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
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