49th Week in Japan; 3rd Area. Emerging as a missionary.

03/06/2017

こんにちは [Hello}、、皆さん!  ٩( ᐛ )و [Everyone!]

We've really been able to see miracles these past few weeks!  As I have adjusted to the missionary life, I feel emerged in the ways of a missionary. I feel like all I know is missionary work!  But I've never felt more happy or joy.  Although there is many trials and stresses, I always feel God's love and the guidance of the Spirit.  Every new trial that comes, Heavenly Father helps me overcome it and I get stronger and stronger everyday.

Our teaching pool has grown in Kasukabe and we've been working with the ward [congregational area] better. Building relationships, seeing more smiles, and finding and teaching more people. 

We have one investigator who we found in our Areabook.  She was an Eikaiwa [English class] student but stopped coming because she got sick.  One day, we called her up to invite her and see how she was doing and one of the first things she said was, " I'm so glad to hear from you Sisters! When I thought of you, I thought I want to go to church and pray to God.."  Since then we haven't been able to meet her but we have taught her over the phone. Just this week, we sang Her the children's hymn:  "I am a child of God."  She was so honest with her words about her life and she said she wanted to change her life.  She has come to believe that God does exist and loves her!! Especially as she has been healing we have been trying our best to help her become stronger and learn by the Spirit.  The Spirit is so so important in order to understand and believe in Heavenly Father. 

For me as a missionary, I feel the spirit constantly. Like the Liahona, compass, that led Lehi and his family through the wilderness,  in "Alma 37: 40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day." 

Day by day, I feel the Spirit, I try to follow it, and I learn by the Spirit.  Same for anyone.  In order to understand that there is a high power who rules or understand things that cannot be seen that are true, needs to be understood, learned, and practiced through the Holy Spirit.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf's words: "The Apostle Paul encourages us to seek the voice that speaks to our spirit, not just to our ears.  He taught, “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”"

It's studying and feasting upon the words written by prophets in our scriptures, praying and conversing with God, having weekly family home evenings and counsels, and thing alike attending the temple regularly that keep the Spirit in our lives to guide us and help us during this period as we prepare to meet our father in Heaven. As his ways are higher than our ways, or we don't always understand why God does things, it can only be understood by the Spirit.

Sometimes it's hard to follow the Spirit or do what's right, but God is patient with us and he promises to help us when we choose to do follow Him and His ways. I know it! Even though I mess up all the time, I am still progressing upwards as I am giving my best. I try to talk to everyone and study Japanese in order to become a missionary that God can lead and trust to do His great work. 

I'm learning everyday of the importance of this and the need for a Saviour.  Jesus Christ really is our Saviour.  Repentance, stopping what is wrong and doing what's right and what God wants us to do, lifts burdens, changes lives, and brings peace.  Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of a peacemaker, a Giver, Leader, and a brother.

Love to all!! This week, try to find something new you can improve to become more like the Saviour. :)  

Here's a picture of us with an investigator, and a member from the Koiwa Ward (she actually is from our home town in Utah!! On the right. She got back from her mission in April, she went to the Japan Kobe mission.)

Our investigator is from Vietnam, although we had a drop lesson this day, but she just isn't ready right now. :)

Here's a wonderful family from Sri Lanka. Their testimonies are so strong!!!. They really feast upon the words of Christ and want to learn everything they can. They were baptized together two years ago and we are just finishing up their A.B. Lessons.

Potetoman  (Potato-man)

Sister Parker

パーカー姉妹。[Sister Parker]

Sent from the white fields of 日本 🌅  [Nihon = Japan]

48th Week in Japan; 3rd area.

2/27/2017

Hello,

I may not write much this week.  My companion is not feeling well, but I'm going to try and write some emails at the apartment and send them at the convenience store.  However if I can't, then I will just say that this week has been good!  I am so so so so so happy about the progress in the things you wrote me about!!! I know God is too!  I love you all so much.

We had transfer calls today and we, Sister Burke and I, are both staying this transfer.  We just started transfer 9, whoop whoop!

Sister Parker

Sent from the white fields of Japan 🍲🌅

picture from internet--Japanese flowers

47th Week in Japan; 3rd area. Remembering, teaching, volunteering.

2/20/2017

Time was just kind of everywhere today, we went bowling with an investigator and the Zone missionaries, and then rain came, and then a couple members called-- one of them is so sweet, bless her heart, but that took a little bit a time.  Elder Holland came to Japan and he spoke to the Stakes [multiple congregations] of the Tokyo mission. That was so cool! And here's something I wrote kind of recently:

There is something I've been pondering about lately and that is remembering. At the missionary zone meeting we had discussions about obedience and repentance and how they are closely tied together. I am such a forgetful little もの [thing], but all humans are forgetful, if we remembered everything we did and felt and saw then we would remember the consequence of sin and not repeatedly sin. But then that would be against God's plan. It often and repeatedly says in the Book of Mormon to remember, remember how merciful God has been to our fathers. But also as we remember the moments that we have and the spiritual experiences and understanding we are getting, it keeps us having hope and joy in life. One way we can always remember Jesus Christ is remembering those experiences, especially the good ones!!, because he is central to everything and he is there with us in every step we take.

The week before this week at Zone blitz, we went to a library and asked to volunteer and we exchanged contact info. The lady we spoke with said they were interested in us reading English books to children. She asked if we could volunteer over many libraries in Saitama or just the one in Iwatsuki that we were at. We told her there are missionaries all over so they could probably help volunteer too! That was miracle!

She gave us a call a couple days ago and we set up a time to meet and talk about it more! Next transfer will be on March 15th. We are hoping that we can get mission school more sponsored by this or just give them fliers to keep!   [K-mom:  I don't know exactly what "mission school" is-- a new term to me!]

Some of the greatest miracles this week was first, when we were visiting members, there was this one less-active we were trying to meet but she seemed to be busy at the time so we were going to come back in ten minutes or so. So we pray, and go housing [looking for potential people to teach in their residential areas]  at a complex across the street. On the fourth floor (but not last door), there was a lady who answered. We introduced ourselves and she said she's sorry that she believes in Buddhism and regularly practices it, but she has always had an interest in the cross. This was pretty cool, we talked a bit about Jesus Christ and his church being restored and I felt power come through me. She was so interested in what we were saying and I could see it in her eyes. So I asked her if she would meet us next week to learn more with a time and she said no. But! I felt the Spirit testify through me. She actually is a clothing repairer so she happens to start work and will be busy all week. She does have our phone number though and we are going to try to visit again sometime.

Half-day exchanges we so fun! We went visiting less-actives with a member and one member we finally were able to talk to! We shared the area Stake [multi-congregation] plan and gave her the little brochure. It was really effective sharing this with her. She usually doesn't come to church because her body is not healthy, but when we testified and talked about the 'JOY' triangle and the loving, strengthening, increasing part we felt the Spirit [K-mom: "JOY Triangle" I assume is a teaching technique which she hasn't explained to me before]. It was simple and I felt like it was really good for her especially as a less-active [less involved/attending] member. We were able to help her feel the spirit and we were able to help her want to grow closer to God. I know that the area plan will help people find joy!! Especially as we are sharing with others our experiences as we focus on Jesus and others and then ourselves.

At the global family and friends community last night, we talked to a few people and this one lady comes right up to us and says she's looking to give a job for another English teacher. Of course we can't because we are volunteers, but she was very interested in us and church and mission school.  Everything! We gave her a chirashi [flyer] and pamphlet and said she really wants to come to church and read the pamphlet.  She also wants to come to our Toeic class (a type of English skills class) on Saturdays. She's free on the weekends. She has such a strong desire to learn so we expect to see her soon! Unfortunately, we were not able to get her phone number, but if she is ready, she has the church address and phone number so she can contact us.

I really feel the love of Jesus Christ growing in me for the people of Kasukabe. When sitting in the congregation at church, I think the Spirit told me who needs strengthening. I could see in some of the children who need more help or strength from the gospel and I think that's a blessing God has given to me to perform my calling. 

Cultural Note in response to K-Mom's question about Matcha:  Japanese Matcha is だめ [not good] for the body。In replacement of tea, the LDS members usually drink herbal tea like robust tea or mugicha (barley tea).

Bowling with the investigator and the missionaries

Love love ❤️ Love, Sister Parker

Sent from the white fields of Japan