"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

"It's all about the base TE kudasaimasu ka!"

Dear family!!!      

This week has been so so so good!!!!!! I love it here! I love Fujisawa! I love Japan! I love my mission! I love life! I love love. :) haha :) I have had a great week and I wish I could just share with you everything that happened everyday. I feel like a different person this week. I feel happier, more motivated, more excited to do the work I have been called here to do. I feel like over time I just feel happier and happier to be here on my mission. :) Maybe because I slowly feel time ticking down and so I have to make the most of what I
have. But I just feel happy. :)

Today we had a typhoon! And this wasn't like the "typhoons" we have had in the past. This one actually came!!! And it rained so much!! All day yesterday and it finally stopped this morning around 11. We were
told to stay inside this morning until 12:00. This morning is when the actual typhoon hit. It was cool to watch the rain come down that hard! Haha :) but now it is a beautiful warm humid day. :)

This week we saw a lot of miracles. But since I don't have all of the time I will tell you three things....Tuesday: it was quite an adventure. We got lost on the way to zone conference. It was my first
time really getting lost....haha :) it was way funny!! But finally when we got to zone conference it was the best thing ever! President Wada is so inspired and so funny. He makes every meeting so much fun and so spiritual. We now have a new way of counting how we talk to people to help us find more people to teach. It is president Wada's way of doing the "litmus test" in people to see if they are ready for the gospel and it is using Base TE kudasaimasu ka? Or itadekimasu ka? Those are two bold ways to invite people to do things in Japanese. And as we have been inviting people more boldly we have been seeing some amazing success. I feel like this is the key to seeing so much more success. There are so many ways to make this in Japanese so polite and kind.... But we need to be bolder and invite with love. I love it! I feel like we are fulling our purpose more by truly using the language the way we should be. :)

On wed. We taught ________ for the last time. The sisters in her area will teach her from now on. But it was the best lesson!!! We committed her to be baptized and the spirit was so strong. Saturday she came to
the women's broadcast. After she met president Wada. The whole time she was just crying and kept saying that she was so sorry she didn't know what came over her. :) I am so sad we won't be teaching her
anymore, but I am more happy she is progressing in the gospel and feeling the spirit. She texted us the other day and let us know again how grateful she is for us. I feel so blessed to have been able to meet with her on the train and help her find the missionaries again. It is so happy to see the hand of God reaching out to not only guide us as missionaries but also touching the lives of all of his children. :)

On Friday I went to MLC. It was amazing!!! Probably one of the best missionary meetings I have ever been to!! :) I am actually not a sister training leader....but I was invited to come anyway. It was a hint that in the near future I might have to come to those meetings for real. But it was so fun to go to the Honbu and eat pickles!!! Man I miss pickles!!! :)

But it was a great week! I am so happy to be alive at a time where we can share the gospel in so many ways. :) be bold. Be kind :) share the gospel! Can't wait to watch conference next week!

Love you all! This gospel is true.

Love,
アシュビー姉妹

"Now behold the field is 'Rice' and already to harvest."

Dear family!!

This week has been so great! We had some miracles, fun times, and once in a lifetime experiences. Yay for being a missionary in Japan!! Wootwoot!

So to start... This week we got to do the best service project ever! Harvest Rice!!! So much fun. :)
A members father needed help harvesting his field, so a lot of the missionaries in the zone got to come join in and help out. :) We went on Friday morning and it was so fun. And we could see Mount Fuji from
where we were. It is was the true Japanses experience. While harvesting we saw frogs, crabs, and tons of bugs. The mud is so deep and I was again so grateful for my hunter rain boots. ;) haha :) got stuck in the mud a few times, but it was so great. :)

On Wednesday we had an amazing miracles with one of the ladies we
teaching. Sad part is We found out she doesn't live in out area....so
we will be referring her to the sisters where she lives, BUT it is
okay because she is amazing!!!! When we very first met her a few weeks
ago on the train she said she had been taught English by missionaries
before and she loved it. She said she was okay with us teaching her
about the gospel as well, but she was happy with her life and didn't
feel she needed religion. The last lesson we had with her we committed
her to pray and she said she would. This week she practically ran to
the church and said "sisters I am confused!!! I have a problem. Can
you help me?" We said we could try. So we sat down said a prayer and then asked what her problem was. She said, "You know when I met you and I said I was happy? Well now I am confused, because last time I
prayed and I felt something different. And I feel like something inside of me is changing..... I love learning English and I still want to learn English, but I also love hearing what you teach about and I
want to learn more." We were just sitting across from her dying!!!! It was the best feeling ever. She has been so set on the fact that she is happy and now she is a completely different person!!! She has been praying all the time and she keeps telling us how much she feels like she is changing! That lesson was amazing! We were able to testify and she was so open to all we had to share. Prayer changes people. It was such a testament to me that what I am sharing with these wonderful people is true and it has the power to Change their hearts. I love seeing people change right before my eyes and it happens all the time.

I know there is a God. He is our Heavenly Father. He hearers our prayers. He answers our prayers. And he Loves his children.  I am so blessed to be serving in Fujisawa. This place is amazing and the ward is amazing!

I am so excited for these next two weeks! We have so many conferences
and then general conference! :) I can't wait to learn more about what
I need to do to change and become a better person and disciple of
Christ. :)

I love you all! Have a great week!

Love,
アシュビー姉妹

If you look you can see mt. Fuji is the way back. :)

Happiest birthday ever!! :)

Japan Tokyo South Mission Fujisawa 4

Dear family!

This week has been the best week ever! :) I had such an amazing
birthday and I loved all of the letters. Best birthday package ever!!! Thank you so much for all of the love! :) it was for sure felt! We had some great miracles and happy moments this week!

We gave out so many book of Mormons this week and taught some amazing lessons. :) that always makes for a good week. :) to top it all off on Saturday Fujisawa had a baptism!! Such a great day! Matsuda Shimai is so cute and she was ready. I was able to teach her once and that lesson was probably one of the best lesson of my mission so far. The spirit was so strong that lesson. This week at her baptism you could tell there was some stress between things going on and ward members, but after she was baptized all of that left and the spirit was there.
On my birthday we taught a lesson, visited 2 less active members and had sports night at the church. It was a pretty perfect day of Dendo.:) Not to hot or cold. :) The weather right now is so perfect! Somedays there is a little chill in the air and you can feel fall is coming.  It is so happy!!

Sorry this letter is so random. :) It has been such a great week I
feel like a can't think. :)

Literally though I don't think I had one bad day this week. :) it was
a tender mercy of The Lord. :)

Church yesterday was the best. We had 2 invest agrees there, the other sisters had an investigator and their recent convert, the elders had two investigators, and then during sacrament meeting a less active family  walked in with their friend who said he wanted to go to church, and then a man from Africa walked in looking for a church to attend, since he loves God and just got here this week. It was amazing!! Heavenly Father is really guiding this work and he is guiding people to this gospel. It is amazing being on this end of things and watching Heavenly Father guide not only my life, but everyone around me as well.
So happy to be here in Fujisawa and surrounded by all the wonderful
people I am surrounded by. :) thank you for all the birthday love and
wishes! It was a great day and for sure one I will never forget! I
love you all and I know that God is guiding your life. Trust in Him
more. Prayer more. Read the Book of Mormon more. Serve more. Love
more. Be more the person you know God wants you to be. We can always
do more to follow Gods will for us. :) I know that that is true. I
know that God loves His children. I have felt that love so much this
week and I can't wait to share that love more with people this week.

愛してます。

Candle out of a chopstick

feeling loved

アシュビー姉妹

Happy Birthday week!!:)

Dear my wonderful family,

Well I got the package and I can't wait to open it this week!! So excited for Friday! It will be a great day! :)
This past week has been great! Transfers came and my new companion is so great! She is from California, but right now her family lives in highland, Utah. So way close right?!? :) She is 22 and has already graduated from BYU. :) Her name is Sister Hannah Lambert! great first name right?!? Hahha :) we have had a good time so far and I am really looking forward to this transfer with her.

We have seen so pretty cool miracles these past few days together. :) On Friday we went to the park to try and talk to some people there. We weren't having much success and we had another appointment soon so we decided to go do some housing over by where our appointment was. As we were leaving the park I looked and saw a lady sitting down and just had this feeling we needed to talk to her. We walked over started talking and had an amazing conversation! We shared with her the first lesson and about Joseph Smith. She thought that was amazing. We committed her to pray about whether or not it is true and she said she would!!!!! We were able to exchange info and she is busy for the rest of September with work but she said we can call her in October and she would love to hear more! It was a really amazing experience. The spirit was really strong. She started reading the pamphlet we left with her right as we were leaving. :)

Sunday we were again on our way to a lesson and on the train we met a girl who home stayed in Utah. She loves the Mormons and we were able to share with her the Book of Mormon. She had seen it in English but
not Japanese before! She was really excited to get it in Japanese. :) so cool!

Yesterday we were able to give out 4 Book of Mormons! It has been such a great past couple days with giving out book of Mormons, teaching, and talking with people about the gospel. I love testifying and
sharing about what I know to be true. This gospel is amazing and true and so wonderful! :)

Well I feel like my brain is all over the place today :)

Today we had temple Pday! So perfect for my birthday week right?!? :)

Well I love you all!! Have a great week! You are in my prayers!

Love,
アシュビー姉妹

Hey look who is in my zone?!?? :) elder Harrison!! :)

F-u-j-I-s-a-w-a :)

Dear family!!!

Transfers came and I am staying in Fujisawa!!!!!! Yay!!!! I love this ward and the people and all the people I get to work with!!!! I have spent about 5 months of my mission here and I love it!!!! My new companion will be Sister Lambert. :) it will be fun!! I don't know her at all so it will be an adventure! :)

Sorry today has been a crazy day and we have just a little email time so this one actually will be really short....... So much has happened this week but I will just tell you about my amazing Sunday!!

I was on splits with Sasaki Shimai. I have lived with her ever since I came to Fujisawa and she goes home this week. It was such a good Sunday. :) testimony meeting was amazing! After church we taught a lesson together to their investigator who had her baptismal interview yesterday. We taught her the last lesson she needed before her interview. We both went into that lesson not really knowing where it was going to go, but it turned out to be the best lesson I have ever been in!!!!!! We both taught with so much unity and the spirit was so strong, we had two members with us as well and they shared such strong testimonies. :) not only was it spiritual but it was fun!! Everyone just felt good. I love teaching the gospel!! It is amazing and it is true. The spirit is the true teacher. :) I love learning as you teach. That is one way you know the spirit is there. I for sure learned a lot that lesson. It was such a privilege to teach with Sasaki Shimai one last time before she leaves. She is for sure one of those people I love so much!!! So grateful for her!! :) so grateful for my mission!

Went to the Aquarium

Oh I wish I could tell you everything!!!!!!!! But we will save it all for later. :)

If you only ever just remember one thing from all of these letters that I write with so many random thoughts and poor English just remember this..... If you are reading this letter I love you so much!!!! You are amazing! You a child of God. And I know that this church is true. Gods has a plan for each of us. He will guide us. :)

I love you all so much! :)

Love,

アシュビー姉妹
愛してますよね。

Dearest family :)

My family!!!

This week has been great! We have had a lot of rain and also a lot of fun. :)

My brain is a little all over the place today so hopefully this won't be too random and backwards...haha :)

On Saturday we went out to dinner with a family in the ward and had shyabu shyabu again. I don't know if I ever told you my first experience eating it.... But let's just say I have never eaten so much meat in my whole life. This time it was a lot better!!!! Haha but still after we were way full. :) food is so good in Japan!!!! Love
it.... ;)

So Rikosan came to church this week for the first time in a long time!!!! Such a miracle!! It was so good to see her again. And she brought the hymnbook we gave her. She likes church a lot even though she isn't too set on joining yet. But we have hope. :) it was such a great Sunday. I loved sacrament. :) it was ward conference. It is always a great feeling to sustain the prophet and leaders of the church. This church is true. :)

On Thursday we had interviews with President Wada. It was so good. That man is truly inspired. He gave me all of the advice I needed to hear. I just need to really think about my true desires. Where really is my
heart?? How much do I really want to speak Japanese? How much do I really love the People around me?? As we reevaluate our desires we can start to see if they are inline with what the Lord wants.  And through
prayer and the atonement of Jesus Christ God can help us change and align our desires with what he desires for us. :) I love the atonement of Jesus Christ!

After interviews on the train ride home I sat next to this girl who had an air Jordan backpack. So we started talking basketball. After a while the conversation changed to religion. ;) ha but it actually was one of the most amazing conversations I have had on a train. She was really interested in the Book of Mormon and it's story, I ended up teaching her almost all of the lesson on the train!!!!!! It was the first time I had taught that much of a lesson on a train. It was amazing.  I gave her the Book of Mormon right as we got to our stop. Such am amazing experience. The spirit was for sure there and I could tell that she could feel that this was so thing special. That was such a good day. :) I love testifying of the gospel!! It is probably my favorite things.

On Thursday after eikaiwa I was talking to a man who has been learning about the church since he went to college in Utah. He is now in his 40's and has read all of the Book of Mormon probably more times then I
have..... Haha well maybe not but he has read it a lot. He has some problems with having full faith and commitment. We talked for a long time about faith, change, and truth. I had a thought come to me during
that conversation and it has really stuck with me since then. He doesn't understand the atonement of Jesus Christ. If he truly understood the atonement, if we all truly understood the atonement a lot of the problems, questions and worries that we have would be less. The atonement of Jesus Christ is amazing. It is real. I think I talk about the atonement every week....haha but that is because It is changing my life. It is beautiful and amazing and it is so important for us to understand. :)

I know this church is true. It is beautiful isn't it! :) I love you.
Have a great week.

Love,
アシュビー姉妹