We had a WONDERFUL New Year Conference this week! One of the highlights of the year so far! We reviewed last year as a mission, so I will tell you a little bit about our mission. Over 80 percent of the mission, as most missions are, is missionaries who have been here for less than 6 months. However, unlike a lot of missions, and unlike all of the other missions in Japan and this part of Asia, instead of seeing a downward trend in the numbers because of all the inexperienced missionaries, the Kobe mission has seen a large increase in numbers. In fact, by the end of the year, we were able to see 204 baptisms! (Kaicho and the aps made it a point to say over and over that we are the highest baptizing mission in this part of Asia.) It seems that the only way the numbers could increase that way, especially with all the inexperienced missionaries, is by relying on the Lord. After talking about the miracle of seeing 204 baptisms, Kaicho shared Mosiah 18/16. Wow the Lord has a hand in this work! Anyway, they talked up the Japan Kobe mission quite a bit, but over all, I was very humbled to have the privilege of participating in the work. We talked about our new goals for the year and the need we have to rely on the Lord. Kaicho put together a wonderful slideshow talking about Jesus Christ and His role and work and our role as missionaries to help. As we were watching the slideshow, I was thinking about how magnificent and divine this work is. God really does love all of His children so much, enough to send His own Son to earth to suffer for all of us. Right now He is performing a marvelous work by preparing His children to receive the gospel and start their way back to Him. He loves His children SO MUCH, but He has asked ME to help Him with His work! So as I was watching the slideshow, i was thinking of the privilege it is to be serving Him, and how I really really want to give up everything I have for Him and trust and follow Him, but I kept thinking to myself, *but will I?* Will I actually do it? And then on the screen it said *Will YOU?* With all my heart I wanted to say yes, but because I sometimes get distracted or scared or discouraged, I did not know if I could really say yes. But then the next slide said *He knows you will. That is why He called you.* That slide made all the difference in my mind. That slide connected all of the training we received about trusting in Him and relying on Him and serving with all diligence and faith and heart. The Lord trusts me, and that is why He called me here to Japan. That slide has been on my mind the last few days and it has made all the difference in the world.I want to do whatever the Lord needs me to do to find those children who are prepared for the message.
The Lord did lead us to some wonderful people this week. One of my favorite miracles happened on Friday after a long day of finding. We had a lesson at the church on Friday evening, so we were planning on leaving the place we were streeting around 5.00. However, at around 4.15, we both looked at our watches and decided that it was probably time to go. I do not know why we were thinking it would take that long to get back, but we did. As we were walking to our bikes, we started talking to another girl who was walking that way. We were not talking about religion, just about her job and things, but then she asked what we were doing and we told her and she got SO excited. She said she went to church a long long time ago and she remembered having a good feeling but she has not gone since then. She said she has a really strong interest and she asked if it would be alright if we talked to her about our church. We exchanged contact information, and she got most excited when we invited her to church! SHe said she really wanted to go! Unfortunatly she was not able to come this week, but I am very excited to teach her. The previous days training at conference had been in mine and Hunt shimai:s mind all day, and we know that the Lord definitely was leading us to that girl!
We also saw miracles with Misato chan! She is the 18 year old girl who followed us last week and said she wanted to see our church. She came to church last week and we taught her. She said she had never before thought about God, in fact she had never even heard of Jesus Christ before. Even though I have been in a Buddhist/anti-religion land for over 4 months, that news still shocked me. I can not imagine living a life without knowing who Jesus Christ is. Anyway, she came to church and the ward members LOVED her! She exchanged numbers with the young women and they were so excited. She also said that even though things were difficult and she had never thought about religious things at all before, she felt Gods love and she wants to learn more! What a miracle! (Also I gave a 10 minute talk in sacrament meeting, with less than a days notice. Ha Hunt shimai is giving a talk in two weeks, but she got two weeks notice. I do not know why they do not think I need preparation time.) We are teaching Misato chan how to pray tonight. I am so excited because God always answers their prayers!
I do not know if I said anything about my area, but I will briefly. About 2/3 of the area is just mountains, so we do not really go over there. The other 1/3 is a lot like Mikunigaoka...a little city-type place. However, there are some very crowded places. For example, the largest trainstation in Kyoto is in our area, and it is surrounded by some of the largest malls in Japan. It is amazing!! And there are Buddhist temples and shrines ALL over the place! It is funny looking at our map because it is so marked up with Buddhist temples. There are quite a few very touristy spots as well. I am dying to go visit them, One of them is a monkey forest. BUT we will have to wait for another preparation day because today, we needed a chance to rest. Ha I walked more last week than I ever thought I would walk in my life! We are BEAT. But I LOVE it. I will keep going until my body stops going, and even still, I will keep going! I LOVE being a missionary! The church is so true. And I love you all so much!!
Love,
Crofts shimai
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