Thanks to all of you for working so hard on getting ready for the concert. Everyone over here in Japan is getting excited for the concert. I think this is something Heavenly Father is also definitely helping us out on...because last week we saw an incredible miracle. Monday I got a call from a member who called to ask when FHE was at the mission home. Well, it was that day! She said she had a friend who she wanted to introduce to the missionaries, and she thought that FHE would be the perfect opportunity. He's a Buddhist monk, so she knew he wouldn't take the lessons or anything, but she wanted him to feel something and at least know who the missionaries are (this member converted from a strong Buddhist family, so she's got some Buddhist connections...her house is a Buddhist temple)Anyways, so we scrambled our things together, met with her and her friend and made our way up to Fukuoka to go to FHE. Well, by the time we got there FHE was over and everybody was eating refreshments. When we got there President Iwaasa and the stake president were just talking about us and our concert. They said they were VERY excited!! Well, the stake president started talking with our friend,and come to find out he went to school and studied sound...stuff! SO he has the equipment to put on a concert!!! No way!!! The Stake President got all excited, stated saying "lucky" and gave me a bunch of high fives. He said he had just been thinking about what to do, cause the church does not have four mikes...or speakers..or any equipment to put on a concert. He said "lucky" a few more times, and then asked him if he'd be willing to help us out. To which he replied "gladly". Incredible huh? So if Heavenly Father is working to make this concert happen, all of us need to put in our effort too!
Well, ganbarou ne.(Let's work hard together) This is gonna be work for all of us! But we can do it!!!! Because we're the Osterloh sisters. yeah! (that was corny)
Anyways, back to dendo.(missionary work)
We saw two baptisms yesterday! yaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Nyu-san and Tao-san are officially members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They've received the gift of the holy ghost, and have begun the exciting journey back to the presence of our Heavenly Father.
the actual baptism was a little rough. the two girls did all they could to try and get themselves completely under the water...but the person performing the baptism had a little difficulty in understanding that he has to DUNK them. I think each girl had at least five attempts before we got an OK from the bishop. I think everyone in the room was simultaneously praying in their hearts that everything would go okay. I was holding my breath, that's for sure... but everything turned out okay in the end, and that's all that matters! It will definitely be a day to remember for the both of them! (Tao-san and I were standing at the side of the font after she finished her baptism and were watching Nyu-san go through the same struggle...Tao-san started laughing. She said "taihen deshita ne( It's hard, isn't it?)" haha...which of course got me laughing too. thank goodness we were holding towels to muffle the noise! SO at least they were happy!)
We've set another baptismal date with a investigator. She's from the Philippines and has three adorable daughters. I think I've told you about them already. Well, they came to all three hours of church yesterday! the girls loved primary, and can't wait to come back next week!
we are truly being blessed here in Kurume. I am SO grateful for all that I have been allowed to be a part of here.
