To love unconditionally. It was a vocabulary word for this week's
English class. I explained it as loving something even if it's not
always easy to love. It's to enjoy the ups and the downs of the thing
that you love. That through the difficulties and the exciting times,
your love for that thing never changes. Guys. I love being a
missionary unconditionally. There are weeks, when it is hard.
Literally the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Just think
about it, the schedule is the same every day, you're eating pretty
much the same foods, you're with the same person 24/7, things have the
potential to become pretty monotonous. But then, I realize that there
is one thing that doesn't have to be the same everyday. Myself. Every
day, I have the opportunity to improve myself. To serve better, to
study harder, to pray more fervently. It is up to me to have the best
day of my mission every day. And as I am changing myself, I realize
that all those things that could be boring, are incredible. Everything
has a new light, and everything is more interesting! I gain a new
appreciation for the people in my life and the love that I feel for
them. And that's why I love being a missionary unconditionally.
Because it's changed my life more than I can ever explain. I have
never achieved greater feats in my life, and I have never realized all
of my faults more potently than how I see them here. And yet, there is
peace in my soul. I know that I am weak, but I also know that as I
work my hardest, The Lord makes me strong. And He doesn't give me
strength for selfish endeavors. He does it so that I might better
serve Him. And I am so grateful for the consecrated time that I have
here in Japan to serve my Savior, and help others find the same peace
that I have received.
This week was incredible, we saw SO MANY MIRACLES. The investigators
we are working with are INCREDIBLE. Excuse the excessive use of
CapsLock, but my heart feels like I'm on CapsLock right now. God gives
me the opportunity to influence others, but it's never through my own
power. He allows me to be an instrument in His hands, and it's up to
me to improve myself so that I can be of best use to Him.
We had a lesson with Kamioka San this week and she confided in us that
she is losing motivation to improve her life, and she feels that maybe
she should just quit her aspirations to learn English and improve.
Sister Wells shared Ether chapters 1 and 2 with her and told her that
she was at a time where she needed to cry unto God and that this was a
time to choose the path less travelled. We proceeded to teach her
lesson 1, and at the end of the lesson invited her to pray to know if
this church was true, and she said that she wants to know, but that
she refuses to pray. She said that she had so many Christian friends
in America who wouldn't help her in her time in need, but simply said
that they would pray for her. They wouldn't help her or anything. We
read with her Alma 34:27-29 and said that this is the way we are
taught to pray in this church. As she read that passage in the Book of
Mormon, she started crying. She said that she had read passages
similar to this in the Bible, but nothing that emphasizes service like
this. She was moved by it, and said that she would pray in her heart,
but wouldn't pray out loud. She is really against Christians because
of her previous experiences, but I think that as we find members to
come to her lessons, she will come to find the honest love that
members of this church have and how Christ-like they really are.
Iizawa San is simply incredible!! She will be in town next Sunday, and
she asked if she could receive baptism a week earlier. Her baptismal
date is now next Sunday the 9th, and I really feel that she is
prepared for it. She has been waiting so long in her life for the
peace the gospel brings, and she loves the protection it brings to her
and her future family. She has had so many problems in her life, and I
am so impressed that she already has a testimony that being baptized
and following Christ's example will change her life.
I think it's really amazing to see the difference between Kamioka San
and Iizawa San's previous relationships with Christians. Because all
of Kamioka San's Christian friends disappointed her, she is wary of
Christians and she is really guarding her heart. Iizawa San on the
other hand had an incredible LDS friends who were great examples to
her of what a real Christian is. It's such a testimony to me that the
way we live our daily lives really does influence the way others
perceive the church.
I am grateful for the truly Christian friends that I have in my life
right now. The people who have patiently endured my emptyheadedness,
who have given me advice in the hard times, and laughed with me during
the fun times. I am grateful that I have so many incredible friends
who have been an example to me of how to love unconditionally as
Christ has loved.
I want to end by saying that I sincerely love my Savior, Jesus Christ.
He is my Redeemer. He sacrificed His perfect life for me, and
imperfect being. He sees my flaws, but past those He sees my
potential. He love me. He has literally done everything for me, and
without Him, I would be nothing. He is the light of my life, and I
want to strive to always be a disciple of Him. I have a lot I need to
work on, but I really want to be like Him. He is shown us the way to
absolute happiness, and it is only by following His example. Through
His perfect Atonement, we receive mercy, and through that mercy, we
can become like our Savior. All that is good in my life I have to
thank for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Love always,
Sister Renae Ann Feist
English class. I explained it as loving something even if it's not
always easy to love. It's to enjoy the ups and the downs of the thing
that you love. That through the difficulties and the exciting times,
your love for that thing never changes. Guys. I love being a
missionary unconditionally. There are weeks, when it is hard.
Literally the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Just think
about it, the schedule is the same every day, you're eating pretty
much the same foods, you're with the same person 24/7, things have the
potential to become pretty monotonous. But then, I realize that there
is one thing that doesn't have to be the same everyday. Myself. Every
day, I have the opportunity to improve myself. To serve better, to
study harder, to pray more fervently. It is up to me to have the best
day of my mission every day. And as I am changing myself, I realize
that all those things that could be boring, are incredible. Everything
has a new light, and everything is more interesting! I gain a new
appreciation for the people in my life and the love that I feel for
them. And that's why I love being a missionary unconditionally.
Because it's changed my life more than I can ever explain. I have
never achieved greater feats in my life, and I have never realized all
of my faults more potently than how I see them here. And yet, there is
peace in my soul. I know that I am weak, but I also know that as I
work my hardest, The Lord makes me strong. And He doesn't give me
strength for selfish endeavors. He does it so that I might better
serve Him. And I am so grateful for the consecrated time that I have
here in Japan to serve my Savior, and help others find the same peace
that I have received.
This week was incredible, we saw SO MANY MIRACLES. The investigators
we are working with are INCREDIBLE. Excuse the excessive use of
CapsLock, but my heart feels like I'm on CapsLock right now. God gives
me the opportunity to influence others, but it's never through my own
power. He allows me to be an instrument in His hands, and it's up to
me to improve myself so that I can be of best use to Him.
We had a lesson with Kamioka San this week and she confided in us that
she is losing motivation to improve her life, and she feels that maybe
she should just quit her aspirations to learn English and improve.
Sister Wells shared Ether chapters 1 and 2 with her and told her that
she was at a time where she needed to cry unto God and that this was a
time to choose the path less travelled. We proceeded to teach her
lesson 1, and at the end of the lesson invited her to pray to know if
this church was true, and she said that she wants to know, but that
she refuses to pray. She said that she had so many Christian friends
in America who wouldn't help her in her time in need, but simply said
that they would pray for her. They wouldn't help her or anything. We
read with her Alma 34:27-29 and said that this is the way we are
taught to pray in this church. As she read that passage in the Book of
Mormon, she started crying. She said that she had read passages
similar to this in the Bible, but nothing that emphasizes service like
this. She was moved by it, and said that she would pray in her heart,
but wouldn't pray out loud. She is really against Christians because
of her previous experiences, but I think that as we find members to
come to her lessons, she will come to find the honest love that
members of this church have and how Christ-like they really are.
Iizawa San is simply incredible!! She will be in town next Sunday, and
she asked if she could receive baptism a week earlier. Her baptismal
date is now next Sunday the 9th, and I really feel that she is
prepared for it. She has been waiting so long in her life for the
peace the gospel brings, and she loves the protection it brings to her
and her future family. She has had so many problems in her life, and I
am so impressed that she already has a testimony that being baptized
and following Christ's example will change her life.
I think it's really amazing to see the difference between Kamioka San
and Iizawa San's previous relationships with Christians. Because all
of Kamioka San's Christian friends disappointed her, she is wary of
Christians and she is really guarding her heart. Iizawa San on the
other hand had an incredible LDS friends who were great examples to
her of what a real Christian is. It's such a testimony to me that the
way we live our daily lives really does influence the way others
perceive the church.
I am grateful for the truly Christian friends that I have in my life
right now. The people who have patiently endured my emptyheadedness,
who have given me advice in the hard times, and laughed with me during
the fun times. I am grateful that I have so many incredible friends
who have been an example to me of how to love unconditionally as
Christ has loved.
I want to end by saying that I sincerely love my Savior, Jesus Christ.
He is my Redeemer. He sacrificed His perfect life for me, and
imperfect being. He sees my flaws, but past those He sees my
potential. He love me. He has literally done everything for me, and
without Him, I would be nothing. He is the light of my life, and I
want to strive to always be a disciple of Him. I have a lot I need to
work on, but I really want to be like Him. He is shown us the way to
absolute happiness, and it is only by following His example. Through
His perfect Atonement, we receive mercy, and through that mercy, we
can become like our Savior. All that is good in my life I have to
thank for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Love always,
Sister Renae Ann Feist