Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Maryandra had some fun eating watermelon this past week, apparently!!!
She and Sister Tachibana had many adventures this week, and an opportunity 
for service when they were in a threesome:
Wow. Well, we just had one of the most interesting and
amazing experiences ever. It truly shows The Lord has perfect timing.
We were having a rough time with housing and so we decided to save
that for Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and street instead. While we
were making our way back to try and street on our way to the eki, so
we could make it in plenty of time to machida, we saw a lady fall
sideways while riding her bike. We hurried over to her as fast as we
could. We helped her move her things over to the side of the road, and
get comfortable and call someone to come and pick her up. Her shoulder
was really painful, she said. She kept saying "it's okay, I'm sorry,
I'm so sorry!" But we refused to leave her. How could we, in such a
situation? Shoulder broken or dislocated, raining, no one else
stopping to help her. We waited with her for almost twenty minutes
before the emergency aid ladies came, and we helped them take her to
the car, and then get in, and brought her bike with us to the aid
vehicle. She was in pain and almost crying, but she was so thankful
that we stayed with her. We felt really bad that we couldn't help her
more. She was worrying about how she would be able to take care of her
small child and go to work at the same time with her shoulder so bad,
and no one to help her, and I felt so bad! We couldn't do anything
more for her than sit and wait with her until help came, hold an
umbrella over her head to keep her out of the rain, bring her bike to
the big van, and make sure she was safely situated before handing over
her bike and other things and leaving. It was quite the experience.
But it taught me a lesson. Even though we didn't say we were church
volunteers or try to tell her about the gospel, she knows what kind of
people we are, because we cared enough to help her, out of the other
people who just walked on by without looking down at her. She and the
people who came to help her are always going to remember this, and
know that at least three young women, complete strangers, cared,
enough to see what she needed, and to help her not feel lonely as she
sat there in pain and wondering what to do. At least she didn't have
to do it alone. Yes, that was a very big personal defining moment for
me. I'm gonna remember it for a long time. We were a sober group that
went to the station. Not sad, exactly, just humbled.

Maryandra is also learning a lot about herself and her relationship
with her current companion:
I am trying to feel better. I think the reason why there was so much 
unspoken conflict and disagreement before is because
we were both trying to do what we are best at. Mine is streeting and
housing and those other means of finding, while hers is building
relationships with the ward and teaching lessons. Soooo... Yeah, of
course those things are both good, but we are struggling to find a
balance with it, because that's all either of us wants to do, is our
strong point. I don't know. It's not exactly contentious, but it
definitely isn't perfect, either. I'm just not openly disagreeing
right now, because there have been many times this transfer where I've
had to eat a slice of humble pie myself. I need her in order to teach
lessons, and she needs me if we are gonna find people on our own. It's
funny, because I used to hate finding, in any shape or form, but now
it's my favorite, maybe because I can actually understand and speak
some semi okay Japanese now, and talking to people has become a lot of
fun, rather than my biggest, lifelong fear.

Here are some other deep thoughts from Maryandra's e-mail.

I realized that my real mission has ended up being helping people,
helping them be okay, with whatever they need. I've done that in some
way with many of my companions. So, anyway, I will do what I realize I
have been called here to do. My purpose as a missionary is to help
others (and that means any and everyone of my friends) to come into
Christ, in anyway I can.  The missionary purpose states it as such,
and every missionary is best at helping a certain kind of people. Some
are great at baptisms. Some are great at finding. Some are great at
bringing back less actives. Some help their companions. Some are good
at making friends, and paving a path for future missionaries to come
in and do what they, in turn, are best at. I'm finding lately that I'm
a good companion. Not to quote myself, but others. I definitely don't
feel it myself, but what I want is for others to feel happy when they
are around me, because I want them to relax and find peace. Even
though on the inside I'm far from peaceful, the knowledge that others
have felt peaceful through me is a comfort. So, basically what I'm
trying to say is, I don't feel like I'll get to see a person go
through the entire process of finding, teaching, baptizing, and fellow
shipping and eternal progression. But what I will see is others
strengthened, so that they can do those things. Not like I won't try,
or I don't hope for a baptism, don't get me wrong. I feel like that
could happen, but I just feel like I was called here for a different
reason than one might think. And that is, not so much to bring others
into the fold, but to bring them back to the fold, or to strengthen
others so they can fulfill their personal callings from The Lord.
These are my thoughts. I'm not disappointed about it. Just more of an
okay, show me who, and show me how. Now that I'm coming to terms with
it, I think it should all be uphill from here. I'm gonna work, and do
my best in the other areas of missionary work, of course, but I need
to focus on the people The Lord guides me to, and brings to my life.
And right now, that person is my companion.
Maryandra was able to pick up her birthday package from the Mission Home
and open it on Saturday!!!  There is one thing that was wrapped, that she will 
wait to open until September 11, her birthday, but the rest she enjoyed seeing, 
like the Nutella and Swedish fish!!!


On Sunday several of their investigators made it to Church, so Maryandra's e-mail
ended quite happy!!!  But they are anxious about the fact that transfers will be 
announced by next week.  We shall see!!!

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