10.02.2012

aloha family happy october!

Dear wonderful family,
So this week was so much fun. President Budge said that one of the reasons we cease to see miracles is because we just don't believe.  So lately we really have been exercising a lot of faith and just talking to everyone.  I LOVE IT!  Tokyo is such a busy, busy place.  But the great thing about that it is, you don't have to go far to find a new friend.  If one person doesn't want to talk, you just simply turn your head to the next person sitting next to you on the train, or sidewalk or wherever, and there is your new opportunity. There are JUST PEOPLE everywhere!  The trains in the morning are actually hilarious.  The short people get squished in between the tall people's backs and have conversations with each other (like their own short people's little world) (imagine a big concert where everyone wants to be up front, you're super squished but you're moving).
I love planning activities, I realized!  Everyone says that each missionary is different, and I'm finding that's what I really love is that.  It seems the most natural to me.  Once people get inside the church to a fun activity, they realize church / church people aren't scary, and then they can relax.  I like that the best!.  I keep feeling so grateful for every experience leading up to being here now, because I truly feel that each step we take in life prepares us for what is next.  Even the hard experiences we have, prepare us maybe to help someone with something similar in the future, or we can pull strength from knowing we are capable of doing something. 
I love this that someone said this week, "What you are becoming is more important than who you have been.  You don't have to reach perfection in this life, we just have to keep trying".  I really know that this is true.  I used to stress myself out a lot when I first got here thinking about all the things I couldn't do but we don't have to do it all, or even do it alone.  We just have to do our best, and then after that, it really is through Jesus Christ's perfect sacrifice that makes up for all the rest.
We made this little weekly kids English class here in our new area and the kids are all so cute. Their voices are so high pitched and they love learning. It's a good chance for mothers to just be in the church and learn that we just want to help them in any way we can.  If this transfer were to have a title it would be "Killin me with cuteness". 
There is this word in Japanese that people say "sasega."  It means like "of course you would".  I feel Sasega Vail Shimai, saying this but of course we had to make a talent show!  It brought me back to BYUH days, and it was so much fun seeing everyone's unique talents.  There were some unexpected acts like breakdancing, and weight lifting, a puppet show, and a pianist who broke down he got so into the playing.   Sister Stevenson and I sang and I tried my best to play the ukulele that one of the members lent us.  He also brought us these Hawaiian leis.  It made my head look super round but of course I wore it anyway.  Then our darling Japanese Elders and SisterStevensen and I sang "Don't Stop Believin" and the Bishopric played the guitars and drums.  It was awesome and our friends that we invited had a good time too. 
Being a missionary is like peeking into Heavenly Father's looking glass. This week this lady came to the church who had not come in a long time.  Sister Stevenson called her randomly so she met with us, and told us her recent situation which was very depressed.   She just cried and cried and told us how she could not forgive herself for the things she had done in her life.  That night I just felt so tired, I was hungry, my back hurt and I was just exhausted because it was almost 9 o'clock.  But it was actually a powerful experience.  As I sat there, as tired as I felt, I prayed in my heart to just be able to have the energy to listen.  Sitting there I really began to see her as my sister, and felt a tremendous amount of love for her.  This experience really showed me that God knows each one of his children and also that his love is so much deeper then we could ever fathom. 
I always run out of time, but I love you each, and I know that everything will be okay through Jesus Christ's perfect atonement, we just have to do our best!
ps momi the kid's are TO DIE FOR!!!!!






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