Skyscraper Love: A Love that Casteth Out Fear

Dear Minnasan, 

I am rather short on time this week, so let me just share a scripture that really impressed me this week: 

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18).

Love is the key to dispersing all of our fears. 

Envision it this way. You are standing on the top of a skyscraper, in the middle of a storm. A really, really big storm. The wind is blowing and blowing, and the rain is coming down so hard, it's going sideways. To say the least, it's pretty dangerous up there. Now, if somebody asked you to walk along the edge of that skyscraper (no railings, no nothing to protect you from falling, and with that storm going on, there is a pretty large likelihood of you loosing your balance and falling), would you do it? No. Probably not. You would most likely fear falling off that edge. 

Now, let's add something to this hypothetical situation. Someone you love very deeply is walking on the edge of that very same skyscraper, in the middle of that very same storm. It could be your brother, your mother, someone you love more than life itself. And they start to slip. They are about to fall. What do you do then? 

Of course you wouldn't hesitate to run to the edge of that skyscraper. The danger, at that point, means nothing anymore, right? 

Perfect Love Casteth out Fear. 

Might we all remember that everyone around us is that beloved to God. Might we all remember that when we seek and show perfect love, we become closer to God. Might we all seek to have the kind of skyscraper-defying love for everyone. 

Sister Weigl

FIVE QUESTIONS: 

1. What do you like most about transfers?
There's a designated spot where missionaries all meet up and you get to see a lot of missionaries you haven't seen in a while -- like this time I got to see C-Shimai again, my companion from 2nd transfer. 

2. What do you like least about transfers? 
Packing. I really hate packing. That hasn't really changed though. (Katherine has always stressed about packing) 

3. What do you like about staying in your current area? 
I don't have to pack, haha. Plus, I already know all the ward members and where everything is.

4. Anything funny/unusual/exciting happen about/with your new companion this transfer?
Well, we saw this Swedish guy on the street across from us and T-Shimai just yelled out to him, "Do you speak English?" and because of that, we now have an appointment to meet with him tomorrow. 

5. What is one thing you learned about helping a companion to get ready to go home?
You accumulate a lot of junk on your mission. 

Direction Not Speed

Dear Minnasan,

This week has been a week full of miracles! Honestly, it was just one miracle right after another! I wish I had time to write about each and every one of them, because they are all so dear and precious to me, affirmations of God's love for his children, but I sadly don't have the time :(

To summarize, this week my companion and I went from virtually having no investigators, nobody to teach, to having five people who were interested to hear our message in a matter of two days! It was just a testimony to me of God's promises - they are real.

In the Doctrine and Covenants, it reads:

"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed" (D&C 123:17).

When we do all that "lies in our power," which means when we do all that we can possibly do, God will bless our efforts. He will take our efforts and magnify then far beyond our own possible abilities. I can testify of this, because I know my abilities are below par. They are far beneath that of what would be needed to do this work -- this is the work of God. This is the work of SAVING SOULS. Alone, I could never do that. But, when I do all that I possibly can, everyday, the Lord has and will bless me. This same promise is offered to all of us.

I can't say that I fully understand how to completely "rely on the Lord" yet, but I do feel like I am one step closer. And I think that is the key - one step at a time. Something my mission president said that really inspired me was this: It doesn't matter how fast you are going, what matters is the DIRECTION you are moving. If your course is off, then it doesn't matter how fast you're running, you'll never reach the finish line. You'll end up someplace completely different. And yeah, that's great, but in a race, nobody cares how fast you can run to the nearest McDonalds. What they care about is the finish line.

This week especially has affirmed my faith in what I already knew -- and it has reassured me that, as it says in Matthew, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Think about that for a moment. ALL THINGS. Not just some things, but all things. Can you imagine being able to do ALL THINGS? Can you imagine? Well, can you?

That is the beauty of having God on our side. When we believe in Him, all things truly are possible. There is no need to worry. No need to fear. God is on our side, and He will never leave.

This life is full of hellos and goodbyes. For example, this transfer I am saying goodbye to my wonderful companion. Life is just like that. You meet new people. You have to say goodbye, too. But God isn't like that. We will never once have to tell God goodbye, because He is always there for us. Even if we don't think we need Him, or if we can't see Him, He is there to love us and guide us. Always.

Let me tell you just one of the many miracles we experienced this week: One of our new investigators is named M-san. We taught her a lesson this last Monday, and my companion ended the lesson with a prayer. After the prayer, we asked M-san what she was feeling. She told us that during the prayer, she saw an eye in her mind. This eye was shinning and bright, and it was overlooking the whole earth. She said she felt this HUGE love, a kind of love that she couldn't comprehend or describe in words. My companion asked her to describe this eye more, and as M-san did, my companion pulled out a painting of Jesus Christ. At this moment, M-san gasped and told us that this painting of Jesus Christ was exactly what she saw in her mind during the prayer! She nearly started crying. She felt God's love for her.

Miracles are everywhere in this work. I can testify of that with renewed vigor because of the many, many miracles I have experienced in my own life, both big and small! I love the Lord. I love this work. I hope that I can give the Lord all my heart, might, mind, and strength everyday of my mission! That is the desire of my soul.

May it be the desire of your soul as well,

Sister Weigl

And, yes, they do celebrate Valentine’s Day in Japan. The funny thing though, is that it is sort of reversed. In America, it's usually the boy's job to give chocolates or whatever. But in Japan, on Valentine's Day, girls give their friends and boyfriends chocolate (preferably homemade). Then, on March 14th, which is called White Day, the boys give the girls something in return. I hope that makes some sense.

FIVE QUESTIONS:

1.  How often are transfers in Japan? 

Every month and a half or so.

2.  Do you go to the Mission Home to get your new companion or do they just come to you? How does the “meeting up” work out?
I'm not quite sure yet...I'll tell you about it next week.

3.  When do you find out if you are getting transferred? 

On Monday before transfers.

4.  Who informs you of a transfer?  Your mission president via phone, APs, District Leaders?  Email!

5.  Do they give you a day or so to unpack, and get supplies that you need for a new area?  How does that work?  

Usually transfers are on Thursday or Friday, so you have Monday and the rest of the week to pack for transfers.

Stop Dancing

Dear Minnasan,

This week I was able to meet with the Mission President and talk with him a bit. He told me something that has really changed how I have viewed things this week. He explained to me about how it's a CHOICE to let Satan into my head. It's a CHOICE to let him mess with my brain and "neutralize" my power as a missionary. He challenged me to just go a day without letting Satan mess with me. To go a day where I CHOSE to follow God the entire day and not give ear to Satan's voice.

The first day I tried this, I saw an immediate difference. I felt more happy and less nervous when I was out talking to people. I was really able to just say, "NO" to Satan whenever a thought came into my head that made me want to keep my mouth shut instead of opening it to share the gospel. The next day, I tried to do it again. It was harder that day. And even harder the next. It takes a lot of spiritual stamina to say no to Satan all the time. It really stretches your brain.

Since talking with the President, I've recently started to better understand the temptations of Satan in my own life. They aren't things like, "Go get drunk," but are more along the lines of not believing in myself. Not believing I can be a good missionary, or learn the language, or any other number of things. This week has really opened my eyes to something -- to the fact that I've been subconsciously listening to Satan's voice my entire life and not ever realizing it. President explained it like this - Satan isn't really all that creative. He only has one tune. Imagine that Satan has a piano, but instead of having many octaves and flats and sharps, it has only a single key. And Satan just keeps on playing that one key. Over and over and over again. But for some reason, we keep on dancing to it. We keep listening to the same temptations, and making the same mistakes.

I, for one, have resolved to stop dancing.

Why would I ever want to limit myself to listening to a single note be played over and over again, when I could be listening to Bach or Beethoven? Beautiful arrangements that fill our hearts with joy and peace and awe - Those are the word of Christ. Christ tells us we can do anything we put our mind to, because He is right there alongside us to help us.

My District Lead read me a quote this week that really solidified my thoughts on this subject: "We determine our own future...our destiny is determined by a single thought. Whatever the mind of man can see and imagine...it can achieve." Yeah I know, it sort of sounds like something you would get out of a fortune cookie. Or hear at some self-help conference. But it really hit home.

Ever since I can remember, I have been putting limitations on myself. Not entirely on purpose or consciously, but I have been doing it. I can't talk to that person, I'm not cool enough (in high school). I can't do this, I can't do that...and simply because I have always thought that way, I have never done any of those things. But it all starts with a single thought. If I believe I can, then I will.

The most important part though, is to remember the HOW. HOW can I do all those things? HOW can I say no to Satan? HOW can I stop dancing? I can try all I want, and I can think all I want, but none of that would make a difference without the atonement of Jesus Christ. I couldn't learn the language. I couldn't be a True Disciple. I couldn't CHANGE. But through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His grace, I can. We all can. I think that believing in Jesus Christ is connected to also believing in ourselves. Remembering who we are. And remembering our relationship to Him.

It won't always be easy. I think continuing to dance to the same old tune in the same old way is more comfortable than trying to learn something new, like the foxtrot or a concerto. But President Thomas S. Monson explains it like this:

"The battle for self-discipline may leave you a bit bruised and battered but always a better person. Self-discipline is a rigorous process at best; too many of us want it to be effortless and painless. Should temporary setbacks afflict us, a very significant part of our struggle for self-discipline is the determination and the courage to try again....Eternal life in the kingdom of our Father is your goal, and self-discipline will surely be required if you are to achieve it.”

May we all develop the Self-Disciple needed to say no to Satan, and to stop dancing.

Sister Weigl

Sister Weigl and T-shimai
January 2014
Hanayashiki, Japan

FIVE QUESTIONS:

1. When you get sick, where do you go in Japan? Doctor’s office?

The hospital. The hospital and the doctor's office are the same thing.

2. Do you have to make appointments in advance or do they let you “walk-in”?

You walk in, so you could be waiting awhile. You have to get a number, just like when we pick up medicine on the Military Base.

3. Do they have drug stores to buy over-the-counter medications for colds and such?

Yeah, they do.

4. Do the Japanese use home remedies for most of their ailments, or do they go to the doctor’s for everything (like Americans)?

Mostly, they just don't really use medicine. Japanese medicine isn't as strong as American medicine. H-Shimai (my trainer) never wanted to use American medicine because it was so strong.

5. Are there any “foods” that they use for specific things, like when you get a cold, etc.?

Eh....I have no idea.

Fear Not Little Children

Dear One and All,

What a week, what a week! So many things have been happening! First off, my companion and I have most likely spent more time out and on our feet this week than any other week. And not just this transfer. I'm counting my entire mission in that statement. I don't ever remember walking so much in my life! And Hanayashiki has SO MANY HILLS. Half of our area is just MOUNTAIN and the strange thing is, people live up there! Don't ask me what possessed them to buy a house on the side of a literal MOUNTAIN, but they did. And as a result, my companion and I gladly get to trudge up there to bring these people the gospel. It may be painful, but the pain is only temporary. What is a bit of sweat when it comes to Eternal Life?

My own Cup of Noodle Artwork

This week, my companion and I decided to try walking everywhere instead of biking to the places we needed to go, so that we could talk to more people. Because of that, we've definitely been able to invite more people to come unto Christ, but in the process, we have also successfully tired ourselves out to the point of it being ridiculous.

If any of you wonder what serving a mission is like, here is my definition: It's being so exhausted and tired every night that you feel like you are on the brink of death. And for some strange reason that others might not comprehend, you love it. You love that dead-but-not-dead-yet feeling. It's the best feeling in the world. You are happier than you have ever been. It truly is, as the saying goes, a labor of love.

A scripture that really stood out to me this week was Doctrine and Covenants 50:41, which reads, “Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me.”

“Little children”

On Saturday, we were out knocking on doors. It was just another day in the Japan Kobe Mission. I rang the door bell of a seemingly inauspicious looking apartment, when a little boy answered the door. He was about five years old and the first thing I noticed about him was the river of snot dripping from his nose. His mother appeared right behind him and told us that now was not a good time. Her son had influenza (the flu), so she couldn't talk to us right now. She shut the door and we began to walk away, ever moving on in the search for those who will accept the words of Christ.

We had taken only about three or four steps when this little boy opened the door again. He stretched out his little hand, reaching after us. His eyes seemed to say, "Come back! Please come back!" He knew us. He knew who we were, and who we represented. And he wanted us to come back. Then his mom wrangled him back inside the apartment, and the door closed again. This time for good.

“Fear not, little children, for you are mine.”

The image of that little boy reaching out to us will be forever etched in my memory. It reminds me of how each of us are reaching after our Lord and Savior, even Jesus Christ. We beg Him, “Come back” and the beauty of it is that He always does. He is perfect and we are not. He could easily run ahead and forget about us, His imperfect little brothers and sisters, But He never does. He never does.

“Fear not little children, for you are mine.”

With love,Sister Weigl

FIVE QUESTIONS:

1. What is the weather like in Japan right now?

It's pretty cold. But when I think about how cold it is in America, I guess it's not really that cold. Today it's about...40 degrees. But it feels like it's way colder because we spend all of our time outside.

2. Do you find it hard to ride a bike in layers and a coat?

Not really.

3. Have you had any fun(ny) bike experiences? Any crashes?

Funny you should ask that. I had a little incident just yesterday where I had a close shave with an old man, but everything is perfectly alright. Sometimes I forget that I need to be on the left side of the road instead of the right. You would think at this point that I would be able to remember that.

Cool Rainproof Basket Cover
(Hey, don't laugh...it keeps things dry!)

4. Have you had a flat or needed any bike repairs? Is there a local bike shop?

The bikes we have here are super new, since we just bought them about two months ago. So everything has been fine. If we need to get anything fixed though, we can just go back to the shop where we bought the bikes, which is close by.

5. What do you do with all your stuff when it rains (when riding a bike) to keep it from getting wet?
I have this rainproof basket cover, so I just put everything in there and zip it up, and it stays nice and dry.  Where do you put your bikes at night? Do you have a bike lock?  Our apartment has a place to put bikes. And yeah, we have locks.

Top Ramen Museum - Make your own Cup of Noodles
Look at all the fresh ingredients!

Last week, we didn't get to go to the Ramen Museum, but we did get to go today! It was super fun! We got to see a replica of the house where the very first instant ramen was made, and we even got to make our very own, customized CUP OF NOODLES! It was super awesome!

We Need to Have Hope

Dear One and All,

What a week! We have absolutely nobody to teach! BUT I'm not looking at this as a bad week, or that I am a failure. In fact, I think I have learned a lot more from this week than I have in weeks where I've taught lots of lessons. Sometimes, I feel like the Lord gives us some harder times so that we can learn and grow. It is through these times that we learn lessons that we would not have otherwise learned. If we always had success, we would not learn how to deal with failure.

I made my own sushi!

It's the same in every book that I've read -- think about it. Harry Potter. The Lord of the Rings. The Hunger Games. All of those books are interesting and good because the main character has trials and LEARNS FROM THEM. If everything was all fine and dandy, why would we want to read about it?

In a talk from one of our church leaders, a man named Elder Uchtdorf, he explains it like this:

“I am sure you are aware that every cultural tradition is rich with journey stories. For instance, you may be familiar with the journey of Dorothy and her dog, Toto, in The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy and Toto are swept up in a tornado an deposited in the Land of Oz. There, Dorothy finds that distinctive, yellow-brick road that makes the path for a journey that eventually leads her home. Then there is Charles Dickens’s Ebenezer Scrooge, whose journey takes him not from place to place but from time to time. It’s a journey right within his own heart that helped him to understand why he became the way he was and to see what would happen to him if he continue on his path of selfishness and ingratitude...And of course there is Bilbo Baggins, the small, unassuming hobbit who would have very much preferred to stay home and eat his soup. But after a knock at his door, he follows the call of the great unknown and steps out into the world, together with a wizard and a band of dwarfs, to fulfill a dangerous but vitally important mission...Don’t we love these journey stories because we can see ourselves in the travelers? Their successes and failures can help us find out own way through life. (The Wonderful Journey Home)”

Then there is the story of a man who did nothing but serve those around Him. He showed love and kindness to all He met. He even sacrificed His life for them, His friends. Yes, Christ, the greatest of us all, the Son of the very living God, experienced hard times too. More than any of us can fathom. More than any of us will ever have to experience. His own people, the very people He served and loved and taught among, rejected Him. They did not understand who He was, or what His purpose was. Even Christ's closest friends denied that they knew Him. The very people He had sacrificed so much for sentenced Him to death. If that isn't a hard time, then I don't know what is.

But then, I think of all that came to pass because of that "hard time." Because Christ suffered a short while, we all can overcome death and sin. We can return to our Heavenly Father and have Eternal Life. That, in the long run, made all the suffering and pain and sorrow worth it. And Christ knew that. He never lost sight of that. He ALWAYS remembered His purpose in life, and that made all the "hard times" worth it to Him. In the same way, we need to remember in our harder times, that not only does it all have purpose, but it is also part of God's plan. These hard times refine us and make us better. We just need to have hope.

In the missionary handbook, Preach My Gospel, it describes hope as "an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something will occur. When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good. Hope helps you conquer discouragement."

We all just need to have the HOPE that God will ALWAYS fulfill His promises. Our hard times have meaning. At the end of our stories, there is victory. There is the House Cup. Our home in the Shire. Christmas Morning.

Hope for your future, for it is bright,

Sister Weigl

At a Relief Society (church) activity

FIVE QUESTIONS:

1. How often do local women wear the native dress?  Like the holiday for when they turn 20?  Any other ones?

Mostly, you just see really old people wearing kimonos sometimes, and you hardly EVER see men in the traditional clothing. Mostly just for family pictures or weddings or other special holidays.

2. Is there a men's equivalent of the native dress? 

Yes, there is. It's called a hakama. 

3. Where do most people buy their clothing?  Is there special shops for the native dress? Can you go to a shop and get your pictures done in a kimono?

I don't really know where people buy them, probably just at a kimono store or something. And yes, you can go get your picture taken in the traditional clothing, but it is REALLY expensive because it takes forever to put a kimono on.

4. How do most people do their laundry?

They wash it in a washing machine and then hang it out to dry. No dryers.

5. Do they have dry cleaners in Japan?  Or places you can take to have your laundry done?

Hmmmmm I don't think so...maybe. Okay, I have no idea really.

Make Weak Things Become Strong

Hello one and all!

It's been cold here in Japan, but from what I've heard from the church members here, it's even colder in America! I hope everybody is staying warm and drinking lots and lots of hot chocolate! Whenever my companion and I return to our apartment after a long day of walking the streets of Japan, my companion ALWAYS warms herself up with a nice cup of hot chocolate. I just drink some hot lemon juice, which doesn't really sound all that great, but it's actually pretty good.

I'm keeping warm with layers and my LL Bean coat!

Speaking of snow, when we went outside to exercise this morning, there was a thin layer of snow on the ground. Now, I say snow, but really it was mostly just frost. My companion tried to make a snowman, but it was no bigger than my thumb, and it kind of melted shortly after, haha!

Anyways, enough small talk about the weather, and on to the important stuff. 

Relying on the Lord.

I've heard that phrase a million times. And before my mission, I thought I knew what that meant. It sounded easy. "Yeah, sure, I can rely on the Lord. No big deal." But I've come to realize it goes much deeper than that. It goes beyond understanding the principle in my head; it needs to move down and be fully accepted in my heart, the place that it really matters. 

At times, I find myself all wrapped up in doubt and fear, and that frustrates me to pieces. I want to be like the faithful prophets and missionaries in the scriptures, believing that the Lord will provide all that is needed to succeed, letting go of the "natural man" and booster-rocketing it to spiritual "home-plate" as it were. But it's not as simple as it sounds, as is most things in life, I would say. We go out streeting or housing, and I STILL get nervous and scared, even after all the miracles I've experienced. It's incredibly frustrating to me, because all I want to do is be a true disciple; a true follower of Christ. I want to be the kind of missionary that the Lord can trust and use as a tool in His hands at all times. 

The other day in companionship study, I expressed a bit of these feelings and thoughts with my companion, and she gave me some great advice. What she told me was that God could take away my fear and doubt in an instant, and I don't deny that. But He hasn't. She asked me to think about why that is. She went on to explain that although God could take away all of my fears and doubts and weaknesses in an instant, that's not how He works. In the Book of Mormon, it reads:

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” (Ether 12:27)

Like this scripture says, God gives us weakness for a purpose. He loves us enough to give us weaknesses. He loves us enough to let us struggle. He loves us, and He knows that if He were to make us perfect, then we would never learn anything. Becoming Christ-like isn't easy for a reason. My companion told me that the first thing I had to do is accept the fact that I have weaknesses. God already knows that, and He still called me to this mission. So those weaknesses don't matter to Him. My Mission President explained it like this:

"The Lord does not expect perfection from us at this point. But He does expect faith, humility, and diligence on our part. We need to remember who we are and who He is. He is the creator of the world. He is the Savior of your soul. He is your Lord and Master. He has all knowledge. He has all power. He does not ask us to have all knowledge or all power. He already has it...The Lord knows each one of us. He called us not in spite of who we are, but because of who we are. He knows things about you that you still do not know. He knows your potential." This lead me to think about the apostle Peter. Peter was far from perfect. He didn't understand all of what the Savior taught. He didn't have perfect faith or perfect knowledge - he even denied the Christ THREE TIMES, even after all that he had witnessed and experienced. His fear overcame his faith. Jesus knew all of this when He invited Peter to come and follow Him. He knew all of Peter's weaknesses, yet He still called Peter to be His disciple. Why is that? Why did Jesus invite imperfect people, the sinners and the broken-hearted, to come and follow Him? Why? Because Jesus knew who Peter could become -- A strong leader full of unwavering faith.

Jesus, even the very Christ, knows our unlimited potential. So, I figure I shouldn't get caught up on the fact that I have weaknesses. Christ understands that, and yet He still called me to be His missionary, just like Peter. What I should focus on is that my weaknesses are learning opportunities. If we each look at our weakness in that light, then we should be almost grateful for them, because they humble us and give us the opportunity to become more like our Father in Heaven; to learn more about Him, and draw nearer to Him. In all honesty, that's what this life is about. The purpose of this life is to have joy and to prepare to return to God. In order to do that, we needed to be given weaknesses to learn and grow from.

My mission president also said, "Don't let Satan mess with your mind and weaken your faith...." We just need to accept that we are all weak. We are all mortal. We each have the qualities of the natural man inherently embedded inside us. I know I personally, need to stop letting those facts become openings for Satan to dowse the flame of my faith. I need to just accept my mortality, and then turn all my weaknesses over to the Lord. Just let it go. But how can we do that? Well, I have determined the best place to start is discussing our weaknesses with the Lord in prayer; they aren't anything He doesn't already know. The Lord can, as it says in Ether 12:27, "make weak things become strong."

Sister Weigl

My new red bike - check out the basket cover
It is even tall enough!

Sister Missionaries are Great!

PART OF SISTER WEIGL’S LETTER TO DAD, MOM, AND ANDY:

.....Well, Andy, you are going to love this! Today T-Shimai and I went shopping for some boots (January and February are the COLDEST months in Japan, and my one pair of rain boots weren't cutting it - we went to this one store and I found a GREAT pair that are SO WARM and COMFORTABLE, I feel like I am walking on clouds when I wear them, and they were 50% percent off, so I am very happy). But anyways, Andy, you are going to love is this: 

Can you believe there is a Top Ramen Noodle Museum!

Statue of Momofuku Ando (Inventor)
 outside the museum, holding a chicken ramen packet
in his hand and standing on a giant cup of noodles

Yes, that's right! We found the Instant Ramen Museum! I bought a Cup of Noodle Key chain! Today is a holiday in Japan, so the wait for the museum tour was 90 minutes long! So, we plan to go back next week when there will be less people. But we are so excited! We went inside and saw a bit of it, and it looks like a lot of fun!

Today is Seijin no Hi, which is basically a "coming of age" day. All the people who turned 20 last year (20 is the legal age here) get all dressed up. The girls wear these really fancy kimonos and the men wear suits. I don't exactly know what else they do besides get dressed up, but I've seen quite a few people all dressed up today walking around on the streets.


Hmm...here are some highlights of the week:

- We went to Choir practice on Sunday after church is over...the members love T-shimai's voice (she's really good at singing).

- The Elders in our district had NINE investigators at church on Sunday. 

- We had a dinner appointment with the Bishop's family. 

- We went with a member to visit a member's friend and ended up talking with them for two hours or so. She's not an investigator yet, but she agreed to let us come back and teach a lesson, so fingers crossed.

- LOTS AND LOTS OF FINDING. We haven't found any new investigators yet, but that's okay. We are just going to keep on working!

  

Ippuudou  (一風堂) Ramen Shop at Ikeda City 

This restaurant is located near Ikeda train station, and it is just a short walk away from the Momofuku Instant Ramen Museum. Note the motto of the restaurant "Your happiness of eating ramen makes us happy." So we were glad that we did not miss it! 

The Opportunity To Become More Than We Are

Well, Happy New Year to Everyone! 

Hope you've got your New Year's Goals all lined up and are excited to start the New Year! To think -- It's 2014! That means it has been two years since I graduated from high school, one year since I started college, and six months since I started my mission! Yes, that's right. My mission is already a third over! Ugh, just typing that gives my heart little shivers. I never want this to end. The reality that it will, one day, is not something I even like thinking about. The thing is though...does it really ever have to end? In a sense it does; I can't be a full-time missionary in Japan forever. BUT I can be a missionary forever. I can take the things I've learned with me and apply them for the rest of my life.

New Year's Day at a Member's Home

I hope that each of you, likewise, can remember the lessons you've learned this year. Don't forget the tender mercies that God has so willingly bestowed upon you. I've found that when we do forget, it becomes harder and harder to find joy in the journey. And let's face it: who wants to be miserable here on Earth? I sure don't. So, let's stand up tall and put a smile on our face. Let's remember that God is our Father and that He loves us beyond all our imaginings. Let us remember all the things He has done for us, for they truly are great.

This week, my companion got sick. Really sick. She's doing better now, but we had to spend all of Saturday inside our apartment. She slept all day, only waking up to eat some food, and then go back to bed. This left me with a lot of alone time, which to some, might sound a bit appealing. But, on a mission, it's anything but. It's harder to stay focused when it's just you and the Lord. It's such a TEMPTATION to think of other things, to get distracted in the first place, and that's when you are out working. But being in an apartment all day virtually by yourself, with nothing to do but study the scriptures and pray to the Lord, it becomes much more of a tug-of-war between the me that wants to do what's right and the me that is entrenched in the "Natural Man."

Now, what does that mean, "The Natural Man?" I've been thinking about that too, especially in the light of the new year. The new year means New Year’s Resolutions, but if we are all honest with ourselves, we tend to fall a bit short of those faster than we would like. At least, for me, when I make New Year’s Resolutions, I usually forget about them by February, if not before. And why is that? Well, I would like to say that it's due to the "Natural Man" that is in each one of us. 

A Scripture in the Book of Mormon reads:

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the  Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father" (Mosiah 3:19)

Okay, so what does that mean? WELL, to me at least, the natural man is our innate tendency to be selfish. To not choose the right. To look inward instead of outward. It prevents us from becoming like Christ because we are too busy thinking about ourselves. It closes our hearts so that we don't have the room to think about the needs of others.

It is this, I think, that makes it so much easier to just follow the ways of the world, and not follow the way of the Lord. It is this natural tenancy towards selfishness and laziness that blocks the way for developing all of the divine qualities that we desire to obtain: love, mercy, patience, kindness, and so on. As Neal A. Maxwell said, "The natural man is truly God’s enemy, because the natural man will keep God’s precious children from true and everlasting happiness. Our full happiness requires our becoming the men and women of Christ."  But, here’s the best part, we can overcome that! We can overcome all the things we don’t like about ourselves. We can overcome the weaknesses and the little habits we wish we didn’t have. We can overcome it all! We can become better people! We can reach every goal we set – including those ever elusive New Year’s Resolutions. We can put off the natural man and become a saint!  The hitch is that we can't do it alone. If we try to do it by our own power, we will find it infinitely more difficult. Impossible, I would say.


It is only through the merciful atonement of Jesus Christ that we can ever hope in becoming the people we desire to be. It is only through His matchless love and His infinite Grace that we overcome the selfish desires of our bodies and embrace the spiritual desires of our hearts. Jesus Christ is the key to success, and He is ever willing to help us. All we need do is ask for it. To supplicate Him in humble prayer for His divine power. And I testify that He will always give it freely.

Now, for the longest time, I found that hard to believe. I understood it in my head, but not in my heart, the place where it matters most. But as I’ve come on my mission, I’ve felt changes occur in my very nature. I’ve seen other people working to overcome that “Natural Man” too, and step by step, start to achieve it. Here’s something my dad said in his most recent email that I think really applies to this: 

"Many people are afraid of change and so they put it off or don’t even try.  There are many reasons for being afraid but, in my opinion, if we don’t try we already have failed.  We have failed to try, we have failed to improve ourselves, we have failed to give ourselves the opportunity to become more than we are." 

Let us not be afraid of change. Let us move forward in faith as this new year begins. Let us give ourselves the opportunity to become more than we are. Let us rely on the Lord everyday of our lives.

Sister Weigl

CREPES....Yummy!

Eating our crepes at our apartment

I forgot to mention, I finally made that crepe recipe today! It was delicious! Loved it, and so did T-Shimai! You should send more simple recipes like that!