Trains planes and automobiles...or just trains / Week #53

こんにちわみなさん!
So the reason I am emailing today instead of yesterday is because we had interviews with kaicho yesterday. This was my last interview with kaicho because he is leaving at the end of this transfer. It's weird to think the next time we have a training or interviews it will be with our new kaicho. Weird!

So kaicho shared Alma 26 with me which is about understanding the mysteries of God. At the beginning it lists the things we can do in order to come to know the mysteries of God. It lists the usual exercise faith, repent, pray continually, do good works. And kaicho said one mystery all missionaries want to know is where to find those who are prepared to hear the gospel. So kaicho reminded me that this is not just a nice scripture but that it's true. If we do these things we can find those who are ready to receive the gospel. We will be led and directed by the Spirit. Sometimes we as missionaries get stuck in the same routine of doing things and forget this is Gods work. He is always ready to help us. We just have to do our part. So there is Kaicho's parting wisdom for you.

So we also had zone training last week from the zone leaders. Whenever we have trainings or interviews we take about a 3 hour train ride there and back so I have been on the train quite a bit recently. And I love it! I feel so Japanese taking trains everywhere. Except we stand out like sore thumbs.

Last of all I just have to say Happy Birthday to Dawson! I can't believe you are 5! Sorry it's a little late. Transfers made me forget everything.

Have a great week!
Malone shimai

Iwakuni City, Japan

I'm speaking English again / Week #52

Konnichiwa minasan!!

So you all may not know this. Actually for sure you don't know because I neglected to say anything last week about transfers. That's only because the call came in at 6:00 pm. But I transferred out of Kumamoto to Iwakuni which is a military branch. So it's in Yamaguchi prefecture, Iwakuni city. Yamaguchi is right below Hiroshima prefecture. There are 4 sisters now. It was a 3 sisters but I rode up with a bean chan so now its 4. And yes I rode a train part of the way to get here. Was it the shink? No. But I'm getting closer! One day I will ride it!

My new companion is Layton shimai. Yes, we lived together in the same apartment in Kumamoto. So it's only been one transfer since we haven't seen each other. She is from Utah, and she is half Japanese so her Nihongo is way awesome!  Even though we work with an American military branch hopefully she can help me keep my Nihongo up to par. We are already having a lot of fun together. And turns out we both kind of miss Kumamoto. It was hard leaving everyone. But I know I will see them again someday!

 But we are going to see miracles in Iwakuni! We only have 1 solid investigator right now, but we are looking to change that. And when we were housing we had a car drive up to us and ask us if we were the missionaries. We said yes and then they told us they were taught by the sister missionaries before. Miracle? I would say so! So we are going to meet with them this week to teach them.

Iwakuni branch is much smaller than Okinawa was but already I love them. They are awesome members. We really want to work with them and start planning some fun activities they can invite their friends to because we can't proselyte on base. So that is kind of the only way we can meet people. 

But have no fear we still go out and do dendo. If there is a Japanese investigator who starts progressing we can go with them to the branch in Yanai which is like 30 minutes by train.

So that's about it for now. More to come next week!

Malone Shimai

Suizenji Park - So beautiful & I got to wear pants 

Double bonus!!

Me, Hilke Shimai and Yuri chan at Suizenji Park - Kumamoto

Roomies!! Will miss them - Last time at Kumamoto Eikaiwa

Me & Yuri chan at Kumamoto Eikaiwa

Kazuki made this for me since I was transferring -

My Bday is in August so he drew Leo which is my zodiac -

He's so awesome!

Me with members of Kumamoto Eikawa

Group Picture at my last Kumamoto Eikaiwa

This is what the Elders looked like for their dance 

in the Eikaiwa talent show - Hilarious!

Konnichiwa!! / Week #51

Konnichiwa minasan! Man I really need to get a new opening line. I just can`t think of anything else to say though. 

So last week I skyped my family right? And it was really great right? And then I got on the computer to send some pictures real quick and discovered to my uttermost dismay that my SD card was not in my camera. And I hadn`t used it that week at all so the last time it was used was when I sent pictures the week before. So I looked around the computer room and I looked back at the apartment. But I still haven`t found it. So it was a little hard for me to think that I just lost the last year`s worth of pictures and video. Luckily, I had sent most of the pictures home, but any videos I took are gone. But a part of me still wants to hope that I will find it someday, or somebody will find it and look at the pictures and figure out its mine and send it to me. Maybe this will be like years later though...

Anyways, other than that my week was really good! We are continuing to teach Yuri chan and she is doing so good! We taught about tithing and fasting this week so we decided to fast with Yuri chan that her family will be more understanding of her decision to be baptized. And it was so cool because she usually only comes for Sunday school and sacrament meeting, but this Sunday she showed up for all 3 meetings, without us even asking her. Everything she has been doing lately has shown her desire to prepare to be baptized! So please keep praying for her and her family.

We also met with Koko san this week for the first time. We mainly talked more about her religious background and got to know her a little better. She has a lot of faith in God. She has been through some hard experiences, but she has always recognized His hand in her life. She`s way cool! However, she is super busy so we`re not quite sure when we will be able to meet with her again yet. 

Also cool story of the week, we were streeting as missionaries tend to do, and we stopped this woman and her daughter and began to talk about eternal families. Well as Japanese people tend to do, she said I`m Buddhist and started talking about some things that I didn`t quite understand. So I thought she was kekkoing us. Or in other words, saying no thanks. But then she finished talking and she was still standing there smiling at us. So I figured I should at least hand her a chirashi (flyer) and tell her if she wanted to learn more we teach about these things. But then I realized our phone number wasn`t written on it so I told her that and then she pulled out her card with her name and number and email on it and gave it to me. I was so surprised. This doesn`t usually happen. Nihonjin don`t generally give out their information to people, especially strange Americans. But she did and we contacted her and we are going to meet with her this week to share a short message! How cool is that?

It`s moments like that when I know for sure this is Heavenly Fathers work. Because all I did was stop this mother to talk to her. And then the rest just happened. Good thing I`m not in charge of this work!

Last note- This week for Eikaiwa we had a talent show. And the Elders decided to do a dance number. Let`s just say it changed my life forever. Ok, not really, but it was pretty hilarious. If I can I will try to send the video. 

Have a great week!

Malone Shimai

This is what we look like in the rain!

Happy Mothers Day! / Week #50

Konnichiwa minasan!

Happy Mothers Day! Or shiawase na haha no hi!

Well since I skyped my family today this email is going to be a little short. Mainly because I can`t think of anything else to say. 

But good news for this week- we have started reviewing all of the lessons with Yuri-chan in preparation for her baptismal date. She is seeming more confident about her baptismal date. And she went home this weekend for Mother`s Day and she said she is going to tell her mom about her baptismal date. So please keep her in your prayers!

We also met a new investigator this week.  Her name is Koko san. She and her husband met with the missionaries about ten years ago or so. She recognized us right when she opened the door. So we set an appointment to come back and meet with her on Thursday. We`re excited! That`s about all for this week. Oh and I crashed on my bike, but that`s not a big deal. Just a little scraped and bruised. 

Have a great week!

Malone Shimai

Entrance of the Shotengai - Really big mall

We got I-Pads!!

Hilke Shimai and I at the ramen place

Hilke Shimai and I looking Happy!!

Yet another thing we found on someone's front doorstep!

Magalogo Shimai's Birthday - Sushi in Kumamoto

A pretty little lake in our area

We went to Shuwa (Japanese sign language) with Masuda Shimai

Me and Hilke Shimai with Yuri chan

Me and Taufaga Shimai

The day we committed a grave sin

We ate at McDonalds - I regret it so much!!

Sister Missionaries...what can I say?

Yes this is sent from my iPad / Week #49

こんにちわ みなさん^_^
This is what happens when you get an iPad.
So this week was really busy with the iPad training and then another finding training the next day and then junkais on Thursday. But it was really good. The iPads make everything a lot more convenient. We have access to all the church resources now in English and Japanese so I don't have to lug around both sets of scriptures anymore. However we do need wifi to access most things so it hasn't really changed how we find and contact people.

  We had the finding training again because there are a lot of new missionaries who transferred in. So we went to Tsuboi again to receive the training and then go on junkais. And lo and behold I got to partner with my zone leader again. Apparently I didn't learn it right the first time so I had to junkai with him again. Just kidding.

  But my favorite day by far was when the sister training leaders 
came and I got to junkai with Magalogo shimai! We have always wanted  to be companions and we finally got to be comps if only for a day.  It was fun to get to leave our beans behind for a day (don't tell them that). We talked to a TON of people. We had a lesson too but that went way long because she likes to talk a lot. But she is our new investigator Yoshimaru san. She took the lessons before but stopped and then she came to church and asked to take them again. We will see how it goes next time. But the best news by far is that Yuri chan has a baptismal date! Chun shimai and Hilke shimai met her on Thursday and extended the baptismal invite and she accepted! Her baptismal date is June 6. So please keep her in your prayers.

  I'm excited for next week when I get to Skype you guys! From my
iPad! Haha ok I will stop now. Have a great week everyone!

Malone shimai

Konnichiwa! / Week #48

Konnichiwa minasan!!

So this week was supposed to be all about faith. Each week we are focusing on a part of our missionary purpose. And so obviously the first step is faith. But I`m not gonna lie, this week was hard. I feel like Heavenly Father was testing us to see how we would respond. I am proud to say we are still here with faith intact. But we also saw a lot of blessings. We will probably have a new investigator by next week. And we were able to meet with Tsurunaga san even in her busy schedule. We also met with Yuri chan. She didn`t accept our baptismal invitation which was hard, but we are still going to keep working with her and hopefully find a way to strengthen her testimony, especially of the Book of Mormon. So there were some hard parts this week, but I know Heavenly Father was also blessing us in the end. 

Also random note, I had to be the conductor in sacrament meeting because the usual person was gone. Let`s just say I am not meant to conduct. I understand the concept behind it. I understand the beats and how my hand should be moving, but whenever I put it all together, it just doesn`t work. Needless to say, the ward members were entertained. 

Also we get our ipads tomorrow! Oh man, temptations abound! Hopefully I can withstand my desire to get on Facebook and Youtube. Just kidding. I promise I`m joking.

Everyone have a great week!

Malone Shimai

                                               Our new district, aside from the zone leaders 

                                                           because they are never here

Spiders and missionary work / Week #47

Konnichiwa minasan!

Well there`s been a lot more rain lately. You just get used to wearing your rain suit everywhere you go. Do I feel weird about it? No not really. Because Nihonjins wear them too! I love Japanese people. They take something that would be unfashionable in other places, but is necessary and make it socially acceptable. So wearing sick masks, or wearing sun visors that cover your entire face, or guys carrying purses...ok so maybe that last one is a little different. But it`s great! But as missionaries we still tend to stand out. Curse us and our white helmets. That`s one thing that Nihonjin have not really followed along with.

With the warmer weather me and Hilke shimai have also noticed the return of spiders. And both of us are terrified. We have already had one close encounter with a BIG spider where Hilke shimai almost lost her life. Okay maybe I exaggerate a little. But I`m not exaggerating when I say that we went up 5 flights of stairs of this old apartment and at the top in the corner was a bat. And it totally flew at Hilke shimai`s face. So we ran for our lives. And shortly after that we had the encounter with the spider. Let`s just say that nature is not on the side of missionary work. But we will not give up! (Unless there is a huge spider in the way, we might be deterred.)

So we were able to meet with Yuri chan and Tsurunaga san this week! We taught Yuri chan about the priesthood, and were helped by Fukino kyodai who is a convert of about 2 years I think. He`s awesome and I always love hearing his perspective on the gospel because he always sees things differently than someone who has been a member for a long time. We have pretty much finished any lessons Yuri chan may have not heard before. So this coming week we want to extend a baptismal invitation to her and help her take that next step, even if she may still have questions and doubts.

We met with Tsurunaga san and read from Alma 32 and challenged her to read from the Book of Mormon a little bit everyday. When we were reading from Alma 32 she totally felt the Spirit. Her brother was a member and he passed away from cancer but he was holding the Book of Mormon when he passed, so I know she knows there is something important about it. But it`s just a matter of her seeing how the Book of Mormon can personally help her. 

We also had Zone Training Meeting this week. The zone leaders did a really great job of reminding us of our purpose for being here. Sometimes when you get out on your mission and things get difficult you forget why you wanted to serve a mission and what kind of missionary you wanted to be. So we all shared why we are out here and hearing everyone`s testimonies really helped all of us remember why we are here and what we want to become. It was a good reminder for me. I get bogged down with the everyday rigors of missionary work and forget about what kind of missionary I want to be and how I ultimately am trying to be more like my Savior. So just remember in your everyday busy lives to look at the bigger picture and make goals to stretch yourself, to become more like the Savior little by little everyday. Like L. Whitney Clayton talked about the little girl Sailor who saw the light and followed it to reach safety. Sometimes that light was out of sight and she had to keep going even when she couldn`t see it. So even if we may feel like we don`t see or feel the Savior`s light, just keep pushing through and you will find Him again. 

Also because I know all of you are dying to know, I still don`t have an ipad. But our zone leaders do. And they like to pull them out at any opportunity:) Just ask them and they will show you. 

Until next week!

Malone Shimai

Sometimes the winds are very strong here!  

The struggles of missionary life!

You won't believe what Japanese people put in their yards or on their porches. 

Statues of dogs, cats, gnomes & apparently jaguars!

Sometimes we're just silly...