"God chastens those he loves. He`s like a coach!"

TRANSFER 5 WEEK 6

This week was way awesome! Last P-day we went up to Heiwadai again and the Miyazaki Shrine. It`s a super cool place! The japanese missionaries dont really like going to that kind of stuff, but us Americans love it!
For Thanksgiving all 6 missionaries were invited over for dinner at the Petersens. They are the best family Miyazaki has to offer. I seriously love them so much. It still felt like home in their house even though the 6 of us are far from it. I was so thankful that they did that for us.

I can`t believe how fast this transfer went. Too fast! I loved having Babcock shimai this transfer. I`m so lucky I got to be her companion before she went home. She goes back home in 2 days. She`s taught me so much about working hard, leading and especially about not letting my weaknesses immobilize me. But she`s really taught me to look ahead, keep going and to trust in the lord. She`s exactly the companion I needed. She`s pulled me out of a lot of deep holes.

 Like this past week we were out at night and we were visiting a LA. We visited for like a second, but my Japanese was just so bad. I didn`t know what to say. I froze and it was way awkward. We started biking back and I could just feel tears starting to come. Freak! I`ve been in this country for 7 months and I still speak Japanese like I just came out of the MTC. But she saw me kind of quiet and we just found a spot to talk. 

I told her that I honestly hate missionary work sometimes. I`ll admit it. I didn`t even feel guilty that I said it, because I knew i felt that way. This  is hard! Talking to people everyday, riding your bike, often when it`s freezing cold and if it`s not freezing cold it`s blazing hot, or raining like a typhoon is coming, or some other circumstance, just to have stubborn people tell you that they`re Buddhist or don't believe in God or just flat out reject you. On top of that you`re learning this language, one of the most difficult languages you can learn in the world, and trying to muster up something that other people can understand about a topic they`ve probably never even heard about. I told her that I still feel like my language is below where it should be.

The thing about Babcock shimai, she`s majoring in athletic training and excersize science, she gives thee best pep talks ever! She told me that right now God is kind of letting me go through a hard time. It`s chastening. God chastens those he loves. He`s like a coach. He`s more strict and hard on his better players, because he`s sees the potential in them. He`s teaching me how to lead and to make decisions and to follow the spirit without needing to see flashing lights or giant signs.

I knew that what she said was true. God does love us. And because he loves us he doesn`t let things become too easy or comfortable. Because he knows that if he does that, we will never reach our potential and never return to him. Trials are a way God shows his love for us. And I can tell ya, Missionaries are SUPER loved because we get A TON of trials. But because this church is true, because Christ lives and felt every single one of those trials, I`m out here on my mission, doing the things God would have me do