Mikunigaoka--三国ヶ丘

This friendly man is hiking through all the states of Japan

A darling primary friend from my ward!

Dearest Family,
 I love you so much!
TRANSFERS. I am staying in Yonago! Yippee!! But Tojo shimai is leaving. :(  It is so sad...I love her to pieces and I have learned SO SO much from her! DeKlerk shimai will be my new companion. She has been in the mission for almost the same time as me. This is her first transfer as a sister training leader. She has been in the same area for almost a year now, so Yonago will definitely be something new for her! All I really know about her is that she is a good dancer, she likes to run, and she has helped more people than my fingers can count to be baptized during her mission. I am excited for the new adventure! 

We were able to go on exchanges with the Kurayoshi sisters last week. I worked with Zamani shimai, and I was SO impressed with her!  She is on her first transfer, and she has so much dendo fire. She has had barely any experience at all street contacting or housing or speaking Japanese in lessons (her trainer always did it for her), so I pushed her quite a bit on the exchange, and we had a blast together! I learned a lot from her and I hope she learned a few things from me too. 

Things have also been going well in Yonago. The Takekawa family is praying together every day! AND. The kids are the ones who initiate it...the Lord keeps preparing them younger and younger! They showed really strong interest in the Book of Mormon last time we met, so tonight when we visit them we will be teaching them about the Book of Mormon. I am so excited, because you know what the Book of Mormon can do to help in conversion! 

We had a great lesson with Ayako chan on Tuesday. She texted us randomly and said she wanted to meet. We did not have any lesson prepared for her because we had just taught her on Monday, and we had two lessons in a row before hers, so we had no time to prepare. Tojo shimai asked me to take charge of the lesson and she would fill in the gaps that I missed. The Lord stepped in and it ended up being one of the best lessons we have had with Ayako chan. We talked about the road after baptism and the happiness that comes from ordinances, and her desire seemed stronger than ever. Last step: parents permission! 

Speaking of parents permission...do you remember Arisa chan from Mikunigaoka? She is the 19 year old girl who we met who was a GOLDEN investigator. Well, she turned 20 last week and she was BAPTIZED!!!! Yay!!!! Now out of all the people I taught in Mikunigaoka, Matsuzaki kyoudai, Mai chan, Masumoto shimai, Deguchi kyoudai, and Arisa chan have been baptized! And more are on the way. It is great to see results of people I prayed and worked for so much almost a year ago. 

I hope to continue to help people here in Yonago. It will be different doing things without Tojo shimai...it is nice having somebody who understands investigators and who knows how to get what needs to be done done. But I know this is the Lords work and it is continuing on at full speed! I am excited to be so immersed in the work for this short time!

Thanks for your prayers and support. I love you more than you can imagine! 

Love, Krissy

Pops: How are you?? It sounds like you have had quite the adventurous summer. If you want to have an even more adventurous winter, you should come to Japan. There is a nice ski resort about 40 minutes away from me.  

Mums: Congrats on your hard work at the tennis tournament. Your pussy, bloody toes create a fabulous image in my mind. Dont you just love the pictures of Japanese kids?? I am so lucky to be in Yonago!

Jas: Did you make it to Georgia? How was the ride?

Becca and Cameron: How was the plane ride? I bet it is so nice to be back in your hometown next to your family. Good luck with the house hunt!

Peach and Jan: How is school? People just love looking and your pictures. They are convinced I just took pictures from a magazine of celebrities. Is it true that you might move to Texas?

Ty: Thanks for the weekly email! When will you go back to school?

Saud: You look so happy with Abs. She is the best friend you could have, right? Keep having fun with her!!!

Dan: Thanks for the email! Japan is great! Yonago is the 2nd hottest place in Japan apparently. I love it. Did you know the school kids have less than a month for summer vacation here? Sad huh! I love you!!

Joe: Why do you want a 3 wheel bike? In Japan, only the 100 year olds ride that bike because they can not do it with just 2 wheels. But the down syndrome people ride 2 wheel bikes. Just so you know. Also down syndrome Asian people and American people look the same. I love you!!

What Joy--何という喜びであったことか

President and Sister Welch

What a thoughtful pres...he saw that I was cold in our meeting...

Dear Family,

Hello! Happy Pioneer day. 

Jason, Becca, and Cam--Good luck in Georgia! You are in my prayers. 

The rest of the fam--Good luck staying behind. I am sure it was very hard to have them leave. Hearing your descriptions of the *depart* makes me feel so sad for you, but it also makes me even more excited to meet Cameron and reunite with all of you! 

What a blessing it is to know that our family is eternal. 

Speaking of families. It is SO exciting to teach the Takekawa family!! 

One reason is because I know how much an 8 person family can build up the church here! But also I know how much the gospel can build up this 8 person family. Because I grew up in an 8 person family, I know that the gospel is the VERY best thing for them! It is so exciting to be able to testify of that to them.  I also feel like the Takekawa family has been prepared by the Lord for the gospel in their lives right now. The mom is very concerned with the war and her family who is in Ukraine right now. The father is concerned with stopping his job and money issues. And on top of that they have six kids to raise. They are all very very good people, and I know they need the gospel in their lives!! They have been on my mind constantly. How can we teach the family so they feel the Spirit and understand the importance of this gospel and desire to commit to it? To be honest, I have no idea. But I think the Lord is helping out. The father prayed for/with the family for the first time last night and the Spirit was so strong. They all showed quite a bit interest in the Book of Mormon as well and they always ask us to please come back and teach them again. How exciting!! Also, the father is closing his shop next week (sad), but he said that means they will be able to come to church in August! YAY!! 

Ayako chan passed her baptismal interview this morning. Wahoo!! It is sad--I have taught quite a few teenagers who desire to be baptized and do all the preparation necessary but have parents who are opposed to it. We will keep praying for her---she is so close! 

We also had interviews with President Welch. He is a great president!! He is bringing back a lot of the things that I learned in the MTC, and it makes me so excited to see how the church can be growing here in Japan. Going out each day with the fresh mindset of building the church and sharing the culture of the gospel here in Japan makes each day so valuable and joyful. 

The joy that comes from this gospel is immeasurable and indescribable. Even more than that is the joy that comes from sharing it! We are all so blessed to live at this time when we can share the gospel so easily and freely. Thank you for your examples and obedience and dedication to the gospel. I love you all SO SO MUCH!!!

Love,

Kris

When We're Helping We're Happy! LALALALALALA!

A potential investigator and an amazing embroiderer! She embroidered that kimono!

My district

President and Sister Welsch

What I saw at the bottom of the squatter box....eewww!!

The youngest of the family of 8 that we are teaching.  So CUTE!!!!!

Dear Family,

Wow you are having one adventure after the other!! Sounds FUN. Keep it up! :)

Preaching the gospel in Japan is also quite the adventure. Biking through rice fields in thick humidity wearing a skirt and blouse following signs written in characters and meeting people of all ages, sizes, and personalities. (They all look the same though...crazy!) Life of a missionary is goooood.

I love building up the church in Yonago. It is a great time to be here! 

We spent one day last week going from one less active members home to the next, and nobody was home! There was also nobody on the streets (yay inaka!), so it was quite a long day of no talking. But then we stopped by a member's home and found that he actually really needed some help. He was doing some field work, and we volunteered ourselves and the elders to help him. It felt SOO good to just be out helping. As we pulled weeds and worked in the dirt, I was very grateful for the yard work we did week after week after week for our family home evening activity! Helping him felt like I was out doing one of my hobbies. It was a good day! 

I am also grateful for the humiliation I experienced year after year as I attempted to play softball but sadly ended up going home after each game to hear dad say *If you would just watch the bat hit the ball........* I kept that in my mind as we played softball this week at a ward activity. Fortunately, it was not as humiliating as I expected. In fact, it was a great day! When I swung, the bat actually hit the ball. AND the 8 person family we are teaching, (Takekawa family) all came! It was fantastic!! The mother talked a lot with other sisters in the ward, the father had a great time with the brothers in the ward, and the kids connected so well with the kids in the ward. In fact one young woman went to the Takekawa familys home after the activity to hang out. It was so amazing to see that family taken in by the ward! And they have strong interest in all of the other activities our ward has this summer. We have not been able to visit their home and teach them often because they are having problems with their shop, but they said we can come soon. I am so excited for this wonderful family to learn more about how living the gospel can do more for their lives than they could ever imagine!

Our shigansha Ayako chan is also doing well. Unfortunately, her parents want her to wait until she is 20 to be baptized (she is 15). However, she is still moving forward with faith. She is committing to live the commandments, she is reading and praying, and even though she is busy she is making time to meet with us. She has been changing a lot lately. I love seeing how the gospel works for a  15 year old girl, because I know what the gospel did for me when I was 15! The gospel brought so much light and confidence and encouragement to me, and I know the gospel is what drove me to develop talents and friendships that I am so grateful for now. I am happy that she is choosing to accept the gospel and move forward, despite the opposition from her parents. The youth (members and nonmembers) are so strong here in Japan! I think a LOT about the future here in Japan, and when I do, I think about the youth and how much they will contribute. I am grateful to be able to work with a Japanese companion right now and meet so many wonderful people who will be strong members building up the church in Japan. I love Japan, and I love what Japan is becoming as the church is spreading! It is a good day to be a missionary! 

     Thank you for your emails and your support. You have no idea how much it helps!! I love you to pieces!!!

Love,

Crofts shimai