Transfered to KURUME, Fukuoka!!So, transfers have come and gone. Well, unfortunately...I'm not in Fujisaki anymore (I was way bummed). But I am still in Fukuoka-ken(prefecture). I am currently serving in the Kurume ward. Me and my new companion Motegi-shimai (sister) are opening the area for sister missionaries. For the past three or four years it's just been two Elders...well, now it's just two sisters! It's a first for Kurume not to have Elders working in the ward, but we're gonna work hard and try to make up for the difference!
My companion is from around Kobe somewhere. I had actually met her while I was in Kyoto...so I sort of already knew her..well, knew her face anyways. And I think her older sister trained my MTC companion in the Hiroshima mission! Small world.
I was way bummed that I got transferred though. Especially once transfers were over I realized how much I LOVED the Fujisaki Ward. It was probably the hardest time of my mission because for twelve weeks straight we had no investigators, and no lessons to teach, but I loved the members and I absolutely adored my companion! Everyday was a blast. After weeks of nothing, we had FINALLY found a new investigator and had plans to attend the activities (ward barbeque, returning missionary fireside...we weren't able to attend other activities cause we never had an investigator to come with us)..and of course they all happened AFTER transfers...so i missed them. Dang! But I know that it's time to move on, and that my work is needed elsewhere.
Kurume seems like it's gonna be alot of fun though. I can feel that things are gonna start to change. Already I've noticed a difference in the people that we contact...they actually take the time to stop and listen! So, I've got to brush up on my contacting skills, but I know there are gonna be MANY opportunities to teach in this area. The Elders left us with a few good investigators and a couple of PI's to work with, so we don't even have to start from zero.
Already we're better off than I ever was in Fujisaki! Lucky us. Anyways, we've met the ward, and I'm VERY impressed by how much love the ward has for the missionaries and for each other. It's a very family-like atmosphere, and the RS is amazing! So strong! The Priesthood holders are a little sukunai(not so many)...but oh well. We gotta work with what we've got.
I'm assuming this is going to be my last area, so I'm gonna give it all i got! Dendo (Missionary work)till I die! I pray that I can be of some service here and that I can offer something special to the Kurume ward.
Because transfers happened around a national holiday, we just go our bikes today...which means for the past four days we've been walking...walking dendo( missionary work)...all day long! You think we'd be in shape because we ride our bikes forever all the time...but no. I was sore after one day of walking. Who knew walking muscles are different than biking muscles?! But our bikes are here, and we can finally GO places. (Having to walk everywhere you go really slows down the dendo( missionary work)...cause it takes FOREVER to get to where you want to)
Speaking of getting to where we want to, since we white washed the area we have NO IDEA where anything is!! We've got a map and some random numbers and we just go for it. What's worst is that Kurume people don't put their address on their houses or their mail boxes...so we just have to guess! So yesterday, we went to go visit an investigator. Well I think we walked around for at least 40 minutes trying to find the place. We knocked on doors and asked people...but no one really knew, we looked at the maps along side the road, we even had two sales men come up and ask us what we were doing, and had them look it up using the GPS on their cell phones...but still couldn't find it! Anyways, we were wasting precious finding time, so we found a secluded spot and said a quick prayer. After we finished, we continued on our search, and what do you know, whithin two minutes we walk right up to the apartment building we had been searching for!!!! Amazing. Prayer works people! Even when it doesn't feel like it, we are being lead to our answer. I know that sometimes being a missionary its hard to recognize that our path is being prepared...but after yesterday my testimony was strengthened that we ARE being lead by the lord. He really is watching out for each one of his missionaries, and will help us with whatever we need, even road directions, if we'll only ask him.
Well, life at home sounds swell. I'll try my best to be the best messenger of glory (President Monson use these wards during Draper Temple dedication)that I can! Thank you for all the prayers. It's the prayers said by you and all the people around the world that keep the missionarys' spirits up even when times are rough. Love you tons!
