Dearest Family!
Sorry to be emailing a
day late! P day really was yesterday, but we had an appointment with a
potential investigator so we weren't able to email!
So
first off.... We got transfer calls! And I am staying in
Hibarigaoka!!!! YES! But... My companion is leaving me... Again :( I was
actually excited about maybe having another transfer with Shitami
Shimai, but my new companion will be Sister Miller. She and I came to
Japan at the same time and actually sat next to each other on the flight
over here. We will both be transfer 7 missionaries this next transfer!
Time flies so fast! Anyway, I have also been called to serve as a Sister
training leader and I will be over three sister companion sets! This
means I will be going on exchanges like all the time!
Yesterday
was an amazing experience! President Wada gave us permission to travel
as a zone to the place where Japan was first dedicated for missionary
work. We met in a beautiful park and prayed together, read the journal
entry about the dedicatory prayer, read various prophecies about the
work in Japan and had an opportunity to share our testimonies. It was
faith-building to read words of apostles and prophets and to know that
we are apart of something great. The church is so strong here and the
work is moving faster than we think. I am so blessed to be here and get
to know and love such an amazing culture and people and to help
strengthen the church and share the truth that I know with my brothers
and sisters here. God is so real. He is mindful of each and every
individual on this earth. Here are some of the prophecies: Soooo cool!
Anyway we had a busy week! Some highlights!
Choi
Shimai has finished all the lessons and her baptismal interview and
will be baptized his coming Sunday! We are sooo excited for her! I'm
grateful for the friendship we have. I have learned so much from her and
feel so blessed to be able to continue to study and apply the gospel
with her as she begins her journey on the covenant path back to our
heavenly home.
We did a "family history blitz"
as a district. We met near a neighboring train station and proselyted
together for a couple hours. The first bit we stayed with our companions
and "streeted" (aka. Walking around and talking to people you see
haha). Our focus was talking about our families and introducing family
history and the family a proclamation to the world. We found a new
potential investigator! People are more likely to open up when you talk
about family... Family and ancestry are really important to japanese
people. The next bit we switched companions and I worked with sister
eyring. We went housing and were to introduce the same materials.
Housing means... You ring doorbells:) We met tons of people with no
interest in why we were at their door but we had so much fun and knew we
were fulfilling our purpose. It was really cool to be united as a
district and really effective proselyting!
Today
we went as a district with some other ward members to sing at some sort
of home...? I'm not sure what it's called in English but it was kind of
like Hope Village... A place for people with various handicaps to
gather and participate in activities. We sang three traditional japanese
songs and a couple patriotic songs from America. It was so cute and we
all felt the spirit so strong. One cute lady who loves singing, sang us
her favorite English song from karaoke.... You are my sunshine! We asked
her if she knew what the words meant, and she didn't so we taught her!
And told her she was our sunshine! She gave us hugs as we left!
I'm
learning a lot about love here in Japan. I didn't know what kind of
experience I would have in Japan before I came here, but wouldn't trade
these experiences and friendships for anything better I thought I was
leaving behind. I don't know how much of a difference I'm making in
other's lives but they are certainly making a difference in mine. This
work isn't easy at all, but is all worth it for the lessons I'm learning
about Christ's perfect love and for the love I feel from my brothers
and sisters and eternal friends where I serve. It's so simple and so
pure to give and receive expressions of love. Love is a language that
crosses all barriers. Christ is our perfect example of how to live and
how to love. When we understand his gospel and strive to live and love
as we did, our natures change and we can change the world. This week in
church we learned about having love for all of God's children and I
loved this quote from President Joseph Fielding Smith:
"I
think if all men knew and understood who they are, and were aware of
the divine source from whence they came, they would have feelings of
kindness and kinship for each other that would change their whole way of
living and bring peace on earth."
Also, please read this passage from president uchtdorf's talk to the young women in April 2013 about the language of love!!
"In
our premortal life we learned firsthand, from the Father of our
spirits, a universal language--one that has the power to overcome
emotional, physical, and spiritual barriers.
That language is the pure love of Jesus Christ.
It is the most powerful language in the world.
The
love of Christ is not a pretend love. It is not a greeting-card love.
It is not the kind of love that is praised in popular music and movies.
This
love brings about real change of character. It can penetrate hatred and
dissolve envy. It can heal resentment and quench the fires of
bitterness. It can work miracles.
We received
our first lessons in this language of love as spirits in God's
presence, and here on earth we have opportunities to practice it and
become fluent. You can know if you are learning this language of love by
evaluating what motivates your thoughts and actions.
When
your primary thoughts are focused on how things will benefit you, your
motivations may be selfish and shallow. That is not the language you
want to learn.
But when your primary thoughts
and behaviors are focused on serving God and others--when you truly
desire to bless and lift up those around you--then the power of the pure
love of Christ can work in your heart and life. That is the language
you want to learn.
As you become fluent in this
language and use it in your interactions with others, they will
recognize something in you that may awaken in them a long-hidden feeling
to search for the right way on the journey back to their heavenly home.
After all, the language of love is their true native language too.
This
deep and abiding influence is a language that reaches to the very soul.
It is a language of understanding, a language of service, a language of
lifting and rejoicing and comforting.
Learn to use the universal language of Christ's love."
Your Wonderful Journey Home- Dieter F. Uchtdorf
I LOVE YOU
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Regina's Aunt, at Regine's birthday party!!
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MLC
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Tomato Ramen with Mariya
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Chinese cooking with Sister Barnes, Sister Eyring, and Sister Shitami
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Cute in our rain suits :)
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Gyoza and Nikuman
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Zone P-day- This is where Japan was first dedicated for missionary work!
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Sister Shitami and Me on Temple P-day
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RAMEN with DAD (President Wada)
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