Sister Crofts-Called to Serve

September 23, 2013

懇意痴話家族-

Me and Grant Shimai have had to do quite a few companion swaps while Smith Shimai goes to the hospital. We have the most hilarious experiences together. We went and taught several members and tried to teach some less active people. I pulled over and asked someone where this store was and then as they told me directions I realized that I didn`t understand anything that they said. So we just laugh it off. Everyone is super patient with our Japanese when we visit and it usually goes really well! Whenever we go places people always give us random gifts because we are gaijin. It is so incredible, I love being us.

I have super potentially awesome news. The next transfer of girls coming in is like under 5, so the chances of us training has decreased by A LOT. There are 13 people that can train/trane(? why can`t I spell anymore)... In the last few transfers it has been 100 percent certain that you train, but now I might not. YAY>>> It will be interesting to see how things turn out in Nagano. 3 of us are most likely leaving. So we think that me or Grant Shimai will stay and potentially have a bean. They are also opening lots of new areas in the Nagano zone, so I honestly have no idea what is going to happen.

We went to Nagoya last week. Elder Aoyagi of the 70 came and spoke to our mission. It was super awesome. He talked a lot about getting a "vision" in each of our branches and wards and working towards it. He said that if we aren`t finding inverstigators we need to have more faith and talk to everyone. If our investigators aren`t going towards baptism, then we need to improve our teaching. It was really good because it was all about improving ourselves so that the work can improve. We are trying to get mogi lessons with the members right now so that we CAN improve our teaching and get more practice. There are so many young missionaries in our mission right now, so we need help. President Yamashita has been going throughout the mission and doing practice lessons with all of the junior companions to help everyone. He did it with the other two companionships in our area, so I didn`t get the chance. It takes us 4 hours to get to Nagoya by train, so it`s always a lot of traveling.

Thursday both me and Grant Shimai were vomitting our brains out. So that was miserable and a half. Friday Grant Shimai was still throwing up. Smith Shimai had to go to the hospital again so I stayed home with Grant Shimai. I ended up reading 75 pages from the Book of Mormon and studying a million vocab words. I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON.

Saturday I was FINALLY released from our apartment. I was so excited to be in fresh air again. We had an appointment with Watanabe san. Usually when we go she feeds us like 15 courses of traditional Japanese food. She is a classy lady. But it is super dangerous. I almost died from the questionable foods and the quantity last time we went and I was 100 percent healthy. So Smith Shimai said there is no way I am going. Even though I wanted to teach again, I was super grateful that I didn`t have to be welcomed into the dendou world through that experience. She has such an awesome understanding of the gospel and she just soaks it up, she just doesn`t have faith. She doesn`t have a car so we can`t get her to church. It is so tough. She loves the idea of Jesus Christ, she is starting to understand that he is a real person. She is understanding that the Atonement can help her individually. How cool is that?

We are going to Zenkoji for district activity! I could go there a million times. It is honestly the coolest place ever.

I LOVE being a missionary. I am so lucky and blessed to be here. Even though this past week we weren`t able to do lots of dendo like normal with Nagoya, hospital, and sick- we are pumped about a new week and are going to work even harder. I am still pretty dang sick, but I`m just trying to act as healthy as possible so that we can work. The church is true. God knows each and every one of us. Because He loves us, He is always with us. Try to recognize His grace in your life. He WILL help you. He wants your happiness. He is patiently waiting for you to draw closer to him. His love is sufficient to make us strong and to make miracles happen. I send so much love from 日本. Never give up and don`t set limits. With God's help, you truly can do anything. I testify of that.

愛

クロフツ姉妹