December 16, 2013

Merry クリスマス!!!

It has been an awesome week. We are working hard and I love my companion, Kariya and the amazing people we are teaching. We have been receiving so much help from the members this week and their love and support is seriously making all of the difference. With Christmas coming up, our schedules are insane and everyone is trying to get appointments with us for Christmas and for the first week in January because it is a huge celebration in Japan....?

We have had the opportunity to work with several of the less active people and families in our ward this week. It was incredible when we were teaching one of the ladies who is currently believing in reincarnation. We talked about the doctrine of Christ and her purpose in this life. She realized how she deeply she wants to go to the temple and we are now working towards that- awesome huh! Something clicked for her in that lesson and it was an absolute miracle. Last night we visited a Brazilian family (the Da Silvas)  in our ward who hasn`t been to church in years with one of the members. It was the craziest feeling because they opened the door and I immediately thought "I KNOW YOU." I knew this family and the more we talked the more deeply I realized how much I know them. It was awesome because we were able to share a message and help them to feel our love for them and we are going to start working with them and visit them so they can return to church. After we left,  the lesson me and Silva Shimai just couldn`t believe how much we recognized them.. We haven`t dendoed in their area before so we don`t know! Anyway, super incredible family and super willing to listen to the gospel again!

The people we are teaching are SO AMAZING. Words cannot even express the love I have for them. It is really hard because they HAVE faith. They HAVE the desire, but Satan is working so hard on them right now... But so is God. :) We were teaching one of our investigators, he is honestly amazing. He was invited to be baptized 3 times in the lesson and he KNEW that he needed to. The Spirit was SO INCREDIBLY STRONG but he said.. I want to make sure that it is 101% true before I commit to anything.. WHAT?!?!? It is so sad when you see how much someone is touched by the Spirit and they don`t choose to act on that. I feel like that with all of our investigators right now. They know it is true but they won`t make the big steps and act on it!

We had the most INCREDIBLBE experience with our ward last week. We spent all day Friday preparing food and goodies for this women’s protection home in Handa. It is a center for women whose husbands maybe abused them and are now single moms maybe hiding from their husbands or just seeking refuge. I  hope that makes sense.( I can`t speak English) We went and fed them this amazing meal and played games with them and then had the opportunity to teach them about the nativity story. I had the blessing to talk to so many of these moms and children.. They were so humble and so grateful. The kids had a blast with the games and it was hilarious! When everyone saw the food they ran to it and were grabbing anything they could. I honestly couldn`t believe the humbling situations these people were in. Ah, I just am so grateful. Their hearts were touched by the Spirit of Christ that night. There was one lady who told us- I want you to teach my children about Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, we can`t return to the place since it is kind of on "lock down" I guess. It is just super cool that they were able to feel that they are special and loved.

I love all of you and send much love! I hope everything is going well! I AM SO EXCITED TO SKYPE YOU NEXT WEEK!!!!!

Love

Crofts 姉妹

I was the example during a Zone Conference. 

We heart attacked Suzuki San's house to show her love.

Christmas at the women's home.