March 26, 2017

Sorry in advance if this email is a little scatterbrained, I just saw a picture of my best friend with an engagement ring on her finger and my heart is freaking out! 

You'd think transfers would get easier the more times you do them. I guess to an extent they do but it was still hard leaving Sasebo that I love so much. 

Wednesday nights we teach English class and the last one was so special! So many of the students I love came and we got to spend a great last class together. After eikaiwa the members had prepared a  big meal for Elder Bryans because he was going home, and me because I was transferring. There were a lot of members and all the eikaiwa students participated too. At the beginning we said an opening prayer and then Elder Bryans and I got to share some thoughts and testimonies. It was such an amazing opportunity to get to express to our eikaiwa students the joy and peace that the gospel has brought into my life. Normally in eikaiwa we don't talk about religion, so it was great getting to share with them my testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ. I love and miss them all! 

And now I'm in Taniyama! With Henderson Shimai who is a hoot! We have a ton of fun together and are so excited for this upcoming transfer. 

The members here are so gung-ho! We were able to meet with them and talk about ways to strengthen the branch and they were all for the ideas we had! 

Funny story this week: so Henderson Shimai is full Chinese but was adopted and raised in California. Most of the time we contact people they assume she is Japanese. So we knocked on a home this week and an old grandpa answers the door and I think I I'm having a pretty decent conversation with him, but then he sees Henderson Shimai standing behind me and says "I don't understand what you're saying, can you move over and have her translate for you please" and motions me away with his hand. So I feel that will be the general overtone of this transfer! 

Despite being in a different area with a different companion, dendo is still much the same, which is so comforting. Though I don't yet feel comfortable in this area, I feel so all home being able to  bear testimony to those we talk to about Jesus Christ and his perfectly restored gospel! I'm very thankful and excited for the next while in this area and for more time to serve as a missionary. 

All my love, Sundell Shimai 

Millet Shimai and her mom came back to Japan an miraculously visited her old area, taniyama, they week I transferred here! 

Hopefully more pictures next week...