Week 52

Hi everyone,

Happy Monday. Today we had transfer calls. I am staying. Sister
Mondano is leaving (I will cry myself to sleep). Sister Mondano and I
both started packing last week because we were trying to be prepared,
but I guess now I am just extra prepared for next transfer. I will be
in a trio with a Japanese sister and an American sister. Being
half-Japanese I guess we will have the full spectrum covered.

It was a very family-filled week. Alex, Kristen, and Kristen's parents
just happened to stop by Sado for fun, and I was lucky enough to be
able to have a family dinner, prepared by my lovely grandmother, and
study the Book of Mormon with them. It was awesome. [Both the food and
the Book of Mormon. And the people].

To top it off, my grandparents and brother and sister-in-law came to
church! It was something I can honestly say I never thought would
happen, all of us coming together in that sort of way. People tell me
I am very lucky to be able to see so much of my family as a
missionary. Either lucky, or extremely blessed.

On another random note that I had during personal study this morning.
I love words. Spelling tests were the best part of elementary school
(aside from art class), and I can't help myself in correcting grammar
mistakes I find (I didn't proofread this, so don't judge ha). This
morning I as thinking about the difference between the words "IF" and
"WHEN". "If I brush my teeth" gives the impression that you are
unhygienic while "When I brush my teeth" means it matters to you
whether or not your teeth will fall out. I was reading an article in
the Liahona about a woman who had lost her husband and read Mosiah
2:41 after he passed:

".....ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep
the commandments of God. For behold......if they hold out faithful to
the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell
with God in a state of never-ending happiness."

For her, the question of "if they hold out faithful to the end" was a
matter of "when they hold out faithful to the end." When she does so,
she can see her husband again. "When" is a powerful word and
ultimately drives us to do what we do. We can choose to make our lives
one of "ifs" or "whens." I guess this is the very essence of faith,
whether or not we are going to do something about what we believe in.

This week I was super struck by just how much of a miracle this is.
Missionary work, that is. We were able to visit some of my mother's
relatives this week, most of whom have lived on the island for years
and are very well acquainted with our branch president through the
community [Sado is a small place]. I still wonder at the fact that I
am here on this tiny little island surrounded by so much family,
especially since Sado only became part of the mission the month before
I came to the field.

It's all one big wonder. Love you all.

Love, Sister Margaret Willden

(Monday, June 2)


Picture 1: The Sado Branch.





Pic 2: The family all at church!





Pic 3: This flower is named Margaret. I didn't know such a flower
existed until I came to Japan and everyone asked me if I was named
after a flower.




Pic 4: The port. It is approximately 9 hours and 47 minutes away if we
walked (thank you Google Maps) so we were lucky enough to have our
lovely branch president and his wife drive us all the way up to the
north end of the island to visit some potential investigators.





Pic 5: The remotest part of Sado. Apparently 20 years ago it was all
gravel roads and no stoplights existed.