Peace in Church

As some of you know from Martha's blog posts I have been in the middle of a move and house hunting and have been slacking on the blog posts for my sisters who are out serving The Lord. I am doing my best to play catch up so keep checking back this week for more updates on Jamie. Here is her most recent email.

Hi Family!

So I know that you already know because you were sent pictures but... Kara got baptized on Sunday! It was so great. She has just been wanting to get baptized for so long and so I am so happy for her that it was finally able to happen. It was so fun because the past couple of weeks we have just been really trying to get her involved with the ward and everyone has been so great. We took her with us for a couple of dinner appointments so that she could meet people. It was so much fun! For most of my mission I have not really gotten to experience the whole having dinner appointments.. so it has been really fun meeting with members and bring investigators along!

The work is still going just great. Honestly, we are so blessed and I am constantly amazed at how much the Lord really is in this work. He does everything. Haha we are just here because he can't be at the moment. He is preparing and sending so many people are way and it is just wonderful. He really is wanting His children to hear the gospel and He is getting it to them. So, there is this girl who use to be taught last January but she went home to China right before she was going to get baptized.. I guess there just wasn't enough time. Anyway, she is back! We met her yesterday and she is so wonderful. She is so excited to start having "classes" again. She is so cute. Our investigator Lee is still awesome! We love when we get to see him. It is so much fun! And actually, he is coming to Utah on the 28th of this month and he said if there is anything you want to give him to bring back to me that he would get it.... just saying. haha He is great. He is getting baptized on the 27th of this month and he is so excited about it. He is having a hard time because his family does not exactly support him with it but we have faith that it will still be able to happen. Also, do you remember the investigator we have, Maggie? Well she is just the cutest. She really wants to get baptized but there are some things that we are trying to figure out first. But it was the best moment ever. On Sunday we were sitting in sacrament meeting and during the sacrament she turned to me and this is what happened. Maggie: "I feel so peaceful when I sit in here. I just love it. How do you feel when you sit here?" Me:" I feel so happy and peaceful too." Maggie: "I don't like how it changes so much when I go outside and walk on the streets. I just want it all the time." Then I explained to her how that is what we can have as we are baptized and have the gift of the Holy Ghost. As we have that gift and remain faithful by keeping the commandments and studying, we can feel like that when we are just walking outside. She really started to think about it. Some of the commandments are hard for her, which I don't blame her it is a whole new change, but I could tell that she just really started to think about it a lot. It made me so happy just sitting there thinking that I am so blessed to be able to have the opportunity to help others come in to the gospel.

Okay so family, I have to tell you this story that happened... hahaha too good. So, there is a group of BYU-I students over here and I was standing at the front of the VC Sunday morning and they came and stood in the front. First of all, I got to see Kim who I coached volleyball with my first time coaching. It was the BEST thing ever. I just love her! But it was so fun because I saw so many people that I know on Sunday. Both of those people, then another girl and then I got to see the Andrus'. Ahh it was so fun!

Well family, I love you all so much! Thank you for being the best family EVER. And yes, you that don't write me, I guess I still love you too.... just kidding. I love you guys and I hope that you have a wonderful week! LOVE YOU!!

Love, Sister Ellsworth

Just started a new transfer a week or so ago and is still with Sister Sua! 

Her friend Kim, from BYUI was in London!

London is so beautiful! 

With their recent convert Kara

With the Andrus family from Draper, Ut, her home ward 

Having fun! 

Transfers!

October 6, 2013

Hi everyone!

 

This week has been good.  A little slow, but I guess I should expect that when sent to a mission in Japan.  It definitely is not the Phillipines or South America.  Slowly but surely, the work will move forward.  We are promised at one time the work here will astonish the world, so we just have to keep working towards that goal.

 

So this week, I had a proud moment as a future dietitian.  My companion doesnt eat very healthy.  She has gained over 20kg since her mission and she is only 3rd transfer.  Yikes!  Its hard to sometimes sit back and just watch her eat a huge bag of chips everyday.  But lately Ive been teaching her about how to make meat a little healthier.  For instance, I tell her to drain the meat and cut off the excess fat (I swear in Japan, they sell fat with a tiny bit of meat rather than meat with some fat on it).  Anyway, everytime I would ask her to do that, she would just complain and thought I was so weird.  But then this week, she started draining and triming the meat without me even asking.  I know, it sounds ridiculous and nerdy to be happy over that, but Im glad she has made just a little step towards being healthier.

 

On Saturday, we got to watch the Relief Soceity Broadcast- family, remember, we are fifteen hours ahead and they have to translate it into Japanese for eveyone else so we watch one wee later.  This means that sadly I have to wait until next week to watch General Conferences, but Im excited to do so.  The Relief Soceity Broadcast was so good!  I loved Sister Reeves talk about Sacrament meeting.  President Zinke has been really pushing the importance of sacrament meeting lately, so it was cool to hear the same words coming from church headquarters.  Other than that, it has just been another week.  I think I told you last week, but our one investigator isnt getting baptized.  She couldnt give up smoking.  But its sad because now she is so ashamed that she may drop herself.  Our other investigator Joey is so ready for baptism and wants to be baptized, but still wont try to get off of work so he can come to church.  He hasnt fully put his priorities in order.  Anyway, thats all for this week.  I transfer on Thursday, but I dont know if Im going or staying- they havent sent that email yet.  If I get it soon though, Ill make sure to send out a quick email to let you know where I am going.  Love you all!

 

Ellsworth Shimai

So family, Im transferring!  Im going to fushimi which is in Kyoto- so excited!  I hear it is beautiful there.  Plus Im getting a nihonjin companion.  Im a little extremely nervous for this, but it will be good for me.  Hopefully I will get better at the language this way. 

Pictures from her area:

New Transfer, New location

I am sorry that I have not been posting about Martha's experiences in Japan recently. We have moved but I am not back on it and will be back posting this week. Here is Martha's most recent email. She sounds like she's really enjoying her new area:

So I am in Fushimi and it is absolutely gorgeous!  So mnay mountains and trees and all of the famous castles are in my area.  So I now with a Nihonjin comapaion.  Not going to lie, its rough.  They are strict in areas they dont need to be.  For instance, she kind of got upset at me for writing in my journal after planning.  I was not okay with that.  But luckily I dont really get too scared of people so I told her that it actually suggests we write in our journal in the white handbook and that even the prophet writes in his.  She backed down.  However, after　this short little time, I think my brain is about to explode with Japanese.  That first day was rough.  I had no food and I had been speaking and listening to 6 hours straight of Japanese.  Literally thought I was going to faint.  

Plus, imagine this- dad, i will use you in this example.  Imagine arriving to a new area and your bike was one of those beach bum bikes (called mamachatis).  Now imagine if it were moms size (for me, nihonjin size).  Now imagine if the tires were flat and everyday just to get from the church to your apartment (so at least once a day) you had to bike up 123rd.  And then to find places to go housing, you had to bike up highland drive twice.  Yeah, I thought I was going to die. To get anywhere here, you have to go through a mountain pass.  I was struggling to keep up.  I mean I knew I was out of shape but I didnt think I was that much.  My knees were dying by the end of each night and somehow I got shin splits.  I suppose I was try to use my feet more to take the pressure off of my knees.  Luckily, Scheffler shimai (roomie) was willing to trade with me.  Her bike is a bit bigger.  O it made all the difference.  Seriously, I was beating my companion up the mountain now.  Who knew just a small change in bike could make the world of a difference.  So then during conference, this is the connection I made to missionary work- and this applies to us all because we all are missionaries.   Both bikes got the job done.  I was able to go where I needed to go.  But the larger bike for me was much more effective and enjoyable.  So which bike am I going to be in missionary work?  The more effective and fun missionary or the tired, one that only works because it has to type of missionary/ person?  Will align my will with the Savior or will I do what He asks but do it grudgingling. Well Im trying to be the first.  Not sure if Im there yet, but Im working on it.  Anyway, sorry if none of that made sense.  It does in my brain so I guess that is all that matters. Anyway, conference was great!  I Elder Ballards was so motivating and i absolutely loved Gifford Neilsons from the Saturday session (exclamation point).  And then of course I loved President Monsons on Sunday.  I dont know if you can tell, but Japan is a hard mission- the language, the people, the culture, the weather,and just everything.  But itll all be worth it in the end. 

Anyway, the area is great.  We have a lot of young investigators which I love.  The older you get the more stubborn you are.  We got a referral this past week and she is amazing!  She just got a flyer and decided to come to church.  When she went to Relief Society, she bore her testimony. Plus she opens up to people (not a nihonjin trai).  She wants to get baptized, so we just have to teach her basically.  It just goes to show how much the Lord is in this work.  We didnt prepare her.  The Lord did.  `You will find them or they will find you.`  Anyway, I cant wait to teach her.  Anyway, I think that is all for this week.  Sorry, I know have to go to an internet cafe so I dont have as much time.  Love you all and thanks for your support.

Ai shite imasu

Ellsworth Shimai

Here are a few pictures from her last area. She is such a cute sister missionary!

Martha in front of osaka jou- eight stories high

Shin shimai and Martha overlooking the city