Week 28 - Hello!

Hello Everybody!

How are you? I hope you are all genki and happy and doing well :) Sister Nanjo and I both got a little bit of a cold yesterday, but we are both feeling a little better today, and were able to come to practice a song that we will be singing at the zone conference this week for Yamashita choro. So for the first time I am emailing today from the Honbu! Sorry if this email ends up being a little short, there are a lot of distractions here... !

I dont know if I mentioned before that Miyu Nakandakari, the 10 year old that we have been teaching has a baptismal date - originally it was for her birthday on August 4th, but about a month ago we were able to change it to a little sooner - March 31 - and it looks like it is actually going to happen! We met with their family 3 times this week, as we have been for a few weeks now. I love their family SO MUCH! They are so much fun, its ridiculous. We have kind of an interesting set up going on right now - for the first hour we serve them - I teach the mom English (from the Book of Mormon Stories book :) ) and Nanjo shimai has recently started helping their 8 year old learn math. Then we have a gospel lesson after that - Miyu chan is progressing really well! She said she really feels like God is real, and thats why she wants to be baptized. Her mom is always there for the lessons, and though she doesn't say that it is for her, she is learning, and I feel that she is starting to become more and more open to the idea of this gospel being for her as well. We have a really good relationship with the Dad as well, although he usually isn't around during the lessons. But this week we had what I count as a miracle - Miyu chan and her sister Yuki chan came to the Primary activity on Saturday and when it was over we had a lesson with them to review the Restoration and show them the Restoration DVD. We had a team up Sister, and another girl in the same Primary class there at the beginning. Just a few minutes into the lesson however, their Dad showed up to take them home (they were originally going to go home by them selves). We asked him if he had a little bit of time to hear the lesson before they went home, and he did, so we there to here all of Lesson 1, see the restoration DVD, and we were even able to show all three of them the baptismal font after it was over. It was the first time I think he has ever fully been present for a lesson, and it was so neat to have him there. Her parents are not thinking right now about the gospel for themselves - I guess the Dad kind of had religion forced on him growing up, and so he built his family on the principle that everyone is an individual, and even if all 6 of them choose different religions that is totally fine -but if you commit you've got to give it your all. As a result her parents are probably the most diligent in following up with Miyu to make sure she is reading and praying everyday. They are really supportive. So if all goes as planned she will be baptized in a couple weeks!

It was so great to hear from all of you! Interviews, otsukaresama desu. I am excitied to read your talk mom! I'm sure it is fabulous. That is so exciting that Joe Watanabe is coming! Do you know when?

I love you all so much! Until next week!

Love,

Sister Budge