He Knows Your Name

Dear One and All,

Well, my time in Hanayashiki has come to an end. It's a bittersweet end, but I have hope for the future. The future is bright. Hope is such a wonderful feeling. Knowing that the future holds amazing things, amazing miracles, well, it helps you to move forward. Knowing that what is ahead is even better and grander than what is behind -- that is true hope. And what is ahead truly is grand. One day each of us will be reunited with our King and Lord, and have eternal happiness. In our times of darkness, let us keep that image of bright hope foremost in our minds.

I have seen miracles here in Hanayashiki. I have preformed miracles here in the name of the Lord. I have learned more about the Lord, Jesus Christ, here than I have ever learned in my life. I have grown. I have changed. I am not the same person I was before, and I know that was all part of God's plan. God has got it all figured out. He has a plan. He knows what I need. He knows what to do to help me grow. He knows me perfectly. In fact, He knows each one of us perfectly. That's quite a thought, huh?

Think about it. God knows you by name. He is ever calling after you. Sure, we might not ever hear His actual voice, but that doesn't mean that He isn't there. That doesn't mean that He doesn't love us. 

Church leader Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: “I testify to you that God has known you individually ... for a long, long time.  He has loved you for a long, long time. He not only knows the names of all the stars, He knows you.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has told us: “No one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. He loves each of us – insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all. ... He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other.”

And finally, President Thomas S. Monson has said, “Heavenly Father loves you—each of you. That love never changes. It is not influenced by your appearance, by you possessions, or by the amount of money you have in your bank account. It is not changed by your talents. It is simply there. It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there.”

I have felt God calling my name. I have felt His love, and that love is what has brought me peace when I didn’t think that I would ever be able to find any. I know that He loves me. And I know that He loves you. It is a love that never ends.  It extends past all imagination. He loves you when you make mistakes. He loves you when you are doing what’s right. He loves you when you wake up, before you put on your make-up and you have some dried drool crusted on the side of your cheek. He loves you when you loose that basketball game. He loves you when you mess up that Chemistry test. He loves you when you are jamming out to music in your car. He loves you always. He loves you even when you don’t love yourself. In fact, I would think that he loves you especially hard then.

He is calling you by name.

How will you answer that call?

Sister Weigl

FIVE QUESTIONS:

1. Did you get any snow this week? 

No, we didn’t get any snow.  In fact, it’s slowly been warming up recently.

2. Have you seen any Cherry Blossoms yet, or is it too early?

It’s still too early; they come out in April. And since I am going to a new area, I don’t know if there will be a lot of them there.

3. Are there any special holidays in Japan for the months of April and May?

I have no idea.  Probably. I’ll let you know when they pop up.

4. Name one funny thing you or your companion did last week?

T shimia had a really runny nose, so she carried this pink towel around with her everywhere to use like a tissue.  Sooooo gross! And then sometimes she would wave it in my face, just to be funny, haha!

5. Who are the Elders serving with you in your current ward and do you see much of them through out the week?

A - Choro (he is from Australia, but he went home today)

G - Choro (he is half Japanese and from Minnesota)

R – Choro (he just came out to Japan this transfer)

We see t hem a good deal in the week.