Never Lose Faith

Letter Home: Mission Life

There is something called Lesson Mastery. To complete Lesson Mastery you must master teaching 5 lessons in three lengths each:  short, medium, and long.  We are encouraged to complete Lesson Mastery and to practice teaching the lessons to members of the church.

Sister Breksa: Movie star or missionary?

For Such a Time as This

Read it the story of Esther Here

    Watch: The wonderful video presentation of the story and power of one woman. Notice: She didn't do it alone.  She had Mordecai.  

Letter Home: Biking 20 minutes to eat an American breakfast

On the way there we go through a long tunnel. Because the sounds of the cards speeding by are loud I sang out loud, "there is beauty all around, when there's love at home"*  somewhat breathlessly. [Sister Breksa loves to sing and has a very nice soprano voice.]  Then we crossed a bridge. It smelled like home - cold ocean water. Then near the end of the bridge it smelled like campfires. I love both of those smells.  I like that bridge.

This was no ordinary breakfast. Unlike my previous area we ate food from America and shared stories in English! I had American milk (Japanese milk is different), frozen blueberries and strawberries (which I've been craving), eggs, and sausages and waffles. Haven't had those for a while. Its the best.

I love it here in Japan!  I am so glad that I have this opportunity to serve the Lord as He needs me.


*These are from the LDS Hymn "Love at Home."  On occasion Sister Breksa's mom would sing this when her children would fight. It wasn't the message of the hymn that had an effect, rather if they wanted their mom to stop signing, they'd have to stop fighting. 

Japan: JPOP Band 'Da-iCE' Official Dance Practice Video

This got a thumbs up from Sister Breksa's younger sister.  
We only know they'll be back.

Japan: JPOP Da-iCE in their 'Splash' Music Video

Letter Home: Photos

This is the funky hat she wears when she exercises in the cool mornings.

Sister Breksa said this picture was taken at a baptism.  
We are hoping for more details in a letter...soon.

Must be Preparation Day!

Preparation Day is the one day a week missionaries have to do laundry, sight see, write letters/emails, and shop. The day ends with a meeting with the group of local missionaries - that group is called a District. Elders are called to be a District Leaders.
After that early evening meeting, their missionary work begins again. Missionary work includes service, study, finding people who want to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Missionaries have been known to work 70+ hours a week.  They work this hard because they know living the Gospel brings peace and eternal joy. They want  to share understanding and teach how to live the Gospel. 

Peace and eternal joy are too good not to share!

LDS Teachings: What basketball and Mormon standards have in common

Six Mormon Standards that Add to the Happiness of All Who Live Them

-Honesty-  -Sexual Purity-   

-Loving Family Relationships-   

-Modesty -   -Forgiveness-   -Service-

In the video popular speaker John Bytheway explains what basketball and Mormon standards have in common.

Vocabulary from the video: WARD, a local congregation, FASTING, we give up 2 meals on the first Sunday of the month and then give the money we would have spent on those meals to others (a Fast Offering)  TITHING, 10% of our monetary increase is given to the church

Japan: Bullet Train

"Japan's main islands of Honshu and Kyushu are served by a network of high speed train lines that connect Tokyo with most of the country's major cities. Japan's high speed trains (bullet trains) are called shinkansen (新幹線) and are operated by Japan Railways (JR).

"Running at speeds of up to 320 km per hour, the shinkansen is known for punctuality (most trains depart on time to the second), comfort (relatively silent cars with spacious, always forward facing seats), safety (no fatal accidents in its history) and efficiency. Thanks to the Japan Rail Pass, the shinkansen can also be a very cost effective means of travel."

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2018.html

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/bullet-train-interior-20815420.jpg

You are Remembered and Loved

君が代 Kimigayo - National Anthem of Japan

This is a beautiful video.
Along with hearing 
"The Reign of Our Emperor," 
you will see images of 
Japan, national pride, festivals, the arts, traditions, city life, and the emperor and his family.

Gratitude

http://www.flcws.org/1bl_gs_fresco_chnc_det[1].jpg
Gratitude is deeper than thanks.

Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude.

Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness.

Thankfulness may consist of words.

Gratitude is shown in acts.

David O. McKay 

Dream of the "Tree of Life." (+playlist)

LDS Teachings: Lehi's Dream

http://ldsmag.com/ldsmag/medicine/080501tree.html

In The Book of Mormon we read the dream of the prophet Lehi as retold by his son, Nephi.  The story is famous in the church.  It is represented in music, entire speeches, Sunday School lessons, fine art, and children's story books (Children's narrated and illustrated story of Lehi's Dream).  Particular phrases are used by Mormons: "Hold to the rod," "the straight and narrow path," and the "tree of life."

lds.org

Reference to the iron rod is use most as part of a sentence which is both instruction and a plea; "Hold to the Iron Rod."  The Iron Rod is the scriptures. 

Scriptures are declarations and explanations of God's love for us and a record of His commandments.  They teach of redemption and eternal life. 

Scriptures stories are motivators to keep the commandments. They give us examples of people(s) living the commandments and their deliverance/blessings or not living the commandments and their destruction/misery. 

Mormon scriptures are The Holy Bible (King James Version), The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.  These four books of scripture are called, "the four standard works."

Letter Home: Mornings

     In the mornings I go out to the deck and jump around for exercise. The air is cool. Because the deck is small, I do the following: knee lifts, lunges, and jumping. Because it is getting chilly in the mornings I wear a funky warm hat and a purple sweater.
     I can see the red sun rising a little to my east. Below is the parking lot for the apartment and a narrow road. I see a schoolgirl pass on a cruiser-like bike. And maybe 2 other men bike by. 

     Sometimes I smell fish cooking from one of the 3 houses to my right. A man comes out from an apartment to my left, sits down, and reads some papers as he smokes. That does not smell good.

     I can hear washing machines and sounds of sizzling (cooking). Washing machines here are very loud. They spin the clothing very fast to get out as much water as possible so that when they hang to dry they dry faster. 

LDS Church History

THE MORMON BATTALION

http://californiapioneer.org/historic-events/mormon-battalion

The artist of this painting, George Ottinger married into one of Sister Breksa's ancestor's family and traveled with his wife's family during the exodus to Utah.  

Another of George Ottinger's paintings is of the driving of the golden spike at Promotory Point, Utah - Another one of Sister Breksa's ancestors, Abraham Hunsaker, was at that event and was a member of the Mormon Battalion.

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“In June of 1846, there were approximately 15,000 Latter-day Saints strung out across Iowa in about a half dozen makeshift encampments. They had been forced to leave their comfortable homes in the city they had built, Nauvoo, Illinois. They had endured a tragic exodus across Iowa. Many had died of starvation, exposure, and disease during the cold winter and wet springtime. They had no homes, no property, and no clothing except what they carried in their wagons or wore upon their backs. By crossing the Mississippi River, these pioneers had left the United States, and were moving west to a destination they knew not, where they hoped to live in peace.” 

(http://californiapioneer.org/historic-events/mormon-battalion)

Church leader Brigham Young sought a solution for the Saint’s dire financial problems. He sent a messenger to President Polk with a proposal. The Saints would ‘fortify and defend the West.' With the start of the Mexican-American War, President Polk responded with the offer to form a Mormon battalion of 500 men.

President Young agreed. 500 men volunteered. While they did not participate in a battle, the battalion completed the longest military march in US history. 

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