閏年！Leap year!

Sunset

?

Sister Soloman and Sister Lacey

Out working :-)

閏年！
Leap year!

Hello everyone! Thank you for all the emails! I hope you're all doing
okay, I always pray for you all!
This week was a little on the harder side but it ended with one of the
most spiritual experiences I've ever had. All of the appointments we
made fell through so that was pretty rough. Most of the people we
tried to visit weren't home so we have definitely been feeling a
little unsuccessful this week. And I caught another little cold but
I'm doing better. But we have still been trying hard and studying how
to find more people to teach.

We had stake conference all the way in Matsudo yesterday but the
Sasaki family gave us a ride so we didn't have to take the train.
Stake conference was really good and powerful! The talks were mainly
on how to help and encourage members to share the gospel so I'm
praying we'll be getting some much needed referrals!

Okay, now for my favorite part of the week that literally happened
last night. It amazes me how perfect timing is and how the Lord places
everything exactly where it should. We had a few hours of finding time
and the people we planned to visit just weren't working out and we
decided to just walk instead of using our bikes. We got a call from
the elders asking us to send in some reports so we changed plans and
went to the church. At the church we looked at a map and decided to go
finding and housing in an area where neither of us had been before
which is close to a river in the more country side of town. We were
having a great time talking to everyone even though everyone rejected
us. Not one person showed the slightest interest but we were still
enjoying everything! We had planned to have dinner so I asked Sister
Solomon if she was ready to go and she said no she wanted to dendo
more so that's what we did! We got more rejections and it started
getting dark and late so we were heading back home. Along the way,
Sister Solomon said how there must be prepared people out here and she
wondered where they were. I said that in my experience is just really
showing Heavenly Father we are trying hard and He needs to trust us so
He humbles us and then all we have left is to follow the Spirit.
(Earlier in the week I was studying about following the spirit and how
we need to follow the slightest little hunch we get. Whether it be a
house or someone walking on the street, we need to follow it. Also,
you can decide whether to put this part in the blog, but in my
patriarchal blessing it says that the Holy Spirit dictates quietly and
comfortably to me.) As we were walking up the hill out of the valley,
an old apartment in the dark caught my eye. I stopped, well rather I
feel like the spirit just stopped me and I couldn't move, stared at it
for a few seconds, and I knew we needed to go knock on some doors so I
said lets try one more. It was really dark and Sister Solomon joked
and said "Satan dwells in darkness" so I said back "that's why we're
bringing them the light!" And that's exactly what happened with
Ichijo San.

He was the first door we knocked on. When housing apartments I like to
go from top to bottom and he was the very top all the way to the end.
At first, we both kinda thought he was drunk or something and so I
wanted to make the conversation quick and move on by I kept feeling we
needed to talk with him more. His Japanese was pretty hard to
understand but through the Spirit I was able to understand how I
should respond. He's had a really hard life though and because of
that, doesn't believe in God. He has some sort of something so part of
his face is paralyzed so he was a little embarrassed but I testified
boldly that through Christ he can be healed and receive happiness. He
said he's learned about churches before and they all say the same
thing and nothing has helped him. So of course I responded and told
him that I know our church is true and he can know it too. He laughed
a little but continued listening. He took a pamphlet, took a flyer,
and took a Book of Mormon without hesitation. I asked if the elders
could come visit him and at first he no because he has no interest but
as we began to testify and get to know him more I asked again if us or
the elders could come back and he said okay. He said he would try
reading the Book of Mormon too. Sister Solomon bore a powerful
testimony as well. I have never felt the spirit so strongly while
housing. I wasn't leaving until I got an okay to come back because I
know this gospel can and will help him. I was trying hard to hold back
tears as I testified of the Savior. He thanked us for everything and
then we left. I'm so grateful for that experience and how we were led
in the right time and place. Afterwards we said a pray of thanks and I
couldn't hold back the tears back anymore. I hope and pray everything
will go well as we continue to try and help and teach Ichijo San.

This whole experience helped strengthen my testimony of the power of
the Holy Ghost. I've been pondering the scriptures found in Doctrine
and Covenants 100,

"I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it
was expedient in me for the salvation of souls.
Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this
people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you
shall not be confounded before men;
For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment,
what ye shall say...
And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy
Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever
ye shall say...
And I will give unto [you] power to be mighty in testimony...
Therefore, continue your journey and let your hearts rejoice; for
behold, and lo, I am with you even unto the end."

I feel like those scriptures describe my experience perfectly. I know
without a doubt that Ichijo is being prepared. He has studied other
churches before and hasn't found his answer or help. But know I know,
if he is willing and truly wants happiness in his life, he will feel
the Spirit and know he has found what he's been looking for as he
reads the Book of Mormon and continues to meet with us. My Japanese
was no where near perfect and I could barely understand half of what
he was saying but the Holy Ghost constantly kept telling me what to
say next. I'm not sure if it was the answer to his questions but I
know it was what he needed to hear. I know that this is the Lord's
work and He is right here beside me helping me along. I am not even
close to perfect and I make mistakes, but I know if I continue to do
my best and follow every prompting from the spirit, I can be in
instrument in the hands of the Lord as I let the Spirit work through
me. I challenge you all this week to follow the promptings of the Holy
Ghost, whether it be to serve someone, share the gospel, or just
simply smile and say hello, I know you will feel the Lord is trusting
you and you will become a better disciple of our Savior and Redeemer,
Jesus Christ.

I love you all so much! Have a wonderful and safe week! Thank you for
your prayers, they are much appreciated and needed. 愛しています！

Love,
レイシー姉妹

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