こんにちは!
Transfers happened! Olson姉妹 and I are back at it, this time in 日本! It's really fun and interesting realizing we've both grown and improved in a lot of ways.
During the announcements on Sunday, a member who helps seat people tapped us on the shoulder because a girl had walked in who nobody had ever seen before. She sat between me and Sister Esplin (see below) and when we asked what her name was, she replied that she didn't speak Japanese because she's from China. She got a headset, and even though when asked said she'd been to church before, it was obviously other Christian churches because she asked why we drank water, not wine with the sacrament. Sister Esplin explained it by sharing a scripture from D&C using her personal scriptures, which led the girl to be curious about this book that wasn't the Bible. We left for a bit to try and find a chinese Book of Mormon, but there unfortunately weren't any in the church. So, I pulled it up on my tablet and opened to the introduction, which she read. And then kept reading. She read through at least 1 Nephi 2.
In talking to her, she told us that her family is all Christian. And she had a friend from Utah who told her about "Mormon." Apparently she'd heard we have a lot of rules, like always keeping a straight face. We were like "???! No, that's not a rule." So funny. We got her LINE, but unfortunately she's moving this week. We messaged her after church, and she said "i didnt understand much what they said, but i felt good." We sent her information about the gospel library app, and she said she will try to learn about Mormons later and stay Christian because of her family and because she's dyslexic. She hasn't read the Bible all the way through and seemed to think that was something to be ashamed of. For now we'll keep reassuring her that God loves her, send her some scriptures now and then, and hopefully help her get more interest.
On Wednesday, transfer day, in order to make some switches between companions, we had to take the 電車 (densha) all the way to Takao, which is 1.5-2 hours away on a good day without delays. And of course there were delays. But everything worked out and the exchange was kinda crazy because almost everybody had former companions in the group, and all but 1 of my companions were there. And Olson姉妹 and I made it back to 浦安 safely!
Spiritual Stuff:
Over the past week or two, we've really started realizing that our main 3 people we teach, who we meet every week, are SO CLOSE to baptism. They just each have things holding them back that we're working on helping them get rid of. For all of them, it's coming to church and/or the opposition of family members. One thing we'll be focusing on with them is Jesus Christ and His Atonement, and the significance of the sacrament. If they can understand the sacrifice that Christ made and what a blessing it is to take the sacrament, it will take them one big step closer to baptism and entering the gate to the path that will lead them to eternal happiness.
In talking to her, she told us that her family is all Christian. And she had a friend from Utah who told her about "Mormon." Apparently she'd heard we have a lot of rules, like always keeping a straight face. We were like "???! No, that's not a rule." So funny. We got her LINE, but unfortunately she's moving this week. We messaged her after church, and she said "i didnt understand much what they said, but i felt good." We sent her information about the gospel library app, and she said she will try to learn about Mormons later and stay Christian because of her family and because she's dyslexic. She hasn't read the Bible all the way through and seemed to think that was something to be ashamed of. For now we'll keep reassuring her that God loves her, send her some scriptures now and then, and hopefully help her get more interest.
Daily Life/Fun Stories:
On Wednesday, transfer day, in order to make some switches between companions, we had to take the 電車 (densha) all the way to Takao, which is 1.5-2 hours away on a good day without delays. And of course there were delays. But everything worked out and the exchange was kinda crazy because almost everybody had former companions in the group, and all but 1 of my companions were there. And Olson姉妹 and I made it back to 浦安 safely!
Saturday was our ward's 新年大掃除 (shinnen oosouji= new year's big cleaning) and もちつき (mochitsuki= mochi making). The 新年大掃除 was just getting rid of stuff nobody uses and wiping down all the chairs, but the もちつき was an experience every missionary in 日本 looks forward to. So fun. And the results were delicious.
We came downstairs from cleaning, looked outside at the もちつき set-up, and discovered that it was snowing. And not just tiny, pathetic, snowflakes. There were full on flurries falling from the sky. I was shocked and amazed and all sorts of emotions because I completely had not expected to be able to see snow during my mission. Maybe I could have guessed that morning by how cold it was walking to the church in freezing rain, but I hadn't expected it to turn into snow. During our もちつき. An experience I'll never forget.
This Sunday we had several surprise visitors. Some were here for grandkids, some as YSA reps. Also President and Sister Esplin. President Esplin asked if one of us could translate for Sister Esplin and we were like, well we've never translated before and this ward has professionals so let's get her a headset.
Today for P-Day our district went out for yakiniku (japanese barbecue) with the Koiwa missionaries and 2 Koiwa members. It was my first time at yakiniku, which is unbelievable considering I've been in 日本 for 6 months. All you can eat for 90 minutes, cook your own yakiniku. There may have occasionally been nn too much fire involved, but it was a good time.
New Foods:
-Daikon soy sauce mochi
-yakiniku
About the Pictures:
- Found my favorite character (last week's P-Day)
- Augustus姉妹 as your neighborhood hero
- Making mochi!
- Back at it
- We love 浦安
- Little kids pounding mochi is so cute!
- Kinako and anko mochi. So tasty.
- Some of the best oyakodon I've ever had
- Snow!
- Love this little river
- First yakiniku experience!
愛しています!
-スナ一姉妹
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