Dinner with Marjorie at her work, Pancake Factory. They love having us over!
わたしのあいするのかぞく,
My Beloved Family, <3
I have felt so strongly this week of your love. Most times I feel like crying and giving up because my best doesn't seem good enough. But I am always blessed with a calming assurance that I am in the right place and that I need to keep moving forward. Things are challenging with having two companions, but it is such a blessing to have two more witnesses to testify of the beautiful message that we have.
Most of the time on the street or while we are housing about every person says, "Bookyo (Buddhist)" and closes the door. And I'm like, "Ya yo buddhist that's exactly why I needs to talk to you. " It can be hard, but then you have those moments when you are walking down the street and someone comes up to you and says, "You are mormon missionaries, I want you to teach me about my Savior, Jesus Christ." That is what happened to us on tuesday! We were on exchanges and I had 3 companions that day and we were walking down a street that looks a lot like City Creek and this woman comes up to me and says "I just saw the Elders! I know who you are and I want you to teach me about Jesus Christ!" In my head I was like, "Is she drunk?" But then I looked at her more and I realized she was serious and I wiped out my planner and my phone from 1995 like wild fire. We have an appointment with her on thursday this week :)
Tuesday was just wonderful! We got to meet with Noriko! She has been very sick lately and she needed a blessing. We asked the Elders to give her a blessing, they came with us (they had a doseki of course, Hasegawa Kyodai), and we all squeezed into her tiny apartment and they gave her a blessing. The spirit was so strong. After the Elders and Hasegawa Kyodai (brother Hasegawa) left she sat down next to us and cried. She said she felt a burden was lifted and that things would be okay. We set a new baptismal date with her for December 1. I really think that she is going to make it! She has a firm conviction to follow Jesus Christ! I feel such a strong connection with her! After the lesson we all embraced and she just held onto me and just looked me in the eyes and I could just see the excitement and peace she had for the next phase in her life. I love her so much!
We came back on thursday and taught Noriko the word of wisdom with the restoration and she recieved it well. I was a little worried but I have faith that she can overcome it! She knows that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and when we asked her if she thought that Jesus Christ was her Savior she said yes without hesitation. She told us about how in February she got hit by a car when she was on her bike, her whole left side of her body was deeply bruised but her head was completely fine. She didn't have anything wrong with it. It was definitely a miracle and she recognizes it. She said that she knew God had protected her that day.
We called her the next day and she said that she only smoked a little bit in the morning but that was it! I was so proud of her!! Saturday was a day full of wonderfulness. We sang carols at the Eki at the exact same place Vail Shimai and I found Kaiyo. A blind man walked by and he stopped and listened to us as we sang Silent Night. We talked to him and he said that he was interested but we had a chirashi that he couldn't see, a book of mormon he couldn't see, and he didn't have an email. As a matter of a fact we have run into a lot of blind people the past couple of days and I have wanted to give things to them so badly but it doesn't work out. Is there anyway we can have blind people chirashis or something? Because I feel like those people are so receptive to our message.
My first Sunday here in Japan I met a man named Nabe and he said he wanted to come to church but it never worked out for him to come. I decided to try calling him one more time last week and he came to church on sunday! I introduced him to the Elders and they have a dinner appointment with him this week! He is golden. He said, "This church is what the Japanese need, a firm foundation, this worshipping ancestors thing without knowing why is too shaky. They need to have God in their life." OMGASH. I bout passed out when he said it. I was like, "Hey it says that in the Book of Mormon, here lets read...." It's gunna be good kids.
I got kinda sick on thursday, my whole body started aching and I have had a migraine for about a week. I think it's because I am so stressed out. But I just need to calm down. I am putting too much pressure on myself. But I love what the Lord does whenever I push through and go out anyway. He is so loving.
I am going to answer some culture questions that Dana asked,
Jungle Crows: YES. They are everywhere. They are huge and they are scary. Japan is so clean that the crows have kind of had to adapt and become REALLY smart in order to get food. They always go for ducks and squirrels. Sometimes they swooop down and try and get dogs. Bleh.
Yes we always are sitting down on our feet when we teach and eat. It's about the most painful thing ever. try sitting on your feet for more than ten minutes and you will realize what I mean. We would have contests in the MTC. 45 minutes is the record! WOO!
I had my 4 month anniversary yesterday. YAY! WOO!! Time is flying by and the work is so good and hard. Tomorrow I am going to the Tokyo South Mission because Elder David A. Evans is coming to speak to all the missionaries in the Tokyo and Tokyo South missions! It's going to be amazing! Yay for waking up at 3:30 and taking a 3 hour train ride! Awesome. No naptime? Cool.
I will leave you with my testimony :) (Google translate is always wrong. but if you want to try it go for it.)
神様が私たちの愛するのてんのおとさまとしってます。イエスキリストわ私たちのすくいぬしとしってます。
I love you always.
ステイ姉妹
Stai Shimai
I got your package today and it rocked my world!!!! I love you all!! I have already started my thanksgiving feast. YUMMMA!!
Quote of the day:
Ikeguchi Shimai: "What is Zanksgivingu?"
Me; "It's pure happiness, Now repeat after me, God bless America!"
Ikeguchi Shimai smiles : "God Buress ammmmeee rrrrriikaaahh."
Ikeguchi Shimai: "You are princess, shall we dance?"
Me: "Are you ready?"
Ikeguchi Shimai: "Bornnn Rrready"
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