The rainy season has begun. We call it, "tsuyu." And so it switches between rain and hot days.
This week was filled with many miracles. We talked to many great people and found some new investigators too!! Yay for white fields!! (See D&C 4).
On Friday, we did a kubarikai [lit. "distribution"] in the morning at the Eki (train station). We recently studied a "Finding" .PDF file that a return missionary named, Brother K_______ wrote. One thing he mentioned how we should talk to as many people as possible, as soon as we transfer into a new area we should learn where is good to find lots of people, what time of the day/week, etc. So, we both felt inspired to go to Urawa Eki (train station) and we talked to a few people as we passed out chirashi (flyers). One was a piano teacher who was really busy but when she has time wants to come. There was another lady that walked towards me and just looked really happy. She spoke great English! Her name is M____. She has three friends in mind who wants to learn English that she wants to help, too! She was very excited and the next day came to mission school! She waited to speak with us after and said that she has also been thinking about how she wants to study the Bible. It's too hard in Japanese, so she wants to see if she can understand it in English. She also wants to know what we believe and learn about Jesus Christ. We had a Japanese Book of Mormon to give to her and she said it is much easier to understand! She is really excited to learn and we are excited to teach Miho!! That was a miracle out of the Lord's hands.
There was a sister who came back recently from her mission in Hawaii and she spoke in sacrament meeting a few times and shared this story about a shell that was in Hawaii. This shell would cling and clutch onto rocks to get the nutrition it needs. The waves of the ocean would hit it and splash and if it did not hold on with all its strength, then it would fall into the ocean. It needed to use every ounce of strength to cling and hold its place. The waves come in from every side, but the shell stays steadfast in its place.
Just like us, when we stay and cling onto the rock of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, we do not fall. Even when the waves of life are coming in and hitting at every side. We still need those waves however, to grow and receive the nutrition we need to live. One of my favorite
scriptures is Helaman 5:12 that I think connects really well.
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
This week I have especially felt and increase of love and as things have been hard, I have stayed on the rock the Lord has given me and I have been fed!
Love you all!!
パーカー姉妹
東京伝道部
p.s. here's a tad more:
Here's a picture of our two students in Koshigaya ward [congregation] that we became really good friends with! Y______ has a Book of Mormon and I think her husband took lessons a little bit with the Elders. And then S___ , she is from China. But they are so nice and we are working to help and serve them with their English and coming to know of Jesus Christ. :)
Today, when we were in the grocery store, we talked to this one lady. I complimented her hair and then she asked where we were from, and she said she lived in a New York for 4 years! She was way nice and her name was M_____. In Japan we always bow, but she introduced herself after we did and she stretched out her hand for a handshake. Handshake!! So that was cool! OYM!
[K-Mom-- I don't know what OYM means. I typed it in a search line, and it said, Open Your Mind. Somehow I don't think that phrase applies here. Secondary answer: Oh Yeah Mama! I've never heard her talk that way before, so maybe it means something in Japan. ?Oh yeah missionary? The mysteries of Japanese online culture, hmmmm.]
