First week in the field

Hey Everybody!!!
Sooooo, I don't even know where to start! This was one of the fastest weeks of my whole life and at the same time, sooo many things happend! I guess I will start out with a laugh for everybody. So first of all, my area is Shiroishi right, so we don't have an apartment currently, so the past week and until we find out otherwise, we are living in a different area called Atsubetsu. We are in a tiny little apartment with 6 of us! Elder Clinton and I are living out of our suitecases and it is just...its pretty crammed to say the least. This morning for p-day, three of us went to play some ping pong at the church in Atsubetsu, so since i don't have a bike i just borrowed another elders. So, within the first 5 minutes of riding bikes on the mission I ate some serious dirt! hahaha There are these stairs we have to go way up and then way down to get over the train tracks. In the middle of the stairs there is a ramp for bikes to be WALKED up and down. So we RODE up the stairs on the ramp just fine...it was going down the 80 steps that was the interesting part. It rained yesterday so the ramp was a little wet. The other two elders got down just fine so I thought I would be ok...I was wrong. I started going down and picked up maybe 20 mph of speed really fast! I made the mistake of trying to ease on the REAR brakes to slow down and with the wet surface, the back tire very quickly flew out from under me. My bike went flying and I, first hit really hard, and then rolled down about 15 feet of stairs. It was super graceful you know? :) You all know me, and so naturally, I just got up, picked up the bike and we went to the church to play some ping pong. I have a couple bumps and bruised but I will be fine, so don't worry! :) Leave it to me to have the quickest missionary bike accident ever! :)
The week went by pretty fast. You are right, Elder Clinton is a really hard worker and we really thrashed Shiroishi this past week. I will share just a couple little experiences and things. I really have seen miracles every single day. We contacted over 100 people last week and taught over a dozen lessons. Elder Clinton's Japanese is super good which is great because this language is way way crazy. I try really hard and I follow some things, but the only thing I can really do that is effective is just bare testimony. I can tell you that in teaching, the spirit really is the most important thing because people just don't care if you are just spitting info at them. The thing is with the Japanese people is that people here just havent felt the spirit before for the most part, so if we can invite the spirit and they soften there hearts enough to feel it, they feel a way they have never felt before. That happend several times this week and it is a truly amazing thing to see. We worked really hard and on Sunday we got 3 investigators to church which was awesome! One woman named Yuzuka came when she told us she couldn't because of work!
On Sunday Night, right before we were about to go home we hit a guy that could be gold!! We contacted him on the street. He was just walking along smoking a cigarrette and we asked him if he knew who we were. He said, "I have seen you before, people are always trying to ignore you." Elder Clinton asked him if he was one of the people that would just try to ignore us and he said no! We got to talking to him and he is 20 years old and both of his parents have died. We asked him if he believed there was a God and he said yes. We asked him why and he said that it is because he feels like he has felt his parents helping him since he died. We talked to him about the Plan of Salvation and showed him the pamphlet. He said that it was such a good thing, we asked if he wanted to learn more about it and he said yes! We are meeting with him tonight and I just pray he will show up!! I told him that I know this message is interesting and new, but that if he will recieve it that it will bless his life and bring him shinjitsu na shiawase...true happiness. We told him he can see his parents again and he said thankyou. It was an amazing experience, one of those experiences I was talking about where the people just feel something they have never felt before.
I know that the Lord led us to him, and that every other contact that listened and rejected us allowed us to meet him at that exact moment. The Lord blesses us all with miracles every single day if we but open our hearts to see them. This has been a really really tough week. This language is really hard and not being able to express yourself is truly a monumental challenge. When I sat in church on Sunday, in a small little group of 20 or so people, the church became true to me in a whole new dimension. I really need your prayers and support, more than ever in my life I am having to rely on my faith in my Savior Jesus Christ. I know he lives, I know that he will be on my right hand and on my left. Something that Marissa pointed out to me in one of my letters has become so true to me here, this gospel doesn't make life easy by any means, but it sure does make it easier. I testify that that is true. I love you all so much and think of and pray for you every day. Marissa, A letter is on its way so we will see how long it takes to get there! :) Thanks for all the bike stuff and money mom and dad, hopefully when I get my own bike I won't wipe out on it! Just a little funny note here before I wrap it up, I am already trademark here as the missionary that waves at everybody. :) Waving is not a Japanese thing for sure, so I always just smile super big and give everybody a nice white boy wave. You should imagine the faces of the little Japanese people when a tall Gaijin(foreiner) just smiles and waves at them and says hello. :) Thank you all for being such a joy and support in my life. I truly do love you so much and I hope I make you proud! If I need anything I will let you know, but for now, I really just need your prayers and faith please!

I love you!
Elder Zachary Taylor Page...Z-Train ;)

Messages to my missionaries

私はあなたにエルダーページを愛してなど非常に誇りに思っています！
My Message to Elder Zachary Page

Te quiero élder Page y estoy muy orgullosa de ti!
My Message to Elder Matthew Page

SO I am in Japan!!

Elders Vilchis & Page both now serving in Japan Kobe & Sapporo Hello everybody!

So I am in Japan!! I don't even know really where to start to be honest. It is all REALLY surreal and REALLY over my head. By the time we got to Sapporo I had gone on three flights traveling something like 36 hours! I am sure I am jetlagged somehow, but today I have just been going at it. It has been a little slow because we just sat through orientation stuff but it has still been great. I have my trainer and am assigned to my first area...his name Elder Clinton and he is from New Jersey. He is a convert to the church of just the past couple years. When President Daniels announced him as my companion he jumped out of his seat and yelled "Yay!l" as he ran to me. Haha He seems like a super nice guy and I don't think I will have any problems getting along with him. We already talked a bit and he is a really nice guy, and he is like six foot four so he makes me look tiny!!! We are assigned to Shiroishi, which is just an area inside o Sapporo itself. Both of my MTC comps Benson and Kendall are getting sent way far outside of Sapporo so I am the only Gaijin(foreigner) staying in Sapporo of the new missionaries. So much has happened and I don't even know where to start!! :) The weather here is super beautiful and when they say that Japan is super organized and clean, it is so true! It really doesn't look too different from the US other than the fact that everything is written in Japanese...and everybody is short and Asian...and they drive on the left side of the road...and everybody looks at you like you are a crazy white boy yelling "Konichiwa!" at them. :) Hahaha Daniels Kaicho teased me a little for ALWAYS just smiling at nothing. Today for lunch they took us to this Japanese restaurant and it was SOOOO good! I am definitely going to like (most) of this food! :) I really struggle with Chop sticks too. A lot of the Nihongin were laughing at me. But, they did say that by the end of the meal I had gotten so much better and that I learn fast. :) hmm, lets see, oh yeah, in my area right now there isn't an apartment! So the deal is for now that we are going to be living in the adjacent area and we will just commute to our area and work straight until it is time to come home. President and Sister Daniels really are amazing and I love them so much already, so you really have nothing to worry about mom, they will take care of me. :) Everything really is just going over my head honestly. From the sound of things it sounds like the Sapporo assignment won't be permanent and that the Sendai elders will be going back, but I am not sure obviously. Whatever the Lord wants, I am just geared to go!! President Daniels has a really awesome study program working here so I can't wait to dive into that. The Japanese is super crazy and I am POSITIVE that it will be a couple months full of headaches, but I can't wait! Well, I guess for now I will wrap it up. We have 30 minutes till dinner so I am going to go outside and do the Dendo(proselyte)!!!! I am super excited and I can't wait to talk to you in a few weeks. Tell Marissa to not worry, Now, she is the most beautiful girl I know on TWO continents! :oD I love you all and know that you are in all of my prayers and thoughts! Till next Monday!!

Love Your son, friend, and Z-Train,

Elder Zachary Taylor Page

Elder Matthew Page sweating it out in AZ

While Elder Zachary Page will be freezing in Japan, Elder Matthew Page is sweating it out in Arizona! It is starting to get very warm there already. Matthew is dreading the summer heat! ( Remembering last year) He is working himself to death. They are finding new investigators, finally a little harvesting :) He is doing great! Would love to hear from everyone, and he loves pictures! Remember his mission home address has changed. Go to the blog on the right side it is updated.

Elder Zachary Page finally found a place to serve...:)

Wednesday evening we heard from Elder Page. He was calling to let us know that he has been giving a new assignment to Sapporo Japan. He is so excited to be able to go to Japan and serve the Lord's children. They call themselves the FROZEN CHOSEN. He will be leaving on April 18th so we will get to hear from him again...can't wait! As far as I know his mission home address is : Elder Zachary Page Japan Sapporo Mission Kita 2 jo Nishi 24 Chome 1-25, Chuo-Ku Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 064-0822 Japan If for some reason this changes I will let you know

Still all dressed up with no place to go :)

I'm going here there or somewhere in between :)

Hey Everybody,

So here is the two big items of news..................I still don't know where I am going!!!!!!!

Item Number two............My MTC departure has been delayed till April the 18th! :) hahahaha I don't really even know what to say except that maybe I should have expected it! haha :) The brethren need another week to asses the situation and figure out what to do with us so they delayed us while they try to figure out.

So Mom, this is not my last p-day and I will get to email you from here again! Also, MJ, and JDog, in my letters i obviously thought I was leaving so you guys should definitely write me again next week so that way I get another letter! :) Thanks! It is crazy, Every single Japanese Elder is delayed till then!

I am excited for the tape, mine is almost done and I will get that out to you asap! So awesome that Derek is coming out there and that he saw Marissa! She is doing great in her letters and I know that she loves to talk to you guys so that is a good idea.

Conference was sooooo amazing!!! I think that it comes to you totally differently as a missionary to be honest. I can't even pick one favorite! I really really loved Elder Oaks talk where he talked about "Overriding Desires" though. The most simple concept ever, but if we could all correctly apply that, we would never sin! I also really really liked Elder Nelson's talk, but they were all so good!! That is so so crazy that next conference Matt will be home and I will have already been gone 9 months!!! Man, time is just flying by!!

I had a pretty quick week as usual. The mission and the work blurr together like you wouldn't believe. Last wednesday I got to host new missionaries and that was pretty cool. It was pretty weird being on the other end of standing on that curb. There were a lot of sad goodbyes and that was a weird flashback moment. I honestly don't even remember much that happend this week! When you have been sitting in the same classroom studying for almost 3 months you just don't even know what goes on sometimes. The district has grown really close in our time here and I think some of us are even a little relieved at an extra week so that we can prolonge the goodbyes. Elder Tukukino and I have grown partucularly close. He is from Australia and I think I have him convinced to come to BYU after the mission and live with me that first Winter semester back...hopefully that first semester is all the time I will need a roommate. ;o) hahaha

Alright, for this weeks challenge I have a couple things again, but i know that all who do these challenges will be blessed. I know that they really are given by the spirit. I don't know if any of you noticed, but I am pretty sure most if not ALL of my challenges were addressed in some way at conference. Some very specifically and others subjectively. It was a great blessing to me to see that these challenges are inspired and that they have purpose and meaning if you take the little amount of time to do them. This week I felt prompted to issue a challenge concerning the Holy Ghost. Study in Preach my Gospel on Page 18, and the first half of 19 about Learning by the Spirit, and Living what you learn. After you have studied that, read the very short tidbit on Page 104 called "Witness of Christ." After that, flip to page 101 and read the big quote by Elder Dallin H. Oaks on that page. I am not going to spoon feed you on this one this week. :) I want you all to study those three things and ponder how they relate and what we learn about the Book of Mormon and Feeling the Holy Ghost constantly in our lives. I know that as you do this this week you will better understand the Spirit of God and how it can work through all of us. You will be blessed to know how you can better invite and maintain that spirit in your lives. Also, the new mormon message this week is amazing and all should watch that and share it with others. I know with all of my soul that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ leads this church, his church on the earth today. We Do have a prophet of God to lead us. What an amazing blessing that is to us in our lives to hear his word and follow his guidance. It is the only sure way that we can know we are living exactly the way that God wants us to live. I know that as we follow Thomas S Monson and hearken to his council, we will NEVER go astray from the narrow path that God has set for us. I know that as we follow that path faithfully, we will return to our father above, with our families, forever and ever. I love you all so so much. You are the greatest and most important blessings to me in my life. Do what is necessary to keep yourselves clean and pure, so that one day we can all return TOGETHER to our Father above.

Have a wonderful week and I hope to hear from you all. I will let you know where I am going as soon as I can find out myself, but for now, expect my email from the MTC next week!

Love always, Elder Zachary Taylor Page

Elements are right for the work to take off...

Elder Page's son and Grandson

(Meaning he trained Elder Carter and now Elder Carter is trainin the other missionary)

Matthew got a new companion last week Elder Bellows from Rigby Idaho. He is very quiet and timid, but Matthew is helping him come out a little bit. "I remember how hard it was in the beginning. I can tell he gets stressed easily. I just hope he feels like he has a friend in me."

It was a pretty slow week. It has been spring break on campus, so the work has been slow, but lots of time to train.. "Things are going well with the members. I feel the members are beginning to get behind us. We are having a ward fast for missionary work. All the elements are right to let the work tak off. Pray and fast that we will be guided to those that are ready. And pray for my companion that he can have his mouth opened to talk to people."

He is coming up on his 6th month mark, he's not counting I AM! :)

Hope you will take the time to write him a note.

I'll Go Where you want Me to Go Dear Lord...

Hello everybody!!!

Thanks so much for my email mom!!! I loved it! I can't believe tory and Dad got seats right behind the player bench!!!! That is so so cool!!

So the deal on Sapporo has again changed!! It is crazy how they don't know what to do with us!!!! As it stands now we have zero idea where we are going. Honestly, I have a feeling it might be stateside but I honestly dont know. We will howerever find out where this friday or saturday for sure so next week it should be locked in on a location!

It is less than two weeks here now and it is crazy!!! Really bittersweet to be honest, I have come to truly love the MTC and my district has become like my family, but I am excited to get out somewhere and actually start sharing this wonderful message!!!

I honestly don't know how they work calling while in Japan with the international distance and the dramatic time difference, I will see if I can figure it out but I bet it varies by mission, besides Mamma, I might not even be heading there quite yet!! But, I hope you guys are excited for a call in just a couple weeks when I head to the airport!! That will be exciting and I can speak a little japanese for you for the first time.

We got the cookies and we loved them so so so much!! Thank you! Surprise us for the last week, we love them all! Also, I have been working on a tape and I am almost done with it.

I have had a great week!! All of the native Japanese Missionaries came in this week and it has been really fun getting to talk to all of them! it is helping our Japanese a ton!! I showed them all pics of Marissa and Abbs and they went off about how they were daiutsukushi (So Beautiful!!). :oD The week just kind of sped along, really in the swing of things. Heard about BYU losing and all that jaz and it really has just cruised this week. Some of the Native Japanese told me what the Kanji meaning of our name Page is, it is read as Peace Samurai!! pretty cool huh!!!

I have been studying a lot in the Book of Mormon and this week I cruised through from Alma 30- Alma 50 and learned so so so much. That is where the chuck of my weekly challenge is coming from this week! I want you all to study the doctrine of the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement. I have learned so much and really grown to know the sacrafice of my Savior for me. My gratitude is beyond words. I know that he lived and died for me, and all of us. He was innocently betrayed by a friend and arrested, beaten and scourged by the romans, crucified by his own people, and most inportantly, knelt in the mount of olives and took upon us our every pain, sorrow, and sin. I know it with all my heart and so this week I want you all to take the time to show appreciation for what our Savior has done and study this mighty plan and Atonement. Some great places to start are Alma chapters 34, 36 and in 2 Nephi Chapter 2. I know and promise you all that as you do this and you diligently study these doctrines this week, that your love and relationship with the savior will be strengthend beyond that which we can fully fatham. We must all face the sometimes painful law of justice, but because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we don't have to face it alone. If we turn to him with faith and repentance, he will stand by us with infinite mercy as we face the law of justice for our mistakes. I know these things are true, and I am so grateful that I have been given that Mercy from my Savior and Redeemer, Even Jesus Christ.

I love you all so so much. I pray for and think about you often. As I learn more about this true and perfect gospel, the more my love for you all grows. The more that love grows, the more I desire for you to ALL feel the matchless joy that comes from learning and applying the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Alma taught in Alma 32 that if we try the experiment, then we can know for ourselves. Try the experiement, live this gospel and I know with all of my soul that you will taste the Sweetness thereof, and you will never want to be without that feeling and without that true knowledge ever again. Everybody, have a wonderful week!! My heart is with you and may the Lord bless you in all that you do. Press Forward with a steadfastness in Christ and you will find joy, this I promise you.

Love, Elder Zachary Taylor Page

Weeks winding down in MTC

Hello everybody!
Thanks so much for the email mom, it is great to hear how things are going back home. It is good to hear about Prom and everything, Marissa said that Abby was so excited for it and I am sure going with Garrison made it all the better. And duh she was the prettiest girl there!!! That's my girl!!!! I got my tape player in the mail and have already started on a tape, it is about 20 mintues long right now, just introducing everybody and stuff. It feels weird to talk to a tape, but once you get past the intial awkwardness it is really fun!! I will send you a cassette soon, You should tell Marissa to get one so that you guys can send it to her when you are done!! :)
Anyways, my week has been crazy. It was totally solid and stuff, but it was CRAZY! Both of my companions got ill, Kendall had insomnia and is on medication, and Benson got the Flu and had to go into Missionary quarentine! We didn't see him for almost three days. So my companions were sick and so they were constantly in and out of isolation and i spent a chunk of the week with Elder Tukukino and Elder Maris in a threesome with them. Tukukino is a great bud to me and so is Maris so that was great.
A crazy awesome story, on Thursday, my companions were out of commision and so i was with Tuk and Maris, we have the TRC that day and so i planned to teach the Plan of Salvation with them all day. Ten minutes before we teach Elder Kendall came out of isolation and we had to teach with ZERO planning. It was pretty scary and VERY humbling to go into a japanese lesson with no prep. We said a prayer and went in there fully on faith and it went so well!! For the second week in a row I have turned my heart over to the spirit while teaching and I have recieved the gift of tongues! My teacher said he was very impressed with how well we spoke and i know it was because we opened our mouths with faith and the Lord filled them. The spirit is an amazing thing and I know that if we have that power with us then we can do whatever the Lord requires.
Also, on Saturday, Benson had to pic up medicine from the Rite Aid in Provo so I got the rid in a Van out side the MTC! It was really weird to be honest, after 9 weeks of seeing nothing of the outside world, driving right past my old apartment was pretty crazy.
About Japan, we still don't know. Plans have changed since last week. We are no longer going to Tokyo like they told us. There is a lot of talk about moving us to other japanese missions and even of us temporarily going stateside, but nobody really knows. When we find out for sure i will let you know, it should be by next week. At this point, after going through 3 different mission assignments for Tulsa, to Sendai, to Tokyo, to wherever, I am just singing the Song, "I'll go where you want me to go!" :) haha I have faith that the Lord will get me everywhere he needs me to be so I am not worrying about it at all! :o
Mom, we used the squirt guns today on my P-Day! It was pretty funny and i felt like a little kid, which was pretty refreshing amongst all the crazyness last week.
My challenge this week is to study the Book of Mormon, all of you, every single day this week. STUDY it. The converting power of the Book of Mormon only comes when it is read and studied. So this week that is what I want you all to do, study that miraculous book every day. And I want you to start by reading Moroni 7, which is one of the greatest sermons about how to live and find joy in all scripture. Study particularly verse 13 (Good things are inspired of God), verses 26 and 33 (With true and full faith ANYTHING is possible through Christ), and verses 41-46 (the doctrine of Faith, Hope, and Charity). I promise that as you pray and study this chapter, and the scriptures this week, you will find yourself filled with spiritual Power. The Lord promises us that as we study his word we will find peace and strength, and if there is one thing I know it is that God ALWAYS keeps his promises. Of that truth we can always rely.
Well everybody, I love you all so very much, i think of you and pray for you all every single day. Momma, my district said yesterday, "Mamma Page, Send us some cookies!" I think there favorite was the butterscoties. :)
I hope and pray that you all have a wonderful week! I promise that if you build your life on the sure foundation that is Jesus Christ, every day of your life will be filled with a joy that cannot be taken from you. I will let you know about where I am going and when as soon as I can. I love you all, every single person who reads these words has my love and faith, Press Forward always and have Faith and I promise that all will be well, in good times and in hard.
Till next week!!
Love,
Elder Zachary Taylor Page

Prom

Lets see how many proms have we attended....I think this was number 6. I am so happy that our kids don't mind when we chaperone, besides I get to take lots of pictures :) It was another fun night, Abigail had a wonderful night with her friend Garrison and a few more from school and church. I am so glad that the do this for the youth. Everyone gets to experience PROM and in a good enviornment. Next year Tory will be going...yikes I can not believe that! I guess that means we have 4 more to go. I am going to miss doing this with my kids. I was talking to a friend and I told her I wished that they did something fun like this for adults, I mean how often do you get to go dancing!

Abigail's Prom!!!!

Finally the day came...PROM!!!! This was a totally different experience than it was with the boys! Abigail was soo excited, unlike the boys who never whoop and hollar about a dance :) And can I just say that she was soooo beautiful! I think she had her fairytale day. Thanks Garrison for escorting her and making this such a special day for her. I am already looking forward to the next one. Ok I let you get on to the pictures....Look how happy and maybe a little nervous she was....so cute
I love how Gavin is peeping around Abigail, who by the way said that she had a really pretty pink dress :)
This is always the hard part.

Garrison & Abigail looking fabulous!

sooo cute

WOW!

Waiting to eat...Garrison & Abigail, Patrick & Alex

The whole gang

What a great evening....ahhhhhh!

Happy Birthday Tory

I did not forget Tory's birthday, but between birthday and Prom I have not had time to post anything. #15!!!! He had a great day with family and Friends...yeah for those :) Tory we love you! Hope you had a great day.

Happy 15th Birthday Tory!

I can't believe my baby is 15! Look how handsome he is, not to mention his pretty sister :) We hope you have the best day ever Tory. You are a great young man. Our family would not be complete without you, you are like the cherry on top! Happy Birthday son we love you so much!

Matthew gets a new companion...

Elder Page hiking on P-day! Arizona is beautiful! He is really loving it! Sounds like things are going well for Elder Page. Transfers were this week. He is getting a new companion, not sure who he is yet Elder Page had not met him when he wrote his letter to us, but he is training a new missionary again. This is his third one in a row. He is excited about having another one right from the MTC. He is looking forward to doing great things with his new companion. Can't wait to hear more about him in his next letter. MAKE NOTE the mission has a new address so starting April 1st send his letters to:

Arizona Tucson Mission
939 W Chapala Road

Tucson AZ 85704-4516

MTC

Zachary does not know yet what they will be doing, as far as he knows he is still leaving on the 11th. We'll let everyone know if anything changes.

Elders Page & Benson...Hurrah for Israel Elder Page and his district @ the Provo Temple

Dear Family and others,
Just so you know mom, Elder Benson just delivered that hug of yours! :) It has been a pretty crazy week to say the least. Things have been really different since Elder Bennion left. I am in a threesome now with Elder Benson and I and Elder Kendall. It has been different and definitely a growing experience� I got a letter from Matt this week and I made time today to write him back. He is doing good and I hope he enjoys my letter. Also, I got Dad's letter today.� tell him thanks so much and that it was a great lift and I will write him when i can. I have a pretty cool story from this week in the TRC. It was week two teaching lesson one in full japanese. It was very different because we were teaching with three this time. It started off really bad. The guy was a native japanese and he spoke really fast, I was blanking and couldn't remember anything to say! The lessson was in obivous shambles and I got so discouraged and low. It was then that the Spirit came pounding into my heart. I felt VERY strongly prompted to "Testify and Commit." So, that is exactly what i did. I turned myself over to the spirit totally and even though I couldn't remember much of what I said, My companions said I said something along these lines: "I don't know how to speak Japanese, but I know this message is true. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that through this gospel we can find happiness. Through Prayer, we can speak to God. Through prayer, we can know the truth. Will you pray about our message? The spirit was overwhelming and he very humbly and softly said, "yes." It was a really really amazing experience for me and for all of us. It was the first time I have had the gift of tongues manifested unto me personally. The power of the spirit is so amazing! The more I learn about the Holy Ghost here, the more I am blown away by its ability to totally lead and guide us. I promise you all that the Spirit will testify of truth. It will not lead us astray, and if we strive always to fill our lives with the Holy Ghost, we will come closer to our Savior and his will. The spirit WILL testify to your heart of truth, and the truth is this gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "Seek and ye shall find, knock, and the door will be opened unto you." I know with all of my soul that this is truth.
Thanks for all of the information about Japan, they don't really tell us much of anything in here. I wish I knew what they are going to do with us 3 Sendai missionaries. As far as I know we will still be headed to Japan on April 11th, but who knows what they will do with us. There has been a lot of talk about reassignments and humanitarian missions and so many other things, but they are all just rumors. As soon as I know anything, I will let you all know, but for now, don't even worry about what is going to happen with me, just pray for the Japanese people. I was thinking mom and Dad, about what president Baker said about the Page family missionary experiences, he was so right, it was just never ever going to happen normal for anyone in our family! The one mission in the whole world and it just happens to be mine! Tory, you better watch out, who knows what's in store for your mission! haha :)
Some challenges for you all this week, i have several but they aren't too big. I hope that EVERYONE does these by the way, every single person that reads these emails better do them, . I want everyone to read in Mosiah Chapter 18. Focus particularly on those verses that speak about the Baptisimal Covenant. Think about what it means to "stand as a witness of God at all times and in all places." I want everyone to watch the new mormon messages on LDS.org that were put up this month. Finally, I want EVERYONE to read this months first presidency message called "Looking for the Good." I hope you all take these challenges and you seek in earnest prayer for inspiration in your own lives from these things.
One more thing, My roommates have said that every night I am speaking Japanese in my sleep. Not just mumbling words, but speaking Japanese!!! They said I am saying things that they have never heard before! Pretty cool huh!! Well, that is all the time I have! I hope you all have a great week.
God Lives, Jesus is the Christ. This is his one true gospel, search in your hearts and search for truth in life and God will give it to you by the power of the spirit.
I love you!!!!

Thursday march 9, 2011 Sendai Japan

To start off I am so grateful that Zachary is still in the MTC and was not there to witness such devastation among the Japanese people. But of course he may see the worst of it once he actually gets there. I am just hoping that he will even be able to go. I know that Zach is getting ansy about getting there now. I know that his heart is aching for those people whom he was growing to love long before meeting them. I know that he is anxious to get there and do all that he can to help the Lord's children in that part of the world. I know he is probably scared, and may even feel a little hopeless at what he could do to console these people and what they are going through, but I do know that he knows that the Lord can and will do whatever it takes to bring his gospel to all of his children and that he is taking courage in that. I know he is happy to be able to be a part of such a great work, and that he will be ready and willing to do whatever is asked of him. My heart feels heavy and sad for their struggles at this time. But each day I pray for their hope to avail and their courage to be strengthened, that they may go forward and from this be a better people, to love each other more, do the important things, be a more Christlike being. These are the things that I am reminded of from something that has happened so very far away. God bless the people of Japan and all those that are and will be serving and giving aid to them over the next few years.

University of Arizona

Elder Matthew Page is doing well. This week he writes about his experiences with the lack of finding people to teach. They have been doing alot of work with the members to get them more involved in the process. Some wards are doing better than others. " I feel hopeful in what lies ahead. We had a mission fast on sunday. We are as a mission trying to double the number of baptisms. It felt so good on Sunday. I love the sacrament! I feel the spirit and peace of becoming sanctified and renewed by my covenants with the Lord." What a wonderful reminder of what the sacrament can do for us every sunday.

He has been trying to loose some weight. This week he said " We have been running alot this week. This morning me and another Elder (Elder Carter) went running with Elder Belk and Elder Carter's companion. They rode bikes while we ran. We ran 7 miles! It was so good! SAY GOODBYE DOUBLE CHIN! :)" I could not help but laugh when I read that. Oh the struggle with weight!!!!

He closes his letter by saying, "I've been just enjoying my time as a missionary though. Just meeting the members (who are great!) and just talking to people. Despite my lack of success I feel like I can still have joy. I will continue to strive to put in a little bit more and pray for the Lord's help. I haven't had much success, baptism wise, my whole mission, but I just want to focus on the good I am doing. :)" What a wonderful thing he is learning. I am so proud of him and know that he is working hard and doing his best to serve the Lord and his people there in Arizona.

Another week at the MTC

Hey Everybody, thanks so much for the email mom, it was really nice to read. I am glad you had a great birthday and I hope you made a ton of happy memories. I guess it is good to hear about Abbs hitting it off with Garrison, just make sure you keep an eye on him for me or else I might have to take down that state champion wrestler!! :) haha yeah right!
I had a pretty eventful week. Standing at the end of it I am doing great as usual, but there have been several test and trials for sure. The spirit brought comfort to me in a time where I was feeling very low. I know that the Lord answered my humble prayer and he does so for all of us. I learned a very valuable lesson through this experience. I recognized more fully that the relationship that matters more than all others is our VERY PERSONAL relationship with our Savior. What he knows about you and what we know about ourselves trumps all others. Nobody else in this world can take your faith from you, you ALWAYS have the choice to be offended and let satan steal the spirit, or to turn unto Christ and be perfected in him. It was a great learning experience for me. This week we went full japanese and it was pretty tough, but with it came many blessings.
I taught for the first time in Japanese and it was a truly wonderful experience, the spirit really is the most important thing, no matter what language you are speaking(or trying to speak). :) I learned this week that in Japan, it is polite, and encouraged to SLURP ALL OF YOUR FOOD!!!!!!! YAYY!!!! I am super excited about that one because you all know how much I love that sound! I figured that Jordan more than anybody would appreciate that knowledge! Maybe I will come home and NOT want to kill him every time he eats cerial! :oD
Mamma, just a note, don't forget about sending me all of my extra toothpaste and deoderant before I leave here, don't forget, Aqua Reef is my old spice smell! :)
Christopher said the opening prayer of the MTC devo the other night and he prayed in english like we are supposed to, but then he ended the prayer "en el nobre de JesuCriso Amen." HAHAHA It was so hilarious that everybody, even the leaders chuckled. I was so proud of my cousin. :)
Let me think, In Gym, I organized my district to play volleyball against our blood enemies...the Koreans!! Haha, it was really fun and we totally won. Everybody in my district was laughing at me because I talked so loud and so much during the game, I guess that is what I get for playing soccer all those years, communication is the key to any team sport!
My challenge to you all this week is to read and study the Book of Enos. I did that this week and there are countless lessons about prayer, faith, and peace in that one small book. After this week Enos is definitely one of my favorites. :)
I love you all, this gospel is so true. Strive every day to be better than the day before. Let the Atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Transform us all.
With all of my love, until next week. -Elder Zachary Taylor Page

Happy Birthday to me!

Another year has come and gone so quickly. Wow I hope I can keep up. It has been a lazy day for all of us after having a late night last night. But I'm low maintenance :) I am so blessed!

Finally some one to teach!

Well after much fasting and many prayers, they finally have some one they are teaching. It is going very well, she has a baptism date set. She reads and prays and comes to church. They are so grateful to have someone to share the gospel with, keep them and Claire in your prayers. I did not realize that he would be getting a new mission president 3 mths before coming home Pres. Killpack from Delta VT. He is loving the work, members...I think he has lost himself in the work :)

Oh yes and he wished me a very Happy Birthday tomorrow!