My dear wonderful family,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZACH!! 17 fancy. How does it feel? Are you ready
for all that awaits you as a 17 year old? I think you are wonderful and I can't
wait to hang out with you when I get home! Lots of parties in our future. :) We
will have so much fun! I love you! Happy birthday!
I'm so glad you got to watch Conference! We will watch
Conference this weekend. Can't wait! Fall weather is here too but no
fall leaves yet. I love it! Perfect sweater weather! Except for it's cats
and dogs raining today.... Thank goodness I have a rain suit and rainboots!
Week summary....
Tuesday we did hand massage volunteer with Okumura shimai [Sister
Okumura]. Came back and had lunch with a member. Went to pocket house
volunteer.
Wednesday we went to seminary and Imano shimai [Sister Imano] (the
teacher) talked a lot about missionaries! We were discussing 3 Nephi 12 and
picked a favorite scripture to apply to ourselves. I chose 3 Nephi 13:22--eye single to the glory of God; focus on
glorifying Him and forgetting myself. Treasure in Heaven. Then we talked about
what rules missionaries have and Imano shimai asked the girls (everyone else
had to leave early that day) what relationship does obedience have to dendo
[missionary work]? She let them think about it and then asked me and Nishikawa
shimai [Sister Nishikawa] to testify. Nishikawa shimai said the White Handbook [the
missionary rulebook] is the White Handbook of how to receive blessings. Then
Imano shimai closed the lesson with her testimony and said, "We don't have
strict rules like the missionaries but the same principles still apply to us;
obedience brings blessings." Maybe--hopefully!--those girls will be the
next generation of sister missionaries! We should do some mogis [roleplays] with
them. :) Came back and said bye to Yim shimai [Sister Yim] and then visited a
refferal [referral] (who wasn't home) and an LA [less-active member] (whose
husband was home so we couldn't talk with her) and ran into Ken chan (8 year
old in our ward). Then had a meeting with the District to prepare for Eikaiwa
[English class]. Then dinner and Eikaiwa. 20 missionaries came so we broke
everyone up so all the students could do a conversation with gaijin [foreigner].
The students loved it. Fun!
Thursday we visited an LA and a PI [potential investigator] who were both
busy but super nice and then had a mogi with 2 members. I was studying the war
chapters of the Book of Mormon during personal study that day and learned that
their prisoners of war were not quiet and submissive. They were
troublemakers!
Friday had a meeting with the District about Open House and the
Halloween party. Visited a member who is so kind and has so many rough times in
life, and I didn't really understand exactly what she was saying but a
scripture I thought of in personal study that morning (Proverbs 3:5) came to
mind and I thought "hey, maybe that's the spirit" so I shared it and
it seemed to make her really happy. Went to YSA FHE [young single adult family
home evening] and Tomoka shimai [Sister Tomoka] (LA) and Kaori shimai [Sister
Kaori] (member we work with a lot) came! Neither of them come to YSA usually at
all but we invited them and they came!! I was talking to Tomoka shimai after
and she had Brisingr (the Eragon/Inheritance Series) book in her backpack and
we were able to bond over that. What are the chances that I would meet someone
in Japan that likes the books I do?? Amazing. Wow. Such a testament to me that
God knows each of us individually and has a perfect plan to help each one of
us. In personal study I was reading about the 2060 [stripling] warriors and the
part where it said they believed that "if we do not doubt God will deliver
us" really stuck out to me. It seems to me that that was the source of
their firmness, their undauntedness, their extraordinary obedience; their
faith. It reminded me of Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine
heart." (Jessa Jackson's favorite scripture) I want to do that! I've had a
lot of experiences lately where I've had a concern and then prayed about it and
then just felt like I could trust God to answer my prayer and went ahead with
what I felt was right. And everything has turned out beautiful. That has really
strengthened my faith and my testimony and my feeling that God knows me, loves
me, is aware of me, and hears and answers my prayers.
Two random recent thoughts:
Missionaries are professional farmers. Planting seed
professionals in some places, harvesting professionals in others, we're all
laboring in the Lord's fields and He has promised a glorious harvest!
I've thought a bit lately about working with less actives in
Japan. It's so surprising to me but they LOVE missionaries here! Especially the
foreign ones. It is such a blessing. Having a Japanese companion and a foreign
companion work together has been the perfect combination to blend language
ability and interesting foreignness. :D It is such a blessing!
Saturday we went to a Stake Relief Society Activity (kind of like a super Saturday) with Sister Okumura, Tomoka shimai (LA) and
Kaori shimai. There were crafts, lunch, dessert, a 3 act talent show, 2 testimonies
and then the Women's Broadcast. It was so good for Tomoka shimai!! I saw tons
of people I know--missionaries and ward members. It was so fun to call them by
name. "Yui chan! Monori chan!" (from Izumi) "Goto shimai [Sister
Goto]!" (from Kamisugi) "Furusawa shimai [Sister Furusawa]!"
(from Nagamachi) Really, really neat. Also, there was a girl I met a few weeks
ago who came to Zone Conference in Yamagata because she's getting ready to go
on her mission. I saw her and knew she wasn't a missionary and was curious, so
after the Conference finished I went over and introduced myself and we talked
about the MTC [missionary training center]. She was [saw] me, recognized me,
and said "Hey! I leave on my mission the day after tomorrow!" Pretty much made my day! The Talent
Show was also really cool. The Izumi Relief Society Sisters did the hula dance
Watanabe shimai [Sister Watanabe] and I practiced with them when we were in
Izumi. The Ishinomaki RS [Relief Society] did handbells. President and Sister
Sugawara (stake president) sang "Eidouvice" [“Eidelweiss”] as a duet
while President Sugawara played the guitar. They sang half in English half in
Japanese and it was so touching! Bless my homeland forever and bless Japan
forever too. We watched the broadcast in Japanese. It made me think so much
about the temple and want to go. I understood pretty well. I kept being
surprised though while watching the video: Where are all the Japanese people?
Are there no Japanese people in Utah? Tomoka shimai said everything about the
activity was fun. So glad! She hasn't been to anything church related for a
loooong time!
Yesterday Obuchi shimai [Sister Obuchi] (LA) and Brother Sato's mom (PI)
came to church!! So happy! I think they felt the spirit--so happy! Fast Sunday is so wonderful! Tomoka shimai didn't come :(.
I think her ride fell through. We taught PMG [Preach My Gospel] class and then
had a dendo [missionary work] fireside meeting after church. Lots of activities
in the fall!!
No where close to 20 lessons this week, but Elder Low (our new
district leader) had really good advice in our report last night that I'm
excited to try! Little things I forgot that missionaries can do to find and
teach more. All the missionaries in our district are really really good
missionaries. I'm so glad I get to work with them and learn from their
examples!
I think one reason why missionaries are so genki [vigorous,
energetic] and have the energy to do all that they need to do is because of the
Spirit and laughter. We have so many blessings!
You asked about Earthquakes. They happen probably once a month.
They kind of come in groups, so you'll have a few days where you have a 2 or 3
and then nothing for a long time. But I've [never?] been in one w[h]ere anyone
experienced any damage. Just really small. The earth shakes. Everyone looks up.
Then it stops. It's kind of routine to everyone here because they have them so
often. We also have Typhoons and stuff. Japan is kind of a extreme weather
target. Maybe that's why the people are so peaceful. The mission is very
prepared. We have a drill every month and an evacuation center and emergency
food and water and supplies and phone numbers.
I think one of the pictures I sent you has a big statue memorial
where the tsunami hit. The people in Japan talk about the tsunami very freely,
probably the same way people in America talk about [Hurricane] Katrina. Very
tragic, to be learned from, etc. There are people who feel like they
experienced miracles and others who don't. But it has had some impact on most
peoples' lives in this area because even if they weren't affected by the
tsunami they were affected by the earthquake.
I love preparedness. Because we gave training in Zone Conference
we were invited to the Leadership review meeting afterward with the Assistants
and Zone Leaders and President and Sister Smith and I loved what Sister Smith
said; she said I think everything went so well today not just because you
prepared for this Conference but because you are prepared missionaries. You are
prepared people. I want to always be a prepared person!! Prepared to friendship
and teach and serve and help and with the spiritual sensitivity to quickly
recognize needs and act on them. If ye are prepared ye shall not fear!
I hope you have fun biking and seeing the fall colors! I
love the Millennium Falcon and Star wars Theme for homecoming! What a great
Senior year theme. :D How did Taysom Hill break his leg? I'm so glad
you're doing missionary work Dad! I like the Stake Intervals draft you
sent me! Sounds like DC was super fun! Where does Sister Lindsay
work? That's so sweet that she remembers me! :) We didn't have any
responsibilities for transfers this week, just providing bedding and futons for
3 sister missionaries who finished their missions to sleep for 1 night before
they went home. Kind of crazy. Sounds like it's fun to be neighbors with
the Tanners! ;) I love laughing. Wow I'm so excited Candice and Mom
have been asked to help in the temple!! That is so cool!! The only Americans
in our current ward are the missionaries, including the office missionary
couple, the Taylors. Love them! Lots of rocks in the garden we went
to--totally makes sense that they represent rivers and seas! Ward
Barbeque: Yes, I ate the squid and it was really good but I didn't sit on the
boxes. It was too rocky. :D Yep sewing by hand, no machines in the
apartments. ;) My boomerang wound did bruise, haha, but it's mostly gone
now.
Wow, I've been out a year. Any ideas for goals for the
next 6 months? I've met so many wonderful people, had 2 mission
presidents, 6 companions, served in 3 areas, spent 2 months in the MTC, I am
understanding and speaking Japanese better, know better how to dendo, my
testimony has grown, and I just want to do all that I can! Cry repentance. I feel so blessed. This gospel is the ultimate blessing in
life. It makes everything better--it strengthens our families, increases our
joy, brings peace, and assurance. And it's all because of Jesus Christ. He is
the way to lasting peace in this live and never ending happiness in the life to
come. I will joyfully serve Him forever.
My dear family, I am so grateful for you all that you do and all
that you are. You are wonderful! Have a wonderful week. I LOVE
YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Your missionary,
Bellows shimai :)
P.S. What is my facebook name/how to
find me on facebook? No one seems to be able to find me... There are a lot of
Japanese ward members here who want to me my friend. :D Elder Oba, Maki chan,
Yuriko chan, Misaki chan (to name a few). Have any of them found and requested
me?
P.P.S. News on Tyler and Kelsea and the rest of the family?
How is Sister Jackson in the MTC?
P.P.P.S. Can you email me some family pictures, pictures of
the house/nc, and the open house? I'd love print them off to show people. :D
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