This week has been so busy but in such a fun challenging way! We have
met with so many people, seen so many miracles, and been blessed in so
many ways. Working here in Kichijoji is an incredible experience and I
feel so blessed to be here with Sister Reeves.
We have a new investigator, Moeka Chan. She is 16 and we actually met
her while dendoing with the new missionaries. She did a homestay in
Montana with an LDS family who gave her a CTR ring. She loves Mormons,
and the church, even though she didn't really understand the teachings
when she was in America. She loves hanging out with me and Sister
Reeves. We gave her an introduction lesson and taught her lesson 1.
When we extended the baptismal commitment she said yes, but that she
doesn't think that she can join our church because her dad doesn't
really like religion. We're continuing to try to meet with her, and
are striving to be sure that we leave a good impression on her
parents.
We had a lesson with Youko San and it actually went really well. She
said she's been trying to read the Book of Mormon but that it is
really difficult for her to understand. We read with her 1 Nephi 8
about the tree of life and applied it to her family. She has been
praying a lot, and I think that it will be really good if she receives
the lessons in order again and is recommitted to study with the intent
to make covenants. Her husband doesn't really like religion though, so
we need to find a way to help build up her faith and desire so that
she will find the courage to talk to him about church.
Our lesson with Amy San went really well. It was before Eikaiwa, and
we went over time and rushed the end which I kind of regret doing. In
our next lesson we will read the Book of Mormon together and recommit
her to baptism. Itou Shimai was the douseki at the lesson which really
had a great effect. They really hit it off, and it helped her see that
she could really have a need for this gospel in her life just like her
new friend does.
We taught Matsuoka San which was quite the interesting experience. She
has been meeting with missionaries for a long time, but hasn't
progressed at all. She doesn't really have a desire to change her
life. She has plenty of money, health, and a happy family. Having Ruri
Takanezawa Shimai there as a douseki was vital. She really helped
direct the lesson and keep things on topic. We think that her next
defining moment is to have an activity with ward members and see how
the gospel has really influenced their lives.
We taught a half English and half gospel lesson to one of our Eikaiwa
students Kobayashi San. She was very respectful, and seemed to have a
lot of interest in the questions of the soul. She said the prayer at
the end of the lesson, and was really nervous to do it. But she said
it and said that she would continue to try to pray. We have a douseki
for her next lesson, and I think that it will be a great defining
moment for her as we help her see the need for the gospel and the
application it has for everyone's life.
We had a lesson with Pinkou San yesterday. We learned that she has
been meeting with missionaries for the past 10 years! She is from
Malaysia and speaks very poor Japanese and English which makes
teaching her really difficult. She has a sincere desire to follow
Christ, but has already received baptism from another church and
believes that it is something you only receive once. We taught her
about the Priesthood and that this is the only church that has it. She
said that she would join once she was better able to understand the
Book of Mormon. She explained her feelings when she read the Book of
Mormon and she really does seem to be feeling the Spirit but doesn't
seem to be able to recognize it. Ishizuka Shimai dousekied and it was
a really great experience. Because of the language barrier and simply
maybe Pinkou's casual feelings about her meetings with the
missionaries, I think that her progression will continue to be slow
but steady. For now, we want to help her understand the Book of Mormon
and how to recognize the answers to her prayers.
Finally, Sayaka San!! Our golden investigator from the North mission!
She is incredible! We were able to get in contact with the Nakana
sisters and they better explained how the switch was going to happen.
She has been receiving all of her lessons in the Budge's home and she
really loves being in that family setting. She is willing to start
attending this ward and is excited to start meeting with us. We will
be meeting with her this week on Friday, and from what it sounds like,
she just needs to learn a few more commandments and be interviewed
before she can be baptized. She is incredible, and I am so grateful
that she came to church today and that we were able to meet her. Her
coming to Kichijoji is such a blessing and it really is just one of
the miracles that the mission is receiving because of everyone's hard
work.
We also had a brownie making activity with some investigators. I
forgot how delicious American brownies are!!!! Wow, Japanese food is
incredible, but I LOVE American desserts still.
Being in a new area is so much fun!! I love meeting all of these new
people, and I love trying to find ways to help them come closer to
Christ. It's incredible, because everyone is so different, and yet
they all need this gospel of Jesus Christ. I love this magnificent
work and the opportunity I have to learn more about myself while
serving others. Every single day I am being humbled and realizing how
imperfect I am. But every day I have the chance to become a little bit
more like Jesus Christ. I love my Savior Jesus Christ, and that
because of His infinite Atonement, He understands me perfectly. I am
blessed beyond measure, and am comforted everyday from the knowledge
this Gospel has given me.
I am so grateful for the members of the church and their excitement to
hasten the work of salvation. The willingness the members here have to
serve and work with the missionaries is simply incredible.
I am so grateful for my family and the wonderful example they are to
me. I am grateful that they have influenced my life so fully and for
the kindness they show to me. I know that as we strive to keep our
commandments and become as Christ, we will learn how to partake of
pure joy. Sister Reeves shared with me Mosiah 2:41, "And moreover, I
would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of
those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed
in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out
faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they
may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember,
remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."
(Mosiah 2:41) I add my testimony that as we strive to be 100% obedient
and become as Jesus Christ, we will be blessed in all aspects of our
lives, and know never-ending happiness.
I hope I ended this letter on a sappy enough note, I'm pretty satisfied by it :)
Love always,
Sister Feist
met with so many people, seen so many miracles, and been blessed in so
many ways. Working here in Kichijoji is an incredible experience and I
feel so blessed to be here with Sister Reeves.
We have a new investigator, Moeka Chan. She is 16 and we actually met
her while dendoing with the new missionaries. She did a homestay in
Montana with an LDS family who gave her a CTR ring. She loves Mormons,
and the church, even though she didn't really understand the teachings
when she was in America. She loves hanging out with me and Sister
Reeves. We gave her an introduction lesson and taught her lesson 1.
When we extended the baptismal commitment she said yes, but that she
doesn't think that she can join our church because her dad doesn't
really like religion. We're continuing to try to meet with her, and
are striving to be sure that we leave a good impression on her
parents.
We had a lesson with Youko San and it actually went really well. She
said she's been trying to read the Book of Mormon but that it is
really difficult for her to understand. We read with her 1 Nephi 8
about the tree of life and applied it to her family. She has been
praying a lot, and I think that it will be really good if she receives
the lessons in order again and is recommitted to study with the intent
to make covenants. Her husband doesn't really like religion though, so
we need to find a way to help build up her faith and desire so that
she will find the courage to talk to him about church.
Our lesson with Amy San went really well. It was before Eikaiwa, and
we went over time and rushed the end which I kind of regret doing. In
our next lesson we will read the Book of Mormon together and recommit
her to baptism. Itou Shimai was the douseki at the lesson which really
had a great effect. They really hit it off, and it helped her see that
she could really have a need for this gospel in her life just like her
new friend does.
We taught Matsuoka San which was quite the interesting experience. She
has been meeting with missionaries for a long time, but hasn't
progressed at all. She doesn't really have a desire to change her
life. She has plenty of money, health, and a happy family. Having Ruri
Takanezawa Shimai there as a douseki was vital. She really helped
direct the lesson and keep things on topic. We think that her next
defining moment is to have an activity with ward members and see how
the gospel has really influenced their lives.
We taught a half English and half gospel lesson to one of our Eikaiwa
students Kobayashi San. She was very respectful, and seemed to have a
lot of interest in the questions of the soul. She said the prayer at
the end of the lesson, and was really nervous to do it. But she said
it and said that she would continue to try to pray. We have a douseki
for her next lesson, and I think that it will be a great defining
moment for her as we help her see the need for the gospel and the
application it has for everyone's life.
We had a lesson with Pinkou San yesterday. We learned that she has
been meeting with missionaries for the past 10 years! She is from
Malaysia and speaks very poor Japanese and English which makes
teaching her really difficult. She has a sincere desire to follow
Christ, but has already received baptism from another church and
believes that it is something you only receive once. We taught her
about the Priesthood and that this is the only church that has it. She
said that she would join once she was better able to understand the
Book of Mormon. She explained her feelings when she read the Book of
Mormon and she really does seem to be feeling the Spirit but doesn't
seem to be able to recognize it. Ishizuka Shimai dousekied and it was
a really great experience. Because of the language barrier and simply
maybe Pinkou's casual feelings about her meetings with the
missionaries, I think that her progression will continue to be slow
but steady. For now, we want to help her understand the Book of Mormon
and how to recognize the answers to her prayers.
Finally, Sayaka San!! Our golden investigator from the North mission!
She is incredible! We were able to get in contact with the Nakana
sisters and they better explained how the switch was going to happen.
She has been receiving all of her lessons in the Budge's home and she
really loves being in that family setting. She is willing to start
attending this ward and is excited to start meeting with us. We will
be meeting with her this week on Friday, and from what it sounds like,
she just needs to learn a few more commandments and be interviewed
before she can be baptized. She is incredible, and I am so grateful
that she came to church today and that we were able to meet her. Her
coming to Kichijoji is such a blessing and it really is just one of
the miracles that the mission is receiving because of everyone's hard
work.
We also had a brownie making activity with some investigators. I
forgot how delicious American brownies are!!!! Wow, Japanese food is
incredible, but I LOVE American desserts still.
Being in a new area is so much fun!! I love meeting all of these new
people, and I love trying to find ways to help them come closer to
Christ. It's incredible, because everyone is so different, and yet
they all need this gospel of Jesus Christ. I love this magnificent
work and the opportunity I have to learn more about myself while
serving others. Every single day I am being humbled and realizing how
imperfect I am. But every day I have the chance to become a little bit
more like Jesus Christ. I love my Savior Jesus Christ, and that
because of His infinite Atonement, He understands me perfectly. I am
blessed beyond measure, and am comforted everyday from the knowledge
this Gospel has given me.
I am so grateful for the members of the church and their excitement to
hasten the work of salvation. The willingness the members here have to
serve and work with the missionaries is simply incredible.
I am so grateful for my family and the wonderful example they are to
me. I am grateful that they have influenced my life so fully and for
the kindness they show to me. I know that as we strive to keep our
commandments and become as Christ, we will learn how to partake of
pure joy. Sister Reeves shared with me Mosiah 2:41, "And moreover, I
would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of
those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed
in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out
faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they
may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember,
remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."
(Mosiah 2:41) I add my testimony that as we strive to be 100% obedient
and become as Jesus Christ, we will be blessed in all aspects of our
lives, and know never-ending happiness.
I hope I ended this letter on a sappy enough note, I'm pretty satisfied by it :)
Love always,
Sister Feist