HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY ! KELSIE

Dear Family & Friends!

 

Wow! It's the end of April - where did time go? Tomorrow I turn 21 and feel like I haven't done enough in my current lifetime! Wow, what a thought! There is so much more I desire to do and learn. Being on my mission though in Taipei Taiwan I've been given the opportunity to do just that - to learn, experience, change, live to the fullest, chase after something good, come closer to my Father in Heaven, build His Kingdom, find myself, and love like I've never loved before.

What a thing for a 21 year old women to say. What a great experience I've already been given. I have a lot to give and gain here in Taiwan! I've learned about humility, mercy, and true charity.

 

This past week we had a Mission Tour by Elder Gerriet W. Gong of the Area Seventy - He is President over the Asia Area. He counseled and trained us. What a spiritual meeting we had. He talked about the Eight Delights we as seekers and knowers of the Fullness  of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. These 8 have already blessed my life.

1. Families

2. Doctrine of Stakes and Priesthood

3. Temples and the Gathering of Israel

4. Having the opportunity to share of it's goodness

5. To prepare to meet God

6. Teach those you love

7. Be Spiritually bold and steadfast

8. The simple message of the Restored Gospel

 

Elder Gong and President Day counseled with us all about how we need the faith, energy, and love to press forward in this unkind world we live in.

I know that there are a lot of things that unseen by most people but I know that the Lord works my small and simple means to being about His work. I see it first hand because I am a consecrated missionary dedicated to this work. I see my God 's hand everyday that I'm here serving and the loving the people I cross paths with. 

Your prayers and love have truly helped me in this worthwhile and hard work. I'm very very grateful for all the experiences and tender mercies of the Lord throughout my years that have truly been my anchor and have led me to where I am now!!

 

 Love you all dearly!!!

Sincerely, Sister Komatsu 小松姐妹

Serving in the Taipei Taiwan Mission

For address please email me or my mom at komatsu.ohana@gmail.com

First Week in Taiwan !

Dear Family and Friends,

 

I survived my first week in Taiwan!! YAY!

Wow, I'm still shocked that I'm here in Taiwan and serving my mission! Serving in the Boston Mission was a huge blessings that the Lord gave me! - Now, I'm starting a new chapter in the Mission life. This chapter is full of high expectations and the feeling is overwhelming! Let's be honest, it's no walk in the park! Culture shock finally hit me just like the earthquake we had this morning. It was a small earthquake that shook our building for awhile but it wasn't damaging - like this culture shock thats accuring! The language is hard. I already love the people here and care about them so much but it's hard to express how much you love them when you can't speak the language. I've been learning a lot! A ton actually in the first few days! I'm excited and scaried all at once!

Another exciting and scary thing is riding a bike on Taiwanese streets in the pouring rain! That was exciting! I've learned so many things about myself and about the mission life! Like how I don't know how to ride a bike, Elder's are good at eating food when members give us even if they're full, I learned that this language is more complicated then I originally thought, that it's actually a little expensive here, and that there are soo many prepared people here in Taiwan ready to hear about the the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!!

Heres a little miracle story: Last night we were walking purposely, finding the humble soul that was prepared to be taught. And we found her. She was awesome and she really was a miracle! She's comingthis sunday to church and meeting with us :) She speaks english so that was a relief! There is so much work to be done here and I already was church and the Spirit was full within my heart. Bishop had called me up and asked me to introduce myself - in my broken chinese I did - I told them that I'm Japanese (b/c apparently they love Japanese) and that I was happy to be with them in Taiwan. Then said that "My testimony is small and that my chinese is bad but that I was called by a Prophet of God to share what I know. I know this Gospel is true. And I love you all." This was my simple testimony because that's all I could say. Family, I know this true because I am here on a mission - learning a language I could never learn without my Father in Heaven's help.

Thank you and I love you all!!

 

-- Sincerely, Sister Komatsu 小松姐妹

Serving in the Taipei Taiwan Mission

Dear Sister Komatsu,

The Missionary Department has advised me that your visa to Taiwan has been granted.

President David Day Taiwan Taipei Mission

(Bolded and enlarged for dramatic effect!)

WHOOP WHOOP!! TAIWAN HERE I COME!! AHHHHHHHHH!! WOW!

Yesterday, some missionaries and I went to Stake Reporting early in the morning before church. The Stake President and the Mission President, President Packard, were there for the meeting. LOL! President Packard sat down next to me and said that I got my visa and that I'm leaving on the week of April 6th! I was in shock!! > Forwarding a couple days ago my companion, Sister Moss, comes and tells me that she had a dream that I got my visa and she cried! Let's just say it came true and that I was shocked!!

It's a bitter sweet moment! I've come to love Boston and the people here! I'm really really sad to leave! We've been working with this progressing investigator who is awesome! We had a very spiritual lesson yesterday and I really hope he gets baptized and has those spiritual experiences he's looking for! And I've made so many connections with the people in the ward and I love walking around and talking to people in Boston. And it's finally getting warmer and the snow is melting. It's been amazing here and I'm glad to say that the Boston Mission is apart of my whole mission experience - not because I was reassigned and forced to come here but because I learned to serve and love the people. Because I really care and love the missionaries in this mission. I wouldn't have met such wonderful people and done such wonderful things if wasn't here. At the Stake Reporting meeting I bore my testimony in front of the missionaries, the stake and the mission president and said that I am grateful to have stopped here and had the opportunity to learn what I've learned. Elder Ballard said, "Through examining the trends in the missions, we find that it is not the area, it is not the people, and it is not the time of year. Instead it is the attitude of the missionaries and their ability to utilize and apply the talents that they posess. We know that a missionary with a good attitude produces good results; fair attitude, fair results; poor attitude, poor results. The missionary with a good attitude works with the people and not through them."                                                                       

I love this because it's so true. Your attitude or your outlook is the difference between the good and bad, the wrong and right, the "what ifs" and "what happened", and sorrow and joy. I don't know how I literally made it through this snowy winter. I don't know how I walked in knee deep snow to hasten the Lord's work but I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to test my faith and my abilities. I believe I did some good here in Boston. I'm not sure how but I feel like I accomplished and learned so much! I'm thankful for this experience!

Now, it's time to say good-bye to people that I'll never forget and turn my focus on the work and the people in Taiwan. It'll be a hard transition but I have faith in the Lord that He has prepared me and chosen me to move forward in the work in Taiwan. 

Thank you family and friends for support and love! Write me!

Sincerely, Sister Komatsu 小松姐妹

Dear Family & Friends!

ALOOOHA!

This week has been actually a great week! This pasted week was transfer week! And thank goodness I'm not getting transferred and I'm staying with my trainer!!

This new transfer is going to be great! I'm so excited to really start working.

Last week.. actually these pasted two months have been kind of a ruff. The weather has really gotten everyone down. It's been tuff all around. The MBMission has also been in the "slumps". Our goal for January was to have 70 baptisms and I believe we had less than half. It was definitely disheartening but it just means that we've got to work even harder in the month of March!

Last week we had to admit to ourselves that we were both depressed for a while :( Sad but true. My companion and I haven't been very busy with teaching appointments or really anything and it's just been even harder on everyone with the winter being so bad. But I know that's not an excuse!! We talked about how we were depressed because it was snowing/cold, no one wants to meet, and how we never see the sun.  Sister Moss & I were going home and we always walk pass this flower shop and as we were talking about being depressed - we STOPPED & decided we needed flowers in our new apartment! So we bought some!! It was great! (There's a picture)

Another thing is that we moved apartments! Finally! This apartment is smaller but there are two bathrooms and a really nice living area. It's nice and cozy which feels more like a home! We love it! So, there are are four of us together! We get along really well - they're amazing girls and I love them! Sister Meireles is from Brazil and speaks Portguese and is learning to speak english and I'm learning to speak Mandarin! So her and I decided that in our new apartment we would put up labels to better learn our languages. Here's a picture!

Also, our ward just had their Ward Mission Fireside! It was awesome to see how many people loooove being member missionaries! These member missionaries are great people to work with! They really know b/c they were once missionaries!! MEMBER MISSIONARY WORK IS THE BEST!! 

Okay, so the really amazing news is that I'm now in The Digital Mission! And our Mission in the Digital Mission is to find those that need the gospel through the internet! WOW! Technology is such a great thing! This happened all of sudden b/c Sister Moss & I are Sister Training Leaders in our zone and the leaders in every zone in the mission are what they call "extenders" which are missionaries that take 3 hours out of their day to do digital missionary work! So if you saw my post on Facebook - now you know why. I'm not going "apostate" or being disobedient from the rules it's just that I'm a digital missionary! And I'm loving every second of it! This is an amazing opportunity in this day in age. Digital Missionary work is the going to be the future of missionary work! IT's so true! So, our mission is one of those "special" missions that is experimenting this and I'M APART OF IT! Through digital missionary work I can talk and teach people all around the world. I heard a story from the digital missionaries that work there that there was a missionary that found and taught this guy from Scotland and right after his mission flew to scotland and baptized him! How amazing is that?! Wow, things are changing and I'm so happy to be apart of it! 

Well, I did promise that email I'd write less so I apologize! But here a spiritual though before I send this off. This week I fell in love with this verse in Alma 26:27 "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success." I love this scripture b/s it is through faith and enduring to end that the Lord will grant us success in our goals, our righteous desires, and much more. I love this gospel and I've never been so close to our Heavenly Father. I love missions and everything it offers to others and to us as missionaries. This is an amazing time to be apart of the gospel. I challenges and invite you all to cherish your beliefs and faiths b/c it will led you down paths that many will never have a opportunity to live in. 

I love you all! And I pray for all you everyday! Thank you for all your love and support! 

P.S. Go to bostonmission.org to check out my mission Then click "Photos" and you'll see some pictures of the crazy winter we've had!!

Sincerely, Sister Komatsu

Hey Sorry Family but I made a mistake on telling you my new address.

It's 157 Sixth St. #204 Cambridge, MA 02142

:( If you did send something then you'll either get it back or like my companion she got a letter with the wrong address on it but it still came. LOL

Thanks! And sorry!

Kung Hee Fat Choy !!!!

Dear Family & Friends!

新年快乐 HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEARS!!

Wow, it was a great week! So many things happened! Here in Cambridge South it's been getting a little warmer. I love it. We've been having a bad winter but now the sun is out and the snow is melting. The snow was getting so high these past weeks! I'm never seen so much snow and ice in my entire life! Here are some pictures to prove that I'm not that crazy!

This week was transfer week! It's a crazy week! I never knew that it was such a tense thing. Everyone is so tense and scared of being moved to different areas and having a different companion! I felt fine. I kind of knew I was going to stay in my area and with my companion. There is a picture where everyone wrote on the board who was leaving or staying. It's called "transfer prediction" It was so much fun! We all took a silly picture together and today we're saying our goodbyes! So sad! I loved our zone here in Cambridge!

Then on friday sister moss & I got a mini-missionary! She was too cute! She is from Mass and is sixteen years old! She was so adorable and was already ready to be a missionary! We loved having her! She only stayed with us for the weekend but we had a blast!

And lastly on Saturday night we had a HUGE Chinese New Years Party! It was amazing! There were a lot of chinese investigators there. It was awesome! There was a ton of food and there was a lion dance. This activity was put on by the Chinese branch that I spoke in sacrament in. They were thrilled at the turn out and everyone had fun! There is a picture of the PVC Sisters (Portable Visitor Center) This is amazing! I've only seen it here in Boston. It's mormon video's that play and there is a touchable ipad that people or investigators can learn about the gospel. These Sister's go where ever there are non-members which are at either at a baptism, at a church event, or so on. This is amazing! We took the 20 or so chinese students that were there around to each of the PVC stations and taught the gospel to them! It was so great! It was touching to me because I knew what the Elders were teaching. It just really was a great moment for me. Even some of our investigators came and I had a good time!

Well, I'm got to run but I know this church is true and that the work is move right along! I'm so grateful to be apart of of it! I've seen a lot of tender mercies from the Lord and being apart of this experience has truly shown me that Heavenly Father is merciful, kind, and knows me and my many struggles!!

I love you all! I hope your week is a great one!

Thanks for the emails and the packages! I'm truly loved by all of you!

PS. My address changed because I'm moving in an new apartment! It's 167 6th St. Cambridge, MA 02142

Sincerely, Sister Komatsu

Reassigned to the Massachusetts Boston Mission

167 6th Street Cambridge, MA 02142

Boston !!!

Dear Family & Friends,

I realize now that I just write too much! So I'll cut it down and give you the summarized version :)

It's record breaking weather here on the East Coast. Record breaking numbers and I totally believe it! I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH SNOW IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! AND I'VE NEVER SHOVELED SO MUCH SNOW IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! I wish I had a picture of how much snow there actually is.

Last week we got to go to Return & Report which is a meeting that all the new missionaries and their trainers have a Q&A with the mission president. We met at a chapel that was next to the Belmont Mass Temple and attend a session! It is so beauitful! I love that temple and the opportunities I get to really deepen my understanding of God's plan for me!

Uhmm.. Oh! Happy Belated Valentine's Day!! Us and another set of sister's that live with us exchanged valentine's day gift to each other! It was so sweet! My "secret admirer" gave me a frame that had B. Mass & Taipei Mission written in it. Super cute! I love it! I'm so happy to be apart of this mission. Yesterday my companion and I were on exchanges with the sister training leaders which means that as a companionship we were split up for a day. My companion went to the Digital Mission and Sister Layton and I spent the day together! It was a blast! And as I was talking with some sisters in my zone I had said something I'd never thought I'd say while being here! Let me start from the beginning. This pasted week some missionaries that were reassigned before my district and I - just got their Visa's to Taiwan!! Yeah! SOOOO I MIGHT BE GETTING MINE SOON! I'm so excited and nervous at the same time! And the sisters that I was talking too had asked if it's been hard being here and not on my mission and if I'd ever just stay here for the rest of my mission? I responded that I'd like to go to my own mission and that I didn't waste two months of my time at the MTC learning Mandarin for nothing. I believe that Heavenly Father called me to Taiwan and that's where I'm suppose to be! And then responded to the next question that yeah it's hard to be here but that God didn't put me here in Boston for nothing. He didn't send me to the coldest place on earth to do nothing!! No! He sent me here for a reason and whatever it's suppose to be I'm going to do it- whether it's finding that one person who needs the gospel and teach them or just bringing others unto Christ. There is a time and a purpose for everything. I'm a missionary and where ever I am I'm going to preach the gospel and serve the Lord to my capabilities.

I believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. I know that we all individually have a plan that God Himself designed for us. I know that even though we're not teaching a lot of investigators in our area that we are doing good in our community - whether it be shoveling members cars out or shoveling random people's driveways or just being nice to others even though it's miserable outside. I know that the good things we do aren't worthless or meaningless but that will help in some small way and maybe it won't change a person's life but it will change our own. I've changed while being here in the MBM. I've really seen the blessing I've been given and there it no way I'm going to waste them on meaningless acts. This mission is forever in my heart and I look forward to changing everyday while being here. Missionary work acquires a lot of effort and diligence. It acquires consecration, humility, patience, and pure faith sometimes. 

I love this work because this gospel means so much to me. I am so happy to be learning more about my purpose and what I truly am to do here on the earth. What a great feeling of knowing and going forward with great knowledge in my heart. I hope you all have a great weekend and truly find what you're main purpose is right now in your life. - And not just, I'm suppose to be in school, or suppose to pay the bills, or suppose to just go through life but have a deeper purpose. I promise that if you do this you will see the bigger picture in life and that you will understand more about God's plan for you. You are not here on earth to live and die. There it much more. God put you here, in this time, and with these people for a reason. What ever it may be let that be your goal and focus. 

I love you all!! 我爱你们！

小松 姐妹

Here's some random pics from the week!! ( The city & a line of truck plowing the streets)

Crazy Week in Boston !

Dear Family & Friends,

It's been a crazy week! There has been a lot! I'm so sorry but I actually don't have a lot of time to write about my whole week! The only thing you need to know is that I'm surviving and still going! I'm not sick and I can thank Heavenly Father for that! The work here in Cambridge Boston is good! We're working hard this end of the transfer and getting ready for a new transfer that's coming up!

I love you all and I thank you for all the emails and support you give me!!

This emails is all about pictures! Cause that's all we do! We take pictures because we'll be seeing some crazy things!!!

1st Pic: Me eating in Chinatown in Boston!! There are a ton of restaurants and our Chinese Elders tell us that they go there all the time so we took a train to Chinatown! It was great! Look! It already sees like I'm in Taiwan!!

Sincerely, 小松 姐妹

Attending Boston Temple Session