Grateful

May 11th 2014


Konnichiwa :)

Talking to you all was sooo sooo sooo great :) I felt the spirit so much, thank you, thank you!  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

I didn't talk to much about miracles that we a saw last week, but we saw many!

My new companion came on Thursday, her name is Kaskiwa Shimai and she is from Tokyo!  I miss Capener shimai, but we will see each other again soon enough :)

I could write all about the struggles I have had in the last few days with going from speaking English all the time in the apartment with my companion to speaking nothing but straight Japanese with Kashiwa, but I won't get into it haha.  Ive realized that I don't know any Japanese haha…but I get to learn how to speak all over again which in the end will be a blessing!  One funny thing is that I have been saying "see you again!" wrong for the last year of my mission haha…Kashiwa kindly connected me on our first day out it was pretty funny!  Pray for me eh!?

I mentioned today how my mission has been going by so fast.  Each new transfer has felt like a different life.  I have been able to learn and grow from each new companion.  I'm pretty sure having a new companion every single transfer except my 5th and 6th is pretty unheard of, but I'm grateful because I have been able to learn the most out of anyone in the mission probably!

I told Aubrey about one miracle that Capener Shimai and I had last week.  In my last email I talked about the woman in the little blue shack.  Her name is Nakan Dakari.  Kashiwa Shimai and I were able to go and see her on Friday.  Her husband was sick but she ended up talking to us for about 10 or 15 minutes outside her door.  She asked us how long we had been members of this church and when I told her that I joined when I was 8, but became less active but returned when I was 17 the spirit filled my heart and I told her about my first experience of walking into my singles ward.  Tears started to well up in my eyes like they always do when I tell that story.  The spirit was soooo sooo strong, she also had tears start to well up in her eyes and she said " This feeling is the spirit isn't it?!"  She recognized the spirit!!!!  She is Protestant, so she has obviously had some experiences with the spirit in her life to know what it feels like.  I was sooo happy!  She kept saying how happy she was and that we could come back anytime!  She wasn't able to make a return appointment, but we quickly taught her about Joseph Smiths experience, bore testimony and asked her to pray about it.  We called her yesterday and she said she prayed but she prayed she has yet to get an answer.  We are planning on just showing up at her house if she doesn't call us in the next few days.  She is so prepared, and so nice. I felt so much of Heavenly Fathers love for her.  Its an experience that I won't forget!!!

Capener Shimai and I also met a REALLY nice Korean lady last week who fell in love with us haha she is super nice.  She recognized who we were right away.  "Are you Mormon?!" she shouted out.  She came to see the church a few days ago which was a huge miracle, she wanted to attend church yesterday but she couldn't because of work.  She is so sweet and so nice.  Her Japanese is super good too!  When we see her next we will give her a Book of Mormon in Korean so she can understand in better than Japanese.  I'm excited to see where things go with her!

We dropped one of our investigators last week, (Hirakawa San) she doesn't have interest, but that's ok she will meet missionaries again and be more prepared I think :)

I want to send some pictures and it takes time so I will wrap this up, but I love you all so much! Thank you for being so loving and supportive.  I am so grateful for each of you and your testimonies.  There is a quote from President Uchtdorf that I love.  He said "preach the gospel at all times, and sometimes use words." (maybe I butchered that haha, probably not word for word what he said) but I love it.  You are all preaching the gospel by the way you live and I am so grateful for your examples.  Heavenly Father loves each of you and needs you to continue to be a shining example to those who are around you!  Listen to the Holy Ghost and act on his promptings.  He will guide you and comfort you ALWAYS.

Love you!
Love Sharp Shimai