Week 66 - All We Have to Do is Walk with Him

We had a crazy week! Considering the fact that we were only in our area for maybe a total of 3 days, the Lord was so good to us. He blessed us with 5 new investigators. But the miracle isn`t in the numbers; the miracle was behind the numbers. The Lord helped us use the limited time we had to accomplish all that we did. First of all, exchanges with the Tokushima sisters, Sister Grundvig and Sister Chapman, were outrageously fun.

Dinner on the exchange

Chapman shimai and me. I love this girl!!!

I was with Sister Chapman who is from Tahiti. She doesn`t speak English or Japanese (yet!) -- only Tahitian and French. But somehow, the Lord helped me train her and we ended up having one of the best exchanges I`ve ever had! It`s an exhilarating thing when you can feel the Lord guiding you. As I was with Chapman shimai, her wide-eyed, excited, beautiful persona really helped the Spirit to be with us and unify us. Although she can`t speak very much Japanese, she was able to learn that she didn`t have to. I gave her a couple sentences to start out the conversations and then I just finished them. She did so great! I was proud of her. One lady she decided to talk to actually ended up telling us she wants to be Christian and wanted to come to the Christmas party! I was so happy the Lord put that woman in our path to help Sister Chapman`s confidence. I love Sister Chapman with all my heart. She`s got such a strong desire to be here.

It`s been the best week of my mission. I don`t even know where to begin. I guess I can start with: We had our music fireside yesterday! Ashitani family came! On top of that, their NM daughter brought 2 of her friends and the 2 of them expressed interested in learning about the church.

Niihama missionaries and the whole Ashitani family

One of my favorite moments I will never forget, was the image of Ashitani kyoudai with tears running down his face telling me how there`s something special about missionaries. He said that something about us brings people closer to God even from one conversation. I`m glad we are able to fulfill our purpose of inviting others to come unto Christ, even in normal conversation. I don`t know if he`ll decide to become active again...we are going to meet with them later this week and hopefully talk about it. But I do know that he was able to feel the Spirit again and it`s an experience that I think he and his family will remember forever and it will be a fond memory tied to the Church.

Also, another member`s NM daughter came with her daughter and she`s now our new investigator. She`s having us over for dinner on Saturday. She said when she stepped foot in the church she felt different. And as she sat through the fireside she said she felt close to God which is different because she`s never really thought about God`s presence before.

I am so grateful for the talents the Lord`s given Crofts shimai and me. The more we`ve used them this past week, the more I`ve felt the Spirit with us. Just like that new investigator, I`ve felt close to our Father in Heaven and to the Savior. I felt like I could really walk with Them. (Walk with Me is our mission theme; Moses 6:34).

Fukuda family. Fukuda kyoudai has been LA for over 20 years but came to the music fireside and let Crofts shimai borrow his violin! She just killed it on that violin. She is SO good!

RyuSama. I love this little boy! After the fireside we had some fun...and some oranges.

Practicing I Am a Child of God with Yumiko shimai's children for the music fireside

Singing a special I Am a Child of God musical number with the Ashitani grandchildren

It`s funny because I`ve actually felt happier as I`ve been working this week. I think it`s because we`re combining 2 elements we love most: our God-given talents and His work. I`ve laughed more this week than I have my whole mission. I`ve said more earnest prayers this week than I have my whole mission. And I`ve felt so calm, even though we had a crazy busy week.

This past transfer and a half will be one I will cherish forever. It`s been a humbling experience being a Sister Training Leader. I get to dive in and work with our sisters one by one.

Crofts and I eating out with our Takamatsu Zone sisters after ZTM on Friday.

How is it possible to have so many beautiful sisters in the same zone? I love each one of them!

Yes! $1 Sushi is the BOMB! We can eat a lot!!

So if you eat 5 plates, you get to play a game. And if you win, you get a prize. Guess who won?!!!

It is a long 5-hour train ride home. One of our sisters knocked out. Like her handmade sleeping mask?

Now I see why the Savior asks us to seek Him, to come unto Him, and to Walk with Him. Just like I love working with our sisters individually, He wants to work with us individually as well. There`s something really intimate and special about working with the Savior one on one. I love that we`ve been able to do that this week. This doesn`t only have to apply to missionary work. It can apply to us as we are running around doing errands, chores etc.

This morning we volunteered to clean up the mall by our church. Just trying to be like Ammon.

Walking with the Lord doesn`t have to be just a `Sunday thing`. You can figure out on your own how you can walk with the Lord more in your life.

The Lord knows all. He`ll help us in all phases of our lives, not just in church. He knows how to catch and run footballs, jump hurdles, swim, make pottery, paint, write music, race cars, create universes, etc. He knows it all. All we have to do is walk with Him, and He`ll teach us what we need to know.

Went to Aoba choro's pottery show. He is SUPER famous. His works are in the temples here in Japan. And right here is where those famous pieces were made.

Chizuru san and I. She is getting baptized on the 23rd

 

Aoba shimai made me perform at their showcase

I`ve gained this testimony this week. And I plan on strengthening it more as I finish out my mission. Have a fantastic week, my family and friends!

Love,
Sister Heimuli

P.S. A couple of bonus pics

Sometimes eating sushi is like Russian roulette...

...Sometimes you die