Directed by the Spirit

Mina San Konnichiwa!

Yep, another week gone by fastttt.  There is only about two weeks left in this transfer and then I'll be on transfer 5 WHAT?!  Sometimes I feel like this is going by waaay to fast and I'm not learning everything I need to be learning because time is moving so quickly...and then there are other times when I feel the complete opposite. Mission time is so weird!! Anyways-

This last week we weren't really in Ube, we traveled to Iwakuni and stayed the night there on Tuesday so that we could make it to Hiroshima the next morning by 10 for our zone conference I got to see KWAK Shimai!!!  Yayy!!! I love her!!  I haven't seen her since we landed in Japan- her bean area was Okinawa but last transfer she transferred to Hiroshima.  I was so excited to see her, I saw a few other elders form my district that I hadn't seen yet either, it was so fun! :)  I will send pictures next week.  We were also in Hofu so support them in their Halloween party it was so fun! There was so many ADORABLE Japanese kids...I was having kidnapping tendencies the whole night!  THEY ARE SO CUTE!!!!! Gosh, I can't even talk about it.  Wish I could hold one of them :( JUST ONE!!! Stupid rules...

Sometimes I can't believe I am still in Ube.  Its pretty rare to spend this many transfers in your bean area..but here I am-the work here is slow moving so it gets a little redundant at times and it would be nice to have a change, but I'm hanging in there. Sister Southworth is is opening up little by little so that is good to see.  sisters Smotherman got hit by a car last week and fractured a small bone in her foot so she is out for about 3 weeks or something like that...her and Sister Nelson can't really go out and work because Smotherman is on crutches, so thats a big bummer and crappy for them.  Im not really sure what is going to happen in the next few weeks or how its going to affect transfer calls.  I guess we will have to wait and see.  Oh, and if your freaking out about me getting hit by a car...don't worry its just a part of mission life haha ;) if anything serious ever happens to me I'll let you know. So far I have been very protected, i have seen miracles, angels are watching over us for sure I'll leave it at that haha


Miracles:
Not to much to update on, but last week we taught Kaneyasu the plan of salvation using some cute picture cut outs and it went SO well.  She really really felt the spirit. And I don't think I have ever taught a lesson so directed by the spirit before since I've been on my mission.  Words and thoughts were coming in Japanese, I didn't even have to think about it.  It was such a miracle!! I am learning that the interpretation! I realized I am not going to understand every individual Japanese word that people are saying to me, but the spirit gives me just enough information to INTERPRET correctly what they are saying...I am fine with just getting main ideas!  It was such a blessing.

Last night in Ube there was a huge festival going on and so Sister Southworth and I decided to go out and promote eikaiwa and try to get a foot in with talking about the gospel..we had one man come up to us and ask if we were missionaries and we said yes, he had met missionaries a long time ago and he said we were welcome into his home anytime.  He was so nice, he gave us his number, address and his wires phone number as well.  We gave him a Book of Mormon and said that we would call him this week.  He was really great and unusually nice...we had been praying to teach a family so this answered out prayers, he had three kids.  My only concern is that there is a slight possibility that he could have been drinking because of the festival, and was really nice due to that??  I couldn't really tell, but i guess we will find out this week when we call!  Either way he still gave us his information and it was a huge miracle.

Satan is working hard on the hearts of Japan right now.  Last week was probably the roughest week we've had in a long time while we were out streeting, and housing.  People were really really rude to us...ruder than I have ever seen since I've been in Ube.  It makes me sad and a little discouraged, but there isn't anything we can do to help people who simply aren't prepared to receive the gospel.  Heavenly Father knows how hard we are working and he will bless us for our efforts.  This week will be filled with miracles I can feel it.

I read about an incredible miracle this morning in Ether 3...every time I read this chapter it opens my eyes to the power of faith.  Please read it if you have the time.

I love you all.  Thank you for your prayers, love and support. I am grateful for my wonderful family who is such a great example to me.  Your prayers and faith keep me going.  Thank you!
Love, Sharp Shimai

I love the Book of Mormon

October 28, 2013

Konnichiwa!


This week went by pretty quick.  We didn't have any mind blowing experiences, but we did find a new investigator.  Sister Buhler and I housed into her my first transfer as we were housing around a less actives neighborhood...she was really nice back then, but didn't accept a return appointment.  We were visiting the same area last week and we housed into her again.  I remembered the house as soon as I saw it.  She was home, and she accepted a return appointment for Thursday!  We have to take the train to her house, and then its a 20 minute walk from the station, but she's really nice so it will be worth it.  Tonight we are meeting with Kanyeyasu.  Last weeks lesson went well, except for one small little detail...she ALWAYS goes out of town on the weekends to go take care of her aging mother.  She also mentioned that she couldn't enter into a christian church when we extended the invite for her to come...something to do with a Buddhist belief and is she came she would be betraying her husband, culture, family...etc.  Same old excuse i have heard a million times.  So I am not too worried about it, as we continue to meet with her I know the Lord will soften her heart if its her time to accept the gospel.

Last week we also taught our Chinese investigator.  Nimo San.  We watched the restoration dvd in Chinese and I just say that...I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE SPEAKING JAPANESE instead of Chinese!!!! AHHHH!!! Things could be harder!  The language barrier with him is still an issue. He does know way more Japanese than I thought though.  He said a prayer in front of us FINALLY for the first time, and it was great.  He said when he knows that Joseph Smith is a prophet he will get baptized..but he doesn't always read or pray so its obviously going to be hard to get an answer.  We are working on that.

We ran into our other investigator Marin on the street last week.  She is back from Hawaii YAY!!  She said she is coming to eikaiwa this Wednesday so we will hopefully be able to set up a teaching appointment with her then, she is busy with work and school but she is still really interested which is great. Hmmm...that is about all the updates I have for you this week!

I read some really great chapters this last week in the Book of Mormon...some of my favorite things were:

2nephi 25 "The right way is to BELIEVE IN CHRIST"
Alma 5 "Are you stripped of Pride?"
Mormon 9 "God is a GOD OF MIRACLES"
Alma 11 "This restoration shall come to all"

I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON!!!  It's so so so clear.  It outlines the gospel of Jesus Christ SO CLEARLY and Plainly.  I love it. I encourage you to all look to the Book of Mormon for comfort and answers to life's questions.  I promise you that there is not a single problem in this life that can't either be solved or answered by reading the Book of Mormon daily.  SO PLEASE read it. DAILY.

I love you all!!! Thank you for all the support, love, and prayers!!

Happy Halloweenie!!! :)

Love, Sharp Shimai