Not with a Fizzle but with a Bang!

Second to last day. 13,000+ people came. They only expected 10,000.

Hey!

Sad news, the Open House is now over. Barton Shimai and I usually work the morning shift but on the last day we ending up working the night shift. Tours are from 9am-8pm everyday.  On Saturday Night, the last night at 8pm in a neighboring area fireworks went off. So many people stood outside the temple to watch them. Everyone was smiling because of the temple and smiling because of the beautiful night. It was so cool! 

This weeks ponderizing scripture: Alma 37:36

"Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever".

I've been thinking a lot about love lately. Love really is the motive. It's what you need to do everything. When you think about everything that you own everything belongs to God. Your heart, your love is the only thing that you can give to God. 

This was a really special week that I will never forget. 

Yesterday I gave a talk in Sacrament for the first time in my mission. Keiko San (from Hokadate) is still in Sapporo so said she would come but all though opening I didn't see her. Then when I stood up to give my talk she smiled so big at me and I wasn't nervous anymore. She came to English Class on Wednesday and after came up and held my hand for like five minutes. So thankful everyday I got to meet her. 

We've been doing yoga almost every night and I almost have this pose mastered. 

Yesterday we had a BBQ at the Nakatsukas (mission president) and it was like America. Poor Kaicho got too close to the fire and burned the front of his hair. I felt so bad but he still looks like a million bucks. After we all went inside and had a testimony meeting. I can even describe the feeling in the room. But I will say a room full of Sister Missionaries that just spent 3 weeks working in a temple, there was more sap than a maple farm in Canada. I have so much love for this mission. The missionaries here really are the best in the world. 

I could spend hours writing down everything I felt and experienced during the open house. I could fill pages with the miracles I saw and stories I heard. It was a life changing experience. I may not be good at saying what I feel but I can say this. The church is true. God lives and loves. Families are forever. And you are never alone.

Favorite Quotes:

Saiki Shimai, "I will always be here in your heart"

U Shimai, "I missed your prayers" 

Wyatt Shimai, "When I walked into the Celestial Kingdom..." 

 Nakazawa Shimai, "You can build a temple in your heart" 

Elder Morse, "your personality is like your hair"

I love you all! Have a good week! Catch ya on the flip side!

愛してるよ

Sister Zollinger 

The Sisters (almost all of them)

I told everyone my eternal family continued and BRUNNER got married!! "Flat Emily" looks pretty cool!  Thanks for the cutout.  I hope the rest of forever is a blast!  I love you both!!

Osyters and Chocolate and Franks, Oh My!!

It's my favorite place in the world!!

Hello! 

So funny story my apartment is right next to a chocolate factory so every time we leave I feel like Charlie Bucket did riding his bike next to Willy Wonka's. It has been getting really hot here in the city. Our area is about a 20 minute bike ride from the apt and coming back is a really steady hill so us poor little dears sweatin buckets for years.
 
Yesterday we went to go totsuzen (randomly, suddenly...don't really know how to explain that in English) an investigator I haven't met yet. The dad and the son are Olympic Snowboarders. Super cool right? 

On the way there we were talking about how we haven't had some good solid meat in a while and that it was sounding pretty good. So here we are at their house and the mom says grandpas been wanting to meet you! So she walks us to the other side of the neighborhood where grandpa was sitting at the neighbors house BBQ partying it up. They looked at us and asked if we wanted some, Barton Shimai looked at me and said is that okay? And I said yeah I love meat lets go! So we crashed a BBQ party last night and I ate oyster from a shell for the first time. It tastes like the "oceans milk" :)  

My oyster!

On Saturday we were feeling like meat, again and we didn't have time to take a dinner break so we stopped at a convini and got Special Big Franks. It's like a giant hot dog. I don't know why but we thought it was the funniest thing in the world.
 
I don't know how but my emails always end up with food in them.... So here's a scripture!
 
D&C 68:6 "Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come". 

This is what I do everyday. And I feel Heavenly Father by my side helping me in his work! There never is any need to fear.
 
Working at the temple has been so great! My favorite place to go is at the end in the reception room to see everyone right after they've gone through. They are always so happy! I've hear so many cool stories and met so many people from literally all over! One girl brought her nonmember father in law so he could see where they were married. I met the guy on the English Flyers we use. I've met missionaries that served here. Took my investigators through and watched their faces change. It been seriously miracle after miracle. One story though I really want to share.

Our special big franks!

I was standing outside when this lady I've never seen before walks up to me and says in super broken English, "I have to go I'm sorry. I'll come back I promise. I'll come back and baptize him." I stood there
and begged her to go inside. I said your right here just go inside it won't take too much time. I'll even go with you. But she wouldn't listen and left. This other couple stopped her but she still soundly go inside. After I went and asked the couple who she was and I guess she had come with her husband and when he saw everyone he ran back to the car and she went in by herself. But when she got inside the check in she couldn't do it alone. She was afraid her husband would leave and she knew he was scared. Neither of them went into the temple that day. It was right there at their fingertips and they let fear stop the, from going. It reminded me of the story of the snake on the stick. Where all everyone had to do was look and be healed. But there were so many people that didn't look. 

Every time I read that story it's so frustrating. Come everyone just look be saved. Come on lady the temple is here. God is waiting inside to bless you. You're here, just go. And she wouldn't. Heavenly Father is waiting for us. His arm is stretched out all day long. All we have to do is repent and turn to him. It's so easy but we get so over come by fear because of the simplicity of it. Don't let the simplicity of the gospel stop you from becoming who you were meant to be. Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ love you and are always there for you. Just come and see.
 
I love you all so much!
Have a good week!

愛してるよ
Sister Zollinger


P.S. BRUNNER and Mckenzie!!!  Have a happy wedding on Friday!!  I love your crazy faces!!! 

Our BBQ crew of people we just met!

Adams Shimai came to see me!! And the Angel brought me green enchilada sauce :)

I love to see the Temple

Parfaits in Japan are the best!

Hello! 

How was everyone's Fourth Festivities? Did you BBQ like crazies and eat lots of potato salad? Cool I didn't either! But I got to work in the temple again which is way cooler. Seriously it's the best thing ever. Everyone go, right now. Okay thanks.   

Sapporo Japan LDS Temple
 
I love to see the temple
 
This weeks ponderizing scripture is Luke 1:37  "For with God nothing shall be impossible".
 
It's super self explanatory. But honestly with the help of Heavenly Father we can do anything. We can pass our math test, get a job, learn Japanese, find a girlfriend/boyfriend, receive charity, have faith...
 
Literally anything! Don't ever forget that Heavenly Father is willing and ready to help if you will but ask in faith.

This weeks highlights from the temple

-Gave a tour to a family that just moved to Tokyo from Washington and the parents walked around explaining everything to their young kids
 
-Randomly meeting a guy from Hakodate who after going through said with a gleam in his eye and with love he's probably never felt before that his heart is relaxed
 
-Gave a tour to these 3 old ladies, one basically ran inside the temple and asked me questions about everything then after held my hand for 5 minutes just thanking me for showing her such a beautiful place. She said her life doesn't have much longer so she was lucky to go inside
 
-The guy that told Barton Shimai he forgot what time was in the temple
 
-Seeing everyone's faces glow when they come from being inside

There are so many more things but I can't list them all. I still can't believe I get to do this. How did I get so lucky to be the one to show people everyday the place on earth where they can be the closest to our loving Heavenly Father. It's so special. I love you all! If you have a moment send me your favorite temple experience! I'd love to read them!
 
愛してるよ
(I love you)

Sister Zollinger
 
PS. Mom thanks for the handshake from the random guy. Showed up to church and he said, "Your mom says hi, I don't know you or her but she says hi".   It was super fun. Also mom, one of the temple themes is Lilac. It's your favorite!

It's called a doughnut burger.  Best idea of my life.

Tsuchiya Shimai took us and Shiho Chan shopping and to dinner! She's the coolest ever!

Ozawa Sans Son. I found her in splits in Kotoni with Murata Shimai last year and now she's a solid investigator :)

The Temple is Here! It's Here, It's Heeeerrrreeeee!!!!

Hello!!  

Take a break from your 4th festivities, stop watching the fireworks and take a gander at this!

I got to go inside the Sapporo Temple.... 
6 words - I WILL NEVER GO LESS-ACTIVE.

This week has been so incredible! Year Mark, going to the temple, and riding bikes like a crazy person with my stellar companion. 

 Sapporo Japan Temple 
Taken by yours truly Sister Zollinger

Here's a cool ponderizing scripture about the temple. I thought it was fitting considering the open house started yesterday!
 

Isaiah 56:7
"Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people".  

The temple is for all people! ALL people. Please go.

Funny Story: This sister asked if she could touch my hair so I said yes then next thing I knew there was a small crowd of relief society sisters sitting around me picking at my hair like monkeys. It was great.

I wish I could tell you everything I felt and experienced this week but I can't put it in words. This was seriously one of the best weeks of my life. I got to see old companions. I recited the First Vision for the first time to a nonmember in my whole mission life. Ate all you can eat meat. Rode my bike through the pouring rain. Felt the spirit so strongly while singing Homeward Bound to a bunch of strangers. Sang the Star Spangled Banner like an American to the same group of strangers. Laughed everyday. And felt the love Heavenly Father has for each of us like I've never felt before.

Sorry this email is all over the place but if there's only one thing you get from it I hope it's that you know I have a testimony. A testimony that this is God's true church. That families, no matter the circumstances are forever. And that Jesus Christ is my Savior.


愛してるよ
I love you all! 

Sister Zollinger

PS.  Side note from Mom - I asked Emily how she was doing.  This was her response "Oh my goodness sooooooooo gooooooodddddd! I'm on a cloud. Seriously never coming down".

Mostly the Sister missionaries

I love the Nakatsukas!!  Happy two year mark!

One year later wearing the same outfit.

Then I cut it up in celebration because it was falling apart. 

Barton Shimai is the cutest!!