Typhoons and Earthquakes!

Hello everyone! I'm alive! Barely.... Just kidding. I wasn't hardly affected at all. I'm sure you've all been wondering what happened but I'm sorry to say my story isn't too exciting. People kept telling us that there was a typhoon coming and I was like well I'm gonna keep going until the Mission President tells us not to. Then there was rain
and more rain and more rain and thunder and lightning and rain. But it didn't seem any different than other rainy days. We went around visiting members and they thought we were crazy. Then one morning an earthquake shook us awake. That was pretty much it here in Okegawa but over in Tsukuba is where the floods were. We have been told that we might go help out over there but we still haven't been given the exact time. We really want to go help out and serve so hopefully they'll let us know soon!

Okay, so now on to this week!

Members, members, members! They are amazing! I am learning so much about how more effective missionary work is when we work with members. This week we decided to make cookies for ward members and deliver them
to their house. We went to the Sugawara family and gave them cookies. Her neighbor was outside when we came by and we were able to talk to her. She has met missionaries before but hasn't been interested in church. This time, she told us we could come visit her anytime! Also, the next day, Sugawara Shimai called us and asked if we could meet at the church and have a lesson with her and Okada Shimai. She told us how she was praying about Okada Shimai and then we rang the door bell and brought her cookies, and then after we left she received a message that Okada Shimai had a day off and was able to meet! It all worked out perfectly and the lesson went very well. Okada Shimai is going to try and start coming back to church! Yay for members!

This week at bible study only one student came. She has known the missionaries for awhile and I assumed she had already tried to be taught and wasn't interested. But I wanted to find out for my self what her true beliefs were. We just talked with her and got to know Ai better. Then I asked a lot of inspired questions. I was really focusing on questions that came to my mind from the spirit. Long story short, she agreed to take missionary lessons! She said she doesn't see her self becoming mormon but she does want to learn about religion. I'm excited to teach her the lessons and she even set up our next appointment!

Also, we decided to visit a referral that lives pretty far away so we asked if a member family who lives there to drive us there after church. They willingly agreed and Sugimoto Shimai even went to the door with us! Sadly they were not home but we left a note. On the way home on the train, I sat next to a girl my age and started talking
with her. She seemed a little awkward at first just talking about normal things but when I started talking about the gospel she became way more interested, which is a little flip flopped from most situations. I showed her the Book of Mormon and told her about it. When I finished she said thank you and she really enjoyed talking about that. I then told her she could have the Book of Mormon and she was more than willing to take it! She was so excited! She doesn't live in our area but I gave her a flyer and told her she could search the church in Chiba. I wish I had more time to get her contact information but I'm so grateful for that experience. That was the second Book of
Mormon I gave out on the train that week! I can definitely tell that Heavenly Father is preparing the hearts of the people in Japan. I definitely have a testimony of following the Spirit and knowing who you should talk to because God knows who will listen and who won't.

I like what morgan said in her email about on your mission sometimes you feel like the best person you've ever been but you also feel like the worst. That is so true! It reminded me of Nephi when he says "O wretched man that I am!" Nephi was so righteous but he even felt like a sinner. My comp and I were talking about it and realized the more righteous you become the more you're aware of your sins and wrong things. I don't know, just an interesting thought!

I love you all so much! Thank you for everything! I love being a missionary. I had a dream the other night that I went home and I was kinda miserable... I think it was a sign that I need to enjoy my mission more, the good and the bad! Please continue to keep Japan in your prayers from the recent floods!

Love, Sister Lacey