2
March 2015 Sakado
Time
is just flying by. I'm not quite sure where February went. And I'm a little sad
about that. Transfers are in two weeks, and I'm pretty sure I will be leaving.
I don't want to go! I love Sakado. And I love sister Bettridge! She is the best
companion ever.
Today
we made soba! A member introduced us to her friends who own a soba shop. They
taught us how to make soba, and we're so impressed. They didn't believe it was
our first time making it! Pictures to come later. I really hope we get the
opportunity to get to know the family better. They have a really special
feeling about them. As We told them about being missionaries and the mother
asked if we were sad being separated from our parents. As she asked she started
to tear up because she thought it was so sad! She and her husband both were so
sweet.
Masaki
San got baptized this week! The ward is soooo happy. And he was soooo happy to.
He was glowing! It was really fun to be part of that. He was so prepared and so
happy to be baptized. It was a really wonderful experience.
For
Masaki san’s baptism we made cookies with Ro and Fukunaga shimai. That was
an affair. The stove would not work. Something with the gas was wrong. They
tried over and over and they called a bunch of members to try and get it to
work. No luck. Fukunaga shimai said she would just make them at home and bring
them the next day to church. I didn't like settling. So I prayed. Turned on the
stove, then got nervous that I was gonna make it explode or leak gas so I
stopped it, asked roe if what I'd done was right and then turned it in again.
It worked! Everyone was a amazed. They asked what I did. I said I prayed.
Everyone laughed. And the stove makes it buh-bum noise and stopped working.
Then I had an idea to call Hattori kyodai, and he knew how to make it work! My
pray was answered!
We
went on exchanges this week too. I got to dendÅ with Sister Nash who is my
doki! But we weren't in the same district in the MTC and we realized we knew
very little about one another. She is awesome. She is one of the most peaceful
people I've ever met; which was just what I needed! Exchanges ended with a
bang. Sister Nash's companion became quite ill while her and sister Bettridge
were in Kawagoe area. The poor sister! It was her last exchange ever. She goes
home in two weeks. We had to go all the way back to their apartment to change
back. The poor sister was tucked in bed and looked like she was ready to die.
Sister Bettridge and I left and after we were a few feet from the apartment
exclaimed how happy we were to be reunited. I just love sister Bettridge so
much. We work so well together. I don't like being apart from her! And luckily,
since we are missionaries that doesn't happen too often.
This
week we got the chance to go to a Japanese sign language class win one of our
investigators. It was such a cool experience. And I learned so much. I want to
study sign language when I get home. Everything is sooo easy compared to
Japanese! By the end I could introduce myself and say what I liked and didn't
like and tell how old I was. My favorite part of the class was when I was
talking to, or rather trying to sign to one of the deaf members of the class. I
was with someone who knew sign language so she translated for me. The man told
me that I had a light, and an amazing smile, that I glowed. I wish I could have
signed to him "it's the gospel!" I'll have to learn that for
later. Also, while talking to someone else, she was blown away by my
Japanese. She had been studying English for years and couldn't even begin to
speak like me. She asked how I did it and I said it was because of God. She was
a little confused by that answer. I don't think that was what she was
expecting. Then she asked how she could become good at English. I told her if
she prayed and asked for help she would probably be able to speak better English.
Once again she was shocked by my answer. But, we should be seeing her at
eikaiwa soon!
We
had a special conference with elder Ballard. I said I would write about it
today. But I forgot my notes. Well, he and the other two speakers really
emphasized the importance of the restoration. I loveee the restoration! And I
love talking about it. And it was such a good reminder to go back to the
basics. I've been studying it all this week, and I feel so much more confident
to talk and teach about it now. I am so grateful for Joseph smith. And I love
the Book of Mormon. I love reading it with investigators and watching it change
their lives. This week I really want to focus on how I can bring it into
conversations quicker. On the train, it is easy to talk bout the Book of
Mormon. But, not so easy to talk about the message of the restoration. So, I've
got to work on that.
If
you don't now what the restoration is you can learn about it here...
Or
you can wait until I get home and I'd be more than happy to tell you about
it!
Sister
Bettridge and I laughed lots this week. Of course.
While
talking to someone on the phone sister Bettridge told the lady that she was
from the Book of Mormon, instead of the Mormon Church. We laughed about that
for a while.
While
teaching a lesson we brought rocks to use as a visual aid, except we forgot about
them. And at the end Sister Bettridge asks what she should do with them. I
wasn't quite sure so she just puts them on the table. I felt like a five year
old, showing off the rocks I'd found while playing out side. We all laughed
about the rocks on the table until we finally found a new way to connect them
to the lesson. It ended up being really good. But it was a little awkward for
a bit.
One
of the elders here, his name is elder Tuttle. Our bishop calls him elder
turtle.
While
talking to bishop the other night, I told him he needed to request for us to
stay in Sakado. His reply was "ok I'll ask that all four of you stay
here." There're six missionaries...wonder who the two left out are....
One
more bishop story, he was telling us about his mission president who was from
France. He had to learn English and Tahitian. During his first talk, as mission
president, he was talking about the restoration and said that two watermelons
appeared to Joseph smith. The congregation couldn't stop laughing. The bishop
at the time did not stop laughing either. So, the mission president just sat
down. Didn't even finish his talk.
We've
gotten a lot of opportunities to work with our bishop this week. And last night
we were able to meet with him and discuss what his vision for the ward is. I am
very excited. He is trying new things and I think they will make all the
difference!
Love
you all!
Sister
Molinari
