Happy July this week! So crazy, where does the time go?! I still can't believe I'm transfer 7 now! Shimai get 12 transfers on their mission... So yeah, I am feeling old.
It was pouring rain all this week until Sunday and the sky was so beautiful and sunny and blue! I will send a picture!
This week our roommates Sister Chun and Sister Madeux had the most beautiful baptism on Saturday! Yoshinaga Shimai is a kinjin! She asked me to sing. I sang a really cool arrangement of Abide with Me Tis Eventide (in Japanese) and Sister Chun played for me. It was a really special experience. Yoshinaga Shimai asked specifically for that song... And I am not the best singer, but it was an honor for me to sing her favorite song for her. The baptism went perfectly!! It was so nice and I really felt the Spirit. When Yoshinaga Shimai was bearing her testimony, she said that Chun Shimai and Madeux Shimai were the cutest angels she could ever hope to see. It was so sweet. I may have cried a little... Such a good day!
Transfers were this week and guess what, I stayed in Shimizu with Popham Shimai! That's a first. I have never stayed with a companion more than one transfer before... It's gonna be good! Elder Yanagida and Elder Stanger and Elder Olivera were transferred out... I am going to miss them!! Especially Elder Yanagida. We were nerd buddies and talked about Star Wars. We have new friends though! Elder Carlson, Elder Brower, and Elder Roncal (a fresh bean from the MTC who is from Peru, but doesn't speak Spanish, only Japanese... Don't ask why, I don't know either). We also have a new Mission President! Egan Kaicho!!! His job is to make roller coasters! Haha I Guess this is going to be a wild ride? Haha sorry I am bad at jokes. I haven't met him yet, but I am excited to meet him and his family soon. I am really going to miss Gustafson Kaicho and Shimai... They changed my life more than they will ever know. I keep telling myself this change is good, just hard. Also, about half of the mission is going home in the next couple of months, and then a flood of new missionaries is coming in! That will be exciting.
Our investigators are all on their spiritual tipping points... They are so close to just being baptized, but each of them seem to have one big obstacle keeping them from it. For example, one of them is too afraid to tell her family that she is thinking of joining this church. Another will not keep her commitments!!! We have been seeking revelation on how to help her. They all have so much potential! Lin surprised us by coming to the baptism and then coming to church the next day! Maybe she will want to get baptized...? This is the first time she has shown real interest.
We had a cool experience while we were streeting with a high school student named Aki chan. We had just been kekko'd about three times in a row, and a see a young girl still in her high school uniform, I literally heard the words "go save her". She had her earbuds in and she looked so sad. I had to run to catch up to her, but I stopped her and made her talk to me (I was constrained by the Spirit, so I had to be bold). We talked for a minute and I just asked her about her image of God. She said "I hate God so I don't believe in him." I asked her why she hated God. She wouldn't tell me, so I asked her more about herself. I asked about her family, and she said it was just her and her dad. Then she started talking really fast. "Why does everyone around me seem to have a perfect life when my life is awful? I can't believe in God because how could he let such bad things happen to just one person? I feel completely alone..." She was so worked up about this. I testified to her that God loves her. I told her that everyone goes through hard times, a lot of people are good at hiding it. I told her that she was a special, beloved daughter of God. He knew her situation, and wants to help her be happy. She asked "who are you??" I told her that we were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... She asked "did God send you to me?" I said, "Because God loves you, he sent us to help you today". She was quiet for a moment and looked down at her feet. Then she looked back up and said "Well, I guess I can't hate God if he sent you to me." After that we invited her to hear more, and she declined, but she thanked us. Before she left I asked if I could hug her. I hugged her tight and said "remember you are loved". She walked away with a smile on her face. Which brings this week's number of smiles to 402. Not a bad week :) Lots of happy people in Japan.
I know that God loves us. He knows our names, our hearts, and our circumstances. When we need him, he is there. He is even there when we think we don't need him. I have had several experiences just this week when I have felt God's love for me personally. If you are not sure if God loves YOU, I Challenge you to ask Him in prayer. I promise He will answer.
I'm not going to lie, missions are hard. They stretch you in every way possible. But it is a good thing. I am more confident in my relationship with God. I have more compassion for people in general. My mission has been the best thing for me. My advice for those preparing to serve missions is to be ready to rely on God. I can honestly say I have gone into the little bathroom stall in our apartment many a time, and knelt down and pleaded with God to help me... Simply because that is the only place I could be alone. You will have moments like that. But you will also meet someone who really needs your help, and you are able to help them. Those are the moments that make it all worth it. Remember the Savior. On His mission, there were those that rejected Him... But He also saved every human soul. We get to take part (even if it is a small part) in that same work! How amazing is that?! We are doing the work of Gods (Moses 1:39) so we are entitled to heavenly help. Never ever give up. You are supposed to be tired. It is supposed to be hard. It is supposed to be crazy and fun and joyous as well.
Everyone have a fabulous week and keep enjoying summer vacation! My birthday is just around the corner, just in case you forgot. Love ya! じゃね‼️愛していますよ。
サンダーズ姉妹
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