Oh Happy Day!

I SO love getting Lacee's emails...she writes like she talks!  (a hundred miles an hour and so expressive!)  It makes me SO happy!

From her email:

"Seeing Brand was SO good. Let me give you the play-by-play. So you said like 2:30, so it was 3 and I still hadn't heard anything, so I was afraid maybe they couldn't like get a hold of me or something. So proceeded to take things into my own hands. So, I called the front desk...haha... and they thought Brand was going to be a new missionary checking in, so I explained to them what was going on. They made sure it was approved and everything, and then they said they would tell me when he got there. But he checked in while I was on the phone, so they told me to just go right then. I literally started tearing up right then. I power-walked to the front as fast as I could while still trying to look "professional". I was fighting tears the whole time. Then when I was walking up the hall, I saw Brand and made this weird noise that I can't explain. It was like a squeak and trying to not cry and a little scream all at the same time. Then I was really moving and I just started bawling and gave him a huge hug. I seriously lost it. I'm sure by my red, puffy eyes in the pictures you can tell that. I was just crying and hugging him. It was so great, but not long enough."



Our two full-time missionaries

 

"I'm doing really great. Things are going really well. I can actually understand some of what the sensei are saying to me!! Ha.. no it really is starting to come along a little bit. I still know nothing, but I've relaxed a little about not knowing everything. "

 

"The coolest thing that happened this week was when we were teaching Toshi-san (Our teacher/investigator).  He doesn't really pay attention, and he's hard to get engaged in the lessons.  We had prepared a lesson Iesu Kirisuto to Iesu Kirisuto no Aganai ni suite (about Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ's Atonement). Then not too long before our lesson we switched to the Kaifuku (Restoration).  Tokidoki (Sometimes) the Mitama (Spirit) tells you that your kyudosha (investigator)needs something else. I can actually talk about the Kaifuku in Nihongo a little bit. So I was explaining a little about Josefu Sumisu, and the First Vision. Toshi actually seemed interested for a change. So then we had him read JS History 1:16-17. It was AMAZING. He read it and then after he just sat there. The Mitama (Spirit) was so strong. We just let him think about it. We just sat there for probably a minute or two. Then he said that's amazing. What a great experience. Then he just kept saying wow. He could feel the Mitama (Spirit) too. He asked who the two people were. Although I had already explained it was Kamisama to Iesu Kirisuto (God and Jesus Christ). He was confused because his parent are Catholic, and they think God and Jesus Christ are one person. So we explained that they are two people, but are one in purpose. For me that was the first moment that my mission felt really real.  I can't explain the love for Toshi that I had at that moment. It was the most amazing experience. So then we asked how he felt. And he said it was hard to explain, but he felt really good. We told him that what he was feeling was the Holy Ghost. He said he liked it and wanted to know if that's what he would feel if he came to kyokai (Church). We told him he would. He asked how he could know if it was true, and how we knew it was true. We told him it was from reading the Morumon Sho (Book of Mormon) and lots of prayers. Then he asked why we were senkyoshi (missionaries). This is the embarrassing part. I cried. I cried in a fake lesson with a fake kyudosha (investigator), but I'm telling you it was one of the most spiritual moments in my life. I just testified to him, and I teared up. I told him I was a missionary because I knew the church was true. I knew it. I told him the Book of Mormon was the word of God, and that God would answer prayers. Wells Shimai said a few things too, and Toshi-san said wow ii senkyoshi. (Good missionaries). I know it sounds choto hen, demo sugoi deshita. (I know it sounds a little strange, but it was amazing) So that was pretty neat."

Missionary Girl is doing great!  As you can see from her email, the language is coming and she is definitely getting the missionary spirit!