Monday, November 6, 2017

The Church is True

Well Jordan has been in Nakano for the last five transfers.  We got the word on Jordan's last transfer and she will be serving the last 6 weeks of her mission in...

Is she staying in Nakano or is she going to be serving somewhere else?  Read on and find out.  It was another challenging week but I think she got some good answers and had a fair amount of good stuff, too.  Enjoy this week's adventures with Jordan on her mission.

こんにちは、
If I'm being completely honest, it was another hard week, but I also had so many of those, "wow the church is true" moments, so that is what I want to focus on.

1. RYOKO 
After Ryoko cancelled her baptism the day of, and after a few days of hardly any contact with her, she messaged us asking us if we could meet. She apologized again for canceling her baptism and then she told us how much she loved this church and Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. She then said that since her parents are Buddhist she is trying to be Buddhist. We found out that she still hasn't told her parents anything at all about her even learning about a Christian church let alone being baptized into one. The more we talked to her, the more we realized how strong her testimony is and how much she wants to follow Jesus Christ. She told us that she wants to keep reading the book of mormon and praying. She told us that lately she has been having a hard time deciding what to do because she feels like all the decisions she has to make are big ones (she is 22 and about to graduate college). As she was telling this to us, and kind of letting her frustration out, she stops and says, "I think the reason God is giving me all of these hard things is to make me stronger and so that I can learn." SHE GETS IT. She completely gets it. She then went on to say that the only time she feels strong is when she's with us and feels that peace. She even showed us her favorite scripture in the book of Mormon that helps her - Alma 34:40. The only thing holding her back is her family. She loves her family so much, so she doesn't want to be baptized without their approval, but she is terrified to tell them.

2. NABEKO
Nabeko is so prepared. She doesn't know anything about God or Jesus Christ or anything involving religion in the slightest, yet somehow she just gets it. We had a lesson about baptism with her this week and were going to commit her to be baptized, but then she really opened up about how she doesn't know how to make decisions for herself. She explained that her whole life, she hasn't has to make any decisions. She is from China and moved to Japan 2 months ago, and up until then, her whole life had been decided for her. She told us that the Chinese government controlled everything they did, and if it wasn't them, it was her parents. She is really struggling with just making any decisions right now, so we are helping her to make her own ones, and because of all this, we didn't feel right about asking her to be baptized on a certain date, even though it is still her decision. However, throughout the lesson, she would reference her getting baptized. She would say things like, "If or when I get baptized, it's going to be hard because I love drinking alcohol."
Well fast forward to Monday night (she had come to church on Sunday too), she hung out with us a little on p-day because I was transferring. On the train ride home, we were all just goofing off and having fun and then she gets serious and she says, "I think want to be baptized. I want that same light that you two have and I really like the way I feel when I'm in the church." She told us that she needed some time, but she really wants to get baptized. She even told us that she's been trying to stop drinking alcohol!! This is amazing!! She loves alcohol!! Also, we haven't even taught her the word of wisdom, so she doesn't even know the blessings of keeping it! She just knows you can't drink alcohol from a member who told her. On a completely different note, when she saw that sister Morelock and I were stressed about something, she told us that we needed to pray. You're right, Nabeko! She amazes me.

3. TRANSFERS
This whole transfer I had been feeling like I would be transferring (I mean I've been in Nakano for 5 transfers so....). I didn't know where I would be going (like every missionary), but this last Friday night, BOTH Morelock Shimai AND I had a dream that I was going to be transferring to Sanjo. We had transfer calls a couple days later and it turns out that I will in fact be going to Sanjo!! We also later found out that the assistants and President Nagano had solidified that I was going to Sanjo the night before we had the dream. Crazy, right?

Now Sanjo hasn't had sister missionaries recently so I will be reopening the area, whitewashing (missionary term, me and my companion have never been to the area and know nothing about it), and I will be doing it with a brand new missionary! I'm training!! Sanjo is in my first zone that I was in when I came to Japan so I get to go back for my last transfer. I'm pumped. This zone is also the coldest zone in the mission so yay.

I'm so grateful for a daily dose of testimony builders and tender mercies. Through the highs and the lows, I just love being a missionary. Next week I'll be reporting live from Sanjo, Niigata. The church is true. 

愛しています、
Wunderli 姉妹

1. This store though.
2. Thus is nabeko. She loves drinking plain tomato juice with every meal.
3and4. Just missionary things 
5and6. Last Sunday in Nakano with my two favorites: Ryoko and nabeko.
7. Last English class with my two favorites 
8. I love the Nakano young women ❤❤ they all want to go on missions!









As always, thanks for your positive thoughts, your prayers, your snail mail and email.  Jordan really loves them and appreciates them...as do we (her parents).  There's not many of these left.  The time is drawing close to when I'll get to see her again and give the biggest hug I can possibly give someone.  We'll be back next week with more.

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