20th Week in Japan; 2nd Area; The beginning of Week 3 Trainer stories

Hello people of America and beyond,

We did a service project for the a temple president and now our mission president owes us ice creams I guess.  It felt great serving in such hot and HUMID weather.  I drank so many liters of water.  Japan is hot.

Service Project, August 2016
Sister Parker's new companion, Sister Madsen, is on the left in the purple shirt

Sorry I'm not writing too much this week.. I fell off of my bike and hurt my hand.  

We found two new investigators this week and they are so awesome!!

Here's a poem from an Elder who shared it during District meeting. #missionarywork

[thank goodness for copy and paste, so less typing]

 He has been there before.

The alarm bell rings at 6:30, I stumble to my feet
I grab my companions bedding and pull off his sheets

A groan fills the room, is it already time to arise?
It seems like just a second ago, I was able to shut my eyes
The morning activities follow- study, prayer and such
When it's time to leave the apartment, you feel you haven't accomplished much

"We have a super day planned,"My comp. says with a grin
I lowly utter a faithless breath,"Yeah, if anyone lets us in."

With the word of God and my faithful companion, we ride off into the street
prepared to face another day of humidity and heat
It's 9:30 in the evening, the day is almost through
My companion and I are riding home not accomplishing what we thought to do

We ride up to the mailbox, hoping to receive a lot
Only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate "air Box"
We go up to our apartment, the day is now complete
The only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet

It's past 10:30 p.m. My companion is fast asleep,
Silence engulfs me all about and I begin to weep
In the midst of sadness, I kneel down to pray
I need to talk to Father, but I'm not sure what to say

"Oh, Father" I begin, "What happened to us today?
I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away
My hands, my aching hands- worn, hurt and beat;
If our area was any smaller, we'd have knocked every street"

"Why on missions are the days so much alike?
The only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike
Will you send some cooler weather? The heat is killing me
I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes, it's very hard to see"

"Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn't your protection enough?
People always laugh at me, and call me stupid stuff
Please send us investigators so I may give them what they lack
I want to give them Books of Mormon, the weight of them hurts my back"

"And what about my family: They don't have much to say
I'm sick of not hearing from home day after day after day
Oh Father, Why am I here am I just wasting time?
Sometimes I just want to go home, I'm sorry but that's on my mind"

"My companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me?"
The way he rides his bicycle, I don't think he can see
Now you have it, I can't go on, I don't know what to do
That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I have for you"

My prayer now finished, I stand up, then jump right into bed
I need my rest for tomorrow, we have another long day ahead
Sleep starts to overtake me, I seem to drift away
Then it seems a vision takes me to another time in another day

I'm standing alone on a hill. The view is very nice
A man walks towards me and says, "My name is Jesus Christ"
Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down to His feet
"Arise," He states, "Follow me to the shade. You and I need to speak"

My attention's towards my Savior, total and complete
He says, "Your mission is similar of what happened to me
I understand how you feel, I know what you're going through
In fact, it would be fair to say I've felt the same as you"

"I even know how you felt when no one listened to you
At times I felt not quite sure what else I could do
I know you don't like to ride a bicycle, for you a car would be sweet
Just remember the donkey I rode wasn't equipped with 21 speeds"

"I understand you don't like sweating, in fact it's something you hate
I remember when I sweat blood from ev’ry pore, oh the agony was great!
I see you don't like your companion- you'd rather have someone else-
I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth"

"It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you
I remember when they put thorns on my head and called me King of the Jews
So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack
I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back"

"Your hands hurt from tracting and knocking on doors all day
I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ached in a similar way
It's hard not to hear from home when your family's not there to see
I lost communication on the cross and cried, "Father, why hast Thou forsaken me?"

"We have a lot in common, but there's a difference between us you see
I endured to the end and finished my mission, so follow and do like me"
He embraced me with His arms and His light filled me with His love
With tears in my eyes I watched as He went back to the Father above

I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head
I listened and heard the alarm, then realized I was in my bed
My companion let out a groan, "6:30 already, no way!"
I sat up and said, "Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today!"

頑張ろう日本」

When we turn our thoughts to the Savior and keep in mind the sacrifice He has made, we can always remain joyful no matter what our circumstances in life may be.

Sincerely, love

パーカー姉妹

Sister Parker

Sent from the white fields of Japan 

19th Week in Japan; 2nd area. 祭り時間 (Festival time); new companion from the MTC

[I'm waiting on permission to post the new companion's name or picture]

祭り時間 [Festival time] !!! YAY!!!

Hello everyone!!

This week, my companion Sister Lacey went home and I got my green bean, my little companion amigo, trainee, bean-chan, or to be interpreted, Sister M______!!

Sister M_______ is a great missionary!  She just got here, but her Japanese is very good for a first transfer! She studies hard and is very knowledgable.  She just wants to teach people and find people and is so motivated. She's not too afraid of talking to people.  I almost feel like I'm the one being trained. It's very humbling. I can see the Lord is trying to pick out all the leftover impatience and selfishness that I have in me. The littlest things are the hardest, but I'm excited for how much will change this transfer!

We got a new investigator through a less-active this week. There was a less-active who was on our Areabook map but not our Areabook records.  We visited her and wanted to do a little self introductions and we really got to know her! She hasn't been to church in awhile.  She called her daughter over, who is 16, and we started talking.  She explained to her daughter that we were sister missionaries and she got excited.  She has interest in the church, but doesn't know anything about it really.  We became friends!  And we gave her a Book of Mormon and testified of the joy we get when we read it.

She's coming to English conversation class this week and we got a return appointment. We are so excited to help her mom come back to church and help her daughter learn of the Savior and his amazing and everlasting love and atonement!!!!

Our other investigator, S_______-san, did have a baptismal date, but she can't come to church in Mito because of bad childhood memories there. We are going to meet and teach with her this Wednesday about going to church in the Sendai mission, which is actually a little bit closer to her than Mito.

And E____, our awesome kinjin Chinese investigator went back to China. We have been trying to skype her because she really wants to continue to learn about God and Jesus Christ, but we haven't been able to reach her for some reason. 

However, this week we've been talking to a lot of people and really trying to get to know people and becoming friends and inviting them to take our lessons or come to Eikaiwa. This week is going to be busy, I hope!!

This next week, we are trying to be obedient for the right reasons.  We are being obedient to reap souls, to help people know that there is a way back to a loving Heavenly Father and that's through the Savior and his eternal sacrifice. In Luke 22, when the Savior had already suffered in Gethsemane, arrested, and denied by his best friend.  He was taken to the council --   "67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:"

It can be hard to believe in things we cannot see. But we can know through the Holy Ghost and its promptings, feelings, and small directions that Jesus Christ lives and has saved all who believe in Him and follow Him.   In 2 Nephi 32: 3, it says that you can be taught what to do in everything:   "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."   Feasting means that you should learn a lot of the words of Christ until your soul is full, just like the body is after a holiday meal--partake until your soul isn't hungry, but has been satisfied.

That's all for now!! Until the next adventure!!
頑張りましょう!!!

Love,

Sister Parker

p.s. Here are some videos of the festival fireworks.  
Fireworks are the best in Japan!! 花火 (hanabi)

Video 1  (1 MB)  (about 11 seconds long)

Video 2  (1.3 MB)  (about 15 seconds long)

Video 3 (16 MB) (about 3 minutes long -- this one is the most spectacular of the 3 videos and in real life to watch it must've been very beautiful.  The sponsor spent a lot of money).

17th and 18th Weeks in Japan, 2nd Area. Another level up in spiritual growth.

17th Week:  (Some of you may have read this last week via email)

"I fear no man!"

I typed my weekly letter but I made the mistake of leaving the email app and then when I came back, it got deleted. sorry everyone, I don't have anymore time!!

John 15:

"12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."

This week, please pray and look for opportunities to serve others, you come closer to Christ, and help the Lord's work move forward by working together!! Gods love is unfailing and unveiling.

Till next week!!

Love,

Sister Parker!!

パーカー 姉妹

Sent from the white fields of Japan 

18th Week:

こんにちは、皆さん! 私はあまり英語も喋ることができませんね。けれでも、まだ日本語は難しいですよ! Already my brain has trouble with speaking English, but Japanese is still hard.

We had transfer calls today and Sister Lacey, my companion will be transferring tooo.. Drum roll.. America!! Yes America!! Or, to be interpreted, she has finished her mission, honorifically. My new companion will be.. Fireworks roll.. I don't know yet!! Because I'm training!! Yay!! I am so excited! So many people are supporting me. I may be young, but that's okay. I know I'm going to be lead by the revelations of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit will be teaching and training both me and my new missionary. The spirit will be the real trainer. 

"Alma 37: 

33 Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls."

I will strive to be more specific in my weekly emails and what I'm learning so you all can get a little bit of what I am learning from being a missionary of the Lord. I'm called by God to share this glad message of joy and that message is that Jesus Christ lives! All people who come and seek to learn of Jesus Christ can find peace, joy, and comfort in their lives. This world is crazy and dangerous. There's things that can bring happiness, but not forever. We can only be happy to our full extent forever by repenting of our wrongs and getting on the path that leads us home to our Heavenly Father. This life is the time to perfect ourselves and meet God again. There is only one path to eternal salvation in this war, (or, to be interpreted, mortal life) and that's Jesus Christ. He is all-knowing and powerful and all-loving and patient. Those who seek him  message will find it.

Visit Mormon.org for more information :))))))))))

Love you all!!!

Love,

Sister Parker

パーカー姉妹

Sent from the white fields of Japan 

See below another time lapse video of my travelling to the mission office:

Here's a picture (from the internet) of one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan (two of them are in other cities).

Kairaku-en  (偕楽園) (English: "A park to be enjoyed together").   Kairaku-en is located in Mito.

Kairaku-en garden, in Mito.

15th and 16th Week in Japan; Mostly answering personal questions

On July 11th, 2016 we had a temple day, bumping P-Day (preparation day) to Tuesday July 12th.

Here is some personal correspondence we exchanged on July 12th in short emails due to being online at the same time.  It was not planned but it was a happy thing!


Mom:  Hello Dearest Daughter, How are you?

Sister Parker:  Genki desu yo! O-genki desu ka?  げんき です よ！ おーげんき です か？  [I'm fine!   How are you?]

Genki: Japanese meaning "enthusiastic, energetic, lively".. in short, happy.

Mom:  How is your health?    How is the food working out for you?

Sister Parker:  My health is good, I'm losing weight again and I just had a delicious burrito bowl.  Mmm, there's no Mexican food in Japan, haha!  Except by the temple in Toyko.

[Sister Parker has an interest in cooking, organic cuisine, health & fitness exercise, and has studied and worked in the food industry prior to her mission.]

Mom:   How will you get your package being so far from the mission office?  Should I send it to your apartment?

Sister Parker:  No, send it to the mission office.  Once they get the package, they send it to me and it comes very quickly :)

Sister Parker:  Sorry, we have to catch a train so we are going to have to finish emailing later.

I love you and I'm praying for you all daily!! 

Stay genki!! :) or get genki.. [happy].  Onegaishimasu.   [Please].

I love you very much and I'm thankful for all your love and support. :) 

Here's an applicable scripture:

3 Nephi 13: 19-22    [The Savior taught the Beatitudes to the Nephites just like he did to the Jews in Israel during his ministry].

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.

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.

I love the scriptures!! Sometimes, I wish I could read it all day!!

ONE WEEK LATER... (family out of town but we communicated with her through the smart phone).

July 17th, 2016
Sister Parker's comments about difficulties of anonymous people she knows:

As I was reading in the Book of Mormon, it was in 1 Nephi and it spoke of how Nephi and his family and his brethren and their families were in the wilderness for years. They had so many afflictions that they could not write them all.  I think at least 8 years.  The woman became strong like unto the men, the Lord took care of them and made sure their needs were provided for.  Once they made it through the wilderness, they made it to Bountiful. They called it that because it was filled with different fruits and vegetables and beasts and all manner of things, to be provision for them.  They even found the beach!  They were very happy and blessed. 

Many times Laman and Lemuel were impatient and hard-hearted and did not believe that they should be going through afflictions or that they should have left Jerusalem.  They humbled themselves many times, but constantly they let themselves become grieved and angry.  Even when they reached Bountiful, even after seeing angels, they often did not believe in Nephi's words at first.  They did not believe he could build a boat or understand that God told him to.  They did not believe that God is all-powerful or in the mercy that he has constantly shown towards the children of men.  They had to be chastised by God in order to be humbled again and then believe.

Sister Parker:  Changing topics, here are some pictures.

My desk

[Pictures of people that the missionaries have taught and worked with]

Pictures of Mito and the nearby area

These members took us out to eat interesting, but delicious food!

I am also with Sister Lacey.

Until later,  Parker Shimai

14th Week in Japan, 2nd Area; The gospel brings freedom

Hello everyone of the world!!!

It's the Fourth of July, Independence Day!!    

Speaking of freedom. I'm reminded constantly of the tender mercies of the Lord and his sacrifice, daily. Our souls can be free and rescued of strifes because He lives again.   The gospel also gives guidance to our daily lives in that we can be free from the sadness and consequences of our potential poor choices, when we choose instead to live the gospel and make good choices.

Here's part of President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk from general conference.

"He Will Place You On His Shoulders And Carry You Home"

You Are Worthy of Rescue

"My dear brothers and sisters, my dear friends, I testify that God sees us as we truly are--and He sees us worthy of rescue.

You may feel that your life is in ruins. You may have sinned. You may be afraid, angry, grieving, or tortured by doubt. But just as the Good Shepherd finds His lost sheep, if you will only lift up your heart to the Savior of the world, He will find you.

He will rescue you.

He will lift you up and place you on His shoulders.   

 

 (Artist: Minerva Teichert)

He will carry you home.

If mortal hands can transform rubble and ruins into a beautiful house of worship, then we can have confidence and trust that our loving Heavenly Father can and will rebuild us. His plan is to build us into something far greater than what we were--far greater than what we can ever imagine. With each step of faith on the path of discipleship, we grow into the beings of eternal glory and infinite joy we were designed to become.

This is my testimony, my blessing, and my humble prayer in the sacred name of our Master, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

*************

By the way, We have a new investigator named S_______.  She's had a really hard life. We set a baptismal date with her yesterday for July 31st, 2016.  She really likes Jesus Christ and wants to go to the celestial kingdom to be with the Lord.   At the end of our lesson, we can tell how much happier she is.

Here are some pictures of nature in Japan, and a video of spiders in an apartment building's stairwell. Neither Sister Lacey nor I like bugs and spiders, so the video is trying to make light of something we both don't like.

By the way, did you know that you can click on the picture and get a bigger view?

  

Here's the video:

Have a great week everyone!!

パーカー姉妹

Sent from the white fields of Japan 

Parker Shimai

13th week in Japan, 2ND AREA

Beach scenes near Mito, Japan (picture from internet)

Nighttime View:  An unusual tower in Mito, Japan (picture from internet)

As you knew from my email last week, I got transferred to Mito.  It's about 80 miles NE of Tokyo.   It is 5-10 miles inland from the coast.  I am with Sister Lacey.   

[K-Mom's note:  the day I found out that my daughter got transferred to Mito, I had a dream.   I was in her new location, in an apartment, I saw large cockroaches in the dream, running quickly back and forth across the floor.  I wondered if Japan has a bug problem due to the climate difference, that we don't have here.   Sure enough, they do.   If you wish to know more, I found this website informative:  

http://zoomingjapan.com/life-in-japan/insects-and-other-pests/   ]

I've heard of cockroaches are very popular in Japan, haha. The hottest month here is August. Luckily, Mito is not as hot as Okegawa. :)

Thank you for your concern about the bugs and stuff.  The other day actually, we were praying for guidance of where to go finding people to teach, and found this old apartment complex.  We had already parked our bikes and as we were going to approach the stairs, we saw spiders all over the ceilings and the stair rails.  It took 3 or 4 times to get the courage to go.  We were going to turn around and find somewhere else, but we did it!  There were so many spiders!  In Japan, people do not kill spiders. Do not! I've actually heard that there are no poisonous spiders in Japan that could harm you seriously. There was like, a story of a person who was rescued by a spider or something, long ago and a bad guy killed the spider.  So Japanese people don't kill spiders.  They are seen as like protection, I guess?

From our efforts, two people answered the door.  One was not interested and the other was busy cooking, but we could hear a mother and a baby playing so we gave them a church flyer.  We felt they in the future may be baptized.  Later that evening, we went to a nicer apartment complex.  The first door we knocked on was a Chinese young man.  (Whenever we do housing-contacting, people only open their door a little bit).  Once we introduced ourselves, he was more interested and had many questions about the church and what we believe.  We gave him a church flyer which has the address of our church and he wants to go, but he said because he's a student and is busy he may or may not go; but he will go if he has time!  He showed us his Bible he's been studying, and it looked fairly new.  He's been in Japan for a year and a half and he knew some English. Chinese people are often kinjin (金人), "golden person" which we say for golden investigators. 

A few other people, were willingly listening to our message. It caught me a little off guard, but it was such a miracle!  Also, another blessing that same day, when we left the apartment, a spider was crawling down in the middle of the walkway in the air and almost landed on Sister Lacey's head and I almost didn't see it! So I walked right into it, and it almost touched my eye, but I backed up quick enough that it didn't touch me!!!

That's just one story I have of my week. 

Here's a picture I took this week:

Until later,  Parker Shimai   😄😂😍😘❤️💕💕🍣

Sent from the white fields of Japan 🍲🌅

[K-Mom here:  for some reason the river and the sunbeam in the above picture made me think of two things:  1.  From 1st Nephi it talks about the river leading to the Tree of Life (God's love). 2.  I also thought of this hymn: #335  Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy

Lyrics

1. 1. Brightly beams our Father's mercy
   From his lighthouse evermore,
   But to us he gives the keeping
   Of the lights along the shore.
2. (Chorus)
   Let the lower lights be burning;
   Send a gleam across the wave.
   Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
   You may rescue, you may save.
3. 2. Dark the night of sin has settled;
   Loud the angry billows roar.
   Eager eyes are watching, longing,
   For the lights along the shore.
4. 3. Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
   Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
   Trying now to make the harbor,
   In the darkness may be lost.
5. Text and music: Philip Paul Bliss, 1838-1876

11th Week in Japan -- 1st Area; Sister Boden's b-day, and the value of tithing and the scriptures

[ Some of today's post may seem a little bit disjointed.  Just know that she is also responding to various questions and comments from our emails to her.   K-Mom ]

I'm adjusting more and more to Japan and missionary life here.  I am becoming more consecrated as I try my best.  God really does take care of the rest!

Today was Zone P-day and it was so fun!  We played chair soccer and dodgeball and stuff.  It was a good relax.  We also made cake for the birthday companion, Sister Boden!  Her birthday was last week, but we weren't able to make cake.  

  

The Book of Mormon and the Bible really do go hand-in-hand with each other.  There's power in both, but the Book of Mormon was written for our latter-days specifically, as well as some books in the New Testament and the Old Testament like Daniel, John, or Revelations.  But the Book of Mormon is all for us.  Together they are very powerful, indeed.  The Old and New Testament have so much in it, I wish I could read it all!  Someday I will.

About tithing, I want to bear testimony of how important it is and how much of a difference it will make in your life.  God has made it a commandment to pay tithing, just a tenth of our earnings. Now, does God need money?  No. He created everything!  The point is, the heart.  Is the heart willing to give a tenth of its earnings?  The point of tithing is not temporal, it's spiritual and eternal. When we are in a position to be able to faithfully pay tithing, the Lord showers and showers and showers us with blessings.  More than we can hold.  If we hold back our heart when we pay tithing, it is the same as if withholding all the portion of tithing and not paying at all. 

Malachi 3:10 "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Paying tithing with faith and willingness will bring great blessings and will change you. Paying tithing without faith or willingness will just make you broke.  You can pray specifically to Heavenly Father again and ask if he needs you to pay $_____________ in order to see 'this specific blessing' and He will answer you quickly.

Thanks again dad for recommending praying about specific things;  it really does make a difference!  I've already gained testimony of that, can you tell?!  Haha!

It's Interesting how America is going down a lot in society.  In Japan, it's really nice here!  I feel very safe, and there's no problems here really.  I felt an earthquake two days ago I think, but it's kind of fun! Haha, that's the only real problem in Japan.  Although, usually the word of wisdom is hard for Japanese people.

Also, there's these new Mormon videos called something like "Bible videos told by children" and they are very inspiring!! Please do look at them and share them! :)  Remember how important you are to Heavenly Father and that he knows your pains and when we look to Him.  He lifts our burdens.  Sometimes there's still pain and anguish, but we need to experience that and endure it joyfully in order to receive our godly reward in the next life.

Alma 37 : 46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever."

Here are some more pictures:

  

  

Until next time, Parker Shimai  :-)