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!