MAY 15, 2016 - So apparently I look old enough to have a 19 year old daughter who is actually my companion.....

Hey y'all! This whole week we were so busy yet we didn't really do anything....sigh. Let's see, Monday we had a district movie day and we watched 17 Miracles which was very inspiring and probably the best acting I've seen for a very long time.  I love the restoration but the video for it is pretty terrible. Or the movie the legacy...if you don't know what I'm talking about go look it up and you'll understand.

We have a pretty cool district. Elder Weakly is our district leader and his comp is an older version of Sister Giron. Oh man...Tuesday we biked everywhere! We biked to Yao and then to Habikino which is an hour bike ride to both places each going in different directions.
And, it rained!  And we stopped for lunch and turns out my comp left a banana in her bag...yeah, that was gross. Last but not least we taught eikaiwa, literally soaked....At the beginning of the day I was soaked because I was hot and by the end I was soaked because of biking in the rain.

I also almost died. I feel like this is a constant though...I was going down hill and this van pops up out of nowhere and to avoid it I pull the breaks and my tire was on a metal grate which are traps of the devil and it spun my tire and I fell off my bike. Except the way I
fell, according to Larsen, was like I fell like I was trying to sit down...I don't know but it was annoying. 

Wednesday I flippin' lost my companion!!! I was biking right and I turn around and she's Gone! No where to be seen! So that was an ordeal. Don't worry I found her. She called from a pay phone. She's like so I got stuck behind a light....when we were reunited we hugged! It was happy. 

We also taught Waka-Chan about The Gospel of Jesus Christ! Oh yeah! We spent an hour
on faith because she likes to go deep. Which by the way my friends, have you ever looked up the definition of the word 'Gospel'? Well I have and like whoa! It means good news! I'm literally spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ or the good news about Jesus! Awe ya....wow
you all probably think I'm weird for how I write my emails....and your are probably right but this is because my source of entertainment is finding out Jesus was a boss at comebacks to the Pharisees and that the church produced the video "The Phone Call" back in the 80's. Now if you haven't seen this I invite you all to go repent and go and watch it. 

Where was I...oh, yes,Thursday we went to go visit my most favorite Sister Fisher and her daughter Lani!  Fisher Shimai always gives me hugs and she's like a mom, and has the brightest smile. She always wants me to help her daughter "discretely" of course. I'm glad I can help her through helping Lani -chan. Also it hit me this week that I'm a year older than my comp and the elders...eww. *Shutters*    After we visited with them and talked about hope, read Alma 34:41 and Hebrews 6:19-which hope we have as an anchor of the soul"- they are awesome and realizing this sentence is turning into a run on, we went and
visited the bishop's wife and had SNOW CONES!   If y'all didn't know that is like my favorite frozen treat. So ya...it was a good day. 

Friday we had district meeting! Whoa! Ya...I realize that you probably have no idea what that is...it's just a meeting to talk about things and then we go get crepes afterwards. 'Bout it...afterwards we went and visited a member and she showed us her wedding photos....oh my, I'll send pictures. Then we biked back over to Habikino and taught English to our Muslim investigator. She keeps giving us things, like food and bangles and she has her absolutely adorable daughter to call us to make sure we keep coming back.....ugh it's hard, I love her so much but it's beginning to be a lot of time not doing missionary stuffs.

Saturday we went to the church to finish planning and this guy just shows up. He asked for the elders and it turns out he's like a recent convert. We talk to him for a bit but we're like this is way weird so we called the elders no answer..we're not supposed to be alone with a
dude. P.S. I'm questioning this last sentence and it's grammar because my English brain and my Japanese brain mix and now I can speak neither language. Anyway, so we talk to him try to help him out and he starts telling us his "problems." Like things that should be told to a bishop not two sisters. It was awkward. So awkward and he was kinda creepy. Not full on creep but just a little off...

Then, oh this is the best, then I get this phone call from my investigator, Jheff!! Saturday was his baptism! He was in my last area. He talked to me and told me how grateful he was to me and Sister Gibson. And he just kept saying over and over again how happy he was, how now he can walk to the church by himself, and how he is so happy he found God and happiness!  He and I were crying on the phone together and I told him how much he
means to me and Sister Gibson and he told me that no one has ever really told him that before...I love Jheff so much and now he is not and investigator but a member!!!! I know this gospel brings happiness because Jheff is proof of that. 

Sunday was uneventful which was nice. Usually our Sunday's are pretty crazy and stressful. It was just nice to calmly meet our new ward mission leader and he's way chill.  Probably the most exciting thing about Sunday was that at the church a bunch of musicians came to play classical music and my heart melted and I miss playing French horn sooo much! Today we're headed to....The POKEMON CENTER!!! Ya that's right!  Today I'm a nerd along with the elders...my companion not so much but she'll join in on the weirdness when we're there. I'll tell you how that goes. Oh, as to the title of this email, that's 'cause some old lady asked if I was my comps mom.....so sad..I felt old.

I love you all so incredibly much and I am so happy! I love my family,
I love this Good news, and I know the truth and no one can take that away from me!

Love y'all,
Oswald Shimai

MAY 8, 2016 - I LOVE MY FAMILY!

Hola! Waazzz up? That's what I teach Japanese children. Today I got to talk to my family and seriously it was the best!  Also got to say hello to my comps mom, she's also a wonderful woman! So last week we did...things...like visiting less actives with this member and his wife.  We call him the less active King, Kono Kyodai. He is in charge of all of the English classes and knows about every less active and why they left, who the best to visit, etc. He is the kind of person that just has all the right connections and is like 75+ because he won't say his real age!  Anywho, every time I see him he says in English, "Nice to meet you", He fills his conversation with all sorts of English words. His wife is also a gem, and reminds me of an old movie star or something.

We also went with Hirano Shimai to go visit her husband in care takers home. She is like a a cartoon character, just so animated.  Her love for her husband is absolutely the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.  She works, lives, and breathes for him. Before his accident a while back he spoke perfect English and the only thing he could say when he woke up was 'I love you'. So she tells him as often as she can, "I love you,I love you!" and he says it back. 

We sang to him, but while we waited to go into his room, Sister Hirano asked us to dance so that when we go in we could dance for him. The Elders were with us and we were all at first kinda dancing right...just being little awkward about it...then (mind you this is with no music) and about 10 minutes later were all dancing hard core for all these old people. We could see the security screen from the front desk (no one is there except us) and so we can tell that there is a camera behind us so we stand still cause of the awkwardnessity of it all...and on a count of three we turn back around face the camera and start dancing again!  And then Hirano Shimai comes back out...and she just starts dancing with us!  It was so much fun!  

We also went and visited a member who speaks English and he fed us YAY, always a plus! We talked about movies and such and it was really good. We, the sisters, had the message but the whole time it didn't feel like that's what we needed to share, so I just decided, just do your favorite scripture.  Why not?  That always works.  But it turned out that, that scripture is exactly what he needed to hear.  The scripture is Isaiah 41:13-15. God is always with us.  It's a simple truth that brought the spirit. We began talking about how he met the missionaries and how his brother was also converted to the church.  It was way cool!

We are teaching this woman Faiza, She's Persian and has two beautiful daughters, who we teach English to.  She is so kind to us and made us food!!! AHHHH ! She's going to teach me how to do henna designs, I'm excited!  Sunday came and it was long.  But on the plus side we invited two of our investigators to be baptized. They said if they knew it was true then yes. So that happened :)

Today Monday we are watching 17 Miracles as a district, so pumped!

Well that's all for today. Sorry, it's not a lot but I love you all!
And hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,
Oswald Shimai

APRIL 24, 2016 - ALPHA THE LAST PICTURE IS THE BEST!

This week...man...I don't even know...it was...something.  Let's begin shall we..   Monday was so much fun we went to an island that has been turned into a giant art project.  They covered it with ogres and weird things all over and there was a cave we could go walk through that also had ogre statues in them. It was lots of fun and we went as a zone:) then later that night we took the train down to Kennonji to meet up with the Takashima family! I love them so much!  This week we had transfer calls and it was more than likely Alec Gibson Shimai's last time to meet them.  It was filled with lots of tears and hugs! I love this family so much!

The next morning we went on a companion exchange with the Nihama sisters.  It was lots of fun!  I got to hang out with Zhou Shimai!   It was all fine and dandy until I received a phone call.  It was from my arch nemesis, the Peacock, also known as Takahashi Chōrō.   He was my district leader in Toyooka.  He is this pretty boy, who thinks his Japanese is perfect and I could go on because that's not really is important here.  What is important that he called me, him being the Zone leader of Asuka.  Ozuwarudo Shimai wa tenkin shimasu! (That means I'm transferring.) What?! Really??!  I was not happy...I just got to Marugame and now I have to leave again?  Also I just found this AMAZING person to teach!  WHAT. 

The shock didn't hit till I was on the train ride home stewing over it.  That night and the next day I packed.  Wednesday we visited with Jeff one last time and made pancakes at the church. A few other members came, but I was talking to Jeff and he has finished the Book of Mormon and restarted it!  He is also is reading every major book in the Gospel Library App....but he thought the magazines in the app cost money so he hadn't started those yet...I love this kid.  He has cherished everything we have given him.  He was really sad that I was leaving but we keep in touch so that's okay :) later we visited Iwasaki Shimai, this cute old lady who is a recent convert. She's so cute!  And lastly we went to Yura's house for dinner.  She is the absolute sweetest!  She asked me to be her friend forever and I could never say no!  She is filled with the light of Christ and so willing to partake in the gospel.  She gave me a big hug when we said good-bye and she asked through tears to not forget her and if we could hang out in America!  It was really hard to say goodbye.  Also I have
discovered a new level of stress where my hips hurt like no freaking other.

We woke up at like 5 in the morning so I could get on the bus.  It was three hour bus ride to Sannomiya station in Kobe.  I got off the bus and went to go find my new comp in the station.  Took me a while but I found her and that's when it hit me that I left my carry on suit case on the bus...are you kidding me?  So after some talking with some peoples about things, I found out that I had to pick it up in another part of Osaka.  Oh yeah, I guess knowing where my new area would be helpful, I am now in Higashi Osaka.  My companion is this cute, half Mexican, 3 transfer, Larsen Shimai :) she and I are "whitewashing" the area or in other words we are both new to it but it's little different than opening an area.   We've already gotten lost In this city. Clarkson Chōrō calls it the ghetto of Osaka :).   

Now I know I said Kyoto was a city but it's nothing compared to Osaka... It's so easy to get lost here but I love it!  I love the city.  This is my favorite place to dendo!   I get to talk to so many people and it's happy!   We have already had some interesting experiences.  Like singing at an old person's home in muumuus and playing ukulele.  We also met awesome members!  I really miss my last area but it's okay because I'm really happy.

This is where I need to be, I can already see it. So many miracles are going to happen!

Also 9 months baby....I don't like it.  It means as of right now I'm more than half way done and have less and less time to be a missionary.  Anyway.  I love you all!  I pray for you everyday!  I know God lives!  I know he has a sense of humor, and I know that he loves you more than anything in the whole world!


Love you,

Zoe Shimai
Because they call me Sister Zoe :3

SAMUEL THE LAMANITE

MY TWO FAVORITE THINGS; PIRATES AND MUSIC

MAY 2, 2016 - TOFU DOUGHNUTS

Hey y'all! What even happened this week I don't even know! Really I'm not exactly sure....we went to the other part of our area that's like 45 min bike ride, to go meet with members less actives and teach the first English class of the week. We met with sister Tachibana. She is so sassy. We wanted to stay longer but we got lost trying to find her house and these two high school boys helped us. They were so kind to us. 

Wednesday we met these two college students picking up trash and so we decided to help them. It was really good. We hope to meet them again. 

Thursday we met with the Fishers. Sister Fisher married an American along time ago, she's Japanese but she really is the absolute sweetest!  She gives the best hugs and she's like a mom. She and I sat together in primary and she let me put my head on her shoulder and she put her arm around me. Oh I just love her, and her daughter Lani who is about to go to BYU Hawaii for school. We taught them with the Elders and it was amazing. She makes the best curry I've ever tasted. So good. She lives on top of her brothers factory and they have the most beautiful roof garden. 

Friday we had district meeting and we talked about the spirit and how Elder Stevenson, the new member of the 12, is coming to visit our mission! We'll all go to Kobe to see him!  I'm so excited!  Also we have been asked to strive to get a baptism before he comes at the end of the month and we totally can do it!  We had fun with the Elders in our district and then went to a crepe shop after the meeting. We got this hamburger cheese pizza creepe. It sounds kinda gross but was seriously the most delicious hamburger pizza combination ever. The shop loves the missionaries and so they give us discounts.

Friday night and all Saturday we had a Kokon (comp exchange) to Abeno. It was so much fun. Every time we saw a foreigner we shout squirrel. But one sister, Ueno Shimai (she's waiting for her visa to go to Utah to be a temple square missionary) can't say squirrel really well and so she'll sit there trying to say it for like 5 mins after we see a white person. She is so cute! I love her to pieces. Her English is good, except for squirrel. So if you're in temple square go find a Sister Ueno, with a Japanese flag on her name tag and tell her you
know me!  She'll be so happy!  We also went to an all you can eat pasta and cake restaurant with some investigators, so so good, I love cake.  

Sunday was hectic. We have this one member...I won't name this person,  but they are an over planner always taking the missionaries dendo time....she's a little crazy.  Let's just say investigators who come to church are probably more important than relief society starting without the sister missionaries. Also we lost our keys.  I taught primary, then found the keys, and met a brother who knows the church is true but won't join because sake is too good to give up.

But we did get to call and talk to the sweetest recent convert Mami-chan. She's like 12 and we told her to remember she is a daughter of God and she's like duh, of course I know that, who doesn't? It was sweet! Today, Monday we woke up and I opened my package from my family.  It made me so happy! I loved the pictures, the cranes, the bluebell ice cream t-shirt! It made me really happy! Thank you sooo sooo sooo much! I also got a phone call from the sister training leaders and they sang happy birthday, and then about an hour later I got a call from President and Sister Welch and all the elders in the office and they sang to me too. It was really sweet and it was funny because the elders are all singing bass and then there is one soft voice, Welch Shimai. Today we are going to Kyoto! I'll get to have 4 of my
six comps with me at once which will be exciting! I've missed Kyoto so much! It will be fun!

Post Kyoto trip! I had so much fun! I saw Cannon Shimai and we ran to each other and hugged and it was so happy! It was so much fun to hang with my companions! We got a picture together and got to eat ice cream and photo bombed some people! So good :) 

Okay so I'd like you all to know something. Something really important. As you well may know this Sunday is Mother's Day. My mom is wonderful. My mom is kind. My mom is funny and smart and spunky! She loves to laugh at me and my siblings and she loves to dance with us too. She is beautiful, her eyes are the prettiest shade of green that are like emeralds. Her smile when she is looking at something she loves is my favorite smile because it's real with no strings attached. When she listens, she listens with her whole heart and once you know her or know any of her kids she will love you for life.  Literally. She cares, she loves, she motivates, she inspires. She is an example of Christ like love. She is artistic. She's the one that showed me that the classics are the best. She is nerdy :) she loves sci-fi, she loves to go to art museums with me. She showed me that life is truly a wonderful life. She has incredible strength, she loves our family, the ones that came before our lives. She taught me, she testified to me. She showed me how to love everyone and anyone. She is my mom. I choose her as she choose me in the life before this one. I love her to the moon and back and this email does not adequately describe how much I love her, care for her, want to hug, hug, hug her for a very long time. Mom I love you so much!!! 

Love your eternal daughter,
(Madeline) Oswald Shimai

THESE KIDS WANTED THEIR PICTURE TAKEN WITH US

THREE OF MY SIX COMPS

CANNON SHIMAI

MEGAN SHIMAI

IN KYOTO

CANNON, OSWALD, MEGAN, LARSEN SHIMAIS

MY CURRENT COMP - LARSEN SHIMAI

MY DISTRICT IN OSAKA

I FOUND A THING!

AND A SICK CORVETTE