Transfer Seven Week Three

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

Date: July 12, 2015 7:25:56 PM MST

Subject: Transfer Seven Week Three

Transfer Seven Week Three

Hello from Kumamoto! Every area in Japan has a mascot/ character... And in Kumamoto, the mascot is Kumamon the bear! He is a very cute bear, and beloved by all. We went with our investigator Hiromi to watch someone dressed in a Kumamon costume dance on a stage. I was sandwiched between 4 moms with their toddlers and one of them saw me and started crying... #gaijinprobs. I will send pictures. I also have videos of the dancing. I hope you enjoy it :) I love Japan!

I have been getting some birthday cards!!!! Ahhhh thank you so much! I can't wait to open them!!! I can't believe I turn twenty in 8 days. I still don't know what I am doing for my birthday... My roommates say they are planning something fun with the Elders and told me not to worry about it. I am excited :) The ward members keep asking me suspicious questions like what my favorite color/food is. 

We've had record breaking heat and humidity levels! And it is supposed to get way hotter next week! Kumamoto is in a big valley, so all the humidity sits here and it feels like I am walking through a cloud most days... It is so different from Arizona. While we are housing though, everyone offers us cold drinks. That has been a blessing. I drink about 3 liters of water a day, plus electrolyte drinks so I don't get heat stroke. Buuuut I am getting tan! It's a missionary tan but Yay!!! My watch tan is pretty legit. People tell us that we are crazy for being outside, but then we tell them that our message is so important that we want to tell everyone about it, no matter what the weather is. We have had some cool contacts that way. 

I have gotten really close with some of the members in Shimizu ward! I have a new Japanese mom, her name is Kojima Shimai and she is so wonderful. She works so hard, and she not only chases her kids around, but she joints for lessons and takes care of her mom. She has been so sweet to me and has been helping us so much. I learned a funny kotowaza (proverb) from her this week! It is "kusai mono niwa futa o suru" which translates "to put a lid on a smelly thing"... Which means trying to solve a problem by ignoring it. Kojima Shimai told me that ignoring my problems won't make them go away. I love Kojima Shimai, because then she took us to the church and asked us to clean out the fridge with her. Turns out there was some oooooold, naaaaaasty food that has been there for who knows how long. I was gagging as I was cleaning and she tells me "it's a lot more work to clean up a mess when you ignore it for a long time, right?" I thought it was so funny. She is so wise. And sassy. I like her a lot. 

As for my mental/emotional state, I am doing much better. Thank you for your many prayers. I know that God gives us opportunities to grow... And those opportunities come in the form of trials and hard things sometimes. I am trying to "make a pearl" of this experience. Hard things don't last forever. I can do hard things. I appreciate the love and support! Things are looking up!

This week I read from that famous "the Fourth Missionary" talk. I like it because it talks about change, but reading it always kind of singes my eyebrows. It's very blunt. Anyways, One of the quotes that I really like says "Every challenge you face... Happens for one purpose only: to give you opportunity to respond by applying in your life the teachings of Jesus. As you do so you are changed to become more like Him."

I know that this is true. I am thankful that I have had SO many opportunities to use my agency. I need a lot of second chances. As long as I am trying, Heavenly Father will pick up the slack. I have noticed when we try our hardest to prepare, we are blessed to be able to understand when the topic changes, or if the investigator needs something else. Power comes from preparation. When we put in the effort, we qualify for God's grace. We all desperately need this grace in order to change. 

But like President Uchtdorf said, "... I wonder if sometimes we misinterpret the phrase "after all we can do." We must understand that "after" does not equal "because."... We are not saved "because" of all that we can do. Have any of us done all that we can do? Does God wait until we've expended every effort before He will intervene in our lives with His saving grace?"

God, in His great mercy, reaches out to us always... We just have to be willing to accept His help.

Back to "the Fourth Missionary" talk: "The purpose and central blessing of life is change. It is to be changed to become more like Jesus Christ. It is to incorporate into your character, the qualities of His character. It is to move from one degree of intelligence and capacity to the next, from there to the next, until you see God face to face and know Him as He knows you." 

This life is the time to prepare to meet God. We will see Him and speak with Him and it will be a happy day. I know He loves us, and wants us to have opportunities to grow. I know that I needed to go on my mission in order to have a closer relationship with God. He helps me, and I know that He loves me. I know that our Heavenly Father knows each of our names. He laughs and cries with us. He truly loves each one of His children, and He loves YOU! 

I love you too! Everyone have a great week and stay genki! 

Also, remember that my birthday is in 8 days. :)

Sent from my iPad

Love,

Sister Sanders