Nashi! -- 梨

A lady I'm teaching fell in love with Joseph and framed his picture!

Dearest Family,

How are you?? Japan is great. It is the season of pears. The persimmon trees are also starting to get some fruit on them. Yay. I have seen the rice fields go from nothing to big plots of water to little sprouts and now they are all full and laying over from all the heavy rice! It is an exciting time to be here! Oh also there is a big influenza going around Japan from mosquito bites. I got bit all over my legs last week when I was weeding a strawberry field, and now I have a horrible nasty sinus/ head explosion type of sickness. I hope I do not die. 

Other than that, all is well here in Yonago! I will be here for at least one more transfer! The longest I have ever been in an area, and I am so excited! I LOVE IT here!!! I am beginning to be good friends with the old grandpas and grandmas riding their bikes down the streets and the young school kids who walk by us and say *hello!* all the time. The ward members are also people who I am coming to rely on like family. And my dear companion DeKlerk shimai...I just love her! She knows and understands me well and she is pushing me to be better than I thought I could be! 

I do not even know where to begin with talking about the investigators. 

The Takekawa family gets so excited every time we come to visit. And when they are excited, they are crazy!! The little boys run around and climb up the walls and do karate with each other...it is so crazy!! But the parents are really sincere people and so grateful for the missionaries. They are struggling with money and food, but the ward is amazing and has really come to their aid. Last week the bishop, relief society president, and another family all visited at different times offering food and help! I love the church.

Pat is doing great. We sat down with her this week to *speak English.* We told her we had a gift for her, so we put a box in front of her. We said inside the box was the most precious, valuable thing. We said it was so important to us. She opened the box and there was a mirror inside. She just stared. And stared. And stared. Then we sang *Be Still My Soul* for her and shared a scripture, and she stared at those words. Then back at the mirror. Then at the words. It was powerful. For somebody who says she will meet with us to speak english but not to talk about religion, I consider it a privilege to experience such spiritual moments with her. 

I missed out on a lot of the lessons last week because I was in Kobe on Monday and Tuesday and Kurayoshi all day on Friday and Saturday, but they seem to be progressing well, and I am excited to spend another transfer with all of them! 

One thing I am so grateful for is the tender mercies of the Lord. I feel like we are constantly being guided to the right place at the right time. We are constantly having words and thoughts put into our head. We are constantly having things fall into place and people come our way just when the timing is perfect! The Lord is aware of each one of His children, and He has the world in His hands. 

Well, fam, sorry the letter is short. I hope you all know how special you are to me! I love hearing from you each week. I am so grateful for everything you have taught me. I feel your support and love. I love you so much!!

Crofts shimai