February Already!?

Konnichiwa family and friends! 

I can't believe it is already February!
I am officially a transfer 2 missionary! Although I still tell people
"I just got to Japan" (so they know why my Japanese is so bad). I'll
probably say that for the first six months or so haha until my future
companion tells me I can't make that excuse anymore. Anyways onto this
week, unfortunately we didn't have much happen. Last p-day after
emailing my companion and I went and played soccer though for a little
bit! It was so nice to play since it has felt like forever since I
have played.

Then the next day we had an appointment with Kaori and we brought a
member with us as a joint for the lesson. We show up for the lesson
and her mom says she isn't home but will be in an hour and a half, so
we are trying to figure out what to do and the member with us (Oki)
says, "let's go dendo together!" So that's what we did haha. He is a
recent convert of last May and is such a strong new member. At first I
thought it would be awkward knocking on people's doors with 3 people
but it actually turned out really good and it was a lot of fun. It was
pretty helpful to have a Nihonjin with us too because people seemed a
little more willing to listen to us. After that we go back and she
still wasn't home so we set up a time this week to visit her.

Last night as we were riding home we tried to talk to people on the
street and we weren't having much success. Then we came up on this one
guy right before we got home who was walking rather fast and didn't
seem in the best mood. We stopped and tried to talk to him but before
we could get anything out he looked at us and started walking faster
and yelling "I don't need you, get away from me!" As we arrived home
my companion and I started talking about the experience we just had a
little more. My companion said something along the lines of how it
bothers him when people yell at us because we are trying to share
something that can help them. Then he said it also reminds him of how
much the Savior loves people because even though there is this guy on
the side of the street who wants nothing to do with our message, Jesus
Christ still suffered for that one man individually, so He could help
that man in his time of need.

As I thought about it a little more a scripture came to mind, that
scripture is Alma 7:12. It reads, "And he will take upon him death,
that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he
will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled
with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the
flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." The
part in this scripture that really reminded me of this situation was
the very end. That He may know how to succor his people. Christ
performed the Atonement for all of mankind in an extreme act of love,
so He could know how to help each one of us personally as we faced
problems that we think nobody else can understand. He understands. He
wants to help us in our time of need and it makes me so sad when I try
to share that with someone and they are unwilling to accept it. I
really wish people would understand what we are trying to do for them
and how much our message could help and bless them.

That's why I think missionary work is so hard. Out of the many people
we talk to there are only a few that are ready to accept our message.
Only a few that are willing to give the gospel a try and see what it
can do for them. Out of all the people that tell us no, it give me
strength to know that there is someone out there waiting for us to
knock on their door and help change their life for the better. That is
what helps push me a long after a long day of nobody listening to us,
because I know how much this gospel can bless someone and their
family. I have already seen it in my life so far and I am forever
grateful I have this knowledge of the true Church of Jesus Christ.
This gospel is so amazing and I know it can help us all individually
if we allow it too. That's about it for this week, I hope everyone has
a great week! 愛しています

シェリル 長老