Fwd: 1st Transfer Week 5

From: Lindsay Sanders <lindsay.sanders@myldsmail.net>

Date: November 23, 2014 8:51:22 PM MST

Subject: 1st Transfer Week 5

Konnichiwa! Sorry I was confused about what was going on with P-Days. I have a P-Day today and again on SATURDAY, so if you email me again by Friday night y`all would be great :) I will not have P-Day at all next week. Sorry, that`s just how it works I guess. I get to go to the temple on Saturday though, so I am super excited! 

This week was awesome! Last P-Day we went to the mall and ate some pizza (Japanese pizza is crazy... I had shrimp and corn pizza with mayonnaise instead of sauce... they had normal pizza too, no worries!) and we found an aweosme little thrift store where everything is less than $5. I got a sweater because it`s getting pretty cold! 

Yesterday we finalized all the plans for Yamaguchi san`s baptism! He passed his interview and we have a really nice program planned. He will be baptized next Sunday before church!　WEARESOEXCITED!　Nelson Shimai and I will be singing... something. We are having a really hard time deciding what to sing.

In my district, we have 1 set of Elders- Elder Fender and Elder Needs. Elder Fender is the District leader and he is THE BEST. and he has really bright red hair. Elder Needs grew up in all kinds of cool places around the world and likes snowboarding. Somehow, they have found 3 Chinese investigators in the past couple weeks, so we`re all learning some Chinese :) and then Elder Cascardi`s parents are mission presidents in Brazil... IDK what mission. But he and his companion Elder Sugimoto are teaching a Brazilian so I get to use the Portuguese I learned from Elder Soares at the MTC! YAY! I love learning all these languages! My Japanese has gotten way better. I still speak simply, but I am getting lots more comfortable just speaking.

This week I `celebrated` 3 months of being a missionary. We got to wear jeans while we helped Manami Shimai clean her house. It was a blast! We helped her move furniture and stuff around then cleaned her floor because she is PREGNANT! She is going to have the cutest baby ever. She is always willing to come and joint for our lessons.  I am so thankful for her!

This week, we did a Junkai... which means splits with the Sister Training leaders. I went with Sister Owada who is a NIHONJIN. (Japanese). I was so worried because my language is so simple right now, and I knew there would be a huge communication gap. But you know what? It was so fun! We went streeting and taught a lesson. I love her so much! We also found a huge hill and decided we`d rather take the long way then try and ride up it......... I`ll send a picture. I am so excited to have a new friend!

This week at a member`s house, I ate sushi, tofu with flish flakes, Mochi filled with pickled plums, and Mugicha (it is a tea made from wheat, so it`s okay to drink). The Sushi was good. Sister Nelson said `I`m full, so can I take the mochi home and eat it?` which means that she really just didn`t want to eat it.... but she said that BEFORE me, so I HAD TO eat it in order to be polite. It was NASTY. THat`s the first thing I`ve tried that has made me almost throw up. Haha Sister nelson really is a good companion other than that ;)

This week in my studies, I found Alma 36:24-25 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;

Being a missionary brings me such great joy! I get to see people change their lives for the better. Some people don`t believe that God is their Father who loves them. One of the only things I can talk about in detail is God`s love. I try to share that with everyone who will listen to me. 

Love you lots! Thanks for sending me talks to study! I am doing great! I AM SO EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Have a great week! 

--

Sanders Shimai