Ohisashiburi Portuguese

Konnichiwa!

Or Ola! I guess :)

It is time for Sakura blossoms in Japan

This week we had Zone Conference and Interviews with President Nagano. During my interview, I told him that at the beginning of this transfer I got a prompting that I should start studying Portuguese again, but I wasn't quite sure how to fit it into my study because I only have 1 hour of language study per day and I still feel the need to study Japanese. His response was "That's funny that you brought up Portuguese, because the moment you walked into the room I thought about the Portuguese Sacrament meetings they are starting to do in Ushiku every week." He gave me permission to go to Ushiku any week that I feel prompted to go, so that I can help with the Portuguese Sacrament meeting. Right now it's being run by Elder Correa (one of my senpai that is from Brazil) and a lot of Brazilian members, less actives, and investigators come. Many of them are women, so President Nagano thought it would be good for a Sister to be there.

Well, yesterday we went. :) It was so good!!!! I was conducting all the songs and singing in Portuguese and I bore my testimony. It was really really rough because it's been 6 months since I've really spoken Portuguese, but it was also refreshing. I understood a lot of what was being said. It was really ohisashiburi to Portuguese. I had the chance to talk to some investigators afterwards and it was so fun! Sister Nicholes made friends with a less active young woman who translated to Japanese for her, and she used her Spanish to talk to a few of the Spanish-speaking members. It was so good! Haha, now I really had to brush up on my skills.

It was so amazing though. Later that night we went to a member's house and there was a couple visiting from America there. The husband didn't speak any Japanese, but I think he stated my feelings perfectly: "It's amazing how I can go to church in a completely different country and the Spirit is still there. I can't understand anything, but the Spirit is still there. The members are warm and welcoming. The doctrine is the same. It truly is the true church." I testify that what he said is true. No matter what language it is, no matter how many members are there, the church is true. The Spirit can be felt all over the world. That is what I love about being part of this true worldwide church. I can be in a completely different country, but I always know that if I find the church, I will find friends and helping hands, even if I am a stranger.

Recently we had a cool experience where our Ward Mission Leader forwarded us an email from his friend in America. The friend's daughter was here in Japan and had an unfortunate encounter in Tokyo. She was looking for some members to just be her friends and help her get back into the fun spirit of her trip, so they contacted the missionaries. That young woman ended up having a great time because of the love of members in Japan, people who didn't know her, but reached out in Christlike love. So cool!

So that was my Sunday :) Chuch in Japanese then church in Portuguese! It was also one of the Portuguese members' birthday so they had cake and brigadero (sorry for spelling that wrong, it's caramel and chocolate and it's delicious) and it made my day. Also Brother Raul and his granddaughter, Nanami-chan were there too! I met them for the first time when they came to General Conference in Oizumi and it was so nice to see them again! Nanami-chan remembered me!!!!! <3

Zone Conference was also amazing. We had the chance to do some mogis with the Sisters in the Zone and it is so amazing to see their progress, even in just 6 weeks. I love working with them and I'm excited to be staying here another transfer (I probably won't transfer since Sister Nicholes is going home). I just love Matsudo!!!!

This week we also had 2 lessons with Kikuchi Ami-chan, a 17 year old investigator whose mom recently joined the church. The first lesson, we made brownies, played badminton (while Sister Nicholes, Watanabe Shimai and Kikuchi Shimai had a lesson), then watched Meet the Mormons with her. She really enjoyed all the stories, and I got super emotional during the last story about the missionary, because that is my life now. Then today we taught her the Plan of Salvation and guess what?????? SHE ACCEPTED THE BAPTISMAL INVITATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!! YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Even better? She and her mom and our doseki member stayed for Zone P-day and played badminton, volleyball, and basketball with us and it was so fun! I feel so lucky to be here, helping Ami-chan progress towards baptism! She is so cute and I love her so much!!!!

One last thing I would like to share with you. This past week, I've been focusing a lot on personal revelation. I have had a lot of questions for Heavenly Father, everything from What can I do to be a better missionary? to How can I better help Matsudo? There have been so many questions, and I've really been working on praying and seeking personal revelation to receive answers. It is amazing! When you really focus on questions that you want to ask Heavenly Father, he will give you answers. I had made a list of questions I wanted to ask President Nagano at Interviews, but instead I received all the answers in the studies I had leading up to interviews. I walked into the room and told President Nagano "I had a whole list of questions prepared, but Heavenly Father answered them all...so here are some other questions."

When we really prepare and truly seek for answers to our questions, Heavenly Father will answer them. It won't always be in the way we want, oftentimes it isn't, but I can testify that when we follow the Lord's direction, we will be blessed. I didn't want to listen to Heavenly Father when he told me to come on a mission, but I am so so so so glad that I did. He truly knows what is best for us and he just wants to help us be happy and become the best people we can be. Trust that he knows best, and that he will guide you to greater happiness. I know he will!

Thank you so much everyone! Have a great week!

ブラクラ姉妹
Black Shimai