My heart is so full right now. We are seeing so many miracles and
working so hard together. I can't help but think of President
Uchtdorf's conference talk about being in a state of gratitude. That
because we have the knowledge of our Savior's Atonement, we should
never lose hope. I never need to feel despair because I know that as I
maintain an eternal perspective, I will always feel the perfect joy
that comes along with living the gospel of Jesus Christ. That as I
prioritize my life to follow my Savior Jesus Christ, everything will
fall into place. And if something doesn't fall into place, then I
guess there isn't really a need for it in my life.
We have a new investigator named Aya. We met her 2 weeks ago at a
stoplight, and she came with us to the Stevenson family's house for
dinner last Monday. She had such a great experience and she kept
saying that she wants a Christian family like the Stevensons. We had a
lesson with her yesterday. She has already been reading the Book of
Mormon and she said that she feels warm in her heart when she reads
it. She cried during the lesson, and she felt the Spirit so strongly.
We set a baptismal date with her for May 31, and she was so excited to
be baptized. I really do believe that she is someone who has been
prepared by God. She emailed us late last night and said that she
talked to her Mom who asked her to focus more on her university
studies. She also said that she has already been going to a church
before she met with us and that she thinks she will be baptized into
that church. The lesson that we had with her was so good and she is so
amazing! My heart is aching right now to see the opposition that she
is facing and to realize the confusion that she must be feeling right
now. We are praying that we will be led by the Spirit while working
with her, and are constantly reminding ourselves that God's timing is
perfect, and we are not.
Oikawa Shimai is doing really well. The members are meeting with her
and studying with her. She is looking up Mormon videos and music on
youtube. When we talk about baptism with her, it's not really a matter
of if she will get baptized, but when she will get baptized. She talks
about the light that she sees in Mormons' faces and how they really do
just shine and seem so happy. Today we met with her and had a really
incredible lesson. We talked about why she feels that she can't be
baptized (she's been coming to church for 5 years) and were really
able to get to know her better. She still won't set a date for
baptism, but we're as stubborn about her remembering its importance as
she is about being certain before making any commitments.
Suwa San is doing well. We are meeting with her this Friday, and are
excited for it. We are going to review conference, then talk about her
relationship with God. She really is amazing and ready to learn.
Pinko San had a really great experience at church on Sunday. The stake
relief society presidency was there and each of them made an effort to
welcome her. A member of the ward who speaks Chinese offered to study
with us, so we will be studying with her this Friday. It's incredible
how the attention and genuine affection from friends at church can
influence the desire of a person to learn. As we care for others as
Christ cares for them, it will not only change their lives, but it
will change us.
We have many other people we are working with, who we are trying to
help cultivate and create defining moments for. I realize that as long
as I am obedient, and try to work as The Lord would have me work, then
I will see success in His vineyard. I honestly do feel that we are
seeing so many miracles, and that there are a lot of incredible things
happening here in Japan.
Okay, but that's not all. This past week was incredible!!! We had so
many great events that really did change me and are helping shape my
thoughts on life and how I want to help others. One thought that has
been coming to me this week is what kind of culture I want in my
future home. In zone conference we learned about Japanese culture, and
how as we adapt parts of the culture, we can better show our love for
others. I realized that this doesn't simply apply to table manners, it
can also apply to love languages. Each of us express and receive love
differently, which can make communication really challenging. Just as
I'm working to understand culture a little better, I've decided to
also understand how people receive love a little better. That way, I
can show love for them the way they recognize it best.
President Wada had a fireside for our investigators where he compared
clips from the "Dead Poets Society" to the teachings of Christ. One
thing that really occurred to me during the discussion time is how
important each of our own personalities and talents are. God has given
us these gifts, and He wants us to understand them and share them with
others. He works with us individually to develop them and He teaches
us in the way that will change us most eternally. God teaches us
perfectly through the Spirit. He loves us. He knows our eternal
potential, and if we were able to even understand it a little, we
would never settle for anything less than stellar. We are infinite
beings with infinite possibilities. Never forget your worth in the
eyes of God!!
Sister Burton of the general society presidency and Sister Oscarson of
the general young women's presidency came and spoke in Kichijoji on
Easter Sunday!! We went with a less active in our ward, and it was
incredible to see how a reminder of the importance of keeping her
covenants had such a significant impact upon her. One thing that
really impacted me from these talks was the fact that as a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I have taken upon
myself the name of Christ, and promised to always remember Him and
become like Him. These covenants ought to effect my every moment. My
every thought, word and deed. As I am striving to become like my
Savior, others should know Him by knowing me. As a missionary I am an
official representative of Jesus Christ, but I intend to be follow Him
and change every day to become a little more like Him, for the rest of
my life.
Just fun facts about this week: We went on splits this week and they
forced me to ride a bike. I wiped out. Yay for bloody hands!! I also
tried gyudon for the first time. Definition: meat and rice. Soooo
delicious. We also made our own okonomiyaki with Aya yesterday and ate
Endo curry with Oikawa Shimai today. Yeah, I'm eating some delicious
foods these days. I love Japan. Watch out family, you will be subject
to my bizarre Japanese cooking next year!! :) We were stopped by some
people at the train station and asked if we were models. Kind of
embarrassing, but incredibly flattering. In the past week we have been
stopped twice by police officers to show our legal Japanese id. Which
is way unusual considering that most missionaries can go their whole
mission without being stopped! But apparently President Obama is
coming to Japan this week, so everyone is turning up the safety for
him?
Things are fun and weird here in Japan. I am loving every minute of it
and I love my companion Sister Reeves. She teaches me so much, and I
really do enjoy our time together. This transfer is incredible, I
can't believe that time is flying by so quickly!!!
Long letter, lots of feelings, lots of things I want to improve :)
I love this gospel and this work. I am happy.
Love always,
Sister Feist
working so hard together. I can't help but think of President
Uchtdorf's conference talk about being in a state of gratitude. That
because we have the knowledge of our Savior's Atonement, we should
never lose hope. I never need to feel despair because I know that as I
maintain an eternal perspective, I will always feel the perfect joy
that comes along with living the gospel of Jesus Christ. That as I
prioritize my life to follow my Savior Jesus Christ, everything will
fall into place. And if something doesn't fall into place, then I
guess there isn't really a need for it in my life.
We have a new investigator named Aya. We met her 2 weeks ago at a
stoplight, and she came with us to the Stevenson family's house for
dinner last Monday. She had such a great experience and she kept
saying that she wants a Christian family like the Stevensons. We had a
lesson with her yesterday. She has already been reading the Book of
Mormon and she said that she feels warm in her heart when she reads
it. She cried during the lesson, and she felt the Spirit so strongly.
We set a baptismal date with her for May 31, and she was so excited to
be baptized. I really do believe that she is someone who has been
prepared by God. She emailed us late last night and said that she
talked to her Mom who asked her to focus more on her university
studies. She also said that she has already been going to a church
before she met with us and that she thinks she will be baptized into
that church. The lesson that we had with her was so good and she is so
amazing! My heart is aching right now to see the opposition that she
is facing and to realize the confusion that she must be feeling right
now. We are praying that we will be led by the Spirit while working
with her, and are constantly reminding ourselves that God's timing is
perfect, and we are not.
Oikawa Shimai is doing really well. The members are meeting with her
and studying with her. She is looking up Mormon videos and music on
youtube. When we talk about baptism with her, it's not really a matter
of if she will get baptized, but when she will get baptized. She talks
about the light that she sees in Mormons' faces and how they really do
just shine and seem so happy. Today we met with her and had a really
incredible lesson. We talked about why she feels that she can't be
baptized (she's been coming to church for 5 years) and were really
able to get to know her better. She still won't set a date for
baptism, but we're as stubborn about her remembering its importance as
she is about being certain before making any commitments.
Suwa San is doing well. We are meeting with her this Friday, and are
excited for it. We are going to review conference, then talk about her
relationship with God. She really is amazing and ready to learn.
Pinko San had a really great experience at church on Sunday. The stake
relief society presidency was there and each of them made an effort to
welcome her. A member of the ward who speaks Chinese offered to study
with us, so we will be studying with her this Friday. It's incredible
how the attention and genuine affection from friends at church can
influence the desire of a person to learn. As we care for others as
Christ cares for them, it will not only change their lives, but it
will change us.
We have many other people we are working with, who we are trying to
help cultivate and create defining moments for. I realize that as long
as I am obedient, and try to work as The Lord would have me work, then
I will see success in His vineyard. I honestly do feel that we are
seeing so many miracles, and that there are a lot of incredible things
happening here in Japan.
Okay, but that's not all. This past week was incredible!!! We had so
many great events that really did change me and are helping shape my
thoughts on life and how I want to help others. One thought that has
been coming to me this week is what kind of culture I want in my
future home. In zone conference we learned about Japanese culture, and
how as we adapt parts of the culture, we can better show our love for
others. I realized that this doesn't simply apply to table manners, it
can also apply to love languages. Each of us express and receive love
differently, which can make communication really challenging. Just as
I'm working to understand culture a little better, I've decided to
also understand how people receive love a little better. That way, I
can show love for them the way they recognize it best.
President Wada had a fireside for our investigators where he compared
clips from the "Dead Poets Society" to the teachings of Christ. One
thing that really occurred to me during the discussion time is how
important each of our own personalities and talents are. God has given
us these gifts, and He wants us to understand them and share them with
others. He works with us individually to develop them and He teaches
us in the way that will change us most eternally. God teaches us
perfectly through the Spirit. He loves us. He knows our eternal
potential, and if we were able to even understand it a little, we
would never settle for anything less than stellar. We are infinite
beings with infinite possibilities. Never forget your worth in the
eyes of God!!
Sister Burton of the general society presidency and Sister Oscarson of
the general young women's presidency came and spoke in Kichijoji on
Easter Sunday!! We went with a less active in our ward, and it was
incredible to see how a reminder of the importance of keeping her
covenants had such a significant impact upon her. One thing that
really impacted me from these talks was the fact that as a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I have taken upon
myself the name of Christ, and promised to always remember Him and
become like Him. These covenants ought to effect my every moment. My
every thought, word and deed. As I am striving to become like my
Savior, others should know Him by knowing me. As a missionary I am an
official representative of Jesus Christ, but I intend to be follow Him
and change every day to become a little more like Him, for the rest of
my life.
Just fun facts about this week: We went on splits this week and they
forced me to ride a bike. I wiped out. Yay for bloody hands!! I also
tried gyudon for the first time. Definition: meat and rice. Soooo
delicious. We also made our own okonomiyaki with Aya yesterday and ate
Endo curry with Oikawa Shimai today. Yeah, I'm eating some delicious
foods these days. I love Japan. Watch out family, you will be subject
to my bizarre Japanese cooking next year!! :) We were stopped by some
people at the train station and asked if we were models. Kind of
embarrassing, but incredibly flattering. In the past week we have been
stopped twice by police officers to show our legal Japanese id. Which
is way unusual considering that most missionaries can go their whole
mission without being stopped! But apparently President Obama is
coming to Japan this week, so everyone is turning up the safety for
him?
Things are fun and weird here in Japan. I am loving every minute of it
and I love my companion Sister Reeves. She teaches me so much, and I
really do enjoy our time together. This transfer is incredible, I
can't believe that time is flying by so quickly!!!
Long letter, lots of feelings, lots of things I want to improve :)
I love this gospel and this work. I am happy.
Love always,
Sister Feist