I'm old!

Zone trip to Mt. Yahiko

Shrine at Mt. Yahiko

View from Mt. Yahiko

It's extremely hard to believe that I will be turning 20 this week.  But thanks for the birthday packages everyone!  Wednesday, we will be going to a park with the Makise couple and Shinobu Shimai so I'm looking forward to that!

This week was good! I went on exchanges with Sister Butler who is a Bean chan right now. (She's a greenie). It was my first time being the oldest in the companionship and let me tell ya, I loved it! Besides the fact that sister Parkers bike broke on me and I thought I was gonna die, it was great! We met with a members less active daughter and taught her some English and a mogi (role play) lesson. We had planned to talk about the Book of Mormon and how the gospel blesses families but kinda out of the blue Maiko said that we missionaries just have a radiant light around us. She said it blinds her! I asked her if she wanted that light and she said yes! We shared Moroni 7:19 and she loved it and wrote it down and said she wanted to read it again later. It was an amazing lesson and I was definitely granted the gift of tongues to help sister Butler. She would ask me questions and I would be able to help or I was able to translate what they were saying. I didn't realize I could do that! Usually I'm the one asking to know what people said. Not gonna lie, it gave me a real desire to want to train! And it made me have more confidence that my language skills are improving!

Also, quick funny story. I was showing sister Butler pics of the family and she saw the one with cousins and she was like, "is that Rachel?" I was shocked and said yes. Her mom and Kelly were roommates or something in college and she's been to the buntings house! She said Curt is a bully haha. Small world!

Oh! And I taught everyone how the Lacey family plays ping pong at our ping ping night. It was hilarious. We played around the world and I told them how we do the spinning thing and we only play with two paddles and so we tried it. I'll send you some videos. It was so funny haha.

I just want to share a couple spiritual experiences this week. First, I got a letter from sister Fox and she shared the talk "What Lack I Yet" so I decided to study it and try it out. So I did and the first answer I got was to start writing in my journal. The spirit really does personalize things and make them specific! I have definitely been slacking in my journal writing. The next experience is about the priesthood. I think I've been going through of a little bit of a mission midlife crisis and it all kinda came pouring out the other day. I decided the best thing to get me going again was a priesthood blessing. The elders here were more than willing to help and I know without a doubt that everything that Elder Frazier said was directly from God. I didn't give him any specifics on what was troubling me but everything he said helped me so much. I m so grateful for the power of the priesthood and for divine guidance.

I truly would not be here if I did not believe this was the true church if Jesus Christ. There is no way I would be able to handle the rejection, witness all of the miracles, understand and speak this brain frying but unique and amazing language, and be able to stay away from my loved ones if it wasn't for the divine help and guidance from my Father in Heaven and my Redeemer. I know I am not alone. If anything my mission is helping me be truly converted. Each trial I face and each miracle I see, my Savior becomes more and more real to me. I love this gospel and I am so honored to where the name of Iesu Kirisuto over my heart everyday. It makes me sad when people do reject but it just makes me even more determined to fine those who have been searching and who are prepared to receive our message of happiness.

I love you all so much! Thank you for all of your prays, support, and love! Aishiteimasu!

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レイシー姉妹