Hello everyone!

I would like to start this email off by saying; Happy Birthday Spencer!!! You`re already 30!  Have a lovely Dec. 15!  Creed…Happy Birthday!  I can`t believe your gigantic hide is already 2! I hope you get to spend it with your Mom and Dad and Ains, before your two tiny runt sisters come. Kare good luck on the 20th!  I am praying for you and the twins…and
Alex.

Thank you to Ode and Jess, Lor and Joseph, Mel and Walt, Mom and Dad, and (after a little bit) Kim and Dan, Al and Kare, Spence and Rachel!  You guys are all waaaaaayyyyy to sweet!  I was shocked as I started piling up the presents around our tiny tree.  Thank you.  I can`t tell you how exciting it was to get those packages!  Not too mention, thank you for the Christmas music Chum and Pap!  We`ve listened to The Forgotten Carols many times now!  I`ve done my best at explaining the story to Yashima shimai. I love you all so much!  I only ask for one more present: Do something nice for someone else.

This week brought a whole new set of learning experiences.  Having a member in the lesson is very important.  Having the right member in the lesson is even more important.  We taught Risa chan with a member who is, well, a little bit strong.  She spent half of the time somewhat belittling Risa, in her own way.  Risa didn`t pay attention at all.  I was very frustrated.  Yesterday, we went with Risa chan to the Branch Presidents house where we had a wonderful lesson about what it takes to receive answers to our prayers.  Risa chan really opened up.  The Pres. and his wife were very concerned for her.  You could feel it as they talked with her.  She opened up and really spoke of her concerns and doubts.  Members make or break the lesson.

I have to say thank you to you Ode for your example to me.  I shared how I felt and what change I saw in you when you decided to return to the gospel with Eleonora this week.  I hadn`t planned on it, but I have never felt the spirit more strongly guide me in a lesson thus far.  Thank you.  Your example is amazing.  Your faith is so strong. Thank you.  I`ll admit we were all choking back tears.  Eleonora has a testimony, but there is still somewhat a wall to break, and your story helped to soften that wall. This past week her husband agreed to hear the lessons as well.  What a blessing!  He may just be the final key.

As we were out housing this week, I commented on a very cute old grandpa`s hat.  He responded to me in English, quite good English.  It was shocking! He is 83, and people that age weren`t surrounded by English like now, then it was actually banned.  But after the War he started to learn.  We talked for almost 20 minutes.  He mentioned how he wants real peace, that he doesn`t drink or smoke, but works in his little garden and studies English each day.  That was without any knowledge of our church, he himself said all that.  Do you think he is prepared?  I sure do!  We are so excited to meet with him this Wednesday when he comes to our English class.

We are going to have a Christmas party in our English class this week, dance at a retirement home, and go caroling on Sunday!  Every day brings something new and exciting.  My testimony of the Savior is that He lives. I am engaged in His work.  I loved the Christmas Devotional!  Did you all get to see it?

Well, good luck this last week before Christmas.  I love you all sooooo much.

Chum- thank you for always keeping me updated on everything…I love it! I agree, this year has brought many, many changes.  I am so grateful to you and Pap and Mel and Walt for all of the pictures!  I loved them.  Good luck wrapping.

Pap- thank you for correcting my spelling error.  I have a feeling you may need to correct my speach as well when I get home.  Speaking Japanese for 95% of your day kind of kills your English.   I love ya!

I will write again next week.  Until then, remember, Always look on the bright side!  I wanted to sing that song this week to Eleonora, because we have the Atonement, and everything will be alright.

Love,

Sister Haymond

Hello everyone!  I can`t believe that it is already December 8th, 2008.  I have spent almost one entire year in the service of our Lord and Savior. What an interesting year it has been!  I have been uplifted, I have cried, I have felt joy, and I have learned patience and love.

From Eleonora I have learned what sacrifice means.  She met her husband, he was a wonderful man: kind, funny, outgoing, hardworking.  They returned to Japan and he completely changed!  He got lazy, stopped caring for her, got into debt, and then had two strokes.  She gave up her family (she`s seen them once or twice in the last 16 years), she gave up a good job. We read with her The Mediator.  She loved it.  I think it really started her realizing just how important the Atonement really is. I realized as well why each of us can and must rely on the Atonement.  Sometimes the road seems like the pot holes are `Grand Canyon`sized, but with the Lords help we can safely avoid falling into them.  She told us she realized that she wants to get baptized, but is afraid that she will break the convenants because when she gets frustrated she will smoke or drink.  Please pray for her to receive an answer to her prayers, that she can overcome.

We`ve been teaching Risa chan, the 21 year old.  She has the manners of a pig sometimes, but she is so sweet.  She actually, and somewhat quietly sat through relief society yesterday.  She only talked, played with her cell phone, and played with the papers the teacher handed out about half of the time. That was a lot of improvement.  I am relying on the spirit to have patience and realize that I can`t give up on her.  She has hope.  She has finally quite smoking.  We even have one of her friends listening to the lessons as well.  Yippee!  She is a really good influence on Risa chan.  Too bad Risa chan really interupted her first lesson by talking, listening to music, and farting.  I didn`t think they did that here in Japan, but she does.  Ahhh!  Luckily the branch members all love her. They all support her and I think that is really affecting her in a great way.  Sorry to vent, but I know you all have interesting stories from your missions, and this is one of mine.

I am so excited to talk with all of you in the next couple of weeks! Please call on YOUR Christmas Eve.  You are 16 hours ahead of me.  Please call me when it is my time 7:00 AM.  Again, my number is: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. I want to speak by couples or singles, so I can actually get a chance to talk with all of you!  Kimbob and Dan arrange the time with the fam so I get to talk with all of you as well!

I love all of you so much.  Please do good for someone today.  Mom and Pap, tell the Bishop thank you, but I can`t write to him. Good luck in all you do!  The church is true!  Heavenly Father loves all of us.  I know this.

Love,

Sister Haymond