Jan 3rd, 2017 "Feliz Ano Novo"

We set the new baptismal goal for the year of 2017 for the Temple Square mission yesterday. Since the Temple Square mission is a little bit (a lot) different from other mission, we count a baptism as a Temple Square baptism when someone was introduced to the Gospel of Jesus Christ through physically coming to Temple Square and meeting missionaries here, or if we were instrumental in introducing the Book of Mormon and their local missionaries to the people who come on mormon.org. 

After much prayer and discussion and sincere seeking of God's will, our grand goal is... 1700 baptisms. 

In 2015, we achieved 915 baptisms in the Temple Square Mission. In 2016, we set a goal of 1016 and achieved 1351. For 2017, we're striving for 400 more people's lives to be touched and changed for the better.

The number makes us sweat a little bit, but it's been really cool to see that in 2016, when we had faith and worked hard, the Lord provided so so so many tools for us to succeed and find and teach. Even though it looked like the odds were against us with how much fewer missionaries we had this year, and how many more guests came to Temple Square, somehow it all worked out. 

Looking back, it feels a little bit like the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000.  

I am so excited to continue to embark on this very important work of teaching people that there is a Christ who atoned for their sins, so they can have lasting peace in this life. Every single person who comes onto Temple Square is taught that there is a God who has provided a perfect plan for them, and they can partake of that plan if they choose to do so. 

This has not at all been easy, but it makes me happy, and I know that this message that I share everyday is true. It is true because as I have lived it especially in these last 14 months, I have improved 3000% as a human being. My worst weaknesses have become my strengths. I have achieved things I never imagined accomplishing. 

It is true because when we share the teachings of Jesus Christ and the scriptures, the eyes of guests of Temple Square light up and I feel the love of God for them. 

For anybody reading this, (if anybody is reading this) I would like to let you know that the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ will help you improve the quality of your life. It helps everybody. It helps those who have never even heard of Jesus Christ or touched the Bible, and it helps those who have been religious all their lives and think that they are content and happy. Go to mormon.org. Read the Bible. Read the Book of Mormon. Attend a church. These are all tools that are for you, because God loves you and sees your infinite potential. 

That's all. No pictures this week. Happy New Year. 

Sister Takeshige 

Dec 27, 2016 "Feliz Natal"

Merry Christmas my friends! 

This year was a wonderful beautiful Christmas. We had a service project sorting through donations at the Midvale Road Home

Christmas Eve we had some miserable rain, and on Christmas day we woke up to this Christmas miracle:

Temple Square was closed until 4pm, so we ate a lot of food, opened some presents, took a nap, and played in the snow

Also everybody thinks that Japanese packages are adorable

And the people are okay too

😁

Dec 20, 2016 "Jesus calmed the storm and so can you"

The wind in Salt Lake City was really strong this week:

The little camel fell over and it looked like the wise man is dragging him across the field

But guess what? Jesus calmed the storm and so can you

Here is another thing to make your Christmas more beautiful this Sunday: 

https://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/wexfordcarol.html?cid=HP_SU_4-12-2016_dMOTAB_fMOTAB_xLIDyH-3_

I love you all. I love Christmas. I love the Gospel that our Savior Jesus Christ taught to all of us. Before I saw the Gospel as some feel-good philosophies that I could share, but I've come to learn that it's more than that. God truly does have a perfect plan and every minuscule detail of it is wonderful and fascinating. 

Bye bye. 

Dec13,2016 "This Week I Cried A Lot Because of Many Happy Things"

Hello, here is the thought for the week: 

"7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7) 

This week we had the chance to go to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. I wasn't expecting much, because I didn't know what to expect, but it was pretty mind blowing. 

and yes I did tear up a little.

Also while we were Christmas caroling, a pretty legit Santa came and joined us.

Zone brunch 

😀

Sister Takeshige 

Dec 6 2016 "Merry December"

We had MLC today, and here is the number one thing I learned: 

A good missionary must be living the Gospel of Jesus Christ constantly by having faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, and continually repenting and using the atonement.

A previous companion said to me once, "I've never really questioned my "faith" because I always believed that God was real, but I guess I've been struggling with having faith that God truly is in control and that I don't need to stress out." (did I already share this story before?) It was a revelatory conversation for both her and I, because we can always kind of arbitrarily believe in God, believe in Christ, and know that there is a mysterious being out there, but the reason that Christ had to come and teach us about faith, is so that we will actually understand that God doesn't just exist, but that He loves us. 

When we come to that understanding and truly have faith in Christ's Atonement, we don't have to freak out when we make mistakes. We don't have to hate ourselves. We can be liberated and move on.

I've been writing these e-mails for like 14 months now, so I feel like I've already talked about this exact same idea... But it really was a spiritual experience re-realizing this at MLC today! I guess that means I need to keep working on it. 😀

An eventful week:

We Christmas caroled as a zone on a cold rainy night:

And because it was so rainy and miserable, no one came to the square that Monday night. Because no one came to the square, we were able to actually see the lights! Not blockaded by people!

We also decorated a Christmas tree while we were at the Humanitarian Center. 

And then we made a movie 

And also we went to the Christmas devotional:

Nov 29, 016 "Alma50:16"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

It's been a happy week.

THE LIGHTS ON TEMPLE SQUARE CAME ON LAST FRIDAY! 

Okay, I didn't get any good pictures of the Christmas lights itself. I'll try again this week. But, the wonderful thing is that this year, we are going to be the lights! 

I think everybody wants to have a Jesus-centered Christmas every Christmas. At least I use that excuse every year when I forget to buy presents for people. "I'll read my scriptures on Christmas Eve! I'll spend time with my family! I'll write people cards! I'll read that story about the Christmas Orange again!" We say it over and over again year after year, but at the end of December, have we actually accomplished it? Most of the time, I don't even remember those resolutions long enough to evaluate and account for it. 

Aaaaand that's why #LIGHTtheWORLD is a thing. I guess I had a tiny revelation watching that video that it's not quite enough to remember Christ, but we need to be like Christ. 

If you want a more beautiful Christmas, please participate with me. 

***********************************************************************************

The Parks/Takeshige journey is over now. Here's to new horizons and new companions.

Other pictures: 

The Humanitarian Center has these neo-natal resuscitation training kits, and if you fill these babies up with water, apparently it makes for a more realistic training. Here is a picture of them drying out. 

 

Our potato phone broke 

We did a service project sorting clothing donations, and here is Sister Tekurio marveling at a bra

Byebye NORTH II 

Nov 15, 2016 God is Our Loving Heavenly Father"

The very first principle that we teach people as missionaries is "God is our loving Heavenly Father". This week I learned exactly how important and unique this message is. 

Every single word in that sentence is so important for us to teach. The first idea in that sentence is that God is loving. I have noticed this week that there are so many people who believe that God is something to be feared, and as a result, many people decide not to believe in Him at all. 

Someone expressed to me recently that they dislike Christianity because of the idea of "original sin", where we are all condemned to this mortal existence because we have to suffer the consequences of Adam's "sin". Which is understandable. After all, who wants to believe in a cynic judge?

However, we learn from prophets of the Restoration that "original sin" is a man-made belief. Adam's transgression is 1) not a sin (fun fact: Adam partaking of the fruit is never in the Bible called a sin. He did not sin. He transgressed against God's instructions. But more on that some other time) , and 2) we are not punished for it, because this life is not a punishment. It is a gift. 

Humankind's misconception turned God into a wrathful God, but because of Restored truths, we know again that God truly does love us. He sent us to this earth because he loves us and He wanted us to experience joy, experience families, and experience education. I never realized how unique and radical this idea of a "loving God" is. 

The other unique message in the phrase: "God is our loving Heavenly Father", is the part that He is our Father. This is the second most characteristic of God.

A kind gentleman asked to me this week, "But how can you know that God is real?"

I said to him, "He communicated to us through our feelings and thoughts. Every time I learn more about God I feel happy, and everything makes more sense."

"But have you seen a specific answer? Has he out-rightly done something for you when you asked Him to? Did you see any physical miracles?" 

I think a lot of people regard God is like a magical genie. But in fact, He is the Father of our spirits. Any wise father would know that if you give your child anything he or she wants, that child will not turn out well. Even if that father was rich and powerful and had the resources to give the child anything he or she demands, a wise father would not do that. A wise father would give the child opportunities to learn how to earn, learn, or create for themselves. In the same sense, our Heavenly Father does not immediately give us everything we demand of him, but gives us opportunities where we can develop useful skills on our own. A good father offers their child love, support, advice, encouragement, and communication; and that is what our Heavenly Father offers to us as well. 

To whomever is trying to figure out the very concept of God, please remember this: God is our father, and He loves us. Anything that contradicts these two ideas is not true doctrine. God has given us ways to learn about him.

Okay I'm done preaching for the week. Thanks for listening. 

*timid mic drop* 

And for those who didn't want to read all of those words, here is an illustrated summary of Sister Takeshige's week: