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
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