It's ground hog day!

Happy Groundhog day! 

 And Happy Birthday to Grandma Doman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Janice is 70 Everybody! wahoo!!!!!!!

This week we had a great lesson with Yoshioka San about the Plan of Salvation. She is such a great listener!! She just sits and absorbs everything. She can feel that this is the truth and she trusts us. But what we want is for her to trust in Heavenly Father. We had a Zone training with an Area General Authority; Elder Aoyagi. he was so awesome! I learned a lot of great things. He talked a lot about what we can do to become Ideal missionaires. He also emphasized the Atonement. Teaching everything with the Atonement at the center is one way we can retain our converts. Because people here dont know anything about Jesus Christ, it is ESSENTIAL that they develop a testimony about the Atonement before they are baptized, otherwise they will just go less active.  Ive been feeling some big pressure on m shoulders latley. But I realized that Heavenly father will always make up the difference for my Weaknesses as long as I am trying. And he also does it even when I dont do my best- because he loves me. He loves everybody else just as much and they all quallify for his grace and mercy. That is the power of the atonement. We reach our goal of becoming godlike a lot quicker as we strive to understand and use the atonement, but regardless of what we do, the atonement is always there.

Tsugumi San came to church which was great! We had a young womens class for her  with 2 members. She really listens to them way more than us. Which is okay with me! We are like her friends and the members are becoming her spiritual advisors and teachers. This is good- she will be converted to the church and not the missionaries! Heavnely Father answers all of our prayers. She still wants to get baptized but we have to change her date because she has a band concert. She also isnt really ready quite yet. She needs to understand about the Atonement more.

I had a great experience in a lesson with a Recent convert who has been having some hard times. The member we jointed with was so amazing she said We are going to heaven together- dont give up! I wont give up on you and neither will god! 

I think it was the most beautiful moment on my mission. Dont give up on your less Actives. they can teach you more than you can teach them. 

How is the missionary work coming in your areas? What opportunities have you had latley? I would love to hear some experiences!

Also Dad, If you can I would love to hear some mission stories. I love when you talk about your mission it always inspires me to be better!

We almost got killed this week by a rabbid dog. Okay so we both had this feeling like dont go into the house. but we were both like no! we have to contact everybody we can! just because this house looks nasty doesnt mean the people are nasty!....Well we should have listenend to the spirit becuase there was a huge wolf dog without a chain guarding the door. We booked it back to the fence and barley made it. I think we had some help from the Angels on this one because there is no way the dog shouldnt have ripped off my flesh. He was running way faster than us!

Speaking of running. I want to do a half marathon when i get home. I biked 40 miles one day this week-m ost of it uphill. If I can do that I can totaly do a half marathon. We were trying to find our bishops new house. He lives about an hour and a half away by bike. We thought he lived close to the Tateishis but it turns out its not actually close. So it was a biking adventure. He made us dinner though which was nice! He told us to ride the train home and bring our bikes on the train. We both knew this would not come to pass but we were like okay! becuase we didnt want him to feel bad. The guy at the station was like uhh you guys are dumb. you cant bring your bikes on the train, only if you can fold them. ANd I was like what? who can fold their bike? So we BOOKED it home! It took like three days to recover haha. 

That was some hilights of this week! Transfer calls are next tuseday and we are going to the TEMPLE this Saturday! 

Everyday is an adventure- good thing we can repent anytime we want. 

Love you all!! 

Sister Nelson

some mtc friends at zone conference and a really cool terrace farm!