Monday was ping pong day. And then I got snubbed but that's okay because
I love God more.
Tuesday was our P-day last week! (Just last week) We spent three hours at an all you can eat meat place, also known as yakiniku. It was so delicious. They had really good chocolate ice cream. After that we biked out to Habikino and taught English. On the way home Elder Westhoff started mumbling gibberish and when I asked him he got a little too excited but shouted, I'm learning Chinese! As we biked home we practiced the only Chinese we know which is from a missionary app for those learning a language (God loves you, and is your Heavenly Father) and French from Elder Philburn and Spanish from Sister Larsen ...my brain hurt at the end because I can't speak English or Japanese any more.
Wednesday we did things, such as trying out a new survey to lead into teaching people. Pretty good for the first day but it's a work in progress. The sun was like an oven though...I thought my shoes were melting intothe pavement for a moment. We then visited my Fisher Shimai and sang children's hymns and she fed us good food. Healthy food, like this really good fried rice. We talked about music and had this idea to get
her sister to church again, by asking her to sing with us in sacrament meeting! We went into her room to go ask her right and she had Sophie, their dog and the two of them were really intense, the dog was doing circles! They were watching sumo wrestling on TV. We sat down and then we were sucked in. We watched a few matches and it was first just surprising because it's these fat men going up against each other trying to give the other wedgies right, but it was really interesting.
It was like the worst time to ask if she wanted to sing with us but we tried, she kept making excuses but next time :) Dude I could watch sumo tournaments for hours with Ne-chan (Fisher's sister). She makes it fun because she starts yelling at the tv. Afterwards we went and played ping pong. It was fun until I slipped and fell because I was in socks. It was funny and painful because I was going for the ping pong ball and missed and fell. We all died of laughter. At eikaiwa we received Philippine mangos. So life is good. So good. So delicious.
Thursday was a Kokon, or companion exchange with Zhou Shimai. She is my favorite Chinese sister, did you know she was converted two years ago? And when I asked her what her plans were after her mission, it is was the best answer. "I'm going to go get sealed to my family in the temple." So happy! Anywho, we did a Mogi or roleplay lesson with Tomura Shimai and afterwards went out to get cake, it was delicious!
After that we Biked to Habikino, it took longer because Zhou is not a fast biker. There in the old church building we taught Shannon, our Chinese investigator. Together we were able to teach the whole restoration and we gave her a Chinese Book of Mormon and before we had even asked her to read or pray about it she told us that she would do just that! She is so ready for this gospel. That was such a good lesson the spirit was so strong!
Friday was district meeting. We have a new district leader and I wasn't so sure about him yet....but when we met him...found out that he's pretty chill. I like him. He leaves for home soon though. After that we went out to get curry and guess what else? I hit my year mark! Say what? That went by to quick! Like I was just hanging out with the best district in the world in the MTC. So much has happened since then! I don't have enough time left!!
Saturday we had lunch with Michia. When we started talking about the Book of Mormon she told us she didn't read it because, "I'm already happy," that was frustrating. After that we had a lesson with Chihiro Mori. She had called the Elders to see if she could do the eikaiwa program and they sent her to us. At first she just wanted to learn English, but with the program we do it's half English half gospel. She
was very willing and by the end she too was very willing to read the Book of Mormon. That was so unexpected. Later that night I taught Kokura Shimai how to play ukulele and she was so happy! She wants to go do ukulele missionary work! So that's exciting and very happy.
Sunday was way good. Erika, the Elder's gator (investigator), had some interesting
questions about repentance and mamiya, the teacher seemed way annoyed because that's not where she wanted her lesson to go but it ended being good, she tells me that she likes it here! (Meaning the church). She's a little bit of an odd ball but we love her! And then primary. I love primary, mainly because children are speaking Japanese
that I cannot :) We were the special guest singers again for Fisher Shimai, who teaches music in primary. After church we received a ton of food from members, it's such a blessing. I love the members.
I talked with Kokura and Kono Shimai about scriptures that we liked and then showed pictures off of my iPad. I was kneeling for like 20 minutes right, then I told them I have to sit down and as I did, Kono Shimai sat down with me (she's like 70+), why we didn't go get chairs beats me but it was nice sitting with her and Kokura Shimai just talking about spiritual things and family. We sang aloha oe together.
The best part about church was when we got a yukata from Hirano Shimai. It's like a
summer kimono. It was the full set. I'll send pictures next week, it's for the summer festival next Saturday. She is so kind to us. After that we went to this station to do some dendo things and on our way home this man, shouted out to me as I passed by, "Anesani! Chotto matte kudasai!" (direct translation is Elder, Sister, please wait) it's nicer in Japanese ✨😆 This guy who stopped me (no one stops us) was so cool
looking! Like his outfit was so chill for summer but it was like both top and shorts matched splattered with white paint, and his hair, like Japanese Thor but it wasn't blonde...so cool! 😍 Anyway he asked if we were missionaries and we answered of course and then he asked us if we had a chirashi for English class and that he wanted to come. We talked for a bit and gave him our number. So cool! Anyway, many more miracles but I am running out of time. Another miracle happened today when we met Sam, our African possible, and he was so happy to see us and said he wants meet now! Prayers are answered!!!!!! Okay, I got to go! Love you!
Love,
Oswald
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Friday, July 22, 2016
JULY 19 - THINGS HAPPEN BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WRITE ABOUT THEM
Okay family, where do I begin? This week was the first week of the new transfer! Monday we went out to eat with our wonderful Sekime member (not our area but she loves us so we're special) at Sweets Paradise that was fun! (Pictures in previous post). Woah! That was fun.
Tuesday began the wait for transfer calls. We had gone all day with out a call and then we met with Elders and they got really excited and they said they knew what was happening with calls. I personally had been looking forward to transfers a new start somewhere or with someone right? Right? Wrong. It was complete shock. Both the Elders and Sisters in Higashi Osaka are staying! It's way rare, and this will be a 3rd transfer with my companion sister Larsen...I love her but I have had a different
companion each transfer except the last so this will be a new experience! Yay! 😅😁
We then taught eikaiwa and biked home. Wednesday was a great day! We went to Fisher Shimais house and taught a great lesson. She is so kind to us and loves to talk. Her sister isn't a member because of mental health reasons but she was able to sing with us the hymns for first time in a long time. Her sister is so awesome, she loves sumo wrestling and she likes us because we ask her about it :)
Then at eikaiwa we had a great time. We had one student....it was awkward...mainly because of the recent changes made to it that people don't feel like coming. But anyway the advance class people came and they all speak English and usually one of them comes and sits in on our class so they can try out translating. Well we went through our lesson super quick and so we played a game where we have to guess the word without looking at it while the others describe it. It ended up being so much fun, because it was us, sister Kashishita and Joshy who loves to shout and joke. Then the advanced people came in at the end and joined in on our game. We were throwing words up there that I had no idea what they meant but they did and it was lots of fun!
Thursday we had SKK (weekly planning) and lesson with English students and then
biked home...not too exciting. The lesson was good though 😁✨
I don't even know what happened Friday....all our plans fell through and we ended up doing lots of finding but not much happened...we finished planning which takes freaking forever! Saturday was better. We had a great Mogi (roleplay) lesson with a member who told us of her conversion experience. Almost every member in Japan is a convert. First or second generations right, their testimonies of Joseph Smith,
the restoration and the Book of Mormon are incredible. That, I think, is my favorite part of talking to members, when they tell me of all the ways they were prepared before hand and how much they have changed because of it. It's so cool!
Then we went out to this one part of our area to see if we could meet with some PIs (possible investigators) and we saw this girl walking and crying, in highschool uniform. We immediately turned around and started to talk to her, asked if she was okay. We were on a narrow street so my comp walked with her and talked mostly I walked behind but then we were able to make her laugh and walked her all the way home. She was upset that she had messed something up at school. We hugged her and exchanged phone numbers and then we told her that she could pray, and we taught her how, then prayed with her right then. It was really good. The spirit was so strong. Hopefully we can go meet her again she was so beautiful!
Sunday was also great! The Elder's investigator came and she likes English so spoke to us for a long time but we had a meeting to go to but she didn't realize and so to help us out brother Kono just takes her away, with no words or anything or tact what so ever. She just rolled with it as well. It was so funny.
In Japan we have what's called a fruits basket where the members give the missionaries food, right, well in this area the last two transfers have been bare. Nothing, nada...which is fine but it helps because everything is so dang expensive and our new dendo Shunnin ward mission leader in English, got up in front of EVERYONE and said, "Our ward is known for having a bad fruits basket! That's embarrassing!! We need to do better!" Next thing you know we have so much food in our house now! :) so happy! Such a blessing!
Also at church we got to hang out in primary and learn about the new temple in Sapporo it's beautiful!!! So so so pretty! I want to go so bad!
We also had many people wish Liam a happy birthday! I don't anyone loves their family more than I do! Everyone knows that I love my family, everyone!
So the reason why we had Pday on Tuesday this week was because yesterday we had a Ping-pong tournament with the ward that lasted all day. It was so much fun!
Sorry this is short. For some reason it's really hard to write this email...so much happens but not enough time or brain capacity to write it all out.
Also I'm related to Elder Zachery Rackham Westhoff. I get a call during study one day and he shouts, "Sister Oswald what is your first name and your mom's name?!" I tell him, he has Rackhams in his family and so do I so he was curious. About half an hour later another phone call, "Hello cousin! We share the same great times like 8? Grandpa, Benjamin Rackham." He had two sons and they are the same amount of
generations down to me and Elder Westhoff. We told our eikaiwa students and they were like your ancestors must be happy and were like yeah, because we're doing that mission thing :)
We also ate out today, it was all you can eat....I'm so tired...,I hate and love food so much....anyway I'll leave you all with a scripture.
3 Nephi 11:11
And behold, I am the light and the life of the world;
and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given
me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the
world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all
things from the beginning.
He is the light. I know it. I know that my Savior is my light. I have a picture of Christ hanging on the wall above my desk and the other day I had been accused by a certain troublesome member....of not being a good missionary or something of the like. She always wants to find ways to get at us but it had hurt, it had tore me down and I cried. One of my favorite quotes is, "You could be the biggest, juiciest, most delicious peach in the world and someone is still going to dislike peaches." Her opinion of something that is not true will not deter me from who I am. As I sat in my chair trying to process what had just happened, I opened my eyes and looked to the wall where my Savior's
face was. There he was staring right at me. He's eyes looked into mine. I felt my worth quickly return to me, he then was my light. I stared at this painting for a long time. Tears fell again but this time realizing that he had drank my bitter cup, he is my light. I felt physical comfort. I knew he had my back. He is there for you. No matter what anyone else may say or that you may say to yourself. Your Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, is on your side! And he does heal, sometimes it's hard to understand, I find that I understand it most when I've done all that I can and things like to knock me down or try to. He will bear our burdens with us.
I love you all! So much!!
Love Sister Oswald
Tuesday began the wait for transfer calls. We had gone all day with out a call and then we met with Elders and they got really excited and they said they knew what was happening with calls. I personally had been looking forward to transfers a new start somewhere or with someone right? Right? Wrong. It was complete shock. Both the Elders and Sisters in Higashi Osaka are staying! It's way rare, and this will be a 3rd transfer with my companion sister Larsen...I love her but I have had a different
companion each transfer except the last so this will be a new experience! Yay! 😅😁
We then taught eikaiwa and biked home. Wednesday was a great day! We went to Fisher Shimais house and taught a great lesson. She is so kind to us and loves to talk. Her sister isn't a member because of mental health reasons but she was able to sing with us the hymns for first time in a long time. Her sister is so awesome, she loves sumo wrestling and she likes us because we ask her about it :)
Then at eikaiwa we had a great time. We had one student....it was awkward...mainly because of the recent changes made to it that people don't feel like coming. But anyway the advance class people came and they all speak English and usually one of them comes and sits in on our class so they can try out translating. Well we went through our lesson super quick and so we played a game where we have to guess the word without looking at it while the others describe it. It ended up being so much fun, because it was us, sister Kashishita and Joshy who loves to shout and joke. Then the advanced people came in at the end and joined in on our game. We were throwing words up there that I had no idea what they meant but they did and it was lots of fun!
Thursday we had SKK (weekly planning) and lesson with English students and then
biked home...not too exciting. The lesson was good though 😁✨
I don't even know what happened Friday....all our plans fell through and we ended up doing lots of finding but not much happened...we finished planning which takes freaking forever! Saturday was better. We had a great Mogi (roleplay) lesson with a member who told us of her conversion experience. Almost every member in Japan is a convert. First or second generations right, their testimonies of Joseph Smith,
the restoration and the Book of Mormon are incredible. That, I think, is my favorite part of talking to members, when they tell me of all the ways they were prepared before hand and how much they have changed because of it. It's so cool!
Then we went out to this one part of our area to see if we could meet with some PIs (possible investigators) and we saw this girl walking and crying, in highschool uniform. We immediately turned around and started to talk to her, asked if she was okay. We were on a narrow street so my comp walked with her and talked mostly I walked behind but then we were able to make her laugh and walked her all the way home. She was upset that she had messed something up at school. We hugged her and exchanged phone numbers and then we told her that she could pray, and we taught her how, then prayed with her right then. It was really good. The spirit was so strong. Hopefully we can go meet her again she was so beautiful!
Sunday was also great! The Elder's investigator came and she likes English so spoke to us for a long time but we had a meeting to go to but she didn't realize and so to help us out brother Kono just takes her away, with no words or anything or tact what so ever. She just rolled with it as well. It was so funny.
In Japan we have what's called a fruits basket where the members give the missionaries food, right, well in this area the last two transfers have been bare. Nothing, nada...which is fine but it helps because everything is so dang expensive and our new dendo Shunnin ward mission leader in English, got up in front of EVERYONE and said, "Our ward is known for having a bad fruits basket! That's embarrassing!! We need to do better!" Next thing you know we have so much food in our house now! :) so happy! Such a blessing!
Also at church we got to hang out in primary and learn about the new temple in Sapporo it's beautiful!!! So so so pretty! I want to go so bad!
We also had many people wish Liam a happy birthday! I don't anyone loves their family more than I do! Everyone knows that I love my family, everyone!
So the reason why we had Pday on Tuesday this week was because yesterday we had a Ping-pong tournament with the ward that lasted all day. It was so much fun!
Sorry this is short. For some reason it's really hard to write this email...so much happens but not enough time or brain capacity to write it all out.
Also I'm related to Elder Zachery Rackham Westhoff. I get a call during study one day and he shouts, "Sister Oswald what is your first name and your mom's name?!" I tell him, he has Rackhams in his family and so do I so he was curious. About half an hour later another phone call, "Hello cousin! We share the same great times like 8? Grandpa, Benjamin Rackham." He had two sons and they are the same amount of
generations down to me and Elder Westhoff. We told our eikaiwa students and they were like your ancestors must be happy and were like yeah, because we're doing that mission thing :)
We also ate out today, it was all you can eat....I'm so tired...,I hate and love food so much....anyway I'll leave you all with a scripture.
3 Nephi 11:11
And behold, I am the light and the life of the world;
and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given
me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the
world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all
things from the beginning.
He is the light. I know it. I know that my Savior is my light. I have a picture of Christ hanging on the wall above my desk and the other day I had been accused by a certain troublesome member....of not being a good missionary or something of the like. She always wants to find ways to get at us but it had hurt, it had tore me down and I cried. One of my favorite quotes is, "You could be the biggest, juiciest, most delicious peach in the world and someone is still going to dislike peaches." Her opinion of something that is not true will not deter me from who I am. As I sat in my chair trying to process what had just happened, I opened my eyes and looked to the wall where my Savior's
face was. There he was staring right at me. He's eyes looked into mine. I felt my worth quickly return to me, he then was my light. I stared at this painting for a long time. Tears fell again but this time realizing that he had drank my bitter cup, he is my light. I felt physical comfort. I knew he had my back. He is there for you. No matter what anyone else may say or that you may say to yourself. Your Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, is on your side! And he does heal, sometimes it's hard to understand, I find that I understand it most when I've done all that I can and things like to knock me down or try to. He will bear our burdens with us.
I love you all! So much!!
Love Sister Oswald
Friday, July 15, 2016
JULY 11 - BREAK DANCING AND SINGING DRUNKS
Well that's an alarming title. It's to get your attention so you pay attention to my not very exciting but still pretty hectic week. As each week passes, how quick it goes is astonishing and then I look back and I feel like we did things but like on fast forward on a VCR. We let's look back shall we.
Yo, Monday happened. We went to Osaka jo or castle and had a picnic which just ended being too hot to do anything...so we went to Namba, this big shopping mall. I got some sick shades🕶. And so did the Elders. I'll send pictures. It was fun! Yeah, I didn't do much to celebrate America... i.e. no fire works :/
Now on to Tuesday. We went out to Habikino and had a birthday party for our investigator/not investigators. It was fun but slightly awkward. Families are tough especially if it was an arranged marriage. Poor miss Faiza, she works so hard for her daughters. Please pray for her. She is Islamic and so very kind to us. It was also hot on Tuesday and when we went to eikaiwa I talked to a woman about cats for a very long time during the conversation portion of the class. 😻
Wednesday it was really hot. Like really hot. Like drenched because it's so humid. 😓We went to fuse station to try to find this less active that lives around there but she said over the intercom either to go away or it wasn't them...I don't know I couldn't understand so then we walked around and I thought let's walk by Starbucks. We did, I saw this cool looking girl she had tattoos on her shoulders and back, ankle and wrist. I thought to myself I like her, I want to be her friend. She was drinking iced coffee I think well we'll work on that ;) anywho she saw our name tags and immediately asked if we were Christian and that was unexpected. Turns out she loves Jesus and we told her we taught about him and she was like please teach me! It was so cool. She's now a new investigator.
The end of Wednesday, most of Thursday and Friday we went and broke up potted trees for Sister Fisher. By Friday though there was tension all around because neighbors got angry because of all the trash bags full of dirt and bags ripped open and it was a huge mess. Over all, us and the elders ended up fighting about how to approach stressful situations and yadayada then we ended at the street corner fighting and then apologizing to each other.....people passed us and stared at us like what the heck are these four white peeps doing on the corner shouting at each other....to be honest I'm don't remember why we were angry. It was raining and then we made up! Yay! Now we're tight :3 ya not too exciting.
Thursday we went out to Habikino again and this guy asked us if we were from America and was like here I'll buy you drinks! He walked over to a vending machine and gave us sodas and turns out he was completely wasted...you could smell the alcohol on him...but we did teach him about Jesus though...and then we left him to go into a store to buy a snack. When we walked out there was another woman just shouting and singing like a mad woman. She sat on a bench and shouted, "OOOOsSUSHI! I love yoooou!"
Friday we had zone training meeting and we took a picture and it was crazy. An elder was finishing his mission and we call it dying. So we had a "funeral" for him. Saturday it rained. Yeah,th at made life harder, but we did learn how to break dance! That was cool! From our potential investigator... my hands are sore now.
Sunday was good really good. I had to give a talk in church. I talked about the temple. Gosh I miss the temple all you people who live near a temple just go. I and the members here have to wait so long to go. So sad but I love it. Then we had good classes at church and good time with members. Afterwards we had a concert at the church by the orchestra who practices at the building every Sunday. It was nice. We didn't end up getting home 'til like 5. It was a
long day at church.
I love you all. Please read Mosiah 15. Read it out loud. And listen to what Abinadi has to say about Jesus Christ and those who believe in Him. So wonderful. I'm so grateful to be a representative of Christ. No matter how hard the days may get, I can turn to his sweet words, listen to music that testifies of Him. The day we danced with our friend it was good but the music was draining.....afterwards we sang children primary songs with a member and that filled my heart once again with the Spirit. Not that those songs are bad, it's that as a missionary we really do have this special kind of spirit with us and you can feel the difference.
I love you! Remember to always smile. You never know who that may strengthen even if you don't feel like doing so yourself.
Love Sister Oswald
 |
| One reason to not go downtown |
Yo, Monday happened. We went to Osaka jo or castle and had a picnic which just ended being too hot to do anything...so we went to Namba, this big shopping mall. I got some sick shades🕶. And so did the Elders. I'll send pictures. It was fun! Yeah, I didn't do much to celebrate America... i.e. no fire works :/
Now on to Tuesday. We went out to Habikino and had a birthday party for our investigator/not investigators. It was fun but slightly awkward. Families are tough especially if it was an arranged marriage. Poor miss Faiza, she works so hard for her daughters. Please pray for her. She is Islamic and so very kind to us. It was also hot on Tuesday and when we went to eikaiwa I talked to a woman about cats for a very long time during the conversation portion of the class. 😻
Wednesday it was really hot. Like really hot. Like drenched because it's so humid. 😓We went to fuse station to try to find this less active that lives around there but she said over the intercom either to go away or it wasn't them...I don't know I couldn't understand so then we walked around and I thought let's walk by Starbucks. We did, I saw this cool looking girl she had tattoos on her shoulders and back, ankle and wrist. I thought to myself I like her, I want to be her friend. She was drinking iced coffee I think well we'll work on that ;) anywho she saw our name tags and immediately asked if we were Christian and that was unexpected. Turns out she loves Jesus and we told her we taught about him and she was like please teach me! It was so cool. She's now a new investigator.
The end of Wednesday, most of Thursday and Friday we went and broke up potted trees for Sister Fisher. By Friday though there was tension all around because neighbors got angry because of all the trash bags full of dirt and bags ripped open and it was a huge mess. Over all, us and the elders ended up fighting about how to approach stressful situations and yadayada then we ended at the street corner fighting and then apologizing to each other.....people passed us and stared at us like what the heck are these four white peeps doing on the corner shouting at each other....to be honest I'm don't remember why we were angry. It was raining and then we made up! Yay! Now we're tight :3 ya not too exciting.
Thursday we went out to Habikino again and this guy asked us if we were from America and was like here I'll buy you drinks! He walked over to a vending machine and gave us sodas and turns out he was completely wasted...you could smell the alcohol on him...but we did teach him about Jesus though...and then we left him to go into a store to buy a snack. When we walked out there was another woman just shouting and singing like a mad woman. She sat on a bench and shouted, "OOOOsSUSHI! I love yoooou!"
Friday we had zone training meeting and we took a picture and it was crazy. An elder was finishing his mission and we call it dying. So we had a "funeral" for him. Saturday it rained. Yeah,th at made life harder, but we did learn how to break dance! That was cool! From our potential investigator... my hands are sore now.
Sunday was good really good. I had to give a talk in church. I talked about the temple. Gosh I miss the temple all you people who live near a temple just go. I and the members here have to wait so long to go. So sad but I love it. Then we had good classes at church and good time with members. Afterwards we had a concert at the church by the orchestra who practices at the building every Sunday. It was nice. We didn't end up getting home 'til like 5. It was a
long day at church.
I love you all. Please read Mosiah 15. Read it out loud. And listen to what Abinadi has to say about Jesus Christ and those who believe in Him. So wonderful. I'm so grateful to be a representative of Christ. No matter how hard the days may get, I can turn to his sweet words, listen to music that testifies of Him. The day we danced with our friend it was good but the music was draining.....afterwards we sang children primary songs with a member and that filled my heart once again with the Spirit. Not that those songs are bad, it's that as a missionary we really do have this special kind of spirit with us and you can feel the difference.
I love you! Remember to always smile. You never know who that may strengthen even if you don't feel like doing so yourself.
Love Sister Oswald
Sunday, July 10, 2016
JULY 4, 2016 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!
Shout out to my peeps who get to blow things up all day! I miss fireworks!
So we did somethings this week. Such as dendouing with this old couple, and they fight over directions in Japanese. Brother Kono kept yelling at the gps because it told us to go into the river. Brother Kono shouts in English," There is no house here! It is river, okay. Jumpu. Ozuwarudo Shimai will swim. ( I told them I was on the swim team
in high school like 20 minutes before hand) We will drown, We are old."
Brother and Sister Kono were fighting over which way to go, it was nice to know that this happens in other countries and ten times funnier to hear in Japanese :) We then stopped to ask one old man who then turned to two other old women and then the four of them debate while another calls another person to ask if they know where Sister Sakamoto lives.....then we followed a woman on her bike and she leads us to the
house. I was an ordeal and then turns out she wasn't home. So sad. But in high spirits Kono took a our picture in front of the less active's house. I sadly do not have the picture.
Wednesday, I got to exchange with my Trainer Edwards Shiami!!! It was lots of fun. On that day we went on an awkward date with this potential which now is not so potential. He came out in the rain to pick up trash with us but it was just obvious that he only wanted to date us. And on top of that it rained. That we got a picture of. Then we took some awkward videos. I will send those.
Thursday! I will tell you about the one absolutely good thing about this day. You know how the week before that lesson with these peeps that just didn't work out...well this week it did. We taught about the Book of Mormon and the beginning of the Plan of Salvation. They had questions and one of the women that couldn't come before came and was so interested in what we had to say. The spirit was so much stronger and
the lesson was so good. Now the feeling in this lesson was a lot better than me just telling it but it was seriously guided by God because I cannot speak Japanese!
Friday we got really busy. We had district meeting and the sun came out! Rainy season is over, woah! And now it's hot. Like really hot......oh boy. Then we went and had Indo curry and it was delicious. We also at the same time met and taught with an investigator Suzi, who knows the Book of Mormon is true but isn't willing to do anything about it! So sad. But we are working with her. Then we went down town
to meet a potential from Ethiopia, but when we got there he told us that he couldn't make it. While on the train though we met this girl who was way interested in the restoration who also lives in Honolulu! Coincidence? I think not! Her name was May, she was sooo out going and very Hawaiian. Very happy!
Then Saturday we went out to eat sushi with a recent convert and my god-mother Nakajima Shimai. She is so stubborn and sweet. She took us outto eat right and we were going to try to help pay but she nearly knocked the Elder on the floor for trying. Haha, so funny. But she was so sweet to us. She was the elder's investigator right, so we really didn't do much but there was one Sunday, the Sunday we met, where she
came and it was stake conference. She told the elders that she wanted to leave, because she didn't feel like she belonged. But then she prayed for help.
Right afterwards, we, Sister Larsen and I said hello to her for the first time. We talked with her, sat with her and thenshe decided to stay, she said that we were the answer to her prayer. When I heard that the spirit was so strong. I love her and her sweet
spirit and he love for Christ! She just finished the Book of Mormon for the second time through. While they were waiting for us outside the subway exit, she talked to everyone and was trying to introduce them to the elders. It was so awesome! We also went and sang to Brother Hirano at the old person's home. These two really old and
really senile women kept telling my comp and I that we were babes... in Japanese but still it was so sweet. And then we had to go so we were like bye and they were like clapping for us. Made me happy! Then we got donuts afterwards with Sister Hirano.
Sunday was great! We had a good time with our ward mission leader. He is such a good man and I love him! He brought us cake for one so that's cool. And then he helped us with getting the members to help us with the fruits basket! Yay!
Well, this week seems like a pretty boring week, probably because I'mon a train typing this and it's super hot. It's really hard to look like a nice sister missionary when it's hot. I'm sorry for a lame email. Well, in other news I've been in Japan a really long time. Woah, okay like almost 10 months and then almost a full year on the mission.
Crazy!
 |
| DISTRICT P-DAY |
So we did somethings this week. Such as dendouing with this old couple, and they fight over directions in Japanese. Brother Kono kept yelling at the gps because it told us to go into the river. Brother Kono shouts in English," There is no house here! It is river, okay. Jumpu. Ozuwarudo Shimai will swim. ( I told them I was on the swim team
in high school like 20 minutes before hand) We will drown, We are old."
Brother and Sister Kono were fighting over which way to go, it was nice to know that this happens in other countries and ten times funnier to hear in Japanese :) We then stopped to ask one old man who then turned to two other old women and then the four of them debate while another calls another person to ask if they know where Sister Sakamoto lives.....then we followed a woman on her bike and she leads us to the
house. I was an ordeal and then turns out she wasn't home. So sad. But in high spirits Kono took a our picture in front of the less active's house. I sadly do not have the picture.
Wednesday, I got to exchange with my Trainer Edwards Shiami!!! It was lots of fun. On that day we went on an awkward date with this potential which now is not so potential. He came out in the rain to pick up trash with us but it was just obvious that he only wanted to date us. And on top of that it rained. That we got a picture of. Then we took some awkward videos. I will send those.
 |
| Awkward |
 |
| Tea and rain gear |
Thursday! I will tell you about the one absolutely good thing about this day. You know how the week before that lesson with these peeps that just didn't work out...well this week it did. We taught about the Book of Mormon and the beginning of the Plan of Salvation. They had questions and one of the women that couldn't come before came and was so interested in what we had to say. The spirit was so much stronger and
the lesson was so good. Now the feeling in this lesson was a lot better than me just telling it but it was seriously guided by God because I cannot speak Japanese!
Friday we got really busy. We had district meeting and the sun came out! Rainy season is over, woah! And now it's hot. Like really hot......oh boy. Then we went and had Indo curry and it was delicious. We also at the same time met and taught with an investigator Suzi, who knows the Book of Mormon is true but isn't willing to do anything about it! So sad. But we are working with her. Then we went down town
to meet a potential from Ethiopia, but when we got there he told us that he couldn't make it. While on the train though we met this girl who was way interested in the restoration who also lives in Honolulu! Coincidence? I think not! Her name was May, she was sooo out going and very Hawaiian. Very happy!
 |
| My constant feeling towards Elder Westhoff |
Then Saturday we went out to eat sushi with a recent convert and my god-mother Nakajima Shimai. She is so stubborn and sweet. She took us outto eat right and we were going to try to help pay but she nearly knocked the Elder on the floor for trying. Haha, so funny. But she was so sweet to us. She was the elder's investigator right, so we really didn't do much but there was one Sunday, the Sunday we met, where she
came and it was stake conference. She told the elders that she wanted to leave, because she didn't feel like she belonged. But then she prayed for help.
 |
| Seikme Elders |
 |
| WE ATE SO MUCH |
Right afterwards, we, Sister Larsen and I said hello to her for the first time. We talked with her, sat with her and thenshe decided to stay, she said that we were the answer to her prayer. When I heard that the spirit was so strong. I love her and her sweet
spirit and he love for Christ! She just finished the Book of Mormon for the second time through. While they were waiting for us outside the subway exit, she talked to everyone and was trying to introduce them to the elders. It was so awesome! We also went and sang to Brother Hirano at the old person's home. These two really old and
really senile women kept telling my comp and I that we were babes... in Japanese but still it was so sweet. And then we had to go so we were like bye and they were like clapping for us. Made me happy! Then we got donuts afterwards with Sister Hirano.
 |
| The hair @?! |
 |
| This is Mami |
Sunday was great! We had a good time with our ward mission leader. He is such a good man and I love him! He brought us cake for one so that's cool. And then he helped us with getting the members to help us with the fruits basket! Yay!
Well, this week seems like a pretty boring week, probably because I'mon a train typing this and it's super hot. It's really hard to look like a nice sister missionary when it's hot. I'm sorry for a lame email. Well, in other news I've been in Japan a really long time. Woah, okay like almost 10 months and then almost a full year on the mission.
Crazy!
Sunday, July 3, 2016
JUNE 26, 2016 BREAKING THE HANDBOOK - WE HAVE A PET SPIDER
We saw so many miracles this week! We met this man from Africa and then later on met him again and he was was like, "Okay,okay fine, next time we meet I will listen to what you have to say." Everyone pray that we will meet Sam again this week! He is so ready for the gospel!
Afterwards we met another man from Ethiopia and he was totally down to meet again and when we called him he asked if he could bring his friend. So we're meeting him on Friday, yay!
Tuesday my heart died! Brother Kono took us to this karaoke bar. He knew the owner and then we taught her about the gospel and then we sang You Are My Sunshine with Kono Kyodai and man, he can (not) sing. It was so much fun! Then we went to a concert!! Not just any concert, BYU Hawaii concert choir!!! I saw my friends from before, it was so happy but both of them were dudes, and I couldn't hug them, that was hard. And I didn't get pictures, I know I'm stupid but it was so nice to see them and also listen to them sing. It was so good! I was a little trunky though afterwards. I miss Hawaii so much. It took like a day to not think about it.
Wednesday we got two more referrals and they are from Australia! Woah! Then English class where it's getting too political....sigh, I love teaching though, it's so much fun! I get to act like a goof ball and make people laugh!
We went to district meeting on Friday (skipping Thursday because you'll read below). I made Sister Larsen a breakfast burrito, right and we had to leave to catch the train so I wrapped it so she could have it later. At district meeting she pulls it out and starts eating it and Elder Weakly shouted, "Woah! Where did you get that burrito? It came out of no where!" Hashtag Mexican. My comp and I died and the rest of our district (the other four elders) were like what is wrong with these sisters?
We have a pet spider in our apartment. His name is Beasty. Yeah. We haven't killed him and our apartment is so small and bare that we see him all over. He actually is pretty big and has white fangs...yeah.
On Thursday we had a normal day, planned for the week, right, and then biked all the way out to teach English/gospel to our investigators. We had a member come. To be honest though, it wasn't the best lesson, our investigators were surprised by our member and turns out we forgot to tell them that she was coming with. We tried to invite them to church and they said the wouldn't come. It was very disappointing, heart breaking, and now I have to bike home for an hour and bike fast in order to make it home on time. I was mad. Okay, not mad but really, really frustrated. What was I doing wrong (besides the mistake mentioned above)? Why won't people listen to us? Why does this work for everyone else? Why can't some just accept what I have to say?! Where are those prepared people? On the way home I prayed these words out loud to myself. I asked God a lot of why questions. I complained to Him and I asked for understanding. My lovely companion asked me how I was doing. I told her and said I'm not sure what I have to change to make this easier. I realized that it's not easy, it never is going to be but our burdens will be made light by sharing the yoke with Christ.
Sister Larsen the shared with me the words to How Firm a Foundation.
She began to say them aloud.
Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I joined in and said the next line.
I’ll strengthen thee,
Sister Larsen echoed back:
Help thee,
Me:
and cause thee to stand,
Together we said this as we biked home.
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand!
The Spirit was so strong, it was like a thick chord that connected me to my companion. We felt His love once more. "Fear not, I am with thee!" The last part of the verse is when I felt it the most. I am upheld by his righteousness. His righteousness bears me up. I can't keep trying to do it myself. I have to lean on the support of my God, lean on that support and then also leap in faith. There is a line of a song that made me think a little more about faith, "We were moving mountains before we knew we could." Sometimes we don't realize we have faith already, we forget that we can, through God, do anything!
Now flash to Sunday. Wow! Sunday. So good! Okay, before I get a head of myself, let me back track a bit to last Sunday. Oh boy, so we met the Elder's nvestigator, Sister Nakajima and instantly we became "bosom friends." If you don't know the reference, it just means friends for life! Then Tuesday we went to the concert with her.
This Sunday, yesterday, she got baptized. We ended up running to the church so we wouldn't be late but it worked out. When we saw her she was in all white and she screamed! My daughters!! She introduced us all to the members and said that we were her angels and her daughters. She was so happy! The missionaries all got together and for her baptism sang the mission theme song. I played my ukulele, which was a hit because this little boy later asked if he could play it! Happy :) During the baptism you could hear her from in the bathroom all nervousness to walk in. The spirit was so strong. It engulfed the room. After the baptism we, Larsen Shimai and I sang to her, "I feel my Savior's Love."
Again, the Spirit testified to us all that this was true. We felt our Savior's love. She hugged us and she told us, you two are my daughters forever. My heart! At this point it's brimming with joy and happiness I might explode. We went back to our area and taught peeps, being awesome missionaries. We eat and as we were walking back to the church I
turned to my comp and said, "I am the happiest I have ever been in my whole life!" I was not ready for the last whammy that God had ready for me.
As we were putting in lessons, our phone rings and it's an unknown number. Guess who it is?! Because I can't actually hear your guess, I'll just tell you! It was Jheff!! It is my wonderful recent convert Jheff and he said he felt a prompting to call me! We talked and as we
talked the miracles in his life began unfolding in front of my eyes. First he goes out with the Elders in my last area everyday to help teach and find. He has recently had his family return and he is sharing with them gospel. He has quit his job that wasn't good for him and now he is getting ready to be endowed in the temple in a year. And then he is going to go on a mission! He has taken the Gospel and has made it his own! He told me that he knows that this Gospel is the reason for the happiness in his life. He was talking to me about how
through the power of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost nothing is impossible. The more he spoke the more the Spirit testified to me that he is the key to so many and their happiness. He has the greatest testimony in the world! He told me to have a Happy Sabbath and I thought of you mom! (I think you two would be good friends:) He just kept talking more and more about the miracles of this gospel and the happiness it brings! When the phone call ended I started jumping up and down!
Now I had to correct my precious statement. At this moment my knees and legs hurt and are sore, I have a headache, my investigators didn't come to church like they said the would but THIS was the happiest I have ever been in my entire life! My comp told me, "It's because God wanted you to know he is watching over you." Just earlier in the week I was complaining to him for all the things that are wrong and he's just gave me such a sweet mercy! He loves me. He not only loves me but he cares enough to show me what I have done and what knocking on this one guy's door has done for so many! I give thanks to my God, my Heavenly Father.
I love you all so much! Life is good! Smile because there is so much to smile about! Hallelujah! Amen.
Love, Sister Oswald
Afterwards we met another man from Ethiopia and he was totally down to meet again and when we called him he asked if he could bring his friend. So we're meeting him on Friday, yay!
Tuesday my heart died! Brother Kono took us to this karaoke bar. He knew the owner and then we taught her about the gospel and then we sang You Are My Sunshine with Kono Kyodai and man, he can (not) sing. It was so much fun! Then we went to a concert!! Not just any concert, BYU Hawaii concert choir!!! I saw my friends from before, it was so happy but both of them were dudes, and I couldn't hug them, that was hard. And I didn't get pictures, I know I'm stupid but it was so nice to see them and also listen to them sing. It was so good! I was a little trunky though afterwards. I miss Hawaii so much. It took like a day to not think about it.
Wednesday we got two more referrals and they are from Australia! Woah! Then English class where it's getting too political....sigh, I love teaching though, it's so much fun! I get to act like a goof ball and make people laugh!
We went to district meeting on Friday (skipping Thursday because you'll read below). I made Sister Larsen a breakfast burrito, right and we had to leave to catch the train so I wrapped it so she could have it later. At district meeting she pulls it out and starts eating it and Elder Weakly shouted, "Woah! Where did you get that burrito? It came out of no where!" Hashtag Mexican. My comp and I died and the rest of our district (the other four elders) were like what is wrong with these sisters?
We have a pet spider in our apartment. His name is Beasty. Yeah. We haven't killed him and our apartment is so small and bare that we see him all over. He actually is pretty big and has white fangs...yeah.
On Thursday we had a normal day, planned for the week, right, and then biked all the way out to teach English/gospel to our investigators. We had a member come. To be honest though, it wasn't the best lesson, our investigators were surprised by our member and turns out we forgot to tell them that she was coming with. We tried to invite them to church and they said the wouldn't come. It was very disappointing, heart breaking, and now I have to bike home for an hour and bike fast in order to make it home on time. I was mad. Okay, not mad but really, really frustrated. What was I doing wrong (besides the mistake mentioned above)? Why won't people listen to us? Why does this work for everyone else? Why can't some just accept what I have to say?! Where are those prepared people? On the way home I prayed these words out loud to myself. I asked God a lot of why questions. I complained to Him and I asked for understanding. My lovely companion asked me how I was doing. I told her and said I'm not sure what I have to change to make this easier. I realized that it's not easy, it never is going to be but our burdens will be made light by sharing the yoke with Christ.
Sister Larsen the shared with me the words to How Firm a Foundation.
She began to say them aloud.
Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I joined in and said the next line.
I’ll strengthen thee,
Sister Larsen echoed back:
Help thee,
Me:
and cause thee to stand,
Together we said this as we biked home.
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand!
The Spirit was so strong, it was like a thick chord that connected me to my companion. We felt His love once more. "Fear not, I am with thee!" The last part of the verse is when I felt it the most. I am upheld by his righteousness. His righteousness bears me up. I can't keep trying to do it myself. I have to lean on the support of my God, lean on that support and then also leap in faith. There is a line of a song that made me think a little more about faith, "We were moving mountains before we knew we could." Sometimes we don't realize we have faith already, we forget that we can, through God, do anything!
Now flash to Sunday. Wow! Sunday. So good! Okay, before I get a head of myself, let me back track a bit to last Sunday. Oh boy, so we met the Elder's nvestigator, Sister Nakajima and instantly we became "bosom friends." If you don't know the reference, it just means friends for life! Then Tuesday we went to the concert with her.
This Sunday, yesterday, she got baptized. We ended up running to the church so we wouldn't be late but it worked out. When we saw her she was in all white and she screamed! My daughters!! She introduced us all to the members and said that we were her angels and her daughters. She was so happy! The missionaries all got together and for her baptism sang the mission theme song. I played my ukulele, which was a hit because this little boy later asked if he could play it! Happy :) During the baptism you could hear her from in the bathroom all nervousness to walk in. The spirit was so strong. It engulfed the room. After the baptism we, Larsen Shimai and I sang to her, "I feel my Savior's Love."
Again, the Spirit testified to us all that this was true. We felt our Savior's love. She hugged us and she told us, you two are my daughters forever. My heart! At this point it's brimming with joy and happiness I might explode. We went back to our area and taught peeps, being awesome missionaries. We eat and as we were walking back to the church I
turned to my comp and said, "I am the happiest I have ever been in my whole life!" I was not ready for the last whammy that God had ready for me.
As we were putting in lessons, our phone rings and it's an unknown number. Guess who it is?! Because I can't actually hear your guess, I'll just tell you! It was Jheff!! It is my wonderful recent convert Jheff and he said he felt a prompting to call me! We talked and as we
talked the miracles in his life began unfolding in front of my eyes. First he goes out with the Elders in my last area everyday to help teach and find. He has recently had his family return and he is sharing with them gospel. He has quit his job that wasn't good for him and now he is getting ready to be endowed in the temple in a year. And then he is going to go on a mission! He has taken the Gospel and has made it his own! He told me that he knows that this Gospel is the reason for the happiness in his life. He was talking to me about how
through the power of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost nothing is impossible. The more he spoke the more the Spirit testified to me that he is the key to so many and their happiness. He has the greatest testimony in the world! He told me to have a Happy Sabbath and I thought of you mom! (I think you two would be good friends:) He just kept talking more and more about the miracles of this gospel and the happiness it brings! When the phone call ended I started jumping up and down!
Now I had to correct my precious statement. At this moment my knees and legs hurt and are sore, I have a headache, my investigators didn't come to church like they said the would but THIS was the happiest I have ever been in my entire life! My comp told me, "It's because God wanted you to know he is watching over you." Just earlier in the week I was complaining to him for all the things that are wrong and he's just gave me such a sweet mercy! He loves me. He not only loves me but he cares enough to show me what I have done and what knocking on this one guy's door has done for so many! I give thanks to my God, my Heavenly Father.
I love you all so much! Life is good! Smile because there is so much to smile about! Hallelujah! Amen.
Love, Sister Oswald
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