You don't always get to see the fruits of your labor (Dec 22nd letter)

So this week was incredible.

 

So this week I learned that sometimes you don't always get to see the fruits of your labor. While I was in Hachinohe I didn't have the best success but I always had faith that I could find people and did my best everyday. As I was thinking about it this week eating lunch, I saw a letter on the table and saw that it was addressed to me. I was confused why I hadn't seen this letter before but I grabbed it and it wasn't from anyone from America it was from Japan.  I opened it and it was a letter from a Member in Hachinohe who told me that when I had taught her High school class they had an amazing time and now 3 of the students are active participants in Eikaiwa and love talking to the missionaries. Even though it was something small it made me realize that even though I might not always have success I am setting a strong foundation and leaving my areas stronger than I found them. It's really amazing how the Lord works in Mysterious ways.

 

Anyways this week was full of fun awesome things. We got to teach our investigators quite a few times this week. I really love the 2 year old Yuna, she is so CUTE! Makes me want to have a little Japanese kid. Anyway, they invited us to go out to dinner with them too. It was their anniversary and they took us missionaries with them. Super cool. We were able to really strengthen our relationship with them and afterwards we went to some weird place and took the most hilarious pictures.  It is some self editing thing that makes you look like you are wearing some hardcore make up. It was ridiculous but hilarious.

 

Right now we are really trying to get their family to come to church.  They read and pray all the time, but for some reason they won't or can't come to church. It's frustrating because you love them so much and you just want to see them be happy forever.

 

Also, this week we had one of our Christmas parties and it turned out awesome. So to give you some background, at least each quarter the branch has a missionary fireside where we create goals that the branch wants to see the missionaries do. And one of the goals was to see 70 people at the Christmas party. So the Christmas party came around and we had exactly seventy people there! It was an awesome Miracle. Everyone me and my companion had invited to the Party came and we saw so much success from it. The sister missionaries were able to find a new investigator through it and also some people came to church the next day that were at the party. So I think It was a pretty good success. We were able to squeeze a lesson right after the party too.

 

I could always use more ideas to teach, using books would be awesome. Im getting a little tired of drawing pictures. Literally even if you can think of themes or anything that could be used as a teaching aid that would be great because I teach a few kids from the ages 2-5 years old.

 

Love you cant wait to talk to you.

 

Elder Nebeker