Well this week was just crazy! We went to a prison party and experienced a fire festival.... more about that later. First I will tell you about all of the miracles we saw! I told you all about Hirata-san last week. We had two lessons with her this week and she’s doing so great! She has way severe depression though so our 2nd lesson with her was kind of hard but she really likes us and she is starting to find happiness in the gospel. She’s reading the Book of Mormon and loving it! So pray for her please! Okay, we also taught Kiyomi-san twice this week! She is doing so great! She is for sure going to get baptized on the 13th! Her sister even bought her plane ticket to come home for the baptism! We taught her about the Word of Wisdom and she told us she really likes coffee... but she said she would try to give it up this week. Well yesterday at church she told us that she drank it one time but it didn’t taste good. She said it was so weird because it was her normal coffee that she usually loves. She said she really felt like it was God helping her to obey the word of wisdom! YES! such a miracle desho! (right!) Gosh then when we were streeting we found this way cute college girl! She was probably the happiest person I have ever met in my entire life haha. We talked to her about prayer and she thought it was the coolest thing ever! And she was like gosh! can we meet again?! and we were like absolutely! haha. It was great. So we had a lesson with her and we gave her a Book of Mormon and gosh I thought she was gonna start crying because she was so happy and excited about it. Anyways, we thought for sure she was a kinjin... but yesterday she texted us and told us that she doesn’t have time to meet with us. She works three jobs plus goes to school so she told us that she just can’t find any time to meet with us right now. We were so bummed but it’s okay. Since I’ve been on my mission I’ve learned the importance of timing. Sometimes it’s just not people’s timing. But one day she it’s gonna be her time. And even though she doesn’t have time now, maybe for the first time in her entire life we got her to think about God and I don’t think she will ever forget the experience she had with us. So maybe in 6 months or 6 years or 60 years from now when missionaries find her again she will tell them oh yeah! One time I met two girls who taught me about prayer! I don’t know, maybe that’s crazy. but I’m really hopeful! Okay. there’s more stuff but I’m running out of time and I need to tell you about the prison and the fire!
Okay so this past weekend there was this festival going on at the prison that’s in our area. Totally weird right? Like it was a huge deal! And they had like tours of the prisons going on and on the tour you could try the bread they feed to prisoners! Gosh and I only know about any of this because my companion is a Nihonjin (Japanese) and can read kanji haha. It’s really useful! But anyways I love prisons. I’m just so fascinated by them! That sounds weird but its true haha. And gosh I was just so excited about this thing because how many people have had the chance to tour a Japanese prison and eat prison bread?! haha. Iwasa shimai was interested too.... soooo we were a little wanpaku (mischievous) and went to this thing.... but we couldn’t go on the tour. So I didn’t get to try the prison bread haha.... but there was like this party going on at the prison and there were all these booths selling stuff that the prisoners made! and it was all really nice like furniture haha. And they had like pictures of the prison and a little model cell. and gosh! Japanese prison seems way different from American prison! Let’s just say if I had to go to prison I would definitely want to go to prison in Japan haha. They had pictures from this like huge sports activity they had for all of the prisoners and they even gave out trophies! haha. gosh! I feel like that just does not happen in American prisons. And their food looked way good. I mean are these people in prison or on vacation? haha. It was so interesting. Okay.. and that same day we came home for dinner a little early because we wanted to bike to this kinda far away area. Well Heaton and Clements shimai came home when we were finishing up dinner and here is the conversation that unfolded:
Heaton: gosh! I think something is on fire out there. There is so much smoke!
Iwasa: no, that’s a traditional fire to welcome in winter.
Clements: ummm I don’t know... it looks pretty bad and I think it’s coming from our building.
Me: No way!
Heaton: no seriously come look!
So we all go out and look and there is a ton of smoke coming from an apartment on the 5th floor of our building
Iwasa: that is NOT a traditional fire!
Then the fire alarms in the building go off... we all start freaking out and grabbing our coats and stuff and start sprinting down 8 flights of stairs. and we get down stairs and there’s a million fire trucks and ambulances and reporters and it was crazy! But they got the fire out and everything was okay. And then last night, the people that live in that apartment brought everyone "I’m sorry we almost burned down the apartment building" presents haha. gosh. It was crazy!
But this week was so fun! We had a lot of good dendo time and are seeing so many miracles! I love you all!!
Okay so this past weekend there was this festival going on at the prison that’s in our area. Totally weird right? Like it was a huge deal! And they had like tours of the prisons going on and on the tour you could try the bread they feed to prisoners! Gosh and I only know about any of this because my companion is a Nihonjin (Japanese) and can read kanji haha. It’s really useful! But anyways I love prisons. I’m just so fascinated by them! That sounds weird but its true haha. And gosh I was just so excited about this thing because how many people have had the chance to tour a Japanese prison and eat prison bread?! haha. Iwasa shimai was interested too.... soooo we were a little wanpaku (mischievous) and went to this thing.... but we couldn’t go on the tour. So I didn’t get to try the prison bread haha.... but there was like this party going on at the prison and there were all these booths selling stuff that the prisoners made! and it was all really nice like furniture haha. And they had like pictures of the prison and a little model cell. and gosh! Japanese prison seems way different from American prison! Let’s just say if I had to go to prison I would definitely want to go to prison in Japan haha. They had pictures from this like huge sports activity they had for all of the prisoners and they even gave out trophies! haha. gosh! I feel like that just does not happen in American prisons. And their food looked way good. I mean are these people in prison or on vacation? haha. It was so interesting. Okay.. and that same day we came home for dinner a little early because we wanted to bike to this kinda far away area. Well Heaton and Clements shimai came home when we were finishing up dinner and here is the conversation that unfolded:
Heaton: gosh! I think something is on fire out there. There is so much smoke!
Iwasa: no, that’s a traditional fire to welcome in winter.
Clements: ummm I don’t know... it looks pretty bad and I think it’s coming from our building.
Me: No way!
Heaton: no seriously come look!
So we all go out and look and there is a ton of smoke coming from an apartment on the 5th floor of our building
Iwasa: that is NOT a traditional fire!
Then the fire alarms in the building go off... we all start freaking out and grabbing our coats and stuff and start sprinting down 8 flights of stairs. and we get down stairs and there’s a million fire trucks and ambulances and reporters and it was crazy! But they got the fire out and everything was okay. And then last night, the people that live in that apartment brought everyone "I’m sorry we almost burned down the apartment building" presents haha. gosh. It was crazy!
But this week was so fun! We had a lot of good dendo time and are seeing so many miracles! I love you all!!