Konnichiwa,
This last week we were pretty busy, we taught 8 lessons. None of our investigators are progressing which is really hard. But I had a strong feeling that I know there is at LEAST ONE that will. It may not be any that we are currently teaching, but we will find the one who will. The sisters that we live with had a baptism yesterday it was way good!! Their convert is sooo cute, she's in her 70's and has a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon :) she's adorable!!
I had a cool experience last week with one of our investigators Ishikawa San. The elders met him last year and he didn't have a ton of interest but when we met him he agreed to meet again. He looooves to talk, which is a good and a bad thing. But we had the opportunity to teach him the restoration in about 10 minutes. I got to the first vision and he was looking at me with the most intense eyes. for about 1 minute straight our eyes didn't break contact and I felt the power of the spirit testify through me to him the truthfulness of every word that came out of my mouth. I have said the first vision a lot on my mission, and have had a ton of spiritual experiences when sharing it, but never have the words come out of my mouth so powerfully and clearly before. I have it memorized in Japanese, but it was as if I wasn't even speaking, I barely had a recollection of saying anything. At the end, we invited him to pray about everything we taught. We met with him about 3 days later and he said that he went to the church website and studied more about the first vision, and he also mentioned how important the priesthood is, if it is real. He isn't committing to pray about, which is way frustrating. I know its Satan. I know (and I think he knows) that if he prays he is going to get an answer and then he will be accountable! He is a member of a church called 'sokagakai' and from what I hear it was founded by a man who went to BYU, learned about the Mormons and decided he wanted to be a prophet. He came back to Japan and founded a way, way, way corrupt version of our church and people are joining by the thousands. He made it into a Buddhist religion. Its way scary. Probably 1 in every 20 people we meet is a member of this church. I have met sooo so many. None of them (to my knowledge) have any idea that is a corrupt version of our church. If they did, I think they would join ours. Anyways, Ishikawa San is trying my patience because he won't pray the way we have taught him, but we are going to continue to love him and keep him in our prayers.
We met with the girl that had read half the Book of Mormon. When we met her she didn't seem as happy to see us. I think Satan got to her in the days we weren't able to see her. Because she didn't make a return appointment which was really sad. I suppose its not quite her time yet. She is close though.
Last night we were housing in her same apartment complex and we found a girl who lived in California for 4 years. She said that in America she had one friend that was Mormon and all her family practiced Christianity of some sort. She had a piercing in her chin and really short hair. She seems to be a little more rough around the edges but as I continued to talk to her (in fluent English:) the spirit softened her and she said that she would read the plan of salvation pamphlet that we gave to her and if we stopped by again she would be okay to talk with us. It was a huge miracle I was way grateful that the Lord placed her in our path. We will follow upon her progress this week and ill let you know what happens.
Time is short, but I bare my testimony that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. It has been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. He saw God, our Father, and the Son Jesus Christ. They live and they love us. The Book of Mormon is evidence of this. Read it. Study it. Ponder it. Pray about it. All those who do so will receive a witness from the Holy Ghost that it is true. It its true, than this is Gods Church. I testify that it is!
I love you all. Pray. Pray often.
Sharp Shimai
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Sunday, June 1, 2014
His work and his glory!
Sunday 25, 2014
Konnichiwa,
This last week went by really fast, we saw so many miracles. We found four new investigators and we were able to meet with just about all the people that we wanted too. A few things fell through but that's okay because Heavenly Father was preparing so many people this week to be in our path it was amazing!! We were about 40 minutes from home and were biking up a pretty big hill, I went to gear down and my chain/gear changer broke off my bike! I have run that dang bike into the ground. We went to one bike shop and they said that nowhere on all of Okinawa had the part that I needed…but of course you can't just take one persons word for it. The next day we went to another bike shop and he said that he didn't have the part, but a bridgestone up the street could probably do it. Luckily they were able to and I have a bike in working order again yay! The next day we were getting ready to go to church and Kaskiwa Shimai's front tire had a flat! So we have been having bike troubles all week, but the good news is that we got it fixed and were still able to make it to all our appointments :)
One awesome miracle that I want to share happened last night. We went to an appointment with a new investigator named Fukuchi San and after his lesson we decided to stop by an apartment complex that we found a week or so before. We talked to 2 really prepared people when we went there the first time, so we wanted to see if they were home. Neither of them were, and we only had about 10 minutes left before we needed to head back home so we decided to just continue housing along the same row of doors until we found someone. About 3 doors into it we come to a door that looked at the door I was overwhelmed with the spirit and love for whoever was on the other side of the door. I knew someone was inside. We rang the doorbell and a sweet young girl maybe in her 30's answered the door. We said Hello! We are the missionaries! Have you ever met missionaries before?! and she said with a smile Yes! I have actually! Just this year! I have a Book of Mormon and I have read if half way through already! Kashiwa Shimai and I couldn't believe it! We talked to her for about 10 minutes about the plan of salvation. I asked her is she felt joy in her life and she said she didn't feel happiness at all…it was a perfect opportunity for me to then testify of our Heavenly Fathers love and our Saviors atonement. She agreed to meet with us this week on Wednesday at 6pm.
Time and time again I have seen the Lord place us in the right place at the right time to reach out to his children in love. It builds and strengthens my faith each time. The best part about this miracle who met her the first time are actually my current zone leaders. I called and asked him if he remembered anyone by the name of 'Maezato' and he said "Oh yeah! I remember her, she refused to take a Book of Mormon and I finally just shoved it at her because I knew that she needed it! She was so stubborn!" I just laughed and told him that his work paid off because she has read half of it. It was a testimony to me that we are preparing people for others who will come along. I already knew this but it was awesome to see the actual fruit of someone else's labor and then be able to report back to that missionary that his effort wasn't wasted even though he thought she was for sure uninterested when they met.
The Lord is truly at the head of this church. This is his church. It is his work and his glory! I am so blessed to be a part of it :)
I love each of you, Thank you for all the prayers love and support. Have a good week!
Love, Sharp Shimai
Konnichiwa,
This last week went by really fast, we saw so many miracles. We found four new investigators and we were able to meet with just about all the people that we wanted too. A few things fell through but that's okay because Heavenly Father was preparing so many people this week to be in our path it was amazing!! We were about 40 minutes from home and were biking up a pretty big hill, I went to gear down and my chain/gear changer broke off my bike! I have run that dang bike into the ground. We went to one bike shop and they said that nowhere on all of Okinawa had the part that I needed…but of course you can't just take one persons word for it. The next day we went to another bike shop and he said that he didn't have the part, but a bridgestone up the street could probably do it. Luckily they were able to and I have a bike in working order again yay! The next day we were getting ready to go to church and Kaskiwa Shimai's front tire had a flat! So we have been having bike troubles all week, but the good news is that we got it fixed and were still able to make it to all our appointments :)
One awesome miracle that I want to share happened last night. We went to an appointment with a new investigator named Fukuchi San and after his lesson we decided to stop by an apartment complex that we found a week or so before. We talked to 2 really prepared people when we went there the first time, so we wanted to see if they were home. Neither of them were, and we only had about 10 minutes left before we needed to head back home so we decided to just continue housing along the same row of doors until we found someone. About 3 doors into it we come to a door that looked at the door I was overwhelmed with the spirit and love for whoever was on the other side of the door. I knew someone was inside. We rang the doorbell and a sweet young girl maybe in her 30's answered the door. We said Hello! We are the missionaries! Have you ever met missionaries before?! and she said with a smile Yes! I have actually! Just this year! I have a Book of Mormon and I have read if half way through already! Kashiwa Shimai and I couldn't believe it! We talked to her for about 10 minutes about the plan of salvation. I asked her is she felt joy in her life and she said she didn't feel happiness at all…it was a perfect opportunity for me to then testify of our Heavenly Fathers love and our Saviors atonement. She agreed to meet with us this week on Wednesday at 6pm.
Time and time again I have seen the Lord place us in the right place at the right time to reach out to his children in love. It builds and strengthens my faith each time. The best part about this miracle who met her the first time are actually my current zone leaders. I called and asked him if he remembered anyone by the name of 'Maezato' and he said "Oh yeah! I remember her, she refused to take a Book of Mormon and I finally just shoved it at her because I knew that she needed it! She was so stubborn!" I just laughed and told him that his work paid off because she has read half of it. It was a testimony to me that we are preparing people for others who will come along. I already knew this but it was awesome to see the actual fruit of someone else's labor and then be able to report back to that missionary that his effort wasn't wasted even though he thought she was for sure uninterested when they met.
The Lord is truly at the head of this church. This is his church. It is his work and his glory! I am so blessed to be a part of it :)
I love each of you, Thank you for all the prayers love and support. Have a good week!
Love, Sharp Shimai
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