Sister Peterson Week 11

Google Translate + Sis Peterson = BFFs

Everyone! Hello! 

I have had quite the week. Yayyy I made it to Japan and my first area! I am currently in the Motsumoto, Nagano area! It is north of the mission and it is so beautiful here. It reminds me of home in the way thay there are neighborhoods, stores, and random fields. I love it.

My amazing companion is Sister Takahashi!!! I got so lucky! I love her so much. She is fully Japanese and started learning english on her mission. She has been out for 1 year and I am quit impressed with her English. Much much better at English than I am at Japanese. She is very patient with me and is very willing to help me.

We taught 2 men who were found by the previous missionaries who served in this area. We gave 1 a Book of Mormon and we invited the other to church and guess what. HE CAME! It was really cool to see that my first week here. Even though I could not understand the lessons we had with them, I felt the spirit and saw the power of missionary work first hand.

Some things about Japan that I have learned

-DO NOT WEAR SHOES INSIDE... not even your own home 

-in fact you take your shoes off quit often. For example, take your shoes off before going into a dressing room at the store 

-I have yet to see a piece of garbage on the ground outside, America, we can do better

-all the kids are SO CUTEEE

-Shopping is so cheap here compared to home, I will definitely be coming home with a whole new wardrobe

-yes the toilets are very nice 

-you can leave your handbag or anything of yours alone for a very long time and no one will touch it!

-Japanese people LOVE blue eyes, I don't have blue eyes but they have been fascinated by my family's 

That's all for now

Something I promised myself is to make my emails real! I want to do this because I went into a mission not really knowing what the struggles I was going to face were. If I can prepare anyone for a mission the way I wish I had been prepared, I will! Or if I can bring comfort to anyone who can relate a little bit, at least I accomplished that while on my mission.

Despite my patient companion and the kind members, it is easy for me to feel lonely. I have a huge desire to converse with the people around me, but I can't because I cannot speak their language very good... well feels like not at all. It feels very isolating. I think this same feeling can be applied to a lot of different situations. Something I keep reminding myself is that Jesus Christ went through this exact same thing. He knows. 

President Russell M. Nelson taught that “when the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation … and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him.”

He is the answer. And something I am so grateful for are all the tender mercies/positives of the day He puts in my life. Because of Him, I can still feel joy when I am going through a hard time. He is with me, has never left, and will never leave. He knows how to help.

With that said I am loving it here in Japan and the kindness of all the people I come across. I look forward to the day I can have not just 1 sided conversations with them! Also sorry this email was kinda all over the place and really long.

I love you all, but God loves you most! ttyl

<3 Sister Peterson

05/20/24