Monday, July 28, 2014

On Monday, July 28, Sister Johnson wrote:

This was a great week in Kamisugi! Sister Gass and Sister Clark had their friend Oyama San get baptized! Oyama San is an ADORABLE little old woman who is actually from Ishinomaki originally! But they have been teaching her everyday for the past month, and she is the most wonderful person! Her baptismal service was so wonderful! Oyama Shimai bore her testimony after she got baptized, and she said so simply "I have been given a new start through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and for that, I am grateful." It was so simple, so beautiful, and the Spirit brought her words right into my heart. She knows Christ, and I am so happy that she has been found again. It was a great spiritual lift to share in that special day.

This last week, Sister Ishikawa and I were FINALLY able to meet with one of our investigators, a woman named Itosaka San. Oh, there are just no words to describe how much I LOVE that woman! I knew as soon as I met her that she is the reason I came to Kamisugi, and my heart was filled with love for her. She is very much like me, very free-spirited and very strong. She is a widow; her husband passed away seven years ago. She lives by herself, but she is very busy always working in her garden or volunteering at hospitals or volunteering with her friend Omiya San, who is a director of an organization called Women's Federation for World Peace. How awesome is that?? I want to be involved with her and volunteer together. But we had a great lesson! We spoke about God's love for all humankind, and we also talked about the nature of Christ. Itosaka San is a Christian; she has incredible faith in the Savior and a TON of knowledge about all kinds of religions. We talked about how you can find truth everywhere, and about how God loves us all so much. We also talked a little bit about Adam and Eve and the Fall. In previous lessons, Ishikawa Shimai told me that Itosaka San thought that Adam and Eve were terrible people, but when we talked about it this last week, it didn't seem like she thought that at all! We talked about how through the Fall, all people were able to come to the Earth and live! We talked about the blessings that come from the Fall and Brother Miura, the member that came with us, bore such amazing testimony of the love of God and the Savior. Brother Miura just recently got baptized and is so awesome! He actually reminds me a TON of Dad! It was wonderful to have them there with us. It was a beautiful time. Itosaka San and I really connected. I am not sure why, but I know for sure that she is one of those eternal friends that I came to Japan to reconnect with. She feels the same way; she gave me a call a few days after the lesson and said that she knew it was God's guidance that got her in touch with the missionaries the first time in 2008, and that they found her so that she could find me! When she said that, it reminded me of the first paragraph of PMG Chapter 9: the Lord will lead you to those who are prepared to hear the Gospel, or He will lead them to you. The Lord definitely led Itosaka San to me. I know that she is my sister and I am so excited for this opportunity to grow with her!

In other news, the rainy season is officially over!!! It was not nearly as bad as last year, I think! But now it is getting hot hot HOT! And here in the city, it is so humid, it's insane. Woohoo, sweat. But! It's a fun adventure. Yay! I am thankful to have a nice Camelbak water bottle that my Momma sent me in the MTC last year.

Well Momma, I love you so much. I hope that you have a fun week seeing your family! Please tell them all hello for me! I hope you have a wonderful time.

Love, Shak