From: Lindsay Sanders <lindsay.sanders@myldsmail.net>Date: March 30, 2015 12:41:44 AM MSTSubject: HeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyHere is my big email for the week!It won't be very big, I am so sorry I have been bad at writing!Here is a recap of what Elder Nelson talked to us about:in D&C 42:1-2 it talks about how we need to Hearken, and hear, and obey.The word Hearken appears often in the Old Testament, and the word in Hebrew is Shama. The definition is to listen with the intent to obey. Hearken is the first word in the Doctrine and Covenants, also 29 sections have the word hearken in the first sentence. I think Heavenly Father is trying to tell us something.Another thing he said "God is never disappointed in anyone who has the desire to repent."It is so easy to feel like we have strayed too far, there is no hope, or that God is angry with us. That is not the case at all. Just like we wouldn't be angry with a toddler falling when they are just learning how to walk, God is not angry when we make a mistake. This is our time to grow and learn. God wants us to have experiences- but most importantly He wants us to learn from them. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can seicho suru or kaizen suru (improve or progress). We can be free of all our mistakes and worries. I love this Gospel. I know that we can be forgiven of our sins because I have prayed for that forgiveness. I have felt God's love for me, and I have felt it for these amazing Japanese people. I love them. I know that God loves them. That is why I am here. I can't htink of anything else I'd rather do with my life than help people feel God's love.Campbell Shimai is going home in a few weeks... and I am SO SAD! I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!! But we have been working hard and seeing tons of miracles. One miracle is while we were riding our bikes to find a less active (up a really crazy hill) I saw two women walking... so I stopped to talk to them, and before I could say anything, the woman asked "MISSIONARIES?" I said "Yes! Have you met us before?" She told us that 20 years ago, when she was about to have her baby, 2 Elders helped her husband clean their house! And since then, they haven't been able to find other missionaries! She was so excited to find us! She asked us if we could come over to her house and she would make us food. We said "um, YES!" so we exchanged phone numbers and we went our separate ways. That night, she calls us and says "My husband's day off is tomorrow, can you come over and he will make you Italian food?" Needless to say, Campbell Shimai and I were freaking out. We go over to their house the next day, and they welcome us in and sit us down at their table. We learn that the husband works on the military base- is fluent in English, and is a gourmet chef. He made us lasagna, and homemade pizza and lots of other dishes. WE WERE IN HEAVEN. We asked the couple about their lives and about the missionaries that helped them. They said they had a great relationship with those Elders, but did not hear the lessons. We talked for a long time... and I think we are all friends now! Their daughter was at work, but she is our same age, and they really want us to be friends with her- so they invited us to come back when their daughter is home. We invited them to watch the "Because He Lives" video, and left. We felt like that was all we should have done. They acted like members- they even invited their friend to eat with us. Look, they are already missionaries! I really love this family! They are such kind people. Can you imagine inviting two strangers into your home, and making a full-course meal for them????? I love the Japanese people. Anyways, we are praying for them and we are excited to see them soon!We had a great week. Also, today we went to Miya Jima and HAD SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!! I love our district! There are only 6 of us, but we are all super good friends.Mata ne! Ai shiteru yo!Sanders Shimai--Sanders Shimai
At Miwa Jima Island
Our District! :)
