6.29.2012

Week 3 in Nihon, Japan


Aloha family!
This week has been awesome so far!
So this is such a surprise, but one of our investigators Sachi-son. She has this heart condition, she's probably in her late 60ies, and even though we don't speak the same language I can't help but feel close to her.  Japanese people love to give gifts, they are always bringing gifts and making you feel special.  Well after our lesson this week, Sachi-son  brought us some coffee candies, and  my sweet companion, of course, says "we actually can't have those!" and I thought "oh no!" Now she won't want to hear what we have to say!"  But we ended up teaching her unexpectedly about the Word of Wisdom --- and surprise --- she loved it!  She loved the Word of Wisdom. Because of her heart condition, her doctor told her that coffee. alcohol, all the same things we avoid, she has been avoiding too on  account of her heart.  She said, but in Japanese, "I like this church, and I feel we are the same kind of people".  It was such a wonderful thing!  Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways!  What I thought would be a disaster actually helped Sachi-son grow closer to the gospel.
For P-day today we climbed Mt Takao.  It was so beautiful and very misty at the top! I felt like I was in Hawaii or the rain forest in Washington.  The whole time I kept hoping I would come across a monkey.  On the map they said there were monkeys somewhere lurking around.  But we saw all these very old Japanese temples and little Buddhas wearing red bibs.  I loved being in nature again. It was so calming and fun.  The elders are hilarious too.  I love my zone, they feel like a family always wanting to do things together.
On the way down we took this cable car, there was no bar to secure you in!  I keptaccidentally imagining what I would do in case I fell off.  My life, I felt, was dangling by a thread, and of course the elders behind us were thinking it was hilarious to bounce. 
This week was kind of bitter sweet, our mission president, President  Albrecht, and his wife left.  I have only known him for a few weeks but love him already.  He is such a hard worker and always says, "how ever goes your day, goes your week, and so goes your life"...
This week was Kai Shimai's birthday.  I feel so lucky to have her as a companion.  This sweet couple, the Inagakis, took us and the two elders in our ward out for dinner.  It was this really chic Japanese place, where their specialty was bread, so throughout the entire meal they just kept bringing different varieties of bread, loved it!
I'm finding that faith is like an allowance.  But we only run out or exhaust it when we quit using it.  It's really interesting.  Like putting money in a coin machine, we have to let go of our coin, or dollar to see the snack pop out the other side.  Only of course with life, things come out of the machine that we never imagined for ourselves. 
This week a typhoon passed through here, it wasn't so bad but very windy and rainy.  The great thing about typhoons is, the morning after the storm passes, the sky is sooo beautiful and clear.  Like Noah's ark I'm sure.  I was thinking that with any hard day, you can just bet that tomorrow, will have to be better.  It always is. 
People here are very generous and kind.  I am learning so much and I really know that when we put our faith in Heavenly Father and just trust him, he will make everything work out.
I love you all and am grateful for you.
Marni

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