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)

September 17, 2012

Today in Japan is a holiday in celebration of old people. Or something like that. So there is this old folks home that we go to about once a week and I am OBSESSED with these people. They are ANGELS. Every time we come they treat us like celebrities and thank us like 100 times for coming and for coming to their country and for learning their language and so forth. It is so tender. They always ask us if we have boyfriends and then tell us to marry a Japanese man. Actually everyone tells me to marry a Japanese man. Then they always ask us to sing hymns to them. They like Love at Home a lot. They always hum along even when they don't know the song at all. AND every time we come they see us to the door. All of them. Even the 99 year old grandma with her walker. Then they wave to us and tell us to come back soon until they can't see us anymore. They are all sooo funny and interesting! This picture is one we took today with them. I love Japanese people.

 

Okay so last week we were housing (going door to door) and we went to this one house and no one answered and it sounded like there was a shower on inside the house (yes the houses are small and the walls are paper thin so that you can hear if they are in the shower or pretty much doing anything). Anyway they didn't come to the door so we left and about 30 minutes or so later we came back. I had my companion ring the doorbell so she could do the talking and get some practice in. She rang the door bell thing (I guess you should know most homes in Japan have intercom speaker things with cameras on them) and the man on the other side started speaking really fast in Japanese and my companion said thank you and then we started walking away. I was wondering how my companion understood so well to know what to say back so I asked her if she understood what he said. She was like yeah I understood so of course I was like, okay what did he say? And she was like I don't know exactly what it was but he said he wasn't interested in hearing our message, that he is Buddhist or something. I laughed and then informed her that what he really said was that he had just gotten out of the bath and he is still naked. HAHAHAHAhahahaha We both laughed real hard at that one.

 

Life is good, it is starting to get cooler. Soon I will send a picture of my tanline on my feet from my shoes. I am so proud of it. My companion eats her toast with butter and slices of bananas on it. And she drinks more milk in a day then I do in a week.

 

That's all!!!

 

LOVE YOU!!!

Love,

xoxo

gg

Ariel

September 11, 2012

hilsener familie!!!!! (Greetings family!!) again, Danish

 

So for pday this week we had Zone pday and we all went to an island called Enoshima. It is the only island that we as missionaries can go on in our mission. It was awesome. I LOVED being by the ocean and feeling the fresh sea breeze. So the first attached picture is of our zone on a random bridge on the island. There are a lot of red bridges here.. Can't tell you why. 

Picture number 2 is a picture of my companion and I in front of the ocean. That's as close as we got! Don't doubt I wanted to jump in! 

Picture number 3: you know you are a missionary in Japan when you find yourself cleaning a shrine to ancestors in a less active's home. That's the kind of service I did this week!

 

So on Sunday one of the young women in our ward brought her friend and so we got to teach her friend during Sunday School time. We taught her a lesson about the Restoration of Christ's church and it was AMAZING. Every time I teach that lesson it reconfirms to me that we are a part of the restored church of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. That we have the keys to exhaltation. That ROCKS. Anyway, the spirit was really strong and I loved testifying to her that she found the answer to all the questions she has been wondering about what her purpose is here in this life. She is an angel I love her!

 

And before I go because I don't have much time, surprise surprise I know..., fun fact about my companion! (I think I am gonna have those every week for the next little while, she is SO interesting, I just sit and ask her questions like all day I love it) My companion can count the amount of times she has been to McDonald's in her life on two hands. Yep. True statement.

 

Anyway... Have a great week!!!!

 

LOVE YOU

xoxo

gg

Ariel

September 3, 2012

Hej!!!!!! (that's hello in Danish)

 

Yep you read it right! My companion is full on from Denmark! Luckily she speaks English. She is 21 years old, she likes puppies, plays the flute, speaks 3 languages and is working on Japanese as her 4th, has 8 people in her family, hates peanut butter (yeah I'm still confused about that one), accidentally pushed the emergency button at the bathroom in the train station today (that was funny), and she is an angel and a half. Her name is Sister Champenois and she is a Mormon. (if you got that reference, you're a nerd, and we are friends.) We have had many adventures this week as I have started to help her adjust her to missionary life in Japan. (even though I feel like I got to Japan 2 seconds ago)  It was a week of many firsts. My first time training (obvi), her first time being in Japan, drinking mugicha (wheat tea that EVERYONE drinks here, don't worry we're allowed to drink it), eating natto, using chopsticks, sending a text message (yep, true.), and a lot of other things I can't think of. But seriously I have learned SO MUCH in just these few days we have been companions. Champenois shimai has SO much FIRE for the work and love for the people. I have been humbled so much and I know I will continue to be humbled again and again. I am grateful for that opportunity. Training makes you realize your weaknesses and strengths all at the same time. I also feel like I am learning a lot about motherhood. Who would have known a mission would be so good to learn how to be a mom?! haha

 

So this week we went and visited a family in our ward named the Koyamagishi family. I am obsessed with them. They are hilarious and we were talking about how much English they know and the Dad was like, all I know is "you're nose hairs are sticking out" and then he laughed and said he loves saying it to the Elders because they always cover their face and run to the bathroom. It was really funny. Maybe you had to be there.. haha ANYwayzzzz, they have two little boys who are ADORABLE. We went and had dinner with them and then had a lesson about how we can prepare to go on a mission by putting on the whole armor of God. The little boys were so excited about going on a mission and showed me their little piggy bank of about 30 dollars that they have saved up. When we asked them what we need to do to prepare for a mission one of them was like, uhhhh learn how to iron? and the other was like, uhhh be able to wash dishes by yourself? it was sooooo cute!!!!!!!!! I just love seeing the future of the church and how their parents are doing their best to raise their kids right. There might be some pretty weird slash different stuff about Japan but the church and the gospel and the moral values that parents want to teach their children are definitely the same. I love that!

 

Okay so the pictures explanation:

 

Picture number one is of my companion and I right after we became companions at the mission office in front of "the bush" where everyone gets their picture taken when they enter the mission. This is the day when I went to pick her up from the mission office.

 

Picture number two is of my companion's first night in Japan taken like 10 seconds before we went to bed. As you'll notice I have a robe on. Some things never change.

 

Picture number three is of my FIRST CAPRI SUN IN OVER A YEAR. I literally almost died. And that is an understatement. There is a military missionary senior couple in our district that have access to the military base so they brought these to District Meeting. They are angels from above!!! Which brings me to my next point: Happy Labor Day!!!

 

Today for p-day we celebrated Labor Day by going to the military base and having a barbeque with the English Military branch. It was delicious. ANY chance I get to have a nice hamburger, a chocolate chip cookie, and loud Americans, I relish in.

 

Welp, that was my week! I love this work! It's the best!

 

LOVE,

xoxo,

gg

Ariel

 

p.s. good news, one of our investigators who is this old man that we met housing, got new teeth!!!! We went to teach him a lesson yesterday and he opened the door and without even thinking I said "he has teeth!!!!" hahaha I was so surprised! Usually he has none so it was quite the change. My companion thought that was rather funny... okaylikebye

August 27, 2012

Hello!

 

Another transfer has passed, I have officially been on my mission for one year, and my new companion is currently on a plane on her way to Japan from the MTC! A big week! Picture #2 is of me beating out my companion's futon which are the beds (more like little mats) that we sleep on. Picture #1 is of how I celebrated my 1 year mark. Ate some ice cream. Looking back at the last year of my life and especially reading my journal entry from exactly a year ago, I realize just how different I am now. I feel like I knew nothing except that I love my Savior. Obvi thats good I knew that but I feel like other than that I was clueless. I feel like now I have a much clearer idea of what I want and what is really important. I am so excited that I still have 7 months to give my ALL to these beautiful people to help them come unto Christ.

 

This week I gave one of my investigators a piggy back ride. Facer shimai has the picture so I will have to send that at a later date but believe me when I say it was hilarious. You would have to know the investigator but I was literally crying laughing. I haven't given someone a piggy back ride in FORevzzzz. It was so funny!

 

So I don't know who I will be training yet. We will meet all the new missionaries tomorrow and then our Mission President will decide who we will be training. So next week be looking forward to see/ hear about my new companion!!!

 

This work is the best! It's all true!!!

 

Love you!!!!!!!!!!

love love,

xoxo

gg

August 22, 2012

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Life ROCKS!!!!!

 

No time no time sorry sorry! I'm doing the fastest email time of my life okay so here goes!

 

Picture number one: I'm obsessed with this picture mostly because I am obsessed with the people surrounding me in it. The one on my right is none other than our BISHOP. I LOVE THIS MAN. He is hilarious. Full on witty. And the other one is one of his couselors. They both ride their bikes to church every week. They are the bomb. We all had to take pics in our helmets. We're so cool.

 

Picture two: This is my current district. Each and every one of them so unique it hurts. I love every minute of District Meeting every week. It is like prime time television except a little more spiritual and no commercials or Ryan Seacrest. Love it!

 

Picture three: This is me at our local grocery store in the fish section that is bigger than all the other meat sections combined times 2 maybe. Anything you could ever imagine that comes from the ocean. What a dream. You may or may not notice but it just so happens that one of our investigators has a daughter who just so happens to do eyelash extensions. Don't doubt I went and got my eyelash extention on for p-day. That. Was also a dream. Told you I'd find them here. That pic is for you Jaycee.

 

Anyway, I'll let the pictures talk for this week. I love all of you, I love this work, and most of all, I love my Savior!!!

 

Until next week when I will most likely have a new companion!

 

love love,

xoxo,

gg

Ariel

August 13, 2012

Jungle fever as in we seriously live in a JUNGLE as you can tell by the picture of a spider I included. That was taken very close to our apartment in the entrance to a park we have to ride through to get to our church. This park is more like a jungle. The other picture I included was taken at an all mission conference we had a few days ago. The featured elder is my second cousin I never knew I had, Elder McGahan. Small world eh? Anyways he was confused when I marched right up to him and was like hey! we're related!!! I love doing stuff like that.

 

Sooooo this week...

 

Like I said we had an all mission conference and I LOVE those. It was the first time we have been all together since we got a new mission president. We did all kinds of things that if I wrote them you would think, what a DORKY missionary thing but I was eating up every second. If you would like to catch up with the details and much much more, feel free to visit japantokyomission.blogspot.comour new mission blog! There you can find all sorts of goodies! Just in case you would like to stalk me more! Anyways, I love mission conferences because they remind me that I am not alone and I have an army of thousands of missionaries around the world working towards the same GREAT cause. Not to mention I have the Lord with me every day. #luckily

 

We also had a ward activity on Saturday that was SO fun! It was a curry competition. Where everyone makes curry and brings it to the church and we EAT! It was delicious and SO fun!!! Especially because a couple of our investigators came and brought their WHOLE family! Activities are such a great way to help investigators realize how much of a family each ward is. I really love it. Also, as the third picture explains, we played a game where you get blindfolded and spun around and then go try to whack open a watermelon with a stick. Genious. I don't know WHY we don't play this game in America it is the bomb. Go ahead, try it at your next party, it'll be a hit for sure!

 

Believe it or not, sometimes missionary work is hard. I know, shocking right? Well remember the investigator I told you about last week? She called us before church yesterday and told us that she wouldn't be coming. Later we found out that it was because she didn't want to go because she doesn't understand Japanese. It is an understatement to say I was devastated. I was sitting in sacrament meeting just wanting to sob. BUT as I was praying during the sacrament I knew that no matter what happens, number 1: I have a Savior who is there for me and knows EXACTLY how I feel. number 2: I have to be strong and continue to brighten the day of everyone I come in contact with because I am a representative of Christ and that is what Christ would do and number 3: I feel like I have said this so many times but, the Lord has a plan for each and every one of His children. That includes Chou san and every other person I have ever met in Japan and every single person reading this email. He loves ALL His children. I feel SOOOOO grateful that I know that truth. I feel SOOOOOO grateful that whenever I feel alone I can get on my knees and remember I am NEVER alone. It hurts my heart to think that not everyone has that knowledge and THAT is why I am on a mission. I love it. I love Japan. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Remember, through love, we find happiness, through the love of God we find joy evermore.

 

I LOVE you!!!!

 

love,

xoxo,

gg

Ariel