JOY

Greetings my happy fam!  I send you my love and gratitude this December 2nd morning.  I hope you enjoyed one another's company, food, and the spirit of Thanksgiving this past week.  Gratitude really has a great power to focus us on how the Lord has blessed us and how He is directing our path.  So cool. 

While Thanksgiving not celebrated in Japan, our stake president and his family invited us for Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and apple pie--along with Japanese style rice pilaf, corn rolls, sweet potatoes (called yakimo), and a jello sort of dessert. It was an intriguing and delicious meal and a time of gratitude and listening to the testimonies of the 2 investigators that were able to come.  We asked them to share a scripture from the Book of Mormon that they were grateful for and they did so with such happiness and love for the scriptures.  It was really, really a wonderful experience.

And then, guess what?  One of those investigators got baptized on Sunday!  Kumi chan (chan is sort of a nickname that often goes on the end of girls' names), our earnest and honestly incredible friend.  The elders found here while housing around the bishop's house and invited her to church and she came every Sunday after that.  She received all the lessons in about 3 weeks and seeing her change in that time frame has been so beautiful.  She has kind of a rough life right now--her parents passed away in a fire last year, her younger brother lives in an orphanage in Tokyo, she recently got divorced, and lives in a small, sparse apartment with her 2 year old son.  When we first met her, she was really tentative, subdued, and uncertain.  Yet after she started to pray daily, read the Book of Mormon, and come to church regularly, she changed.  She is radiant.  I am so humbled to have been a part of that.  Her son too--he has such reverence for the Book of Mormon now.  Before he ripped pages and dropped it, etc.  but now for the most part he treats it like a real book--one with a special purpose.  SO AMAZING.  

OK, well, the time is far spent, but know that I love each of you and pray for you.  Thank you for your examples and strength.  I know that I am truly blessed because of you all daily. 

Much love,

Lindsay Williams shimai