Sister Malone's Mission in Fukuoka, Japan!: Um...it`s cold / Week #37

Konnichiwa minasan!

This week was really good actually. Aside from one thing. It`s freezing!! I can`t take it. I wasn`t made to handle these temperatures. I`m pretty sure when Heavenly Father made me he intended me to be born in California. Oh wait, I was. And that`s why I can`t handle Utah weather, or Kumamoto weather. I wear 3 pairs of tights and biking shorts and a bulky sweater and coat and gloves and I`m still cold. I think I would`ve died in Ukraine. But anyways, my frozen toes are not what`s important here.

So another cool finding story! We made another appointment with God. We chose the area we wanted to go to and Pinzon shimai said she wanted to find a young medical student. So we set out to go to the area we had chosen, but on the way there I had this feeling that maybe we should go somewhere else, back to the area we were in before when we found Satoru san. But I ignored it because I thought it was just me being silly. But when we got to the area we had chosen it was basically a really big meat factory with some houses around it that looked all dark, probably nobody lived there. So after biking around for a bit we decided to pray again. And we both felt like we should go back to that other area we went to before. Then I told Pinzon shimai how I had felt like we should go there before but I ignored it. Don`t ignore promptings from the Spirit!! Don`t do it! So then we headed to that area and we didn`t have very much time left. But we parked our bikes and walked to the neighborhood we had chosen and the very first person we talked to was Midori san. And she totally listened to us. And we found out she works at the hospital. We talked about church and how we feel when we go there. She was totally open to coming and gave us her number and everything. All I can say is Heavenly Father`s ability to time things really blows my mind sometimes. So we still haven`t met with her again yet, but we`re hoping to set something up soon.

Now to our other person we found last week. Satoru san! We went back to his place and taught him a little about about the Savior and the apostasy because he asked some superb questions like `Why are there so many Christian churches?` Why let us answer that for you. However, his work schedule is really rough so he only has Monday and Tuesday nights free. But luckily our ward is doing a Family Home Evening tonight and the Tsuboi elders are inviting their investigators so we decided to invite Satoru san, and he can come!!! We`re so excited! He`s going to meet the members and have fun and he`ll definitely want to know more! At least that`s our plan for him.

We also finally got to teach Miyuki chan. She is a 17 year old investigator. Her life is crazy with school and work so I met her for the first time on Friday. She is so cool though. She prays and reads the Book of Mormon and comes to church when she can. Her parents are a little opposed though so she can`t be baptized as of right now. But she works so hard and does all the right things. She really is an amazing person. Almost as cool as our Relief Society president Kozuma shimai. She jointed for our lesson. Every time she opens her mouth to share her testimony the Spirit just hits you. She is an amazing woman. Her husband isn`t a member and one of her sons is less active. But she doesn`t let that stop her. She is always helping other people and the missionaries and sharing the gospel with coworkers and friends. I want to be like her someday.

And the best news! The Tsuboi elders had a baptism on Saturday!! Their investigator Ka san got baptized. He is from China but he`s going to college here in Kumamoto right now. His Japanese is WAAAY better than mine. But he`s really cool and has a lot of faith. I`ll send pictures at some point I promise.

There`s many more things I feel like I want to talk about but there`s no time! So for now, just know that finding with the Spirit is cool, and you all should try it!

Have a great week!

Malone Shimai

Nishino san was leaving for France so we got a picture with him.

(3rd from left in the back)