51st week in Japan; 3rd Area. "God gives his toughest battles to His strongest soldiers."

Konnichiha Everyone!!   Happy Spring!!

"God gives his toughest battles to His strongest soldiers."

It's amazing how many great weeks I've had, but also hard days.  We've seen many miracles working in Kasukabe and helping people.  Bringing joy to other people's lives through the gospel and sharing the blessings I've been given brings happiness!!  It brings happiness and I feel God's love in abundance through the miracles Sister Burke and I have seen.  Even through the tough times, there is miracles because God is always working in our lives. :)

I'd like to share my testimony of the power and love of God by sharing sometime when I felt overburdened.

I've been having some days that are really hard to get through and it came to one day that my companion told me that I should go into the tatami room (where we sleep) and pray aloud to Heavenly Father and ask for help.  So I did. I remember when my companion left the room I could just feel a welcoming presence inviting me to pour out my heart.  I felt so much love!!  and my asked questions and I listened and I can testify that I did have a conversation with God.  I wrote down all the thoughts and impressions that came to me and I followed them. From the words of the prophets and apostles that I've been lead to study and ponder, I've truly learned that there is an enabling power that can only be received by and through the atonement of Jesus Christ.  We cannot get through this life without depending on the Lord and His strength.

Like form the Book of Mormon, in Alma 31, Alma and his brethren were to teach the Zoramites.  They were afflicted by the wickedness of the Zoramites who had fallen away from the true God and had separated themselves.  But the Lord provided for Alma and his brothers..

"and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith."

I think often, prayer may seem like something that can take away agony or circumstances or that we can be free from our trials by asking for it to go away..  But that's not always what God will do.  Because we only learn and become like the Savior as we strive to be like him during our own times of Gethsemane.  Because the Savior suffered our pains and afflictions first he is the only one who knows how to reach out to us, succor us, and strengthen us.  When we ask Heavenly Father to give us strength to conquer our lives' enemies, we can have joy. Because of Jesus Christ we can have joy even in our trials.  And I can testify of it because I've read it and I've experienced it.  And everyone has frightening or terrible or easily besetting experiences but all of them can be overcome by asking for the enabling power of the atonement of Jesus Christ to be strengthened.

“I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs. …

“And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord” (Mosiah 24:14–15)

I testify that God is an all-powerful, all-knowing being who is the Father of our spirits and loves you and knows each everyone of you you name.  He reaches out to you daily.

I invite you all to have a conversation with God and listen with your heart that you may feel His love! His love truly soothes aching hearts and fixes broken souls. It is the strongest bond in families and is the source of happiness. God's love is perfect and it lifts every soul that hangs low and raises joyful ones even higher. And all that is needed is a humble heart willing to act and ask.

I love you all!! :)

心を込めて、With all my heart

パーカー姉妹 Sister Parker

Sent from the white fields of Japan 

Life is not always serious-- here are two videos where I appear less than polished...

I was tired of doing planning meetings in this video.  I hope it's okay to show this.

HIccups...