I am thankful for miracles and black thunder

Only one more week with Wootan Shimai. :( Shae will miss her!

Hello everybodyyyyyy!

This week was great, as usual, because being a missionary is the best ever. Yes, we most definitely did celebrate Thanksgiving this week. We had a real Thanksgiving feast on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders! It was so fun. Our meal was complete with frozen veggies, instant mashed potatoes, and stuffing from the international store #blessed. Haha! It was awesome. Being on a mission makes you grateful for so much, so I loved having a day to really think about that. I get to see people's lives change every day because of this gospel. It's such a blessing, and I really feel so thankful to be a member of this church and have the knowledge of this gospel! We are a lucky group, us missionaries. :) 

Sister Mod with Sister Moffat and Okamura Shimai.

This week while on splits I was able to go teach a less active named Okamura 姉妹. Her story is a miracle in itself. She has been inactive for 10 years and about 2 weeks ago had an impression to go to the church one random afternoon. She told herself that if she saw even 1 missionary she would start taking lessons and start going back to church... Well, it just so happened that the day she came was zone conference, so not only were there 30 missionaries there, but our mission president and his wife. WHAT?! SO COOL. We were able to teach her this week and the spirit was so strong. I felt so much of God's love for her. God really does care for each of us so individually and being able to see that with Okamura 姉妹 was something so special.

Black Thunder from Takayanagi Kyoudai. He is so kind.

On a completely different note....Remember when I basically bore my testimony about the Black Thunder candy bars that we have here? Ya. Well tip for anyone who ever comes to Japan. These people are the kindest people in the world and they love giving presents. Wellllll, everyone knows my favorite candy bar is Black Thunder... So this week 2 members gave me giant bags full. It was seriously hilarious. Ask and ye shall receive, right? More like tell a member your favorite candy and have a lifetime supply!  These people are just too nice! 

Black Thunder from Shimamura Shimai too! Shae is the luckiest girl ever!

The Tokyo Tower. Looks surprisingly familiar, right?

Last pday we were able to go to the Tokyo Tower. YOU GUYS! IT WAS MAGICAL. Tokyo is just the most amazing place in the world. I am so lucky to be serving here with the greatest people in the world. This is my amazing companion, Sister Wootan's last week. I can't believe how fast this time is flying. I am so lucky to have had her for the past 2 months! Thank you for the constant love and support. I am so blessed!

READ YOUR SCRIPTURES

xoxo

Modersitzki 姉妹

Fun facts: (just one today bc wow this thing is a novel)

-In Japan everyone has what we call a "genkan". It is a little entryway where you take off your shoes and put on house slippers. Shoes in the house? Ya not a thing..... Like at all. You have to be wearing socks in peoples' houses always and there are proper ways to place your shoes on the ground after you take them off at the genkan. #somuchrespect

Tokyo.

Enjoying cheesecake crepes in Tokyo.

The Takanayagi family with Sister Mod and Yoshioka Shimai. Shae adores them all.

At Genki Sushi AGAIN! 

Enjoying their Thanksgiving dinner.

"It's almost Christmas, peeps!" Sorry. I HAD to post this one. Haha! 

Telling fake Santa that she's been a good girl this year. I hope that works out for her. :)

Ohata Shimai being Modersitzki Shimai for the night.

Snow. They haven't had snow in Tokyo in November for 50 years!

The Tokyo temple. Beautiful.

Earthquakes and COVENANTS WOOO

Sister Wootan & Sister Mod at the Tokyo temple

Heyyyyyooo!

This week was pretty normal, which means it was crazy! Lol. Japan man, it's the best. This morning there was a huge earthquake! I am totally safe, but it was crazy! We got woken up to our apartment rumbling, and honestly, I was convinced I was dreaming. Apparently so was my companion, because she told me it was a drill and it was just practice...  yaaaaa not a drill lol. It was fun haha!

Also, sorry I am a day late... but honestly, not really that sorry because IT'S TEMPLE PDAY. If you can't tell, these are my favorite days of the transfer. Haha! I feel so lucky to be in a mission that lets me go once a transfer. The peace and pure happiness I felt today in there was out of this world. Literally ;) As a missionary I have full rights to commit people to do things.. so here's me taking advantage of that.... GO TO THE TEMPLE PEOPLE. I would legit go every day if I could. As I sat in the Celestial room today surrounded by new friends that I love, I just sat back and had so much gratitude fill my heart. The temple, the gospel, the opportunity to be a missionary, it's all so amazing. (Oh ya happy Thanksgiving btw;)

"Is your name Moda Tanaka?"

This week we were able to meet with a couple of new investigators. It was so so fun! We are a fully functioning area! SAY WHAT?! Few updates on my areas for those who are keeping tabs @mom @gma lol. Nanami is doing soooo good. She says she really really wants her faith to grow and is reading and praying everyday and I just love her. We were able to meet with 3 new investigators this week. One is named Maki and she is the best! She has a 3 year old daughter named Akari that legit is the cutest thing ever. She asked me yesterday if my name was Moda Tanaka because Tanaka is her last name. *dies of cuteness.* Japanese kids are the CUTEST. 

There's not much more to say other than life is good. Missions are hard and exhausting and we literally only have time for lunch like 3-4 times a week because we are so busy. But it is so fun and I love it. Also, I ate a chicken foot this week, so let that just soak in..... ya.

Yep. Chicken foot.

SAY YOUR PRAYERS PEOPLE

xoxo 

Modersitzki 姉妹

Fun facts: 

- Rice. People wash their rice like 12 times before they cook it. WASH IT. There are washing stations on the streets. It's nuts! I wasn't a believer when my companion first told me, but honestly, it tastes way better.... I think I'm turning Japanese hahahaha WOO

- Everyone bows. At everything. Even if you just make eye contact with someone they will bow at you. I don't even realize I am doing it now, but yaaaa I'm pretty sure I will have a perma-bow by the time I get home. lol

Crazy weather.

Shae with Maki san and Akari chan

With Arai Shimai.

I miss this cute face!

Indo curry. Shae is trying to make her dad jealous.

A nativity....in Japan!

Salted Squid Guts? Really?

Shae's cute companion on Sundays. Yoshioka Shimai. She's darling and Shae adores her.

#japan5ever

Konnichiwaaaa!

I am pretty sure I am going to be able to run a marathon by the end of this mission because this week was another of literally running from appointment to appointment. So awesome. And makes up for the fact that desserts in Japan are literally life changing. Haha! This week so so so many awesome things happened I don't even know where to start!

Probably one of my favorite things that happened this week was with everyone's favorite 94-year-old grandma, Takayanagi 姉妹. We, of course, started off painting her nails because that is her favorite.. That's always fun. Especially when she tells Sister Wootan she better paint her nails if she wants to become more pretty. Ya. We died.  Buttttt, on a different note, lol, we were able to talk to her about temples and she said she really wanted to go... we were able to set a date with her and she was able to get her temple recommend this past Sunday! SO EXCITING. I can't wait! Probably the sweetest moment was when she said that she wanted to be able to go quickly so that her brothers and sisters could live with God as soon as possible. Such an angel that one.

We were able to have a big party with the Sakado youth and their friends on Sunday and it was sooo fun! Everyone brought food and the point of the whole party was to eat till you die. And that we did my friends.... ;) The ward here is so great at involving everyone. We had a blast! Also, Japanese people. THEY ARE JUST SO GOOD AT COOKING IT'S OUT OF THIS WORLD. (k wow. I seriously need to stop talking about food in my emails but I mean when it changes you it changes you, right?)

Our areas are really picking up which makes me so happy considering we double white washed... We were able to get 5 new investigators this past week, have 30 people come to our Eikaiwa, and meet with so many people! 2 other of our less active friends were able to make a goal to go the temple as well! Soooo awesome! Our investigators are doing so well and it is so fun to meet with them and see their faith grow! MISSIONARY WORK IS JUST AWESOME!

I love Japan and the experiences I am having. Even thinking about leaving these areas makes me want to cry. I am so so grateful to be able to share this happy message with the greatest people ever! #japan5ever

THE CHURCH IS SO TRUE

xoxox

Modersitzki 姉妹

OH. Also, big news everyone. An elder I served with here in Kawagoe finally got his visa and is heading to the Orem mission tomorrow! IF YOU SEE AN ELDER YOSHIDA FEED HIM FOOD OR SAY HI OR SOMETHING! He is the bestttt! Look out Utahhhh!

Fun facts:

- Everyone alwaysssss comments on my eyes. Like even random people on the street and on the train. They all think having green eyes is like the coolest thing next to sliced bread. And yes, I did have some kids touch my hair this week to make sure it was real haha!

- 7-Eleven. Ya know the gas station that no one really goes to in America unless it's July 11th? Ya well, Japan is obesessed. There are literally 7-Elevens on every corner. And they have like wayyyyy good food. It's quite strange but that's where its attttt! Also, free wifi too so holla @missionaries. We love our 7-Elevens.

This meal is so beautiful that it needs to be documented!

English class

There's now 2 of me?

Konnichiwaaaaa!

So this week was absolutely insane. I am pretty sure the first time we stopped to breathe this week was about 20 minutes ago. Missionary work man, it's the life. :) 

So I knew this week would come where I could literally spend my whole email talking about food... I won't (don't worry Mom). BUT I do have to say Japan is just the coolest. This week we went to a super famous sushi place called Genki Sushi and it was unreal. You would order off of an iPad-type thingy, and then it would come out on this little conveyor belt/car thing. I felt like I was living in the year 3000. *someone please say that they caught that Jonas Brothers reference. #money* but ya. Everything here is just so cool I swear.

In front of Genki Sushi

That shiny strip is the conveyor belt. They send your sushi order out to you on that.

Modersitzki Shimai x 2! :)

We had some amazing experiences this week. It's hard to think of just one to share! Buttttt... this week we worked a ton with Hikari 姉妹, the cutest member here in Sakado who is waiting for her mission call right now! I was able to find out that her call had been assigned for her online and when I told her, she freaaaaaaked out! She was screaming, jumping around, and hugging me and it was just one of those moments where I felt so lucky to be a missionary. She ended up wearing my other name tag all day and was so cute and happy. Modersitzki 姉妹 2.0! It made me so so happy! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARYYYYY

I had a super cool experience today actually. I recently started the Book of Mormon over, and this morning I was studying in 2 Nephi 28-29 where it talks about the Bible and the Book of Mormon supporting each other. THEN during our lesson with our investigator Natori san, who is Catholic, we began talking about the Bible. I felt prompted to share the scriptures that I had read, and as I did she was like, "Oh my gosh! That was exactly what I needed to hear. That makes so much sense! How did you find that so quickly?" (Okay, well maybe not that quickly bc #japanese, but you get the point;) It was so cool! Definitely one of those moments where I felt the Spirit working through me. Those are probably the coolest moments on a mission.

There is so much more I could share, buttttt I don't think anyone wants to read till they're 90 years old. Sooooo basically, Japan is the best. Each day here gets better and better and I feel lucky to be able to wear my Savior's name on my chest each and every day while having the adventure of a lifetime!

SAY YOUR PRAYERS PEOPLE

xoxo

Modersitzki 姉妹

Fun facts:

- Everyone in Japan rides bikes. Like everyoneeee... From 4 year olds, to 99 year olds, to mothers with 3 children in the basket and on their backs. They are sooooo skilled. It's so impressive. I am still working on becoming as skilled... not quite there yet *flashes back to bike crash 1st week in Japan* lol

- Everything here is individually wrapped. Like 6 times. Lol. For example, the other day I bought a little bag of cookies... Well, I opened it up and each cookie was individually wrapped.. they were tiny too. So I then had to spend 483273859 minutes trying to unwrap each individual cookie. Maybe they are just trying to help me stay skinny....?

  

"I like to call this one #fall." 

Sweden in Japan! Shout out to Erin (Shae's sister) and all of
her friends who served their missions in Sweden!

P-Day fun!

Apparently she hasn't changed much. Haha!

This is about as much Halloween as she saw this year. This and picture below. :)

Good costumes, you two!

Soooo many pictures with food this week. I'm cracking up!

Sweet potatoes.

Apparently this chicken "changed her life." Ha!

Cabbage. (I wasn't kidding about the number of food pics. Believe me now? ;))