Sister Avynlea Peterson: Week 70: Nagano, Nagoya; Companion: Sister Wentz

I picked up human bones with chopsticks

I'm not even lying. Let me tell you about this little funeral we went to.

Our friend Nobue's, who as we all know has been getting taught for a while, mother passed away. Since she doesn't have a whole lot of family or friends to attend, we went to support her. 4 missionaries, our branch president, and 2 members. She also had 2 family members there with her.

In Japan what they do is bring the body straight to the crematorium. We all viewed her mom in her casket, which I had mixed feelings about, and then Brother Takei said a nice prayer for her. After a lot of bowing they wheeled her off to be cremated.

We waited about an hour then they called us back in and what was left was a bunch of remains from her bones. Everyone took turns, with chopsticks, picking up the bones and placing them in a box. And that was it. It wasn't as dramatic as I anticipated, but it was still very interesting. An experience I will probably never have again. That is, unless I marry into a Japanese family mwahahhaha. Then my bones would be picked up with chopsticks. I think thats a pretty good way to go out... :/

We got transfer news and everyon in my zone is staying, except they are trading one person out. Pretty crazy, but I am really excited to be working with this zone for my last transfer! I love these people and especially my district! We have become pretty tight.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

I don't think I will every get over how much I love my country and how grateful I am for it and it's freedom. We celebrated the 4th of July with our Eikaiwa class and made a yummy dessert. It looks a little messy, but boy was it delish.

I do not remember if I have talked about this before, but every morning at 6:30am we get together with a bunch of neighborhood old people and do what is called Radio Taiso. It's like a stretch routine type thing. Just look it up online, everyone in Japan knows and does it. Tuesday was the 4 year anniversary of this neighborhood getting together to do it, so we celebrated with a nice dinner. I love Japanese people.

Okay, 1 more miracle than I will be done. After trying to street in the blazing heat, we were walking to the train station to head home. We hear a honk and a car pulls over next to us. It was one of our Eikaiwa friends who we call Uncle Morio!! He was with his friend and they were going to lunch and asked us to join. Well, OKAY! We drove about 30 minutes into the mountains, then had an amazing lunch by this super pretty lake. The view and greenery was sooo pretty. It made me want to go swimming SO BAD but it's okay, my time will come. Yay for Uncle Morio!

I think what might be fitting for this email is sharing my testimony about the Plan of Salvation. I loveee the Plan of Salvation. I know that this earth life isn't all there is. After we die, we have the opportunity to live with our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and our family for eternity. It breaks my heart to know that a lot of people think it's the end, and they will never see their loved ones again. But noooo, God loves us too much to just send us to earth for nothing.

I wish you could have all seen Nobue's face as we were teaching her about the Plan of Salvation. Her face when we told her the good news that her mom's spirit still lives. Her pointing to the spirit world on the little map and saying my mom is here right now, learning. Her finding out about the things we do in the temple for the dead and saying I want to go there! This is what Jesus Christ's gospel brings. Hope and Joy.

I know that our good works on this earth will be rewarded and the hard things we go through are not for no reason. I am thankful for this knowledge to to be able to teach people about it. I think it is one of the happiest truths I get to teach!

God loves you all!

I love you! Thank you always for the support and emails! It always means a lot and makes me so happy!

Make it a good week!

Oh and God bless America fr!

<3 Sister Peterson

07/06/2025