#20 "Caaaan You Feeeel The Looooooove Toniiiight"

So someone in Komatsu ward must have fallen on the ice and hit his head so hard because next thing I know they're asking me to speak in sacrament meeting. WAHT. But yeah! I gave a talk!! It was probably the shortest one I have ever given, but it was pretty good. I talked about charity, the pure love of Christ. I said that when I was little, I used to think it just meant giving things away, but that I now know it means so much more than that. I know that it really is the strongest, most powerful love, and that we should all strive to have it. I also had the opportunity to tell the Komatsu ward that they are awesome! Haha even though they asked me to give a talk...

 

Komatsu ward is about 50 members, and every single person is awesome. They all have such strong faith, they inspire me. I have a paper sitting on my lap right now with a list of names of all the people who have done super nice things for me that I was originally planning on typing up for you all, but I figured that might be mendokusai (hasslesome or bothersome) for those of you who are bad with names (that would include me), especially Japanese names (also including me - remind me again, God, why you thought it would be a good idea to send me to Japan?). Instead I'll just tell you about how sweet they are and about how strong their faith is.

 

They are SO sweet! They gave us an entire boxfull of presents for Christmas. We got tights, hot packs, and a whole lot of junk food. They have a fruit basket that every week on Sunday is magically filled by the members of the ward. They invite us over for dinner, or when we come to appointments they make okonomiyaki because they know it's my favorite. Aren't they awesome??! Man, I wish I was as nice as they are. I've got some good examples to follow in this ward.

 

They also have incredible faith. ONE of the TWO young men (boys ages 12-18, there are only two in this ward), comes to Seminary every week for two hours straight, and he is the ONLY STUDENT. He comes to all the ward events, and even though he has no one his age to talk to, he plays with the little kids, or even talks to me! His name is Jun Kobayashi. He has incredible faith, and a powerful testimony.

 

Another woman is philipino, and she lives with one of her three kids. Her other two kids live with her husband who left her after 10 years of marriage because she joined the church when he told her not to. She has the strongest faith I have ever seen. Her name is Teresa Mori. She's so strong.

 

These are only two of the many members of this ward. I could go on forever, continuing down this list I have, but I'll spare you the time and hope you'll understand when I tell you that I am so inspired by these people. They are so strong, I am lucky to be working with them.

 

Can you feel the love tonight? - in the icy, snowy cold night of Komatsu, I certainly can.

It is where we are - Right here, in this ward.

 

It's enough to make kings and vagabonds - And even tired missionaries

Believe the very best  - very day I am so inspired and rejuvenated to work my hardest. They are such a great example to me, and I can feel and see the power of their testimonies. They make me believe the very best, I can do my best for them.

#19 "Bambi On Ice"

Well now it is safe to say that I have ridden a bike through Komatsu in all weather conditions. Within the first week, I had experienced heavy rain, storms, lightning, and hail. As of two days ago I have now ridden through deep snow and over inches of ice. It makes work very interesting...

 

They say here in Komatsu it will snow until about the middle of March, so I'll がんばります! (stay strong/keep it up). We've heard of so many falls from other missionaries in our zones that we try to keep it safe. We usually ride on the roads, except my companion is afraid of the cars. Then we ride on sidewalks, but I'm afraid of falling and breaking an arm (happened to one sister in this area last year). So which is more dangerous, ice or cars? I have no idea, but I think I'd rather ride with the cars than slip and fall on the hard, cold ice.

 

Actually, my companion did fall last night. It was pretty funny, we were heading home from a teaching appointment and, from my perspective, it seemed like she chucked her bike out from underneath her and started walking away like she was from some kind of action movie. In reality, her bike slid and she jumped off it as it fell to the ground. So yeah! We're lilke Bambi on ice, trying to walk and ride but finding it very slow going.

 

The missionary work is also very slow going. One of our investigators, who is actually really interested in our message, is going to Peru for three months. Another family is moving to Brazil in about a month. With our other investigators, it's hard to tell if they really are interested or not. We keep teaching though. As long as we keep teaching, they can feel the Spirit, and for right now in the cold winter of Komatsu, that will warm you up!

 

Some of the funniest moments I've found are when people open the door, we say "konnichiwa!", and before we can even say our names they close the door saying "kekko desu"(I'm alright). I haven't counted the number of doors that have closed in my face because I've realized that it's not important. What is important is that I get up every day at 6:30 in the morning ready to do whatever He wants me to do. I may not feel like anything I do makes any difference, I may feel like I'm wasting time and money, but in reality this time is not mine, it's His. He sees more than I do. I gotta trust Him.

#18 "Please Bring Honor To Us All"

Alright, I have to keep this one short because I completely ran out of email time. It's crazy how fast one hour can go by!

 

Well this week I had a companion exchange, which means for 24 hours I was with a different companion, in a different area. I was paired up with Takeuchi Shimai, who speaks only Japanese and NO English. ..It was a humbling experience.

 

Sometimes I worry that I'll never get the hang of this language, that I'll never be able to share with these people of Komatsu the testimony that is going to explode inside me. It's refreshing to know that others came before me, more specifically my dad.

 

Today is his birthday, and I just want you all to know that he is so old. Whoops I meant to say cool. He is so cool though - he served in the same mission, and even the same area, that I am serving in right now. My Disney reference from Mulan is dedicated to him this week.

 

As Mulan prepares to meet the matchmaker of her town, she worries that she will make a fool of herself and her family, and won't "bring honor to us all". She prays to her ancestors to help her to do her best, to "keep her father standing tall", and to "please bring honor to us all".

 

I pray that I can keep my father standing tall, I hope that by working my best every day I can bring honor to us all.

#17 "Anyone Can Cook"

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I can't believe it's 2014 already, it seems like time is just flying by.

 

People keep asking me about food, so I thought this week I would write a short passage about how food works for missionaries.

 

We are given an hour to prepare, eat, and clean up after our meals. I can't cook to save my life, so Ishida Shimai usually does everything and I wait until she gives me very very specific instructions so I can help. I'm very slowly learning how to make some Japanese foods and I'm also praying that my next companion can cook, or we are going to starve!! We eat a lot of Japanese foods that are easy and simple to make, like Yakisoba, Udon, Yakiniku, Okonomiyaki, Ramen, Oden, Miso soup, and a whole lotta rice. I love it! I love Japanese food, so this works really well for me!!

 

I was thinking of a Disney reference to go along with this post, and the first movie that came to mind was Ratatouille. If you don't know it, watch it! It's a darling film, and I love it so very much. In the movie, Remi the rat dreams of being a chef, and the phrase "anyone can cook" is constantly repeated over and over again as he overcomes obstacles that get in his way.

 

This reminded me of my New Years Resolution. This year, 2014, is the one year of my life that I will never see my family, and as I reflect with that I'm filled with encouragement. Of course, I miss them, but here I have been given this year to devote to God's work. My resolution this year is to be the best missionary that I can be - every day to strive to be better than I was the day before.

 

Sometimes I don't understand just how God could ask me to be one of His representatives - I am so far from missionary-quality. But hey! "Anyone can cook!" I can try my best for Him. I can remember the gifts and talents He has given me as I face my obstacles in acheiving this goal. "Anyone can cook!"

 

...I hope. Wish me luck! I'm gonna need it.

#16 "If I Can Learn To Do It"

I feel first off that I need to clarify something for my family, and for all of those who overheard that skype-call. Yes, I was crying the whole time, but that does not mean I'm unhappy. Haha, I think I may have gave you the wrong impression. I was crying, not because I was sad, but more because I was so happy. It was so good to hear your voices and to see your faces. I was truly blessed this Christmas to have been able to skype; I know of so many who did not have this privilege.

I get asked all the time in letters "how are you, really?", and I just wanted to let you all know that I am doing GREAT. Really. I am. Missions are hard, those return-missionaries aren't kidding. Every day I have a moment or two where I feel like I just need to push through, but mostly everything just flows.

I'll share my Disney reference to explain this point. In Anastasia, Anya is learning how to impersonate the Princess Anastasia. As her teachers tell her, "if I can learn to do it, you can learn to do it. Tell yourself it's easy, and it's true." I very often see other missionaries at District and Zone conferences, and I see them talk to my companion with words that I have never heard before. I see them recite memorized Japanese scripture, and I see them talk on the phone in such rapid Japanese that I don't even know what language they're speaking. Sometimes I get frustrated, realizing that I can only say so much in Japanese, I feel limited. But it's at times like these that I realize they were once in my shoes, and if they can learn to do it, I can learn to do it.

Anya then replies, "suddenly I feel like someone new!" And her teachers answer "Anya, you're a dream come true!"

I can feel myself becoming a new person, and as I learn how to be a better missionary every day, hopefully with a lot of help, I can be the missionary Christ needs me to be.

#15 "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"

I don't know why it did not occur to me when I wrote my papers or even when I stepped out of the car and into the MTC, or even when I came off the plane in Nagoya airport, or even when I arrived at my appartment in Komatsu, but this week it has finally hit me: Christmas is not going to be the same.

I have always felt that there were two different Christmases - one full of gift-giving and being with family and the other being centered on Jesus Christ. Both are celebrated, both are loved, but the one I adore is the one where I am with family. That's what Christmas is to me, and that's why it is my favorite holiday. If you know me well, then you know I start counting down the days as soon as the weather begins to cool or sometimes before. My companion was shocked to hear that I even esteem Christmas over my birthday. But I have finally realized that this year, Christmas will not be the same.

I hear Christmas songs over and over again, and the line "I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams" hits me so hard, that sometimes I feel like telling my companion that I cannot work that day. "A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you're fast asleep. In dreams you will lose your heartache - whatever you wish for you keep." But how am I to keep Christmas with me this year? My family is of number one importance to me, and being without them this year seems almost impossible.

Almost.

I am reminded of the other kind of Christmas, the other kind that I CAN celebrate this year.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given... His name shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." (2 Nephi 19:6)

The Prince of Peace - how often do we recognize the different names of Christ and the reasons behind them? This year I have come to know and love the name "Prince of Peace".

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

There is a peace that follows, when we take upon us his yoke, and learn of him. With him, we can find rest for our souls, "for [his] yoke is easy, and [his] burden light."

My purpose in writing to you this week is not to add to your heavy workload this time of year, but rather to take away from it. I invite you all to listen to the Prince of Peace's invitation:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28-30)

I know that this year I am far from home, far from the Christmas I love and adore, but instead I have found a new Christmas. I wish to share this Christmas with all of you. Listen to the Savior's invitation and come unto him, the Prince of Peace.