God is in charge!

April 27, 2014


Konnichiwa,

This last week went by so fast again.  I have been contemplating a lot on why this transfer has felt so different than all the other transfers, and I have realized a few things.
1. I get along with and LOVE my companion, which invites the spirit. Always.
2.Because I get along with AND love my companion, we are then able to go out and love our brothers and sisters of Japan.
3. Because we have been blessed with this gift of charity, the people are feeling it and listening when we stop and talk to them.
4. Because they are listening, we are able to testify of the miracle of the Atonement.
5. WHICH THEN BRINGS MIRACLES!

I was telling Capener Shimai that there has never been a time on my mission where I have felt so guided by the holy ghost in all aspects of missionary work.  We are being guided DIRECTLY to those who are prepared and ready to receive us.  I can recognize and feel when the Holy Ghost is prompting me to say certain things to people or do certain things that are going to help them come closer to the Savior. Its been so amazing to feel like an instrument in the Lords hands.

We have an eikaiwa student who comes to our class every Wednesday night  Her real name is Miya, but she goes by Gaga as in…yes…Lady Gaga…haha she basically worships lady gaga, it really bad…but anyways, I walked up to her last week ad just asked her how she was doing after the class was over and she started talking to me about what happens to us after we die.  She is engaged to a guy whose father passed away in a tragic accident and burned to death.  She said that her fiance has seen him a few times as a "ghost" and wants to know why he hasn't' gone to heaven…its kind of a weird thing, and who knows if its true or not, but either way she is asking us to know what we believe!  I asked her if we could meet the next week before eikaiwa started and we could have a little lesson about it and she agreed.  She came, and Sister Capener and I had a completely different lesson planned than what happened.  The first thing she asked was "why did you join this church!?"  so Capener Shimai, I  and the member that was with us bore the most heartfelt testimonies of why we all joined the church…I was able to tell her that I was baptized at 8, but fell away.  At age 17 the spirit told me to change my life and go back to church so that's what I did.  The spirit was so wrong in the room.  She is a little blinded by the world, but I know as we start to peel back her layers, the spirit is going to touch her soul.  Its funny how you don't always know why you are sent to certain areas but as time goes by, you start to see exactly why you are here.  I feel like she is one of the many people I am here to help guide back to our Heavenly Father.  I love her!

Last night we were out biking in the rain,  and decided to stop at an apartment,  that we found a REALLY prepared person in a few days earlier.  We wanted to finish housing the apartment, so that's what we did.  On the last door that we knocked (of course, its always the last door) an older woman answered and as soon as we said that we were form the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints she said " Oh…I have a different way of thinking…" and she talked for about 10 minutes about how she didn't really agree with things that we teach in the church and that there are so many churches, all there thinking is different…the thought came to mind to ask her if she believed that Jesus Christ was her Savior, so I did.  She replied by saying that she for sure believed in Jesus Christ and God.  My response was…"Looks like we have the same way of thinking.  So do we! :)  From there she began to open up so much more and turns out she met missionaries a loooong time ago and had them over for dinner.  She doesn't have anything against the church but just thinks that some of the things we teach are kinda weird.  She asked if we believed that we could become Gods, and do we condemn others who aren't married in the church.  The spirit took over and we were able to answer all her questions in a way that testified of the truth.  It was a miracle, she said we could come back and that we could bring a member with us.  I am sooo excited to teach this woman.  She is searching for the truth.  One thing that she asked was "Where does your church come from?! Ya know, the Jehovah Witnesses were established 100 years ago…blah, blah…where did yours come from?!"  UM, GOLDEN QUESTION.  We then testified of the restoration.  I am so grateful for the gift of tongues!!!  I will keep you updated on her!

Appointments fell through last week, but all is well.  God is in charge here.  We are seeing so many miracles, I wish I had time to write them all but I don't.  I love you all.  Stay strong and immovable in your faith in Christ.  Read Helaman 5:12.  This has become one of my favorite scriptures of all time.  Notice how it doesn't say "IF satan…" it says "WHEN satan…" Build your foundation on Christ.  For that is a Sure FOUNDATION.

I love you all.  Give extended family my love.  You are all in my prayers!
Love, Sharp Shimai