week 19

Mon

We pulled weeds for a less active as a service project. There was still a lot of weeds left so hopefully we can go again or better yet get the ward involved and have them go. After that we had crepes and ice cream.

Tue

Itakura Kyodai called us up and asked "would you like to have lunch with me and a recent convert so that you can build up their faith?" Unfortunately we had an appointment already, but if we could have, I'd have liked to have gone. One less active seems to be improving. She wants to read the scriptures, which gives me hope that she'll progress even more.

Wed

Rain! I got some rain boots a few weeks ago because my normal black water resistant shoes would get all used up in one day and then they'd have to take a day's rest so the next day I'd have no water-friendly shoes. In any case, my rain boots worked insomuch that they kept the water from the street getting my feet wet, but the rain would trickle down my legs and into my shoes so they got filled up from the inside. Lesson learned: wear rain pants with these boots so that the rain gets put outside my boots. We really want all of our recent converts to go to the temple, but there are specific problems for each of them in the way. If we could go with them, I'd love it, but we can't. Sigh.

Thu

Lots of bug bites! They don't itch though. We dropped one investigator. She and her husband are truly wonderful people with strong faith in Christ, but they aren't willing to read or pray about the Book of Mormon. If we weren't missionaries, I think we might be friends, but as we are missionaries and our purpose is to invite people to Christ through the restored gospel through faith, etc. it makes it hard to do so when the key to the restored gospel is the Book of Mormon.

Fri

We had the last conference from President and Sister Baird. It was wonderful but bittersweet because it's goodbye. Since the next mission president and his wife are Japanese, Sister Baird took all of the American food from the pantry and gave it to the missionaries. As such, I got some Crystal Light and a fruit roll up. Also, I got the package! Thanks for everything. We have already made some Mexican food and enjoyed every second of it. We have also been listening to the cd almost non-stop. He has such a beautiful voice and he seems to bear his testimony with each song. We got a flyer at the conference that listed all of the people that were baptized between March and June. 25% of those baptisms were from Yokkaichi.

Sat

A member and a recent convert and the two of us traveled around the area visiting recent converts and less actives and members. I was so appreciative of both of their sacrifices. We talked with a lot of people that night. There were some people who were THIS CLOSE to being investigators but no such luck. We also had sushi. We ate pickled kelp and octopus and eel and fish eggs. Everything except the kelp was good. The kelp didn't taste bad but it looked gross. Once it was in your mouth it wasn't too bad but when you are looking at it on the end of your chopsticks, not so much.

Sun

One recent convert hasn't been to church in three weeks. We're kinda worried what's going on. In Relief Society we talked about restored keys and another recent convert was pretty confused. It made me realize how much knowledge God has given to His church. As missionaries you teach the basics. But in between the basics and a regular member of the church is a lot of vocabulary and history that they need to learn. There was a talk on Sunday given by a member. I really liked it but I was rather worried what it would seem like to the recent converts in the audience. He talked about how he wants to believe in Christ even when there aren't blessings and then he talked about a bunch of experiences where people prayed or fasted or what have you and the blessings didn't come right then. I was worried that our recent converts would take it as "even if you're good and keep the commandments you won't be blessed" but I liked the member's point that if you have faith when you see, you are blessed, but blessed are the people who do not believe and still have faith.

 

Love ya,

Leah