It is kind of funny because our schedule actually changed and we arent actually going to Sendai until Thursday now. haha but thanks so much anyways. You guys are the best for remembering that for me. However, today the weather here in Niigata is perfect and so for P-Day the missionaries are going to go do something fun so I still don't have that much time. :o) I have had a great week! It was super fast and super busy, but great. We got to go and do service for the first time in a long time which was really great. At service I got to see Elder Sanders again, and I got to see Elder Lay for the first time in 4/5 months. I was so happy and so great to talk to him. He goes home in on month from now. I can hardly believe it. Last week there was a group of about 14 missionaries together and I was the oldest one...it was weird. Mom, they call me Grandpa already! Yesterday at church a couple of members asked what I am going to do when I go home next transfer!! The sad thing is that I have gotten really old and I just know the time is going to fly away from me from here on out. Dont worry, I am doing my best to take advantage of it. However, I think that no matter what you do or how hard you work, in the end you will always wish you had a little more time. Anyways, I am not quite that close yet!! About next weeks phone call. This time the call is going to be on your guys' mothers day. On Sunday evening at 7:00 you call my phone and it will be 8:00 Monday morning to me. Ok? :o) I cant wait to talk to you guys. My voice and my english will be even more weird than last time, I can assure you. :o) Elder Nation is doing good and progressing so so fast. He just does every little thing I ask him and working so hard that it is helping him take big strides. Something crazy that happened yesterday at church was that I saw one of my MTC Teachers, Michael Peterson. He was one of my favorite teachers and it turns out that he is doing an internship in Japan and just happened to come to Niigata. I was so shocked! He will be here for 6 weeks so I am super excited. I was actually pretty nervous, you know, because he taught me Japanese and stuff so I was worried that he would be disappointed in my growth. hahaha :o) Also had an interview with President this past week which went good. As always he had a couple of assignments for me that I am excited for. He is a good man. I am going to send you some pictures, but that is about all of the time I have for today. I miss you guys and love you so much. Things may be pretty hard right now, but I know that you will still feel great joy. In Alma, the people are wrapped up in a fierce war with many trails, but it says during that time that there was never a happier time in the period of the reign of the judges. When we face tough things we learn to rely on our Savior, and that reliance makes us strong and brings us joy. Sometimes we still wish for our trials to go away, but remember, just like the Nephites, even in the midst of trials and things we don't understand or can't control, there is joy in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love you all! Have a great week! Love, Elder Page PS:Mom, in the next package you can send, Skittles would be nice. They don't have them in japan. Sour and normal, whatever is good. :o) I love you.

AbiGaiL HappY 18tH BiRthDaY to YoU!

I Can NoT beLieVe tHat My BeaUtiFul AbiGaiL iS 18 toDay!!! WhErE haS tHe TimE gOnE. SoMeTimEs I JusT loOk At hEr and I aM AmaZeD aT thE beAutIfuL WomAn sHe is BeComIng. ShE is SomEonE whO iS goIng tO MakE a DiffEreNce, sHe is StrOng yEt veRy gEntlE anD KinD. ShE is So ThoUghtFUl of oTherS, She Is A LoyAl FrIenD, ShE is aWaRe of OtHerS, anD is A dOer. ShE is PasSioNatE aboUt heR beLiefs, anD noT aFraId or EmbArRassEd to ShaRe tHem. I aM juSt VerY proUd to Be AblE to CalL heR mY DauGhteR. We LoVe YoU AbiGaiL, HaPpy BirThdaY, MaY it Be On Of YouR mOst MemOrabLE yEt!!!!!

"HaPpy BiRthDaY JaClyN deAr"

When Dallin came home from EFY (what 5 years ago) I knew that I was going to some day call Jaclyn my daughter, not my daughter in law, but my daughter! What a blessing she is to Dallin and to all of us. We love you so much Jaclyn, you are a bright ray of "sunshine" to all who know you. We hope that you have a wonderful birthday, have a fun day with your sweetheart Dallin today (try to ask for more than a movie at home this year ;) I know that he has some fun things planned...so glad you were born! Love you!