Week 67 Pictures

E-mail, 2/9/2015

My dear wonderful family!!

We had an awesome week! We set a goal to teach 20 lessons and we taught 21! So many miracles!!

Monday we visited Less Actives from a list the ward gave us and found 2 who are okay with us coming back! 

Tuesday it was way cold but we biked to Kie-chan's hospital to visit her but it was closed to visitors because the flu going around. Then we biked to Takenoko shimai [Sister Takenoko] and she let us share a scripture with her about prayer! Then we went housing and met a wonderfully nice old couple who invited us inside and gave us tea [presumably the kind that’s okay!] and cake and talked with us about travel and we talked about why we're missionaries and bore our testimonies and they were very receptive! Then we visited a PI [potential investigator] and taught him about the Book of Mormon but he wouldn't accept a copy. 

Wednesday we [had] shu wa [sign language] class and then a mogi [roleplay] with a member after. She was so nice! Then visited some LAs [less-active members] but they weren't home so we went housing and were able to teach some people! Then we had a lesson with Shion-chan (RC [recent convert]) about the Atonement and God's love and she was really touched. But she's been really not genki [energetic] lately so we're worried about her! She's not reading her scriptures or praying or coming to church often either.

Thursday our investigator called and cancelled but we had a mogi appointment with a member so we taught her. Then went housing for 1 1/2 hour, shared 2 messages and 1 person said she used to do FFEP [Free Family English Program] in Hirosaki and asked for a chirashi [flyer]. So cool! And cold! Then a lesson with Ishita-san about Apostacy and restoration. She kept her commitment to read the pamphlet! Progress! 

Friday we met Brother Maeda (a MTC [Missionary Training Center] TRC [Teaching Resource Center] investigator-actor who lives in America but travels to Japan quite a bit; Iwahashi shimai [Sister Iwahashi] taught him in the MTC) for lunch and a streeting mogi. Such good practice! Came back to the church and had FFEP with Yuri-chan. She had a hard time focusing during the gospel lesson. Then a mogi with Nakajima shimai [Sister Nakajima] and then she jointed our lesson with Kato shimai [Sister Kato] (RC). Sabbath day. The Spirit was so strong! Really good! 

Saturday we had a mogi with the Ward Mission Leader and then a lesson with Sugiura shimai [Sister Sugiura] (RC) on the 10 commandments. Then a mogi with Tanaka shimai [Sister Tanaka] about the Atonement. She was so touched and cried so much. I think her life is stressful right now. I gave her a big hug. She needs love. She wants to dendo [do missionary work] too! So amazing! 

Sunday I gave a talk in church on the Sacrament. Then we taught gospel principles on the creation and Sae-chan came for Young Womens and we had FFEP with Natsuko-san and she said she'd try to pray on her own.

We saw so many miracles this week! Doing good! Sae-chan came to church! And she asked her parents about permission to recieve the lessons and they said they'd think about it and talk about it more in March. So keep praying for her!

Candice, the Nacy Drew game tester. Nice! I would ask a chemist about essential oils.

I'm glad Lamb of God went so well this week! 

Congratulations on perfect attendance and good grades Lauren!

That's so neat that you got to go to South Carolina for training. The pictures looked really pretty!

I learned so much by preparing that my talk for Sacrament meeting. I talked about how [important] it is for baptized members to remember their covenants and to commit to improve and symbolizes the Atonement. With the bread we remember Christ's bodily sacrifice and resurrection and how we all will be resurrected too. With the water we remember Christ's blood and how he suffered for our sins and through his blood sacrifice we can be free from our sins and made clean if we keep the commandments and repent. By accepting the sacrament we show we accept Christ as our Savior and Redeemer and commit ourselves to improve and recieve all his gospel (including all the ordinances and covenants). If we take the sacrament with these purposes we will be filled spiritually with the Holy Ghost. If we want to we can draw closer to the Lord through the Sacrament. I know that because I have experienced it and have been changed as I take the Sacrament. I am so grateful for this ordinance and for the priesthood holders who are worthy to bring the fruits of the Atonement to us.

I would love a 5 generation chart and stories about the people in it.

No travel this past week or this upcoming week! It snowed a little bit!

Well, I think that's all for this week! I love you all so much! So happy with all you are doing!

I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Your missionary,

Bellows shimai :)

Week 66 Pictures

E-mail, 2/2/2015

My dear family,

It's been another wonderful week!

Tuesday we left at 8am to catch our bus to Sendai. We got there around 1pm and went to visit Oikaiwa shimai [Sister Oikaiwa] (the one I taught in Kamisugi). We got a little lost but then found her apartment--and she said she had just gotten home! Tender mercy! We talked and she showed me all of her books--and she still had a picture of me on her bookcase! And she remembered me! We had to go because she had an appointment, but it was so awesome to be able to see her again!! Then we ate lunch and then we bus to the bus stop and talked to the people in line. I met a really nice couple probably in their 60s who had just moved that day to Sendai from Tokyo (for work). I told them I'm a missionary and they were very friendly and nice. Way cool! Then our bus came and we went to the Honbu [mission home] for MLC [mission leadership council]! Theme: Teaching in the Savior's Way. Focus: Becoming teachers like the Savior. Then daily planning and slept at the honbu.

Wednesday was more MLC. I loved Sister King's spiritual message about prayer. She shared different experiences with prayer on her mission and she said "some of the most spiritual experiences on my mission have been hearing someone pray for me." That is so true for me. It made me remember experiences that I've had like that. President Smith talked about how Christ wants us to learn of Him and teach it to His beloved children in Japan. He has called us to bring them the gospel. Our number one responsibility is to live so we can have the Holy Ghost as our guide and companion. So personal study is the most important hour of the day! Then all the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders each did a 14 minute training on an aspect relating to the theme. Iwahashi shimai [Sister Iwahashi] and I were first and taught about Spiritual Preparation. Went really well. Things I like and learned:

·  When we feel the Spirit we feel love. 

·  Time spent studying the Book of Mormon is in direct relationship with our ability to teach with power

·  We share our experiences with those we teach and although we experience\d those things those experiences came from God

·  We are called to testify. Prepare to testify before your lessons. We're imperfect but can be strengthened through the Atonement to bear powerful testimony

·  Waitresses don't force feed you--they ask you what you want. That is how we need to teach people. What are they spiritually hungry for? Listen.

·  Inviting people to act allows them to open the door to Jesus Christ. It is how we cry repentance.

·  Promising blessings is like a doctor telling you about a medicine to try

·  Personal conversion is giving up your everything to the Lord for the gospel

·  As we seek Jesus we will become like Him

·  We are the message. Who we are matters

·  Motive of love. We are here to save many souls

Then we came back to Hachinohe and prepared for Zone Training Meeting.

Thursday we had Eikaiwa [English class] with Yamashita-san and taught about the Pre-Earth life and prayer. She said she'd try personal prayer. Then we prepared for Zone Training Meeting.

Friday we got up at 4:30 and left at 5:30 and took the 6:11am train to Aomori for Zone Training Meeting. It went really well. Elder Fukuchi gave a great training on becoming the best missionary you can be through positive attitude, believing you can reach your possibilities and having the courage to do what you think is right. We did a 35 minute training on Becoming Teachers like the Savior through spiritual preparation, scripture study, living what you teach, listen/asking inspired questions, love, and personal conversion. Our commitment was to think of one area where you could improve and set a goal for that and do it. Then we had a discussion on helping member dendo [missionary work] fire. Then the Zone Leaders did training on scriptures, experiences, testify, commit, promise blessings (the Savior's Teaching methods). Then we had a meeting with the District Leaders and ZLs [zone leaders] and got feedback and had a discussion on if we as missionaries have the skills to teach all the lesson in 20-30 minutes while focusing on needs and then make a baptismal date. The feedback from on the DLs [district leaders] on that was that we need to focus on the 20[-minute?] lesson goal to be able to do that. 

Then we went back to Hachinohe and had dinner and then had Fun Friday and 3 investigators/potential investigators came. Sister Iwahashi and I gave the spiritual message on personal worth. I think everyone was touched. Then we rode our bikes home in the snow and planned. 

After we planned we got a text from Sae-chan (one of the people who came to Fun Friday) saying how touched she was by our spiritual message and how since she's started coming to church she has started to be able to feel Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's love. Iwahashi shimai and I cried! She can feel her Savior's love for the first time! That is incredible!

As I was saying my personal prayers that night I realized halfway through my prayer that I was praying in Japanese and that I didn't want to stop and switch back into English--that it was better in Japanese.

Saturday I studied Jesus Christ and how to teach about Him in personal study. Then we had an activity meeting with the District and then Family English Program with Ishita-san about Jesus Christ. We showed her lots of pictures and she was very interested and asked very good questions. (Does he have a grave? Does he have siblings?) And she's been having personal prayer! Progress! Then we had Eikaiwa.

Sunday Sae-chan (PI [potential investigator]) and Shion-chan (RC [recent convert]) came to church! After church we had a lesson with Kato shimai [Sister Kato] (RC) about obedience and daily scriptures. Then we attended shu wa [sign language] class taught by Terui shimai [Sister Terui]. Then Natsuko-san (Eikaiwa student) came to church for our appointment and we did a little English and then shared a gospel lesson and she became a new investigator! She went to a Catholic high school and she really likes prayer and church but doesn't have a personal belief in God but wants to believe and to come to church! So cool! We were praying that she would become a new investigator and she did! Miracles!

I fasted for Natsuko-san to become an investigator, Miyaji-san to become an investigator, for Sae-chan to recieve permission to take the lessons, to be able to be unified and work well with Iwahashi shimai and the District so we can see miracles together, to be in tune with the Holy Ghost and the will of God, to be able to make good choices to improve and achieve my goals. To become more the better person/missionary God wants me to be.

I want to be a sister scriptorian--to treasure up the truths of the gospel so that they become a part of me that in moments of need can nurture and lift and help those I interact with.

Sister Iwahashi and I made the frightening realization yesterday that we only have 12 weeks left as missionaries. A mission is such a blessing. I don't want to ever leave.

The weather is fine! We always think it is hot whenever we go to a different area so we are very adjusted to Hachinohe's temperatures and the snow is not bad enough for us to need to walk so we are lucky to be able to still be biking! Zach sounds very busy with basketball and rugby and Shakespeare and dating. About many good things! Be a good beehive Lauren! So proud of you Mom with Lamb of God! You are amazing! I hope you are getting enough sleep too.  Lauren how is violin? Candice how is cello? Candice your ultimate recipe collection sounds very delicious. I hope I can copy and eat many of the fruits of it. I need your ideas for lesson planning for teaching Kids English class. Candice that's awesome about your dendo french blessing! Good luck with your test! Nice new furniture Lauren and family!

I'm learning more everyday about Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father and their perfection and identity and love. I know they live and guide this church and will help us to achieve our desire to draw close to them in connection and attributes as we act and believe.

I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Your missionary,

Bellows shimai :) 

Pictures: I got to see Oikaiwa shimai and my MTC sisters this week!

Week 65 Pictures

E-mail, 1/26/2015

My dear wonderful family,

My week was fantastic!!

Monday we had District Training Meeting and Elder Hill gave a fantastic training on why our missions are important and it was sooo good! I learned so much!! He is so prepared and spiritually knowledgable! Amazing! Felt the spirit so strong. 

Tuesday we biked 2 1/2 hours through 3 inches of snow. So glad we could bike safely! So much warmer than walking through snow! We went to a sign language club--but it was just games, not a class so we probably won't go back. Then we visited an LA [less-active member] (not home) and then went to chirashi kubari [flyer distribution] with the District. It was soooo cold!! But one of the Elders' investigators came to support us and brought a guitar, a drum, and a ukelele! He kept encouraging us, saying "You can do it! 5 more minutes! For dendo [missionary work]! Dendo fire!!" It was so cool! 

Wednesday we biked through the snow to Miyaji-san's (investigator and Eikaiwa [English class] student) house for our first lesson with her (she was the other companionship's investigator before this area went down to only 2 sets of sisters). It was so awesome!! She kept her last commitment and remembered a ton and asked really good questions. (If I died right now where would I go--paradise or prison? Where did Satan come from?). So cool! Really good Spirit! She has real interest. She's a really good mom too (her 3 year old was there). And she fed us delicious rice casserole that she melted the topping with with a flame thrower right in front of us and gave us delicious daikon [radish] soup--yum! Her husband is in the Japanese navy so they move every two years. Then we had shu wa [sign language] class at church. Then we visited Matsuda shimai [Sister Matsuda] (LA, grandma). Five people visited her that day! She was so pleased! :) She's starting to recover from her cold. We sang a hymn with her and read a scripture together and she was so happy. Such faith and ganbaru [working hard]! She said missionaries are special and that we make her happy. :) Eikaiwa!

Thursday we went to the church and had Family English Program with Yamashita-san. Taught her about prayer and the Holy Ghost. Went really well. She said she still prays sometimes! At 2:30 we got on our train for Hirosaki for splits! On the train we finished all of our weekly planning and started brainstorming/studying together for MLC [mission leadership council]. Way productive! 6:16 we arrived in Hirosaki and ate dinner and then Gallacher shimai [Sister Gallacher] and Isogai shimai [Sister Isogai] picked us up from the eki [station] and showed us the way to their apartment where they did a mogi [roleplay] for us--they are really good teachers! Their mogi was way good! Then we planned together for splits and slept in Hirosaki.

Friday during personal study I found the coolest scripture!! Alma 43:1. It's after Alma has finished giving council to his 3 sons individually (usually the ti[m]e when a prophet is about to die), and then it says: "And now it came to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them. And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went forth." Isn't that the coolest thing?!! I LOVED THAT! Alma was old and tired and just finished a mission (Alma 35:14) but HE KEPT DENDOING! HE COULDN'T STOP. I love that example so much!! Really touched my heart. Don't ever give up! 

Then I did companion study with Gallacher shimai and we planned for our lessons. Then language study and lunch and Gallacher shimai and I left at 11:20 to catch our train to Hachinohe. 2 hours and 20 minutes later we go to Hachinohe. We dropped our things off at the church and then biked to visit an LA (45 minutes of hills, but perfect weather, no snow) but she wasn't home so we did some housing nearby. Lots of kekkos [rejections] but at the last house on the street a very bright, well-read, 60 year-old man listened to us!!! He asked "Why are there so many questions?" Gallacher shimai said "If you give us 5 minutes we can answer that question." We prayed together, taught him Lesson 1 (up through the Restoration, including reciting the first vision) and then prayed together at the end and he said we can come back. Miracle!! Also, after I recited the first vision and explained that Joseph Smith met Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ he said "Oh, that means they are two different people, right? And that Joseph Smith became a prophet, right?" Amazing! 

Then we biked back and picked up dinner at McDonalds (introduced ourselves to a gaijin [foreigner] airforce family from the Quad Cities who know a missionary in Misawa), ate at the church and then had a lesson with Kato shimai [Sister Kato] (RC [recent convert]) on Holy Ghost and Endure to the End. She understood really well. Then we had our Fun Friday activity (basically FHE [family home evening]) and 1 PI [potential investigator], 1 Family English Program student, and 1 investigator came. After that we came back home, did split review and planning. Gallacher shimai is a way good missionary. So strong. Way hard working and diligent. Learned a lot from her. Oh, and she went to college in Ellis shimai's [Sister Ellis’s] (MTC [Missionary Training Center] companion) hometown--so she knows Ellis shimai!!

Saturday we left at 8 am and caught our train to Aomori. Met Iwahashi shimai [Sister Iwahashi] and Isogai shimai there and said bye and then I came back to Hachinohe with Iwahashi shimai. I love her. :) Then Weekly Coordination Meeting. Then a lesson with Sugiura shimai [Sister Sugiura] (baptism and confirmation commandment, went really well). Studied. Then Family English Program with the Ishita family. Yuina-chan (the 5 year old daughter) said the opening prayer and even listened a little bit to the lesson! (she normally plays while her mom listens to the gospel lesson). Prophets. Ishita-san thought the idea was really interesting and she said they'd try to say family prayer. Then Eikaiwa. Brother Kurizaki Kohe (RC [recent convert]) came! He just moved back from Chiba! Cool to meet him! He was baptized about a year ago and works for the Japanese Navy (a lot of people in Hachinohe work for the navy--especially our Eikaiwa students). 

Sunday: WE SAW SO MANY MIRACLES!!!

After study we went to church and Moe-chan (15 year-old investigator) came! (Miracle 1) The first time I've met her!! Miracle 2: I stayed awake during the talks in sacrament meeting! I've fallen asleep 4 times here in Hachinohe. I have been praying so much to be able to stay awake and Heavenly Father helped me!! And there were so many blessings because of it! I've been trying lately to prepare for the sacrament to make the sacrament a really spiritually uplifting experience and so after the sacrament prayer I closed my eyes and tried to picture talking with the Savior. I don't know properly how to describe how I felt but my heart felt like it was shinning and my whole body felt full of light and I just felt so happy and I was trying not to let the people around me see me crying. I felt revelation from my spirit older brother and Heavenly Parents for me that I needed and wanted and have been searching for for so long. It was one of the most spiritually powerful experiences of my life. So sacred. Incredible. After that I learned so much from the talks in Sacrament Meeting:

·  God's letters and advice to us are the scriptures. 

·  Going to the temple is like visiting the home of our Heavenly Parents to learn with and from them.

·  God knows our needs. We can pray, read the scriptures, or have FHE in only a few minutes if it's meaningful (from the heart).

·  FHE is more important than Christmas (she said New Years but I'm an American :) )

Another interesting thing is that right after that, one of the branch councilors came up to me and asked me to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting about the Sacrament. Inspired or what? Pretty amazing.

Then (miracle 3) we had 4 people we have been working with come to Young Womens. Moe-chan (investigator), Sae-chan (potential investigator), Shion-chan (recent convert), and Ono Akiho-chan (Less Active). IT WAS SO HAPPY!!!

Then (miracle 4) after Young Womens we had a lesson with Moe-chan (my first lesson with her) and Yamanaka shimai [Sister Yamanaka] came too and jointed--and we talked about baptism with her and testified of God's love for her and she was just beaming and responded so well. And then Iwahashi shimai asked her if she wanted to be baptized and she said "Yes." Why? "I want to be free from the bad things that I've had in my life and I know baptism can do that." Can we set a date as a goal to work towards for you to be baptized. "Yes." March 22!!!!!!! She has a concern about her family, but otherwise seemed so excited!!!

Then soup/sandwhich potluck. 

Then (miracle 5) visited Koizumi shimai [Sister Koizumi] (LA)--and she was on her driveway shoveling dirt! And we were able to talk/BRT [?] with her for 30 minutes! Total miracle!!

Then as we were biking home we felt from the Spirit and realized it would be better if we visited some Less Actives instead of preparing for MLC (1 reason: we could do MLC prep on Monday, reason #2: because of MLC/ZTM [zone training meeting] next week we won't have much time to dendo [do missionary work] in our area, #3: we were really close to meeting the Standard of Excellence for Sendai Mission). So even though we were way hungry and tied we turned around and visited Manami shimai [Sister Manami] (miracle 6: she was home! And we met her husband for the first time!) and Matsuda shimai [Sister Matsuda] (miracle 7: she was awake! We sang a hymn together, she is getting better and so happy to have visitors), and then went to our apartment and looked up the addresses of 2 other LAs and went and visited. The Sakagawa couple were home but didn't answer, but (miracle 8) Brother Osaka answered his door and we were able to meet him for the first time! I have never had so many people home in one night before!!

Then we came home and made gyoza [wonton wrappers stuffed with pork and cabbage] and tacos for dinner--delicious! 

SO HAPPY!! We worked so hard and saw so many miracles! Feels so good! So happy!!!

Had a long prayer of gratitude before going to sleep. So grateful. Strength beyond our own. The power of divine grace and a loving heavenly family.

Today we studied, bought groceries and had District P-day [preparation day] (Indian curry and the game of Life). 

Staying warm! Sunny in the afternoons, cold at night, but staying warm. I feel my Savior's love in all the world around me!

Way to go Candice on your Praxis! Sasuga [as expected]! Good luck with your next ones!

Japanese sign language class was way fun. We do it at the church and one of the Deaf members teaches and all the members who want to can come. She reminds me of my first sign language teacher! Eikaiwa is also at the church. 

Sae-chan is great! She came to church again! She is 18. No news on permission yet--keep praying!

Yeah, I think that's the right one toothpaste, maybe? Sensitive whitening, pink label. 

Thank you for the shopping list and food list!

"Here am I, send me" is our mission scripture. 

Thank you for the email Zach!!!!!!! Sounds like life is good! :) Good luck with Japanese! Have fun! Learn hiragana. :) Enjoy those dates!

Lauren thank you for the email too! I will teach you flute if you teach me how to crochet. :)

Ishokenmei hataraite imasu yo! Takusan no hitotachi to hanashi suru o ganbate imasu yo! Nandemo tenki demo dendo shite imasu yo! Ima eigo wa chou heta desu! 

[I have been working so hard! It is good to talk to a lot of people! You have to work through anything, even weather! My English is super bad now!]

I love Iwahashi shimai! She is such a hard worker and we are meshing so well!

We teach the Restoration all the time. It usually takes multiple lessons for people to understand it but it's one of our foundational lessons.

I met a physics researcher from China in Nagamachi. They must have some good places to research science in Japan if Sister Tanner came here too! Did Sister Tanner research in Tokyo?

The dances with games and activities sounds fun.

Can't wait to taste all your delicious cooking Candice!

This week we have Mission Leadership Council in Nagamachi and Zone Training Meeting in Aomori. So lots of traveling, one 14 minute training, and one 35 minute training to prepare. Wish us luck and pray lots!

Thank you for all your emails, prayers, and love. You are such a wonderful support and I love you so much! I experienced the Atonement and Grace of Jesus Christ in a powerful way this week to be able to serve with my whole heart, mind and strength beyond my own capacity and it really strengthen my testimony. I know God lives. I know Jesus Christ is his son who loved us so much he took upon himself our sins and weaknesses and died to rise again from the grave so that we can also, through becoming one with him, rise from our sins and our weaknesses to become like him and receive strength beyond our own.

I love being a missionary!

And I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Your missionary,

Sister Bellows :)

Week 64 Pictures

[No pictures from week 63.]