Sister Crofts-Called to Serve

Dear Family,

Wellllllll it has been another AWESOME week! Thanks for all of the birthday wishes and love:) I can`t believe that if the mission age wouldn`t have changed; I would JUST be leaving on my mission. I am so grateful that I didn`t have to wait because I love my mission so much.

Well, it is starting to get super-hot, there are four sisters trying to cram our futons into one tiny little room (like sleeping in a cocoon and it gets soooo hot nobody can sleep. Anyway, me and my companion are now sleeping outside on the balcony so there is more space and it isn`t so hot. Hahaha. Last night, was honestly one of the best night’s sleeps of my mission. We had the cute little frogs chirping, a breeze, absolute bliss. Also! I made my first apple pie last week for one of our investigators and can I just tell you it was absolutely delicious? She was SO happy and just said "EHH?!?! You came all the way out here to bring me a pie?!" I hope she felt lots of love because she is awesome.

We were on a kokan and of course it starts POURING rain. I didn`t have a kappa or anything so I pushed through with a cheap little poncho and borrowed one of the other sisters boots. We arrived at a member’s house and I realized that the bag with my favorite missionary shoes had fallen out of the basket amidst our travel to her house. It was about an hour by bike and it honestly could have been anywhere because the rain was pouring and it was hard to see. So we decided to go to the member’s house and just check it out on the way back. We said a prayer before we left and we talked to everyone on the way back. We had gotten halfway there when I saw this bush that we had passed forever ago in my head and felt like I should go look there. We turned around, checked the bush, but it wasn`t there. So I was like what?! But then this woman came riding out on her bike and I realized. Oh. We need to talk to her. So we started talking to her and she just stared at us completely in shock that we were here in Japan helping other people. We were riding our bikes next to her for a while and she was just speechless and said that she saw light in our faces. So the sisters are going to meet her again and teach her children 30 minutes of English then 30 minutes about God and our church!! (That is a program we do a lot in Japan right now) Anyway it was way cool how touched she was.

Over the course of talking to people, streeting and what not... We bumped into these 2 girls who were sitting along the side of the road in down town Yokkaichi. We asked them if they were students and they said "he he.. no.. We are working right now." They were both 19, super pretty, lots of makeup, skimpy clothing.. (you think it would have sunk in by that point) But then we started talking about the purpose of this life and why we are living. One had a lot of interest and really wanted to know why she was living, she thought it was so we could die. Then right as we were about to set up a time to meet, this guy comes over and says "hey you`ve got one." So then she walked off, and of course there was this older man who was waiting for her... OH NOOOO. They were prostitutes. So then the other girl who didn`t really have interest just kind of laughed and shrugged her shoulders. I guess you could say we were in the wrong part of town because after that we realized that they were everywhere. They need the gospel too, it is just a little hard when they are on duty.

This cute woman we met on the street has now come to church two times with her 2 year old daughter. Yesterday we were able to teach her about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon in the nursery. After we taught the first vision, she just said "woahhh" and looked down at her arms covered in goosebumps. She knows a lot about Christianity, but she said over and over again "I want to read this book!" She is way awesome.

Well it has been a good week, and to be honest, it is hard to go all day long talking to people and sharing what is important to you with people and them having no interest or rejecting you. But when you find people who will listen, it is that much more special. I am SO LUCKY to be here. Every day is a test of faith and I talk to everyone and do my best because I want God to know that He can trust me.

LOVE<3 愛

クロフツ姉妹

Birthday wise- I was feeling lots of love! We had a softball/tennis activity (also can I just add that it was hilarious that the members thought that I was super amazing at softball and tennis..? I am sooo bad) The bishop brought donuts for everyone for my birthday and they sang! One of the elders in a different area made a SUPER yummy cheesecake for me and I was super surprised about that, and then me and Sister Kawai went and ate some yummy waffles. My only birthday in Japan, but it was amazing!