This week's reflections -November 17, 2014

I can't remember if I told you this last Monday or not, so I'll tell
it again. Sorry, if I told you last week. Nakajima shimai called us up
on Monday and told us her son and family were coming over and she
wanted us to meet them. Cute, right?! Love this steki family. Got to
share about the plan of salvation and Book of Mormon a little bit.
Wonderful testimony builder. Oh, how I long to be as good as Nakajima
shimai. 

 

District meeting. Always great. I taught everyone how to make
baptismal calendars for our investigators with baptismal dates. That
was great. I love training!! Also, I think I might have told you this,
but Koga is known for getting flat tires. It is such a big area and we
use our bikes everywhere we go, so we get flats super easy. So, the
elders helped us learn how to fix it on our own. That was great too.
Itou san. This is Nishi Shimai (mother of Usui shimai, Usui kyoudais
wife). Love her so much.

She is adorable. She helped us with Itou sans lesson. Itou san is kind of 

an eternal investigator.Found him in the area book. First time meeting him

this week. It is so important to always teach with a purpose. I feel like most 

eternal investigators that I have run into have been taught by previous
missionaries just for a knowledge, and not with a purpose of baptism
in mind. You are never pushing someone when you are inviting them to
come unto Christ and be saved. 
We went to visit one of our investigators this one day totsuzen. It
took us about one hour to find the place. Well, the it turned out she
wasn't home. I told sister Owens we were going to find someone I this
area because wherever we go, we are on the lords errand.  Mounted our
bikes and I saw a lady with a cute dog and said, she is the one. Went
up to her. Turns out she speaks pretty good english and is very open
to learning about religion. Showed us her house, gave us her number.
She doesn't have a job and we can visit whenever! Wow! Cool, right?!
The gospel is true! Her name is Akiko san by the way. 
So we found out last monday that we missed Okada Shimai's bday by a
few days, so we threw a little party/lesson on Wednesday. So much fun!

Weekly planning. I have become quite the fan of planning. I remember
at the start of my mission I just wanted to go out and do, do, do.
Although that is still my desire, I have learned the value of
planning. It helps everything go along so smoothly. I don't know how I
survived without a planner before my mission. I love my missionary
planner. That and my iPad. If I have those two things, I pretty much
have everything.
I think you will all enjoy this next story. So I called the office
couple that are at the honbu to get my card number for money that I
wanted. Elder Evans checked on it for me and replied in a shocked
voice, you have tons of money on your card! Some missionaries have
quite a bit, but that is the most money I have ever seen left on a
card. I had to just giggle and say, yeah, my family wouldn't be
surprised. :) 
Went to Toma kuns Undoukai (sports day) and Nakajima shimai came too
to support him. Just spent a little bit of our lunch hour there and
left. Japan school is just too fun looking!!


So the same Filipinos we met last weekend that I
told you about, well, we met them again is week on the same day at
pretty much the same place and time.


Guuzen janaiya!! Way cool. And the best thing about it is that we
couldn't find their Facebook names that they gave us, so we got to
again swap information so we can be friends with them and help them
come closer to Christ!!


Ayabe family. Shoma kun could not keep his eyes out from
the children's Book of Mormon. It was awesome. Even when we started
the English lesson, he was still reading like crazy. So thankful for
children's examples. 
We had family night and me and Sister Owens were in charge of music.
We had ueda shimai and Nakajima shimai sing a famous Japanese song.
Love these two so much.




After family night (Saturday night), I got together with
Sora san (on the right of this picture) and ueda shimai(on the left
side) and taught about god. Sora san isn't sure if god is there or not
and it was awesome to hear ueda shimai testify about how she knows god
is there. Ah, please pray for ueda Shimai. Thanks :) 
I am amazed at how many people don't know how to cook. My companion
said she was going to make everyone pancakes on Sunday morning, but we
all ate our own food for breakfast. Then she was making pancakes for
herself and all of the sudden our house gets super smoky and my pan
that I bought about a month ago for cooking was completely burnt! That
was the first time I have seen her cook.  Pretty sure that might be
the last. I always cook for her. At the start of my mission, I
preferred just doing separate meals because I can make and eat super
fast. But over the last little while, I find it very fulfilling and
service oriented to cook for my companion. So thankful that my mission
has helped me develop skills that I will need going forward in life. 
This Sunday we had our Primary program (interesting that you had yours
this last weekend as well). We have about 9 kids in our primary.
Crazy, right?! Very small. Hopefully soon we will be able to get 10
because of Okada Shimai's son, toma kun. :) They did so good. I love
learning from the children. They teach such simple truths so well and
their hearts are so pure. 


Okada shimai came to church again! So excited for her
progress. She has slowly been climbing out of her shell and talks
really well with all the members. Oh, how I love her. This week she is
going to ask for permission from her husband to be baptized. If there
is one things could have you pray for this week in every prayer
possible, it would be that she can get permission. This is so
important. We are doing all that we can to help her prepare to ask.
She goes to visit her husband once a week in the hospital. He got into
an accident a little while and is still nyuuinchuu (sorry, forgot the
word in English). Dad, help me out if you remember. We are still
aiming for November 30. Everyone, let's unite in this great case.
Okada shimai needs your help!! 
We had a lesson and dinner at the Nakamura family's house. Oh, how I
love that family. I always forget to take a picture with them. I will
try to remember next time. When they come to America for General
Conference in the future, I am going to go with them!! 
We had a lesson with Ken Son again. I still can't figure him out. He
believes this church is true, but isn't willing to act on what he
believes.


Your weekly dose of Nakajima Shimai and me :) we went
to visit a new investigator right before shopping, but she wasn't
home. Well, that happens. But you have to learn to make the most of
what comes, so we took a funny picture together. :) we spent pretty
much all three ours of our dendou time with her visiting people. Got
to love it!! :) 
This week I am looking forward to Zone Conference (Friday) and Stake
Conference (Saturday and Sunday). All three of those will be in
Kiryuu, which is a LONG way a way from here. It will be interesting to
go three days in a row. Excited to learn lots from our church leaders.
️Lots of loves️
山内姉妹