Week 3 T3 :: Golden Week was pretty golden🌟
Just gotta start this email of by saying...
"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever. "
The beginning of this week started out pretty rough, but Wednesday is when the miracles started happening.
Miracle #1 Kai: We were out biking around the Eki (train station) OYMing trying to find those who might be interested. My comp starts talking to these two teenage boys, and in the back of my head I'm just laughing because teenage boys tend to just say something flirty in English or make fun of us lol. He starts talking in English and tells us, "I'm actually really interested," then HE ASKS US if we "have a card or something?" ?!? His name is Kai, his parents aren't Christian but he is and he said he's struggling with the church he is currently in and were really excited to meet him again!!
#2 Yumi: We don't really know how prepared she is but we ping ponged her, she answered, and then hung up so we were about to move on but then she comes running outside to talk to us. She met sisters before but never was contacted again or had much interest. We taught her about the Restoration, mainly the Book of Mormon and she seemed interested. She said we can meet again and I'm really excited. Also somehow we started talking about how she dances hula so that's a pretty fun connection we can have.
#3 Cecilia: Every Wednesday night the sisters go "less active finding". The previous sisters came across a girl who stopped going to church and discovered her mom who believes in God. Tasker shimai has tried to get a hold of her ever since but she's been so busy. She's very poor and works many jobs to support her and her daughter and is hardly ever home. Tasker shimai had a feeling we should go back there and bring them some food. Sure enough she was home! We continued to visit her three night's in a row teaching her and she believes ALL of it. She has a really unfortunate background, it just makes me cry, but she's so strong and knows that our church is true already. She has the desire to receive baptism on the 26th!
On our way biking home from our lesson with Cecilia I just looked over at my comp and we both just had tears in our eyes. We both just felt so humbled, times like these is what makes this SO worth it.
#4 Our friend's parents: We were able to have a lesson with the parents of our dear friend who recently received baptism. It's kind of a sticky situation because, 1. they don't know that she was baptized for certain reasons (she's an adult so it's allowed) and, 2. they have a poor image of our church because they have information from bad sources. Both us Sisters and the Elders were able to befriend them and they invited us over for a delicious Brazilian dinner, they also made a cake for Elder Correa since it was his birthday that day! It was so おいしい the Elders taught (in Portuguese) the Restoration and gave them a Book of Mormon. They were kind and listened, they don't think it is the truth but I'm glad they now have the Book of Mormon, the evidence they need to know for themselves.
#5 Sunday! Cecilia came to church, and was able to connect with a less active member who recently returned. After church we had a lesson with the sweetest woman named Matsubara さん, she's just a living miracle!
One more random thing, but we had a lesson with someone were not sure if we should drop or not and it was perfect. We were very bold, but very loving and bore such strong testimony. It just felt so right.
And Friday we had zone conference! We focused on chapter 10 of PMG, teaching skills. Before anything was taught I really appreciate how my President started it off by reading Alma 26:12 which says,
"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever. "
President Judd gave us a great training along with his wife and all the other missionaries. My brain was in overdrive because we were learning SO much. I really like 2 quotes, sorry they may seem out of context;
"Come to church on Sunday ready to be forgiven [through partaking of the sacrament]" president Judd, "Helping others is not enough, we must allow others to help us as well," sister Judd. Perhaps these may have an effect on some of you as well, just felt like I should include them.
Anyways all I can say right now is BLESSINGS ON BLESSINGS🙏...Golden Week was pretty golden🌟
"Many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.”
いつも愛しています Love always,
堀人姉妹 ♡ Horito Shimai🇯🇵
Sister Michaela Horito
Japan Nagoya Mission
1-304 Itakadai,
Meitou-ku
Nagoya-shi, Aichi
465-0028
Japan
