Christmas Snuck Up on Me

So, sorry I'm emailing so late.  We had a crazy day. This WEEK was crazy!! WOW I can't believe it's already almost Christmas!!  I seriously can't believe it.   It just SNUCK up on us!! WOW!  IT's already CHRISTMAS EVE EVE! 

First of all, I want to thank everyone soooo much for the cards and the letters and the packages!! Wow! I can't even read them all yet. but I will definitely send the thank you's soon!  P-days are soooo stressful but I will get them done eventually.... haha. I got the cute little presents for me and Sister Jen-Coon!  They are under our tree :) Waiting for Christmas!  Woohoo!  So anyway, The cookies from Mary Ann and Sister James are soooo good!   mmm   There is just NO hope for losing weight on a mission in December... so why try? :}

So, I will start with letting you all know that I will be on Skype at around 11am here on Christmas! I hope that works for you all!!   We'll be at a member's home so we can probably use google +  and do the conference call with Cami/Jeremy and Kei!! Is Kei going to be in Provo still??? :(( She will be in the call too right? and Cami/Jeremy are in AZ?  Well, hopefully they can all be there on Christmas!!!  I'm excited to see everyone and RUSTY! :)))

Soooooo I met some people from Hawaii!  There was a guy named David Silva and he said he knew a Lynn Okazaki!   I don't know if that was mom or not though.. He said she got divorced soooooo  I'm guessing it's NOT mom hahahah.   But he said she was a waitress in High school.  I asked if he called her Onion and he said no and looked at me funny haha.   Sooo it's probably not you.  But he said she went to Baldwin.  Was there another Lynn Okazaki at Baldwin?

This week started off really weird, by the way.  2 of our missionary companionships in the zone got their places broken into at the same time and in the mission/area.  There's been 2 or 3 other ones as well.  Apparently the missionaries are being targeted here and so we got this huge impromptu training by this Special Forces member on how to be a hard target and be safe and stuff.   It was pretty intense.  But we're fine, everything's good.   I was just thinking I could get a bat.  It was just a pretty adventurous week. I feel bad for the 2 elders who got robbed :(   It was sad.  An iPod and iHome were stolen and ALL the presents that the primary sent the missionaries. SO SAD hahaha.   I feel like the person who stole it was probably a desperate father who wanted to have presents for his kids or something.... so he took them :(  I was like YOU CAN HAVE MINE!!! ... just let me know what was inside.   Cause honestly, I think that would kill me the most, not ever knowing what was inside the pretty little wrapped box. :( oh, the suspense......

Wow, this week is going to be rough!   No one is in town (especially the YSA) and the ones that ARE here are sick or with family.  It's really kind of frustrating hahah.  It's so weird.... holidays are the worst as a missionary!!! haha.   Anyway, we're excited because one of our investigators is Bryon Graham.  We met him on accident when we were going to go see a less active.   We asked if we could come back later and set up a time.  We came and started teaching and WOW.   Talk about GOLDEN!  He listens so intently and really reads and understands.  The second lesson was amazing -- The plan of Salvation.  He just listened and answered questions and then at the end, he was kind of quiet, we asked him what he thought of it and he said it answered his biggest question of his life that he never understood about heaven and hell … The Spirit world and the three kingdoms.   Wow!   I've never had someone accept it so readily and so fully.   It was pretty amazing seeing how prepared he was.   It was such a testimony to me that there really are so many people who are searching for answers but just don't know where to find them--or that they even CAN find them somewhere in this life!  It's so crazy to think about it!  These answers aren't supposed to be so hidden!   Yet, no one even knows the answers are there! 

Well, I will keep this short, because we started soooo late... but I’m sending my "Christmas present" soon!!   Love you allll sooo much!!! 

I hope you all have an amazing Christmas season where you can truly appreciate the reason for this Holiday and how we can really give back to Our Savior.  Elder Ballard challenged each of us to reach out to just one other person before Christmas and as a result, millions will have been able to feel/receive the love of Christ into their lives. Have you been able to do so yet? 

Imagine the difference we can make in the world, just one act of service at a time. 

I LOVE YOU ALL SOO MUCH!!!! SEE YOU ON WEDNESDAY!!!!<33333

CAN’T WAIT!!!!

Com Muiiiiito Amor!!

Sister Yoshimoto