May 23, 2016

Friends, what a week. Can I just say how incredible being a missionary is. I love it I love it I love it. 

First off, I know you all are on your seats about whether our investigator is a guy or girl... Yeah we still don't know. But we have another lesson tonight and we have a member jointing for us so maybe they will be able to figure it out. We have gone about this many a ways and still can't figure it out, so hopefully tonight does it in. 

Hammond, the marine we started teaching last week dropped us and that was a major bummer, but because he dropped us we miraculously able to meet with a less active and share a message that he was really in need of. It was absolutely the Lords timing and it was so interesting seeing how Hammond had to drop us to get the timing to line up so that we could meet with the other guy. It was just really eye opening to see how everything is perfectly lined out by the Lord's hand. 

We had our first return appointment with Holly, a lady we found from Idaho who lives off base, and it was amazing! She is one of the most Christlike, loving, prayerful, respectful people I know and Luczak Shimai and I are just amazed by her. She's probably in her 60s and lives by herself. At the end of our lesson with her she told us how she had been studying the bible more and how she was at a thrift store and found a couple study aid books about the bible. She pulls the books out of a bag and shows them to us and guess who they were published by, yep, the Mormon church! As she showed us the books she said 'I think we were meant to meet.' It was miraculous! 

When I got my transfer call to come to Iwakuni and work near the base I was honestly crushed. I did not want to leave the complete culture immersion of being in a Japanese ward and I was just really dreading the transfer. This week I developed a new appreciation for this experience of getting to serve with both Americans and the Japanese people. David Shimai and I were on splits and dendoed in Japanese all day and had incredible experiences together. Then we went onto base for an after baptism lesson with Jorge and then a bbq and played tag around the playground with a bunch of kids. Then we went back off base and dendoed some more and made a miracle return appointment with a lady. By the end of the day I was just so overcome with gratitude that I get this unique experience of getting to serve near a base and learn how to be a missionary in English and Japanese language and culture. Basically, the Lord knows what he's doing when he sends us to specific areas and I just took a little while to be humble and thankful for this area I get to serve in. 

The highlight of the week was yesterday. We had a huge mission conference that ELDER COOK came and spoke at! We all went down to Fukuoka to hear him and his wife and also elder And sister Yamashita. I also got to see Mckenzie Shimai and Anserson Shimai! They were both in a group musical number together and sang Come Thou Fount. As they sang I was just overcome with the spirit and was bawling! I love them both so so much and am forever thankful for the incredible companions and best friends I have been blessed with. Hearing them sing together and then at the end hearing Komatsu Shimai say the closing prayer and sitting with Luczak Shimai the whole time was just overwhelming! They are all such blessings in my life. 

There were so many things that touched me during the conference but what touched me the most was elder Cook's testimony of Christ. Elder Cook is an apostle of the Lord, and there was no denying that as he shared his testimony of the Savior. Being in such an intimate environment with one of the twelve apostles and hear his special witness of the Savior is something I will always remember. He promised us, in the most beautiful words, limitless blessing for our service. He promised us that our families and all those who are loved and dear to us would be blessed because of our faithful service. That our future spouses, children, and posterity would all be blessed because of our service. And he promised and testified to us that we are beloved children of God. 

I'll forever be thankful for the experiences that the Lord is blessing me with at this time. He lives and loves us! 

Have a wonderful week! 

Love, Sundell Shimai 

We stopped to talk to this lady who was doing field work and she said wait a minute, walked over to the field, yanked two cabbages out of the earth and pulled the long roots off, then walked back over and handed them to us. That is an accurate description of these selfless people. I love Japan

Bonsai trees

A random couples backyard 

My sweet Anderson Shimai!

Reunited with Mckenzie Shimai and Sherrill Choro! Just missing our buds Morgan and Passey... 

Mtc version! 

May 15, 2016

Remember how last week I said we had been getting rejected a lot and didn't have any investigators? Well the heavens opened this week! We made so many return appointments and met so many incredible people. Last week Monday we went to dinner with an incredible less active and as we were walking off base there was a marine that we had seen and talked to for a little bit a couple weeks ago. I had been thinking about him a few times and really felt that he was interested in the gospel. Turns out the less active knew him and right there on the spot we set up an appointment to meet with him for dinner! It was incredible! So we had dinner and a little message with him this week and are planning for dinner again tomorrow. It was such miraculous timing being with Colton, the less active, and then running into Hammond, the other marine, as we were leaving base. I'm so thankful for the Lords timing! 

Naoko San came to church yesterday! It was a little rough though because it was stake conference and the video feed from the church in Tokyo was rough and we couldn't hear very well, but we hope she will come again next week. 

Last week we were streeting and met Mio chan. She's 17 and sweet as can be. We set up a return appointment with her in front of a convenient store and she actually showed up! (Normally those kind of return appointments are pretty sketchy but she pulled through!) We shared a video with her and just got to know her and it was so nice. We asked her if she would like to meet again  and learn more about this gospel and before we could even finish asking her she said 'yes!' I love her so much already. She's so mature and responsible and just absorbs everything we teach her. She's such a tender mercy. 

We have another investigator but we aren't sure if it's a guy or girl, so stay tuned on that one and pray that we can discreetly figure it out. Oh and we met a lady from Idaho yesterday and she's incredible. She's so humble and kind and asked if we could come back and see her again- you betcha we can! Stay tuned for more on her next week. 

In the beginning of Preach My Gospel it says 'More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among His children.' I felt that this week. The joy of missionary work is indescribable. It's the most pure, selfless joy. I'm really just always in awe at the things we do and experiences we have being missionaries. We get assigned a random person to spend every second with and to go out and rides bikes in skirts and tacky white helmets in sun and rain storms in a foreign country in an area that we don't know and stop everyone we pass and try to get just a second of their time to tell them about Christ and happiness. There's truly nothing like it and I love it! Even the tiny, little, slightly ghetto apartment we live in that permanently smells like feet and must. I think these memories will always hold a special place in my heart. 

As always, all my love, Sundell Shimai

Those flowers are just in a random little pot next to a vending machine- life in Japan isn't too bad. 

Our district and incredible rm ward mission leader. And the world greatest kinako ice cream

Luczak Shimai and I got matching shirts that encapsulates missionary work in three words. 

May 8, 2016

Hello family and friends that I love so so much! Happy Mother's Day!

Getting to Skype home was the biggest blessing and such a sacred time. I just love you all so much!

This week was so hectic and crazy but the highlight was getting to see the other sister's investigator Jorge get baptized Saturday and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday in church. His conversion story is incredible and his love for the gospel is already so deep.

Getting to see him make that first covenant with the Lord through baptism was such a blessing. And then thinking about all the happiness that awaits him in the future, it's just all so incredible! I love being a missionary and having these experiences.

   We met a young boy housing this week and we taught him about baptism then set a return appointment for Saturday. When we went back his mom answered and told us they weren't interested but the boy kind of shot back at her that he was interested in this message and that he wanted to learn more. We told him that his Family relationship was more

important than hearing our message right now, but we told him when he meets missionaries like us in the future to please listen to them again. He softly agreed and walked back into the house sadly. It just broke my heart that we couldn't share this message with him right now, but I know Heavenly Father will guide the missionaries to m in the future when we will be able to choose for himself to listen.

   This week was a little rough. We don't have any investigators right now, and we were just having a lot of rejection and it was all kind of just building up on us. I was pretty overwhelmed and feeling down and started thinking about my mission as a whole and I realized if nothing else were to come of my mission other than hinata chan and Shinobu San, that would be okay. I love and cherish them with all my heart.  When times are hard, I cling to my memories and friendship with them and then everything feels okay. I'm so thankful for this time of stretching, growth, success, rejection, joy, heartache, and devotion. I am forever indebted to my Heavenly Father for giving me this time to

serve and learn. This time is so sacred, and I love it with all my heart.

   I know our Savior lives. He loves us. He died for us. He knows we are all imperfect, yet he loves us still. He is perfectly patient with us and knows exactly how much to give us to help us grow. I love my Savior and I love this sacred time that I get to serve Him.

Have a beautiful Mother's Day!

All my Love, Sundell Shimai

We did transfers for a few days this week because another Shimai was sick, but this was our awesome sleeping arrangement for a night! It looked a lot more fun than sleeping with crunched up legs turned out to be, but it was still worth it!

This is brother Rasmussen, who baptized Jorge who you can see slightly in the background! I was still crying from watching Jorge get baptized...

We saw these three boys yesterday walking home from the store where they had each bought their mom a bouquet of flowers! See them in their backpacks? 

Japan politician ads pt. 2

Getting to wake up on my birthday as a missionary! Once in a lifetime experience! I was so so lucky to get to Skype on Mothers Day in America and my birthday in Japan! Not many people can say that! And a sweet member made me a cake today also. 

Sweet sister Luczak 

May 1, 2016

Well friends, missionary life is still missionary life. We experience and see incredible miracles from the Lord, we get rejected by a lot of people, we are watched over and protected constantly, and we ride our bikes a ton! This week was still a lot of adjusting to the area and people. 

We were housing and housed into a lady and when we asked her what happiness was to her she replied 'family' in English. Sister Luczak said wow do you speak English?! And she said yes how did you know I speak English? Ha well you kind of just spoke English to us. But this lady is incredible. She, Naoko San, lived in America for about ten years and had Mormon friends that she went to church with! She never received any lessons but knows so much about the church  and respects our values. This lady is so in tune with the spirit and is so humble in recognizing the God in her life. She said 'I have been wanting to speak English because I was worried I was losing my English, then you guys showed up! God knew I wanted to speak English and he sent you two!" Yeah he did! We came back for our return appointment with her and she had invited a friend over for the lesson too! When we took out the Book of Mormon and asked them if they knew about the Book of Mormon she said 'of course I know that book! That book is following me! I can't get away from it. I had one in America and I left it there but there it is again. This church is following me! When I was in America I was really having a hard time and then I was introduced to the church. This church always shows up when I am having a hard time. It's incredible.' Luczak Shimai and I just sat there absolutely speechless and assured her that God really loves her and wants her to be happy! We told her that He really did lead us to her because when we were in her area we weren't planning on doing the apartment she lives in but we were prompted to! She said wow that's incredible that he brought you guys to me! She's so so prepared to receive this message and we are so excited to keep working with her! It's really moments like that when people just know of the majesty of this gospel that makes every single rejection worth it. The miracles of missionary work are incredible! Then yesterday as we were riding our bikes to a far away area, guess who we ride past at a stoplight... Yep, Naoko San! She rolled down her window and yelled 'what are you doing way out here? Did you get here by bike? This is crazy!' And Luczak Shimai said 'it's a miracle!' And Naoko San yells back, 'wow it is! It's a miracle!' It was so sweet and funny and I just love that the Lord cares enough to give us little miraculous experiences like that! 

Yesterday we had dinner with a sweet family in the ward that converted about three years ago. They shared their conversion story- he was an alcoholic, their marriage was absolutely shattered and about to end, everything was going wrong, then the sister missionaries knocked on their door. They opened their hearts to the message of the gospel and now are sealed for time and eternity in the temple, and enjoy all the blessing of faithful membership in the church! The spirit was so strong as they were telling about their conversion and how the gospel truly saved their lives and family. I sometimes forget the power of the message we are called to share every day, so I was so thankful for that special reminder yesterday. 

On another note, I forgot how to talk to kids in English. It's been a good six months since I've talked to a child in English and it was quite the struggle during dinner yesterday. I was just so overwhelmed being able to understand everything they were saying the whole time- it was strange. So please pray for me to have the gift of tongues in Japanese, and English too I guess. 

All my love, Sundell Shimai 

D&C 88:80 - came upon this in study this morning and loved it! 

Japanese politician ads are our favorite! 

We streeted into these girls and prayed with them and the first thing they said after we prayed was 'can we take a picture together?' Spiritual fail.