Thank you so
much for your birthday wishes! It was weird to read teh names of a lot
of people I haven`t thought about in a long time, but it warmed my heart
to hear all the wonderful wishes from people I love. I did open my
presents and I love them! I wore the white shirt from Grandma and
Grandpa the day I opened it and we`ve been listening to the CD every
meal haha. I hope it doesn`t get old too fast haha. I love that CD
though. It so beautifully portrays the feelings of everyone associated
with Christ. My birthday was very wonderful. I really enjoyed it here in
wonderful little old Kitami :) Thank you so much!
Wow...I can`t believe it`s already the new year. I
woke up and said Happy New Year to my companion in a really big voice
and he graciously said "uuumnggg" and rolled over in his bed :P haha.
It`s great to hear all the new years resolutions Dad :). We`ve been
asking the ward members as well what their Rainen no Houfu (Next years
aspirations or goals) are. I haven`t thought too much about it honestly.
Time isn`t quite the same in the mission. It doesnt seem real, but this
morning during personal study I was reading a talk called The 4th
Missionary and it gave me a couple ideas of how I can become a more
devoted disciple of Christ. God has truly given us everything. When we
serve Him with all our might and strength we are giving back to him
things that he blesses us with each day. A beating heart, working lungs,
a healthy body. But when we serve him with our Mind and might we are
giving to him "us." We have agency and our own thoughts, but when we
give those all up to Christ we really become instruments in His Hands
and come to enjoy the work we`re doing. It goes from a thing of duty to a
desire of our own and we are changed through the Atonement of Christ.
God can`t mold us into the best us if we don`t give ourselves to Him.
That is the way of the 4th missionary. Becoming a Disciple of Christ
instead of a good missionary. So this morning I wrote down thoughts that
keep me from being happy and focused (like--I`m cold--) and I wrote
them in thankful form (like---I`m grateful that God gave me a body that
can feel things like coldness and warmth). I`m excited to train my
thoughts even more.
I think it`s inevitable to think about family and
home during Christmas, but I`m so glad to be here. It was strange being
me (the only English person in Kitami) and my companion during my
birthday and new years and the Christmas season, but I was very grateful
for it :)
That`s fun that you got to be with the sister
missionaries! I didn`t really see the missionaries much in Boise, but I
wish I had gotten to work with them some more.
thank
you so much for your thoughts mom and dad. Mom`s thought has been on my
mind a lot lately. I think of raising kids in teh future and how I`m so
glad I`m making mistakes iwth my companions so I don`t make them with
my kids haha. But I really do have to rely on the Lord and he will make
everything right. Thank you so much for relying onthe Lord and being the
wonderful parents you are. Your example is one of the greatest things I
had I think. I never saw momand dad fighting even when there are plenty
of reasons to fight, so I understand unity a lot better now with my
companion. There`s a lot of things I`ve learned from your example and a
lot of things I`m learning now.
My fingers are freezing to the keyboard as I`m typing, so I`m going to hurry up and tell one last experience.
Yesterday
was "A Day with the Book of Mormon" day for the Sapporo mission. We
fasted and woke up, got ready and read the Book of Mormon from 8-6. I
was a little scared I would get really tired or a head ache or
something, but I was fine! Definitely a blessing of the Lord. I read
9:50 minutes straight and only got through Jacob haha. Your eyes get a
little tired, but I learned a lot. Just little bits of hope came to me
about the future the more I read. And it seems all the members inthe
branch were prompted by the Spirit to bring us some sort of food. They
came throughout the day and brought us little snacks and o-bento`s
periodically throughout the day. It was a great yuuwaku (tempation)
during fasting throughout the day, but dinner was great :) It was a
testimony to me that God watches out for His servants and those whom
they love and pray for as well.
Well, my hands are very cold now, so I`m going to
get going :P but Happy New Years!!! Yoi O-Toshi Yo! I`ll talk to you
again in may! I love you all so much!
Bye Bye!
P.S. I`m listening to my companion play the piano right
now and it reminded me of the beautiful melodies Jill always played. Let
her know that I miss her and I`m thinking about her! Thank you!
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