Wildflower Thoughts : Week Sixty.

Hi!

I have a feeling you are going to like this email...

First off, the Shutos! Guys, I love this family. They are my goal right now. We went over last P day and had dinner with them and celebrated the moon which was totally AWESOME. They had this little table set up with fruits and veggies as kind of an offering, and a candle, and some flowers sitting on it. N san taught us how to properly pray and give thanks to the moon the Japanese way and we all took turns. We knelt down and clapped our hands twice then bowed our heads and kinda made a wish for something we wanted. I said a prayer in my heart to Heavenly Father (not the moon ha ha) that this family could get baptized and be prepared. Then N san told us all these folk stories about how the moon got its shine and things like that. Oh also, fun fact- in Japan they dont see a "man" in the moon. They see a rabbit making mochi (which is pounded rice). I SAW THE RABBIT!
We went over a second time last week and T san taught me how to wear my yukata! I will attach pictures! We also shared a short message on the plan of salvation and tomorrow we are going to teach it in detail to them and I am sooo nervous because I really want to be bold with them and not be so scared to share the truth with them. I dont want to sound too pushy or anything.

The highlight of the week was we went to Sendai for a special conference with Elder Whiting of the 70! He was SO FUNNY and the title of this email is something he said when he was talking to us... ha ha I dont even remember the funny story he was telling but I wrote that down in my notes so I could always remember!
He taught us about the power that missionaries can have if they follow the requirements to get that power like obedience and stuff. He also taught about how we can become favored of the Lord and used the story of Nephi to teach us. And he also talked about change and how we can get from that mediocre missionary to the missionary our mothers think we are ha ha. After hearing him speak he gave us 10 minutes to think about what we are gonna do with the things he just told us and he said that if we allow ourselves to be touched by the power of the atonment we could be changed right at that very moment. Before the conference I had a question in my heart about how I can finally just make that change and be converted. I want to change and I do what I can like reading my scriptures and praying and stuff but I just have felt like something is in the way and holding me back from just giving it all and changing into a saint. He said that it is only through the power of the atonement that we can fully change. So during those 10 minutes I prayed and asked for that power to change me and just covenanted right there and then that I would just give my everything to Him, not just on my mission but for the rest of my life! And I felt the spirit in my heart! And I started crying... then I asked if there was anything God needed me to know. Now usually I am a sign seeker and I always want to see big huge miracles and hear voices and see visions and things like that, but because I am so prideful I never see things or hear things so I wasnt really expecting to feel anything or receive some huge revelation but little by little a scriptures popped into my head and I seriously just thought it was me thinking because I have never had an experience like that before but I looked up the scripture anyways and it was Alma 24:14 which is in the chapter about the Anti Lehi Nephis burying their swords in the earth so they wouldnt fight anymore.

And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.

Out of all the scriptures in the Book of Mormon, this is the one that came to my mind. And of all the chapters in the Book of Mormon, that was the chapter I was led to. MIRACLE. A true sign from God to a prideful little girl!

It just goes to show that God loves me, and he loves my future children that I dont even know yet. But thats why he waited until that moment to allow the power of the Atonement to work in me and change me at that time. He saved my kids too you know by doing that. I think the reason I had to wait until that moment to finally be truly forgiven and changed and converted was because first I needed to really study the plan of salvation and atonement and once I understood that, He could finally do his magic on me. And of course every day I still need to continue improving and converting but at least for that moment I felt like a little child again-submissive and easy to be entreated, pure, happy. And with this promise I made with God to be a good person, just like the Anti-Lehi-Nephis, I need to and WANT to bury all my temptations and not even touch them and just be good and remember my covenants. I dont think my temptations will be taken away, but I feel like I have just a little more strength now to battle them. Ive just gotta hold on, you know? But I know I can do it.

So there you go. My conversion story! Isnt that so great?

My time is so short because today was a super busy P-day (its almost 9 o clock at night!) so I cant give you details on the rest of my week but just know it was good!

Oh and today we went to Matsushima and rode on a boat on the ocean and looked at all the little islands! It was fun.

Ah I want to write more, but I will just have to wait til next week!

Bye love you all!

Love Miranda