Week 17

Hello everyone!

I am really sorry but this email isn't going to be one of my best. I honestly don't even know what happened this week.

BUT of course, Japan is still amazing, life is great, mission work is hard, and there are miracles every day.

One thing that has really been cool to watch is how much our investigators have progressed because of the Book of Mormon. We have been really trying to make that a goal in our commitments. As a missionary, you obviously have a lot more time to study the BOM, and it really is the greatest thing ever. One thing I have found is if you reading with a question in mind or are searching for something specific, you always learn so much more. We had one investigator who had been struggling with having faith in some of the things we have been teaching. But because he has been continuing to read, he has felt peace about it, even if the chapters he is reading have nothing to do with those topics. I promise you there is so much power in the BOM, and if you sincerely read it, you will find that peace or answer you are looking for. 

Some funny stories for this week, 

I had some chicken liver, that was kind of weird. I asked what the spread was on the bread we were eating at this lady's house because it was actually pretty good. I definitely wasn't expecting Chicken liver to come out of her mouth haha.  

During sign dendo, we give people candy as a prize if they can answer three questions in English. There was one guy I was talking to and I was giving him a candy, and he asked if he could take me on a date for his prize...lol. Another group of people asked if I was 25 years old, that has never happened in my life. haha

Sorry that this week was so short, hope everyone is doing amazing!

クリステンセン姉妹

Ellie sent us a cool story on her voice memo this week so I thought I would include it here.  I'll try to recount it as well as she did.  El and her companion got a phone call from some Elders telling them to please meet them at a certain address.  The Elders had gotten a referral and the lady said she knew Sister Christensen.  Turns out an Elder from Ellie's district in the MTC is half Japanese.  He is currently serving in Tokyo.  His Grandma lives in Osaka.  Everything lined up perfectly as his mom flew into Japan from the US and arrived at the Grandma's house at the same time as the Elders.  So the mom was able to make the connection to Ellie.  The Grandma is not a member and wasn't really open to the missionaries until she heard about Ellie.  Isom Shimai and Ellie had plans that night that had fallen through so they were able to go when the Elders called.  Ellie also happened to have some pictures of her and the Grandson from the MTC.  The Grandma now has opened her heart to the missionaries and is allowing them to return.  Lots of miracles that night!

We were biking and then all the sudden it started pouring rain, so that's why we look so bad in the pic haha

Oh yeah I had to go to the orthodontist because my retainer was coming off really bad, but it's all good. They did this really fancy stuff, fixed it and it only costs 7 dollars, so score. 

Facebook post by Miho Bearnson Waldrup, she wrote "Thank you so much for visiting us! It was great to meet you. My son said in his email that you are an awesome missionary!"  

Pictures with the mom and grandma of one of the elders in my MTC district!