I'm off to serve an LDS mission in Kobe, Japan from June 2015 to December 2016. My mom will be keeping this blog updated with my latest letters, photos, adventures, etc.! Also I would LOVE to hear from everyone - katya.wagstaff@myldsmail.net

Monday, March 14, 2016

March 14 Transfer of Miracles

So first to the good stuff- still in Kawachinagano and my new comp is Steere Shimai from Australia! Also last week I hit 9 months! Last week...Chapman Shimai's last P-day, we wanted to do something really special, and what was her request?? To dye her hair...I dyed it. Not like really crazy, just that she wanted it all to be the same
color.

So now I have a back-up career plan :) Dinner was with a young couple and we had so much fun! We went with
the elders and both the Kyotani's are kind of recent RM's so it was just really fun.

Tuesday we ate sushi with some members- good sushi! Ate a little too much and then we had to bike a little far, but I guess that's just keeping me from getting fat! We went visiting teaching with the RS Pres for a while visiting different less-actives. At one older woman's house, we did the hula, she was very happy, even though she has
bad legs.



Then someone new came to Eikaiwa! She seems like a lot of potential, also she loves the Little Mermaid...just saying!

Wednesday lunch with an investigator- really exciting to have a real potentially progressing investigator, though we kind of starting teaching a little too much because we were so excited. Thankfully, she didn't drop because of that, she took it and still wants to meet- meeting again next week and we'll see what happens!
Next was a weekly lesson with a less-active and it's been a blessing to see her progress slowly. We talked about the temple and family history and had 2 members there who were very supportive!  Ended the night with a Tahitian Dance activity! We had a really good turnout from the members and our new friend from Eikaiwa came, plus the members really quickly befriended her and she was part of the group.


Thursday was transfer day- sad to see Chapman Shimai and her doki go home, but I have a great new companion and there are some really wonderful missionaries here. We were a little confident getting to the Eki to meet all the sisters for our zone and ended taking about 3 wrong trains...oops. Doubt I'll ever be talented with trains. Spent a good part of the day as a trio with Nakayama Shimai and Steere Shimai in Sakai waiting for Nakayama Shimai's new comp. I got to fill them in on Sakai and it was nice to be back for a little bit! Then back to Kawachinagano and visited the bishop at night- he's a really good leader, leads by example and really cares about the people. 

Friday we spent our day in a really inaka (country) part of our area. Sadly that meant not many people on the streets, but visited a few members and talked with some good people- God blesses us with people to meet no matter what. 

Look at beautiful Kawachinagano!


Saturday we quickly met a lot of members, ended up receiving a bunch of food and then met with a PI who's become kind of a real investigator- got to know her better, and shared prayer and church attendance- she can't come because of work, but definitely wasn't "kekko"ing us! Kekko is a no. 

Sunday no one (investigators) at church, but we're working on finding people who really will progress. During RS we talked about Joseph Smith- I love talking about Joseph Smith. No doubt he was called of God and fulfilled his calling. After church as we met with our Eikaiwa coordinator and talked, lots of my questions were answered as she shared different ideas and things about Eikaiwa and dendo that she had been thinking about. She is really good at magnifying her calling and has a great vision to help people come unto Christ through Eikaiwa! I've never realized how much potential Eikaiwa had. 

Then in the evening we were going to different less-actives and got to meet a YW who loves English and will be doing a home stay next year in the US and actually asked if she could spend a day dendoing with us! The point is to learn English, but still, a LA YW wants to come with the missionaries! Her dad is active, no one else in the family is, but I can see the influence that he has, because his girls are still really good! 

This week with a new transfer, in the BOM atonement challenge, I've focused a lot on miracles. This is going to be a transfer of MIRACLES. I read Mormon 9 and all of Mormon 9 is good! My theme scripture for the transfer is v21. I also loved 16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?

With that, I was following up with some sisters last night and we talked about miracles for a while- what is really a miracle? It's big and little things, and another thing we decided last night was that trials can be blessings, a miracle maybe, if we use it to grow. So anyways, I'm looking for miracles and my definition of "miracle" is expanding. Also, as I was studying this the other day, I read the definition in the Bible Dictionary and I wanted to share a part: "Christianity is founded on the greatest of all miracles, the Resurrection of our Lord. If that be admitted, other miracles cease to be improbable." 

Jesus Christ completely fulfilled the Atonement and because of that we see miracles. Also watch the new Easter video! 

Love, 
Wagstaff Shimai

10 foods to eat in Japan (This was from a travel email, so we asked Katya how many she had tried.)
Soba- yes, ma
Onigokko - ? No idea
Mochi- haha, it's pounded rice and yeah I've eaten it
Tempura- yum!
Kaiseki- ? No idea
Tonkatsu- made it a couple days ago, not actually that special, it's
breaded, fried pork!
Yakitori- lots of variations
Curry rice- regular food
Okonomi...I think they mean Okonomiyaki! Of course, delicious!

That's true, always a little disappointed if I don't hear stories, (missionary homecoming talks). I'll need to remember that! (Still 9 months to go, thank goodness) A lot of thinking about when I go home since I've been with Chapman
Shimai at the end- honestly I want to/ start to cry when I think about leaving Japan. I love it here! I know I'm only here a little bit, and need to go back, but I LOVE it here.

Also I love you guys! Got to talk about family quite a bit this week, share pictures, etc and it's always so fun! (Also all the old people here comment that you are Dad are "so young!" Also tall.)

Love, Katya

We've been emailing listening to Elder Holland's Face 2 Face with YSA- really good, he's testifying right now about the BOM and family.

My new companion is REALLY good!  Also, she really wants to magnify her calling- we really read through the STL packet of our responsibilities and brainstormed for the sisters. I love it, it's really fun to plan to help others. Always
lots of revelation then.

RS was about Joseph Smith and in my mind, it always goes back to my family too. I've never had a doubt about Joseph Smith as the prophet of the restoration. My family has faith and I grew up talking about him, hearing testimonies of him at every birthday.

So essentially thank you for raising me with the importance of faith- moving to a sure knowledge of His gospel. It's so important! It means so much.


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