Boldness--大胆

Dear Family,

BECCA HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I was thinking about you this week and how you must be one happy mom. This has got to be the best birthday ever right?? I love you!!

It is fun to hear about everything going on at home with a full house. Thank you for all of the emails! I hope you know that you are the best family ever. During weekly planning session last week, we were doing companionship inventory, and Tojo shimai was telling me the reasons why she likes me. She said the biggest thing is that she loves my family! I was surprised because I did not say that much about you ( I can only say so much about non-gospel related things in Japanese.) But she said when I first told her about you, she could tell that you are really special. And then when she saw pictures of you, she said she LOVED you. And then she could tell by the way I talked to you all on the phone that you are a very very good family, and because of that, she really likes me. So thank you very much!

Speaking of Tojo shimai, I absolutely love her. She is the happiest, most faithful, most loving, and FUN missionary. She actually reminds me a lot of Grandma Vance. I am not sure why, because she is a tiny little Japanese girl, but I just love her. One thing about her is that she is very bold. When we go to doors in Japan, people barely open them just a crack for us. Usually I can hardly see who I am talking to and they slowly close the door as we talk to them. However, Tojo shimai just grabs the door and opens it, and as they try to close the door, she pulls it the other way. It is hilarious because Japanese people are NOT like that. They are the opposite of bold! So I love her because she is not like the Japanese people, but I also love her because she is very Japanese. For example, her morning exercise is some form of yoga in which she lies in her futon, and after about five minutes she switches positions. You would think that she is just sleeping in, but I know she is not because she is obedient. That really is just her form of exercise. Another thing about Japanese people is that they are hoarders. Their houses are tiny, but they have more STUFF inside of them than any house I ever saw in America. She has different kinds of tapes and glues for different purposes, different pens for different purposes, soaps, foods, clothes, paper, binders, bags, etc etc. I have my one pen and my one bag and I am good haha. Also, her basic food groups are noodles and rice. I have eaten a lot of noodles and rice in the last week. We tried some Thai shrimp flavored ramen, and I thought of you, mom. Do you still go to Thai kitchen? Anyway, I just love doing missionary work with Tojo shimai!

We are still trying to pick up the pace here in Yonago. Since we have gotten here, we have only been in contact with 2 of the previous investigators. One of them has a mental handicap and she dropped us last week. However, the other one, (15 year old Ayako chan) is awesome. She met with us 3 times last week!　The great thing about being with a Japanese missionary is that it does not take very much time to plan lessons. She texted us on Monday during preparation and said she wanted to meet that night at 6. Then again on Tuesday she texted us at 5:45 and said she would be at the church at 6 for a lesson! We met with her AGAIN on Saturday too. She is beautiful. I do not understand most of what she says because it is slurred/slang/teenage language, but she says it all with a smile so I enjoy it.

I am also learning more of the members names. The kids are SO fun. One cute little 5 year old girl named Ami chan was sitting with us during sacrament meeting. She kept looking into my eyes and asking why they look like the Earth. Haha!

We had our last zone conference with President Zinke last week. It is sad that it was the last one. If you knew how wonderful and inspired he is, you would feel sad for me. However, it was a good conference to end on. He taught us how to teach from the Book of Mormon by doing it for us. We went through 2 Ne 31 and read it together and he showed us how we can use that chapter better as we teach investigators so that they understand the importance of baptism/desire to follow Christ. It was a powerful instruction. He also talked about spiritual stamina and spiritual tenacity and the importance of improving our relationship with Christ every day. It was a powerful conference and it got me even more excited/determined about missionary work!

The biggest thing I have learned this week is about relying on the Lord. I was pretty confident in my abilities in Katsura, but when I came to Yonago and worked with Tojo shimai who is able to do everything to do with missionary work so well, I kind of shrunk. I did not understand my purpose in being here. On Wednesday night, all of the sisters in our zone slept together in Okayama before the conference the next day. Somehow I ended up without a futon or blanket, so I was sitting up in the middle of 7 sisters in the middle of the night thinking about what my purpose was. I realized that every sister in the zone except one is older than I am (in missionary age, they are all older than me in real age) and they all have a lot of experience on me. Yet I have been assigned as their leader. I could not figure out why. So in the middle of the night I was up pondering and praying, and I realized more than ever how much my abilities are nothing compared to what the Lord has. And as I strive to use my abilities to the best that I can, the Lord will magnify and strengthen and provide so that I can bless others the way the Lord needs me to. I have seen this happen over and over in my life and especially in my mission, and I am grateful that the Lord is continuing to bless me in this way. I know He is blessing you as well, and I love hearing about the successes/happiness that you are experiencing way over there in Idaho!

More than anything, I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. He is the Redeemer of the World, and the Great Almighty. I know He lives. I know He loves each one of you with the deepest love. What a joy to be a part of His gospel!

Thank you for your support and love. It really helps a lot! I love you!!

Crofts shimai

(I have included a picture of the beloved Morii family--Chiaki san and Chisa chan)