Transfer12 Week 2

Transfer 12 week 2

Hello from the happiest place on earth! Ube!!! I really love this area.

Transfers was crazy, as it always is, but I love my new companion
Komatsu Shimai! She loves American music, so we have been singing a
lot of One Direction today :) She is such a hard worker and I am
thankful for her dendo fire! We have seen so many miracles already!

Emi came to church! She loved it, even though she said it was strange.
Haha! She liked watching the families and she said she felt happy
every time there was a prayer. I was so proud of the branch members,
they all came and said hello to her. She stayed for all three hours
and a short lesson afterwards about the Book of Mormon. I totally
think Emi and her husband could be baptized.

We are preparing for MLC and training next week. There was a world
wide training for missionaries a little while ago. It was a good
spiritual boost for me and I am trying to apply a lot of the
principles... Emphasis on trying. Haha I am definitely not a perfect
missionary, but I try my best to be obedient and follow the Spirit!
There is so much to learn and do, but Heavenly Father just wants me to
keep trying!

We have a new district leader who served in Ube while I was in Iwakuni
(same zone), and today when he called us he told me that he can see a
huge difference in my level of spirituality! Yay? It was funny. I am
glad, however, that there is a noticeable difference in me! Especially
in just the last few months, I feel like I have changed a lot. I love
my mission so much! I still have a long ways to go, so 頑張ります！

Today, I was reading in the Book of Mormon and I realized (like every
time I start re-reading the Book of Mormon) that I am a lot like Laman
and Lemuel!! Dang it!! Minus the rebelling and such, I tend to forget
how much the Lord has blessed me! I have been trying to pray with the
same amount of sincerity whether I am going through a hard time or
not. It has made a huge difference in my relationship with Heavenly
Father.

I know that in our lives, we experience many kinds pf storms. Trials,
and internal struggles can be a great source of stress. There have
been many times, especially on my mission, where I feel like the
storms are almost too much to handle. That is why prayer is one of my
favorite things!

When we pray, we can find inner peace. Like this scripture says,

1 Nephi 18:21 "I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the
winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm."

Sometimes God doesn't take the storm away, but he can calm our troubled hearts.

How are your prayers? Sincere? Are they a little lacking? I invite you
to repent and give Heavenly Father a sincere prayer of thanks right
now! You will feel more peace and you will have a better day today :)
that is my missionary promise to you.

Have a fun week!! Love you lots!

サンダーズ姉妹より
Sanders Shimai

Sasaki family will miss Anderson Shimai!

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Fujikawa fam fun

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Creepy cat

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Learning from Hideko san

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Konishi Kyoudai loves the missionaries!

How many contacts?!

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Bye bye Anderson Shimai and Hideko's calligraphy

サンダーズ姉妹より

Transfer 12 Week 1

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

Date: January 25, 2016 7:21:54 PM MST

Subject: Transfer 12 Week 1

Transfer 12 Week 1

Last transfer! Woohoo! Run through the tape!

We got our transfer calls today! Actually, it started on Friday when
Anderson Shimai got her trainer's call. So we've known she was leaving
for a few days... Here is the official transfer call! I am staying in
Ube and my companion will be Komatsu Shimai! She was Mariah Magleby's
trainer! She will be coming from Maebaru to be my STL companion. Just
for the record, this is 11 companions in 12 transfers. I may or may
not hold the record... But that is a lot.

Sister Anderson is going to Maebaru to break-train Sister Sundell. I
am so sad that she is leaving, but I know she is needed elsewhere. She
has changed my life so much!! I am so excited for her :)

This week was the craziest week of my life!!! I am so tired!

On Monday it started snowing. A lot. It was dangerous to ride our
bikes, so we ganbaru'd and housed a bunch of big apartments. We met an
Indonesian lady who let us in and we talked about how she is Muslim
but believes in being kind to all people. It was cool :)

Tuesday was a mega snow storm. It was cold. We still went out and sang
many many hymns. Then we got a call from President Egan saying that we
need to move apartments... In less than a week.

Wednesday we cleaned, packed, and got stuff ready to move. Then we
taught eikaiwa.

Thursday morning we finished packing and left for Junkai in Tokuyama.
It was fun to talk to Salmon Shimai and get her advice on how to
survive the last transfer.

Friday was Junkai! I went with Miller Shimai and she is literally the
sweetest person. She loves the people so much and i learned a lot from
her. Sister Anderson got her call from the mission president saying
she was leaving me to be a trainer. Then we took a train home and
finished packing up our apartment.

Saturday was moving day. We started early in the morning. One of our
Eikaiwa students with a big car offered to help us. We got done in
less than two hours! Then we went out to fancy sushi in our grubby
clothes.

Sunday was church, and a snow storm... So there was hardly anyone at
church, but it was so good! The temple presidency was visiting and
gave great talks on the importance of making time to go to the temple.
We went home and tried to organize some things... But our phone was
still on silent from being at church. I had a prompting to go check
the phone, and then I saw we had 4 missed calls from the AP's, but it
had only happened 10 minutes before. I called them back and they asked
us to get on the next Shinkansen (bullet train) to Fukuoka because the
snow storms would make it impossible for Anderson Shimai to go the
next morning for trainer's training. We had to pack our bags and run
through the snow storm to the eki in like twenty minutes. Then we had
to spend literally the rest of the money we had on our emergency
expensive ticket. We made it after lots of delays, switches, and
stress, and we got to sleep over at the Fukuoka Shimai apartment (my
old apartment) and with Sister Magleby! One problem is I literally did
not sleep. I think all the adrenaline and stress made it impossible to
calm down. I checked the clock and it was five in the morning, still
with no sleep. I roll over and Anderson Shimai's eyes were also wide
open! We laughed.

Monday Lots more snow. Sister Anderson went to training and I dendo'd
with the Fukuoka Shimai. They let me call my former investigators and
my convert, Yamaguchi Kyoudai. I prayed so hard that I would be able
to talk to him. We had to search to find his phone number, but
finally, we found the right one and he picked up! He remembered me! He
went less active as soon as I transferred out of the area. He is not
doing to well with his health. He said he is not willing to come to
church, but he let me pray with him over the phone. At the end, he
thanked me for calling him, and said the title of his favorite hymn
"God be with you till we meet again". Then he hung up. Many tears. But
it was good to know that I could pray with him and for him. During
lunch, Some of the Sisters from my zone called me and needed to talk.
I really like being an STL and having opportunities to serve the other
missionaries. Then, We met Anderson Shimai when she was done, and we
took another Shinkansen home. We made dinner and then tried to go out
to contact people, but I was not feeling well, so we went home and
called potentials. Then we went to bed an hour early.

Crazy week. I am so tired, but my heart is so full. I know the Lord
has helped me and supported me when I had no strength. There were so
many times when I said "I am just too tired", but I prayed, and was
able to complete the task at hand. Missions are a very humbling, and
stretching experience. As I go into my last transfer, I will be
focusing on Charity and Love.... And My theme is "Enjoy to the End".
There is a lot about coming home from your mission that is bitter
sweet, however I know that if I do my best and work to the very end, I
will be blessed for my efforts. God is proud of me as long as I get up
every time I fall. Falling is necessary so we can be strengthened
every time we stand back up. So many miracles to be seen this next
transfer!

I heard my mom already put it on facebook that my homecoming talk is
coming up, but I still have so much time left! A lot can happen in six
weeks! Here's to trying not to be trunky!

Love you all! Have a great week.

サンダーズ姉妹より

    Sanders Shimai

More snow

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Snow!

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More more more

Jouti indo curry

Party in the back of the mission car! Love you Kumano Shimai!

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More pictures

Miller Shimai!

Suspicious gorilla

Sushi with Eikaiwa students after moving

Terumi chan and best friend Sister Anderson

Snowwwwwww!

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Pictures

Elder Need's talent text

Beautiful Ube

Tokuyama

Koi fishies

Devani, our Indonesian friend!

サンダーズ姉妹より

Transfer 11 Week 6

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

Date: January 17, 2016 7:40:28 PM MST

Subject: Transfer 11 Week 6

Transfer 11 Week 6

This week is my 17 months! I will try and take a cool picture!

Craziest week ever.
Monday we went to a city called Hagi (famous for fish and pottery). We
went with a member. We ate raw fish and made pottery with the Sasaki
family. Then we went with them to visit members and Less Actives. The
kids all had paper missionary tags and it was awesome.
Tuesday was all day finding. And raining with no clouds in the sky?
Typical japan.
Wednesday was district meeting and double Eikaiwa. Five straight hours
of english classes. So fun though.
Thursday was cleaning checks and a long ride to Iwakuni, my old area!
I did a junkai with Sister Jorgensen who is an awesome missionary. We
learned a lot together and even hugged a grandma who said it was the
first time she had been hugged in her entire life! #spreadthelove
Friday we went to lunch with my old friends From the Iwakuni branch!
Shout out to Sister White who is a domestic goddess and makes
delicious sandwiches! I looooove her! Then we talked to some crazy
people near the train station, then we came home which was a three
hour train ride.
Saturday we left at 6am for the temple! We spent all day with Kumiko
Shimai and had a wonderful time. Man I needed the peace that comes
from the temple! We got home, put on more layers, and went finding for
the last hour of the day.
Sunday was church, meetings, a devotional, and going up a mountain in
freezing rain. Then Anderson Shimai was feeling sick, so we came home
and called former investigators.

So much fun. So tired. So.... Yeah. It was good.

Every transfer, I work on a different Christlike attribute. Since I
have already gone through them all, I started over! This transfer, the
Christlike attribute I have been focusing on is hope. It is a blessing
and well, not a blessing, that hope hasn't come as naturally to me
lately. I have really had to work and pray to have hope. PMG says hope
means having confidence you will have a happy and successful mission.
(Pg 126). I have struggled with this a bit. But as I was in the
temple, I prayed for peace and understanding. Outwardly, I have not
had much "success" on my mission. As I have been reflecting, I look
back and wonder if I was doing something wrong. I received the
prompting that no matter what the outward results are, my mission has
been and will continue to be successful because I have changed. I am
more converted to the Lord. I have a stronger resolve to endure to the
end. My priorities are more in line with the Lord's will.

Moroni 7:41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto
you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the
power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this
because of your faith in him according to the promise.

We have so much to hope for! Always remember that God loves you. There
are much better things ahead.

Love you all! Have an awesome week :)
サンダーズ姉妹より

   

Temple! And Subway

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Junkai, trip home, and temple trip! 0degrees!

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Hagi with the Sasaki family

サンダーズ姉妹より

サンダーズ姉妹より

Sasaki family!

サンダーズ姉妹より

Transfer 11 Week 4

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

Date: January 10, 2016 7:05:02 PM MST

Subject: Transfer 11 Week 4

Hello! Sorry I don't have tons of time today, but I just wanted to say
that I am still alive and doing well!

I went and did companion exchanges with the Sisters in Yahata (they
live on the island south of me in Kitakyushu) and had a fun, long
train ride to get there. It was so much fun to dendo in a city. We met
a sweet grandma who said she doesn't believe there is a purpose to
life. We asked why and she just broke down saying her husband was
killed in a car accident. She believes in Tengoku (like heaven) and
she really just wants to die. Sister Jespersen and I were able to
share the plan of Salvation with her. By the end, she thanked us for
the wonderful service we were doing.

I am so thankful for my mission. I have finally gotten to the point
where my thoughts before I go to sleep are about my investigators and
ward members. When I am on my bike, I pray for my companion. It shocks
me how much I have changed. My companion starts giggling sometimes and
when I ask her what she is thinking she says "it is just funny how
happy I am!" Just think about it, we are working so hard to talk to
people and talk to them about how they can be happier! I have never
been happier though!

Have a wonderful week! I love you!

サンダーズ姉妹より

    Sanders Shimai

Teaching English to the cutest kids ever! (Just look at how happy she is!) :)

A member brought them so many oranges!

Dendo with Sister Jespersen