October 2, 2012

HELLOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yes. We had a typhoon. Yes. I am alive. It was nbd.

 

This picture was taken today when a bunch of the shimai from our mission went on a little outing together after going to the temple in the morning! And where did we go? Yes of course we went shopping at none other than Forever 21 in downtown Tokyo. I seriously LOVE this city!!!!! It is the bomb!!! And have I ever mentioned that I LOVE the sisters in this mission?! Well, I do. So much.

 

Okay so this week we have had a lot of miracles!!! We have been working really really hard to find new investigators lately and for a while we were having no luck at all. It was pretty disheartening I am not going to lie but as the Lord knows the exact formula of challenges and obstacles we need in order to grow in the exact way that we need to do it, I am all the better person for it. It is kinda like when you are going along in life and one sucky thing happens and then all the sudden 100 other sucky things happen two seconds later and you're like ummmm I am pretty sure I didn't order these things. BUT when all is said and done, you are on your knees thanking the Lord for what you have learned in a way that you wouldn't have been able to learn otherwise. (does that make sense? please pardon my grammatically incorrect sentences). Anyway the other day my companion and I were at the train station waiting for the elders and I was standing next to this girl in high school. Of course I started talking to her and I found out that she likes cooking. It just so happens that I had mom's cookie recipe (thanks mom!!!) written in my planner because I made cookies a few weeks ago for an activity. So don't doubt it, I stood there and wrote out mom's recipe on none other than a church flier. I gave it to her, invited her to a fall festival we were having in our ward and then the elders got there so we left. It was one of those finding situations where you just pray that they might call or show up but there is no way for you to contact them again. Fast forward 2 days later and we are at the fall festival at our church. My companion and I were making pancakes (which by the way were all the rage) and all of the sudden the girl from the station walks in!!! She came up to us and it was one of those moments where you meet one of the 100's of people you talk to on the streets for the second time and you panic a little bit like, where did I meet this person, who are they? I don't remember anything! But, after pretending I knew and talking a little bit I remembered. Thank goodness. Anyway, she brought a friend and we gave them a tour of the church and they BOTH became new investigators! It was SUCH a happy day!

 

Also a couple of days ago we were housing (knocking doors) and we met a CUTE little family of a mom and two little girls and they became investigators too!!!! So exciting!! The little girls are really excited about the whole being an eternal family thing. It is adorable. I LOVE THIS WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I am praying for all of you! Keep on keepin on! Just when you think you can't go on any longer, just hold on a little bit longer and it is AFTER that trial of your faith that you will see the blessings! Maybe in the form of a family wanting to hear about how they can be together forever, maybe not.. ;)

 

LOVELOVELOVEYOU!

 

Love,

xoxo

gg

Ariel

 

 

ps: awkward moment of the week:

 

 Phone conversation with a member this week:

 

us: "brother soandso, is there anything we can do to help you?"

him: "yes, I would like you and your companion to give me a massage at church on sunday."

us: "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh nope! We'll get the elders right on that!"

him: "no I want you and your companion"

 

likewhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttttttttttttttt??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #notfunnybrothersoandsojustcreepyonly

 

(no need to share that one with the ward mom)