NOVEMBER 14, 2016 - OH PANTS!

Franco's Baptism! ( Franco- far right)

Kurayoshi Coast

Dearest (-insert your name here-),

This week has been an interesting one. Where to begin...probably from the beginning.  Maybe.  MONDay, FIRST OFF, IF YOU ARE WONDERING WHY THIS IS ALL IN CAPS....wait i fixed it...Japanese keyboards...also I'm typing this on the computer because sometimes you miss key boards but they go rogue and decide to freak out in Caps Lock.....I was also too lazy to backspace apparently. 

Okay, so back to Monday, we met with a less active named Kei.  She is so not supposed to be in Japan.  She went to BYU for a little bit and all she wants to do is go back.  We met with her and brought chocolate and cookies because she seemed to really be having a hard time with work, being sick and being `japanese` yes, it's stressful.  So, we talked and it was a mix of Japanglish and she was telling us about how she didn't want to use Jesus' name in vain.  So she tried to say "Oh Jeans!" but she said, "Man, that's too close" and changed jeans to PANTS.   It was so funny when she said it.  That has become our word of the week. 

Every Tuesday for the last three weeks, rain!.... we usually go to the old folks home and play cards which was fun but they all seemed tired and there was one old man who joined us this last week that sounded as if he had a bunch of grease suck in his wind pipe making him cough and gargle like a old engine...it..startled me.  Later that night we had eikaiwa and Omae Kyodai brought me Nato because he thought it would be funny..(Nato is fermented beans...and they smell, I can eat them but not by my own free will or choice) and then he whipped out like 6 bars of dark chocolate.  He is a very interesting man.

Wednesday, it was so windy!!  Where did we even go?!  I don't remember except the fact that we found someone housing!! WOAH! SAY WHAAA?! Yeah. Her name is Hasegawa and she just had a baby and when we knocked on her door she told us she is interested in God, The Bible and going to church...ahhhhh!!! So cool!  We were able to give her a Book of Mormon. She was so cool!   She had "Hope" tattooed on her fingers and a bright neon pink statue of a dog.  PLEASE PRAY fOR HER! 

Me and Sister Blomquist aka Blu

 Thursday was pack day.  For those who don't know, my lovely companion is leaving and returning back to America!  Man, Blue and I have lived like 4 years together with in these six weeks.   It's been too fast and at the same time felt like forever.  Our "doryo ichi" (apparently in English this translates to companionship unity) is so through the roof that we have come up with a code word every time so we don't take like 10 minutes to react about it's awesomeness.  That word, really two words, are Shiny Peaches....I seriously have no idea where that came from, but for the last 3 and a half weeks we have used it.  Even just now I turned to Blue and said "I'm writing about shiny peaches" "Hey, I am too!" she replies.  Man, I love this girl!  She just said the nicest thing to me!  "You're like one of my favorite people ever!"  AHHH! SO HAPPY!   I wish I could just tell you all in person why this is so fantastic but because of my lack of ability to type quickly it will have to wait.  She is my Hawkeye, and I am her B.J.  She is my Blue and I am her Oz and over all I am the Shiny peach! 

(this last paragraph probably didn't make to much sense...gomenkudasai) 

Friday we actually had district meeting together that was cool. 

SATURDAY! We did SERVICE!   It lasted from like 8:30 to 3 pm.  It was way long but way cool.   Us and a few other members came and we all wore the Helping Hands 

Guess what we did today?... wore pants... and filled sand bags!

Jerseys and it felt so awesome to do service!  We met some really cool people and a guy from New York.  His name is Sunday!  He was really cool and our members were right on top of fellowshiping him right then and there.  Unfortunately he lives in the prefecture over so we couldn't meet even if we wanted to so I gave him a mormon.org card.  yay!  Miracles!  

We then we went out the rest if the day and ended our day with visiting Omae Kyodai.  We showed him the conference talk,  "The Master Healer".  (See text below). Wow.  That was so cool. As we watched he leaned in close and he was so focused in.  When it was over he immediately turned to me and said, "I understand! okay, well not all of it but I understand.  When I had the accident (he has some sort of head injury from before but I don't know exactly) I forgot a lot but now I understand just a little more about the Atonement." I was grinning ear to ear.  We testified of Jesus Christ how he is our Savior!  The spirit was so strong.  He then prayed to end and gave the most beautiful prayer, speaking of how he was grateful for the gospel and that he could become Mormon and such!  He seriously is one of my favorite people. He's like our crazy uncle, he's like my brother! 

Sunday we had our minds blown away by Brother Swasy and his deep doctrinal discussions.  We talked about other worlds and wheels and Cheribums...oh my....I was going to try to explain something that I learned, but realized that takes too much effort..over all, obey the Word of Wisdom, it isn't just for our health.  

Blu gave her last testimony in church and we cried!  AH! Later we met with Sonia and taught about the plan of salvation and then invited her to be Baptized.  She said she didn't think she was ready....she is so close though...please pray for her my friends and family!  Pray that she will be able to feel the spirit testify to her of the truth of the gospel!!

and that's my week.....

The Good Fight

 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

I love this scripture.  Sometimes our weeks aren't as exciting or I just am lame at writing about it but I do know that with each week I find something more that I love about this gospel.  I often find myself turning to my companion telling her how much I love Jesus and what he has done for us.  I know he is my Savior and I will serve him forever.  I love you all! 

Love, 

The Wizard of OZ,  Sister Oswald

Me sending my comp home, when you complete you mission, you "die."
It's a mish thing. 

The Master Healer by Carole M. Stephens

One of my most rewarding opportunities is to travel—to learn from my sisters throughout the world. There’s nothing like being arm in arm, face to face, and heart to heart with you.

During one such experience, a Relief Society leader asked, “Is there something specific that women should focus on?”

I answered, “Yes!” as President Russell M. Nelson’s talk “A Plea to My Sisters” entered my mind. President Nelson taught, “We need women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ.”1

Nephi described the doctrine of Christ this way:

“For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. …

“And now … I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end,behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

“… This is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ.”2

Why do we need a bedrock understanding of these principles?

I often meet Latter-day Saint women who are desperate for help, yet they do not turn to the One who can provide everlasting help. Too often they seek for understanding by searching “the great and spacious building.”3

As we increase our understanding of the doctrine of Christ, we soon discover that we are developing a deeper understanding of “the great plan of happiness.”4 We also recognize that our Savior, Jesus Christ, is at the very heart of the plan.

When we learn how to apply the doctrine of Christ to our individual circumstances, our love for our Savior grows. And we recognize “that regardless of perceived differences, all of us are in need of the same infinite Atonement.”5 We realize that He is our foundation—“the rock of our Redeemer, … a sure foundation … whereon if [we] build [we] cannot fall.”6

How can this doctrine bless us as we seek peace and understanding and strive to endure joyfully in our unique mortal journeys?

May I suggest that we begin, as Nephi says, “with unshaken faith in [Christ], relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.”7 Our faith in Jesus Christ enables us to meet any challenge.

We, in fact, often find our faith deepened and our relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son refined in adversity. Let me share three examples.

First, the Savior, the Master Healer, has the power to change our hearts and give us permanent relief from the sorrow caused by our own sin. When the Savior taught the Samaritan woman at the well, He knew about her serious sins. However, “the Lord looketh on the heart,”8 and He knew she had a teachable heart.

When the woman came to the well, Jesus—the embodiment of living water—said simply, “Give me to drink.” Our Savior will likewise speak to us in a voice we recognize when we come to Him—for He knows us. He meets us where we are. And because of who He is and what He has done for us, He understands. Because He has experienced our pain, He can give us living water when we seek it. He taught this to the Samaritan woman when He said, “If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” Finally understanding, the woman responded in faith and asked, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not.”

After the Samaritan woman had this experience with the Savior, she “left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?”

She had received a witness—she had begun to partake of the living water—and she desired to witness of His divinity to others.9

When we come to Him with humble and teachable hearts—even if our hearts are heavy with mistakes, sins, and transgressions—He can change us, “for he is mighty to save.”10 And with hearts changed, we can, like the Samaritan woman, go into our own cities—our homes, schools, and workplaces—to witness of Him.

Second, the Master Healer can comfort and strengthen us when we experience pain because of the unrighteous actions of others. I have had many conversations with women weighed down under heavy burdens. Their covenant path from the temple has become a difficult journey of healing. They suffer from broken covenants, broken hearts, and lost confidence. Many are victims of adultery and verbal, sexual, and emotional abuse, often as the result of other people’s addictions.

These experiences, though no fault of their own, have left many feeling guilty and ashamed. Not understanding how to manage the powerful emotions they experience, many try to bury them, pushing them deeper into themselves.

Hope and healing are not found in the dark abyss of secrecy but in the light and love of our Savior, Jesus Christ.11 Elder Richard G. Scott counseled: “If you are free [from] serious sin yourself, don’t suffer needlessly the consequences of another’s sins. … You can feel compassion. … Yet you should not take upon yourself a feeling of responsibility. … When you have done what is reasonable to help one you love, lay the burden at the feet of the Savior. … As you so act, not only will you find peace but will demonstrate your faith in the power of the Savior to lift the burden of sin from a loved one through his repentance and obedience.”

He continued: “Complete healing will come through your faith in Jesus Christ and His power and capacity, through His Atonement, to heal the scars of that which is unjust and undeserved.”12

If you find yourself in this situation, sisters, healing may be a long process. It will require that you prayerfully seek guidance and appropriate help, including counseling with properly ordained priesthood holders. As you learn to communicate openly, set appropriate boundaries and perhaps seek professional counseling. Maintaining spiritual health throughout the process is vital! Remember your divine identity: you are a beloved daughter of Heavenly Parents. Trust your Father’s eternal plan for you. Continue daily to increase your understanding of the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Exercise faith each day to drink deeply from the Savior’s well of living water. Rely on the endowment of power made available to each of us through ordinances and covenants. And allow the healing power of the Savior and His Atonement into your life.

Third, the Master Healer can comfort and sustain us as we experience painful “realities of mortality,”13 such as disaster, mental illness, disease, chronic pain, and death. I have recently become acquainted with a remarkable young woman named Josie who suffers from bipolar disorder. Here is just a little of her journey toward healing as she shared it with me:

“The worst of the darkness occurs on what my family and I have deemed ‘floor days.’ It begins with sensory overload and acute sensitivity and resistance to any type of sound, touch, or light. It is the apex of mental anguish. There is one day in particular that I will never forget.

“It was early in the journey, making the experience especially frightening. I can remember sobbing, tears racing down my face as I gasped for air. But even such intense suffering paled in comparison to the pain that followed as I observed panic overwhelm my mother, so desperate to help me.

“With my broken mind came her broken heart. But little did we know that despite the deepening darkness, we were just moments away from experiencing a mighty miracle.

“As a long hour continued, my mom whispered over and over and over again, ‘I would do anything to take this from you.’

“Meanwhile, the darkness intensified, and when I was convinced I could take no more, just then something marvelous occurred.

“A transcendent and wonderful power suddenly overtook my body. Then, with a ‘strength beyond my own,’14 I declared to my mom with great conviction seven life-changing words in response to her repeated desire to bear my pain. I said, ‘You don’t have to; Someone already has.’”

From the dark abyss of debilitating mental illness, Josie summoned the strength to testify of Jesus Christ and of His Atonement.

She was not healed completely that day, but she received the light of hope in a time of intense darkness. And today, supported by a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ and refreshed daily by the Savior’s living water, Josie continues on her journey toward healing and exercises unshakable faith in the Master Healer. She helps others along the way. And she says, “When the darkness feels unremitting, I rely on the memory of His tender mercies. They serve as a guiding light as I navigate through hard times.”15

Sisters, I testify that—

You don’t have to continue to carry the burden of sorrow caused by sin—alone.

You don’t have to carry the pain caused by the unrighteous actions of others—alone.

You don’t have to experience the painful realities of mortality—alone.

The Savior pleads:

“Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?

“… If ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come … will I receive.”16

“[He] would do anything to take this from you.” In fact, “[He] already has.” In the name of Jesus Christ, the Master Healer, amen.

NOVEMBER 6, 2016 - WHEN LESS ACTIVES ARE ACTUALLY GORILLAS AND RECENT CONVERTS ARE BOSSES AT KEEPING THEIR COVENANTS

Say whaaaat?

Yes, so this week was very interesting! Monday was my comps birthday and we had fun doing nothing :) Really it was nice to relax and do nothing for once.  Tuesday was also pretty good but it rained and it was so flippin' cold....I was soaked and I was lucky I didn't get a cold, woah! Miracle!  

Wednesday was awesome!  We taught so many lessons and finally met with this investigator who is actually Japanese! And actually has interest!!  Her name is Irizawa San and she is this cute old lady and when I first met her she hugged me first!  What? (As a note, this NEVER happens because Japanese are so awkward when they hug).   And she was so genki! We taught the rest of the Restoration and focused on the Book of Mormon.  She, by the end, asked if she could have it to read!  Wow, that was awesome!  And the spirit was so strong.  She told us that she has grown up her whole life in a Buddhist temple but never once actually believed in any of it.  It felt empty.  She said that when she is with us she feels closer to God then she ever has in her whole life!  

We gave a soft baptismal invite, "If you come to find that this book is true, would you be baptized?" She said sure but she is worried about how her family might react so please keep her in your prayers so that nothing will prevent her from accepting the gospel!!! Ahhh! An amazing miracle to add to the week!  And when she left she told us that she loved us, which in English doesn't sound like a big deal but in Japanese there are levels of 'I love/like you," and she gave us one of the more meaningful I love yous! 💜

Thursday we got up before the crack of dawn to catch our 6:12 a.m. bus to make it to Okayama for a kokon (companion exchange). Woah! We did some service for a member and her mom and man.....it was gross.  It was really gross.  It hadn't been cleaned in what looked like years and they have three cats....it was gross.  But the members are the sweetest and it felt good to help them out. 

Later we taught English class and I talked to this guy who had no emotion but as a part of the advanced class we just talk in English.  It was...,awkward. Haha 😇 ohhhh I almost forgot I saw a member from one of my old areas, Ta chan!!  Ahhh!  I wanted to hug him so bad!  He is our flower child/recent convert!  Gosh I love him so much!  We both just freaked out when we saw each other!

Friday was ZTM, and we learned about our Christmas campaign for the next transfers. Exciting!  We then took our bus which there are only two buses to our area so we had to wait for a few hours before hand and didn't get home till like 8:30.  I know exciting right.  But we were out of our area for two days which made Saturday super busy!

Okay so we woke up expecting to go and do service for a member but because of circumstances it ended up getting canceled.  He called us on the phone and told us that he feels so stressed and that he might not come to church on Sunday. ☹️ So we continued study and then Franco called us and invited us to his party for a friends birthday at his house and we asked if we could bring this brother with us and he said yes, of course :) So we brought him along (and note this was a great opportunity to teach his friends) and it really helped and uplifted Brother Kameya :)  

When we walked in though my companion and I immediately locked our eyes on the several bottles of sake (alcohol) in my mind I was shouting (😖😫😩😰😨😱😱😱😱😱NOOOOOOOOOOO) HE HAS ONLY BEEN BAPTIZED BUT NOT CONFIRMED YET NOOOO! Yeah, so that was nerve racking until Franco's boss, already a little tipsy was like, "Here I'm your boss, just have one..." And Franco smiled politely and kindly declined.  His boss with a more than confused face asked, "What? Why? It's special!" Franco stood his ground and said, I will never drink again.  In that moment I felt like a proud parent seeing their child stand up to the bully on the playground! Ahhhh so happy!! I was giddy with excitement!  We talked later and he says I love God so much! I want to learn more about God.  He is solid!  So happy!  

Later we went and visited Sonia and she is progressing in the gospel :) she is already
planning on meeting with us through Christmas and is planning our next visit instead of us doing so! :) So many miracles!
 
By far my favorite part of Saturday was when we visited Omae Kyodai.  It was around 7:30 at night and his house is behind his tire shop.  He comes down and lets us in and we sit on the floor near the front door.  This is how it is in Japan, always on the floor. Sometimes I try to imagine American missionaries if they sat on the floor with us in our house and how awkward they would feel.  I'm gonna make then do it when I get home.  Anyway, were siting on the floor in front of a space heater just talking and Blu got a phone call so she answered it while I talked to brother Omae.  I asked him how his day was. "It was busy, busy busy!" He continued to repeat and it rumbled into a roar and he began to pound his chest like a crazed gorilla!  When he stopped he just kinda gave me this look of...yes I know I'm insane what are you going to do about it? We both ended up bursting into laughter and when Blu got off the phone she was so confused.  We had a great lesson as well.

Sunday we had lots of blessings! Franco got the Holy Ghost and Brother Anderson blessed his new baby girl Ririka.  So cute.  That's a thing in Japan. Whenever there is a baby it eventually makes its way being passed all around the room.  At the beginning of the meeting she is with her parents and then next she's in the front in the Stake Councilors hands :) Yup.  I also taught Ko Kun how to dance, he is like 9 and such a cutie, he loves church and is our best fellowshipper!

On another note, my companion goes home soon and I'm having stress dreams about packing...sigh.

Guys I don't think you realized how many miracles happened!  It's amazing!

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!

Love,
Sister Madeline Oswald 💎💎💜💜💎💎⚔⚔⚔🌊🌊🏯🦁

OCTOBER 30, 2016 - LALALA...SINGING JOY TO THE WORLD!

AaaaaaaaaaHHHHHh!?!?!!!! Oh, okay...just another aftershock.  Seriously we have had so many aftershocks it's ridiculous.  None of them are too serious but you never know if it will be another big one.  As we have
traveled through-out the week, we see houses with a lot of roofs missing or giant cracks in the side.  Older houses are way off limits because they may fall at any moment with another quake.  Parts of side walks are sunken in or shooting upwards. We will be housing or in the church and the world will just shake for a moment then it goes back to normal and everyone keeps going like nothing's happened.  We have gotten a little too comfortable with them. The tremors mostly come at night which is odd and for a while would wake us up in the night.  It's a little scary but way fun😅😆because we don't have access to the inter-webs or news, not sure when it's supposed to stop but according to a member there is one more big one that is supposed to hit us, it's a matter of when...ahhhhh!

So in Japan they have a speaker system to get information to people quickly so all around there are giant poles with speakers on them that broadcast what city hall needs to tell the city.  Most of the time I can't understand a word that it's saying because it's radio Japanese. Yay!

On Thursday our planning day, we made a sweet potato pie for Halloween party! Man it was so good! It tasted like pumpkin pie, and I cooked it in a microwave! #ovensdontexistinjapan.  My comp totally made pie crust out of cookies and it some how worked because we had no idea what we were doing.  I'm pretty sure Heavenly Father touched this pie with heavenly goodness.

So Friday was a interesting day :) we actually had real district meeting!  But instead of it being in the morning we had it later so we got a doseki and then our district leader could interview Franco for baptism!  We had Jheff Skype in to translate.  We were supposed to do the interview at 6 but it was 6:15 and he is usually 15 minutes early!  Ahhh no! FRANCO! Finally we got a hold of him and he said his boss kept him at work and hour and wouldn't let him leave! Ahhh! Noooo! NO SATAN! Eventually though he was able to come. He hurried over as fast as he could so he was still in his work uniform. He did the interview and......he passed!!!! Now he can be baptized on Sunday!!!! What a great way to end the day!

Saturday was so cold. So bitterly cold. We had another quake but it was ranked a 3? Whatever that means, it felt like another aftershock to me though.  Later we visited one of my favorite lesser active people, Omae Kyodai.  At eikaiwa earlier in the week I went to shake his hand but moved it before he could get hold of it and (mind you
he's like 68) he was like,"Waahhh! You got me!" And proceeded to fall on his knees shaking his fists in the air....it was like straight out of a movie.  I laughed so hard, now he doesn't trust me heehee) but he is awesome. Later we had the Halloween party and it was awesome! So many people came! I love how members dress up here! I felt out of place though because we didn't have time to dress up...so sad, but our branch president was the joker, we had a Mary poppins, a Harry Potter and more.  It was way fun!

SUNDAY IS THE DAY! We had Franco's baptism after church. Jheff and Larsen Shimai (she served in this area before me) skyped in. The baptism went great!  Franco right before he met the missionaries, prayed to God to find this church, and went outside and started walking, then Larsen and Blomquist found him and invited him to come to church!  It was amazing! We sang I feel my Savior's love as the musical number and every time I sing it Ahhh my heart is so full of joy! Anyway then we proceeded to the baptism which actually is in a
giant tub, but water is water.  After he was baptized he told us that he felt like he had wings, that he could fly! I told him then that he was clean and he said "Yes, my sins are washed away!" Ahhh!!! So happy! So so so! Happy! The church is true! I love this gospel!

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have
eternal life--

10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit
more abundantly upon you?

11 And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.

13 And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit
of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.


Love you all!
Sister Oswald

OCTOBER 24, 2016 - MAN, I HAVE THE BEST LUCK

Greetings from Kurayoshi Japan, I'm your hostess Ozu Shimai and I'm coming to you, live (or as live as I can get) to report to you the incident that took place on Friday.

It all starts with district meeting, as does every Friday morning.  Again we stayed in our area and skyped the meeting because no member could sit in.  At the end we receive a call from our shigansha (person with baptismal date), Franco.  He said he was outside of the church.  We went to him and he began to tell us how he wouldn't be able to make it to Stake Conference this weekend because he would be spending the weekend with Jheff, and going to church there. Say what?! Yup that's right! Jheff strikes again at being the best recent convert ever! So good!

After that we decided to take lunch at Indo curry. Yum. So good! After lunch we made our way over to an older part of our area. It was around 1:30 or 2 p.m.

I was standing next to the door in the genkan of less active member, Iwagaki Shimai, Sister Blomquist sat on the hard wood floor of the entrance. We had finished talking about the Plan of Salvation when came the first jolt.  We all got quiet and looked at each other.  It sounded like something had fallen or as if a giant hammer hit the ground.  It was silent for half a second when the next wave came.  The house we were in is older and the frame moved side to side.  Sister Iwagaki, old, no teeth, screamed.  My companion reached for her and I was up against the door.  Things fell from off shelves and the ground shook in a loud rumble.  It was surreal, to feel your world move without your permission.  It sounded as if bombs were going off or something falling to the earth.  It went on for about five minutes.  We were pinned in our spots, and we didn't move.  Then it stopped, but the grounded continued to purr.  A second time the house shook. We all laughed our of terror.  Our phone went off saying,"jishin desu" (earthquake).  Blu, snorted in frustration,"Little late there, don't you think?" We decided to pray and leave.  

We walked out not really sure how to feel about the experience, not ever knowing what to do in this kind of situation we both just kinda walked down the hill that her house was set on and back to our bikes.  As we walked down, two women ran out of their house shouting with terrified voices and Blu and I were just calm, partly because we didn't know and partly because we knew we were okay.  We kinda just walked for a moment with our bikes.  All the traffic lights were out and everyone was outside. We looked at our phone and realized we had no service and a lot of missed calls from the mission office and Sister Welch.  We decided the best things for us to do was head to the church.  On our way there we saw side walks had sunken in or shot straight up. Shingles off roofs had fallen and some parts of houses had huge cracks on the sides. 

We were biking and then a third wave hit.  The store next to us started to shake and another boom hit the ground.  My bike shifted to the side and I was like nooope not today, and hopped right off and started walking it.  Finally made it to the church and looked at our phone and it showed 10 missed calls and 7 new texts.  We first called Welch Shimai and told her what happened.  From there we waited in our church parking lot for about 2 and a half hours with others from a near by store, and just felt the earth growl.   We were told that we were about 10km from the epicenter.  That was exciting. 

We ended up near the end of the day in the Ikeguchi home, helping clean up the messed that resulted from the quake.  The aftershocks were frequent and loud and went throughout the night and the next day.  At night they just showed up but we didn't feel anything this morning which is nice.  Later we saw that houses had shingles missing or giant cracks in the side. There wasn't much we could do as service besides the one member who let us help.  Saturday continued but not as intense and we went around to less actives and members to see if they were okay.  There wasn't much for us to do to help because Japanese people won't let you help them. Bahh! We did see this one building where the glass completely shattered.  Tanimoto san, our neighborhood uncle came and checked if we were okay and everyone did have a sense of love and charity towards each other.  

Earthquakes don't happen in Kurayoshi, so everyone was freaking out!  To be honest the news makes it sound worse than it is. People are okay, not many people got hurt that I know of.  Our members are okay, we are okay! Only one cup broke in our apartment, and our jar of honey.

Sunday we continued to feel aftershocks but we drove two hours with a member to Nimi where our stake conference was held. We are so out in the boonies that the whole stake meets in an actual conference center.  While we were there, I was talking with some missionaries and members, and I look over to the side and see a girl and I thought, "Man she looks so familiar."  I just kept thinking about her and looking at her and so I decided to walk over and I said,"I'm sorry but you look so familiar, a year ago when I was in the mtc..."and as soon as I said that she said, "I remember you!!"  It turns out that we had met each other in the MTC.  Then she and I had just entered and were struggling to communicate.   The only things we could say then was, "I love you and your cute"...Now we could speak and talk and as we talked she put her hand on my check and told me that she loved me and man we just hugged.  She had to return home because of health reasons and so she was very thin when I saw her but we had such a happy moment together.  Her name is Emika Sakamoto.  She told me thank you for serving a mission and that she was proud of me! It made my whole day! I never thought I would see her again.

Thank you for all your prayers, please pray that we can find opportunities to serve others or that this event will soften the hearts of others to hear and listen to our message!  Please pray for all those missionaries who, what ever the reason may be, had to return home early.  Pray that they may recover, stay close to Christ and feel love.  I love you all.  Please take care!

1 Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul
who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and
obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and
know that I am;

2 And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh
into the world;

D&C 93

Love,
Sister Oswald


Tuck-N-Roll (yes did lots of that this week)