Sister Harris in Japan!: God Guides Our Paths, Even When the Road Seems Dark and Uncertain.

Gomen, ne! That means I`m sorry.

I spend a lot of time sending pictures, because deer are cool, but that results in the unfortunate consequence of not having lots of time to write. Time for hyperspeed mode!

MONDAY

We were going to see the deer, almost there on our bikes WHEN we see this guy riding his bike next to us who says, `Morumon kyo?` `Mormons?` and then says something about Joseph Smith? Preparation day though it was, you don`t just pass up an opportunity like that, so we went to go talk to him in a coffee shop or something and got smoothies and taught him a lesson. He`s met the missionaries before, and read the book of Mormon. He`s an interesting guy, already a Christian (a member of the Society of Friends? or something like that), and looooves American history. He introduced himself as J. And he called us last night to set up another appointment and said that he`s spending all of his time lately looking up stuff about the Mormon trail and how Joseph Smith believes Native Americans were descended from Lamanites. We`re meeting with him again on Thursday to give him to the Elders!

Then we had a lesson that night with H Kyodai. He`s having a problem believing the Sabbath day is on Sunday and not Saturday, since it was on Saturday in the Old Testament. This is tricky, but, hey, questions are good, because the answers are here!

TUESDAY

We went and had a special missionary coordination meeting at the F`s house, and then had a Halloween party for Eikaiwa! We played bingo and did trick or treat, and it was okay. P, our PI we found on the train last week, came and brought his Japanese friend, who ended up taking one of each of the pamphlets and a Book of Mormon before leaving the church. Which was awesome!

WEDNESDAY

We had a lesson with O Shimai, who has been reading from the Book of Mormon every day this week and says she`s seen a difference in her temperament this week, and is better able to deal with small challenges that come up. That`s some of the power of the Book of Mormon right there! We then had a lesson with H Kyodai that night, which went alright. We testified about the Restoration and how prophets have the right to receive revelation for us (including regarding the Sabbath day).

THURSDAY

We met with A Shimai and testified to her about how God guides our paths, even when the road seems dark and uncertain. She said by the end, she didn`t feel scared of that anymore. We also met with K Shimai and taught her about the chart by reading together from the Book of Mormon. She sells vegetables on Thursdays, so we also bought what is apparently the most delicious spinach in here, completely untainted by pesticides. ;) Later that night, we ate Tacos with N Kyodai and the Elders!

FRIDAY

My very last Zone Training Meeting, in Abeno in Osaka, which was really good. Welch Kaicho is making a big push on personal conversion to the Book of Mormon and using it more effectively in our lessons now, so now everyone is supposed to read the Book of Mormon together by the end of February! Which is awesome! I`ve had a goal since August or so to read the Book of Mormon once more by the end of my mission, and I`m in Alma 42 right now...can I do it? がんばります!　

We also talked about what recently became our new mission theme, `Walk with Me` from Moses 6:33-34 I think, about walking with the Savior. At first, I was a little bit bummed, because our Zinke Kaicho theme `True Disciples, One and All` is the coolest thing ever. But, we talked about the reasoning behind it. According to Welch Kaicho, there are different levels in our relationship with God, made evident by the way the Lord addresses Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants, beginning first with `Joseph, my servant,` then progressing to, `Joseph, my disciple,` and finally, `Joseph, my friend.` A disciple is someone who FOLLOWS Christ. A friend is someone who walks BESIDE Him. And that`s the level we want to achieve. I LOVE this idea, and while `Walk with Me` may not yet sound quite as catchy in my ears, I love the idea behind it!

We went out to Indian Curry with some zone members afterwards, which was DELICIOUS! Then, we went to go visit a less active I haven`t met yet called K Kyodai with two brothers from the ward, and it was the first time that we`ve brought members to his house apparently. It went really well, and he was able to reestablish some ward relationships, and he says he`s going to come to church next Sunday! Apparently, he`s very well known for keeping his word.

Then we went to go teach our neighbor in our apartment, FSan. She`s so cool! We taught about prayer last time, and she`s been praying every night! She wants to grow closer to God, and is super cool.

SATURDAY

MY BIRTHDAY! Croft Shimai woke up early and made me pancakes because she`s a sweetheart, and then we went to go volunteer at the members` bread shop! Finally, we came back and taught FSan again, which was awesome. She says, `Of CourSE we need Christ`s help to get back to God!` I like her a lot.

SUNDAY

AWESOMENESS! P and his friend Tsan came to church early, and we taught them about what would happen at church! And apparently, P was reading the Book of Mormon throughout all of Sacrament meeting. Then, our referral from last week, NSan, a 31 year old engineer came and we met with him as well! He was a little bit trickier. His Japanese is CRAZY hard, and has responses to questions like, `I don`t think eternal life sounds desirable at all. If you`re happy all the time, you build up a tolerance to it, and then you`re not happy anymore. ` .... do you see my dilemma? He`s cool though, and coming again next week! Then, P and TSan invited us and MChan, a member, out to dinner, but we explained a little bit about the Sabbath and instead all made Yakisoba at the church! Which was fun.

And that`s all.

The church is true!

The book is blue!

Love, Sister Whitney

This is where we go running in the mornings. And this city loves deer so much, they`re even on the little bridge by where we go running.