Kenzie Says "Kon'nichiwa": May 18th

Dear Family,

Konnichiwa! How are y'all doing?!

Yesterday marked the beginning of the new transfer! Transfer 12.

And here's your update on transfer announcements:

There's a break in the pattern and I will be staying with Sister Wilson for another transfer!

But... I do still get one more companion (: We will be training a transfer 1 missionary who will be coming on Thursday! Sister Wilson and I are both Sister training leaders over the other two sister areas in the zone. And since the number of sister missionaries will be starting to decrease, Hachioji sisters B area is closing and so we will be taking their area as well. I'm excited for this busy transfer! It will be fun to hopefully work with some of my investigators from the previous area's teaching pool as well!

Highlights of the week:

Monday: Met with Rie San and Kato shimai and taught the Restoration and Joseph Smith's first vision. The Spirit was there! It carried the truth of the message to each one of our hearts. Rie San often tries to understand things with her head rather than her heart so it makes believing a difficult thing. I'm grateful for my belief. It truly changes my life. I know Joseph Smith saw God. I know that God answers prayers. I know that Joseph Smith was God's prophet and this church is God's true church, restored on the earth again.

Tuesday: Another long lesson with Yamauchi Shimai! We taught about the gospel of Jesus Christ and focused on repentance and the gift of the Holy Ghost. She is so sweet and cute. She studies the gospel on her own and works so hard to understand the message and do her best. We aren't sure how much she really understands, but her desire is strong! She is so happy and so grateful and she is sharing this joy with her friends. She tells everyone she is going to church and that it's the best thing! Yamauchi Shimai is a ray of sunshine! We are excited for her... The date is coming up quick and there's still lots to do. Please pray that she will continue to progress and accept the gospel!

A typhoon came that night and our other investigator and member didn't show up for the lesson... So we didn't get to stay dry in the church... So we went out to proselyte. Sister Wilson suggested we return to a building we had started 3 days earlier but hadn't finished because we ran out of time. We went back and in that building we met a really sweet girl from Nepal. And she had just moved in... 3 days earlier. If we had finished the building we probably would have never gone back and never have met her. She is interested in English class and church and even gave us a referral. Another neighbor who is Christian! The Lord is always guiding us. Sometimes I have no idea if I am following the plan he has made, but I feel his presence and direction wherever we go.

Wednesday: We had a lesson with Kojima shimai in the morning. We shared a message on mothers and family based on the lessons we learned from the last general conference. She continued to share the concerns she has about her family and how she must be the example and gospel teacher in her home. When asked about her personal prayers and scripture study, she said she could definitely do better, but it's so hard running around and being a mom. We testified that the Lord would provide a way for her to keep the commandments. And sure enough we found that an app on her phone would play audio of the scriptures that she could listen to as she cooked and cleaned and took care of other responsibilities. She was so thrilled! She said, Yes, I will read! I will!

We took an adventure and returned to visit a Portuguese speaking woman we had met a few weeks earlier. This time we brought a Portuguese Book of Mormon and pamphlet and a google translated version of our testimony. We later had it proof-read by a Brazilian member in our Ward and he said it was pretty good! We practiced all he Spanish we could remember from high school as we walked there and prayed for the gift of tongues and we were so nervous. And then repented for thinking Spanish and Portuguese speaking missionaries had it easy! And then she wasn't home. But we left her the book and we hope and pray that it may be an answer to her prayer.

We had a lesson with Shimizu Shimai before eikaiwa. She has been doing so well at making time for reading the scriptures and really doing her best to keep all the commandments and enjoy the blessings of the gospel! We had a really great lesson about the commandments and about how Christ is the great physician.

Luke 5

31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Mosiah 14

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

I think all of us left feeling like we needed the physician and that our healing would come through repentance. I think healing is a difficult process but one in which we can find great joy as we are made whole through our Redeemer. I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ and the love He offers to each one of us. He loves us and heals us one by one.

Thursday: I don't know why but this day seemed like the longest, hottest, most tiring day. We are trying to learn to be patient. And sometimes when you pray for that God answers your prayer. He keeps trying to teach us charity and patience and love by sending us old ladies who will talk at us for 30 minutes straight without giving us a way to escape or a breath for us to say one word. It has helped us try to let go of our personal agenda and just love. And smile until our faces hurt!

We spent the day walking... And trying to talk to people. And trying to share the gospel. Also, we met a member for a message, visited 2 other members with notes and heart attacks, and visited 2 other potential investigators. And then did our weekly planning in our super hot apartment! :)

Our day made me think of this quote from President Uchtdorf:

"Yes, the road has bumps and detours and even some hazards. But don’t focus on them. Look for the happiness your Father in Heaven has prepared for you in every step of your journey. Happiness is the destination, but it’s also the path."

I promise that we can experience joy in this life! There is so much available all around us. Wish I could say that I always live by that statement. Wish I could always have it all figured out. But I like making mistakes because it reminds me that I still need Jesus.

Friday: Dropped off a note with the less active older sister of a YSA sister in our Ward. When we asked if there was anything we could do for her she said Yes! And let us know about her sister and how we could help her. (:

Later in the evening we had a lesson with Yamauchi Shimai and taught about following the prophet and obeying and honoring the law. She happily commits to live the commandments but says we are strict teachers ;)

After the lesson she stayed for President Wada's Questions of the Soul Fireside. He showed the movie, Dead Poets Society and led a discussion based on Christ's Sermon on the Mount.

Yamauchi Shimai was SO happy to meet President Wada and so grateful to have participated in the fireside. She learned a lot and really felt the Spirit. She went home really happy that night and sent us an email about all her grateful feelings that she would express to God. It was a great defining moment! She is progressing really great. We are continuing lessons, twice a week and she is serious about working toward her date. She has made a few friends in the Ward so we are really happy about that. This week we are planning on teaching some of the big commandments! Word of wisdom, Ten Commandments, tithing, etc. She has heard about bit about them just from coming to church and being around members. We don't anticipate any problems because she is quick to believe and accept the word of God as she is taught. We are praying that her commitment and desire will continue to grow strong. We truly love her. She is my best friend.

Saturday: Study, transfer announcements, district meeting, delicious food, and Dendo! We visited Mineko and helped her cook and clean. It's actually a really good opportunity to talk with her and really listen to the concerns that she has. At this point she's not taking lessons and she felt like previous missionaries had really come in there way strong trying to teach her, but we want to listen to her, help her understand why we love her and why we visit her, and re-invite her to learn the gospel.

In the evening we met Sho San, our Chinese friend for ice cream. We thought she might have more interest/potential for investigating. We still want to invite her to hear the lessons, but at this point she is mostly interested in social events and activities at the church. Which is a miracle because when we first met her she tried rejecting us by saying she is not a believer in Christ, so therefore........ But we didn't give up contacting her and she is still our friend!

Sunday: Usually the most stressful and exhausting day of the week, but this one was nice. Great day at church, partook of the sacrament, feasting on the words of Christ, filled up on the Spirit. Then we studied and went out to work! We visited a woman who Wilde Shimai and I had met on exchanges. She had given us some traditional Japanese shoes that she makes and so we came back with a thank you card. She was so happy! She invited us to come back anytime to learn how to make them... She says it can be done in one hour, but she looks pretty professional to me!

Our lesson in the evening was cancelled so we made it to the Tsukada family home for dinner. Always so fun to spend time with the Bishop and his family. They are so fun and real and hilarious. So happy to be in this Ward and be able to finish my mission here :)

Monday: Transfer day/sort of Pday but not really so that's why we are emailing today. In the evening we met with a random group of missionaries and investigators and members and cooked and ate dinner at the church and then Yamauchi Shimai and Tokita Shimai came with us to Nakano to watch the BYU wind symphony. It was so amazing! Yamauchi Shimai absolutely loved it. She kept saying I go to a good school! Also way cool thing was... The lady behind us was the sister missionary who found and taught Tokita Shimai 28 years ago! She talked with Yamauchi Shimai and said, please keep listening to the missionaries, you will be so happy! It was so perfect!

Well, life is good! That's all (:

Y'all are the best! Love you,

Sister Reeves