I made Japanese food this week, but I didn’t have time to write about it!

Konnichiwa Lovely Family!

How are you doing?! Genki?! I wish there was a word that translated into English for genki….it`s one of those words where you can just feel it but…you can`t really explain it quite as well…..OH WELL! I`m so grateful to hear you are all happy and healthy and Heavenly Father is watching over you. I thought this this morning as I was studying, and I thought it again as I read your email, Heavenly Father is just the best. He really is:)

So life is a PARTY! This week was way good! I had the funniest dream last night! And actually just the past few nights! But I only remember last night…So me and Wiseman Shimai were trying to contact in the underground sewers of bathhouses (because those totally exist) and there was gross water splashing EVERYWHERE and I was trying to do all I could not to like face plant into it/we were trying to run away from someone at the same time. And then this like team of secret spy missionaries came from nowhere and were all serious and were like, `Hey we need to talk to you. Your numbers have been looking pretty good lately. We have a mission for you. We need you to find 8 new investigators this week.` hahahaha challenge accepted! 😀 Then we got home and I was like `WHAT!? those secret spy missionaries ate all my syrup! and they spilled it everywhere!!` Then I woke up! 😀 haha it started the day off with some laughs!
Oh, then we went for a walk and (just to paint you a pic, I had JUST woken up, my hair is pretty cray, no make up, no nothin, in basketball shorts) and this little old man stops us and goes, `You are so beautiful! I saw you before and wanted to tell you but I couldn`t hahaha ah man! I want to live in Japan forever!! They make you feel like a model, no matter what you look like! (but seriously, if that was in America, people would probz be screaming and running haha!)

So anyways! Yeah, this week was AWESOME! Tuesday was seriously the busiest day of my life! I LOVED it! I wish EVERYDAY was like that! It was literally lesson after lesson! We started off with a service project at church (and my Japanese grammie came to that) and we were able to do some family history with her as well. (P.S. Japan`s been gettin` pretty fired up about family history. I just want to do it but there`s no time as a missionary! haha! Little shout out to you all, try it out! It looks like SO much fun!!) Then got a call from my BFF Shimai who…(I didn`t mention this in last email because I ran out of time) but she has been having trouble financially and didn`t know if she was going to have to move suddenly or not. But we got a call from her so we ran home to plan a little something and told her we`d be over that afternoon. Then we went and taught a less active (from Colorado!) and his non member wife. They have the CUTEST baby! and a baby on the way! But the sadly, they were not interested to continue meeting. Neither of them believe God exists. Oh, that just makes me so sad. But everyone has their time. Another time. So after that, we raced to visit our BFF Shimai and we had like…the most perfectly smooth, heartfelt lesson I have ever taught! It was amazing! The crazy thing is that we only had like literally….10 minutes to plan! We just talked about what we wanted to her feel/picked a scripture and went for it….and Heavenly Father helped it become what it needed to be. Right now, she doesn`t really know what to do…she doesn`t want to be a burden to her family. And it`s not really my place to counsel her. But we just thought, we can teach her how to rely on the Lord and have faith in God. And so that`s what we did. And it was….a really beautiful experience and her heart was so open to pray to Heavenly Father and ask for guidance. I want more than anything for her to just be happy and safe. And feel that peace that comes from knowing you can trust and not be afraid. God will always provide a way when we humble ourselves and turn to Him. After, we sang `I Need Thee Every Hour.` Again, just a really beautiful experience that I am so grateful for.
After her lesson, we had like 4 minutes to make it to our next appointment at the church! haha! But we did and it was AWESOME! Last week, we taught her (she`s an eikaiwa student, about in her 50/60`s and pretty strong in her Buddhist beliefs) but this week when we taught her, her countenance was just a little different, her heart a little softer. It was a really nice lesson about Heavenly Father. 🙂 Then Eikaiwa!!! Whoo!!! Yeah, seriously crazy day! But the most satisfying! I seriously wish everyday was like that!

Let`s see, Thursday was another awesome day! We had a lesson with my Japanese grammie and her daughter (the bishop`s wife) The coolest thing – we had been thinking about her lesson and all week we were thinking about teaching her about Jesus Christ. and then the night before we were talking about it and we were like, `I`m thinking repentance…` So we change the plan and we come to her house and teach and Yoshikawa Shimai is the BEST doseki! (member to sit in on the lesson) she was just awesome! and after, she turns to us and says, `You know, this morning, as I was washing the dishes I thought, `My mom needs to repent.“ How cool is that? Heavenly Father inspired us, too!! Ah, I just thought that was so cool! In the lesson though, Yoshikawa Shimai drew the coolest pic and explained repentance in the coolest way. I learned a lot from it! My grammie is doing good, but she still struggles to understand why we need Jesus Christ. It`s been an cool experience as I`ve tried to study and prepare for her. I`ve learned a lot.
That night we had a dinner appointment with an older couple in the ward and we had 2 less actives/their families come one after the other! It was way awesome! People we have been trying to meet with but haven`t been able to! Another valuable lesson I`ve learned this week – when missionaries and members work together, seriously, the work goes 100X FASTER and STRONGER! Oh man, don`t forget about the missionaries! They need you! Thank you for all the service you do for them and their investigators! When members fellowship investigators and help in any way…it is the biggest blessing! So thank you!

So GET THIS! Like last week we get this thought, `Hey! Let`s watch Finding Faith in Christ with our Imoto san (15 year old investigator)` She has been a little hard to have a sit down lesson with but we know she likes movies and she likes learning about Jesus Christ so we were like let`s do it! Maybe it will spark her interest! So she meets with us Friday at church and it was a good time! We all shared our thoughts/feelings after the movie (aka. me and Wiseman Shimai poured our little hearts out about how much we love Jesus Christ) I just had to tell myself it`s not weird. Let her see how much this means to you, even if you cry! haha! But yeah, it was cool! She was like `When I first started watching, I didn`t really believe. but towards the end I thought…I believe` That`s pretty cool! I love the spirit that movie brings! She didn`t seem to change too much on the interest level but…we had Tim Tam Slams (remind me to teach you what that is) and hot cocoa exploded EVERYWHERE in the microwave and I was DYING! hahahaha but…it was fun! THE COOL THING is that this morning we get this text from her and she goes, `Do they have that movie in America?` `Yes?` `Will you teach me?` And I was like `What……..Wiseman Shimai….what context is this in??` Neither of us knew so I was just like …`Yes! What do you want to learn?` And she goes `Anything! I really like that movie about Jesus Christ!` *commence dance party* Yes, I did have a dance party! Oh MAN!!!! HOW COOL IS THAT! I don`t think you can get a heart more open than that!!!!! ANYTHING! Oh man….I`m stoked! 😀 It just made me think of that scripture in D&C 123:17. `Let us cheerfully do all things within our power…and wait with the reassurance that the Lord`s arm will be revealed.` Something like that? Ahh…the coolest tender mercy! So we`re meeting tomorrow!!!

Funny things from the week: we discovered a 91 year old man who is THRIVING! He rides his bike every day and spends most of his time at karaoke. Precious! haha!
Also, met this woman who walks with her back at a 90 degree angle. Not even kidding. Oh, it looks so painful. but like almost all the obachans are like that. So she`s actually the mother of a less active we were searching for and she invites us to sit down next to her for a bit and starts talking to us/asking the funniest questions of my life! I swear, she was like inspecting me the whole time! She starts out with, `Do you pluck your eyebrows?` `hahaha um…yes` `Why? It`s nice to have a lot!` then as I continue to try and talk about Heavenly Father and such she starts playing with my hair and goes, `Do you wash your hair everyday?` bahahahaha! And I`m all, `Yes, everyday!` I swear, I almost lost it COMPLETELY! ahh…she was a little crazy but…It was fun! 😀 ]
Also, I believe Wiseman Shimai is starting to hear my screams a LOT more often haha! the bugs are getting BIG! And ……just seriously BIG! And one smacked me in the face last night as we were riding! Oh snap…..I can`t even tell you how dirty! They`re those big cicadas! hahaha! I LOVE MY LIFE!

I`ve been learning a lot about diligence and effort. And grace. It`s after all we can do that we can receive the Lord`s grace. And in Alma 26:27 God says, `I will give unto you success.` Just a great reminder about our relationship with the Lord. I know He sees all of our efforts! and He is a merciful God! And when we work and show our love for Him, we can trust that He will strengthen and help us!
Love you and this gospel!
Ai shite imasu!
Howard Shimai