Monday, August 11, 2014

On Monday, August 11, 2014 Sister Johnson wrote:

So this was a good week! We went to the tanabata festival on Tuesday night, and that was a blast! Natsuki and her momma came down from Izumi and dressed us all up in yugatas! That was so fun. I felt like a princess again. We went to the festival with a less-active friend of ours, Mai Chan! We also went with some of the YSA girls in our ward, and with Brother Miura and Sister Aizawa! It was so much fun, and we got to talk with a lot of people and see some awesome Japanese fireworks. To be honest, we probably should have spent more time talking to people, passing out flyers, you know, doing "missionary work," but we had a wonderful opportunity to really bond with the YSA girls in our ward that came with us. To me, that was way more important than trying to talk to the millions of people that were at the festival, and it was time very well spent.

Also this week, we had another baptism in Kamisugi! WOW! This area is on fire. One of the Elder's friends Brother Sato was baptized on Thursday night! What a beautiful service it was too! He was so prepared. He was found by the sister missionaries about five months ago, but he got passed to the Elders because it's a (really stupid annoying) rule in this mission that we can't teach people of the opposite sex. Well, it really isn't a rule, but if you don't pass your opposite-sex investigator, people start to get upset. It's dumb, and it's caused a lot of drama, but that's besides the point. Brother Sato is so great! At his baptism, he bore his testimony and just like Sister Oyama's a few weeks ago, he just stated simple, beautiful truth about the Savior. It was wonderful and the Spirit was so strong. I am grateful for his example and I am excited to work with him from here on out.

Yesterday was a good day for us! We were able to have two (yes, count 'em, TWO) lessons yesterday!!! That never happens! Haha. But yeah. The first lesson was with Itosaka San! Boy, do I love that woman, but does she TALK! She loves talking. I have noticed that she has a lot of really interesting knowledge, and most of it are things she has learned from her friends. Ishikawa Shimai and I got the impression yesterday that Itosaka San has never really prayed to know what the truth is. She just takes what she hears as truth. She has conviction that there is a God who knows and loves her, and she believes that Jesus is her Savior, but we don't think she has ever asked to know for herself what else is truth. So, from now on, we are going to focus on teaching her the Gospel of Christ, about how faith in Him changes you, leads you to repent, and allows you to make and keep sacred covenants and ordinances. I really believe that as she learns more about how the Savior can help her and her family personally, that she will realize the worth of meeting with us, that it is more than just fun friends to share her knowledge with. We are her friends that want to grow in knowledge and love and the Light of Christ TOGETHER. As we grow together, we will change together, for the better. Oh, I love Itosaka San. She is so passionate.

Our other lesson was with a new investigator (!!!!!!!!)! Well, at least new to us. She was passed to us from another pair of sisters. But anyway, her name is Diep (pronounced Jep), and she is from Vietnam! SHE IS SO CUTE! She is about 30 years old, and is amazingly smart! We are doing a program with her that is Japanese study and Gospel study! So, we studied kanji for about an hour, and then we talked about the Book of Mormon and about prayer. She already believes in God, and when we asked her to pray in the lesson, she very happily agreed! Right now, she is on her summer break, and so she has some free time to spend with us this week, and we are looking forward to it. She is great! Yay, Diep San!

This week was weird weather; suuuuuuuuuper hot, but the last few days have been typhoon weather: cold, wet, windy, awful rain. Gross. But, it's supposed to end tomorrow, so that's good.

Well, that's all from this end! I think. This is week six of the transfer, so that means it's a new one next week! I don't think I will be getting transferred, but Ishikawa Shimai might. That makes me so sad. I love her so much. But, whatever the Big People want is what I want too!

I love you all. I hope you have a happy week! And congratulations to my very best friend Olive!!!!! She is marrying Jared this week on my birthday! YAY! Good for them.

Love you all! Remember the Savior!
Love: Shak