It's in the MIDDLE of SEPTEMBER

(Shoutout to Ellie for the subject line)

Things we did this week:

- We got a call on Thursday night that a member's brother had passed away and the funeral was on Friday and they desperately needed an organist! So we spent Friday morning at the church playing for the funeral of a man who wasn't a member of the church, but who had come sometimes before and whose sister is very active. I played the normal hymns, background music for scripture readings, and the usual. But when I got there, they said "hey, can you sing without piano accompaniment?" I usually get out of singing at meetings because I just play...but I was able to sing I Am a Child of God for the people attending the funeral. And it was a message I really wanted everyone to hear anyway - we are all children of God and He has sent us here to learn and grow and eventually return to Him. I'm grateful for the knowledge I have of the plan of salvation and the opportunity to share that with those who do not yet know.

- Sunday night, we visited the wife and daughter of the man who passed away. They immediately invited us in, gave us refreshments, and invited us to pay our respects to Egashira-san. It was fun to see how those of the Buddhist faith honor their ancestors in their homes. Incense, offerings, a butsudan (household altar), lots of dignity and respect.

- after church on Sunday, we ate all together and made friends with the branch!

- Saturday we went to an okonomiyaki place - favorite food. Will be making it regularly for the rest of my life.

- I cut Sis. Olsen's hair with craft scissors.

- We got ice cream at 31 and talked to a couple for half an hour about the gospel - they don't live here but were so cool! He will be a great ward mission leader one day.

- Sunday night was FHE with a member family and their friend. For the game, we did suikawari, which is where you hit a watermelon blindfolded like a piñata until it breaks! Woohoo summer! I guess it's almost the end but anyway...great week! Here's to the next one! Love love love!

Sister Janette Jorgensen

Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hiraozyosuimachi, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Japan 810-0029

Legacy

I've been thinking about the legacy we create and add to as we progress through and ultimately out of life. I'm grateful to have been born into a family with a legacy of faithful followers of Christ, and to see that continue in my parents and siblings. I'm grateful to add to the legacy of people graduating from Sanderson High School, attending Vanderbilt University, growing up in North Carolina, all of it. We as individuals are in large part defined by who we become, and we become who we are through contributing to our own communities. Those communities then become defined in part by who we are.

My English is bad. But hopefully I sort of conveyed the idea. My dad likes to call it the "Ja-network." Truly by living in Japan for a little over a year now, the Japanese people, individually and collectively, have become part of the "Ja-network." That being said, I was especially moved this week as I realized that I am part of a much bigger work, that is the work of the Lord in Japan. We had the privilege of visiting a member family's home for dinner Saturday night. As we were eating the huge dinner they had prepared for us, we watched a three-minute picture slideshow of the growth of the church in Sasebo over the past fifty years. As you might expect, the branch started from a few faithful members, one of whom is still around, and, with a lot of faith and prayers grew steadily into the still small but strong branch we have today. I noticed the presence of missionaries in most if not all of the pictures - they were sent here to strengthen the church in Japan and members continue to love us for it. I just feel honored to serve among the saints of Japan, a people whom I love so much, who love the Lord and want to be faithful and reach out to others. For them, I will happily bike up every mountain in this area and knock on every door and smile at every person who tells me no. Because the members know it's true, I know it's true, and even if each week does not result in the baptizing of hundreds (not that it can't), I can feel pure joy knowing I am working towards bringing others unto Christ. I am part of the legacy of the church in Japan. That is worth more to me than any amount of money, any degree, any world travel opportunities I could possibly obtain.

This week, we dropped all of our investigators and are starting out fresh. I'm so excited for zone training meeting, in which we will train on consecration and the doctrine/importance of baptism. I love my companion and the other missionaries SO much. The members are amazing. The people we talk to every day, like the dad who will let us come back and visit if we don't talk about religion but just be friends with/good examples to his daughters...I love them all! There will be no counting down to come home, but just continuing to love each and every day, and the blessings I see in my life from faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's true and I love it.

Have a great week! Enjoy Labor Day, hopefully tropical storms aren't too bad. We had a typhoon pass through this weekend - nothing bad, just a lot of trash on the road around here. 

Love you all!

The Sasebo Burger. There is a little burger icon on the map in our apartment at every place that sells these. :)

Sister Janette Jorgensen

Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hiraozyosuimachi, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Japan 810-0029

Welcome Aboard!

Hello from Sasebo! It is a beautiful area full of hills and nature and nice people! It was so so sad to leave Fujisaki and Sister Cox and investigators, etc., but I am happy to be here! I got to speak in the military branch and Japanese branch yesterday. I feel like now that I know the members here, I understand more who I'm working for/with. 

We had a lesson with Naomi, a single mother of an adorable six year old. She is sweet and I think will be able to progress really well! Thankfully, a member took us to the lesson in her car - the rains were coming down and the floods coming up yesterday! It was really funny to watch the Japanese ward council react to the loud thunder and lightning - normally composed, professional people, shrieking and clinging to their chairs at every crack. Hilarious. 

Sister Shibayama is amazing! Her English is really good, but she is teaching me Kansai-ben (the dialect they use on radio/tv/in Osaka). It's so fun! We also bonded over her first pop tart on a couch one of the US Navy members brought us. I'm really excited to work with her and the rest of the Nagasaki zone this transfer!

I might be worried about coming home fat with all the American food in our apartment, but I'm not because going any place in this area is a long bike ride and hills for days. 

Love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Janette Jorgensen

Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hiraozyosuimachi, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Japan 810-0029

My desk was decorated :)

Just - it's so beautiful! And you probably look at it and go "that's nice, very pretty" but if you think about getting to this point one pedal at a time in the hot August sun, you appreciate the view a lot more. And so it is with life :)

久しぶり

Hi everyone, hope you've had a great couple of weeks! I haven't
written in a few weeks - sorry about that. You're probably caught up
enough in your own fun summer activities (which I'd love to hear
about) that you didn't even notice. :) Today is, once again, the
long-anticipated "tenkin happyou" (transfer call) day! Heavenly Father
must really love me and have something special for me in this area
because He is allowing me to stay in Fujisaki for another six weeks!
That will be in total about six months here. My current companion will
move to another area, close to where I used to serve, so I have been
giving her the low-down on the church members and conditions there,
which is a lot of fun. My new companion is Sister Cox! We've been
living together for six weeks now, but our apartment is condensing to
two sisters instead of four as it has been. Her companion is heading
down to Okinawa where you get off the plane and proceed to melt until
November or so. We're excited for the upcoming transfer!

Hi everyone, hope you've had a great couple of weeks! I haven't written in a few weeks - sorry about that. You're probably caught up enough in your own fun summer activities (which I'd love to hear about) that you didn't even notice. :) Today is, once again, the long-anticipated "tenkin happyou" (transfer call) day! Heavenly Father must really love me and have something special for me in this area because He is allowing me to stay in Fujisaki for another six weeks! That will be in total about six months here. I really truly LOVE this area and am so grateful to be able to stay here. My current companion, Sis. Henderson, will move to another area, close to where I used to serve, so I have been giving her the low-down on the church members and conditions there, which is a lot of fun. My new companion is Sister Cox! We've been living together for six weeks now, but our apartment is condensing to two sisters instead of four as it has been. Her companion is heading down to Okinawa where you get off the plane and proceed to melt until November or so. We're excited for the upcoming transfer!

Since I've been the worst at emailing, I thought I'd just share a few big highlights via pictures:

We had zone p-day on the Fourth of July! Unfortunately, there were no fireworks, but we turned all shades of red as we competed in a playground obstacle course! More intense than any game you ever played in the third grade. A much needed, albeit very tiring break from the every-day activities. The mission has brought many opportunities, but one I was not expecting was that of developing strong friendships with other missionaries from all over the world as we work together towards our goals. Happily representing North Carolina on the 4th :)

No, it's not the lighting, I really was that red. This is Shogo, our friend who makes yakitori (grilled meat on a stick). It's ¥80 a stick, so we go every Wednesday for dinner before Eikaiwa (English class). We've become BFFs and hope to get him learning about the gospel soon!

10:15: time to scarf down some ramen/cereal before 10:30 lights out. Missionaries are still typical 20-year-olds, turns out. 

Seiji got baptized! I may not have ever even written about him before because it all happened so fast. Sis. Henderson and I found him knocking on doors one Monday evening. We made an appointment for the upcoming Saturday at the church (a 15-minute bike ride away). Totally didn't expect him to come, but he did! We taught that lesson and set the baptismal date. Taught another lesson after a couple days and passed him to the elders to teach (easier for them to teach men than for us). Within three weeks, he's developed a testimony of Jesus Christ and understands the overall "why" of the gospel (love). In his testimony at the baptismal service, he said he's grateful especially for prayer and enduring because as he's been coming to church, his friends have given him a hard time for the Christianity thing. But he prays and feels good :) not the most expressive guy, but I know he knows the gospel is true and it will bless his life! We are so happy for him!

Another miracle I probably never wrote about: Yurina. We found her after a lesson appointment fell through. She let us in her house (never happens) and we taught her about God and baptism and prayer. We taught her for the fourth time this week and she's learning to love Jesus Christ! She's kind of a sass, but the kind where we can laugh/have fun and also feel the Spirit. She said "I think everyone who lived during Jesus Christ's time would have been the happiest ever. He just went around teaching good things and healing people...I wish He were here today." For a girl who never knew anything about Christ, hearing that was a miracle! She's hilarious and her cat is cute, too. I want her to go on a mission one day :)

Would this be an email from Japan without a picture of sushi? A friend of ours made this sushi for us. There's octopus (1:00ish), beef (3:00), salmon (5:00), something else, eel (7:00), something, tuna (11:00). I usually like octopus, but served this way, it was a little too chewy and hard to eat. Still pretty good though!

We went to all-you-can eat American pizza today. Like pepperoni, hamburger, apple pie, DOUBLE CHEESE PIZZA. And of course the classic corn/mayonnaise and tuna/onion varieties were also available. We then visited the Disney store and saw a water show to Michael Jackson. One of my favorite p-days. 

The gospel is true! I love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Janette Jorgensen

Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hiraozyosuimachi, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Japan 810-0029

So Excited!

It's been a great week, hope yours has been too!

Most exciting news: I received a call from President Egan this morning as I was making pancakes and he asked "Are you living worthily of a temple recommend?" and "Are you being strictly obedient?" finally "Are you willing to serve wherever the Lord asks?" Of course I eagerly responded yes to each of those and then he extended the assignment to serve as a Sister Training Leader in the Fukuoka Zone, companions with...drumroll...Sister Cox, my MTC companion! I will continue being companions with Sister Henderson (thankfully), but I will have an STL companion as well, now, which means we will plan and present trainings each transfer and go on companion exchanges every week with sister missionaries in the area. I love companion exchanges - there are always so many miracles and funny stories, and learning opportunities! I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for this upcoming transfer in Fujisaki (same area)!

Other than that, we found some fun new people this week! As we were dendo-ing with a member, we found Miyu, a girl who goes to the Southern Baptist college (what?? I know. I don't get it either) because lots of foreigners go there and speak English. She's super good at English and super sweet! We got ramen together :)

Also, Sister Henderson and I made sushi with some members and found the best takoyaki (fried octopus dumplings) in the whole world for way cheap! Miracles come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors, my friends. 

One lady we found 6 weeks ago on the street who is Buddhist but whose daughter lives in Colorado and is sealed in the temple randomly called us this week and invited us over. We went and talked with her all about how the gospel has changed her daughter's life and their relationship and what a blessing it's been to her. She is so sweet. May or may not be ready to accept the gospel, but I know that it's by those little interactions we have that others are able to see and benefit from the light of Christ in us. 

If you want some good reading material, check out the October 2011 General Conference talk by Ted R. Callister on the Book of Mormon - loved it!

Love y'all!

Long Week

So very long, slightly hard, all totally worth it. By small and simple things are great things brought to pass! (Alma 37:6). First of all, I'm so excited for my cousin Patricia, who got her mission call to Cape Verde, leaving in September! She is such a great example to me, and I know she'll be a wonderful missionary :)

I got to skype home last week! SO GOOD - I can't get over how big my sisters are and how our relationship can still be great even on the other side of the world. I love them :)

I've started laughing a lot more with people when we talk to them on the street. It's helped break the ice a little bit and have more fun, which can only mean good things! Whether it be a compliment, a joke, a high-five, it's the best. I'm learning that loosening up enough to laugh now and then helps everything be better :)

Japan is beautiful, the people are DARLING, the food is delicious, my companion is an angel, we had someone come to church this week, we stopped teaching someone I love very much, all the ups and downs. But it's all worth it because I know this gospel is true and has blessed the lives of all who follow it. Have a wonderful week, I love you!

Sister Janette Jorgensen

Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hiraozyosuimachi, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Japan 810-0029

Lily

Get this: last week, I studied the scripture verses about "Consider the Lilies" and shared it with our investigator, Yuri, who is preparing for baptism. We gave her a hard commitment and promised that God would take care of her and provide the way for her to accomplish all she needs to. As she read the scriptures out loud in the lesson, she smiled really big. When we asked why, she said that her name, Yuri, means "lily" in Japanese. I had no idea! But I know that Heavenly Father wanted her to know that He loves her and will help her out according to her faith. And I know she knows that too :)

I got a new companion this week! I'm accruing a lot of them, turns out. Which is fun - all the missionaries in this mission are so hard-working and awesome, I'm honored to be able to work with anyone here! Her name is Sister Henderson and she is from San Francisco (make that 4/6 Californian companions). She went to BYU for a little while and, get this, is one day older than me! Our birthdays are so close! She was born in China, so we were thinking we might actually have the same birthday American time, but it didn't work out. Anyway, she is so sweet and nice, and I'm so happy to get to work with her!

Yesterday, during dendo (proselyting), we ran into two ladies next to a giant field cooking something over a fire. We went over and they were stewing some derivative of bamboo to eat! They also garden like crazy on this huge plot of land (really rare in Japan) and then "go stand where the rich people are so they buy our food." They gave us orange juice and said we could come back and hang out sometime :)

Other than that, life goes on. I can't believe it's almost May! I was talking to someone on the street the other day and they asked how long we're in Japan and I said I've been here about eight months now...and then realized I only have about that long left! A little microcosm of life, I guess - the further along we get, the more we begin to truly appreciate each day. I'm grateful for this opportunity to serve :)

I love you all! Have the best week!

Another Day in the Life

Hello everyone, hope you're doing well! I am happy, warm, and a little sunburnt here in Fujisaki - a welcome change from the countless layers of a couple weeks ago. This week, we had the privilege of hearing from living prophets and apostles of Jesus Christ, those called by Him to run the church here on Earth. They spoke on all sorts of topics, including charity, opposition, the future, agency, you name it. I really enjoyed each and every talk, and look forward to going back here soon and reading over them all. If you follow this link, you can also find my favorite song performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (also the Vanderbilt Choral Department last year, so I love it even more). I know that through the grace of Jesus Christ and our exercising of faith, we can receive the fullest joy imaginable (2 Nephi 25:23-26).

http://media2.ldscdn.org/assets/general-conference/april-2016-general-conference/2016-04-1071-come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing-256k-eng.mp3?download=true

This morning, pre-PDay activities, we participated in the funeral service for a woman in the ward who passed away suddenly this week. It was my first funeral in Japan - very somber and reverent, as is to be expected. In this situation, as with the passing of loved ones which we all experience, I'm so grateful to know of Heavenly Father's great Plan of Salvation, which enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave and into eternity. I'm grateful for the life and example of my great grandmother who also passed away recently, three days after her 100th birthday. Because I am so sure she is and always will be my great grandmother, and that I will be reunited with her in the not-too-distant future, I can feel peace half a world away. God has provided this plan and allowed us to know of it so that we can be happy in this life and in eternity.

And I am happy :) I hope you all are too! These three ladies in the picture added some fun to the week. We were biking down a street and saw the lady (top left) sitting outside her house at a spinning wheel! We asked her what she was doing, and she said she was spinning old futōn into thread...what a cool lady! She invited us into her house, where her sister and friend were crafting to the highest degree. They had looms, wheels, t-shirt designing, you name it. Every time we turned around, there was a new thing they had either made or purchased in their travel literally ALL OVER the world. They gave us cake and hot water (because we don't drink tea, but hot water works) and we talked for an hour or so. They were adorable. Three of the twelve old women we became BFFs with this week - a record, I think. 

Here's a picture of the crane attack we received on our post box, as well as my sunburned face :)

I love you all!

Sister Janette Jorgensen

Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hiraozyosuimachi, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Japan 810-0029

janette.jorgensen@myldsmail.net

Area 3

Hello from Fujisaki! We are here close to Fukuoka, the center of the mission. I went to my fifth ever full day of church in Japanese yesterday, so that was a blast. I love my new companion Sister Bready, she is adorable and works so hard! We're going off desserts this transfer, so that'll be an adventure. Who needs ice cream anyway? (Cries)

No time, but here's a quick quote from a former apostle, Elder Maxwell: 

"When we are unduly impatient with an omniscient God’s timing, we really are suggesting that we know what is best. Strange, isn’t it--we who wear wristwatches seek to counsel Him who oversees cosmic clocks and calendars." Remember who's in charge. I love you all!

Sister Janette Jorgensen

Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hiraozyosuimachi, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Japan 810-0029

janette.jorgensen@myldsmail.net

"It's Your Reaction to Adversity...

not the adversity itself that determines how your life's story will develop.' - Dieter F. Uchtdorf" - Jim Jorgensen

Truly, though. This week, our hope absolutely plummeted. No one ever wants to talk to us, no one keeps appointments, we don't know where to go or what to say, transfers are this week and what's going to happen (still haven't gotten the call!), you name it. We watched a training video in which one of the missionaries said that Heavenly Father tends to wait until you've done absolutely everything you can and then some and are truly at the end of your rope and then He pours out the miracles. We didn't enjoy watching that one, let me tell you. That evening (yesterday - Monday), we biked 45 minutes away and had only an hour in the area before we had to bike home. We decided to go anyway, and had only talked to a few people before we met the Nakano family. THEY ARE PERFECT. SO  MUCH LOVE. They are so sweet and nice and have adorable children with interest in our English classes and even though they're not Christian (like most Japanese people everywhere), they invited us to come back Friday to teach them a lesson! We're bringing a member of the Japanese church and are SO EXCITED. We left the house, turned a corner so they couldn't see us, and just started running down the street, we couldn't contain it! I know finding that family last night was a tender mercy of the Lord because we really have been trying our best and giving it our all.

In other news, the weather has been gorgeous! Today is the first day warm enough for us to go out without tights on and we're so excited! Don't even need a coat! A couple highlights of the week: I went on a companion exchange with Sister Komatsu from Kyouto, Japan - she is a doll and we learned a lot! We also made origami mouths with a Japanese family (D&C 33:8-10) to encourage them to "open your mouth" and share the gospel!

It's a great day to be a missionary! The gospel is true, I know it! I love Japan, I love my companion, this weather, the food, sights, sounds, smells (most of them), you name it! And I love all of you!! Have a great week!

Love,

Janette

Sister Janette Jorgensen

Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hiraozyosuimachi, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Japan 810-0029

janette.jorgensen@myldsmail.net

Sing, Sing, Sing

February 14

Hi friends! Love and miss you all! This week was a little rough - so rough that on a few of the days, we had to eat ice cream. Twice. 

It's very frustrating when people don't fit your little pre-conceived mold of what you think they should do/be. Or even what you think God thinks they should do/be. Here's what God thinks we should do: make our own choices and learn from them. I'm so grateful for agency and all the lessons (even the really hard ones) I've learned as a result of making my own decisions. But man is it hard to sit back and watch people use their agency in ways you know will not be optimal in the long-run. But here I am eating ice cream twice a day, which some nutritionists might say is a bad use of agency. 

We've been doing a lot of singing this week - we memorized "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission" and "We'll Bring the World His Truth" (two children's songs about missionary work) in Japanese! Non-stop - biking, walking, getting ready in the morning, even when we go running, we're singing! Definitely helps keep our spirits up. And everything's so much cuter in Japanese. 

I love my companion! She is the cutest and best ever! I'll never be as good of a dancer as her, but we have so much fun together. 

Faith Brings Miracles

February 7

Well, we found her! Unfortunately, she was 100% not interested. This begs the question: why did Heavenly Father want us to go find this lady so bad? I feel like this is a little "microcosm of life" (to quote from a wise, father of mine). Sometimes we are asked to show faith; to do things that are uncomfortable; to prove our discipleship. Not for the end result, but for the affect the process will have on us. 1 Nephi 3:7: when we are commanded to do something, the way is provided. The way was provided, we succeeded, and we saw miracles this week because of this trial of faith! It just happened that the miracle wasn't directly related. 

Our big miracle this week is that Carl, our investigator, decided he wants an eternal family and help from God, so he's going to be baptized in just a few weeks! We've been working and praying so hard for this to happen, and he felt the Spirit enough where he knew it was the right thing! We're so excited for him!

Fun thing this week: we took a giant sheet of paper to the train station and drew out the plan of salvation. We drew a lot of people to talk to us, but it didn't exactly help that some Buddhist men also decided that would be an excellent area to stand and chant loudly. To each their own. We had a great week and are excited for at least six more here in Iwakuni! Love to you all!

Back to the Fold

January 17

Well, I've got another hymn for you! Feeling very musical lately (let's be honest, more like the past 20 years). This is one of my mom's favorites and one my sisters and I like to sing in only slightly-ridiculous tones of voice. My companion and I are also memorizing it in Japanese this week!

1. Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
   Dear are the sheep of his fold;
   Dear is the love that he gives them,
   Dearer than silver or gold.
   Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
   Dear are his "other" lost sheep;
   Over the mountains he follows,
   Over the waters so deep.
   
   
   Out in the desert they wander,

   Hungry and helpless and cold;

   Off to the rescue he hastens,

   Bringing them back to the fold.

All of us are beloved children of our Heavenly Father. This week, we received a referral from a woman who lives about an hour away. We received her friend's name and address and were asked to contact her as soon as possible. We figured out where she lives on the map and decided to go find her after English class on Saturday night. So at 8pm Saturday, we biked out to where we thought she lived and weaved up and down all the streets but could not come anywhere close to where she lived. Five minutes before we had to head in to be home on time, we found a block we knew was close. Excited, we pedaled up the mountain all the way to #69 (she lives in block #75) and couldn't go any further. Utterly dejected (and cold), we booked it back home, only for Sister Fritchen to experience her first bike wipe out and end up with a pretty gross-looking bruise on her face. So that was Saturday. We maintained hope though and decided Sunday we would go find her. So Sunday came around, we had about an hour, and it was raining (and possibly hailing a little, or maybe it was ice). Anyway, it was cold AND wet. We threw on our coats and rain gear and prayed to know if going to find this woman was the best use of the time we had left. We both felt strongly we needed to go find her, so we headed out. 30 minutes in, we weren't even in the area of Saturday night, and had no idea what to do. This song ran through my head over and over again, and even after we prayed again, we knew we had to go find this lady. So we continued on and found where we'd been before, realizing we just had to go kind of around and up the mountain more. We got to 73 with 5 minutes to go. Pedaling furiously, we sprinted up the mountain and found 74! Then...76. Where in the world was 75??? We couldn't give up now, we were right there! We looked frantically for it, if just to find the right block, and couldn't find it. We've spent two hours trying to find this one house which, to me, sounds like an awful lot of time for one person, especially in the dark and rain. But to the Lord, I know it's nothing. I know this woman is one of His beloved daughters who needs the gospel right now. Tonight, we will find her and whatever happens from that contact, we know it will be guided by the Spirit. We are doing all we can and more to bring others back to the fold of the good shepherd. He loves us more than we comprehend, and when we feel a portion of that love for another, we spare no expense in helping them return. 

Other highlights from the week:

 1. Gave an 82-year-old woman her first hug. In life. Everyone get up and go hug someone right now!

2. Our investigator said "I don't need confidence in myself, I have confidence in my Savior!" I may or may not have cried when he said that. 

3. We've received probably 100 Japanese oranges in the past 3 weeks. It's insane and I love it!

4. Friday, I went on companion exchanges with sister Sanders. We were knocking on doors and after awhile saw a cat in the middle of the street. Normally, I think cats are gross… But this one was pretty cute! We decided to call him Beethoven. We went up to a house, talked to the person, and came back down to the street, and Beethoven was there! Then, we went to another house and talk to the person for probably five minutes. Again, Beethoven was waiting for us. We finished where we had planned to proselyte and decided to pray. We went over by a cement wall that is probably dad's heart. We prayed, and all of a sudden, we hear the tinkling of a collar. We ended the prayer really fast and saw Beethoven on top of the wall, staring at us. It meowed, so we meowed back . He followed us for the rest of the night until we started biking home… guess he can't run as fast as a bike. It was hilarious!

The gospel is true! I love you all and am grateful for you! Have the best week!

Sunshine in My Soul

(January 10)

We've had a good number of long, cold, dark nights this week. The sun goes down around 6 or so, and the temperature drops. If I'm not sporting at least 2 pairs of tights, a thermal, 2 sweaters, a scarf, coat, gloves, and a hat, it's not night-time proselyting. And it's the best! We sing songs, practice Japanese, make up funny cheers, and try our best to smile when the 47th person in a row says they're not interested in the level of politeness only the Japanese language allows. Because we're all here on the Lord's time, doing His work. And if it takes what seems like eternity of ringing doorbells in the freezing, dark night (to be fair, the rest of Japan is probably colder), to show our faith in and love for Him, that's what we'll do!

There is sunshine in my soul when an investigator asks when we can meet again. There is sunshine in my soul when I finally apply a grammar concept properly. There is sunshine in my soul when the cute old lady picking up trash on the side of the road lets us help her. There is sunshine in my soul every time I pray, pick up the scriptures, and go to church. But most of all, there is sunshine in my soul when I bike home as fast as I can, run up the stairs, collapse in prayer to begin daily planning and thank my Heavenly Father for the many miracles we witnessed that day. Giving 100% to the Lord is exhausting, let me tell you. But it is the sweetest, most satisfying and wonderful experience I could ever have. I know I, like Joseph Smith and all of us, have experienced the feeling of a rough stone rolling down a mountain with the edges getting smoothed out along the way. It's not always a glamorous process, but following the plan our Heavenly Father has set for us is the one true way to happiness in any phase of life. 

This week, we had the opportunity to show someone of their infinite potential. We showed them that they can overcome their past and all the temptations and negativity of the adversary through the Atonement of Christ. It's a long, hard road, but brings an even longer and more blessed future. 

I love you all! LDS hymns 227

Sister Janette Jorgensen

Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hiraozyosuimachi, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Japan 810-0029

It's 2016!

(December 31)

If it's not 2016 where you are right now, let me tell you: it's a great year. Happy new year, everyone! I hope you've all enjoyed the holidays as much as we have here in Japan! It's truly been so much fun, although separated from family, to be here. 

New Years is the Christmas of the Buddhist faith, and therefore a really big deal here! That being said, most people haven't been too interested in talking about Jesus Christ this week. There's been some long, cold nights of proselyting - who knew two pairs of tights and boots wouldn't quite keep out the cold? But that's such a small price to pay compared to the joy we're able to share and feel as we see people progress towards a stronger relationship with Him. 

One grandma invited us in the other night and gave us cake and warm milk because we looked freezing. Her house was very Japanese - she showed us her butsudan (shrine to ancestors to which they pray) and told us all about her family and New Years plans. This place is full of sweet little old people who love to talk :) my companion and I had just had a pretty lengthy conversation about warm milk and couldn't understand why anyone thinks it's good...so the Lord saw fit to teach us to be careful what we say. I wouldn't ask to drink it again, but it wasn't bad, to be fair. 

We're continuing to teach young Marines on base. They seem to multiply - everyone has a friend they bring to activities, pretty soon that friend starts inviting their friends, and eventually we have a lot of people to potentially teach! Still looking and praying hard for a Japanese family to teach, and we have had some miraculous contacts this week that could be them! One man opened his door last night and, once we introduced ourselves, asked if we could come back today. We'll stop by even though it's Pday - he could be golden! We taught all about eternal families to another lady for 10-15 minutes at her door and will be back to see her next week as well! I'm so excited to see how the work continues to progress here in Japan! We're working on developing faith to baptize this month, and it's going to be awesome.

Sister Fritchen went to her first Japanese McDonald's yesterday! I meant to order a cheeseburger with no ketchup and mustard, but I mixed up the grammar pattern and accidentally ordered a cheeseburger with only ketchup and mustard. Lesson learned. 

I love you all! Happy New Year! I dare you to keep your resolutions into next month :)

Love,

Sister Janette Jorgensen

Japan Fukuoka Mission
9-16 Hiraozyosuimachi, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Japan 810-0029