Week 15

Wow, this week was crazyyyy. We were so busy with a lot of appointments and events and visits and anything you could think of. 

We had our Halloween party on Saturday which was so much fun. Japanese people go all out and it is the greatest thing ever. All of us missionaries dressed up as Harry Potter characters which was fun, I was Luna, I have no idea who that is because I haven't seen Harry Potter. But with the blonde hair and crazy outfits, it seemed to work haha. We were able to meet a lot of new people though and find some potential Investigators, so that was awesome.

One thing that I have really learned this week is finding joy in the journey. Sometimes I think if I am struggling or am feeling down, I am not good enough or am a bad missionary. But I have learned that no matter what you are going through, you can always feel joy. There was one day in particular where my companion and I were really struggling. We are both super young (mission wise), and we had a lot to do that day, and we had no time to study or prepare as much as we were hoping. My companion said something to me that totally changed my perspective. She said, I have been told my whole life that Heavenly Father wouldn't give me something I couldn't handle, but that isn't true. Heavenly Father will give us trials or challenges that we can not do by ourselves, but it can always be possible through the Savior and his Atonement. I loved that so much, Ether 12:27, has been my favorite scripture for as long as I can remember, and I now understand more than ever. Sometimes it is so hard to think that I am adequate for what I am asked to do, but I wouldn't learn anything if I was always capable. I have really learned to just try as hard as I can and give the rest to my Savior, and it is incredible how much better things work out when I rely on his help. Even though I had no time to study for those lessons, I participated more than I ever had before, and was able to communicate better. I seriously am so grateful for all the good and hard things about a mission, it may be hard in the moment, but it will always be for our good. 

Another highlight for this weekend was when we visited a woman named いしづか姉妹, she lives in a rest home and is 95 years old. She had no idea who we were because her memory is really bad, but I have never seen someone so excited to meet us. She was the cutest lady ever. She kept asking who we were throughout the visit it was hilarious. But we showed her the Because of Him video and she loved it. She doesn't remember anything from the lessons she took a long time ago. But after the video, she told us, that she didn't really know anything about Jesus but she was able to understand that video and feel something. We gave her a cute picture of Christ and she had us sign our names. She just kept thanking us for coming to visit her, I just had such a love for her, I can't even explain. I know that when we serve others we can see people as how Heavenly Father sees us and it is the coolest thing ever! Also, she would not let us sit on the ground. She would not talk to us until we sat on her bed and she sat on the bed rail! I was worried she would need another surgery or something, sitting like that. We tried to convince her to sit on the bed but she refused. Japanese people are so stubborn and loving, I love it. haha 

That is about it for this week, transfers are this Tuesday so we will see how that goes! I really hope I stay with my area and companion, but I know Heavenly Father will send me where is best. :) 

Love you all, hope you have a good week! 

woman named いしづか姉妹, she lives in a rest home and is 95 years old

Reiko San, Genki Kun and Leo Kun

Halloween

Harry Potter

Halloween is an American holiday, so we had an "American" meal.

Abeno Ward Missionaries (we were the only ward with six missionaries in one area, the usual is two) - Isom 姉妹, Christensen 姉妹, Grover 姉妹, Macaspac 姉妹, Nishimiya 長老, Konishi 長老

Day in Nanba 

Hirata 姉妹 - Ward Mission Leader

Week 14

Hello everyone! Another crazy, fun, happy, hard, and amazing week has gone by. I honestly don't have too much to write about so I apologize.

This week we really tried on strengthening the members of our ward and helping people come back to church. It has been a really cool experience. I used to think that all missionaries did was teach lessons, but it really is about showing love and serving those around you. Whether it is out street contacting, investigators, or members. So that has been really fun.

On Thursday I did a companion swap and was with Johnson Shimai for a day, it was a little throwback to the MTC days. We went out and did sign dendo to teach people about our English Classes. We ended up talking to this one guy for like 30 minutes, who was from the states. He had obviously pondered a lot about religion and had some really deep questions. We gave him the Book of Mormon, and hopefully, we can meet him again. One thing I could tell he really struggled with was having faith. He wanted all the answers, now. It made me really think about how important faith is, and why it is the first step in everything. We don't know everything in this life, that would completely defeat the purpose of us coming here in the first place.  We have to act in faith, and trust in the Lord. But of course, Heavenly Father isn't going to let us walk blind all of our lives, and be filled with confusion. If we have faith and act on what we know is right, then we will be guided throughout our lives. And we will gain knowledge through every experience and test we go through. No, we will not receive all the answers, but we will always be given what we need at that time.

I just feel so blessed to be here in Japan, yes there are struggles, but I know that there is a reason for them and it is making me stronger. Japan really is the coolest place, and I just am so glad that Heavenly Father wanted me to serve these people! That is about it for this week!  

I hope everyone is doing good. 

LOVE YOU ALL 

クリステンセ姉妹

Ellie's Grandma Margaret has a friend, Sumiko Monson, from Japan.  She knows Johson Shimai and sent this letter to her.  

Hi Margaret!  How are you?

I just wanted to share the part of email Sister Johnson (missionary from Osaka) wrote.  Have a nice day!      Sumiko

We had a companion exchange, and it was me and Christensen Shimai (a fellow Bean and my old Roommate), and it was certainly an exercise of getting lost. Like really, horribly lost. Turns out, reading maps is not one of my strengths. But Christensen Shimai (who is not from Hirakata, mind you), eventually took over and we got where we needed to go. But, that day, we met this guy named Rikito. Fluent in English - actually, half Japanese. He had a lot of things to say, and a lot of questions to ask.

If you want to know the kind of guy he was, he said that his Holy Trinity was Mr. Rogers, Bob Ross, and Steve Irwin. So, pretty much the chillest guy you'll ever meet. And a guy who had studied religion extensively. We talked for a long time about religion and about faith. About the nature of God and the nature of Man. He seems like a guy pretty set in his truths, but he was so curious and respectful and I'm glad for the opportunity to have met him. From him I really grew hope in the goodness of people - the ability for all people to have the light of Christ.

Picture- Johnson 姉妹, Aggot 姉妹, Christensen 姉妹, Isom 姉妹

 We did a koukon which is when you switch companions/areas for a day. We went to Hirakata which was fun. I got to be with Johnson 姉妹 from the MTC.

Ramen shop

Isom 姉妹 flew off her bike, it was the saddest but funniest thing ever 

This is a building we pass a lot

This is a shotengai which is like an indoor mall kinda, we walk through every day. All those garages are shops. 

Here is our receipt for food. 

Week 13

こんにちは！今週は素晴らしいでした。;)

Another week has gone by and I have no idea how time works anymore. We had a really awesome week with General Conference and having a couple of conferences from our mission president!

One of the things I really liked was the importance of the spirit. We talk about this a lot of in the mission field, but its because it is so essential in teaching. The spirit has to be present or else they cannot know for themselves that this message is true. Without the spirit, this Jesus Christs gospel would just be some nice message, but it is so much more than that! It made me think about how as an individual I can bring the spirit more into my life. I remember getting discouraged several times before the mission because I felt spiritually empty, I felt like I had not felt the spirit in a long time. Now looking back, I realize I wasn't putting my self in situations or doing the things I needed to be doing, in order to invite the spirit. We have to stand in holy places, pray with real intent, and feast upon the Book of Mormon. The whole reason we give commitments in the mission field is to help those we teach feel the spirit on their own and learn how to develop their own testimony. So if you feel spiritually deprived, then I challenge you to evaluate your life and recognize what actions you need to do/not do in order to invite the spirit in your life. ;) 

On Thursday, I did a co-con with Grover Shimai, and it was a really awesome experience. My goal was to try to contribute as much as a good in the companionship. Sometimes it is hard to feel like I contribute when I am limited in experience and language, so I just prayed that I would be able to contribute in my special way. haha, We didn't have any appointments so we just biked all around Osaka, it was so much fun. We just talked to everyone that we could and I loved it. I just tried opening my mouth as much as a could, and it was incredible to see the blessings come from that. I was able to understand so much more, and actually have meaningful conversations with people, on my own! It made me so happy, to be able to just get to know people and tell them why I am a missionary. I know that it really was the gift of tongues and that the Lord really did magnify my efforts. Towards the end of the day we ended up getting lost in the crazy area of Namba, which reminded me of NYC times square, I honestly was in heaven. haha, I felt like I was touring Japan while preaching the gospel, coolest thing ever.

I am so grateful to be here in Japan, I am falling more in love with the people and the culture, and everything about it, I feel so blessed.

Just to end I wanted to share a really cool question that my district and I have been pondering about. ;)

How can I be filled with Christ-like love, so others can feel his love through me, so they have a desire to change? 

I hope everyone has a good week and thinks about how they can apply the amazing revelation we received in General Conference! 

愛しています！！クリステンセン姉妹

Dinner with cute Millie :)

Week 12

皆さんこんにちは！
This week was sooo crazy, Abeno is one crazy place, with plenty of opportunities for me to humiliate myself.  Haha but it has been so fun! 

We have a couple of investigators that are amazing, however, they are extremely busy. So it has been really hard to meet with them, but we are working hard!  It's amazing all the miracles we see every day, and how we are just guided to the places we need to be. 

I'm just going to share a little message for this week. 
We had our first zone conference, which was so great. I love my mission President and his wife. One of the things I loved that they talked about was how to become more Christ-like. And how to change your mindset so you think of what Christ-like quality you can work on more so you can accomplish the things you want to do. Hope that made sense. But one quote I loved was, " We grow in the image of those we love". How cool is that? So as a challenge me and my companion have been trying to work on a Christ-like attribute, so we can be better missionaries. It's been really cool because I've been given different opportunities to strengthen that attribute. So, I recommend that everyone does that if you don't know where to start there is a whole section on it in Preach My Gospel.  :) 

Sorry, this email is so short and all over the place. 
But I love Japan and I love this Gospel!! 
Hope everyone is doing good!
Love,
クリステンセン姉妹

Our Apartment 

I've tried so much food here, it's amazing. We just had some squid for fun. We eat well though don't worry, and mostly healthy haha.  And yeah squid was pretty good, I like anything really haha. And yeah we probably get like 3 meals a week from members, and they also have a basket of goods for us every Sunday, we are very very lucky. It's hard not to eat a lot of food here. Haha especially when members make you a ton of food.  The rest of the time we eat at our apartment or we pack something for the church, I've been very creative with meals here, it's kind of fun. Honestly, the fruit here is so good, and the curry, but everything is amazing. Oh, they have this thing that is like a giant cream puff, but better, it is heavenly. And its fun living with other girls, our apartment is kind of small, so that's hard, but we make it work. 

Yakisoba, Tako (octopus), and Okonomiyaki

長野家族、Nagano Family