Japan 11 months 4 weeks-60

Elder Tomita's birthday

Members make a difference
Member lessons make the week go by so fast. We had 5 this week. Our missions standard of excellence is at LEAST one a week. So we had quite a lot this week. 4 of the 5 were with our beloved Kawashima san. She is progressing a lot faster than I thought she would. (I need more faith). Kawashima san has some interesting issues. One normal one is that she has problems with drinking coffee, but she also has issues with, "human relations." Meaning she is very very skilled in the arts of spreading rumors and creating fights. So we are working very hard to calm her down. The Atonement is real. It is amazing to see her change. We had the opportunity to team up with the mission presidents wife, Sister Evans, for a lesson with Kawashima san. It was probably the greatest lesson Kawashima san has ever heard. We testified about how obeying the commandments and trusting Christ and His Atonement can change us. She really focused and committed to do everything we asked her to do. 

Yesterday was one of the scariest days of my life. We were waiting at 9:58 right before church (it starts at 10:00) looking for Kawashima san. If she doesn't come to church these next two weeks she can't make her baptismal date. So it turned 10:00 and we went and sat down and started to panic. Right after the opening hymn, literally 2 seconds before sacrament was going to start, she walked in the door. First Miracle. 

After church we had a lesson with her and 2 sisters in the ward. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then The Word of Wisdom. "No. I can't do it. I cannot quit coffee." The members then kindly stepped in and literally started attacking her with testimony and scriptures. There was a point when Kawashima san had 3 sets of scriptures on her lap and both members testifying to her at once. It was so awesome. We just sat there and said, "YES. SO TRUE. YES. YES YES!" It was amazing. I got all excited and started getting really strict too. I used some really fun Japanese with her, Japanese you would not usually use with any investigators because of how strong it is. It got all quiet and we asked her again if she would quit coffee. She said, "Fine. If I can drink coffee on the last day before my baptism." "NO. If you have that thought process you won't keep the commandments after you are baptized." "But I have to have one last drink of coffee." The members then stepped in, "You can have a coffee party all day tomorrow. Drink as much as you want. Go HARD with your coffee and then STOP." Kawashima san then said, "OH I can do that!" Then a Sister said, "Good. And I promise because you are now committed to stop drinking coffee, it will not even taste good anymore." It was the greatest thing ever. Kawashima san then said (In English), "YES. I quit!" Elder Swenson threw his fist in the air and said, "yosh!" It was so funny. 

We had that amazing lesson and then went over to a members house to have a great taco rice party and right before that do a quick missionary meeting. We started talking about Kawashima san during the meeting and the Ward Missionary Leader said, "Yeah I don't think she can really quit..." I found it extremely ironic and sad that the people we preach faith and change through the atonement to, we don't even have faith in them. It was way sad. So it put me off the whole rest of the day. Then I remembered how Christ experience everything we did. No matter what we are going through and how bad we feel HE knows. So I said a great prayer, felt amazing and then slept super hard. 

We saw a lot of miracles this week as well, one being meeting with the Spanish looking lady we met last week. She is now a new investigator and we have a return appointment with her husband next week. Her house is also super huge and expensive. Get ready for great pictures. 

Wow I am way out of time. I love you all so very much. Be excellent to each other. 

-Mecham Choro. 

PS. There was another baptism in Moiwa yesterday and the week after next is Kawashima san's baptism!