Konbanwa! It's Sunday night, and the girls are all at Amanda, Amanda, and Christi's place. Praise the Lord for fellowship! At the partay are our four girls, Amanda, Amanda, Christi, Yukari, Maki, Tiera, and Michelle. I believe some of the boys went to the onsen again tonight, but I'm not sure if that all worked out. We'll see tomorrow I guess!
We met early at about 8:30 for Sunday service today. During the first service, Adler shared about this past year and what he's learned through small group. During second service, Leah shared her testimony. Both services included worship in song, a Scripture reading of Psalm 52, and prayer. Worship in song included a special performance by some team members (Addison, Beland, Adler, Hyo, Dorothy) who sang/played "Wonderful, Merciful Savior." They did a great job! The HBC choir also sang "I'd Rather Have Jesus" in Japanese. It sounded so beautiful hearing people in a different language worship the one, true God. Also, Tetsuro came to first service! He dropped by last night too. We were all very happy to see him there!
While Kondo-sensei preached during the sermons, our team left and looked at the Bible ourselves in English. Ray led during the first service. He led through Paul's sermon in Acts 17 and applied it to having worshipful hearts of evangelism. Adler led during second service on Col.4:2-6 about Christian conduct and speech. I was very thankful for the effort my brothers made in preparing the little devotionals that were both very good. Pray that we would remember these passages throughout our time in Japan and beyond!
Between services, we greeted church members. They were all so cute. We bowed and said "Ohaiyo gozaimas" a million times, but it was fun. There were a lot of babies everywhere too whom were super super cute. After church, we ate lunch at the church. There were little boxes from Lawson's which we ate up. They split up the missionaries so we could meet new people. Afterward, we had some free time where some of us split up.
Dorothy, Aaron, and I went over to a lady named Tetsuko's house for some Takoyaki...so we had a second lunch. There was a good amount of food there. God was completely in control because I wasn't even going to go, but it turned out this other lady Miki was there who emailed me to go. I hadn't checked my email and wasn't going to go, but things just worked out so that the Lord had me go. Tetsuko and Miki are in Aaron's English class; they both speak English really really well. But Dorothy, Aaron and I were all really tired so I don't think we were that great company, but praise the Lord that we are going to get together on Tuesday again at Miki's house. Pray God will give us the right words to speak when the time comes.
Meanwhile, at the church the rest of the team had a prayer meeting at church with the youth (in their 20s and 30s). Dorothy and I walked in later when they were finishing up. It seemed like they all had a really good time praying with the Japanese people.
We went up to our meeting room after that. Then, Dorothy got an e-mail from her sister that said that her grandpa had died. Please pray for Dorothy, her family, and the rest of the time she will spend in Japan. Pray that the Lord would use her grandpa's death for the proclamation of the gospel to Japanese students in Japan as well as her family members when they all gather together for the funeral in Sacramento. She is in the process of figuring out when/how to go back to the States for the funeral.
In our meeting room, we spent time wrapping some of the snacks we are putting together for the college students and hanging out w/ Nicky and Noah. I got to show some of my pictures to the middle school aged girls at the church, but I couldnt' communcate with them at all. After a while of somewhat free time, we went downstairs for our welcome party. They split us up again and then they did this sort of question and answer game thing...it was interesting. It was pretty much just the people at the church hanging out together, lots of fun =) Afterward, the girls head over the Amanda, Amanda, and Christy's. That was our day. Please continue to pray for us. We have a bowling trip tomorrow w/ OPU students.
posted by Priscilla Chang
While Kondo-sensei preached during the sermons, our team left and looked at the Bible ourselves in English. Ray led during the first service. He led through Paul's sermon in Acts 17 and applied it to having worshipful hearts of evangelism. Adler led during second service on Col.4:2-6 about Christian conduct and speech. I was very thankful for the effort my brothers made in preparing the little devotionals that were both very good. Pray that we would remember these passages throughout our time in Japan and beyond!
Between services, we greeted church members. They were all so cute. We bowed and said "Ohaiyo gozaimas" a million times, but it was fun. There were a lot of babies everywhere too whom were super super cute. After church, we ate lunch at the church. There were little boxes from Lawson's which we ate up. They split up the missionaries so we could meet new people. Afterward, we had some free time where some of us split up.
Dorothy, Aaron, and I went over to a lady named Tetsuko's house for some Takoyaki...so we had a second lunch. There was a good amount of food there. God was completely in control because I wasn't even going to go, but it turned out this other lady Miki was there who emailed me to go. I hadn't checked my email and wasn't going to go, but things just worked out so that the Lord had me go. Tetsuko and Miki are in Aaron's English class; they both speak English really really well. But Dorothy, Aaron and I were all really tired so I don't think we were that great company, but praise the Lord that we are going to get together on Tuesday again at Miki's house. Pray God will give us the right words to speak when the time comes.
Meanwhile, at the church the rest of the team had a prayer meeting at church with the youth (in their 20s and 30s). Dorothy and I walked in later when they were finishing up. It seemed like they all had a really good time praying with the Japanese people.
We went up to our meeting room after that. Then, Dorothy got an e-mail from her sister that said that her grandpa had died. Please pray for Dorothy, her family, and the rest of the time she will spend in Japan. Pray that the Lord would use her grandpa's death for the proclamation of the gospel to Japanese students in Japan as well as her family members when they all gather together for the funeral in Sacramento. She is in the process of figuring out when/how to go back to the States for the funeral.
In our meeting room, we spent time wrapping some of the snacks we are putting together for the college students and hanging out w/ Nicky and Noah. I got to show some of my pictures to the middle school aged girls at the church, but I couldnt' communcate with them at all. After a while of somewhat free time, we went downstairs for our welcome party. They split us up again and then they did this sort of question and answer game thing...it was interesting. It was pretty much just the people at the church hanging out together, lots of fun =) Afterward, the girls head over the Amanda, Amanda, and Christy's. That was our day. Please continue to pray for us. We have a bowling trip tomorrow w/ OPU students.
posted by Priscilla Chang