September 19, 2016

So many exciting things this week! The senior couple finally got here!

Their names are the Struemplers and they're a hoot. They honestly have more energy than I do and are so fired up about being missionaries.

They're going to do so much good here! It's fun getting a little taste of what my parents are probably doing in West Virginia!

This week we had a few really good lessons with one of our investigations and she's doing so well. She's coming to church, and LOVING it. It's such a special experience getting to partake of the sacrament with our investigators. The spirit is so powerful each week in church and i have a newfound love and appreciation for the sacrament. I don't know if I just never really payed much attention during the sacrament before, or if this iwakuni branch just has a special spirit about it, but every week during the sacrament I feel the spirit so strongly. It's such a sacred time to get to ponder on our Savior's atonement.

Really terrible experience this week: sitting in relief society and a sister with a newborn baby volunteered to play the piano and as she got up, turned to me, starts handing me the baby, and asks me if I can hold her while she plays. I awkwardly said no and I'm pretty sure my heart just shattered. I forgot how much I love holding babies. Had to keep Reminding myself 'obedience to mission rules brings blessings, obedience to mission rules brings blessings, obedience to mission rules brings blessings.' So this is a call to all friends and family at home, have all your cute babies lined up and ready next May when I get home so I can hold them all! Please and thank you.

There's a couple in the ward who invites the missionaries over for dinner every fast Sunday, and last fast Sunday we were talking about transfers and how some of us won't be here for thanksgiving. So they said, "how about we do thanksgiving together before you leave! We will cook it all!" Amazing, right? That's a lot of work! But get this, this couple is also doing 'whole 30' right now so they wouldn't even be able to eat 95% of the stuff they made! But they did it all anyway! So yesterday we got thanksgiving dinner in September. They're so incredible and are saints. Two of our investigators were able to come to the dinner also and it was such a fun, special time. We shared a message at the end and started playing telestrations, basically telephone with pictures. We compared how the pictures drastically changed as they went from person to person to the great apostasy and restoration of the gospel. We shared the first vision video and the spirit was so strong. It's such a blessing getting to share the message of the restoration!

My companion is a champ and such a blast to be around. We are blessed with many incredible investigators and the best area and branch in the world! We love missionary work!

All my love, Sundell Shimai

Welcoming the Struemplers! If you didn't notice, we love Japan. We also love the Lamptey family.

And Colton

AND SISTER ROSALES AND THE THANKSGIVING SHE PREPARED

and all our friends!

and Smith Shimai leaving wet clothes in her laundry basket ALL WEEK and then finding this beauty on the tatami this morning.

and I love McCuen Shimai

And my companion?