Tsuboi is Tsugoi! / Week #34

Konnichiwa minasan!

Well this has definitely been one of the most interesting weeks of my life. So we got transfer calls on Tuesday but ours didn`t come in until 6:00 pm. So of course that meant that I couldn`t write you to say where I was going. But since I was in Little America I figured the news would make it to you guys somehow. Thanks to Sister Ashby and Crosby shimai.

So I really wanted one more transfer in Okinawa. I love that place. I love the people there and the missionaries there and just how everything works there. And I thought I was going to get it. But I think Heavenly Father knew that and decided to throw me a curve ball. Because he likes to do that. But he`s also merciful. So I got on the phone and was told that I`m being transferred. Okay. Where I am going? To Tsuboi. That`s funny that`s where Pinzon shimai went. And your new companion is...Pinzon shimai. What?! Are you serious? You know I`ve only been away from her for one transfer right? Of course I was only thinking these things in my head. Out loud I just said WOW. So I`m finally going to mainland but luckily when I get there I already know my companion.

Then I started stressing about packing. To go to and leave from Okinawa your suitcases have to be under a certain weight otherwise you get charged an arm and a leg. Packing is not really my favorite thing. But I did it! And I did it pretty fast too. Mainly because I`m sending a huge box back home. Sorry...

So on Wednesday I got to say goodbye to a few people some in person, some over the phone. I was sad because I didn`t get to say bye to Karla but it`s okay. She has Facebook! So someday we will talk again.

Leaving Okinawa was hard. I was sad that I only got one transfer with Jeffery shimai. We got along really well and we were just starting to figure things out. But they need new missionaries in there to spice things up again.

On Thursday I got in the Crosby`s van along with Jeffery shimai and  Elder French and Elder Jolly. Elder Jolly went home! I can`t believe it. He`s like an Okinawan legend. I`m pretty sure he`s been there since the first convert got baptized. Okay maybe not. But a year is still a long time to be in one area.

Elder French transferred to Yamaguchi ken. Ha it`s cold up there. But it`s okay he`s Canadian so he can handle it. But the sad part is we didn`t even get to go on the same flight! I was on another flight with some missionaries going to Kumamoto. One was my future STL and the other was my future Zone leader. And I`m just a normal missionary. So even though Pinzon shimai is STL, the other STL lives in a different area called Nagamine. Thank goodness I don`t have to be STL. That would be a disaster ha. But the greatest news is we live with two sisters who are in the area right next to us called Shimizu. And one of my new roommates is none other than Magalogo Shimai!! We were in the MTC together! So I`m so happy we get to be roommates! It`s gonna be a blast.

So we took a flight to Fukuoka, then a subway, and finally a bus to Kumamoto. My area is Tsuboi. It`s a city. Like a big city. Totally different from what I`m used to. Okinawa City is like Provo/Orem scale. This is like Chicago. But with way less crime. But there`s totally a river and everything. So my apartment is on the 8th floor of a building and we are literally across from the church. It`s super convenient. The church also happens to be right behind a huge pachinko (slots) building. There truly is opposition in all things.

 It`s also way colder here. I`m such a baby. I`m used to beautiful Okinawa weather and now it`s like I`m back in Utah. But hopefully there won`t be any snow. I pray daily that it won`t snow. 

Things are totally different here but I`m excited to experience a different area. Like for instance right now instead of emailing from the church I`m in a library emailing and I can`t send pictures here so you probably will only get pictures like once a transfer. Sorry!! It will just make it more exciting right? But they have trains here! I want to ride the bullet train so bad! Hopefully I will get to.

We are already seeing miracles here and we are going to try really hard to build this area up and help the members because they are so cute and nice! And they have shokuji kai`s (meals) here after church so that`s awesome. But it`s definitely a chance for me to grow and learn and exercise some (A LOT) faith. I hope everyone has a great week! Whatever hard things you have coming your way just remember that Heavenly Father is there for you! You just have to talk to him.

Ja ne!

Malone Shimai