さくら Cherry Blossoms!

Welcome to さくら season (aka: cherry blossoms)!!!!!! This week they bloomed. And it looks and smells like home. I can't get enough of it. I just get to bike around all day in warm weather (it was pretty warm all week) looking at beautiful flowers that remind me of home. It was lovely.

Monday: we went to a zone Pday in Fukuoka. And let me tell you- I got us there without getting lost. On the Japanese train system (actually systems: we took 2 different train systems to get there) where there's no English. Just lots of Kanji I can't read. But I got us there. Actually, I need to thank mom because this transfer I've been navigating and I can actually get us places with a map. That skill did not come from dad. Anyway, there was about 16 of us and we went to this big park in Fukuoka and ate shaved ice and played capture the flag and a had a funny photo contest and looked at cherry blossoms. It was way fun. In the evening we had 5 minutes back before we needed to head home. So we stopped at this apartment. The 3rd door we knocked on opened and this guy comes out. At first, he was NOT interested. But we showed him the Easter video and then talked about how through Jesus
Christ we can find new life. He still wasn't interested. But then we told him that when we find a new life, we are free from our mistakes and guilt. That got him. We had a great conversation with him. After the conversion we looked down at our watches and realized we had less than 10 minutes to get home and we were a little over 10 minutes away. Well, I don't think I've ever biked so fast in my life. Miraculously, we didn't have to stop for any trains or cars so we made it home exactly on time. It was a answer to my prayer.


Tuesday: we went to a nearby park as a district with the elders investigators Japanese class and ate lunch under the cherry blossoms. It was way chill. They set up huge tarps and we just got to walk around the tarp barefoot and eat lots of yummy Japanese food while
looking at cherry blossoms. I was living the high life. When we were dendo-ing [doing missionary work], we met a ton of people who answered the door and just talked to us in English. It was a little weird.

Wednesday: the day of biking up mountains. All 3 areas we picked were up mountains. And not even the same mountain. We talked to quite a few people. Many lots of nice old ladies who had no interest but at least they listened. At least the rides down were rewarding. We had a lesson with J(Taiwanese lady) but she forgot to show up so we just talked to our joint, Kshimai, who is one of the best people I know. I want to grow up to be like her.

Thursday: we weekly planned all day, interrupted here and there with a lesson. We had a lesson with our recent convert, T. She's so solid. Because we had been planning in English, our Japanese was a little wack. Fortunately, she's an angel and figured out what we were saying. She probably had the gift of tongues at the point. Really, I don't think we did much more on Thursday.

Friday: was a nuts day. We decided to focus on talking about and handing out Bok of Mormon for an hour. And we prayed and told God to send us people ready to receive a BoM. Well, he more than provided. In 30 minutes we gave out 5 BoM. Which is crazy! People don't usually like taking a BoM but during that hour were like taking them out of our hands like they were gold. Which, it is. It was a huge miracle. And it reminded me that God wants to help us. We just have to be willing to help Him. We had a lesson with A(Korean less active) and she agreed to come to church again! Two weeks in a row! So exciting! We then went to an Eikaiwa [English Class] at a members house. We played telephone which is really goofy when you play in English, the language they don't speak. The end result is always WAY funny.

Saturday: my 7 month mark. I've been a missionary for 7 months. And in Japan for 5 months. That flew by! We celebrated by watching women's conference with the ward. They set up a huge TV for us missionaries to watch in English. It was way nice. It was such a good conference! I loved every minute. And all my questions that I wrote down got answered. I loved the choir, it made me feel like I was back in good old Silver Spring for a minute or 2. My favorite part (was all of it but) as when Neill F. Marriot said something to the effect of "love is making space in your heart for someone else." I think that's the
biggest lesson I've learned as a missionary. How to love people. I'm not really a people person. I'm not a fan of strangers. Or talking to people. Which, you know, sums up a mission. Add a foreign language to the mix and that sounds like something pre-mission Sister Bearman would freak out about. At first, I did hate it. Really, leaving the apartment each day was a struggle. Talking to people was nervous breakdown worthy. But now it doesn't bother me. Because I love the people. Gah, who knew. Charity.

Sunday: fast Sunday! Always rough but always worth it. Yesterday it rained all day. On the plus side, it was warm so we didn't freeze. Testimony meeting was really good. Lots of youth bore their testimony. So they were simple enough that I could understand. And way powerful.  

Well, I feel like that letter was a little scattered. Enjoy! Well, I love you guys!!! You're the bestest.

Love
ベアーマン姉妹