Maebaru (wk 4)! Week 22

Monday September 6, 2015

I want to tell you about Eduardo! So we found his number in our phone last week, we use the same one as the Elders before us. And we felt like we should call him. When he answered he said something in English and it turns out he lived in America for like 15 years! So he is fluent! He said he had met a couple times with the Elders but they ended up transferring and he lost contact with them. So we asked if he would like to meet with us and learn more about God. He said yes! So we got to teach him on Saturday, in English! It was so awesome to understand everything being said. Which usually isn't the case! He is really impressed with the dedication of our church members, especially the missionaries, giving up such important years to teach people about God. He says he feels like it's too late to change and that he's made too many mistakes but we were able to testify boldly and simply that he can know this church is true and that God loves him and that he can become clean from his past mistakes. It was such a great lesson! He said he will try his best! And he came to testimony meeting yesterday! After Packard Shimai bore her testimony, she playfully said to Eduardo, that it was his turn! Not really but if you want you can! And he did! He got up there and told everyone how impressed he is with the church and he hopes he can become better, it was so awesome! He's already making good friends with the ward members. We are so happy to be teaching him! 

Also, we had a training from Elder and Sister Choi from the North Asia General Presidency. It was so awesome. And exactly what I needed. He really focused on how when we elevate our thoughts, by thinking positively and about the good, it leads to a change in our actions which changes our habits which changes our character which can change our destiny. This really hit me hard because I've been struggling a little bit lately. Maebaru is small and it's hard sometimes to get excited about going out. But! I know that as I focus on the positives about Maebaru, the Lord will strengthen me so that I can enjoy the work here! I have felt His strength so much the past couple of days. It really is the simple things of praying and reading scriptures that opens up our hearts, humbles us and let's the Savior in. I have felt that so much this week.

 Beautiful countryside of Maebaru!

The picture is kind of blurry, but this a Fayette County license plate from Kentucky!! So random!

We had a ward activity and made yakisoba! It was delicious! It is basically cooked soba noodles, cabbage, carrots, onions and bean sprouts

 Packard Shimai and I found this cute Takoyaki place and got some
ice cream, they wanted to take a picture with us!

This is Eduardo's beach house, and the view from his back porch! The floors are marble! And the couches are all super nice!

Packard Shimai and I went to Starbucks for lunch, it was nice to have something familiar (a veggie wrap and vanilla frappé (no coffee I promise!)) and the lady was so nice and wrote welcome to Japan! It
made us laugh :)

We went on splits with the other sisters, this is Chapman Shimai, she
was Klein Shimai's MTC Companion and then was in Nagasaki right before I transferred there! It was so fun to get to know her!

On splits, we got caught in the rain with a 20 minute bike ride home! We got soaked!