"And they shall have cause to howl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth”

Dear my wonderful family,

This week has been so wonderful! I loved it and I learned so much! I feel the longer I am a missionary the faster I learn. Every week I learn more. I love learning!

We had a lot of cool miracles and a lot of just really happy tender mercies of the lord. I think I just want to tell you about a few of those happy tender mercies that helped strengthen my testimony that the lord is watching over me and all of his children and he wants us so be happy.

1. Tuesday after a full day of finding, a lot of inviting people to hear our message, some really good gospel conversations, and a lot of rejections, we were walking back to the eki to head back to shonandai.
As we were walking I was realizing how happy I was being in Japan. Because even though we weren't having the most success we were still inviting others to come unto christ and that just makes your heart
feel good! Anyway... We were walking and I saw this really cute girl who was probably 13 or 14 walking. We could tell that she might have some sort of disorder but we started talking to her. Come to find out
she only speaks sign language! I have learned a little Japanese sign language!!! And we had the best conversation ever! She was so cute! She loves America and actually knows ASL as well!!! So we talked in
both ASL and JSL!!! Such a cool experience! After I just felt so happy! It was probably one of the coolest experiences. She was so happy to talk to us. I walked away just thinking, "God loves us and her so much to put her in our path so we could have that experience." :) talking to her was what happiness feels like. :)

2. Every week after Eikaiwa we play an English game with all of the classes. Tip his weeks game was telephone. :) I think that is enough said.....haha I LOVE LISTENING TO JAPANESE PEOPLE SPEAK ENGLISH! it is the happiness thing ever! Haha and so funny! :) I wish I could just tell you how much a just love these people that come to eikiawa every week but I can't, because I love then too much, they are like my crazy Japanese family and they are so cute. Half of them are all older retired men and women who love the missionaries and know a lot about the church but don't want to join. It is really sad, but they are such
amazing people. I love them and God blesses me with a tender mercy every week I get to associate with them. :)

3. Friday I went on splits with Feist Shimai the Sister training leader. :) She is just the best person ever and we have a lot of similar dreams so we had a blast! Haha :) that night we went to visit a LA in the ward. The actual visit was really sad.... Because she told us that she can't believe that the Book of Mormon is true. She only believes the bible. It is so sad to see people who have made covenants with God through baptism and/ or the temple and then lose faith a choose not to believe it anymore.  It really broke my heart. But the tender mercy happened before that. We were riding our bikes along this big beautiful river to her house. The sun was setting, the air was just a little cool and smelled great, we were riding next to huge rice fields, and we were in Japan. The moment was just perfect! Then Feist shimai says, "you know what would make this moment just perfect? If we could see Mount Fuji!" Just then I look up and see in the distance this perfect mountain..... Umm yes it was Mt. fuji!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha :) we both just stopped ridding and laughed because it was so crazy how great that moment was! 流石日本!!! Haha :) tender mercy of joy!

I have learned so much this week what happiness feels like. I am just happy! I feel like my heart is wrapped in happiness and even though life isn't perfect, I have weaknesses, I haven't seen 100's of baptisms, etc I am truly happy. My heart is just happy. It is the happiness that only comes from living the gospel. It is happiness that only comes from God. I am happier then I have ever been in my life or on my mission. It is just pure joy. It isn't perfect, but it is happy. And I am happy I feel it. :)

Wasn't conference AMAZING?!??? I loved so much of it! But I loved this line from Elder Bednar's talk!! Sometimes when you are trying to share the gospel with people they seem to do just that!  "And they shall
have cause to howl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth” (Mosiah 16:2) hahaha :) Even though our message is so good!! Haha :) It was a great talk though. There were so many things I loved from conference.
So many prayers answered!

We have a prophet on the Earth. I know Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God and as we follow his guidance we will be happy. I am so grateful for my testimony and the knowledge that I have of the restored gospel. I am so blessed beyond imagine. God guides this work! We are finding his prepared children who are ready to hear the gospel. Today for Pday we had a zone prayer meeting. It was so amazing. :) I know that through prayer we can receive revelations from God. :) he loves us. :) keep smiling and have a wonderfully happy week!

愛してます。
アシュビー姉妹