Dear family and friends,
Can I just say that I love japan! The members and people here are so
wonderful, and I have had an amazing 18 months in this beautiful
country, and I know that I have changed so much and learned so much.
This morning I woke up early, because I was coughing, and as I was
laying there, I just thought back on some things. I know that leaving
my family, my friends, and everything was really hard. It was one of
the hardest things I've done, and I've definitely missed them a lot.
But I also know that it was the best thing I could've done at this
time, it was so worth it! I will never be the same, and I am oh so
grateful for that. I knew that you change on the mission, but I
didn't ever realize how much, at least not fully.
Anyways, on to a report of my week. I know I'll be seeing most of you
soon, but for those that would like to know, I will write my email as
normal, but fast, like last week.
Monday we had a zone sports day, and it was a lot of fun. I played
basketball, and just had a blast. The poor elders were all complaining
about how they had to play missionary style, and we're excited to be
able to play normal again after their missions. I couldn't help but
say that I only had two weeks, especially since they were all saying
how long they had. That night we had the illumination at Takatsuki
eki. We got to introduce ourselves to the city. It was fun, but weird,
cause the announcer introduced us as exchange students, and we
couldn't correct it. Ah well, it was a fun experience.
Tuesday we went to service, and it was so much fun. Just cleaning up
leaves again, but I just love service. After that, we were able to
take a bit of a break for watanabe Shimai, and then taught the moms
eikaiwa. It was good, but we didn't plan very well, and so we were
struggling with unity. But it turned out alright. The moms are
starting to be willing to act. Hopefully this will, and see the
blessings. That night we were stood up by an investigator, which was
sad, since we arranged a doseki, but it turned out to be great,
because in sharing a message with out doseki, we were able to help
her. She also happens to be the relief society president so it was a
great opportunity to build kankei.
Wednesday we went to kayokos house. She is an eikaiwa student/
investigator. She lives pretty far, and so she was nice enough to pick
us up from the church, and then take us back. We had a really good
lesson with her, and she has a lot of questions, but doesn't want to
pray, because she doesn't believe in God yet, and feels praying would
be hypocritical. I forgot my coat when we left, cause it was warm, and
she brought it to me at eikaiwa. So grateful. After that we had our
lesson with Ayaka, and shawna Shimai dosekid. It was an awesome lesson
about the godhead, and we talked as we ate pasta at the church. Shawna
was a perfect doseki, became her friend, and also really knows how to
testify, as she just got home from her mission. Then eikaiwa was fun,
I taught some Christmas songs, and just played with the kids. It's
hard to fill 50 minutes with like 20 kids of all different ages.
Thursday watanabe Shimai and Harada Shimai went to TTT, and I stayed
inside with Goto Shimai basically all day. So I did phone dendo, and
found a new investigator for the elders that is really interested, and
a potential one for us as well. I was so grateful to at least have a
phone. That night once they got back, watanabe Shimai and I went to
have dinner with Yukida, who had brought her son. It was great, the
entire converstion was about what we do as missionaries, and who God
is, and I think they may be open to hearing more. Hoping that things
work out with her, cause she is too busy to meet again before I go
home.
Friday we went to ztm, and it was my last one. The spirit was so
powerful, and at one point, I realized that even though the things
they were teaching wouldn't apply to me for much longer, they did
apply, and I could still learn things for after my mission. It was a
very enjoyable ztm. After that we went to with the elders to visit
Keiko, the investigator they are passing to us. She is the friend of a
member, that they just happened to find, and then he walked in while
they were meeting with her. Well, right when I was feeling we needed a
members testimony if the lesson was going to go anywhere, Yoshimura
Kyodai walked in, and shared his testimony. It was perfect.
Unfortunately she does not have interest, but I feel like we gave her
the best chance we could have, maybe one day. One thing she said that
struck me was something along the lines of why haven't you told me
this before? She was asking Yoshimura Kyodai, who is a longtime
friend, and it was cool to see she had recognized the light of Christ
in him, and noticed something different. Still, it isn't our time, but
I think we often forget that just telling people what we believe is
giving them the chance to change.
Saturday went to hospital service in the morning, and then I was with
Goto Shimai, while the other sisters went to a members house for
lunch. We went to the church to meet up with them and shawna Shimai,
and then shawna Shimai and I went on splits and visited nakagiri
Shimai, it was so much fun. She really is just super cute and sweet,
and shawna Shimai and I just bounced back and forth like it was
natural almost. I loved it! On the way home, I got really really lost.
I took a road thinking it was right, and it wasn't. Luckily we have
iPads and maps, and could find our way home. Especially since shawnas
phone had died, and so we had no other way. Thank goodness for iPads.
Sunday shawna and I both talked. It was pretty good I think. I ended
up not having time to prepare my talk/ what I had thought to talk
about didn't feel right, and they also asked me to take extra time
last minute, so I just winged it. Shawna was in the same boat, and it
turned out well. Though sacrament meeting ended up ending 15 minutes
early. I had a great last Sunday in Japan. Church was great, they had
a shoukuji after to welcome shawna home, and say goodbye to me, and
then we had DCS, and watched the Christmas devotional in Japanese, I
so want to see it in English now. The sound was off, so I was having a
hard time watching it. But did that, and then watanabe Shimai was in
need of some rest. So we went and had dinner, and she rested. It was
also good for me, because I decided to catch a cold right before I go
home. But I'm not letting that stop me.
So that was my last full week as a missionary. I will be seeing most
of you soon, and I am very excited to see you all! I love you, and I
miss you, but I am oh so grateful for this blessed opportunity that I
have had to serve as a missionary for the past year and a half! See
you soon!
Love, Sister Makin
Can I just say that I love japan! The members and people here are so
wonderful, and I have had an amazing 18 months in this beautiful
country, and I know that I have changed so much and learned so much.
This morning I woke up early, because I was coughing, and as I was
laying there, I just thought back on some things. I know that leaving
my family, my friends, and everything was really hard. It was one of
the hardest things I've done, and I've definitely missed them a lot.
But I also know that it was the best thing I could've done at this
time, it was so worth it! I will never be the same, and I am oh so
grateful for that. I knew that you change on the mission, but I
didn't ever realize how much, at least not fully.
Anyways, on to a report of my week. I know I'll be seeing most of you
soon, but for those that would like to know, I will write my email as
normal, but fast, like last week.
Monday we had a zone sports day, and it was a lot of fun. I played
basketball, and just had a blast. The poor elders were all complaining
about how they had to play missionary style, and we're excited to be
able to play normal again after their missions. I couldn't help but
say that I only had two weeks, especially since they were all saying
how long they had. That night we had the illumination at Takatsuki
eki. We got to introduce ourselves to the city. It was fun, but weird,
cause the announcer introduced us as exchange students, and we
couldn't correct it. Ah well, it was a fun experience.
Tuesday we went to service, and it was so much fun. Just cleaning up
leaves again, but I just love service. After that, we were able to
take a bit of a break for watanabe Shimai, and then taught the moms
eikaiwa. It was good, but we didn't plan very well, and so we were
struggling with unity. But it turned out alright. The moms are
starting to be willing to act. Hopefully this will, and see the
blessings. That night we were stood up by an investigator, which was
sad, since we arranged a doseki, but it turned out to be great,
because in sharing a message with out doseki, we were able to help
her. She also happens to be the relief society president so it was a
great opportunity to build kankei.
Wednesday we went to kayokos house. She is an eikaiwa student/
investigator. She lives pretty far, and so she was nice enough to pick
us up from the church, and then take us back. We had a really good
lesson with her, and she has a lot of questions, but doesn't want to
pray, because she doesn't believe in God yet, and feels praying would
be hypocritical. I forgot my coat when we left, cause it was warm, and
she brought it to me at eikaiwa. So grateful. After that we had our
lesson with Ayaka, and shawna Shimai dosekid. It was an awesome lesson
about the godhead, and we talked as we ate pasta at the church. Shawna
was a perfect doseki, became her friend, and also really knows how to
testify, as she just got home from her mission. Then eikaiwa was fun,
I taught some Christmas songs, and just played with the kids. It's
hard to fill 50 minutes with like 20 kids of all different ages.
Thursday watanabe Shimai and Harada Shimai went to TTT, and I stayed
inside with Goto Shimai basically all day. So I did phone dendo, and
found a new investigator for the elders that is really interested, and
a potential one for us as well. I was so grateful to at least have a
phone. That night once they got back, watanabe Shimai and I went to
have dinner with Yukida, who had brought her son. It was great, the
entire converstion was about what we do as missionaries, and who God
is, and I think they may be open to hearing more. Hoping that things
work out with her, cause she is too busy to meet again before I go
home.
Friday we went to ztm, and it was my last one. The spirit was so
powerful, and at one point, I realized that even though the things
they were teaching wouldn't apply to me for much longer, they did
apply, and I could still learn things for after my mission. It was a
very enjoyable ztm. After that we went to with the elders to visit
Keiko, the investigator they are passing to us. She is the friend of a
member, that they just happened to find, and then he walked in while
they were meeting with her. Well, right when I was feeling we needed a
members testimony if the lesson was going to go anywhere, Yoshimura
Kyodai walked in, and shared his testimony. It was perfect.
Unfortunately she does not have interest, but I feel like we gave her
the best chance we could have, maybe one day. One thing she said that
struck me was something along the lines of why haven't you told me
this before? She was asking Yoshimura Kyodai, who is a longtime
friend, and it was cool to see she had recognized the light of Christ
in him, and noticed something different. Still, it isn't our time, but
I think we often forget that just telling people what we believe is
giving them the chance to change.
Saturday went to hospital service in the morning, and then I was with
Goto Shimai, while the other sisters went to a members house for
lunch. We went to the church to meet up with them and shawna Shimai,
and then shawna Shimai and I went on splits and visited nakagiri
Shimai, it was so much fun. She really is just super cute and sweet,
and shawna Shimai and I just bounced back and forth like it was
natural almost. I loved it! On the way home, I got really really lost.
I took a road thinking it was right, and it wasn't. Luckily we have
iPads and maps, and could find our way home. Especially since shawnas
phone had died, and so we had no other way. Thank goodness for iPads.
Sunday shawna and I both talked. It was pretty good I think. I ended
up not having time to prepare my talk/ what I had thought to talk
about didn't feel right, and they also asked me to take extra time
last minute, so I just winged it. Shawna was in the same boat, and it
turned out well. Though sacrament meeting ended up ending 15 minutes
early. I had a great last Sunday in Japan. Church was great, they had
a shoukuji after to welcome shawna home, and say goodbye to me, and
then we had DCS, and watched the Christmas devotional in Japanese, I
so want to see it in English now. The sound was off, so I was having a
hard time watching it. But did that, and then watanabe Shimai was in
need of some rest. So we went and had dinner, and she rested. It was
also good for me, because I decided to catch a cold right before I go
home. But I'm not letting that stop me.
So that was my last full week as a missionary. I will be seeing most
of you soon, and I am very excited to see you all! I love you, and I
miss you, but I am oh so grateful for this blessed opportunity that I
have had to serve as a missionary for the past year and a half! See
you soon!
Love, Sister Makin
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