E-mail, 3/2/2015

My dear wonderful family,

It was a great week! We taught 15 lesson and had splits!

This week:

Monday, all the missionaries had dinner with the Kanezawa family. Ate lots of Okonomiyaki [pancakes]. Delicious!!

Tuesday we had district meeting and a lesson with Ishita-san about the Book of Mormon. She’s starting to read it! Praying she will understand what she reads and know it is true!

Wednesday was a great day for less active visits! We had Shuwa [sign language] class and visited Takenoko shimai [Sister Takenoko] and were able to share a message about hymns with her. Turns out she loves music. Inspired! Then we were able to meet Koizumi kyoudai [Brother Koizumi]! (LA [less-active member]) And he wasn’t hanti [opposed]! Then we visited Manami shimai [Manami] and were able to share a message with her too. Decided to talk about hymns again…and turns out her favorite hymn is “Teach Me to Walk in the Light”. Amazing or what? Then Eikaiwa [English class].

Thursday we had a lesson with Yamashita-san and she read the pamphlet about the Fall!! She won’t read the Book of Mormon in our lessons so I’m so excited she read the pamphlet! We talked about the purpose of life and her interest is still strong. So excited for her! Then we went and visited Awaji kyoudai [Brother Awaji] (LA)—actually, we went to visit his wife who is not a member but who seems open to the church and as we were talking to her he came to the door and we all talked for a little bit and then she gave us “smoked garlic” as a parting gift—wow! That stuff is strong! She gave us a piece to eat right then. Wow, wow! I don’t want to eat that again!

Then we took the train to Hirosaki for splits and Takahashi shimai [Sister Takahashi] and Isogai shimai [Sister Isogai] mogied [roleplayed] for us. They are very good teachers. I was very impressed.

Then we planned for splits.

I spent Friday in Hirosaki with Isogai shimai. We taught Family English Program to an investigator, did housing and chirashi kubari [flyer distribution], had a dendo [missionary work] fireside meeting with the district and ward mission leader, and had a phone call lesson with a less active. Really good dendo!

Saturday I came back to Hachinohe with Iwahashi shimai [Sister Iwahashi] and then we had lunch with Saito shimai [Sister Saito] (Hachinohe Branch) and Brother Miake (service missionary couple from Nagamachi who was in Hachinohe this week) at a seafood barbeque—you pick the raw seafood you want and cook it on a barbeque (not yakiniku—different). We had lots of oysters and huge shrimp and fish and it was so delicious! Then we had coordination meeting with the ward and then a lesson with Shion-chan (RC [recent convert]) and Sae-chan (PI [potential investigator]) came too. We taught about the importance of reading the Book of Mormon daily and they both said they wanted to and Shion-chan asked Sae-chan to give the closing prayer and Sae-chan said it perfectly! She’s been praying and reading the Book of Mormon on her own! And she’s not even an investigator yet! Amazing!!! Then Eikaiwa.

Sunday we taught gospel principles about prayer and combined Third hour about scripture study and we’re teaching in MLC [mission leadership council] on Wednesday about revelation through church attendance. Just getting in all the knowledge we can about the 3-piece-backbone to testimony! It is a huge blessing to us and our investigators! We can truly see them progressing by their efforts to pray, read, and attend church! In combined Third hour we committed the ward to try and read the Book of Mormon every day for the month of March. We know they will see great blessings if they keep their commitment! After church we taught Kato shimai [Sister Kato] (RC) about fasting and then came home and did weekly [planning?].

For our gospel principles lesson about prayer Iwahashi shimai and I translated a song Zach sent me when I was still new in the field. I don’t know if you remember but around my 3^rd and 4^th transfers I was having such a hard time feeling like a good missionary and felt so alone but when I heard this song Zach sent me for the first time it touched my soul. I listened to it over and over and over again. It touched my heart and spoke peace and truth to my soul. It helped me so much and it answered the questions that I had. I felt we really had to translate it and give it out to the people in our gospel principles class. And it touched hearts just like it had touched mine. Here’s the lyrics (a little off because I only have the Japanese copy right now so I’m translating it back into English);

If you’re feeling alone and you just need someone to love you

And you don’t know you’ll ever make it through

If you’re worried and just need someone to listen

There is someone who is always there for you

Chorus:

Though the road keeps getting longer

And you’re far away from home

Just remember someone loves you more then you could ever know

Every night and every morning, in sunshine or in rain

No matter where, He’s always there

Just one prayer away

If you’ve done all that you can and it’s still not enough

And you feel the life you want is just a dream

If you’ve given all you can and don’t have the strength to stand

All you got to do is get down on your knees

Though whatever storms this life may bring

You’ll hear His voice if you’re listening

I hope that touches your heart like it touches mine! Thank you so much Zach for sending me that music so long ago. It answered my prayers!

I’m so excited for Easter and for General Conference! I’m so grateful Christ willingly came to earth and lived His live so that we can live again and receive all the help in life we need to become like Him. I hope our investigators, recent converts, and less actives can understand this as we continue to fellowship and teach them.

I love you my dear family!

So excited to keep hearing about Lamb of God! Yep, transfers are coming up—who knows what will happen?? WHAT! Someone from Greensboro got called to Sendai! So excited!! I got the package!!! Thank you so much!! I loved the “Prophetic Council and Temple Blessings” talk! Elder Aoyagi toured our mission last year and he is such an amazing example. Zach—are you going to email me to tell me your exciting news???? Praying for Kelsea. Mom, I am excited for you and Dad to come!

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

Love,

Your missionary,

Bellows shimai :)