E-mail, 2/23/2015

My dear wonderful family,

Happy Monday! How was your week? This week we had Zone Conference and splits with Aomori sisters so some traveling. Plenty of excitement.

Tuesday after study we had a mogi [roleplay] with Tairabune shimai [Sister Tairabune]. So cute. She loves talking.

Wednesday we had Family English Program with Yamashita-san. She prayed on her own! And she really focused during our lesson about Adam and Eve and said “Oh, I should be grateful for them, shouldn’t I? I never knew that!” She’s progressing! Then we had a lesson with Miyaji-san (with Sister Toriabe as a member joint). Miyaji-san was way nervous about having Toriabe shimai [Sister Toriabe] there so she didn’t say much—which was so sad because we were talking about the Atonement and she still doesn’t understand. We need a different member to come or maybe she’s not comfortable enough to have a member there.

Thursday we got up at 4am and left at 5:30 to catch our 6:11 train to Aomori for Zone Conference. Got to Aomori and bought breakfast and then went to the church. Zone Conference was amazing.

Morning Session:

l  Zone Leaders—Satan wants you to feel unworthy because of your weakness and stop there. But the Lord is calling us. Listen and be able to say “Here am I, send me.”

l  President Smith—The result of Samuel’s obedience; the Lord appeared to him. Can we see Him? D&C 88:62-68. If you are single to His glory. We are the Lord’s messengers. He is calling you. Answer and fulfill your calling.

l  Study the gospel in your native language. Love the people. Be worthy. Work diligently.

l  Worried about the fewness of our missionaries. Remembered Gideon’s 300 warriors. 100 good missionaries is better than 1,000. To do that we need to overcome our weaknesses (i.e. our addictive behaviors).

l  Recognize it’s wrong. Confess/Ask for forgiveness. Pray with all energy of heart (love of God and our investigators that is so strong it can help us overcome our addictive behaviors). Live the principle. Partake of the Sacrament: renew commitment. Gift of Holy Ghost to help.

l  Purified: to have the effects of sin removed from our lives. Sanctified: no more desire to do evil.

l  Gospel of Jesus Christ—the Process of Perfection: Pray, scriptures, church à Faith à Repentance à Baptism/Sacrament à Holy Ghost à Endure to the end à Repeat.

l  Sister Smith—Our ancestors can help us. Stretched to the limit—you must break down muscles to build them up. Through the Atonement our natures can be changed. If it looks easy for someone they’ve either passed hard tests or those tests are soon to come. The promise of angels to our aid is real. Sent at the right time to be lifted up or to lift another up. Go to Him for help.

l  Video: Which way do you face?—With the Atonement we can be made whole.

Afternoon Session:

l  Business—iPad Conference 3/21/2015

l  Musical Number—Our district. We sang I Feel My Savior’s Love. Went really well.

l  Elder and Sister Harmon—Great companionships. The more we serve and love the greater our spiritual growth.

l  DVD: Meet the Mormons—So happy we got to watch it!! I loved Brother Gail (he saw the need and responded), Brother Bishnu, and Sister Armstrong (we—missionaries can help people like she was helped!!!).

l  Parting Missionary Testimonies—The missionaries who will leave before the next Zone Conference always are asked to bear their testimonies. Since we only have Zone Conferences every other transfer it was my last Zone Conference. I bore my testimony in Japanese and talked about Moroni 10:32—as your testimony of the Atonement grows your desire to share the gospel increases. Desire to help others. The Savior’s Love.

l  President Smith—To love another person is to see the face of God. Is there anything in the gospel/church that would not make you a better person if you did it?

I got to see Carr shimai [Sister Carr] at Zone Conference!!!!! It made me so happy!!!

We studied after Zone Conference and then went to the Aomori sisters’ apartment and they did a mogi for us. Really good. Then we did planning and goals for splits. Then we surprised Hyodo shimai [Sister Hyodo] with a birthday card and chocolate. She was so happy!

Friday Hyodo shimai and I left for Hachinohe after lunch and study. We had a great conversation with people on the train and then we taught 2 lessons to recent converts (Sugiura shimai [Sister Sugiura] and Kato shimai [Sister Kato]). Then we had FHE [family home evening] activity.

Saturday we left at 8 am for Aomori. I talked to a lady who asked me if I worked for a church and I bore my testimony to her and invited her to church and she listened! She didn’t commit to come, but she listened intently! Made me so happy! Then we made a rapid companion exchange at Aomori and got right back on the train to Hachinohe. Studied, ate sushi for lunch, had coordination meeting, a lesson with the Ishita family (on the Book of Mormon—the kids were way rowdy but Ishita-san was focused). Eikaiwa [English class].

Sunday Sae-chan and Shion-chan came to church! We taught Young Womens about talents. So fun! It was Shion-chan’s 1 year baptism anniversary. We gave her a card and she was very excited about it. Potluck after church. Came home and did weekly.

Today we wrote letters and did shopping.

No school ALL WEEK?? What? Do you have to make up all that school? I like that you spent the extra time writing essays, organizing, and reading scriptures. :D I had 4 wisdom teeth. All those firesides sound like so amazing! That’s amazing that you got to hear from Elder Christofferson and Elder Parker, and Elder Soares! All the stake presidencies and bishops in North Carolina—Wow! Mom, that’s such a neat experience you shared! You were prepared!!

No snow! Very windy but not cold. Healthy! Taught some this week—not as much because we were so busy. Iwahashi shimai [Sister Iwahashi] is great! The members in our branch are wonderful! My hair is still really long. I will cut it in March :D.

Well, my dear family, I love you! We had a wonderful week! Zone Conference was amazing! So spiritual! I learned so much and felt the Spirit and have lots of goals of ways I want to level up. I was really touched by all the training and videos, especially Meet the Mormons. Those people are wonderful examples. I was so touched by Brother Gail and Sister Anderson. I want to be like Brother Gail. I want to see needs and respond. I want to be like the member of the church who asked Sister Anderson if she was okay and offered to call the missionaries for her. We can help people like they did! As missionaries and as members! Just being Christ-like. Showing Christ’s love. Really touched my heart. The essence of the Gospel is Christ’s love and as we share the gospel and His love we can change the world.

I love you!!!!!!!!

Love,

Your missionary,

Bellows shimai :)

P.S. Do you know Paige's mailing address for me to send her a birthday card?