More in Kofu

It has been so hot here, and supposedly this is glorious weather compared to how hot it gets later in the summer. Kofu is said to be the hottest area in the Tokyo mission because we're in a valley (which is in Yamanashi ken--which is probably the other city you looked up, the name means mountain peach I think, they're famous for their peaches and grapes) and the mountains make us inverted like Salt Lake valley. We are growing our own garden on our porch too lol! I told my doryo that carrots and tomatos can sprout if the tops start to grow and you can put them in water so we tried and they did and we have three little onions and three little carrots, then some mint that was growing wild and some cammomile that was taking over a neighbor's yard. We put them in buckets from the Elder's apartment and dirt from a contrustion site on our morning run route. :D Yup, I'm still me. And my companion just thinks it's the funniest thing ever.

More about our baptism this week and the miracle it's been. Yuko talked to her parents and her mom said she should wait until she was graduated and has looked at other churches. She knows it's all true, though, and just thought she could wait. But as we had her lesson this week, after the Chouro gave her a blessing, our conversation was just totally guided and Perkins shimai told her that she has seen so many people put off their baptism and basically if they put it off, it ends up never happening. And then I thought I understood what they were saying--only I didn't know how cuz I didn't understand any of the words but I just felt really strongly to ask if she thought that if she waited her mom would change her mind. Actually, I had to ask it in English cuz I didn't know how to say it in Japanese but she speaks almost fluent English so it wasn't a problem.. but I wasn't sure if someone had already said that and I was just going to prove I couldn't understand but actually it was perfect timing cuz she was like, no probably not, and realized she really did need to set the example for her parents.

So this whole week I've been realizing the reality of the gift of tongues. I still struggle, and there are still so many times that I want to say something or want to understand them and I can't but if there wasn't then how could I have motivation to keep learning? But definitely when the spirit is there, there's power that comes and I don't know how I know what to say even as I'm saying it, but it does work. And I'm realizing the Lord will work through even the weakest things to reach others hearts that need help and need to be strengthened. And that even an imperfect person like me CAN be a tool for the Lord as long as we have his spirit with us. Without the Spirit, I would be nothing! I'm so grateful to God and his tender mercies like that, and that I can be giving acceptable effort for him to reach out in miraculous ways like that! Well there's lots more I'd love to tell you about but P-day's almost over and we still have to take the Densha over to Nakano.

So gotta go catch our train now so bye again, and take care and I'll talk to you all next week and tell you how the baptism went!! :D Thanks for all your love and prayers!

LeFevre Shimai