Japan

Japan

Saturday, September 26, 2015

What is going on? / Week #69

Konnichiwa minasan!

Well this week has been exciting to say the least. But just to put
everyone's mind at rest because I know you are all super concerned, we
got transfer calls and yes I am staying in Iwakuni. Which is a good
thing because we have an investigator with a baptismal date! Her name
is Tsugumi. You are probably thinking you have never heard that name
before. You would be right because we had only taught her one time
before yesterday. She is such a cool person. She has really strong
faith in God because of an experience she had in a car accident. And
she is already reading the Book of Mormon and feels a power when she
reads it. Who is this girl? Yesterday we went out for sushi and taught
Tsugumi the first lesson and then invited her to choose a baptismal
date. She chose October 4. Haha okay we might need a little more time
to teach her. So we moved it to October 17th. But we are super
excited! She is way prepared.

We have been experiencing a lot of miracles in Iwakuni lately. We are
finding more people who are prepared and ready for this message. It's
way cool. I don't know what we did to deserve this but we are going to
run with it and do all we can to help our investigators come closer to
Christ. (Man I'm such a missionary). In the words of a wise girl we
met on the street: ganbattara, dekiru. You can try and google
translate that one if you like. I'm curious what it would come out as.

This transfer has gone by super fast. It makes me a little nervous for
my next one. We have had our ups and our downs, but overall this is
Heavenly Fathers work. He knows what He wants to happen. Everything is
in His timing. Thank goodness because I would be WAY more stressed if
I thought this was all on me. On that highly spiritual note, I hope
everyone has a good week!

Until next time,

Malone Shimai

Our District - Iwakuni - Sept 2015

A little more serious this time!

Me & Welte Shimai with Yamamoto san

Willson, Stevenson, Me & Welte Shimai

We had a pizza making party again - so much Fun!

Everyone enjoyed it!!





We love meeting for Eikaiwa class

Monday, September 14, 2015

Hiroshima is Pretty Cool! / Week #68

Konnichiwa Minasan!

Yeah, Hiroshima is pretty cool. Not gonna lie I wish I had the
opportunity to serve there, but at least I am close enough we can take
trips for pday like we did today. We ate delicious Hiroshima style okonomiyaki  for
lunch!

This week we had lots of lessons which is exciting. Always would
rather have a lesson than be out tracting. 
We met with the Sakamotos, Mitchell  and Yamamoto San. We taught Yamamoto some more about prayer and I think he is willing to try it now. We will follow up with him this week. We haven't visited Morioka San this week because he is out of town again for his work. Hopefully he is okay.

I got to go on exchanges with Sister Stevenson this week! One more
time with my old companion before she finishes her mission! So we went
and heart attacked the Carters and visited Sister White. When we were
housing we met this grandma and her daughter who were so nice! They
weren't really interested but her daughter had traveled all over
America when she was younger so we were talking about that. Then the
grandma pulled out this music book of old American folk songs and said
she loves westerns and Indians. And then she started humming
Shenendoah and asked if we knew it. I was so surprised. I told her I
knew it and then she asked if I would sing it. So I sang for this old
grandma and her daughter. At the end she said "I had been wishing that
some gaijin ( foreigner) could come and sing this for me." And it
happened! So apparently I was sent to fulfill that grandmas dream.
Miracles!

Next week is transfers so I will write on Tuesday!  Have a great week!


Malone shimai


Welte Shimai, Me, Salmon Shimai & Willson Shimai
at Hiroshima Castle

The entry step into the castle - read the English

Hiroshima City

Another view of Hiroshima City

Hiroshima Castle in the distance

There are six rivers that flow through Hiroshima

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial - Genbaku Dome (Atomic Bomb)
The only structure left standing in the area after the bomb

Our group in front of Genbaku Dome

Us again!!

I had to have a pic with the pink bunny barriers!!

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Our "Mid Heel Click"

See you next week!!

Look close at this picture we took in the church nursery - 
It caused a lot of screams but luckily Inoue Shimai 
(A brave Japanese mom) grabbed it with chopsticks and
threw it in a bucket of water!! 

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Things are going well in Iwakuni!! / Week #67

Konnichiwa Minasan,

Things are going pretty well. Mitchell is back so we are teaching him
again. Whether he likes it or not. Just kidding he likes it. He told
us he couldn't come to church this week because of work so we were a
little bummed, but then on Sunday morning who walks in with the
Carters but Mitchell? Miracle!

We are continuing to teach the Sakamotos and Yamamoto and we have
a new investigator Harumi San. She is a cute grandma who has a younger
sister who is LDS. And her daughter is Christian. So she knows some
things and is pretty open to what we have to say.

A member of the area presidency came and spoke to us this week. Elder
Choi (chae) from Korea. It was really good! He spoke about elevating
our thoughts. If we don't like something, we have the power to change
our thoughts. His wife also spoke about how in the pre earth life we
were on the front lines during the war in heaven. We were the strong
ones because of our testimonies of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father
and their plan. We have been prepared to come at this time and were
given special training. It was a pretty cool thought. Mostly I loved
when he talked about knowing our identity as sons and daughters of
God. If we truly understand that, then we will have confidence in
ourselves and in God. That knowledge is life changing.

It's been a good week, and we are ready for some more! Just know you
are always in my prayers!

Malone Shimai


                                         Making Okonomiyaki at the Sakamotos

The Sakamotos!

Willson & Welte Shimai


Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Yesterday, all of September seemed so far away... - Week #66

Konnichiwa minasan!!!

Can you believe it is September already? I can't. But a new month always brings new exciting things and new possibilities so I am pretty excited. We have been pretty busy with training and putting records into the iPad and surveys and all of this extra stuff that needs to be done so I am excited to get back to the normal routine. Sister Welte is doing good now and has learned that Japanese rice is amazing so as long as she has some rice, the world is a good place.

We had a nice little typhoon this week. Just some intense rain and wind but nothing too bad. Not like Okinawa by any means.

We met with Yamamoto San twice this past week and he has been reading the Book of Mormon and even prayed after we committed him to. He still has lots of doubts and questions, so I think the key is getting him to feel it, not just understand it. So we are going to work on that.

Morioka San got injured at work so he wasn't able to meet with us, but apparently he still went to work the next day. Nihonjin man. They are unstoppable when it comes to work.

The Sakamotos are also back, he's been in the hospital because he had to have surgery. But he is doing good now.

Our other good news is that Mitchell is back! Woohoo! We haven't met with him yet but we are super excited. Hopefully he is as excited as we are.

Sorry this email is super scattered. It just reflects our week. But there are good things coming, and I know there are good things in store for all of you so look forward to the future!

Love you
Malone shimai

                   Me & Welte Shimai eating out!!

I got a package from Uncle Bob & Aunt Barbara - Yay!!

Me, Welte Shimai, Salmon Shimai & Willson Shimai

Having fun at Eikaiwa!

All of us at Eikaiwa