Two is better than one!

Dear loved ones,
Funny thing about which brake is which.... I actually don't know,
everything happened so fast, that it was just instincts that kicked
in, and so I can't remember which one i squeezed, probably due to the
adrenaline, but I will definitely figure that out before I get back on
my bike again, cause I don't want any more accidents. I'm still not
allowed to ride bikes, and I'm not sure when it will be ok, we asked
at my last doctors appointment, and all the doctor said was soon....

It sounds like you had a fantastic week, and will seems to be
pampering you. That challah bread is delicious according to my memory.
I'm glad you get to enjoy it again.

The blanket looks beautiful! You did a really good job in it! Did you
have to start it a lot of times? I am sure it was a lot of fun to do
once you got away from the middle. Thank you for the pictures! They
are beautiful! And very realistic of my nieces and nephews.

This week was so amazing! Though I don't know how much I would
remember if I wasn't keeping a journal, because so much happens in
each day that it feels like a week most days, and time goes by so
quickly! I can hardly believe it is already another pday!

Monday we had a nice relaxing pday because some plans changed, so it
turned out to be a great day, and we tried to locate a potential
investigator after pday ended, but didn't succeed, so we went back on
Tuesday.

Tuesday we went to the hospital for hand rehabilitation. The doctor is
really good, and I can tell my hand is improving, especially since I
do the exercises he gives me, but slowly... I just want all my
strength back in my right hand, but I get to be patient. We also went
and contacted the person we tried to visit yesterday. Her name is
yajima, and she was busy, but she was really sad that she didn't have
time to talk with us. Apparently October is going to be really busy
for her, so we will go back and visit in November. We also had
eikaiwa, and we taught about adjectives and adverbs. It went fairly
well, and we have a new student, so that is awesome! We also played do
you know your neighbor, and that went well, and a lot better than last
time. After class people had questions, so we did our best to answer
them, but it is hard to explain why something is a certain way in
English, because they don't have that in Japanese. The sentence that
stumped me was 'we will get home before it is getting dark', mainly
because I'm already losing my English skill... At first my thought was
that's wrong, and I stuck with that, mainly, but then I also thought
that it could work... So yeah, I'm losing my ability to speak real
English... If anyone knows how to explain why that sentence is
incorrect, simply, please shoot me an email as soon as you can,
because I need to get back to him on that, and haven't had time to
think about it too much... And I'm pretty sure it isn't correct, but
they want to know why, so I have to try to remember that now. I laugh
at myself, but I'm sure I'll remember it one day when I really do need
it... I just don't need it much now, and we don't really use that kind
of phrasing in normal conversation anyway, which is probably why that
was the first to go.

Wednesday was awesome! Up the mountain, again, and we might be doing
even more of that soon. We were almost to inoue sans house, and met
her as she was cutting a neighbors hair. We were introduced, and the
neighbor told us to come visit her sometime, so we might have another
investigator up the mountain soon. Everything was very quick, so we
kind of forgot her name, but we will rectify that soon, it was a quick
meeting though, and right after we taught inoue San, and expounded on
what we taught last week, except we didn't really have to, because she
expounded on it herself. She is keeping her commitments, and right
before we were going to give her another commitment, she asked for
homework, which made that really easy. I had been nervous about it,
and mills shimai was going to do it, but she asked me, so I ended up
doing it, and it was just fine... Don't know why I was nervous.

We also visited Donna on Wednesday. And also did some follow up about
what we taught last week. We had looked up some Portuguese words for
her, so that helped her to understand better. She is so amazing! She
didn't keep all of her commitments, but she is keeping some of them,
and she is doing things on her own that we hadn't even asked her to do
yet. She is determined to follow the word of wisdom completely, and
only has one more addiction to overcome and she will be there. She is
so sweet, and just loves to have us over. We haven't met her husband
yet, and I don't know when we will, because he is very opposed, so
hopefully his heart will be softened.

Thursday we had our SKK, and that was a lot of fun. I love doing SKK
(weekly planning session/ shu keikaku kai), because I feel so
especially inspired during that time, and I get to plan how to best
help these people that I have come to love so much! After SKK, we went
with the takatas and visited less actives again. It is always amazing
to me how wonderful those who are less active are. One we visited this
week gave us bananas and goba... Not really sure what goba is, but I
will be trying it soon. And another gave us cookie dough and cake. It
is nice now that I don't have to explain my hand, but I still get to
talk with them, and just love them. After the takatas took us to eat
at a steak shop... It was so good, but at first I was nervous... They
bring the food out to you as it is cooking on little mini bbq things,
and then you get to eat it at whatever level of crookedness you
prefer. It works really well, and once I realized that's what was
happening, it was all good... And I enjoyed it.

Friday was pretty crazy. We had the hospital in the morning, as early
as we could get it, which wasn't as early as we had wanted to, but it
was the best we could do. Found out that full rehabilitation for my
hand is going to be about 6 months to a year in order for it to be
straight again like it used to be... I'm just grateful to have two
hands again high I can kind of use fully, because two is definitely
better than one. As soon as the hospital was over, the member dropped
us off at the eiki (train station), and we hurried to zone conference
as fast as we could. We were late, but we were able to make it for the
last portion, and the testimony meeting, and just that portion was
amazing. I wish Thursdays worked for my doctors, but that is their day
off, so we just have to make things work with our schedule, but we are
going to start doing it on Wednesdays if we can. After zone meeting,
we headed back to kurashiki, and then we went to a bbq, because one of
the chorotachi so investigators wanted to meet us. It was lots of fun,
and the meat was really good. Japanese people are all just very
generous, and always want to give.

And now we are at my favorite part of the week! General conference
weekend! After the Saturday sessions, we had a sports night, which was
lots of fun. I played volleyball one handed, keeping my right hand
safe, and I was actually able to hit the ball pretty well, and scored
a couple of times for my team, but I did sit out for dodgeball... That
ones a little more dangerous.

But conference! It was amazing! I took a moment to write down
questions that I had before conference, and then listened. It was
amazing, because I received the answers to those questions, and also
the answers to questions I didn't even think to write down or ask. I
was taking notes as fast as I could, switching between my left and
right hands, which works really well with spiral bound notebooks. I
could spend an entire email just talking about how wonderful
conference was, but you know how wonderful it was, so there is no
need. I am just so grateful that we get two days of conference and two
sessions each day, because two is definitely better than one. I
especially loved the talks of President Monson, Jeffrey R. Holland,
President Nelson, and Devin G. Durrant. I am taking the invitation of
brother durrant, and will include my scripture in my weekly email.

Today on my pday, the Okayama stake had an Aki matsuri (fall
festival), so we went, and it was lots of fun. Good food, games, and a
talent show. It was clear up in tottori though, so we had to get
permission, since that is out of our area, and we had to travel a lot,
but it was definitely worth it. I got to try takayaki, which is a
fried ball with octopus in the middle. It actually was pretty good.
But very hot. I'm emailing so late because of that, but because of the
time difference, it doesn't really affect anything for those in
America.

This week is Enos 1:4, which reads: "And my soul hungered; and I
kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer
and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry
unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high
that it reached the heavens."

Just I couple thoughts: his soul hungered, he not only desired to
communicate with his maker, and ask forgiveness for the mistakes he
had made, his soul hungered for it, as we often hunger physically. And
then, he did not hesitate, but kneeled down right then, and asked for
the forgiveness he so desired. How often do we hesitate to ask for
forgiveness or aid, because we are afraid, because we convince
ourselves that we have done to many bad things for too long. But we
can and will receive the forgiveness we desire, we just have to set
our pride aside, and humbly ask. It does not mean that it will be
easy, enos prayed all day and all night, but he received that which he
desired. Also, God never grows weary of us crying unto him. He wants
us to pray always, he never will be dismayed if we pray all the time,
rather he is dismayed when we do not pray at all, and ask for his
help. He loves us! He wants to hear from us, every day, all day in
everything we do. And he does hear and answer our prayers, the voice
of enos reached the heavens! It did not reach the clouds, it reached
the heavens. God hears and answers our prayers, and he listens to us,
even, and especially as we cry out in pain from our trials our
mistakes. He is there, and he loves each and everyone of us.

I hope you have all taken this challenge as well, and if not I would
encourage you to do so. I would love to hear what scriptures you are
ponderizing, and that way we can all learn together.

I love you, and miss you, but I am happy here in this beautiful land
of Japan, and the countryside really is beautiful. I wish you the
best! Love you!
Love, Sister Makin