Week 59

Hello everyone, 

I wish I could share in one email all of the amazing things I experience as a missionary, especially from this week. SO many good things. 

Miracle number one. We have been meeting with one of our friends that we met a couple of weeks ago, and he is just so golden. He just accepts everything we teach him, and it is truly changing his life (and mine). We taught him the Plan of Salvation and Christ's Atonement, and he just kept saying how amazing he feels, and how grateful he is for Jesus Christ. We were able to put him on a baptismal date and he has just progressed so much! For example, he came to church yesterday wearing a suit we found for him at the Mission Home, and he just looked so happy. I was sitting there taking the sacrament when I look over, and he's just sitting there praying to his Heavenly Father, in his nice suit, taking the sacrament, surrounded by members who support him and are there for him. If you could just see who this man was just three weeks ago, then you would understand why I couldn't stop smiling that day. Christ's Atonement and church, truly do change peoples lives! It's amazing. 

Another cool experience,

We went to an appointment with a girl that was referred to us by a member in another Stake. We had talked to her on the phone but this was her first time meeting with the missionaries. She ends up being this sweet mom with two daughters, who moved here from Brazil. But what we quickly realize is that she can't really speak Japanese or English...For example, I asked her if she believes in God, and she was like, yes I am 25. haha Let's just say we were not prepared for this lesson. But thanks to Google Translate, Gospel Library in Portuguese, and ridiculous hand gestures and illustrations, we were able to share somewhat of a message. Luckily, she was so patient and so sweet and even invited us over for the next week.

We left her home and I just felt so terrible. I felt bad for how unprepared we were and that her first experience meeting with the missionaries, and hearing about our church was not good, to say the least. 

We then later received a call from her friend who referred her to us. He asked me how it went and after telling him it was pretty hard, and hearing some laughs from him, he told me that she actually called him and told him about the appointment. However, She said she was so grateful that she was able to meet with us, and she could tell how much our message meant to us because of how hard we were trying. Not only that, but she said that she felt something new and different, and she wanted to know what it was. After telling me her side of the story, I was so happy and to be honest, pretty shocked. I knew the spirit helps us as missionaries, but wow it just taught me that even our scattered and unperfect lesson, was enough for the spirit to testify to her that our message was something she needed. No effort is wasted in the sight of God, even when we feel like we can't do what is asked of us, he will make up the difference.

In Moses 6:34 it says (this is actually our mission scripture),

Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.

I am so grateful to walk with my Savior out here in Japan, it's the best thing I have ever done!

Love you all, have a great week! 

Best burger (and really only burger) I've had in a year

Cookies from Sister Smoot