And the moment we've all been waiting for....
Sister Hakes has been living on an island for over a year now. She's even ridden a ferry to another small island... But today she got to go to the beach for the first time in Japan! Haha today we had zone pday and it was fabulous. Running in the sand and playing volleyball, ultimate, baseball. It was great. We also had appointments/different lessons from 8:30 until almost 3 so we didn't have a super long preparation day. Sorry I won't be sending many personal emails :( But I'm glad we got to just partake of the beauty of God's creations. Yup. I loved it! In Japan there are a lot of people who believe in the thousand gods. That there's a mountain god, ocean god, plant god, etc. I am so grateful for our Heavenly Father who did make all those beautiful things. They do have power, they testify of God and his omnipotence. It's crazy! So this past week was filled with tons of meetings and we got to work with Sister Nagano a lot!! It was amazing. I Love the Nagano's soooo much! So we went down for MLC again on Thursday. There were five companion set they asked to do a role play in front of all the other zone leaders and sister training leaders. It went really well. After we demonstrated everyone else would practice it too. When you plan something and you and your companion are in unity and use the teaching skills in chapter 10 of PMG it is insanely powerful. It felt so real. The Nagano's (we practiced on them) even said it reminded them of their time as investigators:P it was a super spirit filled meeting. Then we drove back to Niigata with the Nagano's and planned zone meeting and New Missionary Training. Still not ready for that this week. Yikes. Then they stayed till Sunday so Sister Nagano sat in on a few of our lessons as the member present and it went awesome! We've got a few new people we're working with and we're hoping to keep expanding. There are seriously so many young people out here. People who just need to here the message of the restored gospel! Oh but also a lot of resistance (probably from the devil). I don't remember if I told you, but before a couple of our investigators told us they couldn't be baptized because of some rule at their college. Well apparently there's been a couple happenings recently at some nearby schools that you seriously cannot even invite someone to go to a religious activity with you without the police getting involved. Mushinko? Like what?? One of our ward members got in a little bit of a tight spot it seems. She's okay, but I still just can't believe there can be rules like that nowadays. Last week's letter I just want to once again give a shout for religious freedom! God gave us agency! And someday we will all be free. But for now, don't take that liberty for granted! Be an example to all you know! Proclaim the gospel with all your thoughts, words, and actions. So yeah. Other highlights from the week. We got to teach the Restoration like 5 times in the past three days. I love the first lesson! I love feeling the Spirit confirming the truth of what my companion says and what I say. I was also talking to President and Sister Nagano in our interviews on Friday (they love me way more than I deserve. It's one of my dreams to become the person they seem to see me as. Speaking of that read Pres. monson's talk Seeing People as they Can Become. From Oct. 2012. They do it super well!) but we got to talk a lot about what I've learned so far, what I still want to learn, and I realized that I have changed a lot. As children of God we have so much potential to do good in his world. But as all familiar with missionary work and God's kingdom in general, you can only do so much if you're trying on your own. But when you realize that the Spirit is the teacher, that you need to utilize the power of Christ's atonement, and that all those things you want to do are things that are done through the power of God and pray for that help, then you see miracles. Of myself I am nothing. Through Christ I can do anything. Keep trying, keep pushing forward! I love you all!! Ai shite imasu! Sister Hakes Can I just say how thankful I am for the freedom of religion?!
Civil rights and all that jazz. But I am so grateful for all God's preparation throughout all dispensations that led up to these latter days. The Fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is here on the earth! And not every land has yet been blessed with the opportunities and freedoms to worship God how they please. Did I tell you about the college some of my friends go to here in Niigata? They're not allowed to join any sort of religious group in their two years studying at this place. I had never heard of such a thing before! But I know that God still has a plan, that He is changing hearts and that no law, no government or political system has power over the Lord of Hosts. When the time is right every nation, kindred, tongue and people will have the knowledge of their Savior! :) We started reading the Book of Mormon as a mission studying about the character of Christ. So I just read through to 1 Nephi 15 and I feel so impressed by who Christ is. I have a deep love for my Redeemer and although my spirit is willing, the flesh is weak and I don't follow Him as perfectly as I wish I could. He comforts me. He leads and guides me. Thanks be to our Almighty God. This past week was fantastic. Haha Sister Nicholes and I are having probably too much fun. We were able to meet with Kiriko this past week. It's incredible to actually see the way the Spirit works through and in people. On Monday when we met she expressed some concerns and I was a bit worried. But by Friday she had found the answer she needed from the Book of Mormon and recommitted to herself and the the Lord her desire to follow Him. This week she's out of town but were studying together over email and Facebook and she's doing so good! We also found some new investigators! Risa is 19 year old college student who works in my friend's ramen shop. She's actually going to Missouri in August for four months so we've been helping her learn/practice English as well as teachin her about Jesus Christ and how he can answer the questions she has about life and death (AKA the Plan of Salvation!) Then we have a members two granddaughters who just found out she was a member like three weeks ago... I guess she didn't tell all of her family that she got baptized like 4 years ago :O Oops. But rio is 17 and Nao is 15. They're both super sweet and know basically nothing about God and Christ. But it's really fun to teach them. We haven't taught a whole lot yet, but rio prayed for the first time and she said she was going to pray that night as well! Sweet!! Well time flies. Seriously. I'm learning so much and where's never enough time, or the perfect words to say how wonderful This experience is. Especially when it's hard. The Lord pours out His tender mercies and love. Nothing easy is ever truly worth it. So don't you give up and don't you quit if things seem to be hard. Like my lovely mother taught me, you can do hard things! Let's do it! I love Japan! And I love America!!! 🎉🎌🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🎌🎉 Ai shite imasu! Sister Hakes Hey family, loved ones, all of you who support and are so kind and loving!
Thank you! I love hearing from you! This past week was insanely busy and I don't think I have any other word to describe it. I miss sister Takahashi already! She already emailed me :D haha It was so hard to say goodbye. The tears just welled up and I couldn't keep em in. Then I went to Nagaoka for the day and when I came back I ran into Chika Shimai!! A member from the first Ward I served in. It's a modern day God-given Miracle how we ran into each other. But it was soooo awesome! And THEN I met my new companion! Sister Nicholes is half Japanese and just amazing. We're having a blast. We met with Kiriko, Miku, and Kyouko. They're all doing great right now. We're meeting Kiri again today and Miku tomorrow! Love them so much! This week I've been focusing on charity. And I've been trying to pray for people by name more and more. I know there's power in prayer and that God is always aware of us. Nicole sent me an email about that too and I felt like super connected! I hope you're all praying as a family everywhere you are. It is a nonnegotiable priority in our daily lives! I'll let you know more next week!! Love ya! |
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