Dearest Family,
I just want to tell you about the Japanese people. They are so nice. Because this week was unusually cold (which I did not know was possible. I was reading back in my journal from November when I wrote about how it was the coldest I had ever been. Every week since then has become exponentially colder I am pretty sure.) Anyway, it was cold, so people were really nice to us. Even though we still talk to people all day every day and just get turned down the whole time, their *no*s are very nice. Like *wow what you are doing is great and we think you are strong and have good character and you are a hard worker and it is cold so be careful and wait a minute (leave and come back with a box of chocolate for us) and if i was interested i think what you are doing is great but sorry i have absolutely no interest (bowing in between every comment) and thank you and good night and be careful and good luck!* That is a typical contact for us. I LOVE JAPAN!! I just pray their hearts will be opened! We actually had one lady let us in (she was sokagakkai and made it very clear that she did not want to talk about religion and she would not take down our contact information or anything) and she fed us corn soup and cheese and had us sit in front of the heater for a while. She said she did not want us to have to be out into the cold with empty stomachs, and then when we left she told us to go straight home because it was cold and dark and she wanted us to be safe. Haha she was SO nice! But she said we can only come back if it is cold and we are hungry and we do not talk about religion. I think I may just come back. And eventually baptize her.
I love the moments when something happens, and you know that God is in charge.
Last week we were talking to somebody as we walked down the street with her. We did not say anything about church or what we were doing, but just as she was about to leave, we introduced ourselves and asked if she would meet with us again and she said yes! So she set up an appointment to meet with us. She is 25, single, and working really close to our church. On Tuesday we met with her at the church. We were walking around the rooms just talking and getting to know her...she said she had never thought about God and she did not really have a ton of interest but that she would listen to our message, so we did Setting the Table with her. Watching her eyes as we taught was incredible. With every new thing we said about God her eyes lit up even more. She was smiling and crying and smiling some more, and then when we introduced baptism for the first time, it was like a big light turned on in her. She just sat up and asked what baptism is right away! We said we could explain more later, finished the lesson, and as I was praying at the end, I felt like I should ask for her to be able to get baptized, so I did. After the prayer, she asked again about baptism, so we very simply explained it, and she said she wanted to get baptized! We met with her again on Thursday and she became a Yakusokusha!! We taught her prayer, and she seemed just as excited about every new thing she was learning in this lesson as she was with the first lesson! She got pretty teary-eyed during the lesson, and after I did the first demonstration prayer, she seemed to be very touched. By the time Hunt shimai finished the next demonstration prayer, she was bawling. We sat there for about 5 minutes and she just cried and then smiled and then cried. She finally was able to pray for her first time...it was INCREDIBLE. She talked to God like she knew Him. She had some really good questions afterward (for example if she is allowed to pray without speaking) and then we set up our next appointment. She walked away from the church so giddy and excited to meet with us again! When we meet people like this and have moments like these, i cannot help but think of D&C 123:17. This is Gods work and it is moving forward fast! We have the wonderful privilege of choosing how much we will participate in this work. I know for myself, I find JOY participating in the work of the Lord! Dearest family, thank you for all of your prayers and support and emails and more prayers and examples. I wish I could thank you enough for all you do for me! I love you all so so much!
Love,
Krissy
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