16 June 2014 Oyumino, Chiba
Wow! Another week has gone by. This transfer is
moving quickly, and sadly it is shorter than usual! And I don't want it
to end...the end means I might be leaving Oyumino. Oh no! This is my 4th
transfer in the same area. It’s RARE. And 5th transfers in an area are
unheard of. Ahh!
This week started off really great. We got to have dinner with the Aoyagi family a second time. Elder Aoyagi is an area 70 so it's super special. We had a lot of fun. Sister Aoyagi is the cutest thin ever and she loves using the little bit of English she knows. It's pretty funny. And she finds it pretty funny when I use the little bit of nihongo I know, so we have fun. We had a delicious dinner and then did family home evening! It's only the second time I've done it since coming on a mission. And both times have been at the Aoyagi families home. Family home evening is so fun and so special. Everyone should do it!
We shared a message about being children of god and then shared this video
(https://www.lds.org/youth/
This is one of my favorite Mormon messages! I know what he says is true. We are daughters and sons of a loving Heavenly Father. And because of that anything is possible. It is one of my favorite things to share with others here in japan...and now with all of you!
While we were out finding on day one the parents of our eikaiwa kids drove by us. As he did he he looked out he window and goes "hey ladies". We found that pretty funny. It was a first hearing that in Japan!
On Sunday during relief society we were taking turns reading scriptures. It was my turn and I was told English was ok. I told them no that's ok nihongo is ok. And I start reading. It was probably the second time I have read since coming to Oyumino ward. What a difference! When I finished, everyone clapped and oohed and Ahhed. They were so impressed! I felt so proud of myself. I try to read out of the Book of Mormon in nihongo out loud everyday and it is starting to pay off!
My feeling of success didn't last long though...we divided into groups to discuss how we have been blessed by others magnifying their callings (doing the best in their assigned 'job' at church). Except for whatever reason I thought it was how we had been blessed when we magnified our callings!
So I explained this whole long thing about
putting church first and everything else falls into place and how I experienced
that before my mission. Then everyone else in my group shared and they
were talking about different things. I was a little confused, retread
the question and realized I had read it wrong the first time.
The worst part was...the question was in
English! Luckily I can do no wrong in the nihonjin's eyes and so we all
laughed about it and I was told it was ok.
Another favorite moment of the week had to have been when sister Hubner tripped a kid! We had gotten ice cream with Haruno chan and were heading out of the mall when she tripped him and he went falling to the ground. I was laughing so SO hard. The poor little boy is forever gonna be afraid of Americans now.
A few weeks ago we met this really cool lady of the street. After talking for a few minutes she announced she speaks English, then she invited us over to her house and we went. We had a fun time, invited them to eikaiwa and told them about the Book of Mormon and being missionaries. Now her and her two boys come to eikaiwa every week and we were invited over to dinner...last week I think. She drove us home and as we were driving she asked about church we told her some of the members lived out here. And I said the first name that popped into my head. The bishop's family! Her response: my son has a friend with that last name.
So, fast forward to this week, we find out it
is the same family!! Miracle!! At church on Sunday we
were talking to the bishop's wife. She told us that the two boys had
been talking about the sister missionaries and church! Apparently a lot
was said about me too haha...according to the bishop's wife, her son's
friend has a crush on me! I was what he talked about the most. Don't
worry everyone he is 9. I remember when I was that age, I'm pretty sure
I had crushes on the elder missionaries...they were just so tall and
handsome...
Well, that's all for now folks..see ya next time...
Love,
Sister
Molinari
