Hi everyone!
Before I start on this week, here are my last weeks "failed to mentions" moments because I ran out of time! Mailing in an hour and a half is sooooooo stressful!
I finally saw Phillips Choro! (Critter Phillips) :) He lives in Salem Utah and went to my rival school back in the day haha. His mom works with my mom so we discussed Utah briefly and it was so nice to talk about people we both know and our hometown! He's in my Zone serving in Kamakura right now. Pretty cool! At that same zone meeting where I saw Phillips Choro, I gave my first training!!! I gave it on accountability and it was really good. It was scary giving a training to missionaries all older than me haha I felt totally unqualified. Um, we had another earthquake! Level 5 this time :) shook us pretty good in the church. That's two earthquakes now yo. And we did service on the American base! There are two in my area. Atsugi and Zama :) I saw Taco Bell. They only exist on base here haha.
Okay now for this week :)
Monday: After P-day we start working again around six o'clock. So today we had scheduled to stop by members and less active families and heart attack their doors. As we were in a specific area where a less active family lived; we were there at a different time of day then we usually were, I thought we should stop by to see if they're home. The Elders work with this family but they asked us a while ago to meet them so we can help the wife. And we haven't been able to catch them home. But she was there and she answered the door. We introduced ourselves and then asked if we could share a spiritual thought. It was awesome! She opened up and really received us.
Tuesday: We got to do some service! There is a huge beautiful park nearby with a baseball stadium, pool, fountains, grassy fields, big trees, you name it. It's gorgeous. There is a team of cute older Japanese people that take care of it and twice a year the community comes together to help them plant flowers all over the park! It was super fun!
Wednesday: Funakura Shimai had a mega migraine so we were house ridden all day!
Thursday: We had splits for a training. So I was in a san nin (three sisters group...idk how you say that in English) in Hodogaya for a day. It was scorching hot! My back got burned and my neck because my hair was up. We had tons of fun housing!
Friday: Because Funakura Shimai is a sister training leader (STL) we go on splits with other sisters so she can help them and guide their work. So today was one of those days. Since she's Japanese we split with Japanese sisters. So I picked up Tachibana Shimai and we came back to Yamato together. As we were riding the train back to Yamato, we passed through Chou-rinkan and I had the feeling to just get off the train and visit our investigator Matsuda San right then. So we did. We had to buy umbrellas because it was raining. Lately, Matsuda San has been too busy to meet with us so we haven't taught her for a month. (That happens quite often in Japan and it sucks) And so we text her and keep in contact with her, but I hadn't talked to her in person for at least two weeks. And I can't tell you how many times I have walked to her house and tried to see if she's home, and she never is. But today she was home! So Tachibana Shimai and I talked to her for a good 30 minutes in her genkan (doorstep) about her life and her worries about her daughters. It was awesome! We are teaching her again next week and I am praying that the break she had from lessons helps her realize the difference the church has in her life.
Saturday: Was the day we'd been planning for forever! It was Music Night in Shonandai and a Questions of the Soul presentation by President Wada! An old investigator who I met with Gazdik Shimai came! Her name is Nakamura Keiko San. It was a miracle she came. She had been taking lessons weekly and then she stopped. I have only talked to her in her genkan so this was the biggest blessing of my life! When we got to Shonandai we saw Kawahara Shimai one of the members in our ward at the train station. She asked about my wallet and she agrees with me that it was probably stolen. Everyone keeps saying that it is lost but if you know me I never misplace anything. But she is awesome! She agrees with me. Keiko San loved the music night and she got tears when an elder sang I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus. She asked if I'd send her the lyrics. Emiko Kikuchi came too, but a little too late for the music night. I'm just glad she could make it! She came just in time for the questions of the soul part. Keiko San had to leave so we gave our full attention to Emiko San. She definitely had a defining moment at the presentation. We are following up with her this week and hopefully we can figure out a way to work closer with both of them again like sisters have in the past!
I think through some of the hardest trials we can see the greatest blessings as we rely on the Lord and have faith that our life is in good hands.
"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." (John 15:2)
He loves us so much that he gives us trials to become better and better people. Our purpose is to become more like him so when he gives us the opportunity to grow through trials, rely on him and he'll show you the way through while he strengthens you and lifts you. I still have faith that my wallet will turn up somehow; however, I am beyond grateful for the load of blessings I have received this week as I have worked through my trial of losing my wallet by relying on the Lord. And I'll gladly lose my wallet again because this week was awesome!
Love Sister Fordiani
Picture 1: Housing in Hodogaya haha we were super excited to knock on the blue house's door :) --Sister Hotu and Sister Shindo
Picture 2: My peanut butter came from the hombu! I can now commence the eating of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches daily again yes!
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