general authorities and all sorts of fun stuff

OH BABY WHAT A WEEK!

Where to even begin. Okay. Elder Choi from the Quorum of the 70 casually did a tour of our mission this past week.... He is the guy from this last General Conference who gave the talk, "Don't look around. Look Up!" (Which, fun fact, he was wearing the Tokyo Mission tie during General Conference, so that's cool). But ya! He did 3 different conferences so all of the zones got combined, well, that is except for Niigata. We got our own conference. Just us 20 missionaries, President and Sister Nagano and Elder Choi and his wife. TALK ABOUT COOL. I was super excited but super nervous all at the same time. Also, the nerves were

Elder Choi when he came to visit the Niigata and Sanjo branch for
church meetings (he air dropped this to us, so ya, we felt cool).

even higher because I got a call the week before from the Assistants telling me I would be singing at this conference... (Now let's just get things straight here people. I DON'T SING. But now I have officially sung at a baptism, zone conference, and general authority conference.... huh? Missions... they do something to ya lol) All was well though, I didn't throw up and Elder Choi even said it was his favorite song so wooooo. Didn't die. SCORE.

I could go on for years and years and years about what an incredible experience it was to be with him for a day as he taught us, but then you probably would all stop reading, let's be honest... But, all I can say is WOW, the priesthood authority is real and the spirit is one powerful thing. We got to work with him practically one on one because there were only 20 missionaries there. It was amazing.

He taught us so much but one thing that I will never forget is that he said that this was his very first time coming to Niigata and he felt something very different here. He told us about how lucky we were because he knew this place was special. President Choi told us that if we worked hard enough, and worked with the members, he knew that Niigata would turn into its own mission in the NEAR future. Not only that but he promised us that one day Niigata would have its own temple. YOU HEARD ME PEOPLE. I KNOW. MY JAW WAS ON THE FLOOR TOO. A TEMPLE. RIGHT HERE IN NIIGATA, JAPAN.  I have never been so excited to work so hard in my entire life. The spirit was so strong and we all freaked out. This really is a special place. 

So ya. I am the luckiest missionary to be working here at a time of such amazing change. I love this work. So much. LET'S GO NIIIIGATAAAA!!

SAY YOUR PRAYERS

xoxo

Modersitzki 姉妹

Fun facts:

-Lol. Here is a mission fun fact for ya. My mission is known for being like one of the strictest in the world... Well we got a new rule today in our emails. We are now all required to sing hymns and Primary songs in the shower. Required. It's a rule. Yep. Hahahahahahah this should be fun ;)

Yoshida 兄弟 fixing my bike. He is my favorite grandpa ever!

Momoka, aka my mini-me, who we teach English to <3<3 

Sister Larsen and I drinking smoothies to celebrate the
fact that IT'S WARMER

#artsy

My desk (Look Mom, clean. You proud?)

Teaching English

cherry blossoms for the win

Mod Shimai with her new companion, Larsen Shimai....and sakura :)

Helllooooo WORLD!

Well, it's been another week out here in the 080. I don't even know if that's the area code, but hey, that's how my phone number here starts, so HEY. It counts;) ALSO S/O TO PAIGE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ARE TURNING 18! IT HONESTLY MAKES ME WANT TO THROW UP. WHAT IS TIME? BUT YAY FOR YOU! <333 (everyone make sure to send her lots of hb texts and cakes, thx)

This week was sad. I had to say bye to cute Sister Domino and the other girls that left our zone. It was so sad. Niigata is a special place because your zone literally becomes like your family because there is not a lot of us. This past transfer we were all sooo close and so that was a bummer. Also, as soon as they left I realized I was now area senpai (the one who had been in the area for the longest) and STL (Sister Training Leader) senpai (my new comp has never been an STL so I have to show her the ropes) so YA hello stress. I don't feel like I know anything, buut what's new? Haha. It's okay because things have been working out well. There has been a LOT of prayer and relying on God, but that is how it should be, right? My new companion is Sister Larsen and she is from Arizona and Washington and Utah and wellllll, all over the place. Lol. She is such a hard worker so that is a blessing. It has also been her dream to be an STL in Niigata so she is really excited to be here! We are ready for Niigata to explode. It's coming... I can just feel it.

So I talked about the Sakura (cherry blossoms) in my email last week, but this week puts last week to shame. This week we had the opportunity to go to a place called Joetsu, where there are no sisters serving, so that was pretty cool. In Joetsu they have a famous "hanami" which is where the cherry blossoms are unreal and EVERYYYYYWHERE and they basically throw a big festival. We got to go with some people we are working with and WOWOWOWOWOW Japan is beautiful and God is a reallllly good artist. It was beautiful and so much fun. Everyone needs to go put Japan in April on their bucket list. It is something else. I love my mission. So so much. 

Our investigators are doing well. Last transfer Sister Domino and I worked soooooooo hard to find new investigators and towards the end of the transfer we were able to find some kinjin (golden people). We are now working with them a lot, in fact this week we were meeting with one of our cute investigators from Russia and she brought her friend who became a new investigator as well! MIRACLES PEOPLE. 

God is so good. THE CHURCH IS TRUE. I don't know if you remember, but.... I prayed about it;)

xoxo

Modersitzki 姉妹

Fun Facts:

- The wind up in Niigata is out of this world. We are right on the ocean and so wow, I may or may not have been pushed over on my bike now like 58927 times. DANGEROUS STUFF PEOPLE.

- Bagels and cream cheese don't really exist here. It is a shame and I miss that, but hey we eat sushi every other day so I really shouldn't be complaining.

transferzzzzzzzzz

Sakuraaaaaaaaa.

FAM.

Somehow in a way I will never quite completely understand, it has been another 6 weeks of my life out here in the promised land, and transfers are already here. I cannot even believe it. I literally came to Niigata yesterday.... Or so it feels haha. LIKE K BYE NEXT THING I KNOW I WILL BE 40. SHEEEEESSSHHH. But ya. Now that that dramatic flip out is over... The results. I will be staying in Niigata another 6 weeks but my beloved Sister Domino will be peacin' out... *insert sob story* I will now be with a sister named Sister Larsen! I have never met her, but she sounds way sweet! This will be her first time as an STL, so I now have to train her on that.... and yes, I still feel like I have noooo idea what I am doing, soooooo here we go! #sos lol jk it will all be okay. God knows what's up, am I right?;)

The MLC crew.

This week was spent mostly in Tokyo at MLC (Mission Leadership Council). That was wayyy fun and such an amazing uplifting experience. Being able to go to MLC is a blessing. The spirit is always so strong and I get to learn so much. Also. I LOVE TOKYO. Probs will live there after the mish tbh. I mean just picture this. Lights and people everywhere, way good food, and sparkly roads. THEY LEGIT ARE SPARKLY. The mission man, it really makes you appreciate the little things, because wow I love those sparkly roads. So ya. There is your fun fact of the day;)

Speaking of fun things..... SAKURA (cherry blossoms) are finally coming out!! They are soooooo pretty. They came in Tokyo before Niigata, (bc, well, winter wonderland) but when we went we got to see them and died. Thennnn when we were on our 5 hour bus ride home, we got to see them allllllll throughout Japan. And now they are coming out in Niigata! SO PRETTY. 20/10 would recommend. We went with one of our new investigators named Patricia to see them today. She is one of the few Americans I have even seen in Niigata, but she's the besttttt.

Last of all, we had the chance to watch General Conference this past week. Seriously so amazing. I remember watching it for my first time in Japan about 6 months ago when I was really struggling. It soothed my pain and helped me in ways I specifically needed at that time. Same goes for this General Conference. It was exactly what I needed to strengthen my faith in my specific situation now. You can't watch General Conference and then not believe that this is the true church. I just don't think it's humanly possible. I feel such a strong desire to be better and a better disciple of Christ. Being on a mission has changed me in so many ways, but one thing that I notice and think more about since being on a mission is Christlike attributes. I want to improve myself and through that I have seen God's hand in my life in crazy ways.

I love this church, and I am so grateful to be a missionary at this special time.  It's true. You got my money on it;)

DON'T FORGET TO SAY YOUR PRAYERS

xoxo

Modersitzki 姉妹 

Hanging in Tokyoooo. Seriously, who gets to do this? So lucky!

Dinner in between sessions of General Conference with Yoshida 兄弟. He tells us to call him Big Grandpa. Yep. I love it. 

Patricia. What a legend.

*Cries because Sister Domino and I were only together for like 5 minutes*

casually climbs mt everest on pday

HELLLOOOOO EVERYBODY!

This week as usual was fantastic. Lots of exchanges and running around with my head cut off but I wouldn't have it any other place any other way. 

SO. TODAY. Today was one of the funnest days of my life, no kidding. As a zone we went and hiked Mt. Yahiko. It is this way famous mountain that has all sorts of cool authentic Japanese stuff, including both a shrine at the bottom and the top! IT WAS SO FUN! I'M SERIOUS. First of all, it was soooooo pretty. The weather was perfect. The zone was pumped and we made our way. I was in heaven. Sometimes when things get really stressful I forget about all the little things just as simple as nature, but as we were hiking I was just sooooo grateful. Grateful for the opportunity to be here and meet amazing people, see amazing things, and serve God. So so so happy. 

The missionaries in front of one of the shrines.

Welllll... we finally get to the top. It is beautiful. You have the ocean on one side and miles of country on the other. UNREAL. Well as we are chilling, we begin to see some dark clouds coming in hot. We are literally on top of a mountain right next to the ocean and what happens? You betcha. A thunder and lightning storm, complete with snow and hail. #NICE. Sister Modersitzki's luck kicks in once again. Wrecked. We start booking our way down the mountain... but when I say booking, I don't really mean booking because A. There is snow and mud everywhere, B. We are at a solid 75 degree angle, and C. Because you would basically be booking it to your death. 

That casual time when you fit 18 people in a gondola in a
thunderstorm and don't die.

At one point we make it to a huge ski slope. Not really, but the path was way steep and covered in snow, so it was about the same thing. We had a moment of "crap" buttttt it was all good. Why? Because one by one 10 or so missionaries slid down this hill on their butts. I have never laughed so hard in my entire life. We made finally to this gondola place where we made it just in time for the LAST ride of the day... #blessing. So there ya have it. Soaked to the bone, and 18 missionaries crammed in a tiny gondola making their way down a zipline in a giant storm. NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MEMORIES PEOPLE. 

Missions are seriously spiritually life changing. They teach you so much and help you grow in so many ways. But missions are also the funnest things on the planet. I love this calling.

SAY YOUR PRAYERS PEOPLE

xoxo

Modersitzki 姉妹

Fun fact:

- I found a vending machine today that makes hot chocolate. No. It does not just have it already for you, but you click your flavor and it MAKES IT FOR YOU. Technology. I love it. #gojapan 

SOOOO PRETTY RIGHT? Man, I love Japan!

Top of the mountain with my soulmate Sister Zundel,
Polaroid-style bc artsy.

My cute companion

zoneeeeee and a view

Guitar night in Nagaoka. SO FUN and I can now play a solid 3 chords #nice.
Now tell me missions are not giant parties.

Exchanges with Kouyama Shimai visiting Kaneko Shimai,
the cutest human to ever exist.

Marci here: I LOVE seeing pictures of Shae out working.
She always seems so happy! :) And her companion
is just the cutest!