A Sure Foundation!

Konnichiwa,

I don't have much time so I will cut to the chase!  This last week was pretty crazy.  Lots of new changes are coming…

Last week Capener Shimai and I got a phone call from the AP's and they told us that we could choose between September 11th for our return date or October 24th.  I had NO idea that we were going to be given options and when they called and asked if we had decided what we wanted to do I didn't even know that there was an option in the first place, I thought it was going to be October no matter what.  So I was pretty taken off guard and didn't know what to say.  We told them that we would let them know by the end of the day what we wanted to do, but we were SO busy that day that I really didn't even have a chance to think about it.  I prayed and nothing was coming super clear to me as to which date I should pick.  They both have their pros and cons and I am actually still confused and not sure what I should do.  I told them I would take the October date but that I wanted to talk to president about it…and he has been way busy with transfer calls so he hasn't been able to talk to me about it yet. :(

The next news we got was a phone call form president saying that he has a few problems in the mission with some Sister companionships…and he needs to transfer Sister Capener down to Taniyama to help the struggling area. :( noooooooo! So sad.
Guess who Sharp Shimai's new companion is?! Kashiwa Shimai from Tokyo!  MY FIRST JAPANESE COMPANION!  She will be on her third transfer, so still way new, but I'm way excited/super nervous.  She speaks ZERO English.  So I can already foresee many trails that lie ahead, but i am way grateful!  Maybe I will come home from my mission speaking Japanese after all eh? haha :)

I am going to miss Capener Shimai sooo much.  Gosh I love her!  We have seen sooo many miracles together!  I'll share a few quick ones from last night.

1-Our investigator Agarie came to a ward party with all her kids for the first time and had lots of fun!  Huge miracle :)

2-The ward party went late so we didn't have a lot of time to go finding after, like 10 minutes… but we decided to stop by a potential investigators house to see if she was home and then knock ONE door and pray that it would be someone who was prepared to hear the message…

WE went to the potential investigators apartment and she wasn't home.  So we looked across the street and went to the first lighted window that we saw and knocked on the door…nobody came, BUT.
Capener shimai turns around and says "is that a house?!"  And sure enough there is a little blue shack house with a light on hidden between to apartment buildings…"LETS GO!"  We ran up to the door and knocked a few times and nobody came.  Just as we were about to walk away a sweet woman maybe in her 40's answers the door (with a little bit of confusion in her face as to why two Americans were knocking on her door at 8:45pm) but I said my name quickly and she said "OH! Aren't you guys Mormons?!" and we were like "UHHH…YEAH?! How did you know?" and she said she has just heard of us, and that she is Protestant.  I said GREAT!  WE BELIEVE IN CHRIST TOO!  Here's this pamphlet, we want to come back and explain it , is that okay? And she said sure!  We set up an appointment for this Friday night. :)  HUGE MIRACLE!  We ran back to our bikes and biked home as fast as we could and got back at 9pm on the dot.  It was such a fun miracle, and the lady was so sweet and kind.  I am way excited to go back!  I feel like all the Lord wants us to do is 1. Have faith in him and 2. Work until the very end.

Life is SO precious and soo fragile.  That is one thing that I have learned.  Family is the most important thing and always needs to be the most important thing.  I am so grateful for the gospel and the plan of salvation.  The knowledge of a Savior blesses my life every single day!
I need to get going but continue to stay strong and keep the Savior as your rock.  The rains and the floods will come no matter what, but you CANNOT fall if you are founded upon a sure foundation.  That doctrine is true and I am so grateful for it!  I love you all! Have a wonderful week!

Love, Sharp Shimai