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!!

Here I Go Again On My Own

Last doughnut with Kanon Chan!

How art thou lovely people? Good Day to you all!
This week has been one of the best weeks of my life. So much happened!
 
But first, give me some scripture, maybe some love.
1 Cor 13:2
"And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing".
 
When I read this this morning it called me to repentance pretty hard. You can know everything in the world. You can go volunteer at a soup kitchen and help the poor. But if you don't have love it doesn't matter if you know anything because you don't love what your learning. You can go help those poor people but if you don't love them you're just wasting time. Nothing matters if you don't have love. 

Recently I've been thinking about how many people I meet a day and what I think when I first see them. Do I picture them as a daughter and son of God or just another person I can invite to the temple? It's important but there's no meaning. And people know when you're acting out of love or just doing it because you know it's right. Mom always talked about how if she only had one Christlike attribute it would be charity. I never understood why because she's so loving and kind to everyone. But she's right it's so important. If it wasn't for love we literally would not be here. We would be floating around some where feeling nothing. But we have a Heavenly Father that loves us so much and through his plan we can feel that joy and that love. That's what I want people to know when I see them. I want them all to feel that love. 
 

First Sunday in Kotoni!!

So this week I transferred back to the city. #Sapporolife I am in the Kotoni ward! It's the ward Nakatsuka Kaicho is in. A have a theory, he decided I was too crazy in Hakodate so we had to bring me right under his nose to see what I'm doing. ;)  My new companion is Sister Barton from Montana! She's super cute and a crazy hard worker! We've already seen so many miracles and found a new investigator almost everyday so far. My first Sunday in Hakodate the ward mission leader changed and then yesterday my first Sunday in Kotoni the mission leader changed.. I'm convinced they heard I'm coming and said "Sister Zollinger is coming, I'm out, I resign". Just kidding. All the members are super great everywhere! I'm super excited to be here but I was so sad to leave Hakodate. The hardest part was the 6 hour bus ride by myself. Matsukura Shimai drove me to the train station and played me beautiful music while I cried. Then stood outside the bus for 10 minutes and waited for it to leave. Then waved it goodbye until she couldn't see it anymore. I love her so much!
 
My last two days in Hakodate were so special. On Tuesday I went to Sawamura Sans house and played her goodbye songs on the piano. She was so cute and came and sat next to me and had me play a song then she would copy where my fingers went and play it too. Then I sang to her and she just sat there with her eye closed and we cried together. Then on Wednesday we met Keiko San at the church and practiced our song one more time and sat there and talked. Made plans to meet in Sapporo for the open house and then after we walked down the streets of Hakodate singing hymns. She's my Japanese mommy. I love her so much! She's so prepared.

Keiko San - I love her so much!!

Favorite quote from U Shimai "I can't wait until the millennium when can swim with sharks and ride Dolphins" I'm gonna miss that crazy Aussie! She was the best!
I love you all! Have a good week!

愛してるよ
(I love you)
 
Sister Zollinger

Narita Shimais and her mama Toshiko Shimai. Mom I've decided this is what you're going to look when you old. You're going to be super cute!!

Met Miho Chan my last morning for exercise at 6:30 and said goodbye and gave her a Book of Mormon as a goodbye present 

 Playing with Keiko San. It still needs some work but she's coming to Kotoni ward in two weeks!!

May Flowers bring June Showers

Good Morning America!
 
How is everyone doing? I'm still inside while the sky is dropping the ocean on this earth. Let me tell you about the weather this week.

Monday: Rain Tuesday: Rain Wednesday: Rain Thursday: Rain with the accompaniment of a .6, 6. , 6 (not sure where the point goes.. But yes 6) earthquake Friday: Rain Saturday: Sahara Desert Sunday: Sunny Sky. (They don't call it the day of rest just for us)
The earthquake was defiantly scary. Everyone is all okay though. It was really big. Could feel and hear the building shake. It lasted a good 30 seconds or so. I was sitting in a hospital helping these
grandmas make candy baskets when it hit. They all freaked out and yelled "earthquake". Scary stuff but it will still never beat the last one when I was in an interview with President Nakatsuka though.
This weeks ponderizing script is really cool. I was trying to find something that had to do with friends. Let me tell you it was hard finding one but in the end I chose this.
 
1 James 1:7
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin".
 
When I read this I though of Toy Story's "You've got a Friend in Me".
If I get the words wrong so sorry but when you read this imagine Christ is the one singing.
 
You've got a friend in me,
You've got a friend in me.
When the road look rough ahead,
And you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed.
You just remember what your old man said,
For you've got a friend in me. 

We don't always know what's going to happen next in life. But if we walk in the light following Christ we will find friendship there. No best friend in the world will ever exactly know what you're going though, they can come close but they will never truly understand. Jesus Christ has felt it all. And paid for all the pain. He is the best friend we could have. He will take away all our burdens, walk with us, listen to us, and he knows perfectly how we feel. We've got a friend in him. Find him.

We walked to the top of a mountain to do some finding and this lady was like let me take your picture and then she gave us umbrellas because it started to pour right after this. But we picked daises and put them in our hair because they were beautiful! 

This week I was talking to Keiko San. She's really thinking about getting baptized. Pray for her to find the courage to follow Christ. This week she said something that really hit me hard. She was talking about how before she found the church life was really simple. Wake up, eat, maybe watch tv. So I asked what life is like now. And she looked at me just glowing and said "fun". Real happiness is in Jesus Christ.  In the warmth of His friendship.
Transfers are tomorrow. And then next week I hit my year mark... Lesson: don't take any second for granted. I love you all! I hope I can be a friend like Christ to all of you.
 
I'm praying for you all!
 
愛してるよ
(I love you)
 
Sister Zollinger

I wrote a letter to a sister serving in the Kobe mission. She's from Hakodate ward! (The picture is me! Can you tell? :))

Randomly seeing an Ebetsu member!

Keiko San and I made udon together!

Happy Father's Day Daddy!!

Drink the Rain

I love Sugino Shimai!

Hello my lovies! How are you doing? Is it raining there? Because it's raining here! I went on splits in a pretty place called Muroran and it poured. So I found this old sweater in the closet and rode around all day on my bicycle drinking the rain with Sister Longswamp (Naganuma).

It was my first time going on splits with the Senior Training Leader. Until now they've always been my companion. But it's okay because it was her first time going on splits as an STL so we just ran around together not knowing what to do seeing miracles!
 
This is a first but this morning I couldn't chose so I have two ponderize scriptures.. #Sorrynotsorry
 
2 Cor 4:6  "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ".  

2 Cor 5:6&7  "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"
 
I really like the first one because Jesus Christ created everything. He really can control where the light goes. Because of him be have the light of Christ in us. And that brought us to the knowledge we have!

We matched as a district for zone conference.

Fufu Chan made me a legit iPad picture and it says "in short I'm here because I love my Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ" when I read this scripture I though of that. I'm hear to tell people about the light. I like the second one because we aren't in God presence. But we have confidence that we will see him again. I read something recently that said your eyes intemperate what you see during the day and make up your dreams at night so because of that seeing isn't believing. That is why we walk by faith. We can't see God but we know he's there. We see him with our hearts. 
 
This week has been really good. I've learned so much and felt the Spirit working though me everyday. I love the feeling of the Spirit telling you to say something and then watch it change someone's life.  It's so amazing.  Mom asked me what I've learned over the past year and how my testimony has changed. I've been thinking about it a lot. I wish I could put everything I've learned over this past (almost) year in an email but I can't. 

All I can say is I know Jesus Christ lives. That he is our Savior. I know that God is always, always listening to our prayers and ready to help up. I know families can be together forever.  I know that when it gets hard you can find happiness no matter who or where you are. I know with my whole heart the church is true. And that you can know it too.
 

Splits in Muroran.  Hebiguchi Shimai is the coolest!

I love you all! I got a lot of scriptures and personal experiences this week and it was so fun reading them all! Please send me your favorite scripture this week or a spiritual experience, I can always
use them in lessons.
 
You're the best!
 
愛してるよ
Sister Zollinger

Look what I did last week!!

I will never get over how beautiful this place is!

Oh they say when you're a missionary in June...

We play soccer every Friday for exercise.

Good Morning!! How is you? Who's surprised it's June? I am! Really surprised! Time is a really funny thing as a missionary because it doesn't exist. You plan every second of everyday but you blink and you're planning for the next day. This week has been amazing! I've seen so many miracles and felt this spirit so strong, and laughed liked a crazy person. Therefore my ponderizing scripture this week is all about praise.
 
It's Psalms 117
"O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.  For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord".  And that's the whole chapter. 

Confession time. I love psalms. It's like a song inside my hear every time I read it. Anyways, I really like this because it says Heavenly Father has mercy and kindness. That his truth goes on forever. No matter what time of your life you're in right now he has kindness and love for us so praise him forever! It's just so pretty!
 
So every time I hear June I think of seven brides for seven brothers and the song "oh they say when you marry in June, you're a bride all your life" so I made a remix because I ain't about that marriage stuff right now. "Oh they say when you dendo (missionary work) in June, you're a missionary all your life".  Sorry mom not coming home!
 
Some miracles from this week:

-Narita Shimai asked her mom (she's a really old sick lady that can't leave the house) if they would be able to go to church and I prayed that she would say yes and as soon as I did she said yes

-We went to visit Riki San and we haven't been able to see her and I said if I don't find faith she won't then when I found the faith she opened the door

Riki San

-Sawamura San said she wants to follow Christ and decided to quit smoking

-Kanon Chan wasn't at church and I prayed she would come and when I finished my prayer she walked in
 
There were sooo many others. Miracles are real and they happen every day! I love the gospel. Recently I've been talking to U Shimai about when I noticed the atonement in my life and things like that. Everyone should think about that. It's super special. The atonement is really and individual. Christ loves us all so much and he knows how we feel every second of the day. We are never alone.
 
I love you all a lot!
 
See miracles!
 
愛してるよ 
(I love you)
 
Sister Zollinger

We wore kinda matching shirts to zone activity.

Keiko San!!  She's my Japanese mom!!  It was pouring rain before ECC the other day so U Shimai and I showed up soaked literally and Keiko San stood in front of the heater and dryed my sweater for me.  She's an angel.  Love them all so much!!  I'm going to get dressed up in a Kimono today!  Super excited!!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!

Prayer is Real!

We matched for mission conference.

Hello everyone! How was your week? This week has been so great! It's so hot here. I officially have a tan line from my ring and watch. It's super funny!
 
Ponderize!  Moroni 8:3
"I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end".
 
I don't have any time today but this week has been so great!! I got an answer to my prayer while teaching a lesson! I had been having a hard time saying prayers from the heart and praying and I taught Narita Shimai that you don't have to be perfect to feel the spirit. It was amazing and then I felt the spirit so strong! 

Also this week we went to Sapporo and Elder Cook, his wife, Elder Stevenson, his wife, and a ton of other people came to see us and talk to us! I was praying so hard when it started and just wanted to feel,the spirit. It just so happened that I was sitting right next to the door they came in and one of them when they saw me squeezed my hand and I instantly felt better! It was super special. Also Sister Cook is my favorite person in the world! She's so cute!!
 
The church is true. Pray for others and your prayers will be answered! I can promise. I've seen it.
 
I love you!

Sister Zollinger 

Sushi Gochi!

Takahashi San is so cute!

We made muffins with the Young Women.

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Lunch break by the ocean

Hey everyone! I hope you're all doin' fine and dandy. Exciting news! My dearest companion ate her first peanut butter and jelly sandwich this week. I asked her the other day if she wanted some toast and she said sure. So we walk in to the kitchen and while toasting I decided to turn mine into a peanut butter and jelly. She got so excited and decided to eat one too. Bless her little Australian heart, she got sooo excited. And then continued to eat one or two everyday following. :) #changinglives

This weeks scripture is 2 Nephi 5:27 

"And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness". です

I love this scripture a lot. I know I say that every week and mean it, but I really love this scripture. I've been thinking a lot about happiness lately. What I really like about this scripture is it doesn't say what happiness is. It just says they lived happily. Happiness is whatever you want it to be. When ever we go finding my favorite thing to ask is "what is the happiest thing in your life" so many people say "I don't know" or "I'm not happy" or "I haven't thought about it". It makes me so sad. The world is full of fake happiness. Money, cars, nice clothes, parties.. But that's not really happiness. That's 20 seconds of yeah I look really cool, then you or the people around you lose interest. Auntie Nora sent me a cool quote the other day, it's  "Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure not this nor that, but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing."  -- William Butler Yeats

Happiness is the peace you feel after a big trial, spending time with your family, holding new born babies, reading a comforting scripture after a loved one passes away, entering the temple for the first time, hearing your brother got engaged and the girl's legit, the opportunity to pray to your loving Heavenly Father, taking the sacrament, there are so many things. 

U Shimai's PB and J sandwich!!

The story behind this scripture is of an imperfect family living in the wilderness. They had no money, worked for food, and just left everything they knew. But they were happy. Because they knew that's all Heavenly Father wants for us.  Happiness. 

Obedience is the Price

Faith is the Power

Love is the Motive

Spirit is the Key

Christ is the Reason 

Joy is the Reward 

(Japan Sapporo Mission Motto)

I love you all! Thanks for everything you do!

Sister Zollinger

Bedtime Yoga

Our new investigator Haruka Chan. She's so cute! She's a little afraid of religion but she wants to be our friends and hear more!

Olga San. She's Peruvian and super golden! She said she's coming to church next week!

We went to the beach with Kanon Chan!

I love Hakodate!! (My badge is the front right corner)