Hello all! So we had transfers. Guess what I am I with Gibson shimai! I love Gibson she's awesome.so she is from my MTC district so we are
one and the same Transfer. I was so surprised when I opened the announcement call because I I didn't think I would be with another sister from the Mtc so that's two for three . I think it's funny because I was not expecting it. President Welch sure know something but I don't know what he's inspired or something, probably inspired.
Transfer: so we went to transfer point. And we said our goodbyes. And uchida shimai (my old Japanese companion) went with the other people who were training. She's going to such a great trainer! I looked around and saw a lot of people from my doki (Mtc time). I said hellos and goodlucks and then... Gibson shimai showed up. We were like hey! This is awesome crazy awesome! We ended up going back to our area with a member. This member is my favorite. He took us and the elders all to go eat and so we went to eat really quick then we hopped in his car and headed back. His name is tatsunori kyodai and he's so funny. He was baptized 5 months ago in a river. He showed me the picture. He is what they call a miracle. The missionaries found him on a beach drunk and crazy. He completely changed because of church. He doesn't look like he goes to church at all. He's got this crazy hair style and he was wearing combat boots and he has small earrings (but he takes them out for church, so it's good). He's awesome. He loves the church and the missionaries.
Friday: so on the way home the day before, tatsunori kyodai asked us what we like the most curry, stew, or something else. And we said curry. Little did we know he was going to make for us and bring it to us for lunch. After study time we always have lunch. He called and said "I'm bringing curry". So he came to the apartment and we came down the stairs and he handed us a big bowl of homemade curry with two bowls of rice. He typed in Google translate on his phone and showed us the phone is said "cold pan burnt". So we just nodded said we understand. That was the best curry I have ever eaten.
Friday night we had our sports night which means we got to the church and work out with members which is us the elders tatsunori kyodai and yokochan. We ran for a 10 minutes and I ran next to yokochan. I asked he if she liked running she said I hate it. I laughed and jogged next to her. We did all kinds of fun work outs and when we finished we looked over at tatsunori kyodai and he sat complete straight up with his legs in criss-cross. Apparently that's resting form in judo. My resting form was laying on the ground with my arms stretched out in front of me.
Funny English we taught Elder sugimoto: -dude, bro, homie We told him to call his companions sweet pea. He does it now. When we had follow ups we told dale choro(his companion) to call him sweet pea. And he did and of course he said it back. Dale choro got made at us and said "what are you teaching him?!"
Funny things sugimoto said: - he said his favorite English word is "crap"(he learned it from his companions) - there was bugs outside and my companion jump because one flew into her face and in a completely monotoned voice he said "calm down".. After that he said " I freaking hate bugs." - he knows "pain in the butt" from past companions. We don't know how he learned these things ,but it is just so funny. *all of theses are so funny because it is completely monotoned with no emotion in a bit of a Japanese accent. Gosh I love Japan.
Spiritual thought: D&C 29:2 Who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer. ^ we shared this in a lesson and I just love this. This to me is about the pure love that God has for us.
This week was interesting. It's starting to cool down. I guess the cool weather helps people become a little bit kinder. Of course they still tell us to "go away", but it's a little bit of a softer "go away".
Friday night we had dinner with some members. The couple was just a cute couple. The wife was really bouncy and tiny and the the husband is this tall lanky interesting guy ,but they just work! She kept saying "oh you two are beautiful!" To my companion and I. And her husband said "the 3 of you are beautiful." She laughed and called him a liar. It was so adorable! We asked them how they met and I learned a new Japanese word 一目惚れ (ひとめぼれ)(hitomebore). Love at first sight. She said that for her that's what it was. We thought it was adorable. This couple was just so cute.
Sunday we had a baptism. Last week I was asked to share a thought... I was so incredibly nervous for it. I wasn't sure what to share and I had been trying to prepare all week. Saturday night rolled around, To say the least I was extremely stressed out. I had written and rewritten the talk a couple of times and studied scriptures and all kinds of talks ,but I seemed to hit a block of what actually needed to be said. I prayed and for guidance because I didn't know what to share. After my prayer, I looked up and saw a quote that I always have in front of me. I felt like I should share that quote. Only problem was I had to translate it to Japanese and it was a bit difficult. I ended up finding it in a talk and luckily for me there was a Japanese translation and my companion reads kanji ,so she wrote it out for me in Romaji ,so I could read it. She checked my talk too because I asked her to. She happily corrected it for me and the morning of I practiced over again. I spoke before the baptism and it went really well.
Baptism! So we've been teaching her just this transfer ,and she was preparing to get baptized when we got here. She is a quiet timid woman ,but she is very kind and she was so excited to be baptized. After her baptism she was in tears and she was just so happy. It's almost like we saw a whole new person. It was really cool to hear her simple testimony and just see her glowing.
Funny story: well kinda a funny story. So in this ward there is one Japanese man who intimidates me. He's just the stereotypical Japanese man with very few emotions and his face is always serious. I don't think I've seen him smile once since I've been here. So anyway, he came up to me after the talk and told me my pronunciation was very good. He said it sounded like a Japanese person... :D yay! The most intimidating person complimented my Japanese! I was so happy about that!
Spiritual thought:
If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing. In all conditions, we can choose the right with the guidance of the Spirit. We have the gospel of Jesus Christ to shape and guide our lives if we choose it. We never need to feel that we are alone or unloved in the Lord’s service because we never are. We can feel the love of God. The Savior has promised angels on our left and our right to bear us up. And He always keeps His word. -Henry B. Erying (General Conference April 2012 "Mountains to Climb") ^this is the quote I shared at the baptism
So it's just another week in Japan. Have I ever said how beautiful Japan is? Well if I haven't it really is a beautiful country. It has all kinds of cultural things in it and the land itself is just so beautiful.
This week we did some finding. Well lots of finding. I asked my companion if housing like going door to door for like salesmen is normal. She said no. Apparently we are kinda weird to people, it's not normal for people to come to your house and try and talk about God. I guess that's the same every where though right? I think about what we are doing and when I think about it ,it really is amazing. 18 and 19 year old kids go some where in the world (without knowing that country's language) with a rule book, our scriptures and faith in God and we are told to go find people to teach and baptize. The great thing is we do it. We aren't forced to serve missions. We don't really have to come out here and give 1 year and a half or 2 years to God. Well then why do so many of us do? Because we love God. The short time I've been out here has taught we so much about my Savior and my Father in Heaven. I am trying through faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement to help other people come unto Christ. I might not even see any success ,but I know that this in the Lord's work. We are all God's children and he wants the best for us. Which is why I'm here to help my brothers and sisters realize that they are children of God.
I am extremely happy to say that one woman we have been teaching for a while is getting baptized. I am incredibly happy for her to baptized. She is a wonderful woman and I know that this gospel will bless her life so much.
Mosiah 18:9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life.
^i read this this morning and it just hit my heart. To me, this is a true disciple of Christ. We help those in need and stand as a witness of God. Incredibly powerful words. When I read this I thought about my life and whether or not I have always been a witness of God. I know I messed up a few times ,but that's okay because through the Atonement I try again and learn from the past. I love this gospel so much because I know that through it we can find lasting joy and happiness.
I love all of you and hope you have a splendid week!
