March 7, 2016
Dear family and friends, 

This week is transfers, but we haven't gotten the call yet, so this could be my last email from Maebaru! Hopefully not though because I love it here as much as ever and I love Anderson Shimai as much as ever. 

This week we definitely a slower one, but things are still good here. Shigeharu san has been really busy with school so we haven't been able to meet with him. I think it finishes this month though so hopefully he will be able to meet again soon. We had a lesson with sweet Hinata chan about baptism and the Holy Ghost that went pretty well. It was a little hard to explain things, but she was a champ as always and committed to keep praying and read another scripture from the Book of Mormon that we assigned her. We had another appointment set for Saturday, but she got the flu so it was cancelled. So hopefully this next week will be more successful as far as lessons go! 

There wasn't really anything big that happened this week, just many little things that made me love it here even more. People here are incredible. Really everyone is so kind. At our district meeting our district leader said something to the effects of 'if you ever feel down about not being able to speak Japanese, just remember how blessed you are to live in a country that loves America and English.' We have so many fun little moments inviting people to eikaiwa. Everyone is always so excited to speak a little English to us and it really is a blessing being able to communicate and make friendships that way! Just yesterday Anderson Shimai and I were biking and were stopped at a light. A huge group of high school kids on bikes came up behind us and we asked them if they like English. They all said yes so we gave them fliers and had a simple little conversation with them and it was just so sweet. Then later we biked up next to three teens on bikes and I handed them all eikaiwa fliers, as we were still biking,  (my bikes skills are getting pretty good, friends) and they just got a kick out of it. Then after talking to them for a minute we rode away and we hear one of the boys yell 'tanoshii! Tanoshii!' Fun fun! It was so cute. So yes even though my Japanese is still very rough at least I can have simple English conversations with most people! It's still weird to me though when I ride by someone and say konnichiwa and they reply 'hello!' Or 'herro' with the Japanese English accent li love so much. I sometimes forget that I don't look like everyone else here!

I'm just very thankful for this opportunity to be a missionary. There are many times that I feel inadequate, discouraged, weak, and just kind of like I cant make it to what I want to become, but the joyful, hope filled moments trump the bad ones. I'm constantly reminded of our Savior's perfect patience and love. He is truly in the details of our lives and has a perfect plan for each of us. Now just always having faith in that plan and never doubting is what I'm working on ;) 

Anderson Shimai and I read 'The Living Christ' yesterday in our companion study and I was reminded of how much I love it. Give it a read this week and then just take a moment to let it sink in. If you're anything like me, it'll make you bawl. But then again what spiritual thing doesn't bring me to tears? 

I love you all! 

Love, Sundell Shimai 

Our suteki district 

We were excited to dendo by the ocean 

Japanese ramen shops have my heart