I've had so many tender mercies this week! I can testify prayer works. It truly does. Our Heavenly Father hears every prayer, no matter how small. He even hears the prayers we forget to say. He's a good listener like that. So Natalie's here at the MTC and I only have less than two weeks to see her, so I just wanted to see her as much as I possibly could. And just my luck, no part of our regular schedule over laps. We have no meals times together, no GYM, none of the same P-days. I hardly see her! We have to right letters to each other to communicate (that's the closest thing we have to texting here) Bleh! Unacceptable! After the 3rd day of not seeing her, I was just about to die. I didn't wait two weeks just see her once. But little miracles would happen here and there. I'd pray to Heavenly Father to please let me see her and talk to her even a little today, then right as me and my comp walk out the door, there is Natalie and her companion and I'd get to talk to her! Just little things like that would happen all the time this week. I'd pray to see her, then later we'd by chance be in the right place at exactly the right time. Sunday was just chock full of these tender mercies. This Sunday, I looked for her in Relief Society (because we have it with all the sisters at the MTC) and didn't see her. Then she came in and sat in the row in front of me not even realizing I was there. These might seam like little coincidences to anyone else, but they were a giant blessing to me. It strengthened my testimony of prayer so much. My prayers were so little! Just a little request to see my Best Friend and yet he still answered them. It's quite amazing that the being who rule the universe would take the time to answer even the smallest requests.
I had an amazing experience last Monday. Me and Doi Shimai went to TRC,
where volunteers come in and we teach them a little lesson. We talked to a guy named Brother Zushi. He was so great! We loved him. We talked about Japan and how he has a son in Fukuoka. We shared a lesson on recognizing promptings of the holy ghost and it was just great. He had great comments and we just enjoyed him so much. After me and my companion bore our testimony of the Spirit, he asked us if he could share a story. The story was his own. He was living in Japan. He was not a member and had been taking missionary discussions for over a year now. He just wouldn't budge as far as his testimony. He was still a little skeptical. Then he says he remembers the elders coming over again. The Elders were one Japanese guy who knew Japnese fluently, and one American Elder who knew pretty much no Japanese at all. Brother Zushi said that his Japanese was just absolutely horrible. At the end of the lesson, the Japanese elder bore his testimony in perfect Japanese.
Brother zushi said that he remembered looking at the American and seeing his face as her bore his testimony. He said that he can still picture that elder baring his testimony and seeing a tear stream down his face as he bore it. Brother Zushi said that he didn't know what he was saying, but he still remembers that tear. Brother Zushi went on to say that he couldn't forget the tear brought about by that Elders testimony. He knew then that his church was true. He knew it. His life was forever changed; It was changed by one American boy who knew no Japanese; but that Elder did know something, and that was that he had a testimony of this gospel. It didn't matter what he didn't know, because he knew that. And because he shared his testimony with all his heart, this wonderful man we were talking to was converted and baptized into the Gospel.
where volunteers come in and we teach them a little lesson. We talked to a guy named Brother Zushi. He was so great! We loved him. We talked about Japan and how he has a son in Fukuoka. We shared a lesson on recognizing promptings of the holy ghost and it was just great. He had great comments and we just enjoyed him so much. After me and my companion bore our testimony of the Spirit, he asked us if he could share a story. The story was his own. He was living in Japan. He was not a member and had been taking missionary discussions for over a year now. He just wouldn't budge as far as his testimony. He was still a little skeptical. Then he says he remembers the elders coming over again. The Elders were one Japanese guy who knew Japnese fluently, and one American Elder who knew pretty much no Japanese at all. Brother Zushi said that his Japanese was just absolutely horrible. At the end of the lesson, the Japanese elder bore his testimony in perfect Japanese.
Brother zushi said that he remembered looking at the American and seeing his face as her bore his testimony. He said that he can still picture that elder baring his testimony and seeing a tear stream down his face as he bore it. Brother Zushi said that he didn't know what he was saying, but he still remembers that tear. Brother Zushi went on to say that he couldn't forget the tear brought about by that Elders testimony. He knew then that his church was true. He knew it. His life was forever changed; It was changed by one American boy who knew no Japanese; but that Elder did know something, and that was that he had a testimony of this gospel. It didn't matter what he didn't know, because he knew that. And because he shared his testimony with all his heart, this wonderful man we were talking to was converted and baptized into the Gospel.
Brother Zushi teared up as he related this story. My tears came almost
immediately. I hadn't really realized it till then, but this language was
weighing on me. There so much to learn. There was so much I didn't know. I was stressed without even realizing just how down and stressed I was. But hearing that story was like it came from God's mouth to me. I am called not to learn perfect Japanese, but to bear testimony of what I do know.
I know this gospel is true! I know it! I know God loves us. We have this
gospel because he loves us so infinitely. I know Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ and I'll defend that statement in whatever country I'm in, to whatever people, at whatever age I am at. God lives. His Son is our redeemer and savior. He owe so much to him. Because of him, we have a 2nd chance. We can have a million 2nd chances if we repent sincerely to God. This gospel is the good news. It's a package deal. This gospel gives us a happy life in whatever life we are in! Being happy in this life and the next and in eternity sounds like a deal to me. And it's all because of our Savior Iesu Kirisuto. Iesu Kirisuto no mina ni yotte o-akashi shimasu, amen.
immediately. I hadn't really realized it till then, but this language was
weighing on me. There so much to learn. There was so much I didn't know. I was stressed without even realizing just how down and stressed I was. But hearing that story was like it came from God's mouth to me. I am called not to learn perfect Japanese, but to bear testimony of what I do know.
I know this gospel is true! I know it! I know God loves us. We have this
gospel because he loves us so infinitely. I know Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ and I'll defend that statement in whatever country I'm in, to whatever people, at whatever age I am at. God lives. His Son is our redeemer and savior. He owe so much to him. Because of him, we have a 2nd chance. We can have a million 2nd chances if we repent sincerely to God. This gospel is the good news. It's a package deal. This gospel gives us a happy life in whatever life we are in! Being happy in this life and the next and in eternity sounds like a deal to me. And it's all because of our Savior Iesu Kirisuto. Iesu Kirisuto no mina ni yotte o-akashi shimasu, amen.