What an amazing week it has been! It is always an amazing thing when you have a new 40 year old woman come to Eikaiwa (English class) and she is just really quiet the whole time so you feel inclined after class to ask her if she had a good time and if she understood the English. Then after you ask her she says, "Ya it was good... You are just soo pretty!" That's never awkward when that happens. Never is..
Also had a dream that my friend Zack could do a standing dunk no run up but we all know that can't be real;) Hope he reads this or it's awkward.
I know it Super Bowl week so I will not take too much time but I have an amazing story about Maki! And GO FALCONS!
Maki was really struggling with her baptismal date because the motive behind setting the date was to show God faith so she could get an answer that this message was true. And she just could not quit smoking and was not really excited for the date and as time went on she just gave up.
But... really cool thing this week happened! I had interviews with president Nagano and he told me some amazing things I will quote later but one thing he told me was, "Elder Aiken I have been thinking about Maki a lot. The sisters came and they prayed and they felt that you should start working with Maki again too and work with the sisters on teaching her and show that love and encouraging her. I think it is a great idea. She is practically standing at the edge of the font looking in, she just needs that one last push. I know you have a really special relationship with Maki and I know it will help her so I think it is ok. You should do it." So I got permission to start doing phone lessons with Maki here and now work with the sisters on teaching Maki. I got to do 3 phone lessons this week and after one of them I really felt impressed to share "I FOUND MY FRIEND" with Maki and I sent it to the sisters and told the sisters I felt we should share it with her and they loved it. They went and shared it with her this week and just had this intense lesson. At first they shared it and they cried as they shared it and Maki just nodded and said "oh thank you that is sweet" kind of thing. And the sisters were way surprised because she looked like she had lost that fire she used to have. She was still the nicest ever but no Fire. Then Maki left and said "Oh I made us sushi I will go get it." Then this sister who is the best ever Hamai Shimai, who is a return missionary from Hawaii and fluent in English and was teaching with the sisters, looked at the sisters and asked, "Is Maki usually like this?" And the sisters told her no, she is usually more excited. Hamai Shimai looked at Modersitzki Shimai and said "You need to commit her to baptism right now." She was way confused and said no she is not even into the lesson at all. Hamai Shimai said no you need to do it. So Maki came back and the Sisters talked and it led them to ask, will you be baptized? Maki just froze. She had no answer. Then Hamai Shimai looked at Modersitzki Shimai and said "You need to tell her you are leaving." President Nagano had told Modersitzki Shimai in interviews that she was leaving after this transfer and Hamai Shimai knew that. Sister Modersitzki was caught off guard but did it. She referred back to the "I FOUND MY FRIEND" story and said that Maki was the friend she was sent here to find and that it was the same for Elder Aiken. She said we were sent here to raises our voices and call out to her to bring her home, but told her she would be leaving in 4 weeks and Maki was just crying way hard through all of this. She said Maki I know that before this life you asked us to find you and now we have. You just need to remember and make that step and be baptized. But will you do it? Maki through sobs looked up and smiled and said "Yarimashou." Which means "let's do it!" They set a more real date for the 26th of February and in her closing prayer she said "Heavenly Father, I have just committed to thee to be baptized on February 26th. Please help me get there." Then after the lesson Hamai Shimai told Maki, you know your son Kazuki can be baptized with you right? And her eyes got way big and she said really?? And they told her he was 11 so he could because he was over 8 years old. Then they said should we ask him? And Maki just heels his name and told him to come into the room. He came and they started to say that Maki was getting baptized when Maki just cuts in and says "Kazuki, I am getting baptized in February 26th and I was you to do this with me. It will make our family stronger. But it is your choice." Is that not a miracle?? They are going to start teaching Kazuki the lessons and have Maki teach with them!! She is so excited to get baptized now and just has a light and glows. She still has to tell her parents who are completely against the gospel and it is really scary for her so please pray that she can have the strength to do that and can follow the commandments so that she can be baptized! Please pray for her! Crazy miracle though!
Lastly I just wanted to talk about my interview
In my interview I asked President Nagano how I can find peace in going home because it is honestly stressing me out so much and hurts my heart to think of leaving Japan. He told me a few things I wanted to share.
"Elder Aiken first just let me tell you that the fact that you love these people that much that it is hard to leave is a good thing. Many missionaries are on the other end where all they think about is going home. To perpetuate relationships in this life we need to have separations. That is how the Lord works. It is the same reason we had to leave the Lord and come to earth. You did the same thing when you left your family to come to Japan." I really liked that. I had never thought of that before.
Also he asked a deep question that I had never thought of before. Talking about how to stay active and never go back to being who I was he asked, "Elder Aiken when we give glory to God does his glory increase?" I will say his answer but first please think about that. I loved that question. He told me he believes it does. That is why the Savior gave him all of the glory. He told me "Elder Aiken, dont you think that when we give the Father the glory and always have gratitude in our broken hearts that it makes him happy? I know it does because I have kids, and it will be the same when you have kids and when you beget your spirit children as a Celestial being. You will never have more joy than when they give you the glory. In your post-mission life give him the glory every day. For every accolade. Give it all to him and you will be ok." I really loved that. Brothers and sisters may we all strive to do the same. I love you so much! Have the best week ever!
Love,
Love,
Elder Aiken
No comments:
Post a Comment