Week 17 - They Send All The Weird Ones To Japan

This week was full of just great adventures! It consisted of being stalked, yelled at.. talent shows, and lots of tender mercies & miracles.

You are probably wondering..."You were stalked??" haha yes.I mean, if i were Nihonjin..I would stalk 2 gygene Americans too. haha

But this experience was CRAZY. We went to go visit one of the members in our Senzokuike ward, Higashi Shimai. And before we went in the elevator, we decided to say a prayer so we would be guided by the spirit and that we would know how to meet her needs. While I was praying, this old Japanese man walks by us and yelled, "What are you doing!? Hello?!....Can you hear me?!.....what are you doing!?" I didn't stop praying...but I was like..."YO DUDE WHAT YOU DOIN?"

I finished the prayer, and he just started yelling at us...and told us that we weren't allowed to be at the apartment building. My companion is a very bold senkyoshi and put her foot down. Which made him even more furious. (I honestly have no idea what his problem was...but he was definitely drunk. he smelt awful) I also thought he was possessed because he was doing this REALLY CREEPY hand/finger thing. He was twitching his fingers like he was struck by electricity? idk it was weird.

But the second we started talking to him though...the spirit was gone.

I was terrified. I am really nothing without the spirit...it was so scary. We told him that we were going to visit a friend and that he had to stop yelling at us. We quickly got in the elevator before he could do anything, and went to Higashi Shimai's floor.

We decided to say another prayer to get the spirit back. We kinda had that gut feeling that he would follow us...so we stood in the elevator door way so we could pray without him being there...right?? and the second we were done praying...HE JUST MAKES HIS WAY UP THE STAIRS. and starts freaking out again!!

I was like, "YO NUH UH". he rang Higashi Shimai's doorbell and when she answered, he just went off on her! After about 10 mins he finally left, and she told us that he is known as the apartment drunky. I felt so bad that she had to experience that though. We shared a quick message and she walked us down stairs to make sure he wasn't there.

We biked 4 blocks to the church so we could find another members address, and right as we were about to leave....THAT GUY WALKS IN THROUGH THE DOOR!!! I just about died. He walked in and the spirit was gone. I thought he was going to shoot us or something. that was honestly the first thing that went through my head. haha He got so close to us and I was like "OOH DUDE. IF YOU TOUCH ME, YOU BETTER HOPE YOU ARE REGISTERED FOR HEALTH INSURANCE". ahah

We told him to leave or else we were going to call the police (aka...our mission president). We got our mission president on the phone and told him the situation. This man was honestly acting as if we had just killed someone...(when our purpose is actually the opposite haha *save souls eryday ✌*)

While my Mission President was talking to this man over the phone, I Iooked over at Sister Oaks and she was all ready for self defense. She had a key in one hand and a pen in the other. haha

I said a quick prayer that we would be protected, and then suddenly an overwhelming sense of peace came over me and a thought came to mind..."He will not touch you".

After much venting on his part...he finally yelled one last "i hate you statement" and left. (There is a picture of him at the bottom talking to my mission president)

It was kinda overwhelming...the scariest part was that I felt the presence of the Holy Ghost leave!! It was actually a lot scarier in person ahah. We got a priesthood blessing from our District Leader and his companion the next day, and that made everything SO much better. I am so grateful for the priesthood. I am so grateful my dad and brothers are worthy priesthood holders, and the elders in my mission as well. I LOVE that strong influence in my life.

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT

I wanted to share a quote that I found in my personal study this morning. I absolutely loved it!!

"I believe that if we could daily remember and recognize the depth of that love our Heavenly Father and our Savior have for us, we would be willing to do anything to be back in Their presence again, surrounded by Their love eternally. What will it matter, dear sisters, what we suffered here if, in the end, those trials are the very things which qualify us for eternal life and exaltation in the kingdom of God with our Father and Savior?"

We all have trials, and we all have those times where we just feel like we are slipping. I have definitely felt that in my own life. But when we look at those hard experiences on a higher plane...those hard things are what QUALIFY us to live in the presence of our heavenly father. And the best part is....we really aren't alone. The savior PROMISES us that his hand is ALWAYS extended. I know that to be true. There have been many times on my mission where I have felt that I just couldn't go on...it was just too hard...that I was just too weighed down...but those have been the times where i have felt the lords love for me the most. I know he is real, and the power of the atonement WORKS!

I am so grateful to know these things. I am so grateful that I was born into a strong family. and that I was taught the gospel. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

このふくいんわほんとにしんじつとあかしします. イエス・キリストわかみさまのおんこです. イエス・キリストのあがにによっていつもんしんぽすることができます. イエス・キリストおとしてもとしあわせひとびとになることができます. かみさまわみなさのあいしています. わたしわイエス・キリストお愛しています. せんきょしになるきかいにかんしゃしています.

みなさん, 愛しています.

Talk to you next week!! :)

-Sister Phelps

フェルプス姉妹

Pics)

THE GUY KNEELING ON THE GROUND WAS THE ONE WHO STALKED US. THIS IS WHILE HE WAS TALKING TO MY MISSION PRESIDENT.

-me ft. artwork