Christmas Morning

Opening the box of gifts from home! Looks like she is moving fast!

A soft scarf from her Visiting Teacher!  Visiting Teachers are an important part of the Relief Society.  Women are assigned to visit and teach other women.  It is a wonderful program. Sisters help each other in times of need, celebrate with each other in times of joy, and help each other enjoy the blessings of life. 

Two angel ornaments with missionary tags.

Priesthood Power

During our Christmas Eve conversation with Sister Breksa (she is allowed to call home on Christmas and Mother’s Day) she told us of a dear sister they’ve come to love.  This sister lives on the top of a hill which is quite a struggle to bike up. To demonstrate how steep the hill is, she told us when they bike down with out using their brakes they go as fast as the auto traffic. They are visiting the sister in hopes that she will develop an understanding of her worth to her Heavenly Father.

Looking through Windows

How to Reach Your Possibilities

Japan: おてあらい, (oh te ari) survival guide

If you plan on using public bathroom おてあらい in Japan, bring your own hand towels.  Many bathrooms do not provide air hand dryers or paper towels.  You can purchase the hand sized hand terry cloth towels at 100 ¥ (dollar stores). 

If you need to ask where a bathroom is, you will say, "otearai wa doko desu ka?"  お手洗いはどこですか？ (oh te ari wa doe ko des ka?)

You will also find 'cold' as the only water temperature option.  

Pubic restrooms do have Western toilets. The stall doors will have an icons of Japanese or Western toilets. In fancier places there are very fancy Western toilets.  They have heated seats and built in bidets with warm and cold water temperature options. 


In homes, the toilet has a separate room from the sink and shower.  There are little hand washing sinks on the lid of the toilet tanks.  To enter the toilet room, you will slip off house slippers and slip on special plastic slippers.

By the way, hand washing is BIG deal in Japan.  They even have hand washing stations in McDonalds and mall food courts.

A recent Q and A email between Sister Breksa and her younger sister. Asking the questions was a requirement for a Venturing award.

Q  How did God call you? 

A   I was called by a prophet of God and set apart by God’s power and authority to represent Christ. 

Q   How did you respond? 

A   I try to live in such a way that I can represent Christ.

Q    What doubts did you have? 

A    I do not doubt the authenticity of my calling or that it is from God. I know that with the Lord I can accomplish all that He would have me do. I know that He will watch over and protect my family. I just hope and pray that I can do all that He would have me do. 

Q   What help or assistance has God provided you this calling? 

A    God is always helping missionaries!

He helps us by providing:

Rules

Inspired leaders

The Spirit

Scriptures

Inspired Teaching Resources

Q    How do you continue to know God’s will? 

A    Through striving to become like Christ. For example, when we are humble we are open to the promptings of the Spirit, through which we can learn of God’s will. When we are obedient, we live worthy such that we can have the companionship of the Holy Ghost. 

Q What special challenges do you face? 

A Everyone has challenges... A mission is tough. But I guess special ones unique to just me would be overcoming my weaknesses, such as improving my delivery in speech.....  

Q What do you find most rewarding about your work?

A Just the little things.... but the most rewarding is assurance from God which is the joy and peace that comes from knowing that you have done all that you could have done.

A Gift to the World

Merry  Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Letter Home 23 December

This last week went by so fast!  

I cannot believe it is already P[reparation]-day. It was a great week. Yes, we set appointments and no one came. Yes, my toes get frozen. Yes, we cannot get a hold of an investigator. And, yes, I have been invited to mass twice now…but the work is truly moving forward, and I am loving it out here. 

Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration

This video is an hour long.  Today, December 23rd is Joseph Smith's birthday.  I thought it would be nice to share a little about his life and work.  
The video is worth your time. 

母

The formal name for mother in Japanese is pronounced

haha and written はは