Miracle week! First off on Monday, we did some sight seeing in Iwakuni and went to one of the most famous bridges in Japan called "Kintai kyou" and after went to Iwakuni Castle. Japan is so cool that it has preserved and rebuilt a lot of their ancient castles in the way it would've looked hundreds of years ago! Super cool! :D
This has also been an interesting week in the fact that we've found two cockroaches in our apartment, which is like more than I've seen my whole mission. Not to mention the huge spiders we see every night when we tract some super old apartment complex's! Seriously, Those bad boys could be found in the forbidden forest of Hogwarts, they're so huge! On top of that, it's starting to get to the hottest part of summer. You walk outside and within a minute, your forearms, you legs and every other part of you is wet. But I'm okay, Im kind of use to it. Reminds me of the good ol days last year with Fujita Shimai in Miyazaki, where you feel like your swimming in the air, it's so humid and hot.
Anyway, Sunday was a day of miracles! We called Morioka-San in the morning.
"Morioka-San! Are you coming to church?"
"Mehhhh..... I want to sleep." He says half awake.
"No no no Morioka-San, today's a good day to come to church." We talked, but he stilled seamed 50-50 on whether or not he would actually show up.
"Okay see you in a bit okay?"
"Mhhhhh..."
I actually fasted today that he'd show up to church. He needs this so bad. He needs good Latter Day Saints in his life. But getting investigators to church is probably one of the hardest things in missionary work. So I fasted and me and Malone Shimai headed on a train to Yanai for church. The whole time I'm just praying, "Come on Heavenly Father, help us out. Wake him him. Help your son get out of bed."
We're walking up the hill to the church and guess who drives by in his car? Yup! Morioka-San! Is this real life?! We met this guy not even 2 weeks ago, this is his first time to church and he showed up! He stayed for all three hours, Before sacrament he even joked that he was going to take a nap during it. After sacrament we jokingly asked him,"so did you sleep?" "Nope." He said wide awake. Our branch president taught a great, very much needed introductory lesson on the church during Sunday school and then went to priesthood. Me and Malone were a little worried about him going to priesthood, thinking that they might go into super deep priesthood stuff ... And they did. Good thing the Elders were there to help him out. They talked about some super deep things about the Aaronic Priesthood and of course, Morioka San was lost and asking a bunch of questions. One of the elders told us what Morioka San said towards the end of the lesson. Morioka San turned to Elder Nyegaard and asked,
"So, what must I do to get this power?" As in, the power of the priesthood. Elder Nyegaard told him about baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We were so excited to hear that! I love those words, "What must I do?" In missionary work, that is the number one thing that distinguishes a normal investigator and a golden investigator. What must I do? Action. That is true faith. I believe there is more faith when we go out and do, than in just quietly sitting in our rooms and praying for faith. Faith is a principal of action and power. This reminded me so much of King Lamoni's Father in the Book of Mormon.
Alma 22:15 And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.
I know great miracles come into our lives when we stop wearing out the Lord I our prayers,"Help me do this." "Please make this happen..." "Please, please, please..." And we change our language to, "Lord, what must I do to obtain this blessing?" I know that is true in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
-Sister Stevenson
This has also been an interesting week in the fact that we've found two cockroaches in our apartment, which is like more than I've seen my whole mission. Not to mention the huge spiders we see every night when we tract some super old apartment complex's! Seriously, Those bad boys could be found in the forbidden forest of Hogwarts, they're so huge! On top of that, it's starting to get to the hottest part of summer. You walk outside and within a minute, your forearms, you legs and every other part of you is wet. But I'm okay, Im kind of use to it. Reminds me of the good ol days last year with Fujita Shimai in Miyazaki, where you feel like your swimming in the air, it's so humid and hot.
Anyway, Sunday was a day of miracles! We called Morioka-San in the morning.
"Morioka-San! Are you coming to church?"
"Mehhhh..... I want to sleep." He says half awake.
"No no no Morioka-San, today's a good day to come to church." We talked, but he stilled seamed 50-50 on whether or not he would actually show up.
"Okay see you in a bit okay?"
"Mhhhhh..."
I actually fasted today that he'd show up to church. He needs this so bad. He needs good Latter Day Saints in his life. But getting investigators to church is probably one of the hardest things in missionary work. So I fasted and me and Malone Shimai headed on a train to Yanai for church. The whole time I'm just praying, "Come on Heavenly Father, help us out. Wake him him. Help your son get out of bed."
We're walking up the hill to the church and guess who drives by in his car? Yup! Morioka-San! Is this real life?! We met this guy not even 2 weeks ago, this is his first time to church and he showed up! He stayed for all three hours, Before sacrament he even joked that he was going to take a nap during it. After sacrament we jokingly asked him,"so did you sleep?" "Nope." He said wide awake. Our branch president taught a great, very much needed introductory lesson on the church during Sunday school and then went to priesthood. Me and Malone were a little worried about him going to priesthood, thinking that they might go into super deep priesthood stuff ... And they did. Good thing the Elders were there to help him out. They talked about some super deep things about the Aaronic Priesthood and of course, Morioka San was lost and asking a bunch of questions. One of the elders told us what Morioka San said towards the end of the lesson. Morioka San turned to Elder Nyegaard and asked,
"So, what must I do to get this power?" As in, the power of the priesthood. Elder Nyegaard told him about baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We were so excited to hear that! I love those words, "What must I do?" In missionary work, that is the number one thing that distinguishes a normal investigator and a golden investigator. What must I do? Action. That is true faith. I believe there is more faith when we go out and do, than in just quietly sitting in our rooms and praying for faith. Faith is a principal of action and power. This reminded me so much of King Lamoni's Father in the Book of Mormon.
Alma 22:15 And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.
I know great miracles come into our lives when we stop wearing out the Lord I our prayers,"Help me do this." "Please make this happen..." "Please, please, please..." And we change our language to, "Lord, what must I do to obtain this blessing?" I know that is true in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
-Sister Stevenson