2nd Transfer Week 1

From: Lindsay Sanders <lindsay.sanders@myldsmail.net>

Date: December 8, 2014 10:32:11 PM MST

Subject: 2nd Transfer Week 1

This week has been crazy, but I still love being a missionary and riding bikes and I have a new companion!

Her name is SIster Smith and she is from Canada! She loves dancing and laughing and eating yummy food and having fun! She is an amazing missionary and loves everyone. I am so excited to get to work with her! She has been serving for 6 months now and is so good at Japanese! I LOVE HER! We are still both fairly new to missionary work, but we have been working so well together. We have to rely on the Lord for help... or else there would be no way we could do this.

I will tell you about a cool experience: We found a woman named Aki san who has muscular dystrophe (is that how you spell it? They don`t have spellcheck on these computers for English, just Japanese...) She lives at the hospital. We went over to visit her and she asks me `Do you play the piano` I said, `Yes, a little bit` so we follow her (she is in a wheelchair) to a big room full of other paitents and there is a small piano in the corner. She asked me to play for her, so I asked if it was alright if I played Christmas hymns. I asked Sster Smith to sing with me. I HAVE NEVER SEEN AKI SAN SMILE SO BIG! We found out that before she was sick, she was a concert pianist and had a great career, but now she can`t really move because it hurts. I told her that it was an honor to play for her, and I gave her my mini copy of the hymns that I always carry with me so she can practice when we are not there. That reminds me, Ineed to get a new one from the Honbu! That was the first time I felt like I was able to use my talents to help someone. It was such a special experience.

This week we had Mission Conference, and so the whole mision was brought to Fukuoka to hear from President Heaton who is the director of the mtc. I got to see a lot of people! I saw my MTC Comp, Sister Mills, and my doki- Elder Agnew, Elder Rostrom, and Elder Soares. Elder Soares and I cried when we saw each other! I missed him! He is my best friend and basically brother. He is doing great by the way! I also met Elder Knighton who is friends with Emily Robinson! That was exciting! Anways, the training was really great! I took some notes.

President Heaton actually served in the Fukuoka mission, so he spoke to use in Japanese!

He talked about being an instrument in the Hand of the Lord and read Alma 29: 9-10. It was amazing to think about how the Lord doesn`t really need my help to do this work- I am just allowed to be here. But then He has called ME here... Me, Lindsay Sanders, who likes to sing, and isn`t very good at sports, and is super imperfect............. Here to the Fukuoka area to bless the people here. I am needed here. I am not always sure why... I personally can think of other missionaries who would do a much better job than me... but the Lord needs me here. I am trying to focus on my purpose at a misisonary. I invite others to come unto Christ. This Christmas season is so special because we will have the opportunity to think about the Savior.

I love Jesus Christ. I am starting to understand the Atonement. Everyone please go and watch He is the Gift, and then I challenge you to EMBRACE THE GIFT. Whether it be to pray, or think about Christ, or to call the missionaries, just do it. What do you have to lose? Or even better, What can you gain? I will tell you: You will gain more happiness than you could ever comprehend. You can feel peace about where you are and where you are going. You will feel love despite whatever you think is wrong about yourself. I testify of the Savior, that He lives and Loves YOU. He knows YOU. (insert your name here) is important to Jesus Christ. So important that He died for you. 

That is my testimony. That is why I am here, so far away from my home and my family, to tell people this. I wish I had told you this before I left, but I am telling you now as a representative of Christ (I know, that sounds serious, but it is true. I wear his name every day) that you are important. If you want to know Him, just ask. He will hear you. I promise this in the name of the Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

Love you! Merry Christmas!

-Sister Sanders

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Sanders Shimai