Monday, April 28, 2014

About the pictures: These are pictures from last week when we went to see sakura with the genki old woman, Goto San! I left my camera at a soba restaurant, and have just recently gotten it back so I don't have any pictures from this week really.

On Monday, April 28, 2014 Sister Johnson wrote:

So, this was a pretty weird week. Last P-Day, we went to the beach with the Elders to play frisbee, and it was terrible weather! It was cold and raining like crazy, and the wind was blowing super hard, but it was really fun! Unfortunately, as a result of being out in the rain, both Alcazar Shimai and I got very sick! We have been sick all week with colds, and so that hasn't been fun! But, we are on the tail-end. I'm still pretty stuffed up, and Alcazar Shimai doesn't really have a voice, but we are feeling genki.

Despite being sick, this was a very good week! We have the most adorable little friend, Yuka Chan. She is 16 and we are doing the Family English Program with her. This week we were able to have two lessons with her, and she came to the big Easter Festival that we had at the Church! Recently, we have been talking a lot about prayer with her. This past lesson, she gave her first prayer! She didn't really know what to say, so she simply said "Heavenly Father, I am grateful that I have a lot of food to eat. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." It was so cute, and so simple, and so perfect! She was very happy afterward. I have had such a wonderful time becoming Yuka Chan's friend. I love Yuka Chan because she is so full of light. You can see the big light that is in her soul whenever you look into her eyes. She is so happy, and has such a zest for life. I really believe that as she comes to realize that she is a divine daughter of loving Heavenly Parents that the light that is in her countenence will grow even bigger. I can feel so much love from her. And I am so glad to have met her.

This week, we had a big Easter festival at the Church! It was like an open house type thing, and a lot of non-members came! It was really great, and we had a wonderful time introducing people to Christ.

That is about it with this week; because we were sick, we didn't have anything super interesting happen. But! We are looking forward to another great week! I absolutely LOVE Sister Alcazar. She is very quickly becoming one of my greatest friends. I am so happy to be serving with her here in this incredible place that is Ishinomaki. I never want to leave.

I love my Savior. I love how I have His authority to cast out darkness and sadness and shed His light on all those with whom I come in contact. My authority is real. It is His authority. I am His hands here in Ishinomaki.

I love you Momma!! I cannot wait to talk to you soon! I will have specifics for the call next week! Have a happy week!

Love, Shak

Monday, April 21, 2014

On Monday, April 21, 2014 Sister Johnson wrote:

I LOVE SISTER ALCAZAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really really REALLY do. This week has been FANTASTIC! We have had a lot of firsts happen to us this week! First of all, we went to visit one of my favorite less-active members, Kimura Shimai. She is a riot. I love her so much; she is so genki (which I finally figured out a good English translation for: chipper!) and loves to talk. While we were there, she told us a funny story that after the tsunami, some random person gave her three big bags all full of bras! So she ran upstairs and grabbed one of the bags and gave them to us! So now, we have a giant bag full of bras (there's about 50 of them, I think) and nothing to do with them. They are all TINY. Well, they're probably normal-sized, but you know me. Haha. So we are going to try and find a women's shelter to donate them to. It was hilarious.

Then, we were biking alongside the Kitakami river that runs through town, and there was a BEAUTIFUL Sakura tree that was in full bloom, so we stopped to take a picture, and we started talking to these little old ladies that were standing by us. We told them that Alcazar Shimai just got here, and one of them asked if we had been to Hiyoriyama yet, which is a big sakura park in Ishinomaki. Alcazar Shimai said no, and the little old lady said "Let's go!" So we were super excited and asked her when would be good, and she said "Let's go right now!" So, that is just what we did! We got to learn all about this little old lady. Her name is Goto Chieko San, she is 83 years old, and she had a super hard time in the earthquake and tsunami. As she drove us to Hiyoriyama, she was telling us all about her life, her children and her grandchildren, and about how they all live far away and that she misses them. She seemed very lonely. But when we got to Hiyoriyama, it was about 6:00 in the evening, and so the sun was just getting ready to set. That day, the paper factory in Ishinomaki had made the town super smoky because it wasn't very windy, and as a result, the sun turned blood red and was a HUGE and PERFECT sphere in the sky. Everything was glowing red, and the light reflected off the sakura blossoms. It was absolutely incredible. I have some pictures, but there is no way to capture the beauty of that in a picture. I have never seen something so beautiful in my life. I was overwhelmed with the love of Heavenly Father, with His love for Japan, and with His love for Goto San. It was a wonderfully beautiful experience. After that, Goto San took us out to soba because I had mentioned that I like soba, and it was so fun. That night, we exchanged contact information, and we are going to visit her again soon!!! She was really appreciative of the fact that we are Christian volunteers, and so we want to go back and share the Gospel with her. There is no way that us biking down the side of that river was an accident. I had just simply thought that I would take Alcazar Shimai the scenic route to where we had planned on going, and we were able to meet one of Heavenly Father's beloved daughters. It was definitely divine guidance, and I am thankful for the experience.

Then, later on in the week, we were going with a member and a friend to a park outside of Ishinomaki that is famous for sakura. Before we stopped there, Usui Shimai wanted to stop at a flower shop to buy some flowers for a less-active member for her birthday. So, she took us to this giant greenhouse, and when we got inside, it was a gerbera daisy farm! There were MILLIONS of daisies, rows upon rows, of all different colors! It was so beautiful! Then, the woman that owned the greenhouse had about three huge buckets full of daisies that she had cut because they "were not perfect daisies" and she told us that she wanted to give us ALL OF THEM! It was about 300 flowers, I'm guessing. At this point, we had been talking a lot, and she could probably see the look of pure bliss that was on my face, so she told me that I could go out into the flowers and pick two that I wanted to take home with me, as a present! She had already given us all of these flowers, but she was so nice, and so I went and picked a bright sunshine yellow one that was PERFECTLY round and absolutely gorgeous, and all a hot pink one that was the same. She then cut them for me, and added two more perfect ones. There are no words to describe the feeling I had that day. It is amazing the joy that comes from gerbera daisies. I am pretty convinced that Heavenly Father created them JUST for ME! So now Alcazar Shimai and I have a big arrangement of daisies on our table, and we were able to give a bunch away to investigators and members for Easter presents yesterday! It was wonderful.

Then, this last Saturday, all of the new missionaries in Ishinomaki, the assistants, President and Sister Rasmussen and their family that was visiting from Arizona, and Elder Palmer and his Mom, and us had a really unique service opportunity! We went to a port right next to the ocean, and harvested seaweed that they turn into wakame for miso soup! It was smelly, dirty, and absolutely FANTASTIC work! It was so much fun! We spent all day cutting seaweed. By the end of the day, my rubber apron was covered with slimy baby shrimps, and it was super gross! But also really cool. After that experience, I think that aliens actually come out of the ocean, and not from outerspace.

Now for this week's miracle! We have one investigator named Sugiyama San! We have been meeting with him since last December and this time, we went with Elder Whittle and Elder Aono to teach him, and to pass him to the Elders. We have been inviting Sugiyama San to pray for about four months now, and he never has. But! Yesterday in the lesson, Sugiyama San made such a natural connection with Elder Aono, who is a brand-new green-bean missionary! The Spirit was so strong as we talked about how the Plan of Salvation helps us to understand our purpose in life, and that Sugiyama San can experience all of those blessings for himself through prayer! And so when we invited him to pray, he did! And it was perfect! It was full of thanks for his blessings, for his life, and for his family. He was also thankful for us coming to help him be closer to God. He laughed a little bit in the middle and was super embarrassed when he finished, but it was so sincere and so wonderful. The Spirit was very strong, and Sugiyama San definitely felt something different. I have been waiting for the right person to pass Sugiyama San to, and I am so happy that Aono Choro is finally here! It was a joy-filled lesson, and I am so grateful.

What a week! I love Ishinomaki! I love my companion! I love Japan! And, I love my Savior! He lived, died, and lives again just for me! There is pure light, pure joy, and pure hope in His atonement. I know that though Him, we can discover what it means to be truly happy. I am so grateful!

Well Momma, I love you! So much! I hope that you have a good week and a very happy birthday! Oh, and yes, we can Skype for Mother's Day! It will all be the same as last time! The time might be different though. I'll work it out with the Elders and let you know! I LOVE YOU!
Love, Shak

Monday, April 14, 2014

On Monday, April 14 Sister Johnson wrote:

No cherry blossoms yet in Ishinomaki! It is still a little bit too cold. But! Come next week, they will be popping out all over the place! Speaking of Ishinomaki, I will be here for at least another 6 weeks! Luk Shimai is transferring to Akita (way up north) and will be companions with my bean chan, Robertson Shimai! My new companion will be a girl from Utah named Alcazar Shimai, who is in her 6th transfer! Three of the Elders are transferring, so that means this district in Ishinomaki is going to be WAY different. But, it will be good! The new district leader is a good friend of mine, Elder Whittle. He knows the way that I like to do things, so I'm hoping that it will be a pretty smooth transition. Yay, Ishinomaki! I really do love this place. The end of this next six weeks will mark my 6 months being here! Woohoo!

This was a really good week! We finally were able to find a new investigator! Her name is Yuka Chan, and she is ADORABLE! She is 16, and is the daughter of a less-active member, Brother Motomura. We are doing the family English program with Yuka Chan, and we are hoping that through her, her Dad will want to come back to Church and that we can see lots of miracles within the Motomura family! I have lots of hope! Our other investigators are doing well; everyone is sad that Luk Shimai is transferring. Me, too. We have become very good friends. But! I know that there are people waiting for her in Akita.

Well, another General Conference has come and gone! I feel at peace about most of the messages that were presented. I especially loved President Monson's talk. All you need is love! I also loved Elder Scott's talk. All you need is love! And simplicity! And I also loved Elder Christofferson's talk. Christ is real! Elder Bednar's talk was also wonderful, all about the Atonement. I also loved President Utchdorf's talks from both the Priesthood session and the General Session. Don't sleep through the Restoration! And the Revolution! Be grateful! Even when you are suffering! Such great messages about the love and peace of the Savior. I am excited for the Liahona to come in the mail so that I can read them again.

I am so grateful that we have leaders in this Church, particularly the First Presidency, that really understand who the Savior is. They understand His perfect love, His perfect empathy, His perfect grace. They understand His Atonement. They understand that ALL who come unto Him will receive the gift of Life and Light. It is reassuring to know that our leaders know the pure simple doctrine of Christ, and that they teach accordingly. This is my goal as a missionary: to teach according to the knowledge I have that Jesus is my Savior. His love is perfect. His love is for EVERYONE. This is my mission, to love as He would love.

Last P-Day, we went as a district to a museum here in Ishinomaki called the Sant Juan Bautista museum. It is an old Japanese/Spanish Pirate ship! It was so COOL! And so much fun!!!! I am convinced that I am a pirate and that I was born into the incorrect time. Piracy is in my genes though, so I guess that is why I felt right at home on that ship. It was very fun.

Well, that is about it for this week! I am excited to stay here in Ishinomaki! I hope that the Lord will assist me and lead me to those whom He has prepared to receive the Gospel.

Please give everyone my love!

Love, Shak

Monday, April 7, 2014

About that last picture: "I LOVE this owl that Iver made! I accidently ripped her leg when I opened the package, so I had to patch her up. But she is so cute!

On Monday, April 8, 2014 Sister Johnson wrote:

This week was good! We had lots of effective appointments and got to love lots of people! With the celebration of less-active members' birthdays, talking to crazy old Japanese men who have lots of questions about Christianity, baking cookies with four super-genki 11-year-old girls who are potential investigators, heart attacking people, cleaning up tsunami damage that was still around, teaching English, and finding new potential investigators! Something that I have learned throughout my mission is that it is NOT about the numbers that I write down at the end of the day, but it is about whether or not I showed love to every person with whom I came in contact. This has been a week full to bursting with love, my own love, and the love of my Savior. I have felt it a lot this week.

This week was pretty intense, as far as the elements go. The wind has been blowing at a solid blow-you-off-your-bicycle-into-a-fence rate since last Monday. Ouch. But! I'm okay. Only some bruises. There has also been some crazy earthquakes this week. First, there was the HUGE earthquake in Chile (what is the latest news on that, by the way?), and it caused a tsunami to come all the way up here! There were sirens going off all night long and speaker announcements telling people to stay away from the coast and from the rivers in town. The rivers got CRAZY FULL! It was insane! None of them overflowed, but it was scary to see that much water moving that fast. I was watching the river (we were driving by it in a bus to Sendai), and in my head, I could picture perfectly the day of the disaster three years ago, and it was utterly terrifying. I am so glad that the tsunami that came this week was just a mini one. We have had lots of little earthquakes this week, and two big ones. It's been pretty crazy. But! We are all safe and sound, so don't worry.

So this last week was April Fools Day! Here in Ishinomaki among the missionaries, there were A LOT of jokes played, and it was super fun! Every Tuesday night, we have Institute with the branch, and it is taught by our branch president, President Onuma! Well, I decided that I was going to play a joke on him and the rest of the branch, so after Institute ended, I told him that I was being emergency transferred to another area, and that I was leaving at 7:00 the next morning. Everyone was so sad! It was so nice! (haha). They were giving me all sorts of compliments and thanking me for my service, and we all took pictures together. It was so funny and SO hard to keep a straight face! So then we left, and all said goodbye! The next day, I decided that I should probably call President Onuma and let him know that it was a joke, and when I called, he laughed so hard! It was wonderful. Then, as the week went on, I saw more and more of the members that were at Institute and all of them were super surprised to see me! It was hilarious, and super fun. It was a really great way to bond with the members of the branch! I think it is a good thing that they all know I like to have fun and be a missionary at the same time.

Well, that is about it for this week, really. It was a great week, but really uneventful at the same time, as far as investigators go. We didn't really teach this week, sadly. Everyone is busy. But! We did lots of other good things.

Please keep me in your prayers! I could use some extra boosting-blessings this week.

I'm grateful for my Savior. He is real. He is Truth. He is Light. He is MY Light.

I love you! Have a happy week!

Love, Shak

March 31, 2014

Two weeks worth of letters this time.

About the pictures: This bike was so awesome!!! This girl was too! I loved her. I hope to meet her again someday. Her name was Yukimi.
We made takoyaki with Hikari Chan and Sayaka Chan! It was gross!
This is Hamano Shimai, she is the Sister Training leader that I went on splits with this week. Egg Stand-Up Day was a wild success in the Johnson/Luk Shimai apartment!

On Monday, March 24 Sister Johnson wrote:

I knew that it was Fisher's birthday this week. I was only sad for half a day though. I wrote him a birthday love letter during personal study in the morning and shed some tears. I was also remembering his love. He has SO MUCH LOVE! I can still feel it! I can feel it and see it in his eyes. The Fisher in my memory is always smiling, his eyes twinkling bright, with his arms wrapped around me in the tightest hug! It's the best memory. So, I was sad, but I got a blessing, and then lots of comfort from a very supportive district, so it ended up being okay. I am a lot more at peace now about Fisher than I was when I first got to Japan. I have grown in my knowledge of the divine mercy and love of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and have found incredible healing in His Atonement. I am certain that Fisher is wrapped tight and safe in the Savior's embrace.

I got your Spring package this week, Momma! Thank you! It brightened up my day so much! I haven't gotten any mail for about three weeks, and was starting to feel pretty sad, but that was right when your package came! Yay! Thank you. I love the chouchou scarf.

This week, spring finally came to Ishinomaki! It is a balmy 15 degrees today (Celsius)! Sooo nice. The sun is shining bright, and it's a beautiful day! Luk Shimai and I had great fun standing up eggs on the 21st! I had one standing on my desk that morning during study, and then we had to go to Sendai for the day, but when we got home that night around 9, it was still standing!!! Coolest thing ever. We had about six up at one point, but we couldn't get a picture fast enough before they started falling down. But it was great fun. A great way to remember my wonderful family on one of our favorite days of the year!

I am sad to hear about Luna. I was not expecting that at all. I always thought that Stella would go first (cross your fingers knock on wood that that she does NOT go. That would kill me, I think.), so it was a bit of a shock to read that this morning. I will miss him. Are you and Dad going to get another cat? How is Stella coping? I bet she misses him a lot. I'm glad that I have all of your cute Instagram photos of Luna. That is a good thing. Thank you for sending them to me.

This week was pretty ordinary. Luk Shimai has not been feeling too good this week (she hurt her back somehow, and then crashed her bike), so we spent a lot of time in the apartment, me taking care of her. She is feeling a lot better now, and this week should be a lot better for both of us! This week it was our investigator Hikari Chan's birthday, and so we celebrated with her! We also taught her about the Book of Mormon, and prophets this week! Every Friday night, we have a ping pong tournament at the church. Hikari Chan was the captain of her high school ping pong team, so she is SUUUUPER good! She always comes to the tournament, and ALWAYS wins. It's awesome. Later that night, Elder Olsen said that he had been talking with Hikari Chan, and he asked her what she thought about what she had learned about the Church so far. She told him that she thinks it's all really interesting and that she gets a good feeling inside when she listens to us speak, and while she is at church interacting with members. She also said that what she has heard from us about Joseph Smith so far is awesome, and that she thinks it's true! That is so awesome! We haven't taught her the Restoration yet, but we have talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and prophets, and apparently she thinks it's all true! I was overjoyed when I heard. So, next time, we will be teaching the Restoration, and the importance of prayer. We want to help her gain a real testimony and feel the Holy Ghost. I love Hikari Chan! She is progressing well! But, she is starting work this week on a big ferry, so she will not be around nearly as much. She will be working on the ferry for 20 days, and then has 10 days off. The ferry travels all up and down the east side of Japan, so she will be gone for a long time. We won't get to teach her nearly as often. But! It's okay because we will still have contact with her.

In other news, we have an American girl that lives in our branch! Her name is Tatiana Taylor, and she is from Wisconsin. She served a mission in Washington, and is now 28! She is absolutely WONDERFUL. I love her so much. We eat lunch with her every week. But this week, she brought her nonmember boyfriend, Matt, to church!! He is awesome! He is from England, and is super cool! Tatiana has been slowly introducing him to the church, and she told us yesterday that he is super open now, so he might start meeting with us soon! I hope so! I will be so weird to teach in English, but super fun, I think! Woohoo!

That's about all for this week. Nothing ridiculously awesome or weird has happened, so I suppose that's a good thing... No news is good news, right? As they say.

Well, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true! It always has been and it always will be! I am blessed to have a knowledge of it, and of my Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives. I know He loves perfectly. I know He knows me, and all His Japanese brothers and sisters inside and out! I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be here scattering His sunshine all along the way.

I love you Momma! I hope you have a good week!
Love, me.

And some excerpts from her letter Monday, March 31, 2014:

During conference, let us focus on the messages of President Monson, President Ucthdorf, and President Eyring. They always testify of the love, peace, and pure doctrine of Christ. Let us find joy in the Savior! It is there! He is and will always be The Answer. I know this is true, and of this truth I bear witness by the power of the Holy Ghost.

I started reading "Daughters in My Kingdom" this week. The very first chapter is BEAUTIFUL. It describes the women of the New Testament age, women who left everything behind to become disciples of Christ. They were a huge advocate for the growth of the Savior's Church in ancient times, and that driving force is still in place today. The women that established the Relief Society in the 1800's reestablished the women's organization that was in place in the time of the Savior. They were blessed by the power of the Priesthood to heal others, offer relief, teach the Gospel of Christ, and stand as authorized witnesses of Him. We too, like them, are part of that same organization. Through the love and the authority we possess, we will stand as witness of the Savior at all times, and in all places. This is my divine mission. This is the divine mission of women, to testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of humankind. Together with men of the faith, we will advance this work. Alongside our faithful brothers, we are a progressive force for good, and our Heavenly Parents will lead and direct us, because this is Their work. We cannot do it alone. Our divine commission is to work together as one for the good of all humankind. Peace, love, happiness. Charity. Faith. Perseverance. Understanding. Humility. Trust. These are the attributes of Christ that will unite us.

This last week, we had an opportunity to participate in a youth conference up in the mountains. It was a two hour drive there, and the shizen was absolutely breathtaking. My heart is in those Japanese mountains.

I was gazing off into the distance when on top of the rolling green mountains, I saw a glorious ball of pure white light. After a few moments, the light faded a little, and I saw the most beautiful temple, high on a mountain top, off in the distance. The Spirit then spoke to me, teaching me that the work is about to really roll forth in Japan, especially in my personal mission. There will one day be a beautiful temple deep in those mountains. The Savior is moving His work.

It was a great experience.

Monday March 17, 2014

On Monday, March 17, 2014 Sister Johnson wrote:

It is a bright and sunny day here in Ishinomaki! It's still cold, and the wind never stops blowing here, but the sunshine is absolutely wonderful. I want to soak in as much as I can in the next two months before the rainy season gets here. I'm not looking forward to that again... but, now I know what to expect, and I can be better prepared!
Cherry blossoms don't happen in this part of Japan until the second half of April, I believe... that's what they say! But I cannot wait for that either! It will be absolutely beautiful and amazing! I will most definitely take pictures for you, don't you worry.

This week was the three-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami disaster that devastated the northern part of Japan. Ishinomaki was one of the hardest-hit places. The town was in ruins, and over 3000 people died. The morning of the 11th dawned cloudy and cold. From the very minute I woke up, I could feel the sadness settling on the city. It was almost tangible in the air. Luk Shimai and I had plans that day to go to some temporary housing units and give hand massages to the victims of the disaster that were still living there. As I sat across a small table from a 60 year old woman just talking with her and massaging her hands, I could see the sadness and the pain in her eyes. I asked her about the disaster and what happened to her. She said that her house was completely wiped away and that both her husband and her only son were killed. She watched her house be swept away by the tsunami, with her loved ones inside, from the safe place on the top of the nearest mountain. I was so penetrated by sadness that I didn't know what to say. I just tried to love and listen. She then asked me about my name tag, and said, "Why do you believe in God? If there really was a God, horrible things like the disaster would not happen." I did not know what to say. Here was this woman whose life was completely destroyed in the course of about an hour. She has not been the same since. Her soul was full of anger and sadness, and I had no idea what I could say to help her. I responded that Yes, I do believe in God, and that I don't know the meaning of all things. I don't understand the purpose of the disaster. I don't understand why so many people's lives were taken that day. I don't understand. But I do know one thing, and that thing is love. I told her that I love her. I told her that I was so sorry for her losses. I just held her hand and we cried together.

Then, at 2:46 p.m. (that was when the first earthquake hit), the disaster alert sirens started going off all over town, and there was a minute of silence and prayer. The sirens were so... eerie. I prayed with all my might that Heavenly Father would send His peace upon this town, that I would be able to love people unconditionally that day. That afternoon, we went to city hall with a member in the branch named Umeko Shimai. She is in her 80's, and she also lost everything in the tsunami. Her house was destroyed, and she had 10 people, family and friends, that were killed. We went to city hall with her to place flowers at the memorial and to pray, and then we sat and listened to a high school girl tell her experience of the tsunami. She said that she was walking home from school at 2:46, and was on the street near her home. When she ran home, her house had been mostly destroyed. She somehow managed to get inside, and when she did, she found her mother trapped under a wooden beam that had fallen out of the ceiling. Her legs were broken, and she was in extreme pain. The girl was trying to pull her out when she heard a big cracking sound, so she started running away. She looked back just in time to she her mother be buried underneath their house, and she saw a piece of wood with nails drag across her mother's face. She said that at that point a voice came over the loud speakers all over town announcing that the tsunami was coming, and so she ran to the nearest mountain to seek safety. She got there just in time to watch her entire neighborhood be swept away. Upon hearing this story, I was weeping with her. This poor girl watched her mother die a horrific death. And she is not the only one. People here in Ishinomaki watched as thousands of people were swept away by black water. It was also incredibly cold that day; snow was falling, and there was no electricity. Lots of people also died from exposure.

It is incredible how sad I felt that day. I don't think I've ever experienced sadness like that before, except when my dear Fisher took his own life. My heart was swelling with love and sympathy that day. After the ceremony, Luk Shimai and I went to the train station with the Elders, and we sang hymns of hope to passersby. We didn't have anyone really stop and listen, but I felt some peace while doing that. I felt that one of the best ways to declare my love for these people was to use my music to reach their hearts. We found out later that there had been one man listening intently from afar, and went to talk to the elders after we left. The man had been a member of the Church when he was younger, but was now attending a Catholic church. He said that us singing hymns of hope and love helped him feel the Spirit again in his life, and that he was very grateful for the experience. I'm glad that we reached the one.

After that, we went with Sister Usui to the Ishinomaki candlelight prayer memorial ceremony. It was taking place in that neighborhood where that high school girl lived. There is nothing there when you look from the mountain above, but when we got to the bottom, you can see the foundations of hundreds of houses. Pipes coming out of the ground. Grass growing where there used to be hundreds of homes. There were some ruins of old roads and sidewalks. There was a lot of cinder block crumbles. There, among all the rubble, there was a beautiful ceremony taking place. Hundreds of candles were lit, and hundreds of people were gathered to pray for Ishinomaki. I prayed with them. We stood in a huge circle, and prayed for a solid minute. The energy in that circle was absolutely breathtaking. Here were hundreds of people pleading with God for peace and the ability to make it though another day. I looked to the outside of the circle and saw a signpost that was really high up into the air. As I walked over to the sign, I saw that it was a measure of how deep the tsunami was at that point. 6.9 meters. 6.9 meters of huge devastating wave. Wow. I can't even imagine.

There are just no words to describe that day. I am so thankful to have been a part of this experience. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to continue working in Ishinomaki just so that I can LOVE people. Just so that I can maybe bring some hope into their lives. Just so that I can smile to a woman or a man on the street, and uplift them with love from God and from the Savior. I am so blessed, and I am so grateful for the people of Ishinomaki. What a blessed hallowed place this is.

In other news, we had a great thing happen yesterday! The story starts a few weeks ago; we were handing out flyers for Eikaiwa a few weeks ago at the train station, and we met a man named Atsushi San! We handed him a flyer and he asked us if we were from a Church, and it turns out that he was way more interested in coming to church than to Eikaiwa! So we exchanged phone numbers with him, and told him where and when church was and he went on his way. Well that was a few weeks ago, and yesterday he came to church! The members immediately started talking to him and welcoming him, and after Sacrament meeting (which is last here), he even stayed to eat food and talk to people! He had a great time at church, and set an appointment with the Elders this Thursday! I will be honest, I am sad that we don't get to teach him because we found him, but President Rasmussen has asked that we have Elders teach men and Sisters teach women, and that we need to pass when it is someone of the opposite sex. It makes me sad. But! Atsushi San is someone who has been prepared for the Lord, and I am just thankful that we were able to find and invite him! Woohoo!

This week, we also were able to communicate with Yuki San! She made us gyoza, and wanted to meet to talk about things. She said that she was feeling a lot of pressure from the Church to get baptized, and that she wasn't ready. She said that she just wants to take things slowly and that she will commit when she wants to commit. It was an eye-opening experience for me because I realized that I haven't been loving her as much as I should. So, from now on, we will just LOVE! Love, it really is all you need.

I have been so blessed this week to be really in tune with the Spirit, and to really expect to be guided by my Heavenly Father and Savior. We have seen some great miracles this week, and I am so grateful for the love that I can feel for the people around me through the Savior.

I was reading this morning a book written by M. Russell Ballard called Our Search For Happiness, and I found something I really believe to be true:
"The best thing about living a Christ-centered life is how it makes you feel. It's hard to have a negative attitude about things if and when your life is focused on the Prince of Peace. There will still be problems. Everyone has them. But faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a power to be reckoned with in the universe and in individual lives. It can be a causative force through which miracles are wrought. It can also be a source of inner strength through which we find self-esteem, peace of mind, contentment, and the courage to cope."

I know the Savior lives. I know that any sort of wrong can be made right in and through His Atonement. I have faith in Jesus Christ, and I have hope for a bright future! He lives! He is my Joy and my Song! He is my Light! He is my Life! I have felt to sing the sing of His redeeming love. What a beautiful message.

Love: Shak Shimai