FEBRUARY 22, 2016 - RINGING THE BELLS OF HELL!

Well where do I begin to describe this week.  Monday when I last emailed I had a burnt hand and it got to the point where it got way swollen. So we went to the hospital.  We had a member drive us, Hasegawa Shimai, she's so sweet and funny. Anyway while this is all
happening a snow storm is raging outside and so it took longer to get to the hospital. My hand at this point is seriously on fire and when we get there and get parked I nearly jumped out of the car and suck my hand in a huge pile of snow.


Their emergency room isn't so emergency like...nor do ferpa laws exist here....I'm not sure how to completely describe it but it's filled with a lot of grandmas just chillin'....anyway it takes forever to see a doctor and Hasegawa Shimai has aloe that she keeps dumping (I'm
serious it was so much aloe) on my hand and it would keep it cool enough.  As I'm sitting there, blowing on my hand she's asking me why I came on a mission and when I was younger what imashime (commandment) I didn't follow. I don't know, dating before I was sixteen?!  I was a little agitated because I had to respond in Japanese. But it all worked out and was pretty funny in the end.  We had to call the zone leaders tell them that we would be late and Elder Sugimoto, Japanese, was freaking out over us and called  Cannon Shimai (he worked with her before in Toyooka but now he is in Fukuchiyama) and told her in  English, "Cannon Shimai, Cannon Shimai, calm down! Be still your soul!"  We were laughing a little to loud for that.



The doc wrapped my hand in Vaseline and a bunch of white cloth and said I needed to go to this plastic surgery and reconstruction center the next day that was a little concerning but.....I didn't because Sister Welch told me to go to Zone conference instead! We had gotten home late and brother Hasegawa was able to give me a blessing in our genkan (it's the equivalent to front door or wash room). He struggledwith saying my name in katakana English. 「Ma-de-ri--n zo- ozuwarudo] but it was good blessing I understood most of it.



Tuesday then, we went to zone conference! And it was sooo good! We learned so much!! When I walked in though, everyone's eyes went straight to my hand. I disrupted the peace for a moment. So when you get hurt or sick you call Sis. Welch, well she's the BOMB-DIGGITY (a word I just taught the Japanese recently ;) and is like a stone rock in times of crisis. She and Welch Kaicho were so kind to me, just like my own parents and gave me hugs and drugs :) president Welch just whips out his stash and it was kinda funny. But in other words we had a great conference. I love the people I work with they are like my
family. Being with them I feel a sense of peace.



We learned a lot about Christ and his atonement. During his life time on earth, Christ, didn't teach anything "new", he didn't perform any "new" miracles that had not been done before but the one new thing he did do that no other could do, was the act of the atonement. We
discussed how The Atonement covers us in this life and the next life but that also means it covers the life before this one. In the pre-existence, we had to make mistakes, and learn all that we could before we came to earth. He knows and understands even that. Our suffering
and temptations are known, they are real! He covers that ten fold; after all that, the things we for sure cannot control, he covers even the things we choose to do wrong. Our sins are our own doing no one caused them but us and he still loves us enough to take that away.

As missionaries we do have those temptations and suffering. It's because we (everyone member, or not) need to have understanding. This understanding allows us to become like him. This is the first law (read 2 nephi 2 ). We only Understand a thimble full or really our pain and everything else we have ever felt is a thimble full. In the end you'll take your thimble full and dump in the ocean. The ocean is all that the savior felt for every single living thing. He absorbed it all.



We make mistakes and we give in to temptations, but he never gave in. The minute we entertain temptation is the min we begin to loose. The minute we shout from over river to see and hear what they are doing in the great and spacious building is the moment that Satan will try he's best to take you down. (Wow this is really intense). Really though
there was so much to be learned from the atonement. We have recently been given this challenge to read the Book of Mormon only looking for aspects of the atonement. I can't give the whole challenge out because it's top secret. I've started and my new Book of Mormon is already filled with notes and colors and there is so much to learn about the atonement.

Kaicho was talking about how Christ knows us and he's like he know what it's like to get burned.." He turns and give he's big ol grin, a dad kinda grin that makes you think really dad! But it was funny, I have other videos from that day but no time to write about that now.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were tough though. After being pumped up Satan again tried his hardest to bring us down. Emotionally, spiritually, physically..we later got a email from our Zone Leaders Sugimoto Choro and Seagle Choro.



"So recently as a zone we've been facing some adversity. Missionaries have been getting hurt, investigators randomly dropping, as well as load of other things so terrible that we won't mention them. Keeping all this in mind, we just wanted to give out a little warning to
everyone: BE CAREFUL! President Welch gave out a powerful reminder before Zone Taikai ended that the power of Satan is real!



Recently here in the mission and specifically in this zone we have been shaking the cages of hell a little bit...dso obviously Satan is trying to shake us right back. Let's all remember that the one who holds the real power is our savior Jesus Christ, and that no power on earth or below is anything compared to him. Yes it may be true that Satan is working his hardest to kill us, but none of that matters because we have divine help on our side.  We believe the real reason for all these attacks is simply that Satan is getting a little scared. When things are in the verge of excellence he comes out...keep on fighting. That's when the
miracles will come everyone.



There was more but it's too long...but another thing we've been doing is everyday at 6 we pray for the mission! I'd like to extend the challenge to you to pray for the Denver south mission (or what ever mission you live in) and the missionaries close in your life. I know
that prayers work and if we all do this miracles will happen here in Japan and back home!







Then came Saturday...the day started out fantastic, besides the rain, my comp and I just taught three awesome lessons in a row and the spirit was felt. We had told the elders the day before we wanted a blessing because we just felt it was needed. Well time ran out and so we wanted to meet up with them Saturday to do the doing. So we're biking and I get a phone call and its in my pocket and so I go to pull the phone out and it's just in my hand (yes still biking). Cannon shimai is ahead and she crosses a street and I looked to the side of me to see a little truck about to turn left, I realized I had to stop. But I was going too fast and there's a phone in my break hand and my breaks aren't working and for a second I had this thought, crap I'm going to hit this car so I brace my self and BAM! I hit the truck. My wheel gets caught in between the section of his truck and his wheel and because he is still moving it sucks my wheel under and it flings the back and the seat upward and forward so I land on the wall of the bed of the truck. I'm half in half out. I blacked out for a second and
woke up to my helmet and the phone in the bed of the truck. I take a breath and let out a cry. My hands rammed them selfs into the truck and my right hand, the one that I just burned five days before is bleeding and starting to swell up. The guy I hit, gets out and he
looks so scared, and angry. He has a cigarette in his mouth and asks me something but I can't understand. I just start apologizing, "gomenasai! Gomenasai!" He helps me off his truck and I grab the phone. He begins to call the police and I told him that my breaks were
bad. I was completely in shock because I was crying and blubbering.



This is when I realized that Cannon Shimai is gone. No where in sight, and I'm alone. It's raining and cold and I'm in shock, my hands possibly broken and to be honest that was the scariest moment ever in my life. I not sure who to call first, I'm so glad I had the phone,
but I try the elders because one of them is a nihonjin and understands Japanese. No answer. I next call sister Welch and no answer. I call the elders again, no answer. After that I'm leaning against the fence and then Welch Shimai calls me back! I lost it when she answered because it was English and someone I loved and someone who loves me. I
try to tell her what happened and she's like a stone mountain, calm and then there is me stuttering. She tells me to call a member or someone who could help. After I get off with her I called the elders a third time and a fourth time and then I text them "help" and then
finally I get an answer back!



On their end, they were in a joint member lesson and Elder Funaki, who had the phone (at least this is what they told me) and Funaki Choro said he had this hurt feeling in his chest and so by the fourth missed call he hands it to Hancock Choro to see what the four missed calls where about! So he calls and asks "hey what's up, are you okay?" And as soon as he answered the phone I break down again and it takes me a moment to get out that I've been hit by a truck! "What? Are you okay? Where's Cannon? " I tell him I don't know and I could hear him say "fetch!" Really loudly. After the call he gathers his comp and president Tada, the member who was jointing their lesson, who also is the branch president, and they are about to walk out the door, when cannon Shimai pulls up into the church parking lot.




Hancock looks at her and shouts at her saying, "she's been in a car accident, you stay
right there!" He was kinda freaking out a little bit. Cannon on the other hand almost booked it about to go run back after me and instead ran to the fence and almost kicked it. The poor girl every comp she has had (all two of them) has gotten hurt in some weird way or another, it because she is a beast and Satan knows that he can get to her though others, other wise she would constantly keep working to bring the gospel to others till she her self passed out with exhaustion.



So back at the "scene" the police show up and they tell me to get in the car, which the inside of Japanese police cars are actually way nice :) and they start asking my questions and I kinda just through my wallet at the guy because I couldn't understand anything and it had my address and such inside. Japanese police are very thorough with figuring out what happened and where to distribute blame. Finally Tada kaicho, the Elders and Cannon Shimai show up and they run to the car that I'm in. I soon as I see Cannon she hugs me and as we hug we both started crying with each other. That moment is when I started to feel
safe. The Elders and Cannon Shimai they are my family. They helped me in a way I can never repay them. There was a line of translation, the police to Funaki, Funaki in simpler Japanese to Hancock and Hancock to me in English.



So eventually we get to the hospital. And like I said before then emergency room isn't so emergency. Yay round two and this time I have translators. The shock kept all the pain at bay until like later that night so I was sort of okay.  After I get my blood pressure taken and
temp and such, the nurse comes out with neck brace and I said "no, no way are you putting that on me.." It was a bit of a fight but eventually I let them put it on.  Anxiety came back and I was annoyed...any way they call my name and the four of us all go back and the doctor was way confused at first and then just shrugged it off.  There's me sitting in one chair and my three other "parents" on the other table helping me understand. They told me I needed a CT scan and a few X-rays. We get all that done...which by the way x rays are scary because they don't put any led protection or anything like that.....but I needed a chest one and so the X-ray guy told Funaki that I needed to take my bra off but one he was so awkward about it
because he didn't know the English word for it...all along the way my companion and elder Hancock kept sister Welch informed...they were both kinda freaking out. so after spending hours (like 6) in the hospital they cleared me and nothing was broken, just very bruised and
sore and then came time to pay...the price was shown to us was 49,000 and we all look at each other and all just started pulling out all the money we had (that's about 490 dollars) then Tada kaicho came over and said he would pay and I'd just pay him back later.....oh man...



On the way home it's like 10 o clock but we're supposed to be home by nine or nine thirty if your teaching a lesson, and Tada kaicho is driving us home and he's like, "you got the okay to stay out late right?" And we said yes and then he proceeded to drive into the
parking lot of a restaurant. So we just went and ate food, by the end it was like 11:15 and that's when all the shock went away and I really in pain. I finally got home and went to bed. The next morning we went to church but that was a struggle...but there was so much love from the members! I only really wanted to go because of the sacrament.



As I was being blessed I realized I could understand the blessing in Japanese. And after Tada kaicho took his they came to me and I was the first to partake...I took the bread and then I looked down at my hands. I looked at how utterly busted they looked, torn, and burnt and bruised...and then I remembered that so we're His. My savior understood the literal pain I was in in that exact moment. It felt like he stood in front of me and then kneeled down and put his hand to my face seeming to say, "let me take this from you," it was a sweet,
overwhelming feeling of literal and actual love from my brother, Jesus Christ.



So don't worry. I'm okay, I have the love of those around me, I am safe, I am protected, there is no doubt in my mind that the Angels of heaven protected me from being more seriously damaged. I am loved. I love you all so very much. I know Satan is trying to take me out but it's because we're making miracles happen and he is getting scared.
Few days ago I was talking to an elder and we talked about how our area is a battlefield, a war zone between Christ and his missionaries and Satan. I'm just glad I'm on the winning side.



Food for thought:
To the savior: Thank you for loving me enough.



We are obedient we follow those commandments because we love God. We
are the reason he smiles and has joy! We know how to make God smile.



Why would you cheat on your savior?



Blessings are not one sided.



You open the door and let Christ pull you through. Promise God and he
will give you the way.



When we do things to shake heaven's kingdom, Satan's going to wake up.


When the announcement of a temple comes the bells of hell ring. And let
them ring!



Sister Madeline Zoe Oswald Missionary for Christ!

FEBRUARY 14, 2016 - SMILE, IT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU

I miss 1.5% milk

Aloha everyone! Can I just first say I love you all so very much!

On Monday we had a long fun P-Day I don't remember what we did  though...and then we had a fun game night where we painted with paint brushes in our mouths.  It was way fun. Afterwards we went to McDonald's with Yokochan, member, and I showed her you could dip fries in ice cream.....if this isn't a thing in America and I'm just weird, don't tell me other wise, because I tell them it's an American thing.  While eating isu (ice cream) this guy in this sick hat passed by and as he did he saw my name tag and pointed at me and said, "Tell me what you believe!" (In English) I was taken back and I was like okay and before I could even get a word out he's sitting at our table asking about the song Amazing Grace (singing bits and pieces of it) and he talks about his name and writes it in kanji and I know like one so I "try" and he got way to excited about me knowing the kanji for book and Japan.  Anywho, we talk about God for a bit but then he lifts up his suteki hat to show that his hair is absent from the picture (he's bald) and tells us he's a monk. That's okay just talking to a Buddhist monk.

Eikaiwa was rough we taught about jobs and money and it was kinda depressing. The Elders were late because they took a train out to another part of our area and got lost in the jungle where it was hailing and monkeys where attacking them or so they said.  The were going the wrong way and were headed towards the beach/ocean. Ya, Tuesday was kinda rough.  Also rough because we made a cake for an investigator, fixed a bike and at the end of the day we were crazy and tired...this is when Toyooka started attacking us, very subtly .

Wednesday was good.  We taught an amazing lesson with Sister Kishida Shimai.  The spirit was so strong and we challenged her to give a book a Mormon to a friend or family member. It was a great lesson! We then went down to the school to go give children candy and talk to them (because that's acceptable in this country) but when we got there, there was no one there.  So we stopped our bikes at a park and we met and talked to a girl who was so sweet and she seemed really interested in our message and it was such a tender blessing! After, we went to go finding.  Elsewhere there was this apartment that backed up against a forest and there was a staircase (I say staircase but it was just logs bound together going upward) and we were both like let's climb it. So we did and we got to the top of a magical shrine....or an abandoned one but it was way cool! Then we ended our day with dinner but Cannon Shimai was like I want mashed potatoes and pancakes! Yeah, carbs....we need better diet goals....

Toyooka attacked the Elders this week too they just had a really hard day so we bought them dough nuts.  Thursday was a beautiful warmer, holiday and we had fun with Yoko chan. She's so sweet and a recent convert and loves to spend time with us.  We went out to eat together and looked through this store that has an abundance of cute useless nicknacks.

Friday we headed out to Fukuchiyama for district meeting with was fun, my district leader is Japanese but he is so...flamboyant!  We've nick-named him peacock. Takahashi Choro is an interesting character and so incredibly sassy (all Japanese elders are! Oh my-lanta!) We learned a lot and it was good meeting. The train ride back was two hours long though....so when we got back we were exhausted because trains make me sleepy. But the weather was incredible today! Seriously it was actually kinda warm and everyone in Toyooka was kinda freaking out and people were outside. People just seem so much happier when the sun is out :) but because I was so tired we went to a park to cheer ourselves up before we went and talked to people. 

Let me tell you about Ani (Annie ). She is this skateboarding punk, that acts like she's 16 (but she's like way older) that speaks great English.   I met her today (Friday) and she is awesome. She is a lot like some punks I knew in highschool and I love them to death!  Ani is interesting, she has a hard time with smoking and curses a bunch but she really is a good kid (I call her a kid but I'm younger....she acts younger haha). She let me ride her skate board and it was way 久しぶり (hisashiburi but say the ri like a ti).

Saturday, it was actually warm like 64 F degrees warm and it was so strange because it usually is like 26 F with rain and winds. We went to a lesson with our investigator and less active friend. We have had lessons with them every week since being here in Toyooka. Chiori Shimai (less active) is a piano teacher and before I came she and Miho (investigator) talked to the previous sisters about making a band. So Chiori plays the piano, Miho is percussion, my comp is on flute and I'm singing. (I've probably explained all this before). Progressively, with each visit we have done lesson first and music second where it was flipped before. Chiori has struggled with certain aspects of the gospel but when we started sharing things with Miho, she pipes in and adds her testimony. The spirit is so strong in those lessons. I love these two so much! We play and sing Frank Senatra, Disney, country road, all sorts of things. One time she played a song I had written for piano and made it sound so much better!!! Chiori is so funny she loves to tease us, mainly me, and she gives really good hugs!

Also on Saturday we had two other lessons with members and both times we went to get sushi afterwards....oh man....so good but my wallet....don't worry it's all good but man..I love sushi. Too much.  And word of advice from our STLS, of your feeling down just tell Satan he doesn't have a body.

Sunday:  so much love- Terada Shimai cried when we performed. She told us she loved it and wants us to do it again.  Suzuki, the Hermada fam, all awesome peeps liked our music. I sang, Cannon-ball was on flute [and member Yoko Chan]. Kishida Shimai spoke about how she felt loved by God because we taught her. Earlier in the week, I got really fatigued and then slept all day. This was another attack and the same thing happened to another Elder in this area.

I thought I was okay but then I go and drop boiling water on my hand ....I'm typing with one hand right now. It's hard and painful. Also it's snowing. And my feet are wet.

Fast is fun needs to be on a t shirt.

That's it.

I love y'all. I'm okay,  just emotional but that's okay :)

Madeline

CUTE USELESS NICKNACK

FEBRUARY 8, 2016 - YO, I GOT THIS EMAIL FOR Y'ALL....I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S UP WITH THIS TITLE....

TOYOOKA, JAPAN - MY THIRD AREA

MY NEW AREA!

THIS IS WHERE I LIVE NOW

I don't think I mentioned this before but I've been on a mission for 6 months now!! WHAT!? Crazy! I only have a year left its so sad!!!  But it's crazy to think about how fast this has gone! I love what I do I never thought I would be able to understand people like I do now, or even be able to do this every day.  Before I was nervous that I would only have the scriptures and gospel related articles to read and that I would get bored with it. I thought it would be a drag but now there isn't enough time to read, I love what I do every day!!

Tuesday we had Eikaiwa, English class, and we have one student right now and his name is Tom. He actually told me his whole name but I have no idea what it is because he said it way fast and he then said just call me Tom. Tom is crazy!  He use to be really wealthy but he went bankrupt and now is just this crazy old guy that wants to learn English. He is way funny and likes to sing.

Wednesday we had a lesson with a member, Setoura Shimai, and she is a quiet soul but she asked if we could teach her and so we did and through out the whole lesson it seemed like she was struggling or looked kind of disappointed. And then I got this idea to share a scripture with her and when I did she shouted a happy gasp. And she told us that a few days ago she prayed and just then she received the answer. It felt so good to help her! After her lesson though (we were at the church) the Chorotachi's drunk investigator comes into the church and starts talking to us. He's always filled with liquor, he can't stop but he tells us how he needs to stop and change but we taught him a lesson too....you know he's wasted when he takes his shoes off at the door...don't worry, he isn't like out of hand drunk I think he just a forgetful drunk. He's an interesting character, he keeps coming to church because he likes sacrament so there is that. He actually just walked in to the church right now but we're with the chorotachi, so not too bad. Poor guy...

Friday we had Zone training meeting and a comp exchange which was way fun but it's so far away!  Our zone is huge!!! The trains are also expensive out here. But we had lots of fun together.

STL ALLEN SHIMAI - I LOVE HER

Sorry this is a bad letter.  This week was really good and fun but I just have no focus to write all the details...

Also my companion is flipping hilarious and sassy and we get along so well :3

NEW COMPANION - CANNON SHIMAI 

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY FROM JAPAN

Parentals: Mom I loved your letter and all the letters you've sent
this week! They have made me so happy! I love the video game analogy:3 

I love you both so much! Like you have no idea!!!! I can't wait to hug
you two again :) it will be very happy!

Madeline =(^.^)=
Tuck-n-Roll

JANUARY 31, 2016 THE ELDERS ARE LATE AND I WANT SUSHI

This week has been interesting....let’s start with Monday!  Recently Welch Kaicho has changed  the way we receive transfer calls, so instead of looking up the new roster on the portal we would receive a call some time before Thursday telling us if we transferred or not.  It's stressful and annoying to not know.  But we had to wait...

So P-Day was way fun, an Elder in our area was "dying" (mission is your life yada yada..) and so it was his last P Day.  He actually went to the dentist to finish up a root canal....way to spend your last P Day in Japan...but like it was 8 dollars,so worth it...almost.  Anyway we met up with the Elders and our mission leader, Samu, and went to the best  Indo curry in the mission!  Ah it's so good, unlimited nan, I always feel like I made a grave mistake afterwards though haha.  So after that we all went to a flea market where we bought about 8 kimonos for 500¥ (5bucks)!   it was such a bargain!  We had fun just looking at the shops eating fried squid, having custard and cake and pancake balls, I love food guys....its way bad....anyway afterwards we meet up with the Elder’s investigator, Nori, who has the same birthday as me!!   We taught him English and talked about the priesthood and such and then we had a kimono party and we all tried on the kimonos we just bought.  It was way fun!

Tuesday:  Going about the day and the Elders (who are our zone and district leaders) called like three times!  (I'm expecting the transfer phone call) and one of those times was about a silly kimono, that Elder Gosney wanted (he's a silly Australian (he also is a troll, because the night before he called and I don't remember what but he started playing the Thomas the Tank Engine theme song and said troll!!  No, I remember it was Sunday and he said it was’ cause it's Sunday is the best day of the week so he trolls the sisters)) I digress.  Anyway, finally I decide to go to the other room and instead of me answering the phone my comp does and she calls from the other room ,"It's for you!" No! I sigh and take the phone.  The Australian again, "It's about transfers, Oswald Shimai is transferring!  But I don't know where though, so have fun packing!" Noooooooooooooooo! (I think I shouted no a little too loudly after hanging up).   I didn't want to transfer!  I love Kyoto!  Like LOOOVE ! I love the city, the people but I know that it's a good thing.  They "white washed" the Elders too, that means two new ones come in instead of one. To be honest it's Monday and I'm still sad about leaving but I love my new area it's just not the city.....so later on that night we went to our game night and had lots of fun shouting and making fun of people and then we had an awesome lesson about the spirit afterwards!  I also was taught that night how to box (which I will be picking up after the Mish) by a member, Yoshia. Love him, he needs to go on his mission!  He baptized Tomoko our last investigator.

Wednesday came and it wasn't until lunch that I found out where I was headed off too. My new area is Toyooka in the Fukuchiyama zone. My new companion is Cannon Shimai a 3rd transfer and now I (I'm fourth transfer say whhhhaaat?!)  I've been made senior companion.  I do not know enough Japanese.  And to put the cherry on top it's inaka (country side).  I think I might have been a little sour at first when I first found out but then I remember this isn't for me this is for the Lord and his people!  So I sent off my bags and then we had an awesome lesson with our investigator Inoue San. We gave her a children's Book of Mormon with pictures and now she's actually reading it whereas before she's like, I'm too old and it’s too hard to understand. Wakarahen."  But she loved it and started reading it right then and there!  It was so happy! Then later that night we had Eikaiwa and it was lots of fun and we took lots of photos and then Sam and I did an intense high five! I'll send the video :)

Thursday morning! Bike in the box, (which I got a new one but I'll explain that later),  I got suit cases sent and I'm off to Neverland also known as the train station.  I got to see people from my zone before I left and it was happy :)  Mission president is really changing up the mission now because at least 1-2 people in each area transferred out of the zone. With transfers I travelled by myself to Toyooka on a two hour train that cost 45 dollars!! (the reason I keep typing out dollars is because  I can't find the dollar sign on this keyboard) now I have no money *\(^o^)/*  Then I met my new companion!  She's so sweet and she has such dendo (missionary work) fire!!!  It's awesome and we're going to have so many miracles this transfer!!!

Friday and Saturday is rained.  You know this is a significant part of my life now when I start two days off with rain.  It rained,  And rained,  And rained.  I feel like Forrest Gump in Vietnam, but it's eien no ame out there! (Eternal rain). I have acquired a new style its plastic bags on my feet, fifty layers and rain pants over my skirt. It's also so cold that I sleep with 2 thick comforters and an electric blanket and a sweat shirt on.  No insulation in Japan so the floor is also like walking on ice. Wow! (Ｔ＿Ｔ) the  Elders in this area also white washed so we've been helping them out because Cannon Shimai is the only one that knows where everything is...Elders Funaki and Hancock.  They are both pretty funny and interesting. You can already see the bromance brewing.

Sunday was great! Over the course of the last few days I have made some shocking discoveries.  One, the ward right now consists of 15 people.  Two, it's not a ward it's a branch and so there is no Bishop.  Three, the Elders are now the branch presidents councilors. Four,  this is the smallest church I have ever attended.  It has a kitchen, one spare room, a bathroom, an office and another room for sacrament also about 1/8 the size of our chapel at home. Five there is no font. Six we have ALOT OF WORK TO DO, and I'm excited !!!!

I actually gave a talk on Sunday which was...ma, interesting. But it was on the sacrament and I learned a lot from my study before hand which was good.  Then later we went to a less actives house who is a piano teacher so that is why she doesn't come to church, anyway her non member friend came and all of us got together and right then and there made a band, little band.  They just whooped out some music and instruments Cannon ball played the flute, I sang, Chiori Shimai played piano and Miho San played percussion instruments.  We sang Beatles, the Police ;), I can show you the world and fly me to the moon by frank Sinatra.  Ahhh so much fun!  And it was way strange too! Then we talked about Jesus Christ at the end and Miho was listening so intently and  the spirit was so strong in that lesson!

I've only been here a few days and we are working so hard!!  Baptisms this transfer! Today (Monday) is more rain. But it's okay because we're going to get sushi so I'm happy !

So to answer some questions:  Yes I still bike every day, but I don't have the same bike anymore.  A "dying" Elder gave me his and so now I have an actual nice bike that isn't falling apart and doesn't give me bad knees and its Canadian and not, to quote the words of Brother Fuji, "a Chinese piece of crap."   It was fine until it got knocked over by Sam and then stopped working properly. So I gave my bike to member Gen (who has gone through at least 7 missionary bikes, he's an interesting one) but really God protects me while I bike cause I've almost been hit like a billion times :3 like last Wednesday!  When I was in Kyoto we rode the trains all the time and I miss it but that's okay :)

Also to my best friend Elder Ryan Gibb, I'm so sorry you got hurt and I love you and hope everything works out so you can get right back to it!  You're in our prayers here! 

D&C 121:7-8

Love, Mad Dog!


I love all of you so very much! Also watch Sister Act for me.  I have this desire to watch it right now but I can't :/

Love,
Sister Mad dog Zoe Oswald Shimai

ルド姉妹 or ozuchan as one investigator calls me

Tuck-n-Roll

New Companion Sister Cannon, far right

Farewell Pics

Sam

Packing my bike

With companions # 3 and # 4

English class!

Kimono Flea Market Finds