TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART

Dear Family, 

Sometimes I sit back in awe as I see the Lords involvement in the work here in Yonago. Amazing things have been happening!! 

     I do not even know where to begin!I could spend forever just writing about Tuesday. We had 5 appointments, and they were all pretty spread out across our area, so we worked HARD. The appointments were great! The first one was with Ochiai, who is a member referral. She is a mother who grew up studying the bible with her father and has recently picked it up again after he passed away. She wants to understand how she can relate all the things she learns into her life so she can become more like Christ. So prepared! And she is so blessed to be meeting with the LDS missionaries! We had a powerful lesson about Gods love and prayer in which she taught herself everything. Her 10 year old daughter walked into the room and she had interest in who God is, then wanted to learn how to pray, and now the family is praying together!

      We biked like crazy after that lesson to get to our lesson with SIster Nakada. She is a less active member, and she told us how grateful she is to be meeting with the missionaries because she wants to come back to church! She got baptized when she was young for the activities, so she does not know any of the doctrine, but she wants to learn. She had so many questions and when we opened up the Book of Mormon for her, she just ate it up. She was so impacted when she learned of Jesus Christs love for her. It was a great lesson! We ran to 3 other great lessons that day and we were so pooped by the end of the night! Wednesday and Thursday were much the same...the Lord opened up the way for us to teach so many lessons last week and they were great! I learn so much from all of our investigators. 

     One of my favorite investigators right now is Brother Dateyama. He is changing. Last week in the lesson, instead of saying the typical *i can not be baptized* he said that when he feels ready, he will be baptized! It was a great lesson and we all walked out of that lesson with lots of hope! On Sunday, the ward members were commenting to us on the change in him. They all said that he looks so bright now, and it is true. He is coming close to Christ and it shows. This work is amazing! 

     The biggest learning experience for me last week was on exchanges with Sister Watkins. This time, she and I came to Yonago, and it was the 2 of us working together. We had 2 great lessons on Friday, but when we did not have lessons, I had no idea what to do. It was so weird for me. Usually I have a whole list of things we should be doing, and if not, I usually feel guided to know what to do next, but on Friday, I had nothing. I felt more pressure than normal because I was supposed to be training, but I had no idea what to do. We did some housing and streeting and visited a few potential investigatorss, but again planning that night, I still felt like I had no idea what to do, and Sister Watkins was just visiting the area, so she knew nothing. The next morning, I was still praying about what to do, and I thought of a less active members name. So we visited that person. She was not home. But there was a nearby member who we decided to visit, and she needed us. She told us of struggles she had had with cancer, and how she was feeling so low that morning, and she was so grateful for a visit from the sister missionaries. After that, we did not have much time, so we were biking back to the apartment, but the name of a former investigator came to my mind. Even though we were short on time, I turned around and we visited her. She was SO excited to see us! She let us right in and we were able to have a lesson on the spot with her! She asked us to come back again and she became a new investigator! We missed our train, but it was so worth it. The Lord led us right to her! After a long week full of lessons and spiritual experiences, the Lord threw one more in for me and it taught me a great lesson. He is in charge. He knows exactly what we are going through. He will guide us. What do we have to do? Trust. Thanks to Grandpa Vance, Proverbs 3:5-6 is ingrained into my head. I know that the promise in that scripture is true. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

I love you!

Sister Crofts 

You are Loved--あいされている

Most wonderful family, 

KONNICHIWA!!!!! 

*In addition to authority, you are also to exercise power in your work. The authority

that you have received can lead to power. Indeed, spiritual power is one evidence that

your authority is real. Spiritual power is a gift that makes it possible for you to do your

work more effectively.* Preach My Gospel

The power and authority given to missionaries is real. That was made clear to me over and over this last week. 

Monday: We taught Ayako chan. Ayako chan has received all the lessons, so now we are meeting her to help strengthen her faith and do things so she can get permission from her parents for baptism. Because the doctrine has been drilled in her mind over and over, we sat down with her on Monday just to talk. We asked about her life and about the church, and questions and words started coming out of our mouth. I am not sure what happened, but the Spirit was in that room more than ever before with Ayako chan. She felt it and we felt it and it was great! 

Tuesday: We met with a former investigator named Miki. Miki has a LOT of problems in her life. She is 22, but her life is 100% different than mine. We sat down to talk with her and she opened her heart and told us SO MUCH. To be honest, I did not know much how to help because I could not relate to her situation at all, but as I testified, words came to my mouth. Then a scripture came to my mind, then we were able to pray, then she agreed to meet with us again (even though she is known for never making return appointments). That was all the Spirit. 

We also met with an Eikaiwa student. I am so excited to tell you about her. Her name is Pat. She has been coming to Eikaiwa for decades. We did not have Eikaiwa last week because of a conference in Okayama the next day, so we called Pat to tell her, and then we asked if she would meet with us on another day. She talked for about 5 minutes about how busy she is, told us it is IMPOSSIBLE for her to talk about religion, and then scheduled an appointment to meet. When we sat down with her, she also began to open her heart to us. She told us all about her experience with the missionaries in the past, her concerns about life right now, her beliefs and her desires. We had a very spiritual oasis lesson about Gods love and ended up talking about religion for an hour! That was the Spirit. 

Wednesday: We went to Yonago station, got off our bikes, about 30 seconds later began talking to somebody, and about a minute after that, she also opened her heart to us. She told us that her husband died and she was miserable and she just wanted hope and answers to where he is now. We testified of the Plan of Salvation and she was so touched. That was all the Spirit. 

We hopped on a train that night to visit a less active member who lives super far away, and our previous investigators, the Utagawa family, were on the same train! They were so excited to see us and begged us to come back and visit them! That was the Spirit.

Thursday: At 6:36 am, after praying, I texted Utagawa family and asked if we could visit that day. We did, and the lesson was AMAZING. One reason the family was dropped before (among many reasons) is because the lesson was always full of contention and we could never feel the Spirit. But on the Thursday, something changed and the Spirit was powerful. Even Utagawa san felt it. She was rubbing her arms saying *whoa is that the Spirit?* Yes. It was the Spirit. 

Friday: We were in Okayama for Zone Conference. It was the first one with the new mission president, and I loved it! As we talked together as missionaries, I could feel the power in the room and the power behind the scriptures we were reading and the power behind testimonies that were shared. This is the Lords work. And I felt the Spirit. 

Saturday: We met with less active members who we have been running into so many times but were never able to set up an appointment with. We set up an appointment with them! Yay! Guided by the Spirit. 

Sunday: We had church! Yay! It felt like it had been a long time. 2 weeks could seem like years as a missionary. Last night we were visiting less active members. A lot of them were home, which was great, and we met some people with potential. However, we were in one area and we thought of a less active member who we wanted to visit who lived in a completely different area. We had never met her, but we decided to go try. She was home! Yay! She was not interested in talking to missionaries and has no desire to come back to church. However, before we left, I told her that as missionaries, the only thing we want to do is remind her that she is loved. When I said that, she began crying. She continued to cry. She stood there and cried. Then she bawled. The Spirit prompted those words to come out of my mouth. 

Speaking of those words, love is something I have been thinking a lot about this last week. Our investigators all seemed to be telling us so much about their lives last week, and they have HARD lives. Sometimes I sat in the lesson with tears in my eyes because I could not believe how hard their lives are. As I thought about how to help the investigators here, I felt that Christs love is what will heal and strengthen them. Christs love is infinite and matchless. Christs love is what allows suffering to become rejoicing. Christs love is what I pray for every day and what I want to share with the people here! 

I hope you all know that you are loved. You are loved way more than you know! Also, you are loved by somebody way over here in Japan, way more than you know!! Thank you for being the best family in the world!!

Love,

KRIS

HOPE--希望

My first Japanese festival

I absolutely LOVE this family!

Dear Family,

Shout out: dearest Vonald. Happy happy happy birthday! You deserve the best! Save some german chocolate cake for me! 

     Family, there is nothing better than missionary work!! I am so grateful to be here at this time. Last week, A LOT happened. Because Tojo shimai was being transfered, so many people wanted to say goodbye to her. We met with almost all of our investigators, had more meal appointments than I even want to think about, and biked all over Yonago over and over each day! It was an adventure!! As we met with our investigators and ward members, I realized we are in such a strong area. I am so blessed to be working with people who prepared by God to be with me at this time. 

     One example is the Takekawa family. I talk about them all the time, because they are amazing. We visited them a couple times last week. The family is reading the Book of Mormon and praying now! The kids really are the best. The seven year old boy, Seiya kun, told us he has been reading the Book of Mormon on his own each day! We found out the mother has been searching about our church online. At first we were concerned, because many strong investigators drop the missionaries after finding anti-mormon things online. However, we found out she was led right to mormon.org, she read great things about the church in Ukraine (where her family is), and now her interest is even stronger! The ward members also love Takekawa family and are willing to do anything to help them. 

We also met with less active members who are praying again every day for the first time in years and years. It was a good experience to meet with many great people and see the changes that have happened in Yonago for the last two transfers. 

     I expect many more changes to be happening in the next transfer. Deklerk shimai is such a strong missionary! She is a goof--she is blonde. She loves pink. She loves somebody named Nate. She loves diets. She loves dancing (professionally!) She loves country music. She loves joking around. BUT she has a firm trust in the Lord, she expects miracles, and she gives every last part of herself to the work. She saw 4 baptisms last month. She also is planning on having baptisms happen here in Yonago. She is a strong, bold missionary, but at the same time so humble and trusting. I just have to say, I am beyond excited. I loved being with Tojo shimai and I learned a lot from her, but I feel like Deklerk shimai is just what Yonago needs and just who I need at this time. 

    Deklerk shimai also loves being clean. The first thing she did when she got to our apartment was pull out the garbage bags and begin throwing things away. Six HUGE garbage bags later, she decided that it was decent enough to finish the rest on preparation day. She also loves working out. She killed me with 5 minute planks and 5 minute wall sits and 50 push ups on Saturday. Then today she took me on a run to the beach and killed me again after 7 miles! Ha she is going to lift me up physically and spiritually. I am excited! 

     The first thing Deklerk shimai and I did when we got together (after she went through our apartment and threw away so much) was visit the Bishop. He was not home, but we had a great conversation with his wife and got invited over for dinner. Yesterday after dinner, we had a testimony meeting with the Bishops family. He has 8 kids, 5 living at home right now. We turned off all the lights, and as each of us bore our testimonies, we lit a candle. At the end, each person of the family had born his/her testimony, the room was lit up, and the Spirit was so strong. I think it was really good to give the children a chance to bear their testimonies in their home, but my favorite thing was seeing the parents faces. Bishop and his wife seemed to be SO touched and SO grateful. My vision of what it means to strengthen the ward was expanded a lot last night. As scared as the ward must have been when they saw two crazy blonde girls together who love the color pink and eating watermelon and have only half way decent Japanese, I think they will begin to be grateful for the missionaries. We want to do everything we can to help and strengthen the ward members. 

      Along with some new adventures last week (like eating cow hormone and attending a Japanese festival), I felt a new sense of hope. This is the Lords work. He loves His children so much. He is in charge. His Spirit is POWERFUL. I LOVE the work! 

Thank you for your support and love. You all mean the world to me. If you ever want me to send you some squid, just send a little email and it will be on the way! 

Love,

Krissy

Crofts shimai