Yummy burger I had this week! This is a rare thing in Japan for me! They are so expensive. This cost me 800 yen, drink not included! Haha.(cost is about $7 Canadian funds)
Dear family,
We will start this letter with a crazy miracle!! So, when sister
Morley and I were together, about a month ago, we housed into this
woman who seemed to have a lot of interest in our message. Her name
was M...... We gave her a Book of Mormon and unfortunately were never
able to get a hold of her after that despite visiting and calling her
lots. Anyway, this week, sister Bettridge and I were close to her
apartment and so we thought we should maybe try again to see her. We
rang her doorbell and spoke with her through the air com. She
recognized who we were right away and dropped the phone to come to the
door and speak with us. After opening the door, the first thing she
said was that she was sorry she hadn't read our book all the way
through yet, but that she had read half of it! She had read half of
the Book of Mormon! Isn't that crazy? It had only been like a month!
She then went on to tell us about how she thought it was crazy how the
Nephites and the Lamanites were still fighting even after years and
years from the time they left Jerusalem. After she had said all of
this, she again apologized for not being able to read the whole book.
I looked at Sister Bettridge and she at me. We were so amazed by this
woman! Wow!
Anyway, she said she wanted to take the lessons and to come to church
so we will see what happens with our new friend M..... San in the
future. :) God really is preparing His people.
This morning we had transfer calls, and as I predicted, sister
Bettridge and I will be staying together in Matsudo for at least
another transfer? Yay! We are receiving three new sisters into our
zone this week and so we will have the opportunity to learn from lots
of new people. So exciting! We were pretty busy today figuring out
transfer plans for everyone and such, but I'm really glad we are
finished now. Sometimes I feel like P-days are the busiest day of the
week! Haha. It's funny how that works.
Our Zone meeting this last week was really powerful. I feel like we
all learned a lot from the things that were said. Sister Bettridge
bore a really amazing testimony on the power of exact obedience, and I
feel like we were able to really help our zone want to be more
obedient. It certainly motivated me to be more obedient in the small
things. The way we honor and keep the Lord's commandments has a direct
relation to how much love we have for the Lord. We had a really great
discussion together about this and the Spirit was really strong. While
preparing for the training, I was studying in Alma about the
Anti-Nephi-Lehi's and their firm conversion to the teaching of Alma
and his brethren. These people's conversion was so firm that they
would rather suffer death in the most torturous ways then to sin
against God. It says in the scriptures that they "burried their
weapons of rebellion" and covenanted with the Lord to never take up
arms against their brethren again. We know that they kept that promise
as their enemies came upon them soon after and slaughtered them
without any resistance. These were people who were true in all things
and in all places. They did not care about anything but pleasing their
God. Everything they did was to glorify God. They yielded their hearts
to God and refused to do anything that wasn't in accordance with His
will. (Alma 23, 7 , 24:16-19) >
7 For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of
their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither
against any of their brethren.
16 And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold,
we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the
earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never
used them, at the last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we
shall go to our God and shall be saved.
17 And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these
sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their
swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man�fs
blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth.
18 And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and
also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding
of man�fs blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God,
that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up
their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would
give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would
labor abundantly with their hands.
19 And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe
and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto
death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their
weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.<
We read some of these similar verses with the Zone and it was really
awesome. It made me think about what some of my own weapons of
rebellion might be and what I might do to bury them so that I can give
more of myself to the Lord. I've been thinking a lot about that
lately.
Sorry, that was kind of long, haha.
Another miracle from this week!
We have an amazing member named I..... Shimai in our ward and she
took off to visit her friend this week. This member had spoken with us
at church the previous week and asked us if we would help her friend
teach her English class. We agreed to help and went with her this past
Tuesday. The members friends name is U..... San. After we had taught
her class, we asked her if she had interest in learning about what we
taught as missionaries and she said she did! The member burst into
tears and then proceeded to share an amazing testimony about how she
had previously prayed to know who she could introduce the missionaries
to. After praying, her friends face filled her mind and the following
Sunday she talked with us. She told her friend that she knew that God
loved her and that He wanted her to know that. It was truly a tender
moment. I was amazed by this members courage and strength in following
through with the revelation she had received. We have another
appointment with her tomorrow and we are really excited to teach her
again. :) the Members here in Matsudo never cease to amaze me. They
are so wonderful.
We ate dinner with a family called the Takei's last night. They have 3
beautiful children and we were able to teach them the restoration.
Interacting with the kids in this family and in the Matsudo ward has
been an amazing experience for me. They are all so strong. They know
the doctrine of Christ, and they all have such strong desires to be
missionaries. Their parents have taught them well, and Japan will have
an amazing wave of missionaries serving all over In the next 10ish
years. It is so amazing to me! They will be the Lord's army of Helaman
and they will be powerful emissaries of Jesus Christ. Elder Eyring's
prophecy is coming to pass everyday I am here. The members are on
fire! I am so blessed to be here with all of them. I learn so much
from them every single day. I love being a missionary.
Well, I'm out of time. This church is true. Jesus Christ lives. He
loves us and is close to us every single day of our lives. He has been
through everything that we will ever experience. He knows you
personally. I testify of His love for each one of you.
I hope you have a wonderful week!
Love always,
Sister Hubbard xoxo
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