July 4, 2016

This week was pretty wild! Well, when we were actually out of the house we were seeing wild miracles. Sweet Hilke Shimai has been sick this week so we've been staying in so she can rest. She's been such a trooper and the longer I'm her companion the more I love her. She truly emanates the light of Christ through her patience and long suffering. I couldn't have a more loving, patient companion to support me and encourage me. It's been a blessing being in a four man apartment because we have been able to go on splits a ton so I could still go to the lessons that Hilke and I had planned, while one of the other sisters stays at home with her. 

This week we were blessed with a few of the most amazing lessons of my mission. One was with a recent convert who we are teaching after baptisms to. Our joints for the lesson bore their testimonies of the Book of Mormon at the end of the lesson and the spirit present. Getting to teach the restoration reconfirmed again to me the truthfulness of this gospel. 

Another lesson was with our angel new investigator. She's our age and has been so prepared for this gospel. She's a marine and we are moooooore than stoked to finally be getting to teach a female marine! She's an answer to our prayers. 

The last lesson was with Naoko. Gosh I love Naoko. Earlier this week we visited her and she kind of tried to drop us. When she told us her reasons for wanting to be dropped, she asked us what we thought. I got really emotional and all I could say was 'this message is really important.' I think my tears really made her feel guilty because she then agreed to keep meeting with us. She knows this is true, but Satan really works on those who are the closest to accepting the gospel. We had dinner together at a members house and taught her the plan of salvation afterwards. We really focused on Christ's atonement and the members bore beautiful testimonies throughout the lesson. At the end of the lesson we asked her what her thoughts were, and she just kept saying 'you're right Sundell San, this is really important. You got all emotional about this but it really is important!' 

Numerous times this week I've felt the effects of our Savior's atonement. I felt it numerous times through lessons. I felt it in Hilke Shimai's endless patience with and love for me. I felt it as I received help in being able to serve others in a way that I was not capable of doing before. I felt it as I bore testimony of things that I did not have a testimony or knowledge of before my mission. I mostly felt it in knowing of Gods love for each one of us. Seeing how present God is in each of our investigators lives, preparing them little by little in countless ways to receive this restored gospel. I'm just very thankful for the Gospel. It is so important. 

All my love, Sundell Shimai 

Before Hilke Shimai fell stricken in her deathbed, we finally found a new political pic!

New series featuring various Japanese monsters.

Went to Miyajima and coincidentally crashed another zones zone pday!

I got to see McKenzie Shimai's old companion! We just talked the whole time about how much we both love her. Happy Birthday McKenzie Shimai!

Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom.

Hilke Shimai's attempt at my picture pose didn't turn out as well...