Sister Crofts-Called to Serve

June 3, 2014

皆さんこんにちは

It has been an AWESOME week and I am super grateful to be a missionary! Last week, we had some pretty crazy experiences and I wish I had time to tell you more about it, but I will do my best. So basically, as if Alicia couldn`t be more awesome she totally sent me a PINATA for my birthday! It was the hugest package and it was so awesome to get some American candy. We did it with our children’s English class (because nobody in Japan knows what a piñata is) and I think they might have had more fun than going to Disneyland. It was awesome! Thank you Alicia!!! Everyone loved it! Also, all are non-members but they are using the CTR rings and loved them! Also, Kristy sent me some DELICIOUS chocolate from New Zealand. So So yummy.

We did lots of finding and taught so many people. The theme for this week’s e-mail is the image of God/Jesus. So we were talking to some girl who was walking on the street and we asked her what her image of God is and if she thinks He is there. She said of course he is there, but he is made of gold and has millions of hands coming out of his head and body and he is super strict. We talked to her about a loving heavenly father and she said he absolutely has to be strict and she couldn’t get an image of a God who loves her. We got her number and she wants to learn more though so I am way stoked to continue teaching her! Hahaha. Also while we were talking to people on the street, this woman came running up to us and said "don`t worry don`t worry I am coming to church again soon!" and then ran away. Hahaha me and Kawai Shimai could not have been more shocked yeah? Also after watching a movie about Jesus Christ with one of our investigators, we got a surprise when she started to compare Jesus to an alien and the extraterrestrial bodies. She said ETs come when people start being bad to make people good again. Then she talked about how Jesus is an alien. I was so shocked I didn`t even know what to say... hahaha. It was rough. One of our other investigators talked about how she couldn`t believe in our God because she believes there is a god of water and trees and all objects and she can`t believe that God is a Heavenly Father. That was hard. We watched this video about Jesus Christ with one of our investigators and I realized how much our church movies are meant for people who know about Jesus Christ. It was kind of hard for her to understand and I think she felt the Spirit, but then she said asked "you really believe in this? I can`t." Basically, we are trying to help people with the very basics...... Hahaha

Also we visited a lady who was an investigator 8 years ago; she went on vacation and lost contact with the missionaries. When we opened the door she just started screaming because she was so happy! We can`t meet her this month, but in July we`ll start teaching her again. Me and Kawai Shimai were once again, shocked. That never happens! People never cheer when you visit them. Hahaha but I was super grateful that the spirit led us to go and try to visit her.

I love my mission and I will tell you straight up, I have never been more physically, spiritually, emotionally demanded in my entire life. It is so hard and sometimes you just have to do everything you can to fight a smile after a day filled with rejections and people who don`t want to listen, but it makes me grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. The fact that He knows perfectly what I am going through. And even though a lot of these people don`t yet know about Him, He loves them PERFECTLY. The BOM is true! LOVE YOU

Sister Crofts