They have great value in Japan!!!!!!

Dear family!
This week has been a week! Between transfers, disinfecting the house because of lice problems, and normal missionary work it has been an adventure! But fun :) I am now in Hodogaya and lets just say I LOVE it!!! And I love my new companion. She is so funny. :) We have been having fun together.

By reading the title of this email you might think I am referring to something of a more spiritual nature.... Yes they do have great valuein Japan! I mean I love the Japanese people. But I was literally meaning they have "great value" in Japan!!! Like the Walmart brand!!!Haha :) We went shopping today to a store that is actually owned by Walmart and we saw great value products. It was like I was back in America! So weird!!! Haha I laughed pretty hard! Gotta love "great" value... ;) haha I will send a picture.


Anyway this week has been great! It was so hard to say good bye to all
of the people in Fujisawa. There are so many people there that I love
and was so sad to leave, but at that same time I knew I had grown as
much as I could in Fujisawa. :) I saw so many miracles and made
eternal friends with some people. I am so grateful I was able to serve
in that ward. P.s. Mom my "Japanese mother" Sister Satou said she
wants to come to America and meet you. I think you would be great friends. She is so funny! You guys are pretty much the same age and so much a like. :)

On Thursdays we had transfers. I went to the mission home for a New STL training. There are so many new STL that they had a training given by 5 of the STL that were going home. It was so amazing and I learned
so much. One thing that I took from it has become the theme for my life right now. I really hope to apply this in all that I do for the rest of my life. Sister Wada shared this. She said, "A leader is not someone who leads, a leader is someone who serves. Just like Christ washed the feet of his apostles." The image of Christ washing the feet of his disciples has stuck with me this whole week. That thought might seem quite obvious to those who serve in the church, but it really hit me. Serving the way Christ served is so much more than just doing service. It is from the heart. 心から。It is fully of love, compassion, grace, mercy, forgiveness, honesty, truth, faith, etc. The list goes on and on. Christ served out of perfect love for Gods children. I want to feel that perfect love! I may feel a lot of love for those around me but that love isn't always perfect love. But I know that through the atonement of Christ I can become more and serve the way Christ did by washing the feet of his disciples.

Wow there is so much more to share but so little time....... Well one quick miracle and then I will have to just save the rest for another day. On the way to my new area we were on the train and I had the amazing opportunity to share with the girl sitting next to me the Book of Mormon. We were talking about faith and I asked her how much she believes in God. She said she doesn't know if he is there, but she has a desire to know. She almost quoted it like it says in Alma 32 talking about desire. I shared with her that scripture and she just smiled and said that is exactly what I said almost! It was such a cool experience to help this girl see how the Book of Mormon teaches those truths she knows and has a desire to believe. It was so cool! We were able to switch contact information and so hopefully some more good will come out of it. :)

I love life and I love my new area. :) share your favorite scripture with someone who needs it this week! :) it will bring the spirit of missionary work into your life.

Have a great week!! Love you so much!!

Love,

Sister Ashby