Why Did The Tomato Blush? (October 5, 2015)

BECAUSE HE CAUGHT THE SALAD DRESSING!

Haha, like my joke? Thought it up all by myself. Just kidding, I'm pretty sure it's all been done before.

ANYWAY Luke 姉妹 calling in from Nagamachi once again. This week, we experienced an average amount of turbulance, including two splits, too much planning, and two bottles of salad dressing

Wait, what?

My thoughts exactly.

My intrepid companion Sister A and I arrived at a potential investigator's home, a nice lady we have been referring to as Housing Lady, because unlike Americans, Japanese people will tell you their age, weight, and height in centimeters before they will tell you their name (or perhaps I'm just bad at getting people's names, don't burn me at the stake). We were able to, for the second time, share a scripture and bear testimony with Housing Lady, as well as establish a much better relationship. In which I muster up the courage and non-awkwardness to ask her name, and she agrees that we can come back and share another brief message with her if she's home next week.

In other words, we should probably baptize her in a few weeks;) Or maybe once she recognizes the Spirit and accepts the gospel of Jesus Christ, so hey, in a few weeks:D

Anyway, her name is Ishi, because I or Is would be too confusing.

We're standing on the doorstep laughing with her, she's like yeah, you can come back, and then she says, actually, I have a request of you.

I'm thinking, oh, no, and she steps back into her home and pops out holding two bottles of salad dressing that were literally just inside her door. I got these from a friend, she says, but I don't really like salad dressing, I like mayonaisse.

And that is the story of how my companion and I got an almost investigator and two bottles of salad dressing. Yay!

Also just visited an investigator, A, who is probably getting baptized next transfer, just gonna drop that because I met her baby today and HE IS SO CUTE and I'm really excited right now.

Also, this email's getting long, but here's something I have been pondering on for a while and have decided to try. I have really wanted and tried and put in effort to be a good missionary. While I wouldn't go as far as to say I am failing, I do feel that I am ready to be more, that it is past due for me to go deeper and be a more effective instrument in the Lord's hands. A really spot-on district leader training and an even more spot-on AP training later, I started a process yesterday that I hope will refine me and make me what Nagamachi needs at this point in time. I have pondered and prayed and created a list of things that need to go to allow me to be more in harmony with the Spirit. Along with that, I have decided that I will no longer be responding to emails from anyone other than family, at least for my seventh transfer, which starts next week. Y'all can still write me, and if you send me your street address, I might possibly write back (but no promises 'cause let's be honest, I'm terrible at writing people back anyway). I haven't decided if this is a one-transfer thing or a rest-of-my-mission thing, or if I want to respond once a transfer or once or month or what, I'll keep you all posted but for now, please don't be offended if I don't respond! It's not you, it's me!

Now for the majority of you, it won't be a huge change as I plan to continue my weekly adventure-logs, but to my dear close friends, I love you, and I cannot exprss my appreciation for your support and friendship, but right now I need to give everything to the Lord. This is one of the only things I can put on the alter that might give me added spiritual strength, and I need that spirit with me if I am to do what I must. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong, but I've got to try.

Until next week!

Love, Lisa Luke 姉妹

Pictures: Salad dressing! My companion is quite a bit better at looking intense than I am, and split with Sister C! Between the two of us, we've got one white kid and one Japanese kid. Mostly I just really like this picture.