So many miracles this Christmas season! I am so grateful to be a missionary in Japan for at least one Christmas! Sister Iwahashi and I made it a goal to do as much service as we possibly could this past week and this upcoming week to show people Christ`s love. We`ve been searching out many service opportunities. All of us 8 missionaries went to another retirment home today to sing Christmas hymns and it was so FUN! My heart was touched watching these sweet, elderly Japanese people mumble along with us to the many differnt Christmas hymns. We sang for about 4 different groups at both places and introduced ourselves as missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I saw many of these sweet peoples face light up and one old man said, “Senkyoshi san?!“ His eyes were wide and filled with hope. We said, “Hai, senkyoshi san desu“ with a big smile. As we sang I could see that man feel the Spirit as he looked into all of our eyes.
Sister Iwahashi and I have been teaching our investigator of two weeks, Ayaka chyan. She wants to keep hearing the lessons but has a worry about her family since their buddhist. We are praying that she can continue to read the Book of Mormon and keep commitments so that her desire to be baptized will grow. We also had an amazing Christmas party on Saturday.Our investigator Sato san, who`s husband died two months ago from cancer, came. I was so happy she came and talked with two of the sisters, Usami shimai and Checketts shimai. We are going to bike to her house tomorrow to give her a Christmas present. I love these Akita memebers and they really worked hard for this party. It was all the members planning and it was the first time I saw members involved rather than missionaries planning. Our goal was 70 and the Lord blessed us with 75. The Lord is really in every aspect of our lives, not just missionary work and goals. I know this because I have asked for the smallest request and He always blesses me with more. I might not realize it at first, but it`s when I humble myself and look outside myself that I notice His abundant blessings.
OH one more thing! One of the cutest things I`ve ever seen was the bishopric come surprise us 4 sisters at our apartment wearing santa hats and saying “Merry Christmas“ with the cutest Japanese accent! We have Christmas presents under our little cardboard tree about 5 inches high! I am loving this Christmas!!!
Tori バトラー姉妹 