April 7, 2014

桜桜桜!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Japan is seriously one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life and I am so grateful to be here.  The sakura (japanese cherry blossoms) are seriously beyond incredible and I honestly feel like I am in a dream.  We had the opportunity to go and see some really beautiful places and everyday riding our bike I am just blown away by how pretty the sakuras are.  We also got to go to Okazaki Castle with Mayumi and Malom and it was so funnnnn.  

We found some new investigators and it was really cool to find people that were so prepared and ready to learn. One of the ladies we ran into on the street and testified to her about the restoration.  The very first thing that she said was "where and when is your church?" She really wanted to go!  She is catholic, but the rest of her family is Buddhist.  She always prays by herself because her family doesn`t like Christianity, but she really wanted to learn more and she just said how she needed to hear this and it came at the perfect timing. We talked to this lady who had seen the missionaries around and she always, I guess, made fun of them. We asked her about her beliefs in God and she said "There is no God and I have absolutely no interest in Christianity or religion." Hahaha WHOA. okay.  Anyway, we talked and had fun and I hope that she will remember that we were normal. Hahaha. 

We visited some members that aren`t coming to church right now with some of the members and it was seriously so awesome to be able to go and help them remember how much they loved the missionaries and the way the felt when they were coming to church. So many miracles. 

I don`t have time otherwise I would share more.... I love my Savior so much. I am so grateful that in every moment, in every rejection, in every hard time he is with me. 

Well, have a good week!!

Love

Sister Crofts

Sakura (Japanese Cherry Blossoms)

Sister Aso & Sister Crofts

Sister Crofts, Mayumi, & Sister Aso

Okazaki Castle

Beautiful Japanese Cherry Blossoms

March 31, 2014

Happy Springg!!!! 春

It has been another awesome and busy week for us here in Kariya.  We went to Nagoya for trainers training and we had to do training on language study.  I did everything in Japanese and Sister Aso tried everything in English.  I was soooo happy to have it over with.  This week, we had some truly amazing opportunities to serve others and we also found some awesome new people to teach. 

During p-day, I spent a lot of time praying just seeking for direction and where we could go to find people who were ready to accept the gospel.  I honestly had no idea, but then we decided to walk from our apartment and talk to people and knock on people’s doors.  Literally 5 minutes away from our apartment we found a family of 5 who had a religion they wanted to join, but because their ancestors weren`t baptized they couldn`t join it or something?  And they wanted their children to be able to be blessed.  At first, we talked about eternal families and they were a little bit questionable, but then when we talked about the restoration and the Book of Mormon and how it applies to their family they were super interested and said they wanted to read it. They told us we can come back any time and we will meet them next Saturday.  Awesome huh!? Last night, we were doing some housing, we knocked on what felt like a million doors and everyone just had no interest.  It was super windy and cold so everyone kept saying how hard we were working.  At the end of the night, we found a Philippine family. When they opened the door, I was completely shocked to see a picture of Jesus Christ.  The mom had been there for 12 years, so she was great at Japanese.  But the daughter who is 23 only spoke only English.  They asked if I could explain it in English and I can only say it was the weirdest thing ever to introduce our church in English.  It felt so awkward.  Anyway, they also said we can come back anytime and we are going to go back this week! 

We helped a lady who has been less active for a while move to a new home and it was awesome to be able to go there with some of the relief society women.  Through the service, the woman and her family was so humbled and grateful. She said that she wants to come back to church soon!  We also had the chance to help one of the older women in our ward with her weeding.  I was so happy to help her, but I was sure missing our weed whacker that we had at home.  It was long grass/weeds like at the cabin and then we had to try to get it all out.  By the end, my hand was so sore I was having a hard time pulling them.  It was such a great opportunity to serve her. She was so cute, the Sunday before when we scheduled to come help her she went up to Sister Suzuki and said "Can we go to Costco this week? THE (SORRY FOR THE SUDDEN CAPS... I DON`T KNOW HOW TO MAKME IT STOP.) MISSIONARIES ARE COMING TO MY HOUSE! ThE MISSIONARIES ARE COMING TO MY HOUSE!!!" SO CUTE HUH? 

It was freezing this week and we just kept riding our bikes, visiting people and working hard. We rode to Hanai Shimai's house and she was just cloud nine happy that we would think to visit her. I love sharing love with these people and reminding them that they are loved and important. 

JAPAN IS SOOOO BEAUTIFUL RIGHT NOW. THE JAPANESE CHERRY BLOSSOMS (SAKURA 桜) IS SERIOUSLY INCREDIBLE. I AM SO HAPPY. I LOVE THE SAVIOR. I LOVE BEING ABLE TO SPEND MY EVERY MOMENT SERVING OTHERS AND HELPING PEOPLE TO FEEL THE LOVE OF GOD. MY MISSION IS AMAZING. 

LOVE YOU.

SISTER CROFTS

Sister Smith (Amy's Trainer), Sister Crofts and Sister Aso

Helping Sister Kuroda Move. It was so cool that we could get into contact with her and help her! 

Where's my Weed Whacker?

OUT OF CONTROL COLD. 

 Saki Chan Left for her Mission

Book Marks for the Members

SO happy because we found new investigators!! 

eating some really questionable thing that Oie shimai gave us. 

March 24,2014

Hello everyone! 

So it has been a crazy busy week.  We had transfer calls and I am staying another transfer in Kariya with Sister Aso.  I am sooooo happy!!!!!  Every day it is unreal how much more Japanese I understand and how much it is improving.  We speak in Japanese all day long and I think the constant headache I have has just become part of who I am.  Hahaha me and Aso Shimai are having such a good time and I love her sooooo much. 

Right now, we are again having the problem of finding people who we can teach who are ready to hear more about the gospel!  We are talking to as many people as we can just trying to find people who will listen.  Whenever we bike or walk, we always pull over for the person walking "KONNICHIWA." Hahaha.  We are trying so harddddd.  But the miracles will come!  We are working hard and doing our best and I really don`t know what God could ask for.  Last Tuesday, we went to Handa by bike, so that we could visit some of the members out there.  We ended up riding about 55 kilometers (Sorry I don`t know miles anymore).  We had some cool experiences being out so far testifying to people about Jesus Christ.  The only thing that is hard is they live so far away that coming to church is kind of impossible.  There is this huge bridge that we have to cross in order to get to Handa.  You know how I almost started crying every time we crossed the bridges in the car?  As we approached the bridge, I started to cross it, a little bit nervous but not really phased by it. (BELIEVE IT OR NOT) then I realized I should turn around to check for Aso Shimai... hahhaha. There she was, feet before the bridge shaking in absolute terror.  I think we were there for 5 minutes just trying to get up the guts to cross the bridge.  So finally I said 1,2,3, GO and she just starts screaming at the top of her lungs and riding as fast as she possibly can so that it could just be over.  Hahahaha there were birds flying everywhere, weird looks from people around, but she did it!  It was absolutely hilarious. 

It got a little bit warmer for a day or two and then became absolutely freezing again. We were out housing and talking to people on the street and as we went to ring the doorbell our hands were seriously shaking and our bodies trembling because we were so cold.  We weren`t able to find anyone who wanted to hear more, but I always think it is a miracle when we can give out a Book of Mormon, or talk about Jesus Christ or eternal families for the first time.  We thought we were going to die because it was so cold, but miraculously we didn`t catch a cold!  YAYYYY. Tender mercy. 

I wish I had more time to tell you about the amazing things that happened this week, but I don`t have time! All I can say is that I am soooo grateful. 

This church is true! 

Love, 

Sister Crofts

Crossing the bridge to Handa

Kokan with Ishida Shimai! Seika chan, Miyuki Shimai, 

Our District

Absolutely Freezing

Relief Society Activity.  I Love this Ward

The Asakawa family

The Nomuras 

Apples form the members:) 

I LOVE THIS. hahahaha

Yamamoto Shimai was so happy. She was shocked to have missionaries ride all the way out to her house. 

Iwanaga Shimai! We visited her and the Asakawas and drove home at dark in the rain. 

Brazilian with Mayumi and Malom. I love them:) 

Indo Curry