Dear Family and Friends,
Hey there, hi there, ho there. The last week has been a week. It started off on a downward slope. Well, let's just say one word to define the whole of it-- stress. Haha. So, I went from district meeting, to the stake center (takes over an hour from Shonan church to get to the Stake center in Shonandai) and was a half hour late for SPM, which is a meeting with the stake leaders. It's basically a big Correlation meeting wih the missionaries and the stake. Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders attend, so I was there! But we hold a meeting before it, which is when we discuss what exactly we want to mention to the stake. And I was thirty minutes late. So we were rushing there, and since both sister Lambert and I would stay the night in Fujisawa area that night, we rushed home to get our bags, and then take off for the stake center, but on our way, my companion realized she didn't have her bag of clothes and whatnot for exchanges! Oh no! I asked her if she wanted to turn back, but she was such a saint. She said she'd be fine, and it was more important for me to get to the meeting. Also, she hadn't eaten dinner yet. >.< ahhh! What a grave and a blessing she was. We got to the Stake center thirty minutes late, and the meeting was already pretty much over, but I came in, (I had my backpack with clothes in it) and went to sit down, but my backpack knocked over the computer on the desk behind me, and it went crashing to the ground. I screamed. And then hid under the table(sort of, not really. I just hid my face). One of the elders immediately jumped up and started taking it apart. To figure out what was wrong. (He is a lot like Jeremy. Way high tech. Knows his stuff about technology. He was the tech staff elder for the mission for a while). Then, the other sister training leader in the zone, Sister Lopez asked if I needed to go get some water and we took a walk. Well, then we all went to the stake meeting, and it went well. It seems the computer was mostly ok, it just won't turn on because the one button that's used to turn on computers is the only thing that broke. But the ward said that they will fix it. 申し訳ない。 But that's my story for the week. I was so stressed, I broke the Fujisawa computer. ^.^ lets just say it probably can't get anything but better from here. Well, then I have another story. My trainer has finished her mission. Sister Padelsky, Sister Hokanson, and Sister Akamatsu, my first three companions, all finished their missions last week. Sister Padelsky actually is still in Japan. Saw her at the temple today with her mother. :) we took one last picture. It was great. She and President Wada have roots back to when he was a missionary. When President Wada served as a missionary in Temple Square, he met Sister Padelsky's mother, gave her a Book of Mormon, and invited her to read it. Then they parted. End of story right? Well, actually no. She went home, read it, met with missionaries and took the lessons and then decided to be baptized. I don't know the whole story, but it is just cool to see how the Lord really does have eternity in mind when He send missionaries where He sends them. Her mom is great! I loved meeting her! Love, Sister Blake Pictures 1,3, 4-- sister Padelsky, Sister Akamatsu, Sister Hokanson. :) Picture 2- lets play I spy. I spy with my little eye Mt Fuji. I spy a rainbow. Hey, look, I spy with my little eye another rainbow! Wow! And the yellow hung off to the right looks like it must be-- "sun!" District lunch Dear Friends and Family, Dear Family and Friends,
I'm just glad for this day! It's been a great week. I've felt the Spirit stronger than I have in a long time. I want it to continue, but that will take a lot of effort on my part. I love Shonan! We had training for the leaders. Well, really it was MLC, Mission Leadership Conference, but it's where leaders are trained, and then they go back to their own zones and apply and teach it to the other missionaries. We got to Skype with our families, and we, Sister Lambert and I, went to Kichijoji, where we visited the Honbu. (Mission Office) Saw a lot of miracles this week. And if it weren't for the ward members, they never would have happened. We had a lesson with our dearly beloved friend, and it was her and her son. My companion and I prayed about a date that we could invite her to be baptized on, and we felt from our hearts that she and her son could be baptized on June 20. We prepared a lesson, but the members seemed to all be way too busy to come.. They said, "if I can, I'll come!" But chances were way slim. My companion and I knew at if we didn't have a member there, it would not go as well, and inviting by the Spirit would be harder. We need to have members with us, who will help the investigators. Well, we arrived. Actually, the Elders' investigator was early to their appointment, and he was the only one there. We awkwardly let him in the church, showed him where they would probably have the lesson, and then waited outside until the Elders were there. Haha.... Ha.. Anyhow, the family we were going to teach was late, but we set up, and got ready. She arrived 25 minutes late, but no member was there. We began the lesson. We were teaching the Plan of Salvation, but it wasn't going too smoothly. Then the miracle happened. Two very tired members, who hadn't had enough sleep came into the church. They were friends of the family we were teaching, and it was way good to have them there. The Gaitau couple are the best. Brother Gaitau was so tired. He had not slept at all the night before, it seemed, but he and Sister Gaitau were so helpful. They are our angels. We were able to successfully extend that baptismal commitment, and Sister Gaitau was way supportive and loving, and giving necessary help, and I am sorateful they were present. I hope this weeks a good one. Seek to do things by the Spirit. We are not lost. Love, Sister Blake 1- my caaaaaat! And my beloved family. :) that is not in order of preference or precedence, I promise. :) she looks like she's doing well, and it's a happy thing! 2- FHE at the Bishops house! It was wonderful! 3-tennis activity with the ward. Satsuki chan came! So happy! 4- Happy Mother's Day, mom. From my companion and I. Dear Family and Friends,
I have hit my year mark. Well, at least, since the day I took off from the MTC to come here to Japan. How time flies! But it is great! Tomorrow, it'll be a year since I arrived in Japan! So, let's talk about the work in Japan. This last Fast Sunday, my companion and I fasted for the opportunity to teach more Less Actives and help them come back to church. Lately, Our district leader has been working with the Ward Mission Leader to devise a good plan to do this, and we figured one out. That was that when we go to visit the Less Actives, we should take their Visiting Teacher with us! Well, on Sunday, we received a list of the Visiting Teachers and Relief Society members, and then at the end, the Relief Society President surprised us by announcing to the Sisters to take us (the Sister Missionaries) with them when they do their Visiting Teaching, especially when they visit the Less Active Members in the ward! It was great! That day, really felt the Love of this ward, and the members here are all missionaries. :) Well, the reason this email is a day late. Yesterday, we were in Aikawa all day for the Ward Camp. We've been planning this camp for a long time, and it was definitely something to be looked forward to. But in Correlation Meeting on Sunday with the Ward Mission Leader, i realized that the Ward intended to pick us up in the early morning, take us to the camp grounds, and then drop us right before nine o'clock at night, so we'd make curfew. I was a little shocked, and wondered, "what on earth should I do?" So I brought up my concern with the ward Mission Leader, and he told me he'd have the Bishop call Wada Kaichou, the mission president to get permission! >.< what? And then, he also said that years ago, the ward went on a bus tour outside of the mission, got the mission president's permission, and the missionaries went along. Well, I didn't know what to say to that, so I just let it happen. We got a text from the Bishop that night, saying that he had received Wada Kaichou's permission, and to relax and participate in the ward camp. Hahaha.... It was great though! I'll include some pictures! Love, Sister Blake |
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January 2019
Sister Blake
"You are hereby called to serve in the Japan Tokyo South Mission." Categories |