New Investigator!!

Hey everyone!

We had a good busy week this week (:  Let me see how much I can write in this email....

New Investigator:  S. S-kun!!!

Last week, after visiting a less active, I saw an apartment building and thought about going housing there....and, since my goal is to do everything (good) that I think about, we went housing there.  Nothing came from that apartment building, but we saw a bigger building about 2 blocks away, and as we decided to go there, even though we were a little short on time.  We went to the top floor, as usual, and the first door we knocked was where S-kun lives!

S-kun is a 15 year old high school student, and he told us, 「興味がないわけじゃないから」 (I guess it's not like I'm not interested), so we got a return appointment!  (:

We visited him on Thursday, and had a lesson about Heavenly Father, Pre-earth life, and prayer.  He had so many good questions, and by the end of the lesson, he told us that he really wants to believe in God.  He was super excited when we taught him about prayer, too--his face just lit up!  Our tachiai, M-chan, shared a bunch of good experiences too, and it really helped to have her there.

(I have another story about Marisa-chan, after this)

 S-kun is really open, and I think he is really taking what we tell him seriously.  I think he likes talking with us, too, and we're trying to be good friends, as well as missionaries.  Ahhhh, I love him so much, already!!  He just needs to get baptized (;  His family is really atypical, too, in that his mother is super talkative and funny, they have 4 kids, and there is a really comfortable feeling in their home.

All they need is to become an eternal family (:

S-kun is starting high school tomorrow, and is going to be super busy, so just pray that we will be able to meet him regularly!  (or, again, for that matter)

OK, about M-chan....  M-chan is 18 and just graduated from high school.  The original plan was that she was going to bike from her old school to the church to meet us, but then her bike was stolen!  She called us in a panic, because it wasn't really within walking distance, and all I could do was to tell her to just take her time, because there wasn't really anything to do.

At the same time that M-chan called us, though, we were helping a member clean the church (she has 3 small kids), and she offered to go pick up Marisa-chan!

After that, everything worked perfectly, and I am so grateful that we had been helping that member at that exact time, and that the member was willing to help us as well.

While we were waiting for Marisa-chan to come, M's mother (Y shimai) told us that we had answered her prayers by asking her daughter to come with us.

It was really just an amazing night, and I am so thankful for Heavenly Father's guidance in allowing all of us to bless each other.

Mmmmk.  I'm running out of time.

Very quickly--we met with C and Mark, and we extended a baptism invitation to Markl!  He took it very seriously, and asked for some time to think about it.  He is as amazing as ever, with so much great faith and spiritual intuition!

Ok, on Thursday, we went to see the cherry blossoms in 各務原市民公園（境川堤防？）.  Apparently, it's a pretty famous spot for sakura, even in Japan.  Many thanks to A shimai for inviting us!!!  That was probably the only way we could have gone (it's really far away by bike, and we probably wouldn't have gone on P-day).  It was soooooo pretty!!!  I'm just sad we didn't have time to buy crepes at the yatai.  haha (;

Well, since I'm out of time, let me leave you with a thought from Zone training meeting....

One of our zone leaders had us read Elder Holland's talk, "The First and Great Commandment" and then told us, "The Lord forgives us....but we can never return to old shores."

As members of the Church and disciples of Christ, I hope we can all continue to progress in the gospel, and continue to serve and grow.  I don't intend to return to old shores after my mission, and I am so grateful for the great opportunity that my mission has been so far--as our mission culture says, I hope to keep on working "harder, harder, and harder!"

Love you!  Thanks to everyone for all of your support!

Sister Papenfuss