14 days left.....Whoa!

3-15-10

First I will write the favors....
Can you have Claire get a word in with the choir that I would like to play? Is it even possible?
Bring a video camera when you come.... but you knew that already!
Second, the things I learned from the scriptures....
Depend on the Lord- 1 Nephi 3 verse 7
Trust in the Lord- 2 Nephi 4 verses 34 and 35
You will have confidence- 3 Nephi 14 verses 24 and 25
Continue in the Faith-- Mosiah 4 verses 6, 11, 30-- see also Jacob 3 Helaman 3 verse 35 and Helaman 15 verses 7 and 8
Testify, Change, Desire-- Mosiah 5 verse 2

Now for the week.....
Wednesday the 10th I started a conversation with a lady on the train by asking what train station she was going to. She had a scarf covering up until her nose. She looked at me and then got up and walked to another part of the train where she sat down. We had eikaiwa that evening. The elders had a lesson beforehand and that lesson went 3 hours long. Whoa.

Thursday we took a bus to give us a jump start and then posted something for a less active member in the ward. We haven't used bikes the whole transfer. We had a lesson with Koto chan at Urawa church. She asked us to come to her house and have a lesson with her mom, which is great. Koto chan wants to get baptized but her mom has some concerns. In the evening we had dinner at the Ikezakis house. They feed us every week. Their 18 year old son does the cooking and he is very good!

Friday we met up at a certain train station in our area with the Matsudo Sister Missionaries. They brought along with them a 23 year old girl named Kayoko. Kayoko works with a member of the ward the Matsudo sisters are over. He talked to her about the gospel and then referred her to the missionaries. She actually lives in our area though, so the sisters handed her to us. I had a hard time jumping in the conversation but my companion and Kina Shimai did a great job. They gave her a Book of Mormon and exchanged information. We don't have a next appointment, but she has a lot of interest in the church.

I remembered a lesson with Sakata Rina from last week. We watched the Together Forever DVD. At the end she asked if the DVD and our church were from the same people. She had not read about marriage or eternal families in the Book of Mormon but had read them in one of the Gospel Doctrine Teachings of the Prophets Books. It was interesting to see she had not realized the connection between them.

Saturday we housed and visited less actives, all by foot. We were tuckered out by the end of the day. While housing we gave a Book of Mormon to a middle school aged girl. There was also a small earthquake. I am not gonna lie, I was using th ebathroom when it happened and, yes, I laughed to myself. Oh, and I remembered.... there is a couple in Kawagoe ward where the husband is on his second marriage, the wife on her first and she is 13 years older than she is.

Sunday I went to Kawagoe ward and my companion went to Urawa. After that we met at a certain train station. me, Lin, Koto chan, and my companion went to the Janice Kapp Perry concert. She and her husband attended. It was pretty fun. I ran into Brother Yamamoto, the 23 year old who played the violin for the recording last transfer. He gave me his card. I hope we can do a duet some day. He is Julliard quality, if you will. Very good. I received a copy of the CD we made with Elder Call last transfer. Listening to it, I wish we had more reharshal time.... there was non actually, but at the same rate it is good enough and I think those who listen will enjoy it. A number of the songs lack movement, even though they are slow, but the melody is calming so I suppose it is alright. It is interesting to see how important movement is to a slow song. It needs to be treated with special musical attention.

It is hard to believe that you will be here so soon. My emotions are being pulled in every direction.

We are going to move into our new apartment on Saturday the 20th. The Kawagoe elders are going to move into our old apartment. I have been living out of a suitcase this whole time.

I love you so much and I cant wait to see you!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for being such a good family and a good example to me.

Love, Sister McMahan