I can't believe how much snow you have received. That is crazy where has with here I had my first experience with Japanese snow yesterday and it came down a lot but Japan snow doesn't stick that much to the ground. But it was nothing compared to what you have received. Plesee be safe everyone and stay warm and healthy!!!
First I want to talk about one of our investigators, Usa who is 19 and has baptism date for next month. Last week we met him on Tuesday and taught him the Law of Chasity. It is interesting how speaking another language makes things less awekward, at least for me. I wasn't nervou at all to teach him but I guess my companions were. I will admit there was a lot said that I had no idea what was going on (still the frustrating part of the language). Anyway, after we taught him what it meant to keep the law of Chasity and when we asked him to commit to keeping it he told us that when he started reading the Book of Mormon and meeting with the missionaries he stopped looking at inappropriate books (porn). Isn't that amazing!! What an amazing power the Book of Mormon is. It changes hearts even before they know about something like the Law of Chasity. It was such a testimony builder of the Book of Mormon. Which is one of the great blessings from serving a mission. My love and testimony of the Book of Mormon has grown even stronger and will just grow stronger I am sure. It is a WONDERFUL book. :D
On Wednesday I had a good expereince with following the promptings of the spirit. We were on our way back from District meeting and when we got on the train there weren't that many seats open so I made the descion that instead of talking to people on this trip I would just stand and talk to my companions or something. But as I was looking around at everyone (because I like to people watch) I noticed this one woman who had these really cute boots (that is sometimes how i start talking to people. Commenting them on their clothes or something and fyi Japan has the cutest shoes ever. Pretty srue Jen and Amanda would go crazy here with the shoes). I had the thought to go sit next to her. At first I tried pushing the thought away because I was fine standing but the thought came back to me stronger and I knew it was from the spirit and if I didn't follow it I would regret it. So I walked over to her and immediatly started talking to her and we talked during the whole train ride (she lives in Utsunomiya as well). She was a funny lady and I absalutley loved talking to her. I didn't teach her anything just got to know her and she asked some questions about me. Before we parted I was able to receive her e-mail address and she said that she would like to meet again. I have e-mailed her a couple of times and have yet to receive a respose from her but I have faith that something will happen. There was a reason why the spirit wanted me to go and talk to her, there was a reason why I was able to get her phone number. I guess we will wait and see what happens with that.
Now on to my body. It has taken a bit of a beating the last couple days of the week. On Thursday as we were riding to a less actives house I crashed on my bike. The tire, instead of going over a grate rode to the side of it which made it twist and so I lost my balance and fell pretty hard. My legs have some nice bruises and we suspect I could have had a very very very minor concussion because my head hurt, I grew really tired and during the night I became very very nauseated. That was a long night!! But I count my blessings that it happened when it did because the street was small and curvy and right before it happened there were a lot of cars passing by. When my companions first saw me fall they thought I actually was hit by a car. But all is well and I survived with just a few bumps and bruises. Which I ended up getting more the next day when I was walking and went off a step I didn't see and so my ankle rolled (don't worry didn't sprain) and my knee slammed on the pavement pretty hard. I didn't realize until I got back to the apartment that it was bleeding. So my body is a bit stiff and sore from everything but I am ok. Don't worry Mom. :D I have angels looking out for me.
Things are going well with the threesome companionship. We had a good heart to heart last night and we were honest with each other about our feelings which cleared a lot of the negatives away that was in the companionship. That is one thing that I seem to keep learning on my mission is communication. I wasn't very good at it before my mission and I am still not apparently because I keep learning the lesson. But I am happy to learn it again and the love I feel from my Father in Heaven in giving me these many lessons during my mission. They are such precious gifts.
I must say to that I love my personal study time that I have in the mornings for an hour. It is one of my favorite times of the day. This whole week I have had AMAZING personal time and have felt the spirit and Heavenly Father's love so strongly. I have received gentle conformation that I am doing well, that He is proud of me and that I am touching and helping lives in some way that is needed. I love personal time!!! I encourage everyone to take an hour out of their day to study and pray. Trust me, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!!
