Week 68

Hello everyone,

There are some times ... many times, when I look back at the week and
feel like it was all just a really weird dream. Good thing I'm a
really avid journal-writer to remember all these weird, great dreams.

The other day we met a couple of Norwegian girls. We saw them probably
three more times that same week. It was like God really wanted us to
meet them. Or maybe it was just that we happen to pass somewhere in
the general vicinity of their apartment on a regular basis. Either
way, both of them believe in a higher being but don't really like
church, but I don't think I would either if I didn't know what it was
for. Good thing the missionaries live real close by.

We also met a Jamaican lady on the train. Except we didn't know if she
was from Jamaica, and neither Sister Sticht nor I wanted to be
presumptuous. So I started speaking to her in Japanese, she looks up
at me, pulls her earbuds out, and says, "Honeyyyyyy, do you speak
English? Also, why aren't you on a bicycle?" She was kind of sassy but
great. I guess that is what we get for trying to be politically
correct.

Here's the miracle of the week. Sister Sticht met a college-age girl
on the street months ago when she was here on an exchange, but our
friend, who had significant interest in the gospel, fell out of touch
with the missionaries after the exchange. Sister Sticht, thanks to the
miracle of Facebook, gets back in contact and we meet for dinner. She
brings along her friend (which is usually kind of scary to me, because
it's like this weird first date times two). However, all my fears were
appeased when her friend tells us how she went to Utah for three weeks
and went to church with the family there. "Totemo kandoushimashita."
("I was way impressed," she says). I have never seen someone squeal
with so much delight upon receiving the Book of Mormon. WHOO.

My favorite other moment. We also set a baptismal date with one of our
friends. The lesson in itself was pretty wildly anti-climactic, in
spite of it being a huge miracle. We were short on time, but Sister
Sticht and I just sort of looked at each other with those "knowing
missionary eyes," and Sister Sticht says, "Well, when you know this
message is true, would you like to be baptized?" It was pretty much as
calm as asking someone if they want ice or no ice in their glass of
water. She says, "Yeah, sure." And then we looked at each other and
said, "Okay, great. How about the end of October." And then we went to
eikaiwa.

And then we went in the bathroom and squealed with joy.
Missionary work is pretty great.

During one of our little bicycle rides this week, Sister Sticht and I
were discussing how to reconcile the fact that NONE of us will ever be
perfect, yet we are constantly striving for perfection. We are always
talking about those "mysteries of the kingdom" to occupy ourselves,
but here's what we decided:

Perfect love loves imperfection.

God loves you, your imperfections, and so should you. I'm still
working on that, but I just remember that perfect love that the Savior
has for me and suddenly it doesn't seem that hard anymore. (2
Corinthians 12:9)

Have a great week.
Love, Sister Margaret Willden

(Monday, September 22)

Pics: Our glam pics from our day in Shibuya last week. Causing a
ruckus in the biggest intersection in Japan.