Monday, June 29, 2015

Hey Fam!

Hiking in Ogose - 6/29/15
Hiking in Ogose - 6/29/15

Hiking in Ogose - 6/29/15

Hiking in Ogose - 6/29/15

Hiking in Ogose - 6/29/15

Hiking in Ogose - 6/29/15

Hiking in Ogose - 6/29/15

Japanese toilet :-)



























































Hello everyone! 

Thank you for the emails! Sorry for the late email. We went hiking today as a zone in Ogose and had a lot of fun but I am dead right now. I'm glad you all are having a great summer vacation. Not gonna lie, I think I'm in the best place for the summer. I mean I'm in Japan! Sometimes I don't even realize I'm in Japan. I just feel like I fit in and I think I've adjusted to the culture shocks haha. 

So this week has been really good! It went by so fast! On Tuesday we went to the towns gym to play basketball. The elders have invited us a few weeks ago because they said a girl usually goes and could have interest. So we went but turns out the elders couldn't come so we felt super awkward. But everyone was super nice and sister Teruya and sister Parker wanted to play basketball. You know me, so I didn't want to play so they asked me to be the score keeper. It was really fun getting to know knew people. Quick funny story... I was on the stage with the score board but then it was time to go. The stage was really high so I didn't want to jump off in the fear of breaking an ankle so I went to find the stairs. Sister Teruya and Parker were waiting at the bottom of the stairs but I had to go behind some curtains to get to them. Well, one guy who had been sitting out because of a sore leg, saw I was confused on how to get down and he got up and followed me! I was screaming inside my head, "sight and sound sight and sound!" He was just being nice and showing me the way but it scared the living daylights out of me because I couldn't see my comps for a full 2 seconds and I was with a guy. I felt like I needed to repent afterwards... Scariest moment of my life haha. Anyways, so we had fun and made new friends that we invited to Eikaiwa. On the way home there was the biggest rain storm I've ever witnessed. There was lightning and thunder constantly and we rode home on our bikes. There was one road that was like a river and every time we peddled our feet were covered in water. It was awesome! We had a great time!

We had our last Zone Conference with President and Sister Budge this week. I seriously didn't think I would come to be so close with them. But Sister Budge said to us all, "be grateful that it is hard to say goodbye because that means you have developed a strong relationship." The conference was amazing and it was exactly what I needed to hear. President Budge talked a lot about humility. He talked about Ether 12:27 which says:

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

It suddenly all clicked for me! That is what I'm doing, I came on a mission and in that scripture it says, "if they come unto me" and I have definitely realized my weaknesses. He also said we don't need to repent for our weaknesses. We just need to recognize them, humble ourselves and have faith that we can change. The opposite of humility is pride and humiliation which is injured pride. Satan tries to lead us down the path of pride but if we recognize our weakness and try our very best to improve, they will be made strong. But one thing I really liked what President Budge said was, "sometimes the weaknesses aren't taken away. God likes us to be humble, it keeps us away from pride. But He will make us strong in our weakness." President Budge is such a brilliant man. I am going to miss him and sister Budge a lot but I am exited for President and Sister Nagano. 

I have realized this week that one of my strengths is pronunciation. But my weakness is speaking. I read over my setting apart blessing and it said that I will be blessed to master the language quickly but I will be tentative to speak, but if I do speak I will be able to help others so much. I know I need to keep improving my strengths and by doing that I might be able to improve my weaknesses. I also watched the Mormon Message The Will of God and one of my favorite lines is, "Thank you God, for loving me enough to hurt me." We need to always remember that Heavenly Father knows all. He knows our potential and He knows our weaknesses. He will be more than willing to help us overcome our weaknesses we just need to be humble enough to accept our weakness and go forward. We won't change overnight, but as we trust in the Lord, day by day, "[we] can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth [us]. I love you all so much! I hope you have a great week! I miss you all! Aishitemasu!

Love, Sister Lacey

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