"By this shall men know ye are my disciples--if ye have love one to another."

*July 13

Ah, weeding. Thank you weeding, for bringing us closer to less-actives and members alike. Thank you rainy season, for keeping the weather cool. Thank you kanji-covered airconditioner remote, for making a climate-controlled apartment that much more satisfying (it's a self-justifying aircon. If you can work it, you deserve to be cool).

Here's more of Sanzu shimai's missionary-appropriofying of secular music. This one is to the tune of "Joy to the World (Jeremiah was a Bullfrog)" (by the way, for all who don't know, bullfrogs sound something like alien spaceship generators. Something like "WHOO-OMP. WHOO-OMP.")

"Isaiah was a prophet

Born before my time.

I don't understand a word he says,

but I read him line by line

'Cause he says

(Chorus)

Joy to the world

All the boys and girls.

Joy to believers 'cause salvation's free.

I said joy to you and me.

If I was the king of the world,

Tell you what I'd do--

I'd sell all I own for the truth that I know

And preach the gospel to you.

And we'll sing

(Chorus) (Fade out)"

But anywho. This week.

This week was really not terribly exciting. We did a lot of walking because I lost my bike key, but I think that was divine guidance from God, because frankly I needed a new lock. The one attached to my noble steed was in a sad state of decay. The new lock was bought, and we once again shoved off into the normal swing of things.

Tuesday, we met the SGG members, who are all getting steadily more open to the idea of repenting as they've begun to understand that you can repent about literally anything. Since repenting is really just becoming a better person, everyone's super excited to share what they have learned/read/did recently that has made them a better/happier person :D 

Wednesday, we met T. again :D He's the kid we met last week doing service for someone whose weeds we always pull. He's so funny. He reminds me a lot of Slade age-wise, but he's very mature and really respects his dad. That's really cool. We also found a delicious karaage place nearby.

Thursday, we did a lot of kusatori (weed-pulling) again because we were trying to meet with one of the sons from that family. He's the really really cool one who followed up on himself the second time we met with him. We couldn't, but we got the front of her store looking pretty nice, which is a satisfying accomplishment. Apparently, the ward members have seen us pulling her weeds. :) Next step is to get them to come pull weeds with us. :D Service service everywhere! P. shimai and I are also becoming ice cream connosieurs, because we basically have begun getting a bar of ice cream/popsicle every time we finish weeding. It's delicious.

Friday, the W.s went to the temple to see one of our young men one step closer to his mission, so we went to Indo-curry in Matsuyama before taking a bus home. That was exciting. The seats in the buses. They recline :D But anyways, we got off before Imabari station to visit a member family, but they were inai, so we decided to walk home. It took a pretty good while, but we made it. Taught a lesson to a person who didn't terribly appreciate it, and then met our favorite older investigator. She's great. Always gives us a banana when we come over, and has recently begun saying "I love you" back to us. :D

Saturday, we did.... Kusatori. :D I like it. It builds character. We also finally figured out how our aircon worked, which was miraculous. Me: ...Here's the kanji for "strong", and here's the one for "wind"... *presses button* *is blasted with warm air* After approximately two hours of trying and giving up, Me: What does this button do? *presses* Aircon: *stops* Us: TT_TT Aircon: *begins again* *blows cold air* Us: :B :DDD *click heels* *happy dance* *collapse in chairs and fan ourselves until the apartment cools down*

So, we've been feeling some serious love recently. Last week, I sat by a sister who I hadn't seen the entire time I was in Imabari. I asked if I could sit by her, and during the entire meeting, she was writing a note. I was like, "Man, I hope she's getting something out of this," but I didn't say anything and did my best to pay attention to what was going on. Afterwards, she gave the note to me. The entire sacrament meeting, she was writing a 3-page note to me, telling me how wonderful it was and how grateful she was that I sat by her. She said that it strengthened her testimony and she really felt God's love. Keep in mind--I didn't say anything to her during the meeting, but it still had such an incredible effect on her.

This week, as we were leaving, another less-active called out "Sisters!" So we stopped and turned around. She had come a few weeks earlier after a long long break from church. Her father always drove her, but he's reached an age and degree of health where that's gotten a little harder for him. So she could take a bus, but it's an hour early, and, of course, costs money. But one of the members drove her several weeks ago. When we met her, she told us, "I'm sorry, my faith's gotten weak. I don't know if I'll come to church next week. But pray for me, okay?" And the next week she came and the week after :) This week, she had the closing prayer at sacrament meeting, and during it she specially thanked Heavenly Father for our existence, and after church, when she called out to us, she ran over and gave us a hug and said, "Thank you shimaitachi! Church is fun for me again!"

The gospel's amazing. Alma's words are so true: By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. I had always attributed that to God bringing things to pass, but these last couple weeks, it's been incredible to see just how much we're able to affect not just the investigators, but the members as well. And we did nothing with these members but sit by them and tell them that we love them and were excited to sit by them again. But I guess that's enough. 

Love. It's not always much, but it's enough.

I love Imabari and I love all of y'all! Have fun doing life in general, and go sit by a new member or a less-active this week. They just need love. That's pretty much what everyone needs. That's the first and second great commandments. Take a word from Christ's book/the hymnal: "By this shall men know ye are my disciples--if ye have love one to another."

Love,

Sanzu