Week 44 - Last Email of the Year!

Hello Friends!!!

Today was awesome! As we went about our preparation day business a family from a ward in California was infront of us in line at the Panda Express wannabe and bought our food! That was tender! They spoke of how they are sure many people have done that for their kids while they were on their missions! 

And! This YSA age woman, Bobbie, just came up to us and started introducing herself and sharing about how her aunt is Mormon and her cousins have gone on missions! Then invited her to an activity tonight and exchanged numbers!! She was so nice and she said she could come tonight! Awesome right!

I had a wonderful Christmas with the Senior couple, Elder and Sister Moss! I love them! We also had a breakfast/movie morning with the other sisters in the area! That was fantastic! And I got to talk to my family!!! Which is always the best!

Our investigators have been out of town for the holidays, so not much going on there! But we hope to get more soon! I love this work so much!

In sunday school we talked about the things we do "because of Him" and it was truly inspiring. And it is Because of Him I am serving. Because of Him I am covering a stake with out a car (due to the sisters before us crashing it, no one was harmed) Because of Him I can work with a brand new missionary that I am teaching. Because of Him I can do hard things and become more than I am! I love it!

Heres a quote from Elder Bednar that President Christiansen sent!

"I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed.

The dye has been cast.

I have stepped over the line.

The decision has been made.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure.

I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, 

tainted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits or popularity.

I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, 

am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, and my goal is Heaven.

My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, 

my guide is reliable, my mission is clear!

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, 

negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, 

or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up stored up, 

and paid up of the cause of Christ.

I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till I know, and work till He stops me.

And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.

My banner will be clear"

Elder Bednar

Love you all!

Sister Nakata

Christmas Puzzle and Kids

This was a quite Christmas. 

The Browns visited for a few days the week-end before. 

We played games and talked and ate some yummy food with the Johnson's.

Their trip a little too short! 

This is our traditional puzzle this year I missed Justine helping me... 

Emric and Amelie helped a little but I pretty much did it all by myself!

On Christmas Eve, we watched - I mean, I and Amelie watched - "It's a wonderful life"

Emric and Mike watched an old Star Wars!

We watched also a short version of 'The Nativity'

But the BEST part was getting to Skype with Justine for an hour!

She is happy and doing well and it warms our hearts!

Then after Christmas, Alexi and Heavena came. 

They brought a little cooler weather with them,

(80's and 100% humidity was too hot and weird in December!)

Week 43 - New Place, New People

Hey familly!!

So this week has definitely been an interesting one with a lot of new experiences! Oh man, many ups and downs this week! Hardest week so far! But I know with out a doubt I have seen many miracles!

Tuesday I said goodbye to Sharon :( She is just wonderful, I love her so much.

So! I am like completely out of time! This email isn't exciting at all! I am so sorry! But I have a firm testimony that the Lord loves me and is supporting me!

Here in the Baltimore YSA there is significant less members of the ward. Sacrament meeting had 30 people and was SO quiet! We have 2 progressing investigators and found a new investigator last night! but she is 51 and would need to be referred to the missionaries in the family ward. There are a lot of recent converts to work with and thats awesome!

I hope your Christmas goes well! I love you all so much!

Sister Nakata

 And here is my new companion! Sister Krause! She is an awesome go getter missionary! from IDAHO! #2 companion not from Utah! haha!

New Appartement

Week 42 - What A Week!!

Oh my goodness!! WHAT A WEEK!

This past week has been purely AMAZING! I have loved it! SO many fun things!

Highlights:

* Caroling with the Youth in a nursing home
This was lots of fun! I have been singing so much on my mission!

* Wonderful Dinner with the Macharsky family! I love them so much! 
We taught the Restoration and started talking about what God expects of us. Brother Macharsky (Ma-char-ski) is a spiritual giant. He and his family are awesome. I am so mad I wont be at their house on Christmas eve to make gingerbread house!

* "Inspired knocked" on a members door
...that one was embarrassing. Especially because I had been there for dinner before. But in my defense its in a ton of apartment buildings that ALL LOOK THE SAME. And we had a great conversation and challenged her to give away some pass-a-long cards!

* Found a new investigator, Paige!
The Spanish elders talked to her and she said she would love to study with us because she has studied with many other religions before but not Mormons! She has a lot of things going on. One of which being in a relationship with a man that her mother is still married to...but hey, anyone can overcome the worst of situations with the Atonement! But really Paige is a wonderful human being who just want the best for people around her. Where there is someone in need she helps. She is amazing and has been through heck and back! I am excited for her to continue on this path!

* Amazing Zone Conference (AKA Zone revelatory experience) with Elder Teh of the 70!

Oh I love this conference! Half the mission was at this conference and the other half was the next day! I felt slightly pounded with "YOU NEED TO ALWAY BE WORKING HARD AND TRUSTING THE LORD" and at first it felt like much I kept thinking "but this and but that" but by the end the spirit was whispering to my heart that it is okay and I really can do it through Christ and using my brain and talents God has given me. Here are some things I learned by the spirit that day:

- Praying Creates Christ-like attributes (love, faith, hope, humility) with-in us. If we want to be more like Christ PRAY. Always Pray.

- Pour your heart out and believe, actively seeking to work hard to make the miracles of your Faith happen

- Write down revelation

-Ask inspired questions all the time (I really need to work on that) But see section about Susan for an experience from applying that.

- We are not about Sharing information, we are about inviting people to CHANGE

- NEVER stop listening to the Spirit

- Use the spirit as the resource it is! Walk away changed, renewed, forgiven

- "If I don't think I can be like Ammon (or enter in any scriptural or modern prophet/apostle you admire) How do I think I am supposed to be like Christ??"

* My companion, Sister Botchway got to be interviewed by him! 
Yeah that was just time for my jealously to kick in just a little. But its okay :)

* Friday: Head quarter referral, Susan Blair, she is marvelous!
Okay! So Thursday we got to referral from HQ's and called her. Set up to meet her Friday morning met with her and Sister Vandre (the Ward mission leaders wife). Had an amazing lesson. So at zone conference the day before I learned to ask questions when I study. So That morning in studies I was bold and faithful and asked "what is Susan Blair's concern?" Now I have never met this woman and I don't know anything beyond a few sentences I'd been told. I knew that God and the Spirit knew her though, and could guide me to specifically what I would need to study in order to answer her concern. I flipped directly (no joke, on the first try, got there) to "using the BOM to address people's concerns" in Preach my Gospel started there. So in my studies I found a few possibilities of what her concern may be. Church, Joseph Smith, Priesthood authority. I researched ways to address those concerns with the scriptures. Then in companion study we decided together to Role play with Susan's concern being the priesthood. Well! Low and behold! The Priesthood was the very thing she had the most questions with! And because we had prepared it is something she is understanding right off the bat! Susan want to be baptized as she prays and feels the message we share is true! She came to church this Sunday and we have two meetings with her this coming week! I LOVE THE LORD. He loves each of us and knows us. And knows what others need and can teach us by the spirit what we need to do.

* Friday: Lunch with Brother Vandre and his wife after the lesson with Susan! They took us to the super cheap, super good Mexican restaurant! It was great!

* Friday: I was a Temple Visitor's Center Sister Missionary for a day!

After Lunch with the Vandre's we went on a small road trip with 4 other companionships and went to the Visitors center! With the busy holiday season the sisters there need some extra people and are having sisters from the surrounding missions come and help out! We got to talk with and inspire people coming to the temple lights and to see the nativities from all over the world! I talked to a woman who hadn't heard of the church before and invited her to learn more and to come back! We got to take some pretty sweet pictures too! 

* Friday: Japanese Steak house for dinner!
So we got back around 7:30 and then the awesome Sister Lynch picked us up because it was her birthday and she wanted to treat herself and us to a night at a Japanese Steak House!! She doesn't have family around this area so I guess we were the next best thing! That was just plain awesome!

* A 14 year old LA was able to play with the YW for their basketball game (they didn't win) but when we asked her if she wanted to take the missionary lessons as she tries to come back to activity she said "yes!"

* Saw the Mormon Choir of DC perform in our church building! 
They were AWESOME! Susan came to that too!

* President called Sunday night and said after a lot of prayer decided to have me go to the Baltimore YSA and train a new missionary!
Welp! President has me training again! And in an area that I know nothing about! Haha its crazy but I am so ready for it. I know the Lord is the only way I can do this and I haven't stopped smiling yet! Sister Botchway will be staying here and being follow up trained by Sister Fanga, another tonga sister! So we will have two tongans together! That's awesome! I am excited for them. Sister Botchway is going to have fun taking over this area. It is probably good we didn't stay together. I have found out I can be a control freak. Ha I have not given Sister Botchway enough opportunities to spread her wings and fly so I am glad she has this challenge ahead of her of taking over the area. I know when I had to do that I learned so much!

 Well! There you have it! That's my been my week. It is amazing how many complaining thoughts I have had and how thin I have found my patience at times, but I know that because there were so many good things going on, some things had to have been not so good. And don't worry, I have been able to overcome those rough times and will continue to! :)

* One last thing, 
I dreamt the elders returned the car to us with the gas at empty, the next day it came true. Sharing the car with Elders who never look at the gas gauge=you always getting the gas and the one time you give to car to the elders with it at halfway and they have it for 2 days and you thing "THEY HAVE TO FILL IT UP" (Its a common practice in our mission to not let the tank go below halfway) And then they return it Sunday and its got 57 mile to empty. Yeah.

Well! Life is still good! And I am excited for what's to come! 

I love you all!!

Sister Nakata!

Week 41 - Meeting Marman & Christmas Ward Celebeations

Hope everyone is doing well!!

I love you all!

This past week here on the mission has been pretty good!!

Monday we got to help our investigator, Sharon, decorate the cafeteria of a senior center she volunteers here time, money and effort at! We had a great lesson with her on Friday! We showed her the gospel library app and SHE LOVED IT. She still hasn't come to church! there is a mental block keeping her from coming into the church building, she is promising she is still working on it.

On exchanges I re-learned the value of "sticky-noting" people and since then have left like 10 different members with stick notes of love!

Tuesday we met with the Shankle family. The grandmother, mother, and 11 year old daughter are all members and all less active. They welcomed us in (which they have only done 2 times out of 6+ attempts) and we got to know them. Man they area fun group. Sister Shankle has 3 kids, 11, 8, 6. And these kids have the energy that children in my family have growing up. LITERALLY ALL OVER THE PLACE. Well not the older two girls, really just the 6 year old boy. They talk the talk about wanting to live the gospel, by they are not walking the walk :( I just pray they take those steps they need to get back into church!

Wednesday, we biked all day in the rain (well it was really like mist). We went around and talked to many many people! After biking around all day we decided it was time for a treat and decided to stop at Taco Bell! While we were there I talked to this guy waiting for his food. Shared with him a card and told him to check it out. Right before leaving we started talking to the cashier, Kat. We had small talk for just a minute before she asked us if we were nuns. We explained who we were and she and another employee there just kept asking us all sorts of questions! It was wonderful! We gave Kat a book of Mormon and got her number! She told us how she has a 3 year plan to make it onto the red carpet as a singer/song writer. She sat down with us and sang for us, it was beautiful! She talked about how this might be a sign that she may need to get back into church and we said "yes, it is a sign." Nothing has happened quite yet but we will follow up!

Thursday we had a Trainer/Trainee Meeting! All the missionaries who are new to the mission and their trainers came to a building here in our stake (very convenient) and we got to have instructions from President and Sister Christiansen and the Assistants. They shared with everyone (again) points from the talk "the answer is the Doctrine" by Elder Bednar. You should read it! if you cannot find it anywhere, ask me for a copy and I will send you one!

Thanksgiving Dinner at Francos! They are awesome!

We had thanksgiving desert with these people! The husband is aithiest, but the wife is fully active and endowed!

May I just say that President and Sister Christiansen are amazing! I have luckily been able to see so much of them with Zone Conference two weeks ago, the Trainer meeting last week, a Half-mission Conference this week (Elder Teh of the first quorum of the seventy is coming) and our Christmas conference the 23rd!

Friday's highlight was Sharon. I know that God sent us to her because it is finially time for her to give up her sin of living with this man (on she is fully aware of and is struggling to give up) and be right with God. I am so glad we were sent to her and pray that she is able to overcome the mental and physical blocks Satan is trying to use against her.

Saturday was the ward Christmas party! It was lots and lots of fun! There was tons of food and tons of people. This ward is a very close knit family and I am grateful I get to be a part of it!

Sunday we had the amazing miracle of meeting Marman! (when we said we were Mormon, he said "my name is Mormon!" I said "no, really?" "really" "really?" hahah then he explained it was Marman, not Mormon. This man is amazing he is from a south American country above Brazil, has lived in Florida for the past 20 years and living here in Frederick working on a work project for the next 6 months. He asked us many many questions and we taught the Restoration to him right there. We testified that there are apostles and prophets again. It was right before the Christmas Devotional and I told him to come and find out if they are truly apostles. He said "that is a challenge." And I said "yes! yes, it is a challenge" Well, he did not come to the devotional, but he did take a BOM and gave us his information. He said he does want to find out if our message is true. It was incredible meeting Marman!

Also, you know it is fast Sunday when you are knocking on a potential investigator's door and your companion says "This door looks like a chocolate bar."

Another fun fact I do not remember if I have shared this or not.

Stephanie Meyer's (yeah, the one that wrote twilight) son, Elder Meyer, is in my mission. Ha! Isn't that cool?

Ponderizing scripture "And your whole labor shall be in Zion, with all your soul, from henceforth; yea, you shall ever open your mouth in my cause, not fearing what man can do, for I am with you. amen." D&C 30:11

And I will be completely honest. I have not been doing a good job at all of ponderizing, my mind is always on a million and 5 things I have to do! But I have been pondering on a few different scriptures I want to have as my ponderizing scripture.

Me cooking Talapia for sister Botchway and I! 

I cannot remember if I sent this before or not, so merry Christmas! :D

Week 40 - A long Letter!

Hello Family and Loved ones!! :)

It is a very exciting time! Christmas time!! Let me tell you a little about how my wonderful week went!

Monday we decided to drop Harmony as an active investigator at this time :( She is not willing to set a date to be baptized and the rest of her family are less active members. So as a 10 year old that support she doesn't have right now from family is going to really help later when she does decide to get baptized. Monday we also went over to another less actives home and helped her take bags and bags and bags of trash out of her home....I am continually grateful for the lessons I have learned growing up in taking care of my home!

Tuesday we had another amazing lesson with Sharon! I keep asking her to pray about the things we are teaching to know if they are true and I don't know why! Every time I ask her to she tells me she already knows its true! Isn't she the greatest! She still hasn't come to church and that is one of the 3 biggest things investigators must do if they are to have a solid testimony. That is they need to pray, read the scriptures (especially the Book of Mormon) and attend church. Anyone who is doing these three things will always be solidifying their testimony of the restored gospel! Anyways, she needs to get to church! And this week will be the week!

Wednesday we had an amazing lesson with this young, single mother in her 20's, Amy. The Spanish Elders talked to her on the street and we set up Wednesday to go visit her! She loved our lesson. She had grown up around Christianity but no one really took the time to explain much of it to her. So we explained about who the members of the Godhead are and their roles. We talked about repentance, forgiveness, and baptism and she said "oh, I should really do that" So! We invited her to be baptized the day after Christmas! and she accepted! (well unfortunately she did not come to church this past sunday, so that will need to be pushed back, but needless to say she accepted). We are hopeful in going back and teaching her! We had a church tour scheduled but she ended up canceling that too :/. But we will get in contact with her this week and see where this goes! :)

Wednesday we also were asked by Bishop to find a less active in an apartment building. Its building LL but we don't know what door. Well building LL happens to be the only building of those particular apartments that have 48 apartments! 48. All the others have 12 in them. Haha so we have so far eliminated 13 apartments Ms Karen does not live in!

Thursday was THANKSGIVING! We are not allowed to proselyte on this day so we had some fun! We went to the Franco's home and had Thanksgiving meal with their family! The Francos are a wonderful senior missionary couple that help with the Addiction recovery Program! Sis Franco has a daughter living in Hawaii and her husband and I were able to talk about places in Hawaii that we both knew! It was great! After dinner we went to the Donley's home and had dessert! Then we ended the night at the stake center playing ultimate Frisbee and Volleyball with all the missionaries in our zone!

Friday we had EXCHANGES! Exchanges were previously 48 hours but president has changed them back to the original 24 hours! I went to the Hagerstown area with Sister Sirrine and Sister Blanchard stayed and was with Sister Botchway! Sister Botchway led out the area and did a WONDERFUL job! She is such a great missionary. She doesn't always like talking to people but she is always pushing herself! I love it. Oh exchanges we had dinner with this non member family, the Lopez's. I love them! They are a great little Christian family. Two kids currently at home and their music teacher is Sister Hall who is about to leave for a mission with her husband! They came to dinner too! We taught a lesson about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the example Christ set for us as he was on the earth. Then Sister Hall handed sister Sirrine and I sheet music to a primary song we both didn't know well and told us to sing it for everyone! Man I did not think I would be singing this much on my mission! I loved street contacting with Sister Sirrine because every time she talked to someone, I had to ask myself if she knew that person already and was like their best friend. It was incredible! She is such a great missionary! We also got to see this super sweet woman, Joy, who is sharing the gospel with all the people in her building! They all know shes Mormon and shes only lived there like a month or two!

I learned a lot on exchanges, one time while we were walking around Sister Sirrine was just saying "I LOVE this time of the year, everyone is so nice! And I love that we get to walk around and just talk about Christ, that is all we have to worry about. I love talking about Christ! We have the best job every!" It was a very happy attitude and I loved it! Also Friday it was like 70 degrees out and it was great!

Saturday I went back to Braddock Heights. We knocked on a door and the woman asked us if we were out "winning souls" We were very confused, then she explained like and we were like "yes! we are winning souls" It was a really cool way to think of it!

Sunday, we had an awesome dinner with the Bradford family! They live in the coolest cabin looking house that overlooks the whole city of Frederick! How cool!

And here are a few stories I have forgotten to tell about!

One day we were biking and stopped to talk to this man who was grilling outside and he gave us some Steak! It was so good! We were headed to dinner, but if a man offers you steak out of the kindness of your heart, you gotta say yes! It was an awesome experience. unfortunately I took off  my glove to eat the steak with my had and I ended up losing one of my mother's leather gloves :( I am still sad about that.

In our first lesson with Sharon, as the trainer I was suppose to let Sister Botchway invite her to be baptized but I totally DIDNT! It was so bad, my invitation was just a mess! But because the spirit was there she still accepted that soft invite! It was just a lesson to me that I just really need to stop talking and stop controlling! Haha I have since let sister Botchway share in the inviting :)

I have also learned a valuable lesson that the reason why we invite people to be baptized and to repent right from the start is because of this: We are here to help prepared, ready people to make and keep sacred covenants, not to prepare people until they are ready! And as I keep that focus it is easier for me to know that there are people out there who are ready to hear about the gospel and join the church now! I can't remember if I mentioned this before but last week we had a Zone Conference with President and he shared with us that the church hired a private origniaztion to question people in our area if they would be interested in learning more about our church and 84,000 people said they would be! 84,000 people with in our mission! Isn't that crazy! I know we can find them!

I love you so much! Sorry this email is rather long! I wouldn't get used to it :) Have a blessed week! And visit Christmas.Mormon.org you wont regret it!

Love,

Sister Nakata

Week 39 - Working on My Faith

Okay!

I hope everyone had a great week!

So this email will not be the best of quality! Limited time, so sorry!

Okay so we had a wonderful lesson this week with Sharon! She did not come to church again :( But she has amazing comprehension of all the things we are teaching her! And she loves it! Her only hold up will be the fact that the man she has been living with for the past 38 years is not her husband! And she knows she needs to be married him to be a part of the church! We talked to her about Eternal marriages even and she thought that was the greatest! Anyways she promised to pray and ask God how he can help her! Ah I love Sharon!

Anyways! Life is good, finding 2 new investigators is a struggle and I am definitely working on my faith and diligence in doing so, but I know the Lord can make anything happen :) Including the goal our inspired President has set for us :)

I love the Lord and I love this mission! Serve Him in any capacity he asks you to! You won't regret it :)

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Sister Nakata

Sunday Walk with Papi & Laurent

Week 38 - Harmony

Hey Family and Friends!

Okay this week was awesome! We were able to go to the ward mission leaders home and have dinner with a less active, a recent convert, and a recent convert of the past 3 years! Brother Vandre is pretty aweome! Dinner was great!

Brother Vandre's wife came with us to an amazing first lesson with our new investigator, Sharon! So last week we were walking and inspired knocked in an apartment complex on the way from one appointment to the next. This apartment was one of many that we could have knocked on and we went to the 3rd floor, didn't feel we should be there. Went down to the second floor and knocked on Sharons door! She invited us to come back this past Friday! We shared about the doctrines in the message of the Restoration and she loved it! She said she would come to church this week and set a time for us to come back the following week! Unfortunately she called and said she wasn't going to come to church but she made certain that we would come to the following Friday! We are looking forward to sharing with her the Plan of Salvation! We also Invited her to be baptized and she said she would be! Pray that Sharon continues on this amazing path she is on :) We are excited for her!

This week Sister Botchway and I also had the opportunity to sing in a musical fireside with our 10 year old investigator, Harmony! She loves singing and wanted to sing a children's song "The Mircale" So we sang with her during the verses and she sang the chorus with piano accompanying! It was a beautiful musical fireside!

Sister Botchway is still doing awesome! We are talking to many people and trying our best to find new investigators! The mission is shifting their focus and with the new mission president reverting all mission rules back to what the White handbook says and the new standard of excellence is baptizing every other month! I am excited for these new changes!

Love you all! My ponderizing scripture this week is D&C 84:88! Whats yours?

Have a great week!

Sister Nakata

Week 37 - Nine months out and I am a Momy!

Hey friends!

So last night we got a call from President Christiansen! He said that Sister Stolworthy is going to follow up train Sister Moore's (my first trainer) trainee in Woodstock, VA and I am going to train a new sister here in Braddock Heights! Holy cow! Can you believe it?? Oh man! And if you count the MTC I will be on my 9th companion in 9 months! Crazy right? I can't believe it sometimes. But I did get to have a picture with all of my companions I've had so far at our Sisters Conference!!

Isn't this the coolest! From left to right we have Sister Johnson, Sister Jeppson (she is going home in 3 days :( and my follow up trainer) Sister Moore (my first trainer) Sister Ward, me, Sister Buchi from the MTC, Sister Nish, Sister Bindrup and Sister Stolworthy! How awesome! All my companions in one place!

For sisters conference we got to do the hike on Thursday with all the sisters in the mission! It was so amazing! We had breakfast and then little lessons from all of the senior sisters in the mission! I learned so much about Gods love for me! Sister Christiansen said they aren't allowed to do this kinds of things again but they like it so much that they don't think it will be the last one :) Woohoo!

This week was filled with miracles as always! I can't think of specific ones at the moment, I am all out of time! But I love the Lord and I love His work! Feel free to send me stories about you on your missions if you served! My mom sent me some and I loved hearing about them!

Happy November! Pray for me and my new companion :)

Sister Nakata

Houston Fine Art Museum

Special exhibit:

Shadow Monsters

We walked in front of white screens and our shadows were projected into Monsters 

that would appear on the wall above us.

Our very own Monster shadows! 

It was really fun!

Papi loved the Pre-Colombian Art!

I loved the african Elephant head...

Food truck for Lunch across the street.

Papi had never seen such a huge copious TEXAS Hot Dog in his life!

Souvenir Photos

We only saw less than half of the exhibits. 

A whole day can and should be spent there!

Thursdays are free and have extended hours till 9pm!

We had other plans that evening;

Like a Halloween/Chili Cook Out at our Church!