Week 54

Fun little story, I wrote a nice group email for all of you lovely people and then it deleted. So I'm sorry for this downgraded version. 

But another week in 加古川市, it's still so hot, but we discovered a Baskin Robbins in our area, so I think we will be alright. 

This week we were able to visit with a lot of members. As missionaries, we are obviously sent to strengthen the members, but I swear they strengthen me. Support and love from the ward members is seriously everything. So please be good to your missionaries! We may be awkward, but we mean to do good. :) there was one visit, in particular, that was really great. It was this sweet lady and her daughter, who invited us to dinner. Together we read Alma 7 which talks about Christ's Atonement, 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and ...he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 ....he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
I love this scripture, together we talked about how we felt the power of the Atonement and that Christ truly does know how to perfectly help us. Afterwards, we sang some hymns together, it was a little embarrassing because the Mom was a professional performer, so my voice sounded terrible At the very end, she played the piano and sang an opera version of "Peace in Christ", it seriously was AMAZING. The spirit was there and I could just feel the spirit through this song, we may have all cried. Haha 

Recently, the Christ-like attribute I've been trying to apply is hope. There was one night where I  wasn't exactly feeling the most hope ever. I was talking to my companion about it and then we watched this video, and it said, Jesus Christ is not our last hope, he is our only hope. It kind of hit me that I don't need to turn to Christ only when I've tried all that I can, am discouraged and have nowhere else to go. I realized that I was never expected to do it alone ever or by my own power, Christ's Atonement isn't my last pick me up,  my last boost of strength, it is my strength. 
2 Nephi 31
20 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.

Please know that you're never alone, and we can always have hope in our lives!
Love, Christensen 姉妹

  My cute comp - Leilua Shimai

Found a picture of Grover 姉妹

Honsho 姉妹

A cute old lady gave us a watermelon from her garden, best day ever 

Zone Conference Pictures from June

Week 53

Hello everyone! 

Sorry, it's going to be just a short email and pics today. 

But I've hit my year mark! I made a little list of some of the things I've learned being a missionary for a year! 

-I love my family more than anything 

-I know Christ lives and is an actual person

-I know God is real and knows who I am

-Japanese food is amazing

-Sometimes all you can do is laugh

-God doesn't expect us to be perfect, as long as we are trying it will be enough

-Japanese is the worst but best language ever 

- I will forever use chopsticks 

-Never underestimate the power of the Book of Mormon 

-I love biking 

-The most important thing we should know is that there is a God and he loves us more than we can comprehend 

-Companions are the besstttt 

-I love the Japanese people 

-"Life is to be enjoyed, not endured" - Gordon B. Hinckley 

-The power of the Atonement is real.

-I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY

To end I just wanted to share a quick scripture Helaman 3:35

 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

This past year has absolutely changed my life. As I've been serving here in Japan, strengthening my faith in Jesus Christ, I have felt that amazing joy. I wish I could explain the power of Christs Atonement and how real it is. But what I do know is that it has changed me, in ways I didn't think were possible. And in the best ways possible.  I still am so imperfect and have so much more to learn and grow. But I know that if we yield our hearts to God, we can be cleansed, purified, and changed through Christ. It's seriously amazing! 

Anyways love you all, have a great week! 

Christensen 姉妹

Leilua 姉妹

for the memories

Week 52 - YAY!!!

Heeeeellllooooo.

Wow, this week.

So first off, transfers, your girl has officially left Osaka! I got the call Tuesday saying I'm headed to Kakogawa, Kobe, moving to an elders apartment, and fresh starting an area! To say I was a little scared, would be an understatement, but I was still excited for this change and to see what the Lord needed me to do here! 

But before that craziness happened, here are some things from Kawachinagano.

So we had a lesson with one of our new friends, she invited us over for dinner, so we went to her house. We were helping her make dinner when her mom came in and said she wanted to meet us. She told us that her daughter wasn't interested in religion and that we couldn't teach her about what we believe. She was very nice but pretty straight forward. I told her we understood, and my heart kinda broke a little bit. But we ended up having dinner together and she started asking us questions of what we are doing here. Once we started telling her what we do as missionaries, and how we left our families,and actually chose to be here, she seemed to be more interested. After a while, she just said, "But all you and your church want is to get people to be baptized and get more numbers." I told her that we do help people prepare for baptism but we aren't just trying to increase our numbers, but she didn't seem to understand. I then used an example that my beloved trainer taught me (shutout to Isom 姉妹). We were eating pizza and so I asked her if you had tried some pizza and it was the best pizza you had ever tried what would you do? Not only would you want to eat it often, but wouldn't you want your friends and family to know about it too? Obviously, you're not going to force them to eat it, or tell them they have to take it, but if they did eat it and loved it, wouldn't you be happy? She agreed with me. I told her how our message is the same, we have found something that we love, and we simply want others to be able to have it too. Obviously, we won't force people to be baptized or to listen to us, but when they choose to do so, we are so happy because we know their lives will be blessed too. I testified to her that our message is better than any amazing pizza or whatever it might be. That it has changed my life and those who I have taught. She sat there for a second, and said," wow that's a really a good example". haha  Long story short, she asked us to share a message with her and said we could continue meeting with her daughter. It was seriously such a miracle and I was grateful for the spirit that touched her heart! 

On Wednesday, I said goodbye to all my beloved friends in Kawachinagano, I love them so much and I'm so grateful I was able to serve them. I can't wait to see them all again. And I'm so grateful I was able to work Johnson 姉妹, she is amazing! 

Thursday I headed out to my new Area, and it has been great! My new companion is Leilua 姉妹, she is from California, can speak Samoan, sign language, and is the coolest person ever! We have seen so many miracles already together. (One of them being that the apartment we moved into was SO clean, thank you elders) 

I've only been here for a couple of days but the ward has been so sweet, and I'm excited for this transfer!  

This week I was reading in Alma 57 about Helaman's Army and it said, 
 (25 & 26) "According to the goodness of God.... there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds...And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God "  We all know the miracle of this story, that all of them were saved in battle. Yet they all received many wounds. But what I love is that Helaman continues to focus on the goodness of God in preserving them and doesn't complain or question why his men received so many wounds if God was protecting them?  We all know in this life we will receive many wounds, and sometimes it's hard not to ask God why he doesn't shelter us from whatever we might be going through. But I promise that he is watching over you, and is protecting you during our "battles", we just need to continue to trust in him.  "because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, should be preserved by his marvelous power."  I know that because of Christ's Atonement we will one day be healed from our wounds. Until that day comes continue to trust in his plan and focus on his miraculous power, and love that he has for you. 

Sorry for the super long email,  but love you all! 

-Christensen 姉妹

 Our Succulents

Yoshikawa 姉妹

Sayuri Kyoutani 姉妹

 Visiting Abeno

Hirata 姉妹

Harukas

Mizuki ちゃん

Minamimoto Couple 

Birthday Cereals 

In memory of Johnson 姉妹