Fwd: 2nd Transfer Week 4

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

Date: December 29, 2014 4:15:04 AM MST

Subject: 2nd Transfer Week 4

I have a lot to talk about and not a lot of time. Forgive me for my lack of explanantions and such....... we had such a busy week and we have so much going on! I love the holidays!

First, I want to tell you more about my companion SIster Smith. She is the coolest girl ever. She is from Canada and is a dancer/hipster. I am learning a lot from her about how to be a true hipster. She only drinks from a mason jar and has really steki glasses. She has always wanted to serve a mission. Cool story: Sister Smith`s first mission call was to Ukraine, speaking Russian. But, because of the war going on there, her call was changed 2 weeks before she was supposed to report to the MTC. She found out because she went online to Missionary portal and the flag had changed to JAPAN. She kind of freaked out. Then her stake president called a few hours later to tell her about the change. Ukraine and Japan are SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPER different in case you didn`t know. But she knows she needs to be here and I am so happy that she is my trainer this transfer! We are always laughing and we met the coolest people this week. Because it@s New Years, there are so many people visiting from out of town. Lots of people form Tokyo are visiting right now! It`s so fun!

ALSO, I have to say thank you to my ward for sending me the Christmas package! It came on the 26th! AH I was so happy and i cried many happy tears! Even though most of the ward doesn`t know me, I could really feel of your love and I am so grateful!

All of the moms and grandmas in my ward here in Nihon pinch my cheeks and tell me that I have a baby face. It`s nice and all, but it`s been like this for 10 weeks now and my cheeks hurt. Pray for me. Haha they are the best though! They had this plan to help us gain weight before we talked to our families on Christmas so our mom`s wouldn`t be worried.... I was like oh so THAT`S why everyone invited us over that week........ Haha I am doing fine and staying healthy. Biking all day helps burn off all the rice I eat. ;)

I have another story that is a little bit more serious: We were housing this apartment and we are about to knock on a door and all of the sudden a woman is screaming and we hear a kid crying and the most brutal beating is going on behind this door. Sister Smith turns and looks at me and we both freeze. I wanted to run and get away as fast as possible. Nothing has ever scared me that bad. Sister Smith bows her head and begins to pray for this family. I join her. We were on that doorstep for 10 minutes. The screaming stops and everything is quiet. Sister Smith goes to knock on the door. I stop her and say WHAT ARE YOU DOING? She goes and knocks on the door anyways- very softly. The door opens and a little boy probably 8 years old pokes his head out. He had tears on his cheeks. Sister Smith asked him if he was okay, and we gave him a chidashi (pamphlet) and told him that No matter what trials you may have, God remembers you. You are never alone. He bowed and closed the door. This experience has forever changed me. I am glad SIster Smith had the courage to knock on the door. I don`t know why I had to be there for that experience, but it is not a coincidence that we were right by their door at that exact time.

I hope you all remember that God knows you. He knows what you are going through- all the things you can`t control. He is with you always. 

In this New Year we have the opportunity to have a fresh start. I am so excited for this year, because I get to be a missionary ALL YEAR! I am so excited! I have a lot of goals for my misisonary work, but also for my life in general. I feel like my misison has changed me so much already. I hope no one recognizes me when I get home! Heavenly Father is changing me into the person that He knows I can be. Happy New Years! Love you always!

-Sister Sanders