Light helps us find our way

Kazoku!

The beginning of this week my bike seat like completely broke. I realized that it was right  around my bike's 6 month birthday (haha) which explains a lot. I think on my whole mission there have only been one or two days I have gone WITHOUT riding that bike. But with the help of some awesome handy elders we fixed it and were able to get home in time for cerfew. 

I love Okinawa weather. We still just wear a sweater and around noon when the sun is out we can take off our sweaters! This is the best winter ever! But hearing Christmas music in this weather is strange. I do miss the beautiful white snow with the Christmas music playing. I MISS CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!!!!!! We just dont have any and its really sad, but i think its too late to send so dont worry. But I just love Christmas music so much!!

Ok, sorry I am rambling on about silly things.

We had a great lesson with a new investigator, Risa, and a members house. This member is American but her neighbor is Japanese. Even with the language barrier, she befriended her and invited her to free english class. For the past few months they have been going together. She has a brand new baby too! We invited her to our baptism a few weeks ago and she loved it! So we taught her the first lesson and it went very well! She has no Christian background, like most everyone, but she likes Christianity a lot. She wants to know what she should teach her baby son. 

There is a girl in our ward who is leaving for her mission in Nagoya in less than 2 weeks. She has helped us a bit with lesson and investigators which has been awesome. We found an extra bike for her a she got to practice riding a bike in a skirt! She is gonna be a great! It was so fun!!

SO our cute high school aged investigator, YUKI, is doing awesome!! She has such a desire to learn more! Keep her in your prayers. We set a tentative baptismal date with her for the end of January. She has such great faith! She loves to practice her English so she always says, "I want to learn about Mormon" meaning the Book of Mormon or more about about church!! I feel so close to her!! Its so cool, I feel like we've been friends forever!!

Takizawa san, we have been teaching her for a while now and she is very slowly progressing. We are now meeting her at the church for lessons which is a HUGE progress! She has grown so much over the last few months. She used to never look into our eyes and now she does! She is brighter! Pray for her!!

We had a cool experience yesterday where we found a family to teach!! (more info to come next week)

We found a cool guy from India a few weeks ago who speaks only a little bit of Japanese and a little English. We ordered a Hindu BofM and gave it to him!! He was so happy to get it!

So I didn't mention it the last few weeks but I was asked to speak in the Japanese Ginowan Stake Conference! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In Japanese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For 20 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

So anyway, it happened...haha I studied for two weeks straight and got some help from members to help translate. Our president was there too so that added to the pressure. I talked about light and related it to the gospel. Like when we don't have light in our lives we feel cold and alone. We can't see where we are going, but when we have light we feel warm, comforted and can see where we are going. I also talked about dad serving in Tokyo 35 years ago! I teared up as I told everyone how he taught be to love the people of Japan. I expressed my love for them all and bore my testimony of God's love for them. (I have no time as a missionary and Dad I know you're busy too but I could send you the talk in Japanese and you could translate it back for people to read.. Anyway I don't have a lot of time today!) I related it all to missionary work and encouraged people to share the light with their friends! I promised them as they shared the gospel with their friends the light of the gospel would shine forth in their eyes! I love these people so much! 

And I say the same to you!! I love you all!!!

I'm Grateful

Konnichiwa!

Genki??

Sooo transfer calls were last week and.............................................I am still here!! Its now just me and Hawkins Shimai again here in Okinawa! We are both so happy to be here together for the Holidays and for this area. One of the biggest (or THE biggest, I'm not sure) Church building in Eastern Asia is being built here for the Military branches and the Japanese ward. It will be finished in December so we are happy to be a part of that as well!

We had a great first lesson with a lady who has been coming to Eikaiwa (English Class) for a really long time. A few weeks ago we gave her a Book of Mormon and then she missed a few weeks and then we were able to teach her! She had one experience in her life where she really felt like she got an answer to her "prayer". After we taught her about the Book of Mormon and prayer I was thinking about how ABSOLUTELY different it is teaching someone without a Christian background AT ALL. They don't understand the image of God or who he is. They tend to think he is angry and only loves those who are good. They have little or no idea of what prayer is. As we were teaching Sumiko about prayer she was scared and didn't want us to pray when we asked her if we could. After we finally did, she apologized and said, "Oh, that's what a prayer is!" She then realized it wasn't scary.  As we explained to her that God is our unconditional loving Heavenly Father and He loves everyone even when they make mistakes. At first she didn't really understand that, she couldn't wrap her head around it. But then we asked her about her children, who are now grown, and asked about her love for them. She started to cry and she began to understand who God was and that he loved her EVEN more than she could comprehend. She explained to us that through her life she said "prayers" not really directed at anyone in-particular, but prayers of gratitude for her health and the health of her children. At the end of the lesson we invited her to pray, but to our surprised she quickly refused! She was too nervous and didn't understand. We went over the steps given in the pamphlets but still she wouldn't pray. We asked our member joint to offer and quick prayer and then Sumiko could go next. After she heard that prayer, her understand of what a prayer actually was began to increase. She did finally pray! Although it was short, she offered a heartfelt prayer to our Father in Heaven. We just need to learn to takes things slow here, one step at a time. She is awesome! Keep Sumiko in your prayers!

Andrew was baptized on Saturday. He was the one that was taught in NC! We have really gotten close with his wife, Justien over the past few months. It was such a fantastic baptism! The weather was absolutely perfect! It was on a beach in the East China Sea! What I loved so much about the tone or theme of this baptism was how we focused on covenants. Andrew made his first step, or first covenant in his journey! There next step will be together in the temple. At the service, we were all looking forward to the temple. They have decided to be sealed in the temple in December of next year. They are working together to grow closer to our Heavenly Father. 

I decided to spend a lot of time uploading pictures in stead of writing today! I had a wonderful week! I am so full of gratitude to be serving a mission! Especially on this beautiful island of Okinawa! I am grateful for my loving family and my mission family. My mission "mommy" my trainer, "died" meaning she finished and went home. I am grateful for the wonderful example she was! Say hello to Black Shimai if you get the chance! I am so grateful for the plan of salvation. I am grateful for the knowledge I have of our loving Father in Heaven. I am deeply grateful for the sacrifice of His only begotten son, Jesus Christ! I am grateful for the atonement. I know that through the atonement bad men can become good, and good men can become better. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon, where we can find the answer to all of life's questions because the "words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32)

Happy Thanksgiving week everyone! 

I am thankful for you!!!

Love,

Fat & Happy

Kazoku!!

How's it going!!! Fill me in on your lives! Things are going great here in Okinawa! It cooled down for a few days and we had to wear tights and like a sweater AND a jacket! Wooh..it was cold...haha but now its back to 3 quarter sleeve cardigans! I don't think I've ever experienced such a warm December in my life! But my comp and i decided it would be a good idea to prepare and by some gloves and a hat for if it gets cold again. I hit a crazy landmark this week....EXACTLY ONE YEAR SINCE I GOT MY MISSION CALL!!! Crazy right??? That year went by very quickly! It seems like just a few months ago I opened my call and at the sight of the word, "Japan" I burst into tears. (my very first post of the blog has the video..feel free to watch again) I know the Lord is aware of our wants and desires. He heard the silent prayers of my heart expressing my love for the people of Japan. He sent me here, and how grateful I am to be here. It has been more than I could ever dream of, harder than I expected, but rewarding. I have been stretched and pushed, but I know now more than ever that God is our loving father in Heaven that has a perfect plan of happiness for us.

This week I wanted to tell you a little about a woman named Silvia in our Japanese branch. She moved to Okinawa from the Philippines more than 20 years ago. She doesn't speak Japanese and only speaks a little English. A little more than a year ago she met Victoria, and woman in our Japanese ward who is Filipino but she has lived in Japan so long she is fluent. Silvia started coming to church with Victoria and decided to hear the missionary lessons. The Lord was very aware of Silvia and sent a missionary from the Philippines (one of the first ever I believe) to Japan. Not only was this missionary in Japan but she was assigned to serve in Okinawa. This awesome missionary was able to share the gospel with this woman in her native language. She was baptized almost a year ago. We have the opportunity to continue helping her progress as a recent convert. Her friend Victoria always translates for us. In our past few lessons we taught her the first lesson and missionary work! We committed her to bear her testimony in Sacrament meeting for the very first time! We sat teary eyed in our seats as she stood and bore her testimony in Tagalog. We were able to teach her the plan of salvation and teaching about eternal marriage and temples! We have committed her to getting a temple recommend. Although there is no temple on Okinawa, we know blessing will come by simple holding a temple recommend. Keep Silvia in your prayers we love her!

This week was THANKSGIVING!! Our Military branches are all so kind, we got about 10 invites for dinner but then they announced that they would be having a big dinner where families would sign up and bring different things! All the missionaries on Okinawa were invited to attend! So thats 35 missionaries, or 2 zones! It was so fun to have all the missionaries in one place! We also got permission from President to stay and play games! Thanks for the wonderful military members in our area, all the missionaries left that place fat and happy.

There is one other military branch we are not assigned to that other elders are over. The missionaries in that area had the great idea to have an activity that brought both the Japanese speaking wards and the military wards together. They put on a talent show! A japanese member asked me to sing as she played the piano! So at the talent show I sang "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music. I am pretty sure I sang that as a little girl in a talent show before. Haha anyway, it was so fun! So many members brought non-member friends! We found a few great potential investigators by being there and mingling with members and there friends! IF YOU EVER HAVE A WARD ACTIVITY, INVITE A NON-MEMBER FRIEND!!! JUST DO IT!!! Its a less-aggressive approach to sharing the gospel and super easy. The missionaries can do all the work, just introduce your friend to the missionaries at the party!!

We met with a new investigator this week who is awesome! Her name is Mizue. We meet her a few weeks ago outside of a local restaurant. We  only had a few minutes so we talked with her and asked her about the restaurant! It was packed and it looked like a hole in the wall! She told us it was very good and practiced her English with us. About a minute before we had to go we asked for her number to call and eat there sometime and tell her more about what we do as missionaries. She said yes so we exchanged numbers, and gave her a chidashi (a flyer). I know the Lord placed her in our path. After about a week or so we were able to get a hold of her and schedule an appointment. She came and it was wonderful. She said to us, "your chidashi said you could answer the question about what happens when we die, I want to know." IT WAS SO COOL! Her grandma recently died and her and her mother wanted to know what happens! We were able to teach her and give her a Book of Mormon. First of all someone ACTUALLY READ the flyer and second of all....SHE'S SO PREPARED!!!! She recently tore her ACL so she is really busy with work and rehab but we have another lesson planned for next week!!

This week we had our zone training meeting. They really focused on how we need to get better at the language and become better teachers. Learning this language is one of the hardest things I have ever done. It is incredibly hard for me to do! But I feel that pressure of becoming a better teaching as well! How can you teach well if you can't express you thoughts! I'm sure everyone in this mission would appreciate your prayers to specifically help us learn the Japanese language. I pray for help and the gift of tongue everyday but man, its still tough! These people are important to Heavenly Father and I know He won't let us fail. I really have to rely on that testimony sometimes.

Even though it's warm and doesnt really feel like Christmas time, I am grateful for this time of the year. We get to focus our thoughts of the Savior. I had a sweet impression yesterday in church that I would like to share. I was thinking about a convert in the Japanese ward who was an older woman, she had found so much joy in the gospel at her older age. Her children haven't accepted and she is no longer married. As of right now it appears as if her conversion hasn't changed many people lives besides her own. I was thinking about how we try to teach families so generations upon generations came be changed. But then a distinct impression came upon my mind as I looked at that woman, "I would have done it all for only her."

I know that God lives and loves us so much more than we can comprehend. I love you all!

Love,

Capener Shimai

November 23rd

Kazoku!!

How's it going!!! Fill me in on your lives! Things are going great here in Okinawa! It cooled down for a few days and we had to wear tights and like a sweater AND a jacket! Wooh..it was cold...haha but now its back to 3 quarter sleeve cardigans! I don't think I've ever experienced such a warm December in my life! But my comp and i decided it would be a good idea to prepare and by some gloves and a hat for if it gets cold again. I hit a crazy landmark this week....EXACTLY ONE YEAR SINCE I GOT MY MISSION CALL!!! Crazy right??? That year went by very quickly! It seems like just a few months ago I opened my call and at the sight of the word, "Japan" I burst into tears. (my very first post of the blog has the video..feel free to watch again) I know the Lord is aware of our wants and desires. He heard the silent prayers of my heart expressing my love for the people of Japan. He sent me here, and how grateful I am to be here. It has been more than I could ever dream of, harder than I expected, but rewarding. I have been stretched and pushed, but I know now more than ever that God is our loving father in Heaven that has a perfect plan of happiness for us.

This week I wanted to tell you a little about a woman named Silvia in our Japanese branch. She moved to Okinawa from the Philippines more than 20 years ago. She doesn't speak Japanese and only speaks a little English. A little more than a year ago she met Victoria, and woman in our Japanese ward who is Filipino but she has lived in Japan so long she is fluent. Silvia started coming to church with Victoria and decided to hear the missionary lessons. The Lord was very aware of Silvia and sent a missionary from the Philippines (one of the first ever I believe) to Japan. Not only was this missionary in Japan but she was assigned to serve in Okinawa. This awesome missionary was able to share the gospel with this woman in her native language. She was baptized almost a year ago. We have the opportunity to continue helping her progress as a recent convert. Her friend Victoria always translates for us. In our past few lessons we taught her the first lesson and missionary work! We committed her to bear her testimony in Sacrament meeting for the very first time! We sat teary eyed in our seats as she stood and bore her testimony in Tagalog. We were able to teach her the plan of salvation and teaching about eternal marriage and temples! We have committed her to getting a temple recommend. Although there is no temple on Okinawa, we know blessing will come by simple holding a temple recommend. Keep Silvia in your prayers we love her!

This week was THANKSGIVING!! Our Military branches are all so kind, we got about 10 invites for dinner but then they announced that they would be having a big dinner where families would sign up and bring different things! All the missionaries on Okinawa were invited to attend! So thats 35 missionaries, or 2 zones! It was so fun to have all the missionaries in one place! We also got permission from President to stay and play games! Thanks for the wonderful military members in our area, all the missionaries left that place fat and happy.

There is one other military branch we are not assigned to that other elders are over. The missionaries in that area had the great idea to have an activity that brought both the Japanese speaking wards and the military wards together. They put on a talent show! A japanese member asked me to sing as she played the piano! So at the talent show I sang "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music. I am pretty sure I sang that as a little girl in a talent show before. Haha anyway, it was so fun! So many members brought non-member friends! We found a few great potential investigators by being there and mingling with members and there friends! IF YOU EVER HAVE A WARD ACTIVITY, INVITE A NON-MEMBER FRIEND!!! JUST DO IT!!! Its a less-aggressive approach to sharing the gospel and super easy. The missionaries can do all the work, just introduce your friend to the missionaries at the party!!

We met with a new investigator this week who is awesome! Her name is Mizue. We meet her a few weeks ago outside of a local restaurant. We  only had a few minutes so we talked with her and asked her about the restaurant! It was packed and it looked like a hole in the wall! She told us it was very good and practiced her English with us. About a minute before we had to go we asked for her number to call and eat there sometime and tell her more about what we do as missionaries. She said yes so we exchanged numbers, and gave her a chidashi (a flyer). I know the Lord placed her in our path. After about a week or so we were able to get a hold of her and schedule an appointment. She came and it was wonderful. She said to us, "your chidashi said you could answer the question about what happens when we die, I want to know." IT WAS SO COOL! Her grandma recently died and her and her mother wanted to know what happens! We were able to teach her and give her a Book of Mormon. First of all someone ACTUALLY READ the flyer and second of all....SHE'S SO PREPARED!!!! She recently tore her ACL so she is really busy with work and rehab but we have another lesson planned for next week!!

This week we had our zone training meeting. They really focused on how we need to get better at the language and become better teachers. Learning this language is one of the hardest things I have ever done. It is incredibly hard for me to do! But I feel that pressure of becoming a better teaching as well! How can you teach well if you can't express you thoughts! I'm sure everyone in this mission would appreciate your prayers to specifically help us learn the Japanese language. I pray for help and the gift of tongue everyday but man, its still tough! These people are important to Heavenly Father and I know He won't let us fail. I really have to rely on that testimony sometimes.

Even though it's warm and doesnt really feel like Christmas time, I am grateful for this time of the year. We get to focus our thoughts of the Savior. I had a sweet impression yesterday in church that I would like to share. I was thinking about a convert in the Japanese ward who was an older woman, she had found so much joy in the gospel at her older age. Her children haven't accepted and she is no longer married. As of right now it appears as if her conversion hasn't changed many people lives besides her own. I was thinking about how we try to teach families so generations upon generations came be changed. But then a distinct impression came upon my mind as I looked at that woman, "I would have done it all for only her."

I know that God lives and loves us so much more than we can comprehend. I love you all!

Love,

Capener Shimai

And then there was three.....Welcome Coles Shimai

How are ya'll??? Guess what? That Texas t'wang didn't come outta no where! AND THEN THERE WAS 3!!! Yep, you heard me right. 3 blonds riding the streets o

f Okinawa. Due to an emergency transfer, Coles Shimai (from Texas, thats where the t'wang came from) has joined the ranks! It has been so much fun!

Last Monday we went to an ancient castle ruins place. Its crazy to go somewhere and see walls that were built over 500 years ago! We went with a great family in the Military branch! I love these branches!

On Wednesday we taught our investigator Naoko. She loves the happiness that we have and she wants it for herself. She says that the people at our church are kind and loving whereas the people at hers hardly even talk to each other. In Japanese respecting your elders is SOOO huge. It deeply ingrained into their culture. She is nervous to join the church because of her older sister. Her parents have passed away so she looks up to her sister. Even though she believes its true, she can't move forward because of her. She is 40 years old but it is soo important in their culture. Its hard for me to wrap my head around it.

We taught our American investigator, Jackie, for the second time this week. She has been reading and loving the book of Mormon. She calls us her angels because we found her on her birthday and gave her a gift from God, the Book Of Mormon. Even though she was raised Catholic and her father and many family members are Catholic priests, she told us that she wants to "be Mormon". She was interested as we taught her about prophets, dispensations, the apostasy, and especially the restoration. She is moving back to the states to help her daughter who recently had a baby so we are very sad to see her go. She will be gone for like 8 months, but we are going to send all her info to the mission in the states and send other "anglels" to her. As I was pondering that and reading my scriptures I came across a cool scriptures Alma 13:22-23:
"Yea, and the voice of the Lord, by the ^amouth of angels, doth declare it unto all nations; yea, doth declare it, that they may have glad tidings of great joy; yea, and he doth sound these glad tidings among all his people, yea, even to them that are scattered abroad upon the face of the earth; wherefore they have come unto us. And they are made known unto us in ^aplain terms, that we may understand, that we cannot err; and this because of our being ^bwanderers in a strange land; therefore, we are thus highly favored, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all parts of our vineyard."

Cool huh?!

So we found an AWESOME investigator last week who is 15 years old. Her name is YUKI!! So cute huh? Anyways, she came to Eikaiwa and wanted extra English practice because she was preparing for an English interview to apply for an American Exchange program. We met with her a few days later and helped her practice English then after we shared a short, simple, sweet message about prayer. We testified how the Lord would bless her and help her learn English. We committed her to pray. Then a few days later at Eikaiwa, the very first thing she said to me was, "I prayed!" I asked her how it went and she said that she prayed half believing and half unsure, but her next day went so well and she was happy. She knew it was an answer to her prayer! We gave her a Book of Mormon and set another time to meet. She has a desire to learn more. There is something really special about her. I already love her. Her face is so familiar to me. I feel like I know her. I know the God is all knowing and sets people in our paths, everything has a purpose. I love Yuki.

First of all Coles Shimai is awesome! She is the same "mission age" as Hawkins Shimai. So technically I am the senior but we just have so much fun together! In her last area, she really focused on working with Less Actives. There are so many! Hundreds! We don't even have all the information. There is SOOO much work that can be done in this area. We decided to put an extra focus on less actives. As we were doing this and going through records we came across a family that was all baptized in 2003, but all soon became inactive. We had the address (which doesn't mean a lot here because things are ridiculous to find) but we went forward with faith. We didnt have a lot of time at the end of the day but we were determined to find this family. Up until this point in my life, I have never felt so guided and directed by the Lord. We conitued down and road that I was sure was even right but we kept moving then before I knew it I felt I should turn. We turned into a tiny neighborhood and parked our bikes. None of the houses were labeled so we knocked on someones door. It was a nice man and he told us his houses number! It was only a few off from the one we were searching for!! MIRACLE!!! We told if he knew the family and he said he think he knew and told us where. We had to knock on a few doors and almost gave us hope, but.............we knocked on door that was kind of hidden and guess what!!!!!!!! WE FOUND THEM!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE FOUND THE SAKAJIMA family!! We didn't want to scare them so we just talked to them trying to get to know them.

I know the Lord guides us. We prayed to be instruments in the hands of the Lord that day and He did. He is involved in the details of our lives. He loves his children and He is sending us to find His lost sheep. I testify that as we pray for opportunities to serve, and ACT, we will feel God's love more in our lives. This church is true!!! I love Okinawa! I am grateful to be serving here! 

I love you and I am grateful for your prayers!

Okinawa is da bomb

Ohaiyogozaimasu!

O genki desu ka?? How is everyone doing? Whats fall like? It was hot again this week but also a little rainy. We still don't have to wear sweaters yet though. A few times throughout the week we used the AC but it was nice during the other days just to open the windows and enjoy Okinawa in October/November. 

So this week we had so many miracles!! Thank you for all your prayers going out for our investigators. We met with two new investigators we found last week and had great lessons. One of them is named Naoko. She is Christian and met the missionaries 5 years ago and had interest but one thing lead to another and she stop investigating. We had a lesson scheduled with her on last Saturday and planned to teach the Restoration but she called us and had to reschedule because her uncle passed away. We felt we needed to teach her about the Plan of Salvation. So on Tuesday we met with her and found out that 5 years ago her parents also passed away and the only family she has left was her older sister. We taught her the plan of salvation and told her that she could be with her family again someday. She was so happy and shared her desire to see her family again. We told her how we all are God's children so we are sisters! She loved that and loves to be called Naoko Shimai. At the end of the lesson we invited her to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized. She had some concerns and said she couldn't commit to a date but we promised blessing and reassured her and invited her again. After the third round of testifying, promising and committing, we commited to be baptized on a specific date! Please pray for her. There may be some really hard things she will have to go through in order to be converted but we will be with her and I know this is what Heavenly Father wants for her so He will provide a way. (Naoko came to church!)

We also taught a new investigator Kanae. We found her streeting one day and set a return appointment because she wanted to learn more about Christ. She has been going to a 7th day church but has never been baptized. We taught her the restoration of the gospel and she seemed to take in it! She is excited to learn more! We committed her to be baptized on a specific date as well! Since, we have taught her the plan of salvation and she has attended a ward/eikaiwa party and loves church!

WE SET A DATE WITH MIKIKO AS WELL!!!!!!! THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT WAS A MIRACLE AND I THANK YOU!

We taught another new investigator who is AMERICAN! We found her on the street and my companion said, "We have a present for you!" She said, "Really? Because it's my Birthday!" We gave her a Book of Mormon and she said that she thinks its a gift from God! Her dad and all her brothers are Catholic. She was raised in the Philippines. When we went to our follow-up appointment she had laminated the cover to her Book of Mormon and read from the very first page all through the witnesses through 1 Nephi. She had highlighted it all and had a page of questions for us. We taught about the promise of the Book of Mormon that if you read, ponder and pray then the Lord with answer your prayer. She was more accepting that I thought she would be but appreciated my testimony when I told her about Catholic school and building my testimony of Jesus Christ there. She is one of the sweetest women I have ever met and I cant wait to teach her again. 

Also, when I was in my first area, Naha, one day a cute pair of 20 year old girls came to Eikaiwa (English Class)! I remember it was June 26, a day before my birthday. Their names are Mako and Akiho. We talked to them after about our church and gave them a little church tour. We ended in the baptismal font room and told them about baptism and invited them to be baptized. They accepted! We began to teach them but it was a very long process because they were young and still liked to party and their desire to read the Book of Mormon at that time wasnt very strong. But we loved them and they continued to come to Eikaiwa. As we taught them their desire increased. I remember asking Mako about the Book of Mormon and she told me she prayed about it and thought it was true! But before I knew it I was transferred out of there and didn't here much about them! But a few weeks ago I heard they were being baptized! And it just happened to be on the day we had to go down to Naha for zone conference so guess what?!?!? I GOT TO GO TO THEIR BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have progressed so much! They are incredible girls and I love them!

Zone Conference was incredible and the baptism just made it the best day ever! I sang at their baptism and they were grateful I was able to be there as well :) I love our mission president so much. He really care and loves us. He wants to make sure we are converted and strong and that we understand our purpose as missionaries not just numbers. Mission presidents wife told us that they save the Okinawa zone conference for last. She told us how they put a lot of trust in us because we are far far away 1000 plus miles to be exact! The bus ride there and back was an adventure. Its crazy that the loud intercom on the busses are starting to make sense to me, not just meaningless noise anymore.

We have an English Class Halloween party and so many people came!! We found a young high school girl who wants to learn more about the gospel!!

One more mini miracle. We have been visiting this less active old lady for a long time. We always invite her to church and she lives SOO CLOSE but she has bad knees so she always says she cant come. We have been praying about her and trying to help her come to church for soo long. But THIS WEEK we told her I was going to sing in sacrament meeting. She said she wanted to go! So in the morning we got the wheelchair from the church and walked to her house. She brought her in on her wheel chair and ward members were so happy to her again. Afterwards she said it was so fun and wanted to come again next week!!!

Anyway, my time is out. I love you all. I love being a missionary. I know God is aware of our wants and needs. She spent us to this Earth to learn and grow. I know families can be together for eternity. I am grateful for the Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. He lives and He is at the head of this church!

I love you!!!

Konnichiwa Kazoku!!

Aishitemasu!!!!! I love you! How are things going? I wanna hear from you all! If you want a super cute handwritten letter on Japanese stationary, send me a letter!! Email is fine!! It finally doesn't feel like summer anymore! But we still blasting the AC! We have had from tropical storms that have really cooled down the weather!

This week was great! In our mission we have this thing called Lesson Mastery. Its kind of like Young Women's personal progress, or scripture mastery. But we have to pass off PMG lesson 1-5 in Japanese. You have to pass them off 3 times, a short, medium, then long lesson for each. You have to get them in a certain time, hit all the points, and have close to perfect Japanese. When you finish you lesson mastery you get a Japan Fukuoka Mission pin. So since I have been so new and my Japanese is so fresh I wasn't really focusing too much on lesson mastery but this week I passed off another lesson! So I have 3 of the short lessons done and like a million more to go but getting closer. Dad you once told me an old Chinese proverb that I find myself saying all the time, "The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step." I don't know if that's exactly right, but I say it all the time! We always have a lot of growing to do and sometimes it can seem overwhelming, but we just need to take one step at a time and rely on the Lord!

We have a super cool miracle at the beginning of the week. We had a plan to do some service but it got cancelled last minute due to a storm so we had a huge chunk of time open. We went out and did housing/tracting for like an hour and we weren't having much success. It was storming like crazy so we decided to run back to the apartment to get our rain suits. When we got back we decided to look through our area book and try to go find an former investigator. We called a lady who took the lessons from the sisters 2 years ago and had a baptismal date and like all the lessons. She answered and we asked if we could come over in 30 minutes. She invited us over. A series of miracles followed. First of all, we were safe in the crazy storms on our bikes. Then we got to the area where her house would be but the streets here aren't labeled and none of the houses in this area had numbers. So we were pretty stuck, but we asked a lady for help. She had GPS on her phone and helped us out. Then she was so nice and got in her car and we followed her on our bikes to the house. Then we started talking to her about who we are and what we do. She was super interested in our Free English class and said she would come. Then we called the Former Investigator because we still weren't sure where exactly she lived. She came out and got us. She invited us in and we started to get to know her. I don't have time to explain everything but, it turns our she is our zone leader's older brothers mother-in-law!!! And they have been teaching her recently. She was shocked that we hadn't talked to the elders about her. We just testified that Heavenly Father loved her so much that he sent us to her door to tell her. There must be so many prayers going up to heaven in her behalf to send us there as well. We taught her about eternal families and temples. Since her daughter is a member, she has heard a little about temples. After we finished she asked how we can go into the temple. We talked and testified of baptism. IT WAS SUCH A MIRACLE!! I love moments where you cannot doubt that you are being used as an instrument in the Lord's hands. When we told the elders they were shocked and so happy! Keep this woman in your prayers as she now has a baptismal date :)

Also this week we had splits with the sister training leaders who are incredible!!! Its my trainer Black Shimai and Latu Shimai. Who are both incredible missionaries.  I was pared with Black Shimai who I love so much. Her testimony strengthens mine! We started out the day with great benkyo (study) then we went out to work even though it was raining and windy! We taught a lesson, followed up with a referral and contacting so many people. Black Shimai asks almost every person that will listen to be baptized. I asked her why and she said that when you have an understanding of the doctrine of Jesus Christ, why wouldn't you ask everyone! In our contacts she would talk to people about heaven and what kind of people they thought would go to heaven. It really got people thinking. At one point during the day the weather was getting bad and a car didnt see Black Shimai and hit her while she was on her bike. It was just a bump and everything was okay, but the lady got out of the car to see if everything was okay and Black Shimai assured her she was fine and then immediately started asking her about God and her beliefs. BLACK SHIMAI IS SO AWESOME!! SO anyways after all that and another scary contact, I was feeling a little anxiety. I was happy to be out talking to people but I was just feeling a little tense. I told that to Black Shimai. She said, "Lets say a prayer" we pulled our bikes over and said a quick prayer. Afterward we just started working again and before I knew it, I felt peace. Then soon after, we stopped a lady and I was teaching her how to pray. I testified that when you pray, you feel peace. I felt the spirit SO strong because I had JUST had an experience that made my testimony of that stronger. Tears started to swell in my eyes as I testified to that lady on the street that through prayer we can feel God's love. This junkai (splits) was incredible. Just me and Black Shimai alone found 3 new investigators and filled our schedules with appointments! 

One last experience happened on Saturday. Hawkins Shimai and I stopped a girl on the street. We started talking about the purpose of life. I pulled out a Book Of Mormon and turned to 2 Nephi 2:25. "...men are that they might have joy." we testified that through the Book of Mormon you could find answers to lifes questions and find direction in your life. She loved that! When we told her we wanted to give her the Book of Mormon her eyes lite up. She wants to meet with us again and she said she would start reading the Book of Mormon! 

OH and a lady we met last week and gave a Book of Mormon came to church with her husband!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are teaching her this week!!!!! She HAS BEEN READING THE BOOK OF MORMON EVERYDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!!!

The church is true. People aren't perfect, but the gospel is. I love being a missionary!!

I love you all and appreciate your love and prayers,

Kare was watashi no ai suru ko........

Konnichiwa Kazoku,

How are things back on the home front. Things are going well here in the middle of the Pacific. The weather is awesome! Its still very warm but the humidity is going way down! 

This week we helped Yuho get packed up and move :( We watched the Restoration DVD with her and felt the spirit even in Japanese! There is something very special in the specific words Joseph Smith used when describing the first vision. As missionaries we are encouraged to memorize it and use it when we teach. I first memorized it in English at the MTC and tried in Japanese but it was just so hard and long. But everyday this transfer Hawkins Shimai and I have been practicing it and I can finally say it is Japanese! You should all read it again so here it is!

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me....When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

Isnt that beautiful! I testify that Joseph Smith really did see the Father and the Son. Joseph Smith was called of God to be a prophet. Through him the gospel was restored to the earth.

But anyways, Yuho did leave and we passed all her information to the Elders is Saga. :( 

During the last typhoon days we did a lot of area book work and found former investigators. We visited one this week who took the lessons 2 years ago. We committed her to come to church next Sunday for the primary program. I really love working with the Military branches. They are run so well and during branch council every one jumped at the opportunity to help this lady and her husband.

We had zone training meeting and for the first time ever in the Fukuoka Mission we are Sister Training Leaders who are paired together and do trainings and spilts with us. They came down to our training and gave us an incredible training! Its about time that we have sister leaders. All the young elders need the maturity and strength these seasoned sisters have. One of our training leaders is my mission mom (trainer) Black Shimai and the other is Latu Shimai who is an incredible missionary! I want to be like them when I grow up! I really love my sister zone leaders.

We had a miracle this week with our investigator. Her name is Mikiko. She has been investigating the church for 2 years and he daughter was baptized and is now at BYU Hawaii preparing to serve a mission. Mikiko is practically like a member. She goes to church almost every week and she reads her scriptures and prays daily. She has told us that she feels the church is true. This week we had an appointment with her. Hawkins Shimai and I had planned and prepared to commit her to be baptized, which had been tried before from other missionaries. But we went into the lesson with that plan. We were both prompted to simply start talking about baptism. As we were talking about baptism and her feelings about it she said to us, "I think I am ready to be baptized." We were both shocked! The spirit had touched her and testified to her heart! We tried to set a date but she needs to discuss her decision with her husband who is very against church. When their daughter was baptized he was totally against it, but slowly his heart is softening toward her. We pray for him everyday that he will let her be baptized. Please pray for Mikiko and especially her husband.

Thats all I have time for this week!! I love being a missionary! I love OKINAWA!!!! The church is true and it really does make you happy!

Love,

Typhoon & Yuho's Baptism

Konnichiwa Kazoku!

This week was all about YUHO!!!!!!!!! We wanted to meet with her everyday leading up to her baptism. She is awesome. We are so grateful for all the help we got from the ward. They have been incredible giving us rides and jointing for us. We NEED joints to help us because our language is NO WHERE NEAR perfect yet. The Okinawa ward is incredible! We are also getting so much help from an incredible member in one of the military wards. Even though she cant speak Japanese she befriends our investigators and does everything she can to help us! She is fearless! She is evening having our investigator Yuho at her house during the Typhoon because Yuho lives alone! I WANNA BE MICHELLE WHEN I GROW UP!!!

I hit my 6 month mark this week!! WOAHHH!!! What happened to the time! I only have a year left! This time next year I will be coming home!!! How crazy is that?!?! You spend all your life thinking about and planning for a mission that when its finally here is just flies by. AND TODAY IS TRANSFER CALLS!! AGAIN!!! We havent gotten our call yet, but I feel like I am staying here for a little longer. 

Conference was this weekend but we will see it next weekend when it is translated into Japanese. I CANNOT WAIT! Never in my life have I hungered and thirsted so much to hear the words of the prophets and apostles. I have read the April conference Liahona nan kai mo. (over and over again) I have studied those talks and love them! I cant wait for more!!!! Yippeee!!! 

TYPHOOOOON!!!! Yep you heard me right. Its typhoon time here is Okinawa. WE ARE ALIVE!! Our first typhoon experience was pretty exciting! Of course the biggest typhoon of the year was to come at exactly the time and day of our baptism! But that didnt stop us! Only delayed us a little. We had to reschedule it for the next day. During the typhoon we were not allowed to leave our apartment. It was tough being cooped up all day in our apartment but we were able to do a lot of area book dendou (missionary work) and make some appointments with former investigators. We also called almost everyone in our phone (old investigators, members, less actives, potential investigators) and invite them to the baptism. The baptism was a wonderful success. Chinen kyodai was the one who referred her and she wanted him to baptize her! It was such a wonderful experience for the Chinen family as well. Yuho was ready when we found her. She was really one of those investigator who was ready to be found. She was searching for the truth and just didnt know where to find us. We had nothing to do with her conversion. It was with her and the Lord. She has such strong faith! The members of this Japanese ward are soo supportive! They all came and filled the chapel. They brought food too and I didnt even ask them too! Yuho loves how the ward is like a family. We love Yuho so much. After she was baptized she bore her testimony of Jesus Christ. He really is the center of all we do. 

I LOVE OKINAWA!! I really do. I dont love Okinawa for the beaches, or the weather, or the typhoons, I love it because of the people here. Heavenly Father loves them and watches over them. They are special to him. I read in 1 Nephi 21 this morning and I love verses 15-16. The Lord says, "For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." The Lord remembers these people, He has graven them upon the palms of His hands. He has suffered every one of their pains and afflictions. He has felt their joys and their sorrows. Their trials and constant battles are continually before Him. He knows them. I am grateful to serve here. I am grateful for the added capacity to love that I gained since coming on this mission.

I could go so many ways with storm analogies and what-not but the truth of the matter is the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. We are Gods children and He loves us. Keep doing what you know to be right and stop doing the bad things. I love my Savior! He lives!

Love,

Capener Shimai

Nauvoo Memories and my Fireside

Konnichiwa Kazoku

Instead of a long email today I sent a million pictures home!

This week we had splits with the sister training leaders which was really fun! I was paired with Takabori Shimai who is a seriously awesome missionary! One short experience I want to share. We planned to visit an investigator but when we went to her house she wasnt there. So we decided to street for a little then come back and try again before our next appointment. We were not sure where to go so we decided to say a prayer. After the prayer we headed in a certain direction. We connacted a few people and didnt have much luck. Then we spotted two ladies taking a smoke break in a building parking lot. We decided to talk to them. The talked to them and they were very interested in church and baptism. We got their numbers! Then we decided to head back to our investigators! Right before we got there we found her and her children walking away from there appointment we stopped them and share a quick message and set up another appointment. I know the Lord guided us to those two women and then gave us a tender mercy by showing us back to our investigator just in time!!

YUHO CHAN ACCEPTED BAPTISM!!! I should have said that sooner!!! I wasnt there at the meeting because we were on splits but she really wants to be baptized! We set a date that is very soon because she is just so excited. We made is clear that we had to keep meeting almost everyday before her baptism. She is doing well accepting commitments and the commandments. We were nervous to teach Word of Wisdom, but she is so faithful! Despite her love for tea, she has committed to living the word of wisdom. She is 21 and she loves to learn!! I LOVE YUHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last night I gave a talk/presentation on Nauvoo in NAHA!!! I got to go back to my old area to my old ward that I love so much a tell them about my experience in Nauvoo. I started off by saying that you can learn a lot about the history of Nauvoo through books and the internet, but I want to share my experience, or my story of Modern day Nauvoo. I focused my talk on the temple. I talked about how I remember being in the Nauvoo ward building when President Hinckley announced the rebuilding of the Nauvoo temple. People gasped and stood and hugged one another. I started to cry as I told these people of Okinawa, that someday a prophet of God will announce a temple in Okinawa. I told them that no matter where I am, I will be with them standing, hugging my loved ones, and crying tears of joy. I also told them about the dedication of the temple. I got to sit on the third row in the assembly hall as a 10 year old girl. As we sang The Spirit of God I felt the presence and the voices of those pioneers beyond the veil who sacrificed so much for that temple. Then I testified that everyone there was a pioneer. Most of Japanese members are 1st or 2nd generation members. I ended with my testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith. I think when I was young I didnt realize what a blessing it was to live in Nauvoo. I read D&C 135:3

"Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!"

I had the opportunity to walk where Joseph walked. I am grateful for his selfless sacrifice. I know he was a prophet of God. 

I gotta go! I love you all! The church is true! I LOVE OKINAWA!!!!

Love,

Nauvoo Fireside

Capener Shimai

Transfer to Okinawa City-I am now training!

Guess

where I am......................OKINAWA CITY!! Okinawa City is like and 1-2 hours north of Naha. I DIDNT HAVE TO LEAVE OKINAWA!! But guess what?!?!?

I AM TRAINING!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM ONLY ON MY THIRD TRANSFER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She is a second transfer bean named Hawkins Shimai. She is from Washington State and is blonde. We get a lot of stares! She is incredible though! She is confident and uses as much Japanese and she possibly can! We are both BABIES STILL!! 

When I got the call on Tuesday I was very shocked and speechless. I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders and felt very very inadequate. I poured my heart out to Heavenly Father in prayer about my concerns and worries. I knew that we would be responsible for that area of the Lords vineyard. I felt that I was not ready to lead out in lessons and member relationships in Japanese. I cried unto the Lord (literally) asking Him to mold me into the missionary He needed me to be, and asking for comfort and strength. I decided to ask our zone leaders for a blessing. In the blessing he promised my tongue would be loosed so that I could communicate with the Japanese people and people of other nationalities. I felt encircled with arms of love from a loving Heavenly Father, although leaving my comfortable place in Naha as a bean was hard and scary, I knew the Lord had a plan for me to learn and grow. 

The very next day, after a quick and sad goodbye I was on the road up to Okinawa City. I learned that here I would be working with 3 wards. The Okinawa ward and two very BIG military English branches. They call them branches because people are always moving in and out. They each are bigger than the Japanese ward. I feel so blessed to be working with these American families that are so strong! Saturday morning we found out that the Gushikawa branch was cleaning that chapel so we quickly got on our bikes and over to the chapel to help. That was a perfect opportunity to start meeting members. We meet our branch mission leader who has been out of town for so long that he has never even met my companion. We told him of a new English speaking investigator we just found the day before! That got missionary fire burning in him again! We met a member of the relief society and invited her to fellowship our new investigator and church. We talked to a young woman who is befriend a less active teen and we were able to plan an FHE at the young woman's house! We were able to meet many members and get to know the ward a bit. My trainer Sister Black taught me what to do when you get to a new area. Contact the Bishop, the RS president, and the mission leader and praise the ward! So I have been making lots of phone calls and getting to know members in the area. Sister Hawkins first companion was Nihonjin who could not speak English. By not fault of her own, the military branches have been a little neglected by the sisters just due to the language barrier, BUT WE ARE HERE TO CHANGE THAT!! I know can see miracles here in these branches

On Sunday we went to the Japanese ward and then the Gushikawa Military Branch! They fill up the entire chapel! It was fast and testimony meeting so I decided to share my testimony. I thanked them all the for sacrifices they were making and the wonderful people they were, I thanked them for their testimonies and their strength. I testified that as members and missionaries worked together, we could see miracles. It felt very strange speaking in English and hearing the sacrament prayer in English (last time was in March) That evening we went to a goodbye party to someone in the ward on BASE! There is no proselyting allowed so we have to take off our name-tags. I literally felt like I stepped into America. American food, American people, American houses, AMERICA AMERICA AMERICA!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!! I am grateful to be working with these people who sacrifice for our freedom! 

As soon as I got here, Hawkins Shimai and I went out to work! We have seen miracles! Just since I got here we found 3 new investigators! Two of those are English speakers! During study time, we came up with a transfer theme. We were talking about how much we need to rely on the Lord this transfer. We know that if we are exactly obedient and do everything in our power to be great missionaries, the Lord will fill in the gaps. As we were talking and bearing testimony, I thought of a scripture in D&C 100:4-6,8:

 "Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls. Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men; For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say....And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say."

We both cried a little as we picked this as our theme. I know the Lord with fulfill His promises as we simply lift up our voices! The Lord will not suffer us to fail.

I want to testify of the Savior. I know He lives. He loves us so much that He sacrificed for our pains and afflictions. I know through Him, we can find more joy and happiness than we have ever experienced. I am filled with joy! Bringing other unto Christ brings true happiness. 

Thank you all for your prayers, keep em coming :)

Love,

Capener Shimai