The weather has been pretty good here. We had gorgeous weather last weekend when my district did our sack lunch 'picnic' which was so much fun. Plus then afterwards we went to the temple and took pictures with our whole district there, and then took more pictures in front of the giant world map. When the elders lined up to take the pictures of us three sisters it looked like the lineup for a shooting with all eight of them along the wall pointing cameras. hehe. We have snow now again, as of last night but it's sunny so it'll probably melt fast.
It's true that Satan will work on you, he wants so badly to stop future missionaries any way he can. But the good news is that Christ has given us strength to do whatever it is he asks us to do, like Nephi says we'll be able to accomplish the thing that's commanded of us. I know I've felt that here as we're learning Japanese. I don't expect to be fluent, but I do hope to be able to mostly understand things when I get over there. And I'm understanding more than I ever thought I would already. So the Lord does provide a way. And all he asks that we do is to try our best, to leave our sins, and to take up his cross (which his burden is actually light.) since he's already paid the price for us the moment we do he can give us a clean slate and a perfect love. And of course, charity, which is the pure love of Christ, never faileth. And perfect love casts out all fear. So trust in Christ and be believing, and you don't have to be afraid of anything. Not saying it will be easy. It's sure still hard for me even right now to try and work so hard every day to be a better teacher and understand the scriptures. But he does give me his spirit, and I know I can't do this on my own. But we CAN do it with the Lord.
Anyway, enough preaching, but thought that has been something that has really stuck out to me this week as I've struggled to learn to teach to investigator's needs and be in unity with my companions. I've been thinking a lot about why I am really doing this, and how much we really have been saved for these days to preach His word.
I think being in a companionshiop like this has really made me reflect on our family too. There was one day where my companions and I were kinda having a rough time figuring out how we were trying to teach this lesson and even ended up arguing a bit. Then one of our teachers has us as a class do an activity that we talked about how we could be more unified and serve each other and Christ, and only after that did I really feel the spirit again and realized our contending had driven it away. I hope as a family you can realize how important it is to be unified in serving God. He has PROMISED that when two or more are gathered together in his name, there He will be also, which means it'll be a holy place and a place of peace. And then, when our friends and other families come over they can feel the kind of place it is and wonder what spirit they feel.
I just wanna say something about the wonderful devotionals we had last Tuesday and Sunday. The first was with Elder Kukuchi who is from Japan and he was so funny! But it was a great message. He talked about the atonement, about teaching with the Spirit, and shared his conversion story. His father had been killed in his fishing boat by US submarines during WWII and he hated Americans. When two of them showed up on his porch he didn't want to listen but they talked about God's plan and how much he loves us and he felt the reality of it. He then shared how much he loves Americans now because they had brought him the gospel. It was really touching. Then we sang "Love one Another" on his request and I just about bawled I've never felt the spirit so much from that song.
And then Sister Elaine S. Dalton from the YW presidency spoke on Sunday at Relief Society about the new value Virtue. It was really cool, and my companions and I are supposed to teach the class a short lesson on virtue for our Wednesday class.
Last note about food. I just wanted to let William know he should jump up and down for joy because every day they have out bread, peanut butter, and jelly, for picky eaters such as him. Who knows what mission food he'll have to deal with but at least for the MTC it's PBJs all the way!
Praise be to God for all His strength and mercy!!
LeFevre Shimai (Katie)
It's true that Satan will work on you, he wants so badly to stop future missionaries any way he can. But the good news is that Christ has given us strength to do whatever it is he asks us to do, like Nephi says we'll be able to accomplish the thing that's commanded of us. I know I've felt that here as we're learning Japanese. I don't expect to be fluent, but I do hope to be able to mostly understand things when I get over there. And I'm understanding more than I ever thought I would already. So the Lord does provide a way. And all he asks that we do is to try our best, to leave our sins, and to take up his cross (which his burden is actually light.) since he's already paid the price for us the moment we do he can give us a clean slate and a perfect love. And of course, charity, which is the pure love of Christ, never faileth. And perfect love casts out all fear. So trust in Christ and be believing, and you don't have to be afraid of anything. Not saying it will be easy. It's sure still hard for me even right now to try and work so hard every day to be a better teacher and understand the scriptures. But he does give me his spirit, and I know I can't do this on my own. But we CAN do it with the Lord.
Anyway, enough preaching, but thought that has been something that has really stuck out to me this week as I've struggled to learn to teach to investigator's needs and be in unity with my companions. I've been thinking a lot about why I am really doing this, and how much we really have been saved for these days to preach His word.
I think being in a companionshiop like this has really made me reflect on our family too. There was one day where my companions and I were kinda having a rough time figuring out how we were trying to teach this lesson and even ended up arguing a bit. Then one of our teachers has us as a class do an activity that we talked about how we could be more unified and serve each other and Christ, and only after that did I really feel the spirit again and realized our contending had driven it away. I hope as a family you can realize how important it is to be unified in serving God. He has PROMISED that when two or more are gathered together in his name, there He will be also, which means it'll be a holy place and a place of peace. And then, when our friends and other families come over they can feel the kind of place it is and wonder what spirit they feel.
I just wanna say something about the wonderful devotionals we had last Tuesday and Sunday. The first was with Elder Kukuchi who is from Japan and he was so funny! But it was a great message. He talked about the atonement, about teaching with the Spirit, and shared his conversion story. His father had been killed in his fishing boat by US submarines during WWII and he hated Americans. When two of them showed up on his porch he didn't want to listen but they talked about God's plan and how much he loves us and he felt the reality of it. He then shared how much he loves Americans now because they had brought him the gospel. It was really touching. Then we sang "Love one Another" on his request and I just about bawled I've never felt the spirit so much from that song.
And then Sister Elaine S. Dalton from the YW presidency spoke on Sunday at Relief Society about the new value Virtue. It was really cool, and my companions and I are supposed to teach the class a short lesson on virtue for our Wednesday class.
Last note about food. I just wanted to let William know he should jump up and down for joy because every day they have out bread, peanut butter, and jelly, for picky eaters such as him. Who knows what mission food he'll have to deal with but at least for the MTC it's PBJs all the way!
Praise be to God for all His strength and mercy!!
LeFevre Shimai (Katie)
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