(So before you read this I need to tell you, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and we just told Haydon. His response is in this letter. We hadn’t told anyone because we needed to tell him first. Anyway, I’m good and surgery is tomorrow. All is well. Sorry if this is the first time you have heard this news.)
Hello mom! We are continuing to meet our neighbors several times and becoming their friends! We met one guy 3 times in one day and stopped to talk to him every time. He was wearing a Bridgestone jacket and so I commented that my dad works at a tire shop. So he remembers me as Elder Bridgestone haha. He still can't remember Doreipa (my Japanese name) but he is working on it! His 8 year old dog's name is Lala. It's not the rainy season yet, but it sure feels like it! I think it has rained probably 5 days out of 7. And it's getting so warm! We get to shed the suits and long sleeves on May 1st. Oh happy day. But I'm not going to even try to pretend that it's unbearable because I know that Tanner's mission is WAY hotter than here, all the time it seems like! Happy Easter! We made a poster that says "What is Easter?" And we went and held it up in front of the train station and were able to talk to people and share the new Easter video! It went pretty well! I love Easter. I love that our family always is involved in something that brings friends and family together during holidays. Thanksgiving, Easter, Halloween, Christmas, etc. I love our family and I love our friends so much. Without family and friends, life isn't very fun. I'm glad that I have the best ones ever. This week I was reading the Book of Mormon, specifically I was studying the leadership qualities of Alma the older in Mosiah 23. I loved how in verse 6 it states that he was such a good leader and loved by everyone that they wanted him to be king. But I loved verse 7. He responds in the negative to them making him king. He then goes on to touch on the fact that he has seen monarchy gone wrong first hand. And he talks of how he himself was caught in a snare. In other words, he knew his weakness and he avoided all situations where he might be tempted. I just thought that was a very interesting that that was his first time I ever had that thought. The Book of Mormon changes as you read it in different periods in your life. I've read that scripture hundreds of times probably and never had at thought until now. You can learn a lot from the Book of Mormon and receive power to follow it and know it's true. Lately I have found myself getting irritated at little pointless things. Like people walking too slow or too fast. I decided that well one, it isn't even a problem so I shouldn't get mad anyways, and two that I was going to make little action plans to follow when something like that happened. So I prayed and made a super simple plan that if they walk slow, I'll slow down to be right next to them. If they walk so fast I can't keep up, I'll run! If they asks why I'll just say it's because I want to walk with you and not behind or in front. So I did that. And as simple as it may sound, it literally changed our how I think. It was so weird how well it worked!, As small as that may have been, it brought a sense of love and patience. I was thinking about unity and I thought about how I never really had thought about it before and how amazing unity really is. This week I sang Hymn 227 There is sunshine in my soul today, I added these words in a "fifth verse" to help me remember unity. "There is oneness in our souls today, where joy and love abide. Far from us are angry thoughts and deeds, when kindness is our guide. "
I don't know really how to react to that news! (The “C” word) You're right and you know me so well! Exactly at the parts I started to freak out you told me to not panic. I'm glad they found it early and that it is really small. I'm sure I have questions but I can't think of any. Do you know how intense the chemo will be? I just know that usually that is worse than the actual cancer. That's the part that gets me. But you are strong, and I know it's not a big deal so I'm fine. Thanks for telling me. I'll call President Warnick as soon as I get home. I love the Loftus couple SO MUCH! Oh that makes me so happy that you talked to them! Did you get to talk to Elder Loftus also? (We called the mission office before telling Haydon, we wanted them to know what he was going through)
It makes me so happy that you guys are a family the missionaries feel comfortable around. For some reason it still seems weird to me that there's a mission like the one I'm , but in my hometown haha! I'm glad you have the missionaries over. It's seriously a huge blessing to get to go to Members homes and be with them.
Sister Loftus sent me an email notifying me that there is a package for me on the way! So that could be your package. I don't know if she does that for all the missionaries, but even if she does it always makes me feel good that she is looking out for me. Like the one day when we had to go to Kofu when I was in the office. We're still on the road and it was about 10:00 at night or so, later than we had planned and Elder Loftus had been worried about us to check up on his kids to see if we were safe hahahaha. I love them!
Ya the temple will close! It will close in October and it will be down for three years! But apparently it will re open around the time of the Olympics so it will be perfect reason to come back!
This week something happened that made my day. We had just visited Kamakura last Monday and had fun. We were on the train and there were a ton of little kids who were staring at us white people. I said hello but they didn't really respond. When the train stopped and they were getting off, one of them ran up to us and gave us each a single jelly bean without saying anything, and then he ran off the train. It melted my heart. It was way better than any trip to Kamakura.
I love you so much and I testify that God lives, Jesus Christ is his perfect son who came to earth, lived a perfect life, performed the atonement, died, and resurrected so that we could be brought back to the Father. I love Easter time, and to be able to share that message with everybody all the time. I love you mom! You are always in my prayers. ドレーパー長老
Isn’t our son awesome!!! He’s a great missionary. I knew he would accept this information and stay positive.
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