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

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!! 

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

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

Wake me up when September co- wait a second, what happened to August? / Week #65

Konnichiwa minasan! 

I cannot believe that August is almost over. Where did this month go? I guess I was just having too much fun. 

So this past week we have been getting everything Sister Welte needs to be a successful missionary in Japan. She has a bike now! (It's the same brand as mine:) So we are ready to go! 

I think this week has been a slight adjustment for the new missionaries but we are all learning together.

This past week we found a new investigator, Yamamoto san. We talked to him about Heavenly Father and gave him a Book of Mormon and promised him he can learn truth by reading it. I think he doesn't really believe in any one God or truth. But he has read the Bible so that's cool. He agreed to read the Introduction to the Book of Mormon and we are going to talk about it the next time we meet, which hopefully will be tonight!

We also met with Morioka san this week. He has to work for 10 days straight with no day off so he has been really tired. His work sounds horrible. But we talked to him some more about prayer and how it really can help him each day. So he actually agreed to pray this time! We will see how that goes...

As for Mitchell, I believe he should be back at the end of this week. So we are excited for that!

We also took over Sister Parmley and Sister Chapman's investigator, Kelli, who has a baptism date for September. She is in the Navy and she is super cool. I will tell you more about her next week!

Everyone have a great week! Thanks for emailing/writing me, I really appreciate it! If I don't get back to you I promise it's not because I don't like you!

Malone Shimai

                                                

                                          Me & my new bean - Welte Shimai

Me, Welte Shimai and Willson Shimai 

Zone Training - Aug 2015

The three of us at Eikaiwa

Before Stevenson Shimai left...

Kelli & Kevin

Me & Stevenson Shimai with the Manns

It's pure craziness! It's missionary life / Week #64

Konnichiwa minasan!! 

Well this has been quite the week. I celebrated my birthday. I helped all 3 of my roommates pack and leave for their new areas, and then welcomed 3 new roommates, 2 of which are brand new missionaries in Japan. And then we all went to the Fukuoka temple this weekend. So it has been quite the week.

And because you are all dying to know. My new companions name is Sister Welte (pronounced well-tee). She is 21 and from Las Vegas (Brian and Lore you should be very happy right now). She went to BYU before her mission too! She is really eager to work and already loves the Japanese people so we are set to go!

It's funny all the things I forget that new missionaries don't know. So I am having to remind myself to slow down and explain things more. But she is being patient with me;) 

There is not much to update with investigators this week. We weren't able to meet most of them because of the craziness. But I hope to have many updates for you next week!

Have a fantabulous week!

Malone shimai

Our District's last p-day together on Miyajima Island

Soarin over Miyajima

Chapman Shimai, Parmley Shimai and Me!

Miyajima Island - Torii Gate

Looking over Miyajima Island

My Birthday Party on the base / Farewell Party

Me & Stevenson Shimai - Farewell Pic!

Oops I'm training again / Week #63

Konnichiwa minasan!

So by far the biggest news I received this week was when I received a call from my mission president on Thursday. And I missed the phone call because I thought it was the other sisters' phone. Then I looked and my heart dropped into my stomach when I saw it was kaicho. Don't ever miss phone calls from your mission president. Anyways, he asked me if I became a trainer again if I would work hard, be obedient, and love my new companion? I said yes of course. And then he said "Ok, I still need to check with Heavenly Father and see what he wants, so we will let you know." Ok great. So it came as no surprise Friday night when I got a call from one of the APs and he informed me that I would be training. Honestly, training was not the easiest thing for me so to find out I am doing it again-let's just say I wasn't jumping up and down with joy. But I definitely feel a lot more prepared this time. And I went to the trainers training meeting yesterday and found out basically every sister who came in at the same time as me is training, again. We are all on our second trainee, except for Chun shimai. She's on her 3rd. (Yikes).

But honestly I know this next transfer will be full of miracles and we will have lots of fun! Because it you're not having fun in dendo, then you are doing something wrong!

And turns out all the other sisters are transferring out of Iwakuni so I will be the only one who knows anything about this area. Otherwise known as area senpai. 

Thanks for the birthday wishes! It will be an exciting birthday that's for sure. I will send you pictures of my new companion next week!

Love you all!

Malone Shimai

I finally rode the Shinkansen to Fukuoka!!!

                                                                           
                              Me & Chapman Shimai with our towels & vitamin water (nasty!)

                                               
                                                         Driving to our Pizza Party

                                                        We made the pizzas!

Us eating the Pizza - You can't really see me...

Fireworks in August

It was nice to see them since we didn't get any in July!

The fireworks were so pretty!

Stevenson Shimai and I being weird

The Ueda Family & Morioka Shimai

We heart attacked The Sakamotos

They loved it so much they wanted to take pictures!

Opening my Bday package from home

I was so excited to get my favorite!

The members on the base gave Parmley Shimai

& I a Birthday Party!!

                                                             

It was so nice of them and we had a great time!

We went to a pottery class on our Pday

I made a rice bowl