Also, just got TRANSFER CALLS!! Sister Kaizaki is transferring to
Kichijoji :( I'm so sad, but I think she will have a great influence
on the area there.
I will be staying in Kawasaki and I will get Matsuzaki Shimai!
She is transfer 13, so it is her last transfer on her mission and she
is straight up an incredible missionary. She has so much energy and is
so much fun! And Japanese!!! I'm shocked, and excited!! It is going to
be a blast!
Meeting an American... And feeling like I was in a foreign country. So
we found out that there was a girl from Georgia living near one of our
members, and decided to go stop by. As we were talking, she really hit
it off with the sister I was on splits with. They started by talking
about Disney, then continued to talk about Cosplay, Video Games, and
maybe anything else media. I was completely lost. They could have been
speaking a foreign language for all I knew. Literally, I had no idea
what was going on, and I thought that I was quite the media buff
before my mission. Nope. Not anymore. I know absolutely nothing. And
you know what? I'm not too torn up about it. It all sounds fun, but I
also know that what I am doing right now, is amazing!! And I have a
lot of new hobbies (like cooking Japanese food and jogging) and I am
excited to continue those for the rest of my life.
This week I have been striving to improve my listening skills. In PMG
there is a section called "listening" designed to help us improve our
teaching skills. In Japanese it's " 耳を傾ける." Which literally translated
means, "to pour all of one's energy into your ear." Hearing it that
way really changed how I communicated this week. As I communicated, I
strove to understand, not to be understood. Wow. It was hard. I feel
like I have so many great ideas, and if people just could understand
me, they would have so much success! But I'm finding that something
I'm supposed to learn on my mission is that other peoples' ideas or
just as good if not better than my own. (cringe). I'm so grateful that
Heavenly Father is patient with me as I learn this lesson. And I am so
grateful that I have met so many incredible people on my mission who
are teaching me so much! It's humbling and empowering!
Onda Shimai is a recent convert in Kawasaki ward. Her son is in the
quorum of the 70 former mission president and her grandson is our ward
mission leader. She is probably one of the most incredible people I've
every met. She trusts the missionaries 100%. She loves us, and tells
us all of her worries and ideas. She is so nervous to give her talk
about Christmas this month, and it was so humbling to help her
understand why we celebrate Christmas. If anyone has any
recommendations of Liahona articles that are about Christmas, please
let us know so we can give them to Sister Onda.
Right now Linh Shimai and Tomoko San are progressing and changing so
much! They are incredible, and it's so awe-inspiring to see the
influences of the gospel in their lives. I really feel strongly that
one blessing we receive from applying the gospel to our lives is a
change off perspective. Instead of allowing the little things to
bother us or ruin our day, we instead look for the positive. We see it
as a chance to learn and to grow. A chance to rely upon our Savior,
and by so doing, draw closer to Him. Life really is great, and a
chance for us to understand what true happiness is.
I love you all! I love the Atonement, and my Savior Jesus Christ. I am
soo happy to be serving a mission here in Japan. Man, I LOVE this
place!!!
ファイスト姉妹
Kichijoji :( I'm so sad, but I think she will have a great influence
on the area there.
I will be staying in Kawasaki and I will get Matsuzaki Shimai!
She is transfer 13, so it is her last transfer on her mission and she
is straight up an incredible missionary. She has so much energy and is
so much fun! And Japanese!!! I'm shocked, and excited!! It is going to
be a blast!
Meeting an American... And feeling like I was in a foreign country. So
we found out that there was a girl from Georgia living near one of our
members, and decided to go stop by. As we were talking, she really hit
it off with the sister I was on splits with. They started by talking
about Disney, then continued to talk about Cosplay, Video Games, and
maybe anything else media. I was completely lost. They could have been
speaking a foreign language for all I knew. Literally, I had no idea
what was going on, and I thought that I was quite the media buff
before my mission. Nope. Not anymore. I know absolutely nothing. And
you know what? I'm not too torn up about it. It all sounds fun, but I
also know that what I am doing right now, is amazing!! And I have a
lot of new hobbies (like cooking Japanese food and jogging) and I am
excited to continue those for the rest of my life.
This week I have been striving to improve my listening skills. In PMG
there is a section called "listening" designed to help us improve our
teaching skills. In Japanese it's " 耳を傾ける." Which literally translated
means, "to pour all of one's energy into your ear." Hearing it that
way really changed how I communicated this week. As I communicated, I
strove to understand, not to be understood. Wow. It was hard. I feel
like I have so many great ideas, and if people just could understand
me, they would have so much success! But I'm finding that something
I'm supposed to learn on my mission is that other peoples' ideas or
just as good if not better than my own. (cringe). I'm so grateful that
Heavenly Father is patient with me as I learn this lesson. And I am so
grateful that I have met so many incredible people on my mission who
are teaching me so much! It's humbling and empowering!
Onda Shimai is a recent convert in Kawasaki ward. Her son is in the
quorum of the 70 former mission president and her grandson is our ward
mission leader. She is probably one of the most incredible people I've
every met. She trusts the missionaries 100%. She loves us, and tells
us all of her worries and ideas. She is so nervous to give her talk
about Christmas this month, and it was so humbling to help her
understand why we celebrate Christmas. If anyone has any
recommendations of Liahona articles that are about Christmas, please
let us know so we can give them to Sister Onda.
Right now Linh Shimai and Tomoko San are progressing and changing so
much! They are incredible, and it's so awe-inspiring to see the
influences of the gospel in their lives. I really feel strongly that
one blessing we receive from applying the gospel to our lives is a
change off perspective. Instead of allowing the little things to
bother us or ruin our day, we instead look for the positive. We see it
as a chance to learn and to grow. A chance to rely upon our Savior,
and by so doing, draw closer to Him. Life really is great, and a
chance for us to understand what true happiness is.
I love you all! I love the Atonement, and my Savior Jesus Christ. I am
soo happy to be serving a mission here in Japan. Man, I LOVE this
place!!!
ファイスト姉妹