Week 70 - Happy 4th

Hello friends!

 The past week has been pretty crazy!

 Tuesday, Sister Suda and I went on exchanges with Sister Stolworthy and Sister Olsen over in the Columbia zone!! (for whatever reason we were their sister training leaders, I'm not mad :) We really only had that day to do the exchange because 3 days later we were changing missions! I went to Columbia to be with my old companion Sister Stolworthy! And Sister Olsen went to Odenton with Sister Suda! Sister Stolworthy had an incredible time talking about what all has happened since we were companions in October and how our testimonies have changed and deepened and about enduring to the end! :)

 Wednesday, we exchanged back and then traveled to the Annapolis zone training! We also organized getting a photo album together to give to President and Sister Christiansen and tell them how much we love them!

After zone training President and Sister Christiansen came with President and Sister Cooke of the DC North Mission. We had lunch with them and an introduction to the DC North mission. It was so incredibly sad to say good bye to the Christiansens. My heart just went out in gratitude for all they have done for me and the other missionaries. They are eternal loved ones!
We also had dinner with this super cool family, the Hosfords. Very fun!

 Thursday was the last day we were officially Maryland Baltimore Mission :( so sad.

 Friday we woke up and were DC North missionaries!! We went to a less actives home, not much success over there and on our way to our car we were stopped by a muslim man, Kevin. and while we were talking with him a man, Morgan, came over and talked to us too. He had many questions and is searching for the truth. We gave him a Book of Mormon and testified of its truth and he said that is isnt going to sit there and tell us that the Book of Mormon is true, but he is going to read it. And maybe it is true, he doesnt know yet, but hes going to try and find out! SO that was pretty cool. I am happy for him to dicover the truth! We need to go back soon :)

 Saturday we had another lesson with Sharita and her girls. they are planning on going to the temple visitors center with us next week! I am pumped for that :)

 Sunday we had church and we got a call from sister training leaders in the DC North mission! We found out that their STL system is much different and there are only 2 sisters who are STL's for full proselyting sisters and they arent even companions. So that was funny to find out! we will be going on exchanges with one of those sisters next week!

 Fourth of July we had a full non-proselyting day! Very different! we got to stay out until 10:30pm. We spent time with Sister Brown, Sister Sosa, Hermana Tuttle, and Hermana Dahle in Annapolis! Then we went to a recent converts house, Amber, and had fireworks in the road in front of their house. Lots of fun!

 Tuesday we met our new mission president! President Johnson and his wife Sister Johnson! They came from the mtc this past friday! He is a great man! He is spirited and teaches with power and authority through the spirit! I am very excited for the changes he is bring to the mission :)

 Oh! We also go our iPads yesterday and took forever setting them all up. And will take forever entering everything on the physical areabook to the online areabook. Its going to be an adventure!

 Have a great week!

Love you Sister Nakata

Week 69 - CHANGES

So BIG NEWS! The mission boundries in the MBM are changing! Here is what my MTC companion had to say about it and I liked it!

This week we received some of the most devastating news i've ever received on my mission.  The boundaries of the Maryland Baltimore Mission are making some changes and we having to make some crazy adaptions.  The Annapolis stake is leaving the MBM and we are gaining two new stakes from PA into our mission.  Now, this may not sound like a big deal to you but i want you to picture your house.  The place you call home.  And it's filled with all the people you love scattered in different rooms, when all of the sudden someone comes along and cuts out a room and takes all the people with it, leaving some strangers as their replacement.  Well... that's how i feel.  And because that's how i feel, i have shed a lot of tears at the thought of losing some of my best friends (including two of my previous companions).  But, i guess all i can really do is embrace the new intruders and welcome them into the mission.

So that is how Sister Buchi feels about it. Those two companions of hers is me and my current companion, Sister Suda. It is fairly accurate if describing being wrenched out of that house where you are known and loved. And how, to the DC North mission, I am intruding upon them! But I am very excited and welcoming of this change! One thing has been apparent is that this change of boundries is merely an effect of the temple being build in Philidelphia! Its a sign that the church is growing and sometimes that means some boundary changes!

IF YOU DONT READ ANYTHING ELSE READ/SEE THIS:) :

So Sister Suda and I took some pictures to express how we felt about the whole changing missions things and being the chosen sister leaders to be the example!! Here is a series of pictures and captions that will hopefully entertain:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bqc8483dtqgnhrm/1%20When%20we%20first%20found%20out.JPG?dl=0

So we found out about the whole thing on thursday! President mysteriously called up us and the Zone Leaders at 8:30 and told us to meet him at the stake center in 30 minutes. We got there and President and Sister Christiansen broke the new to us that we will be changing missions and answered all our questions we had regarding the whole change so we could answer the questions of those in the zone. They asked for our opinion on the message he was preparing to send to the whole message and how we should go about having goodbye interviews and a Zone Training where the DC North mission president could come meet us before the change. - Also side note, this current DC North Mission pres is finishing his mission July 1st, yeah the day that we become part of the mission. So the new mission president we will have to meet also! - and then he and Sister Christiansen just spoiled us because its all they knew to do with us. We had lunch and then they took us to a super good donut shop and then to an ice cream shop! Definitely trying to make us feel better with sweets! I gotta say it did help.

Then next day, I just to meet with President and Sister Christansen in a "goodbye" interview. I cried at the end. They are such amazing people. I am SO grateful to have served with them and cannot imagine my life having not known them.

Monday, half the mission decided to go to baltimore! Most (if not the entire) Annapolis zone and many other missionaries who wanted to say good bye to us came! I got to see Sister Botchway and Hermana Krause! Two of my trainees (Hermana Krause was NOT and hermana when I trained her haha!) I also got a picture of me, Sister Botchway, and Sister Sosa (Sister Botchway was her follow up trainee!) So Sister Sosa is my first grand baby! :) #soproud

We played some great volley ball and chatted up a STORM, of course!

AND LAST THING! on tuesday! We went on exchanges with the SPANISH SISTERS! I went into spanish work with Hermana Tuttle and Hermana Dahle took my place in Odenton! We had some adventures! There was a HUGE rain storm! You couldnt see more than a few yard infront of you. Later that day, we parked in a huge puddle because it was the only parking there. Hermana Tuttle sacrificed for me to step on dry ground! Then she jammed on the piano! SO FUN she is so talented!

In the lessons we went to Hermana Tuttle insisted that I tried following along with my english pamplets. I didnt understand most of what was going on though. We taught the message of the restoration to a lady. I was able to follow along enough so  when it was time to talk about the restoration I was able to jump in! Fortunately this woman was able to understand some english and understood what I said :)

here is a link to those good times!!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v3vhhjjp757sc5p/AAAiUcex0vzbchE9xUv_cQkda?dl=0

Well! Thats what I have for you today!

Have a great week! Know the Lord loves you! Dont get upset about the ward or stake boundary changes! It just means the work of the Lord is growing :)

Sister Nakata

Week 68 - Stephanie's Year Mark & Some Serious Forgetfulness!

Dear friends and family! A year ago from today this amazing strong Latter day saint was recieved into the church by baptism for a remission of sins!

Sister Suda and I went over to Stephanies [excuse me, Sister Marcil's] house for dinner this week. This picture was taken May 2015 when we went down to the temple!

Wednesday, we went to a specialized sister's training! It had half the sisters there and we had instructions and such like "caring for your companion" "learning to love obedience" "avoiding comparing yourself to others" "overcoming fear with faith" and so on. We did a service project making blankets for project Linus. And we had a FASHION SHOW! So what does a Sister Missionary fashion show consist of?? Some good examples and some bad examples of how to dress! Click here to find experience it too! :) --> 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0l7yzz3pnngkqys/AADFNPpW0CIcMUq8my0a0xHAa?dl=0

This week there was a lot of Sister Suda and me (mostly me) forgetting our name tags! now considering we are both in our last few months you might think thats not a problem! Well this week it was! haha I left mine on Wed, we both left ours on Thursday, and Sister Suda ALMOST left hers on Friday! then I forgot mine sunday, but I was prepared and had put an extra in my bag! I had had enough! On Thursday we took a picture when we realized we forgot them! (luckily we got to go back home)

Thursday we got to go on splits with Amethyst!! and another YSA in the ward, Marina! We forgot to take pictures before we dropped Marina off :( but we did get some with Amethyst! you can get the pictures here! -->

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xt1vsx6a1ddf744/AAA9PVB_quf8kICPC6kNl28ma?dl=0

Thursday was the dinner with Sister Marcil! We also taught her daughter, Jennah (11) who joined the church to this past year. The New member lesson she is on is Chastity so we watched "Chastity: What are the limits?"

 [ https://www.lds.org/youth/video/chastity-what-are-the-limits?lang=eng ]  

a little awkward but good! Share it with any teenagers who may need the reminder ;)

Friday was my first Mission Leadership Council! That was pretty cool. President started off talking a lot about how leadership works in the Lords Kingdom. I learned a lot about the flow of authority and gained a lot of respect for mission leadership that is for certain! heres a fun picture from our short road trip with the Zone leaders! 

So a few weeks ago Kaitlynn (10) got baptized and her very best friend is Chelsie! Chelsie took a lesson or two from the sisters but then had to stop becasue her mom "didnt know we were mormon." Last week after Chelsie came to church we went over to her house and introduced ourselves to her mom, Sharita. Told her we LOVED having her daughter in church with us. We invited Sharita to take the lessons and try out one more church (she kind of gave up finding a church for her) and she accepted. Saturday we went over for our return appointment, taught the restoration and invited them all to baptism! She and her 4 daughters said yes! :) How cool! I mean it was a soft invite like "if you came to know these things were true would you be baptized by someone holding God's authority?" but thats okay :) 

Then! They all came to church the next day and Theresa came with Olivia!

Cool week! I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you and I love this work! 

Sister Nakata

oh and look at this cute heart Sister Suda and I made on the way home from MLC! :) 

Week 67 - Odenton

Hey everyone!!

This week I made it back, full circle, to Odenton! The place of my mission birth! It is incredible and a little shocking all the people that remember me!

There was a baptism this weekend!! A 19 year old, Amethyst! The sisters started teaching her a little while back and I happened to come in the weekend she entered into the covenant of baptism! Thursday we watched the movie "Meet the Mormons" with her and at the Wolfley's! It was a great idea for her because her mom had put it in her mind that "God is not mormon" and that some how mormons are "different" well after watching the movie you can know that we are just like any other Christ loving people! And it definitely helped her :)

I have been able to see Theresa a lot! She is different though, she hasnt embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ quite yet. She knows its good, and wants to, but she hasnt. And We are going to be there for her to help her find and do the things necessary to change. And I am ready to do that! Well ready with the Lord by my side!

I sent some pictures from my past companion and the elders serving in my ward in Broadneck! We had a quick picture moment at the gas station for memory sake!

I am so so grateful the Lord is in charge and I know I am where I need to be. I know the Lord has a better plan for me and as we follow it we will be happier than any of us could imagine!

Love you, make it a great week! I invite you all to do something to become closer to your Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sister Nakata

Week 66 - Back to My 1st Area!!!

Okay!

I am terribly sorry I did not save much time for my group email....

I am just INCREDIBLY excited to go back to my first area :) 

Highlights of this past week, the Galarza's had us over for dinner 3 times this week! Oh I love them! They are great!

We taught another lesson with Sister Kuhn and answered more of her questions! There aren't going to be sisters when we leave so I am sad for her to not have sisters!

The sweetest old lady, Sister Burns had us come over and help her plant flowers in her front yard! I planted a like 17 things and Sister Udall raked all the leaves and cleared the flower beds! It was a blast :)

We had dinner with the Bakers! They kept us WAY too long which stunk but she also gave us a ton of clothes!

Yesterday we also met with this man who almost got baptized but then found a bunch of anti mormon material and talked our ear off about it. I am just so very grateful for the simple doctrines that we can know are true and carry us through any other crazy things that come at us

Miracles are all around us!

I love you all!

Sister Nakata

The 2 pictures in this post were sent via text to me - mom - and Sister Udall's mom 

from Amber the member in the top photo.

This one was labeled:

"LOVE TO THE MOMS"

Week 65 - Miracles & Coconuts

There were so many miracles this week! 

Julie - Sister Udall said there was this woman she talked to before I came who is really prepared and interested. She didnt have a appartment number, just the building and she thought her name was Jessica. Well we set out to find her by ringing all the doors and asking for Jessica. Well thankfully the Lord stepped in and when we set out to find her she was out side already! We got her number and gave her a Book of Mormon. She is looking to give up her addictions and is also interested in the churches addiction recover program! I am excited to meet up with her again! 

Nickhelle - We talked to her on her way into her house and she gave us her number and took a Book of Mormon!

Faith - She showed up at church! She woke up at 3am earlier that week and really felt she just needed to find a church! WHAT? So cool! Sadly we dont get to teach her as she is in a different ward boundries but it was amazing to see how she has been prepared! We gave her a Book of Mormon and she said she knew there was more scripture!

Steve - A guy who walked up to us and said he has a Book of Mormon and wanted to know what it was all about!

We had a memorial day BBQ with the other missionaries! Played some great sports! I am super sore from saturday when Sister Udall and I had a sit up contest. We also had a BBQ with the Galarzas! Some members who got baptized about a year ago! They gave us a coconut drink in a coconut cup! Lots of fun this week!

We also had an amazing Zone conference this past week and then today we had a great Zone training! (the difference is ZC happens every 3 months and President runs it and ZT is every month and the Zone Leaders run it) Both left me with lots of inspiration and ideas on how I can better help others and how I have been helping others as I have been serving! I love it here!

I love you all! Go share what you believe and bless others lives :)

Sister Nakata

Week 64 - FLASHBACK

Hello family and loved ones!

This week on Tuesday I had the incredible opportunity to go back to my first area on an exchange with the lovely Sister Humphrey!

We got to Odenton and she said "we're on our own for dinner tonight!" and I was like no way! And I called up Sister Dorman and asked her to feed us! (I am not usually THAT missionary, but it was a special occasion! Plus I missed Sister Dorman) It was very funny when Sister Humphrey prayed over the food and thanking that the Dormans invited us over! After the prayer Sister Dorman was like "I'm pretty sure someone invited themselves!" And I rightfully raised my hand! Haha super funny!

I also got to see Stephanie Marcil! She was the first person I taught and baptized! It was so cool to hear her talk about how the last year of her life being a member of the church has brought happiness and what a difference the missionaries have made in her life!

I found out a dear sister who was overcoming cancer passed away :( That was sad. But I also go to teach Kaitlyn! A 10 year old I taught last year! She and her mom (a returning less active sister) are ready for her to be baptized! And this weekend she did! She became a member of the church and she was washed clean of her past mistakes and took the name of Christ upon her!

Then we went to see Theresa and her wonderful 8 children! Theresa I was introduced to at a request from her LDS cousin to have us help clean her house. After a while we started teaching her the lessons and by the time I left Odenton she was not ready to make to covenant of baptism. And over the past year there have been so much going on with her and her kids lives. But fast forward a year and she has found herself and two of her daughters ready to be baptized! When I got to hug Theresa again I cried! It was incredible to be back in her house and sharing my testimony with her! They are scheduled to be baptized June 4th! I am so happy for the work Sister Humphrey and her companion Sister Suda are doing here in Odenton! I was able to see how the Lord has prepared these sisters to be the ones teaching the people here right now! I also learned the deep love I have for these people. I want to keep that for all the people that I teach. 

This week we also saw a less active sister, Sister Kuhn, who felt she was baptized a little too quickly. (14 years ago she was taught and baptized after 3 weeks) So we offered to teach her the lessons over again so she can feel more sure about her decision.

I had blackened fish twice this week! Once at the Marasco's, he is an AMAZING cook has been on the food network and all, he made mahi mahi! It was so good! And then the Giroux family fed us Salmon!

All in all a wonderful week! I learned a lot about our role as missionaries and how we do leave an impact!

Love you all

Sister Nakata

Week 63 - Put Put - Hold to the Rod

Hey Friends! 

This week started off great on Monday night with a family dinner with the Walz and then a lesson with our investigator, Fran. And then a lesson with the spanish sisters and the Spanish Branch President's sister. We had found them and set up a time, since they speak spanish though we brought along the Hermana's and they picked them up as investigators :)

On Tuesday we found a new investigator, Colleen! She was investigating the church a few months ago but the friend she was investigating with had passed away 2 weeks before their baptism date! We got to see Colleen again this past sunday and committed her to reading the scriptures and praying every day. (Hey and whoever is reading this, you should also read every day!) We know that as she reads she is going to find a closer relationship with her Father in Heaven. And she is still pretty broken and shaken from the death of her friend. She is enthusiastic to get baptized and come to church and we are going to help her get there! I feel blessing to be able to be one of the missionaries helping her.

We got back to biking this week and trading off with the Elders again for the car. I am grateful for the muscles God has given me to enable me to bike to the places I need to go!

Friday, we helped Sister Mish's friend, Keirsten, move a ton of stuff outside. She was having a yard sale the next day and we helped organize the toys and get them out and the elders helped get the furniture all out! They got us pizza :) and she also ended up giving us two couches! We had no furniture in our house and I was determined to get a couch, and it happened! We now have couches we can relax! However, there isnt a ton of time for that, but thats okay :)

Saturday, we went to the Temple's Visitor center with Fran and Sister Higby! We watched the restoration! Also while there I saw Kali and Kyle! A couple I taught back in the summer time! Tender mercy from the Lord! They were baptized on Halloween and Kali's mom was getting sealed that day and they were in the visitors center waiting!

Saturday we also had a ward putt putt activity! Each auxiliary made their own hole and the missionary hole was hold to the iron rod! It was pretty cool! I think the dry ice as the mist was what made it awesome!

Love you all! Hope you have a wonderful week and read those scriptures, "holding to the Iron Rod!"

Sister Nakata

Week 62 - Skype Time, Fire Pit and Duck Eggs

Alright! 

So I wont be sharing too much right now but Happy Mothers day to 

everyone who that is appropriate for!

Here is a folder of some pictures from my last few days in the Baltimore YSA!

If you wrote me an email this week and I didn't respond yet, 

I am working on that response, promise :)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/j42s8nxlxo9lm2c/AADa1vnjofdsGGZT3hYiyW94a?dl=0

I got to skype my family this week! it was very special! :) Wonderful blessing!

Two investigators, Theresa and Kaitlyn, from the Odenton ward 

(I taught them a year ago) are getting baptized this month!! 

What!!?? 

So awesome!! 

This week one lunch Sister Udall and I had was chocolate chip pancakes and rice left overs! 

Super good, not necessarily good together though!

We had a lesson with our investigator Fran and are planning a temple visitors trip this weekend!

We saw some ducks in our front yard one day and then found eggs in the front flower bed! 

However both ducks havent been seen for days and since its been rainy and cold Sister Udall 

brought the eggs inside and we are now tending to them...

hopefully they are actually alive still!! not sure though!

Oh! And the elders had a fire pit in their back yard! so we roasted some stuff :)

Love you all!!

Have a great week!

Sister Nakata

Week 61 - Overjoyed in Nap-Town

I have had the CRAZIEST week!!

I got a call tuesday from Sister Christiansen and found out my new companion got her appendix out THAT MORNING! So instead of a normal transfer day I got to go to the Mission home with the departing missionaries and meet Sister Udall! The cutest sister! We stayed at the mission home until friday morning letting Sister Udall recoup and heal. We got to be part of the departing missionary dinner and devotional they always have. I got to see the sweetest goodbye between Sister Udall and her trainer, Sister Blanchard (who was going home). We got to eat some burger cookies with the Senior missionaries that stayed there (President and Sister Christiansen went to a mission presidents seminary for 2 days). and we got to participate their family scripture study with their two daugthers!

I am out of time so I am going to insert here my email I sent to President Christiansen!

Dear President! 

Ah! I love this new transfer! So so much! I love Sister Udall! She is a rock star and exactly obedient and diligent and loving and kind and wonderful and I could go on for days! Wednesday night I prayed and thanked Heavenly Father for a new best friend! There are things we are going to work on together so by the end of this transfer we are going to be PRIME missionaries! We set a goal to invite someone to be baptized every day this transfer! She's really amazing

I love that I am in a new area! Sister Udall and I had weekly planning Thursday morning before you and Sister Christiansen left. And in that weekly planning Sister Udall was able to give me the rundown of all the amazing work we have going on in this ward. So many potential investigators and nearly all of them are friends or family of members! How awesome! As I have gotten to know more about the ward I have been able to recognize how much work there is to be done and its not going to be easy either! But that can be the best kind of work. :)

I keep feeling the blessings POURING from the Lord right now. I am overjoyed, President. The other blessings I am seeing is that I am in an area right next to my first area I served in a year ago! The Odenton sisters have been able to tell me all about my past investigators and street contacts and convert! Theresa is determined to get baptized this transfer, a minister I ran into and gave a Book of Mormon to believes it is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet, a man I taught with Sister Ward said once again that he would get baptized if I married him (Sister Ward was about ready to punch him last year for that), families I love are still going strong! I get to serve in the same building as Hermana Dahle again! 4th transfer in a row now. She is an eternal best friend. And I got to see my very first ward mission leader at church this Sunday! He and his wife lived in Odenton a year ago, have sinced moved to Utah and were visiting the Annapolis ward (who share buildings with the broadneck ward) this past Sunday. How crazy!

I also got to ride in a nice convertible yesterday!

I and this other attached picture is on of me and Sister Spencer
The wife of my first ward Missionary Leader! :)

I love you all so much! I know the Lord blesses us!

I know that he helps us through the bad times!

I know He's helped me through mine and is going to continue to help me!

Make it a great week!

Sister Nakata