Hello!!

Hey-yo everyone! 

I've done it again! It's official, I'm addicted to the potato truck...

Thanks for all the awesome scriptures this week! I love reading people's favorite scriptures! I always learn so much!
 
Speaking of scriptures read this one!  D&C 25:12
"For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads".
 
I love music, no but really I LOVE music. So I learned the kanji for music the other day. It's so cool! 音楽 but here's what's cool. 楽⬅️ this kanji is the same kanji used in fun. Then this ➡️音 kanji is noise. Music is a fun noise. So cool right!? I love the special spirit I feel through music. We were teaching a lesson the other day about music and we said that music is a song of the heart. She got really happy and said she loved music. Then the other day we were walking around and we saw this lady snow shoveling so we stopped and talked to her. She says she sings a hymn in her heart every day. It was so amazing.
 
Some funny highlights: the other night we were praying right before we went to bed. When the prayer was over I collapsed to this side with my hair flying everywhere. When I landed Saiki Shimai crawled over to my futon and picked up my hair and yelled "it's so fluffy" (in Japanese) and then gathered it all into a ball and laid on it. I love Japanese reactions to my hair :) Then we went to say goodbye to a member that was moving and as we were leaving he yelled to me in English "have a life!" Japanese English is my favorite thing of all time. Saiki Shimai's English is so cute! Our first few days together in almost every prayer she said she's thankful for my English :)
 
This week has been so good! I know I say I see so many miracles but this week I really saw a lot of miracles! I got the special opportunity to go on splits with my MTC companion Kuta

Shimai. She's sooo awesome! It was so fun! We got to go with this cute 3rd transfer. We all don't have a lot of Japanese but we ended up doing so much. Kuta Shimai has grown so much! I never would have guessed how much a mission would change us. It was so good to work with her in the field. 

Kuta Shimai

 
I love you all! Thanks for all you do! Keep sending me your favorite scriptures!
 
Sister Zollinger

 Her first Goldfish!!

You know your frozen when...

Hi everyone! 

Before I said goodbye to Adams Shimai

Guess what it's a new transfer! Can you believe it? Yeah me either. My new companion is a Nihongin! Her name is Saiki Shimai from Nagasaki! She's the coolest! Everyone at church was so excited for her because she's really good at Japanese.. ;)
 

Hmmm ponderizing...  Isaiah 58:8
"Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward".
I had a really hard time picking a scripture this morning so I let my scriptures fall open and look what I found! This scripture is super cool! I love how it says light shall break forth like a sunrise! I love sunrises and sunsets they are two of my favorite things in the world. But Nakatsuka Kaicho (Mission President) said in a workshop once Japan is the land of the rising sun. And the land of the rising church. It's so true. I love the idea of the Light of Christ rising over all the earth. It just looks so pretty! Then at the end it says the Lord shall be your rearward. God will always protect us! I love the scriptures!

Let's cool down a second and talk some ice, you know you're the frozen chosen when:

                  1. You're hair freezes every time you step outside
                  2. You can see your breath in your apartment
                  3. Your companion is wearing 5 pairs of tights
                  4. It's pouring rain like crazy and 5 minutes later it's a blizzard
                  5. You can't see anything because the snow is blinding you it's so bright
                  6. You're abs are growing stronger from catching all your falls on the ice
                  7. Your mission is known for its ice
                  8. You sit next to the heater to write in your journal
                  9. Getting hand warmers from the members every Sunday
                 10. And when the name of your blog is the frozen noodle
 

We had a Japanese day her last day and dressed like Nihongin.  :o)

My new companion eating potato chips with chopsticks because... Japan.

It's cold but it's my favorite place in the world. There's no place I'd rather be. The people here are so amazing! Everyone shows you so much love! Before Adams Shiami left I asked her what she wanted to do that she hasn't done. She said get a kimono. A few days later one of the members was taking us home and stopped at a store and bought her one. No idea she said that earlier. Everyone here is so willing to love and help. I was talking about it to Saiki Shimai the other day. Love is so important. We really need to say I love you to people and from the heart. When you say it not only does that person feel it but you do too. We have an investigator that always says it to me in English. It means so much and I really feel her love. That's really the most important thing.

I love you all!
 
Sincerely,
 
This frozen noodle
Sister Zollinger
 
PS. I want some good scriptures to ponderizie.  Send me your favorites!

I saw Sister West Mountain!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

Hello!

The snow festival.  So Cool!!

How is everyone's week! Mine was so great! Sleepovers with a ton a other Sister Missionaries, Zone Conference, Snow Festival, and all kinds of stuff!

This weeks ponderizing scripture is: 1 Cor 10:13
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it".  Heavenly Father knows us individually. He knows what we need and what we can handle. He is faithful to us and will love and he'll us no matter where we go! Never forget his love!

I love this gospel! I love being a missionary! I've felt so much love this week and on Thursday I have to say goodbye to some really good missionary friends. But I know that I'll be able to see them again. I love you all! Never stop looking for miracles. Never forget the love Heavenly Father has for you! He is there and he is listening I promise!

愛してるよ！
(I love you)

ゾリンジャ姉妹
(Zoringa Shimai)

Editors Note:  Here is a small excerpt from the letter sent to mom. 

My attempt at making cute heart shaped pancakes like mom. Burned them - but they still tasted good.  

Oh my goodness I have so much to tell you! I can't fit it all in an email. I want to write a letter but wow never have time!  I've sang in Sacrament meeting for the last two transfers now. So I have officially said at a baptism, in Sacrament, at missionary meetings, church parties, for members, investigators, less active members, companions, and at English class. At least 2 times a transfer. Promise fulfilled. (Mom asked her to make sure she shared her beautiful singing voice).

Wow so much more can't even remember. Found some awesome script. Share later. Talked about how much I love you to an investigator with 2 kids, single mom.  We both cried. Shared with her your mommy scripture. She cried. I make every apartment clearer than when I got there because mom said always leave the place nicer. Loved the package. Wearing the leggings now. Golly so much more can't remember we but I love you! HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Because everyone needs a little fro in their life!

Hello!!

Got some cream to the face in honor of Adams Shimai's dendo death.

Are the weeks getting faster? Seriously I just emailed yesterday!  How is everyone doing? Are you all getting stuff ready for your sweethearts? And if you don't have one of those do you have your box
of chocolate and favorite movies ready? But really I love Valentine's Day. Shout out to mom who makes the best heart shaped pancakes in the world!

Have some scripture for your ponderization - D&C 138:56
"Even before they were born, they, with many others, received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men".

This past week I've been doing a lot of studying about the Plan of Salvation. It's my favorite! To think when we were in Heaven we chose to come down here. We accepted our callings, stumbles, chose our families, accepted our lives. I like this scripture because it talks about us before we came to earth. We accepted the gospel here on earth and in Heaven we were called to share it with the world.  I was called to share it to Japan.

Totoro

I feel so lucky everyday to be here. Yesterday at church I was looking around at all the members and realized how much love I have for all of them. They all care about me and the other missionaries so much. This one member sends us the wearer report for the week every Monday. Other sister hugs me and my companion like our mom every time she sees us.  Another member feeds us like crazy on fast Sunday's and has us sign her guest book when we come over so she doesn't forget us. One sister makes sure she shakes everyone's hand before church. She even hunts you down so you get the chance to say hi. The bishop wears a totoro tie every Sunday and throws his fist in the air shouting "yes" when you say you like totoro.   Another sister screams with joy when we see her and runs towards you arms open for a hug. One sister gives us hot chocolate from America when we do something nice for her. One sister translates the lessons for us in English so we understand. And so much more.

I'm so blessed to be in Ebetsu!

The cutest kids at Ekaiwa!

Sorry there's no funny highlights! I've been super busy lately! I love you all! I hope you have a good week fun of Valentines love!


❤️😜😻

Keep looking for miracles!

愛してるよ！
(I love you)

 Tako yaki party!

Apparently there's a day where you throw peanuts at the devils to keep them away.

February??

We sat at the electric chairs forever last p-day.  It was amazing!!

February, where did you come from?  Why is time so fast as a missionary?   It just needs to relax so I can be a missionary forever!
 
Ponderizie this!
Psalms 149:5 "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds".
 
I remember this one time when I was in Jr high I was laying in my bed trying to fall asleep so I was listening to my iPod and singing along. Then mom came downstairs and told me I was singing so loud she could hear it all the way upstairs. #whoops
 

We got Yaki Niku!  Best pork steak I've had in my life!

I really like this scripture because I love singing! I sing to people all the time - it's my favorite! Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ did so much for us. Why not rejoice? Or be joyful?  We are a part of the plan of happiness.  So sing loud enough Heavenly Father can hear you upstairs!

This week has been so good! I have seen so many miracles! I love my companion. She's literally the best. Not a day goes by when I don't laugh so hard I cry. At the apartment I found a note written to an old investigator from years ago and decided we should take it to her. I have never seen someone so happy to see the missionaries in my life! She was so happy and the whole time we were there she smiled like crazy! I love being a missionary! The happiness you bring to people can't be replaced by anything else! 


I love you all!
 
Keep looking for miracles. They are all around you!
 
愛してるよ❤️
(I love you)
 
ゾリンジャ姉妹
(Zoringa Shimai) 

Good Morning Japan.  Sunrises and sunsets are my favorite!