Final letter! 12-1-14

Konnichiwa, kazoku! Sorry this one won't be quite as long because I get to type on a touchscreen keyboard toda and I am not very jouzu. Anyway, thanks for the email. The Football game sounds like it was a lOt of fun. I am so proud of them! Also glad you got to see devin and Heather for thanksgiving. Our thanksgiving dinner was so good. Probably one of my favorite parts was when one of the brazillian elders was eating sweet potatoes for the first time and he looked up and said wow pumpkin pie is really good! We all got a laugh out of that one. Some of the hiroshima members had us Saijou kids over for dinner that night so we were pretty full when we got on the train home. Fortunately though didn't have the same experience alan went through on his mission. Haha. One fun thing from last week was that on Tuesday we had three different lessons where we were teaching lesson three to three different investigators, but it was cool because they were all different. Really learned the import of teaching lessons not people. Also our last district meeting was so good. I've had the same district leader for the last four transfers, and he is going home at the same time as me so he shared some really good stories from his mission and we were all able to testify about the power of Christ and how h has helped us. I love this district this transfer. It is probably my favorite district that I have been in. 

Nakayamasan is doing so well! Her baptismal interview is tomorrow and we are so excited for her. It has been so wonderful to see her testimony growing and the light of the gospel come into her life. 

When we were housing last week we ran in ato an older couple. When we said we were missionaries, they stiffened up and said they were Buddhist and didn't believe In Christ, which is a pretty common response around here. But rather than just walking away we started asking them what influence it has had in their life and talking about them, and they really opened up and we became good friends. Then, the man went in the back of the house for a minute and came back with four beautiful handcarved japanese tops and gave them to us. They were so nice! I just love being able to talk to god's children everyday. I love being a missionary! 

Gave a talk in church yesterday. Me and elder wood were the only speakers and spoke about what we have learned on our missions.  It was aa really good experience. I started crying a little which was a bit embarrassing, but I couldn't help it when I looked out and saw some of my favorite people sitting there with tears in their eyes.

Love it here. Love my mission. Never want to leave but I am of course excited to see you all again! Be prepared to have your ears talked off about JAPAN, as well as my bad english grammar, and all sorts of awkwardness. Love you so much. Thanks for your love and support - I'll SEE you in a few days!!!!!

Ai shite imasu!

Flake Shimai.

Can't wait to see this bright smiling face in person

Flying Squirrels!! 11-23-14

Konnichiwa, kazoku!

Thanks for the letter! Sounds like a fun week! Let me just give a shout-out for the snowflake football team- I totally was telling the elders in my district last week how proud I was of our team going to playoffs and all that (doesn't matter that it's been years since I graduated haha). They were happy for us too. Gosh I can't believe how fast time flies. Yes so I have officially been in Saijou for 6 transfers - almost 9 months - aka half of my mission. I love it here so much. I love all of my areas because of different reasons but this is my favorite. There is such a special feeling here. It's hard to describe but Saijou is just bursting with possibility. More on that later. Unfortunately, there's some technicalities being worked out still so we're not a branch yet - just doing our best with our happy little Saijou twig. It's great. It's funny - you'd think that after 18th months I'd be just grand with missionary stuff, right? Nope - still make mistakes all the time! Good thing Heavenly Father is patient with us! 

Funny language mishap that occured last week. We were teaching Nakayamasan the law of chastity, temples, and eternal marriage last week (takeda shimai was jointing) and these are two of the nicest people ever. Anyway, I was telling nakayama san that in the temple she could be sealed to her family but instead of saying musubi, the right word, I said musasabi (flying squirrel). Yep, defnitely accidently said she could have a flying squirrel with her in the temple. They both burst out laughing and I realized right away what I said and we were all almost in tears it was so funny. I have never used the word musasabi in conversation but it is a word I learned in teh MTC thanks to the elders in our district. what an opportune time for it to come out, right? Haha anyway it was pretty funny. Nakayamasan is doing great and looking really solid for december 13th - I am so happy for her! Fujimotosan (she is our investigator that reminds me of grandma moody) set a baptismal date last week!!! woohoo!! Only catch is... it is for November 22, 2015. Haha. She is working through some courage things right now but once she makes a promise she keeps it. She will be getting baptized! We are working on moving it up a bit but she really does have that desire to be baptized and we are so excited for her. 

Our district is the best. Two of the elders made us all really cool Saijou sweaters. We all get along so well - it is like a little family here. I love it. 

Thanksgiving - so it is clearly not celebrated in japan unless you happen to be in the same district as teh mission president and his wife (last year's thanksgiving) or in sister lamb's district (this year). She is putting together a HUGE meal for the 2 hiroshima zones today so we  are all headed in to hiroshima in a couple of hours for a big zone pday and dinner. I definitely lucked out on that one - both thanksgivings without even being in america:) 

We've been teaching all sorts of people this week but I don't have time for anything else except our biggest miracle of the week - we were visiting a member a few days ago and as we were walking down the stairs of her apartment building a girl was standing a few doors down and asked us where we were from, and we said america and she said Oh come into my house! I'm from the PHillipines - let's talk! So we went in and talked for a few minutes to her and her roommate and set up a time to come back in a few days whne her other roommates were home (and ebcause it was almost 9 at the time). So we went back a few days later, expecting more of a solid BRT and explaining to them a bit about our purpose as missionaries. We got there and all 4 of these philippino girls were there and they had made us a huge meal (it was SO good - all the philippine food I've had is so good) and we all just talked and had a great time - became great friends. the conversation naturally drifted toward re,ligion and what whe were doing here and they started asking some really good questions. We simply explained a bit, thne asked if we could come over the next week to explain a little more. They started nodding, then one girl just said but I just really want to know now! So, we taught the restoration! They were really receptive, and all 4 of them are interested in learning more! We're going back again next week to teach them! They are all in their 20s and here in japan working for a year. It was one of the craziest moments of my mission. Also, it was the first time I had recited the Joseph smith experience in English in a lesson. It was such a wonderful thing. I LOVE being here. Anyway, so much more to say but that's all I have time for for now - I love you all and thanks for your support!!!! Have a good week!!!!

Ai shite imasu!

Flake Shimai

Busy bees! 11-16-14

Konnichiwa, kazoku!

Sounds like you have had a crazy week - lots of going back and forth to Phoenix! Otsukaresamadesu. Sorry, doesn't really have a good english translation - literal translation is you are a very hard worker - but it makes a lot more sense in japanese. Anyway, I'm glad all of the allstate things went well for you! I am sure it is a huge relief to finally be done with all of that. I can't believe there have been 2 arizona temples dedicated since I left - I am excited to go and see them! 

As always we had a great week that was really really busy. We're teaching about triple the amount of lessons each week this transfer that I've taught in some past transfers. It's nuts - we are always dashing to appointments or housing or contacting on the street and basically don't have any time to breathe but it is so good. Gazdik shimai is a really hard worker - we are having a great time together. Some exciting news -when we met with Nakayamasan, our investigator with the date for 12/21, we were able to move her date up to 12/13! She is progressing really well. We taught her the word of wisdom last week and even though it is hard (mostly coffee and tea) she is trying her best and keeping it! We were excited to move it up and she was as well. A little part of me is sad that I will be missing it by a week but it is a-okay - the important part is that she will be getting baptized!! We are so excited for her. Fujimotosan, our cute grandma is really making leaps and bounds of progress as well. She is a bit stubborn, and was struggling a bit with some things with her prayers and scripture study, but we were able to discover her concerns and overcome them and now she is praying twice a day and reading 3 pages a day! When we asked her to set her own baptismal date last week, she said she could get baptized november of 2015. We asked what she would need in order to be baptized before then, and she said courage. We're working on building her faith, and will be moving that date up just a little bit :)

Last exciting news as far as lessons go is that Watanabe  san is doing quite well. She is really smart, really intense and has wonderful questions. I love it. I love meeting with her. It is so fun! Gosh being a missionary is really just the best. We get to teach people about something that has made us so happy, and when we're not teaching we are out talking to strangers about that same happiness! We meet the most interesting variety of people every day. I realized the other day that I have been here in saijou for a while. When I first came here, one of the elders had been here for about 9 months or something and he knew some people by name on the street that they would pass. I thought that was crazy -- until it started happening to me. We will stop to talk to someone and I will realize I've talked to them before, sometimes multiple times. Too funny. Speaking of - I had my 18 month mark last week. Crazy, right? It definitely doesn't feel like it has been that long. I still feel like I just got here. To celebrate, we went to a really good panya ( bread store? bakery?) right by our house that we've been wanting to try. I got a couple of dessert ish bread things, then ordered the lunch special which comes with endless plain breads like croissants and rolls. Funniest thing ever. When I ordered those things togetbher, the lady at the cash register told me You know this comes with endless bread, right - pointing to the bread things I was buying. I told her I knew that, and would like them both. She just gave me a funny look that seemed to say well she's american - of course she would want all that bread. We were laughing for awhile about that one.

Last bit of news - yesterday was crazy! I taught sunday school again, and right after church we booked it on over to hiroshima for hayashi san's baptism (one of the elders investigators) - and I was asked to speak at that too! luckily it was the same topic I had just taught for an hour on in sunday school and one that we talk about all the time - baptism!

Right after the baptism we hustled on home and took off for another lesson and visiting a referral and pi. Loads of fun - Saijo is the best! Love being here! Lots more happened but not time - maybe next week!!! LOVE YOU and have a great week!

AI shite imasu!

Flake Shimai 

Zone conference and Rain 11-10-14

Konnichiwa, kazoku!

Thanks for the update! I'm glad to hear about the football, choirs, and musicals. Sounds like you all are keeping pretty busy! I'll try to start off with a few answers to questions... The answer is yes. Just like that missionary that just got home from Brazil I think my english will be a bit of a struggle. Mostly just in the sense of my grammar will be horrendous, and the way I word everything will sound weird to you. Easiest way to put it is that Japanese and English are opposite languages, and they do not directly translate. Be excited for some funny times for you, and embarrasing times for me. It'll happen.

As far as the nativity sets go - I haven't seen any. I talked to a few members last Christmas, and they didn't know of any either. The only place they can think of is Costco, but it has American sets - go figure. Basically, living in a country where only 1% of the entire population is Christian makes it a little hard to find anything to do with Christ. But I will try to find one for ya mom!

And I am glad you had such a good birthday!

I just had a crazy thought. Logan has met some Japanese friends in Iowa - I met some Brazillians here - Devin sent his portugese testimony to me and totally helped our Brazillian investigators. I can send my Japanese testimony to Logan and he can give that to his friends. How cool is it that we can help each other out because of the places where we've served? I love missions!

We had a great week, but like always it was a little crazy. Last monday we booked it on over to HIroshima and had a fun pday with some of the hiroshima missionaries - played sports and did a scavenger hunt, ate food at costco (because yes, there is a costco in hiroshima - definitely had not had a hot dog for a long time before coming to hiroshima) which was fun - but one of the best things was getting to dendo (do missionary work) in Hiroshima for a few hours that night. We did mini-splits with Lane and cook shimai. We had 12 missionaries (the four of us shimai and the 8 elders) spread all around the train station (which is huge, by the way) contacting people, giving out book of mormons, and just talking to people. I was with cook shimai, and we had so much fun. We were able to talk to a lot of really cool people and got several pretty promising potential investigators. 

We stayed the nigth in Hiroshima with lane and cook and it was hilarious. It's kind of weird though only having 4 sisters in our whole zone, but it's fun because we are all really good friends. We had zone conference the next day, and were able to learn a lot from President and the APs. It was fun - for about the past 10 months or so we've started having what we missionaries lovingly like to call "boot camp zone conferences." It's where after a few hours of training and after lunch, we have a few hours of drilling. President calls missionaries up to the front and has them dendo (do missionary work? contact?) him. He'll say pretend I'm tanaka san, and I want you to come up to me like you would someone on the street and tell me about family history and how my ancestors can help me. or "pretend you just met me and invite me to be baptized"  or "pretend I am a chain smoker and a drinker and you are going to teach me the word of wisdom and why it will bless my life" or a bunch of different things like that. The first time we had a zone conference like this I was a little scared and pretty nervous about my Japanese but after I chilled out a little it became really fun. It is really fun to see the other missionaries that we're such great friends with teaching and hear their testimonies. President also had every person stand up (one transfer at a time - for example "all the first transfers stand up, 2nd transfers, etc" ) and he gave us a word in english that we had to say in japanese (and the japanese missionaries were vice versa). Fun stuff. But really I learned a lot from the conference - one thing that Gazdik and I have been trying to do every day is be a lot better with mogis (roleplays) for our lessons and it has definitely helped us become better teachers with our investigators. 

We had a nother lesson with watanabesan and it went well - I am excited to teach her tonight. NAkayamasan has a baptismal date fore 12/21 and we are finally able to start teaching her twice a week - wednesdays and sundays. ever since we set this solid schedule with her things have been better. She is super nice and super quiet, but she's doing great!

We had a lesson with hasegawa (68 yr old) and our recent convert kishita shimai, and it went GREAT. We saw a ton of crazy miracles this week in our lessons - we really tried our hardest to get a lot of member present lessons and their testimonies helped our lessons so much. even though we don't have tons of people here in our little group, we are still able to do so much and I know it is through the Lord's help. 

We had 4 investigators at church yesterday!!!super exciting. gazdik shimai gave an awesome talk in sacrament meeting about the atonement and I got to teach sunday school yesterday about repentance - it was a lot of fun. I love the gospel principles book. It really does explain things so so well. Oh and takeda shimai spoke in church yesterday and gave an awesome talk about her conversion!!! She was really scared but did really well. We were so proud of her. :D

One thing that was a bit of a disappointment was we had a restoration/review lesson with barbara and ruby, our favorite phillipinos. We challenged them to pray about the restoration and joseph smith, and they politely turned us down - basically established that they were completley happy with what they believed in and were glad that we were happy with our beliefs too.That was sad, but at least we know where that stands now. 

And it's been raining off and on for the last year and a half. Lets just say I have perfected keeping my fliers and book of mormons that we hand out dry, even in the pouring rain. Ultimate win. :D 

Well that is a bit about the week - gotta run! Love ya!

Ai shite imasu!!!!

Flake Shimai

ps we went to a high school festival with all sorts of super cool exhibits (our 16 yr old investigator's high school). they had an awesome band, super good taiko (japanese drum) group, learned cool origami, saw cool frogs - - anyway it was a good time.

Another great week! 11-2-14

Konnichiwa, kazoku!

First off - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your letter! I'm glad all of the Homecoming things went well - it sounds like you have a fun group this year. Also way fun to hear that the football team is doing so well, too. The allstate jazz choir, region show choir and normal choir stuff sounds as busy as ever but I know how fun that all is! Good luck with all of that! When is the jazz choir performance? And yes, in answer to your question about the Halloween party costume - let's just say Japanese conditioner is not quite as good as American conditioner. It took a bit of time to get my hair back to normal. Takeda shimai couldn't come to the Halloween party because of work but everyone else that came really had a great time. Speaking of, yes - Takeda shimai is doing GREAT. She jointed for us last week (as the member in a member present lesson) with Yotsujisan and it went really well. She bore her testimony of how having faith in Jesus Christ has helped her and told Yotsuji that she had just been baptized two weeks earlier so she was still learning but knows that she is happier and more at peace now than she was before.  It was incredible!

As always have quite a few things to report - ganbarimasu!

Hasuikesan - a bit of a strange situation. We had a way good lesson with her the week before and we met and taught the restoration this week but it was kind of hard because I think there was just a lot of new information that she had never heard before at all (absolutely no Christian background) and she has some hard things going on in her family right now so she was a little distracted. Anyway, she called us later that day and said she had some concerns that she wanted to discuss with us, so we decided we would meet a few days later to sit down and talk. Problem is, she didn't come to the appointment, and has stopped answering our calls and texts. We are hoping and praying to be able to contact her. During our last lesson, she shared an incredible experience. The previoius lesson we had taught her about prayer. She said that since that lesson she had been praying to know if God really exists, and just felt that she needed help and strength to get through some of the challenges going on in her life. She said that after she prayed she just felt peace, and felt as though she gained the strength from God to get through the struggles she was going through. AFter that experience, she came to believe in God. It is so wonderful because right now as missionaries  we are able to see these experiences that others have in their own lives and help them understand more about them. I love it! I am trying every2r yday to be more of the missionary Heavenly Father needs me to be so he can use me as a tool in his hands. 

Hasegawasan - she is our investigator that is cute and older - her hearing is kind of bad so we just teach really loudly (not quite a yell, but almost) but she is a sweetheart and doing really well. 

Nakayamasan - she has  a baptismal date and is doing great! we had a joint lesson with Lisa shimai which was fun - they are great friends now even though they don't speak a common language. When I was talking, gazdik would translate for lisa, and when gazdik was talking I would translate. Kind of an interesting way to teach a lesson but it worked out pretty well.

More things to report but no time. Just know that going from 4 sisters down to 2 has made our lives absolutely insane. We barely have time to breathe - we are always running to appointments, biking as fast as we can, planning, mogi-ing (in english I think that is roleplays? maybe?) contacting people on the street, and just tryhing our best! It is so much fun. I can't even think of a better way to be spending my last transfer. It is already flying by. We are having a blast!

Last big miracle of the week - Watanabe san! (sorry for the small print - just copied/pasted from my pres. letter

We met with Watanabe san last night. She had gone to the hikari branch last week at the invitation of a friend but lives in saijou. We asked her how she found out about the chruch and sshe said that she went to Utah a few months ago for a work conference, and when she was there she made a friend (a nihonjin lady living in oregon married to an american) that was LDS. She also saw the salt lake temple and was impressed with that. When they were on their way to something that day, their car had a flat tire. A man driving by stopped to help them figure out how to fix it and such, but it was going to take a while so he cancelled his meetings and things he had to do in order to help them. He was a mormon, too. She was blown away that someone would be so kind as to stop and help a complete stranger, and go as far as to cancel his own busy schedule to help someone he didn't know. Last week, her friend from oregon was visiting Japan and invited Watanabe san to go to church with her. She went and really enjoyed the environment and the peace there, which is why she was interested in meeting with us.
How incredible is that?!? I know that the Lord is involved in all of his childrens' lives! This is a huge testimony to me. I am so grateful to be here, working in Japan and am grateful for all the things I've learned on my mission.

I hope you have a great week - I love you all so much and am so grateful for your love and support!

Ai shite imasu!

Flake Shimai

Staying Put! 10-26-14

Halloween party.  My new companion Sister Gazdik--Poor girl

Fall in Japan

Samurai Elders?

Konnichiwa kazoku!

Well, since I'm sure you are dying to know if I got transferred or not I will tell you all about it. I get to finish my mission in the best area ever!!! BUT I do have a new companion. Sou shimai transferred to Iwakuni, which is the military branch (all the americans -  alllll English. she'll be great. she was pretty scared but she'll be a champ). And Burgon shimai went home this transfer... so I became companions with Gazdik shimai, whom I have been living with for the past two transfers! One thing that is a little sad is that Saijou went down to 2 man for sisters - so me and Gazdik combined our areas and investigators. It has been a little bit hectic figuring out things with our apartment and all of our investigators but it is already a lot of fun. It's funny though - I haven't lived in a 2 man apartment since I was a bean, so that has been a fun adjustment as well. It is a little more quiet, but it's good. One thing that was a little sad was that we had to say goodbye to two missionaries but didn't get to welcome any more in. We had been sleeping with our futons right next to our desks (aka NO space) since I came to Saijou (there are just the two rooms, so each companionship had a room) but we have a little more room now so we were able to convert one into our study and one into the bedroom. That has been way nice.

Anyway, I'll stop boring you with the details like that - but on to everything going no! Thanks for telling me about your week - it sure does sound like a party! Mom, I am convinced that you guys have made it to every vocal point concert since Devin joined the group. haha. One day I will go too! But really, I am so glad you were all able to go up and see them it sounds like you had a lot of fun!

I am glad your concerts and auditions went well. What musical are you doing this year? Also thanks for the football update. It's always appreciated:)

Yes, last week was so wonderful with the baptismal service and everything that went on with that. This week was good - we taught a TON of lessons. There were a lot of lessons before Thursday with me and sou, and gazdik and burgon, then gazdik and I really buckled down and got a lot of things done that we needed to get done this weekend. We are really similar, and are planning on making every last minute count this transfer. She has a lot of enthusiasm, which is fun. Oh a bit about her - so Burgon was her trainer, I get the honors of breaking her - she is starting her 3rd transfer right now. She is from California and is 1/4 Japanese (her grandpa is Japanese) which is pretty fun. Small world fun fact is that I was in a few classes with her older sister at college (same program with Rec therapy). Yep. We are just workin as hard as we can!

I feel like I have too many things to say - I guess I will suffice with some simple basics. Takeda shimai is doing great. We officially started the AB lessons and she is doing really well and continuing to come closer to Christ every day. Her testimony is awesome - I know she is a wonderful addition to our Saijou group!

We have a new investigator, Hasuike that I might have told you about last week - she is a referral from one of our eikaiwa students. She has a lot of interest in learning more about God. Can't wait to keep teaching her!

Yotsujisan - we made a baptismal date/goal with her a few weeks ago but she is really busy right now with work and family things so we are trying to work out the specifics with her right now. She still wants to get baptized but is kind of wavering on setting a date.

Fujimoto san is so cute - she reminds me of a Japanese version of Grandma Moody. True story. She has the same mannerisms and is just great. She is one of Gazdik's (now mine, too) investigators that we were able to teach last night. She has been struggling with receiving/recognizing answers to her prayers. We just taught her in her genkan, a pretty small place but the spirit was so strong I felt like I could feel it with my hand. We felt prompted to promise her some pretty specific blessings that she could receive if she was more specific and diligent in her prayers. It is an incredible feeling to walk out of a lesson and feel like we did everything we could and the Lord was directing his work! I have learned a lot of things on my mission - but one huge thing is just that it is not about us. We are not the ones doing things here - it is always the Lord and we need to do everything we can to turn to Him and trust that he will use us as tools in His hands if we do all we can. I love being here and honestly don't want to ever leave. I am so grateful for all of the things I have learned on my mission and really cannot imagine what my life would have been like had I not come. Well sorry for the rambling but I love you all so much - thank you for all of your support and prayers - we definitely feel them here!

愛しています！

フレーク姉妹　　より                          Love you!!! - Sister Flake

PS--I am sorry I feel like I always forget to answer your questions - -

Our group has about 13 members now. 10 of which have been baptized since last December :) So we are not officially a branch yet - there are certain requirements, like 4 melchizedek priesthood holders and ten people or something like that. we met the requirements a few months ago and sent in the paperwork to SLC to become a branch but it is still getting figured out and the OK has not been given yet. It is a bit of a bummer, because since we are not a branch yet there are a bunch of things we have to deal with with being in the same ward as the Hiroshima members, things we can't do here because we're not independent and stuff. I'll fill you in on the details one day but we are working are hardest on getting everything set up here! we normall have 30 ish at church between members, investigators, and missionaries which is way cool. our room maximum is 41 (fire code regulations). We just have 2 rented rooms on the second floor in a huge office building/apartment building. the bummer is that since we're not an official branch we are not registered on line, so people searching for where the church is here can't find it. but that is where the lord steps in and miraculously leads us to them or them to us!

also we have met some Christians from mianmar and Cambodia that came to church yesterday! we've only taught them once, but goodness gracious I don't know how missionaries teach Christians. it's the hardest thing of my life. I prefer Buddhists. yep. more on that later.

And one more thing - we had the best Halloween party EVER last week. it was so fun. I was a mad scientist - you're gonna love the pictures. maybe I am a little crazy.  It was so much fun and we saw crazy miracles with ward members becoming better friends. loads of fun!!

Baptism!! 10-20-14

With Takedasan

Konnichiwa, kazoku!

As fate would have it the week I have the most to tell you is the week I am typing my letter on a tiny touchscreen keyboard tablet thanks to technical difficulties with the normal computers we use. Bear with me, please:-) 

Well... The big news of the week is that Takedasan got baptized this past Saturday!!! It was such a wonderful service. I just couldn't stop smiling the whole time. Of course there were a few funny quirks that went on but all in all it turned out great. I'll give you a quick rundown. We rode the train in to Hiroshima with her and went to eat Chinese food before the baptism. Sou shimai had a great chat with our waitress for awhile and invited her to church (I think). We headed on over to the church and got pictures and made sure everything was all set up. The zone leaders had taken care of filling the font for us which really helped us out a lot. The service started smoothly - I gave takeda's as introduction, sou shimai gave a talk, a ward member  gave a talk, and us saijo sisters sang a song, after which we headed to the font. We helped her get to the edge of the water, and she stepped in and then jumped right out, saying It's too hot! So I stuck my hand in and sure enough it was pretty toasty in there. She was not about to get in and I don't blame her one bit - I would have done the same! We pulled the plug and started pouring in the cold water , and eventually plugged it back up and the water evened out. It got to an acceptable temperature and we were able to move on with the baptism. The rest went really well, and when she bore her testimony the spirit was so strong. I know that God really does prepare  his children and cares about every one of them. This has become one of the happiest memories I have.

She is doing great!

We were also able to meet with Tanaka San this week - she is 21 and has  a really cute little baby. We met her on the street a few weeks ago and as luck would have it we liveinthe same apt building. We had a few lessons with her and they went really well. We are excited to keep working with her.

Another miracle - we got a referral from one of our eikaiwa students. Her friend wanted to know about God so she introduced her to us, and we had a solid lesson. I have countless things to tell you but notenough time or ability today. Sorry! 

Things are going well here. We are slightly anxious as we are waiting for the APs to call but I know whatever happens is what needs to happen!

Thanks for letting me know about your week - it sounded like a lot of fun! I can't believe there are two new Arizona temples. I am excited to see them eventually. Have a great week - I will let you know about transfers next week! I love you!!!!

Ai shite imasu!

Flake shimai.

Typhoons and Takedasan 10-13-14

Konnichiwa, kazoku! 

So many things to say ---- but the most important is Takedasan passed her baptismal interview, which means she is getting baptized thiscoming Saturday!!!!!! Just a bit about that day, then I will back up. So, while elder Wood, our district leader, was in a room interviewing her I was just pacing. I felt way good about everything, but was just nervous for her because she was so scared for the interview. After half an hour or so, he came out but closed the door behind him, and beckoned me over. He said (with a serious face) "Hey Flake shimai, I just have one question. Did you guys go over..." then he smiled and said "just kidding - she passed!" I slugged him in the arm. Hard. I felt a little bad, because I have been so good at not punching anybody for a year and a half but he scared me so bad! Anyway it was awesome talking to Takedasan afterwards by herself. She told us she had been so nervous when it started but as the interview went along she was able to open up and felt a lot of comfort and peace. Thank you so much for your prayers - we really felt them!

Okay - I will now try to give a bit more about the week. So when wonderful things are happening, Satan always tries to get us down a bit, right? But we just can't let him get us! There were a few hard things going on in the earlier part of this week, and it wasn't anything big but let's just say I was sure looking forward to being able to listen to general conference this weekend.  This has been one of the hardest but best transfers of my mission. Both extremes. Crazy how that happens :) but it sure does! Anyway, it became alright. We had companion exchanges on Friday and it was such a party. My current STLS are Babcock and Kuchar - I absolutely LOVE these sisters. They were in neighboring areas when I was serving in Fukuoka, and we probably almost saw each other once every 1 or 2 weeks for 6 months, so we are pretty great friends. They've been up here in Hiroshima (Yasufuruichi) for a while too, so it's been great being around them. Anyway I got to go on exchanges with Babcock and it was great. It was a bit of a release being able to just talk in English for  a bit to someone. Funny how that can relax you, but it sure does! We taught Yotsujisan, our really nice but super quiet investigator on Friday. We taught lesson 3, and it was solid. The spirit was so strong, and she really started opening up to us. We had invited her to be baptized the previous time we had met with her, but at that time she had not been super interested in setting a date so we were not planning on asking her again this time. But, after teaching the doctrine of Christ and feeling the spirit so strong I had the strongest feeling to invite her again. At first I didn't want to, logically telling myself we had done it last time and she hadn't been interested, but it persisted so I invited her to be baptized on November 29th and she accepted! I don't know who was more surprised, me, Yotsujisan, or Babcock shimai, but we all agreed to work on getting her baptized that day! I learned a lot from that experience. I am trying to  work a lot more on following all the promptings of the Spirit - not just when it's convenient. I think I will really be able to grow and be a better missionary as I do this. That same day, the other sisters were able to teach Tanakasn, a potential investigator that lives in the same apartment building as us and it went really well - we're actually meeting with her again in a couple of hours. Yay for junkai (exchanges?) miracles!

Kishita shimai, one of the recent converts we are working with has been preparing to receive her patriarchal blessing. She was able to receive it after general conference on Sunday, and it was a really good experience for her. I am so glad.

General Conference!!!!!! I think I could talk forever about how much I love general conference, but I will leave it at that for now. I feel like every time, the talks get more direct and I absolutely love it. We can learn so much from our church leaders. God really does answer our personal questions through them. I really was able to feel the peace I was needing this weekend. 

Also I was so surprised when they got to speak in their native language! I am excited to see how this will be in the future, too.

Speaking of - DEVIN. How incredible is that? I was so blown away to hear about that awesome experience you all had as vocal point got to sing at that big conference! I really am so happy for you!

Saturday night after conference we went and stayed the night with the hikari sisters (Lane and Nigh) and of course that was a party. They are so much fun. 

2 more things, then I will end this novel. :D One  huge miracle. This weekend, saturday and sunday was the Saijo annual sake matsuri (alcohol festival). Saijo is really famous for it's alcohol - there is a huge factory just a few blocks away from our apartment. Every fall they do a huge festival - lots of booths and things going on all over town but the biggest part is you can enter this one area, and pay some entrance fee then have free beer from all over Japan. There are hundreds of kinds of beer. Tons. Aka, everyone that goes just gets wasted. Here's the miracle - it was the exact same times as general conference, therefore we did not have to dendo (do our normal missionary work) when all that craziness was going on. When we got back Sunday night, the festival was just ending. When we stepped off the train from hiroshima in to Saijou, the smell of alcohol just slammed into us like a wall - it was SO strong. I have never been more glad in my life that I don't drink. As we walked from the station to our apartment, it really was the most sobering sight (but not sober sight - hehe) we just passed crowd after crowd of people that couldn't even walk straight, were sitting with vomit all over their shoes, or were just passed out on the ground. Also groups of people singing and yelling and talking really loud. Might not sound that crazy to you, but let me tell you this - it was NOT normal Japan. Japanese people are super quiet and respectful and don't bring attention to themselves, so seeing that was pretty weird. 

OH and before the saturday morning session of conference (sorry quick rewind) the elder's investigator, Yamashita san was baptized! IT was one of the best services. The spirit was so strong!

Last thing. Yesterday was quite the day. We were all put on lockdown for the first time on my mission. None of the missionaries on the islands of honshu (us hiroshima kids) and kyushu were allowed to leave their apartments all day, but we were to still have a normal missionary ywork kind of day. So, we ended up calling every single potential investigator and investigator we have, as well as updating records, searching through the whole area book, etc.. as well as extra study. It was kind of fun, because the weather was so crazy but it was the best thing ever to wake up the next morning and go running for exercise. It literally rained all day (which is slightly normal) but the winds were also really really strong. Don't you fret - we  are all fine! But that is why pday is today.

Whew, sorry for that excessive amount of information, but it was quite the week! I love you all and have a great week! 

Ai shite imasu!

Flake Shimai

Go Carps!! 10-5-14

Base ball Japanese Style.  Is that a sushi Roll?

Cheering on the Hiroshima Carps

Sou Shimai and myself at the game

On the train

Konnichiwa, kazoku! 

Thank you so much for the letter - I hope you start feeling a bit better, mom! I'll start off by answering a few of your questions.

Our special training with the Gustafsons and the APs was wonderful - we learned a lot. It was really cool - a lot about using more media, DVDs, movie clips and QR codes and those kinds of things in our every day missionary work.  I think our mission will be getting ipads about a month or so after I leave, which I am perfectly okay with. I love trainings. We always learn so much but most importantly feel so much love from the Gustafsons. They care about each of us so much, even though there are 259 missionaries here. I talked to him about BYU admission stuff and I have permission to figure it out on pdays, but honestly right now that is about all I know. Mom, if you or Devin or Heather could maybe talk to the admissions office for me this week that would be great, and we can both work on this stuff. It would really help if you could get a few things moving and then let me know what I need to do, and I can plan on sitting down and figuring it out next pday. 

Also... I am SO excited to hear that they beat Blue Ridge! That's the best news of the day! Go team!

And with conference - we will be watching it this coming weekend because it gets translated then shown a week later - so we will go to our stake center in Takasu (about 1 hr 20 min ish away) with the whole stake, but while all the members go watch it in the chapel in Japanese, we go to basically the American missionary room and watch it in English. I can't wait!

And more happy news - I got to see the Women's broadcast for the first time since being on my mission- huzzah!

Thank you for keeping Takedasan in your prayers - I really appreciate it! She is doing really well. We had a practice baptismal interview with her this week, and it went really well but she was SO nervous. She is excited to be baptized, but really nervous and scared as well so if you could keep praying for her to feel comfort that would be great!

Lots of stories to tell - ganbarimasu! Okay, so last pday while we were food shopping I smiled and said hello to this random lady in the store, and she looked at me, looked around, then started talking to me in a whisper really fast about how she had a lot of problems in her life. She was recently divorced, and had a stalker, and some really hard things in her life. We talked to her for a bit, and told her how we turn to God when we have things like this and asked if we could meet again to talk about these things. She agreed, and we set up an appointment to meet later in the week at the church. The meeting we had was one of the hardest things of my mission. At that next appointment, we learned a lot more about her situation. She has had a really hard life, and has lots of crazy things going on. We tried to explain to her that through God and Jesus Christ she would be able to feel more peace, and would be strengthened to be able to bear the things she was going through. The moment we started talking about religion, she stiffened up and said no - there is nothing that can help me in this situation. We felt prompted to make some pretty bold promises to her about how her situation could change if she would turn to God, but she refused to even consider it, and just kept telling us it was impossible for her situation to change. As she left the room that day, I just felt so sad that she couldn't see that help or even consider that we have such a loving Heavenly Father. I know that this gospel could have helped her. Maybe one day she will remember. That's what I am hoping for, anyway. I am so grateful that we have the knowledge of this gospel. 

On a different subject - Tuesday was quite the day. We went in to Hiroshima early Tuesday morning for our special training and we were there most of the day. Right after training finished, we walked to Costco and got huge hotdogs (first time I've eaten a hotdog in 17 months) and met up with our investigator, Ayako san to go to the Hiroshima Carps baseball game! It was SO much fun. We went with Ayako san and the other sisters were there with their investigator Naokosan. Funniest thing happened with that. Ayakosan was going to get all 6 tickets and have us pay her back, and we were planning on the cheapest tickets. She ended up entering an auction, and got 6 tickets that were origina\lly more exp;ensive  but at the auction price were pretty cheap. I was blown away when we walked in to go to our seats and just kept walking down the stairs. Our seats were right next to the infield (by first base) on the seventh row. We could hear the players talking we were so close! I'll try to send a few pics - it was so fun. We didn't get to stay for a super long time - we had to leave in the middle of the 4th inning in order to get back to Saijo by 9:00 but it was so worth it. We were there for almost 2 hours though, which was great. AND apparently we were on TV - some members called us and told us. Too good.

We also were finally able to meet with Barbara san, our favorite Phillipino! She brought her roommate Rubi to our lesson, who was really interested and came to church the next day! It is so interesting serving here and having the opportunity to teach such a wide variety of people. Our investigators include older Japanese women that are very Buddhist, phillipinos that are devout Catholics, Brazillians that believe in God and Christ but don't go to church except on Christmas and Easter, and younger Japanese women that don't know quite what to believe - whether to follow their family's buddhist beliefs or find their own. Yay for missions and learning experiences!

I taught Sunday school again yesterday and it was pretty fun. We had a good turn out and everyone was really involved in the lesson, which always makes class a little more fun. :D

We got to see the women's broadcast here at the Lamb couple's apartment with us sister missionaries and a few members. It was so good. I loved President Uchtdorf's talk. So uplifting.

Eikaiwa is fun as always - I'll tell you more stories about that one day too.

I love you all - sorry ythat's all I have time for this week but keep up the great work and have  agreat  week! 

Ai shite imasu!

Flake Shimai

Happy October! 9-28-14

Konnichiwa, kazoku!

It's been quite a week, as always! There are too many things going on. But that's what makes it all fun and worth it, right?  Okay quick run down on the week:

Takeda san - she is doing so well! The reason we're waiting on her baptism for a few weeks is because mid october is the soonest she could get work off - and we have to go in to Hiroshima for the baptism. But she is doing great! We have been able to talk a lot about how happy these teachings are and see her apply them and want to learn more. I love her! I have seen this gospel change her life and am so excited for her to be baptized. She told us she is really excited but a little nervous and sometimes if she thinks about it too much she can't sleep but she is happy. I love her!

We had a few other lessons this week with some cute older Japanese ladies that are very Buddhist but that's my favorite - I love being able to teach this gospel to people that don't know much about it because it is kind of like a clean slate - they can come to know Christ as their Saviour and it is so wonderful to see that change in their lives!

Suliana! My favorite Fijiian! We taught a lady named Suliana from Fiji this past week and it was so good. I really love her and am grateful we were able to talk to her and give her a Book of Mormon. I learned a lot from her. Unfortunately she went back to Fiji this week to stay but we will send all of her  information to those missionaries :D

Lisa shimai  (RC) - Is incredible. Such an example of a true convert to this gospel. Her testimony is so strong and I love the chance we have to teach her after baptism lessons. She recently got the calling to be the chorister in sacrament meeting - which is great, but she has been pretty scared because she doesn't know anything about jmusic. I got to teach her a bit about it last week and it was so fun to sit down and teach aboiut notes, rhythms, and all sorts of things like that that I love. She was so excited and had a great time. More details on that later but just know I was on cloud 9.

We went to Miyajima for a district pday last week and it was BEAUTIFUL as always. I love miyajima. I will try to send some pictures. Tuesdaywas also a party - we had the annual BBQ (where the hiroshima ward and the sajio group meet up in a beautiful park here in Saijou and have a HUGE Japanese barbeque and play sports and go hiking. It was great! We all had a fair amount of investigators come, and it was fun to see the hiroshima ward members and missionaries. The hike was really fun - we went to the top of this mountain and were able to see all of Saijou. Yeah!

It was Sou shimai's birthday this past Saturday - we went to kaitenzushi (the conveyer belt sushi that is super fun) with our district and it was fun. Also, Eikiawa is still great as always.

Sou Shimai and I have been working a lot lately on improving our teaching people not lessons. Sometimes it is a little hard because we are pretty different people with different styles and ways of doing things, as well as culture differences, but we're working on it. Streeting/housing this week was a bit hard - not very2r manny people were interested but we are doing our best which is what matters! I will tell you all more specific stories and stuff in a few months because I am outta time for now. Sorry it's kind of a lame email haha but it was a good week! We have a special training from President and the APs tomorrow which we are pretty excited for - and afterwards we got permission to go with one of our investigators to the Hiroshima Carps baseball game. YEP we are pretty excited. More on that next week. Love you and have a great week!

Ai shite imasu! 

Flake Shimai

What a week! 9-21-14

Sister Lane, back in my zone with me.  Love her

Scariest Investigator yet.

Konnichiwa, kazoku!

We had quite a week! Sorry I am emailing so early today - we are going to Miyajima with our district and a few other districts in our zone so the schedule is a little different today :) How are you? Was your week a little bit more relaxed this time?

Well, most important news first - So Takedasan is doing really well and really looking forward to being baptized. Only thing is, her date was for 9/27 but because she used all of her days off for the month on Sunday (to be able to go to church) she couldn't get any more off for this month - the next day she could get off of work is October 18th - so that is when the baptism will be! We will have it that afternoon. We finished teaching her all the lessons (including lesson 5) last week and are just working on strengthening her faith, continuing to answer questions, and study the Book of Mormon together.  She is doing really well and is excited to be baptized - she is so good! I love Takedasan so much. She is doing great - thank you for all of your prayers!

Teena (one of our Chinese investigators that had a baptismal date) is still struggling with understanding a few things in the word of wisdom, so we are working that out right now but she currently doesn't have a date anymore because she wants some time to sort things out. But that is okay - I know God will answer her prayers!

We had a great lesson with Yotsujisan - she is the lady we found a few weeks ago on the street that is Buddhist but just looking for something more. She has been wondering for years what has happened with her father, who died 7 years ago. She doesn't believe iti's the end for him, but she just is searching for the truth. We were able to teach her the plan of Salvation and it was such a hopefilled lesson. I love teaching the plan of salvation. It bring me so much joy every time I talk about it. 

Fun story of the week - we were housing in a neighborhood way up in the mountains - a pretty rural area. We housed in to a wood carver's house. He is a super nice old Japanese man that sits in his little workshop and carves all day long. His woodshop was incredible. Filled with all sorts of sculptures and carvings that were all handmade and beautiful. It was so cool to see, and to talk to him about this - it is something that he loves to do and has done his whole life. 

We taught a lesson to Minaesan this week (a former investigator that we recently started teaching again) and it went really well - funniest things as this. When we stood up, about to leave, she said wait just a moment, I thought it would be fun if you want to try on this beautiful kimono! So she started dressing Sou shimai up in a beautiful kimono (and she looked stunning - my adorable little asian companion in a kimono) and she turned to me and said Flake Shimai I have the perfect thing for you to wear! And handed me the most hilarious thing I have ever seen. Just picture a formal dress from the 80s that is a bright, shiny satin top and huge bright yellow and white flowers for the skirt. Yep - when I put that on, we could definitely tell who was the asian and who was the American. You're going to love the pictures. Pretty good.

Gosh my time is almost out but lots of happy things this week - I guess the rest will just be saved for journal sharing time after my mission. OH we had zone training meeting this week and I got to see Lane shimai! We sat down and talked and talked and talked and it was SO happy to see her again. I absolutely love her. 

Also my package came yesterday - thank you so so so much! I absolutely loved it! Everything about it was WONDERFUL - thank you! So funny story with that, I loved the poster, but when I looked at it I sighed a bit and thought shoot I sure do wish I could see him perfom. One day I will.

then... one hour later...

There is a member from utah that just moved here named Heidi and she is working here for 6 months with her company. she invited us sisters over for dinner yesterday (mexican food - best thing of my life) and when we walked in I heard a hymn playing. I glanced at the counter where her laptop was and IMAGINE MY SURPRISE when it was Vocal point's nearer my god to thee music video! I shrieked a little and just enjoyed the beautiful music and the tender mercy from The Lord! It was incredible to see that after a long week - I am now content :D 

ANyway, that's all the time for this week - love you and have fun!!!!

Ai shite imasu!!

Flake Shimai

Fair week! 9-14-14

Konnichiwa, kazoku!

I am so sorry this is going to probably be a bit shorter than usual - crazy situation but I had to hokoku ( I think that is report in English) about the week to the district leader in the middle of email, so I'm kind of crunched for time. Ganbarimasu!

I don't even know how you survived last week! So many things going on - sounded like quite the adventure. :)I'm glad it went well, and you got through - gotta love fair week, football, and accompanying for Jenny Oaks Baker. Mom, that is so cool! Can I also just say I am so grateful to you all? I have been blessed with such a wonderful family, and I feel like I don't thank you enough for all you have done for me. I love you!

Transfers. This has been a crazy long week - we have had so many things going on. We went on a last district adventure hiking last week - I love the elders here. They are exactly like my little brothers. We were hiking through a really thick jungly type of place and they all had sticks (hiking sticks) and were swatting at spiders and such and it was a great time. Huzzah for district bonding. Yes, all four of us sisters stayed the same, but two of the elders, Bowler and Walton, transferred out. Walton had been here for a whole year (he is one transfer younger than me) and Bowler came in here as a bean the same transfer I got here, so it was a little sad to see them go. Two beans came in in their place, and they are way cool - one is from SLC, the other is Korean but grew up in Japan. They are a lot of fun.I really feel way lucky to be around so many awesome missionaries and learn from them. It is a little weird being an older missionary though. I sometimes still feel like I just got here! More crazy transfer news. Remember Lane shimai? One of my favorite companions and best person ever? She has been in Nagasaki for the past 6 transfers, but just last week transfered in to Hikari (middle of Hiroshima - our neighboring area, about 40 min by train). I will get to see her a lot this transfer for different zone meetings and things like that. I am so happy about that! As far as the couple here - they are incredible. They are here in Saijo for their whole 2 year mission - I think they have about a year left. Thank goodness.

Wow, where to start - the week was great! Most exciting news is Takedasan. It is incredible to see the growth in her that we have been seeing! She is coming closer to Christ every day! She is chanto keeping commandments,  and really just understands and has a desire to be better. We finished teaching commandments, and are almost done with lesson five (the first presidency sent out a letter a few months ago asking that everyone is taught lesson five before and after baptism now). She talked to us and said I have been thinking a lot about this, and how important baptism is, and I was wondering - is there any way I could do it on my birthday? (which is in about a month). We are still working on figuring out with her work schedule and stuff the exact day ( because she might be working on 9/27) and we might end up doing it on her birthday, but she will be baptized this transfer! I am so excited for her.  

Yesterday morning, I got a call about an hour before church from Ayako (she is the one that I have to just tell you about after the mission because she is impossible to describe. super funny, super stubborn, doesn't want us to know she is interested (doesn't want to admit it but she most defnintely is). She asked if church was in Saijo this week (we used to go to HIroshima) and declared that she was coming. WE were a-okay with that. She came, and was her stubborn self but I know she had a good time. I absolutely love that woman. She is a hoot.

Last cool miracle - a woman just walked into church yesterday that none of us missionaries knew. We talked to her after sacrament meeting and it turns out she has some friends in HIroshima that invited her and her husband to church last week, so she went, but she is from Saijo. She had a good experience last week, and was interested in learning more so she just came on her own. She is from Taiwan but has way good english. It was fun to talk to her. Miracles are happening every day here!

Last thing. I have been thinking a lot this past week about how much I have been humbled in the past 15 1/2 months. Granted, I'm not perfect, I have SO many things to work on still but I just know that the hard things I have gone through have been incredible learning experiences for me. I am so grateful for the things that I have learned, and how these have shaped me in to the person I am now. I really love everything we get to do here and experience as missionaries. I would not trade this experience for anything.   

That's all I've got for now - I hope things continue to go well for you and you have a great week! Love you!

AI shite imasu!

Flake Shimai

Happy September! 9-8-14

Konnichiwa, kazoku!

Well, first off - the reason I'm emailing late is because it is transfer week so pday is Tuesday. I can't believe how fast this transfer has gone. Sou shimai and I have been having a blast. There have been some hard things, but the good most definitely outweigh the bad to be sure :) What an absolutely INCREDIBLE week of miracles!!!!! Okay biggest news - between the 4 sets of missionaries in Saijo- we had.... 15 investigators at church on Sunday!!!!!!! Let me back up and explain a little. About a month and a half ago, President Gustafson set a goal for our mission to have 200 people at church on September 7th. The mission high was 91 for one sunday. In our interview training, he told us how he knew that if we tried our hardest and relied on The Lord that we would be able to see the miracles come from this. And the miracles truly did come! Honestly, the investigators that came were not all the "expected" ones to come- I know that because we all tried our hardest and invited everyone we could, as well as continued working as hard as we could we were all able to see the blessings from this. Across the mission there were 208 people there this past Sunday. It was one of the best fast and testimony meetings I have ever been in. What  a miracle that was to see!  

Takedasan came for the first time and had a wonderful experience. Her work has been pretty busy up until now on Sundays, but from now on she is planning on coming each week :) We taught her word of wisdom and law of chastity this week and they went really well. I know that The Lord has been preparing her to receive this gospel. She understood these commandments and feels that they make sense. Let me say one more time - she wants to keep these. It was so wonderful to be able to talk about these commandments and really how much they are for our protection - and because God loves us so much.  I love lessons. I guess I just love being a missionary - I feel so blessed every day to be here telling everyone I see that there is a God, who is their Heavenly Father who loves them. It sometimes makes me a little sad to remember that so many people don't know this, and so many people refuse to listen, but I know that everything happens for a reason and God's timing is always the most important. It is what really matters.     Sorry - slightly sidetracked - but Takedasan really is doing so well. She is looking right on track to still be baptized on September 27th - and she is excited for it as well!!!

We haven't been able to have a solid lesson with Teena (our Chinese investigator with a BD) for a little while because she has been travelling a lot lately with her work. We're going to try to reset her baptismal date when we meet with her tomorrow. But she is a sweetheart - I love her! I really just wish you could meet all of these people that I love so much.

Incredible streeting miracle - Mahliying (another Chinese potential investigator). We were going around visiting some potential investigators a few nights ago, and trying our best to talk to everyone on our way to each place. We were at a stoplight, and in order to get to the place we wanted to go, it would have been faster to go straight at the stoplight. However, we looked down that road and there was not a person in sight. But, if we turned right, there was a lady walking in the distance. We have been trying our hardest to talk to everyone, so we decided to go talk to her (even though it would take a little more time). I got off my bike and introduced myself to her, and as soon as we said we were missionaries and she saw Sou shimai she just lit up and started talking really fast in Chinese to Sou shimai. I could tell they knew each other, but honestly didn't fully understand what was going on for a couple of minutes (I speak Japanese, not chinese haha) when they finally started explaining what was going on to me. Sou shimai and williams shimai met this lady on the street about 5 months ago, right after Sou came to Saijo. She was really interested in the church and in Eikaiwa (our free english class) and in fact lives in the same building as our church!  (remember that our church consists of two rooms in an office/apartment building). She had been really busy as of late, and I think had a different phone number and couldn't remember what time church and eikaiwa were, so she hadn't come but had been wanting to meet with us again. The other sisters had tried getting a hold of her but were not able to. We were able to exchange contact information, and gave her a Book of Mormon and invited her to church and eikaiwa - - and she came to both!!! I am really excited to keep working with her. I know that this was such a true testimony to me that we really are just instruments in God's hands right now as his missionaries.

Tomikosan - has been having a bit of a hard time this transfer. She has been pretty busy and a little overwhelmed, so she just wants to take  a bit of a break from the lessons and such. I honestly feel so strongly that she will be baptized one day. I just know that it really is all in the Lord's timing and he definitely knows better than I do.

Lisa shimai - our RC that we got to go to the temple with a couple of weeks ago! She is incredible. I love her. First of all, I just feel so s/trongly that she is an incredible example of a true convert. When we meet to work on her AB lessons I just always go away feeling like I learned so much. It is so fun to me to be able to explain stories like the brother of Jared or other stories in the Book of Mormon that I have known my whole life to people that are hearing them for the first time, and learning so much from them. 

We had a relief society activity this week  that they came to and invited friends to that was great. Being in our little international group, we (the sister missionaries) decided that if any of our members came that spoke Japanese we would watch the testaments (in Japanese, with either chinese or english subtitles) and if they could all speak english we would watch 17 miracles. It ended up that everyone that came was more comfortable in English than Japanese (our sisters from Malaysia, Mongolia, the Phillipines, and us American missionaries) and the one Japanese girl that did come has perfect English so that is what we ended up doing! Once again, I love working with so many recent converts and learning from them. After the movie was over, Lisa shimai turned to me o(she'd been crying through the whole last part of the movie) and said "I am so so grateful that people make movies like this to help those of us that are new know these things. This is the first time I have really been able to understand about the pioneers. They became real to me. Thank you so much. " She proceeded to tell me more wonderful things but it really touched me. She brought her nonmember husband to church on Sunday (it is normally just her and her 2 kids) and seeing that family together in the church made my heart swell. It was so sweet. 

The fourth investigator our companionship had at church was a former investigator that we had invited last week but didn't fully expect to come. We were so happy to see her walk in the door.

I will never forget that Sunday. One of the happiest days of my life.

As far as transfer week goes - we get the call in a few hours. I really don't want to leave Saijo. I would love to spend the rest of my mission here but I do know that if I leave it is where I need to be. I love this place with my whole soul. I love being a missionary here in Japan, and the people that I have been able to meet. Day after day, we are able to see miracles from The Lord and it really has changed my life forever. I love you all so much - I hope you have a wonderful week!

Ai shite imasu!

Flake Shimai

PS My personality hasn't changed - but my spirituality sure has! It is hard to describe - I was doing good things before, but now my priorities are just a bit more in line. I have seen how much the gospel can change lives, and know it has cahnged mine.