72nd week in Japan. 4th Area. Finishing up.

There's a new investigator that we met last week.  IT WAS SO COOL!!!  One of the biggest miracles on the street!  So we were walking back home at night and we saw this family (now, already at night, dendouing [missionary street contacting] is kind of hard, Japanese people get scared easier). One of them said hello and we started chatting.  It's was a young couple with a 3 month old baby. The mom, S_____, is from Sweden, and the dad is Japanese, named M_______.   They have had experiences, miraculous ones, that just testify that God is leading them in their lives up to this special point in time.  They are Christian and M_______ is a first generation Christian in his family. Sister Call, my great missionary companion, simply testified of the Restoration and how we are in Japan sharing it to everyone who will listen.   Then M_______ said "Do you have time?" And we said, "Yes!"  He asked us to teach him now and so we did and we went to their house which was close by, and we taught them about the Restoration of the gospel.  They are elect people!!  Heavenly Father lead them and us to meet!!  It was an amazing lesson.  They have so many questions and believe in Christ and prophets living now in this day!!  M_______ said at the end that he didn't understand everything we said because it is very high level English, but he can tell that here is something different about us and he can see it in our eyes.  He said we are pure and connected to God.  They have strong desires to learn more!! I think the Lord just saved three souls!!!  How exciting to be the instruments in finding them!!!!

I prayed that I'd be able to teach the Restoration of the gospel again before I leave Japan, because I haven't been able to do it much lately, and he answered my prayer so lovingly!! Despite how weak and unworthy I am, he answered so many prayers that day!!!  It was wonderful!!!  I'm still so happy!! :D

 

So yeah, we will be teaching them on Tuesday and then Wednesday morning is transfer days.  We are still planning transfers for the Sisters in the Zone so I'm not sure what time we will leave, but we will go to the honbu [mission office] and meet the new missionaries coming in.  I will meet my former trainee, Sister Madsen, and she will be meeting her new companion straight from the MTC! Then Sister Burke and I will visit members, investigators, specifically M_____ (our recent convert) We will also attend Eikaiwa [English conversation class that missionaries teach], somewhere in that time frame.  These final days will also include time at the honbu, a little bit more dendouing, a special breakfast made by Sister Nagano, and, later on, a special dinner.  The last day will include a meeting, pictures, and off to the airport.  [Thank you Japan for the wonderful experience!  So many wonderful people...!]

Sister Parker

パーカー姉妹

東京伝道部

With Sister Haroldsen at an Indian curry place.  It's an older picture that an Eikaiwa student sent me

LDS Tokyo Temple, a symbol of the church in Japan

He watches over and invites all to come unto Him

Until we meet again

71st Week in Japan. 4th Area. What is your true treasure in life?

7 August 2017

I'm just trying to take things day by day. There is a tiredness that hits the last few weeks of the mission.  I've been going harder, trying to do the Lord's will in spite of feeling tired! We've talked to so many people and saw many miracles by following the Spirit.  I'm trying my best to be obedient to the Lord, and diligent.  I'm glad to be going home soon, but [after being in Japan for close to a year and a half] I'm also kind of afraid to adjust back to American culture and people.  But I know that everything will be okay and I have prayer to communicate with Heavenly Father to guide me what to do. :)

Our top investigator, H_____, is doing awesome!! We had a F.H.E. [Monday night home religious meeting with family or friends] last night organized for her by the Ward [congregation] mission leaders.  Sister Call and I shared a message about the restoration of Jesus Christ's gospel. We made it kind of a discussion and used pictures and asked the members how they came to know this message was true. At the end we  confirmed their testimonies with ours.  She really liked it, and especially liked when Sister Call talked about our testimonies being treasures.  H_____ wants to gain her own testimony of God and many more "treasures."


Background story, H_____ is a young woman and a referral from a member who is going on a mission next week to America. 

Also, going back to treasures. I've off and on thought about the scripture "treasures in heaven."

It's in 3 Nephi 13 as well as the New Testament.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

Laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven is through righteousness, good works and Christ-like deeds. But also in our personal experiences, or "Ahhh" moments, I believe, we have treasure.  So like holding your first child in your arms, the beginning of a family.  Or surfing on a really good tide. Or helping a random old lady into her house, for example.  It can be really small things.  Often the relationships that we make with our brothers and sisters will be treasures that we are laying up in heaven.  One of the hardest things that we need to deal with is others.  So Jesus Christ set that perfect example of how we should act and speak and think. Because of the atonement, Jesus Christ can not only cleanse us, but changes and transforms us. The verses go on and say:

"21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be
single, thy whole body shall be full of light."

These are just my thoughts through prayer and study.  But you may know more about the Sermon on the Mount. It's "benkyouchuu" for me!  It's something I'm in the middle of studying. What are some treasures you have had in your life?

Sister Parker

パーカー姉妹
東京伝道部

70th Week in Japan. 4th Area. God's perfect plan for imperfect people.

31 July 2017

Hey hey everyone!

It's hotter here in Japan than usual. There hasn't been as much rain during Tsuyu as there should be.   I've been kind of tired lately, I think it's the 12th transfer tiredness. 

This week, my great companion was pretty sick so we needed to stay inside part of the week, but she is doing a lot better now.  We had exchanges with the Kasukabe Sisters this week and I got to reunite with my MTC companion again. :)  It's amazing to see how much she had grown, even in the last five transfers. Shout out to Sister Burke!!

I've been working as hard as I can and pushing to the end.  As I've kept a prayer in my heart and seemed to help others, I feel good and that the Lord is proud of me.  I've had some experiences and opportunities to be like the Savior and reach out my hand to those in need. I love helping people. Especially by inspiration of the Spirit!  This gospel is so important to me and I will continue to grow my faith by sharing it with everyone I can.  I've been thinking about H_____ [my investigator]  more recently and how to help her understand the gospel better, and we are working on contacting her everyday and sharing a scripture to help her understand her relationship with God.


Alma 30:44
"The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."

Everything proves there is a God. There is heavenly being who watches over us and has created everything how He did for us.  God answers the "why" of everything.  He has created a perfect plan for us to receive happiness and joy beyond comparison!  The scriptures guide us and help us to follow his plan and it's just straight ahead!  So keep going! Keep trying!  He has sent a Savior to help us and lift us when we are down. It's Christ.

Japanese people are so naturally Christ-like. But they don't believe in Christ.  And it's the same for us too!!  We cannot just go through the motions without exercising faith in Christ. Believing in His written words, the Book of Mormon, Bible, and more!  Keep following and trusting in His promises! It makes the journey more enjoyable anyways.  :)

I know this is truuuuuuueeeee!!!

 I had a really good Sunday, we ate at the Stake President's * house with his family and one of his sons' friends, K_____! So he is American but married a Japanese woman so his family is bilingual!  It was really fun and I remember feeling happy to be surrounded by a lot of members. Truly families are ordained of God, to have support and places of love and comfort. They create the perfect atmosphere to learn and grow and apply the things of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

* Stake President =  An ecclesiastical leader over a multi-congregational area.

Here are some pictures.   We went and visited a Shrine.  The other picture was from Friday--- we had Missionary Leadership Council meeting.  I also made some veggies with chicken. It looked really good, so I took a photo.

Sister Parker

パーカー姉妹

東京伝道部