So ever since you sent me
that email about the butterfly every once in a while I will see one on
clothes like an advertisement. The day
you sent it I saw a real one on my bag! Like it might be coincidence but
really they pop up everywhere! It always makes me smile when
they do!
Thursday was the blitz! As a zone we all went down to this one area to go and find and visit less -actives. About 14 of us total went to joyo to help out the elders there. They have been having such a hard time and we all went down (to the river to pray) do the lords work! We did splits and so it was Price Shimai and I, she's a first transfer. That made me the senpai or senior companion! A few days before, I wasn’t too thrilled about it but then I repented of my sucky attitude and just decided that it doesn't matter how bad we are at the language, we have to do the work. So it was me and the Brit (she's from England) and we just combined our dendo fire and turned it into a dendo tornado!! We had been given a list of less- actives and we tried to go find them and teach them. So turns out all the less actives we tried to visit didn’t actually answer or they slammed the door in our faces but the houses next to them were all miracles!
Thursday was the blitz! As a zone we all went down to this one area to go and find and visit less -actives. About 14 of us total went to joyo to help out the elders there. They have been having such a hard time and we all went down (to the river to pray) do the lords work! We did splits and so it was Price Shimai and I, she's a first transfer. That made me the senpai or senior companion! A few days before, I wasn’t too thrilled about it but then I repented of my sucky attitude and just decided that it doesn't matter how bad we are at the language, we have to do the work. So it was me and the Brit (she's from England) and we just combined our dendo fire and turned it into a dendo tornado!! We had been given a list of less- actives and we tried to go find them and teach them. So turns out all the less actives we tried to visit didn’t actually answer or they slammed the door in our faces but the houses next to them were all miracles!
Never had I given a Book of Mormon on my own, start the conversation, give the book, and testify, AND they actually accept it! That rarely happens, let alone twice in one day! First this old man we talked to was saying his mom use to go to church and how nobody respects religion anymore. I asked him if he knew about Jesus Christ and he said, "kirisuto san? He's a good guy, I don't know much about him." I gave him the book and told him he could learn about Christ. He got excited and took the book. He kept asking if it was okay to take our book. Another woman was kind of the same and she said she was another religion but asked if it was okay if she read it. People, this blitz was full of miracles! Everyone had great experiences and tender mercies given to them. In one day we taught 47 lessons, gave out 20 Book of Mormons and got 11 new investigators for the joyo area which before had none. At the end of the day, I can't believe I get to be a missionary. I seriously love being a missionary and I don't want to leave Japan. This sounds so cliché and typical missionary but I cannot imagine what I'd be doing or who I would be if I wasn't here right now. This is exactly where I need to be. I am so happy nothing can top my joy!
Friday night was our Thanksgiving with the Brown family. It was a bunch of us, missionaries, college student members, recent converts and investigators. We had a great time laughing and eating mashed potatoes and other things (no rice). It was so much fun! We played signs and then we did the spiritual message. We talked about gratitude (obvious) I talked/testified about how grateful we are for everything, family, friends, missionary work, ...baptisms, etc. We asked a few people to tell what they were thankful for and then Gen, a recent convert, Chinese, and a sweetheart (he keeps coming to me for girl advice:), told us what he was grateful for. He pointed to the sky and said "... Him." He continued to say "Life sometimes doesn't work out and you can ask your friends, you can ask your parents but they can’t help you. Everything seems to be going wrong, and you don't know what to do. But I KNOW, that it is HIM, who can help us. He is my savior. He knows. He knows me." After he said this and other things, the spirit was thick in the room and you could feel his testimony, because he does know! He knows that there is only one who understands. I love Gen, he's so funny! He loves frank Sinatra and always wears suteki clothes (looks fly) and super cool hats!
It was the best Thanksgiving I've ever had...TOMOKO IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!! Before there were complications with her going to Hokkaido and not being able to go to church but now she can and when we told her, her face lit up like sunshine! Her baptism interview was like hour and 10 minutes long because she was so excited and loves to talk! But Sunday morning came and we were able to get her baptized. My companion and I sang “I know my redeemer lives”. When we sang the last verse it was Edwards in Japanese and me in English till the last part which is, しゅは生けりと知る。or shu wa ikeri to shiru. Which translates, “I know the Lord lives.” That line was so powerful! Afterwards we went to the bathroom to help Tomoko and when we opened the door there was about 3 inches of water on the floor. It only took a second for us to realize that, the mission leader, who turned on the font, DIDN’T TURN IT OFF! Water everywhere! Also my boots were soaked because we had towalk in it to grab Tomoko's things. Yup, so we overflowed the font and flooded the bath room! But we still got her baptized! Besides standing in a puddle the baptism was the best part! When she came out of the water, I could hear in my mind, 'she's clean.' She was grinning ear to ear and she looked brighter, happier, and I know they say this alot in baptisms but really she looked brighter than your average everyday person. Then we concluded the service and then had sacrament meeting. That's when we did the gift of the Holy Ghost. I'm so grateful for the priesthood.
All those who were invited to participate came up and placed their hands on her head. Even now as I type this I can feel the truth from the spirit. I thought of how grateful I am to have this gift and now so does Tomoko. Afterwards you could tell that there was something different in her. She seemed to be whole or at least complete. She didn't have that companion before, but now she does and there is a difference! She told us few days later about how at the baptism, she saw her great aunt (who is passed away) and how she saw her smiling at her. She told us her aunt loved Jesus Christ. That was so amazing!
I love this gift of the Spirit and I cannot imagine what life would be like without it.
I love this gospel and I love Christ and I love my mission! I love being a missionary! It seriously is the best thing in the whole world (at least up until this point). Matthew 11:15 "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!" Let him hear of the joy the Savior brings, the hope that he gives and the life I can have with him and by my side. I love what I do.
Love ya,
Madeline
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