AUGUST 29, 2016 - SHUKUFUKU - BLESSING

What a week!  Let's begin shall we. Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty much the same but we packed up Larsen Shimai and taught English!  

We also found out that Elder Ray, our district leader, is training and Elder Westhoff has been made Zone leader!  Exciting!  His trainer is Elder Weakley and he is our other zone leader and this is also his last transfer so now Elder Westhoff gets to be his last when he was his first trainer....okay that sounded confusing, but it's way cool!

 Anyway!  Thursday came and we got up like 5:30 a.m.  to catch a train at like 6:30 and then I said good by to my dear Sister Larsen, who I spent like four months with...woah! Kinda sad.  But also nice to start fresh!  I met some sisters in Tennoji and together we went to Kobe.  With us were Sister Cannon, my old companion, she'll be training as well :) and My dear sweet trainer, Sister Edwards and Sister Smith another really good friend of mine. Edwards and Smith were going home.  Their missions are finished.  It was really sad to see them go home.  I don't want to leave. There were many tears especially when we got to the office in Kobe because missionaries returning home were flooding in and also there were friends of mine that were stopping at the hombu (mission office) during transfers.  So many feelings! 😭💜  I saw Sister Alec Gibson and I cried! I love her so much she is one of my best friends and I think I hugged her for about 2 solid  minutes!

Anyway...then time came to meet President Welch in the chapel.  There we got special training on how to train.  That was fun and insightful.  Then came time to meet them!!! So exciting!  When they walked in I saw this one girl and thought, that's her! Spirit is funny like that!  Because it was totally right!  When Kaicho called each person up the
suspense was real, but when they called her up again I thought, that's her. (This is how the spirit works sometimes just thoughts of simple truths and facts).  When they told her that her trainer was Watashi (meaning yours truly), I 'bout jumped out of my seat and ran and gave her a hug! It was so exciting!  We sat down and watched as each trainer and bean chan were companioned.  My chan's name is sister Dayley!  She's so cute! Also I'm much shorter....but that's A-OKAY!  We from that point have had such a great time! I love training!

                                                                      



Sister Dayley is American but is from Australia and hasn't lived much in the states. She loves animation and always has a smile on her face! Her enthusiasm is refreshing and exciting getting some of that dendo Fire! We were able to get her unpacked and hit the streets. Unfortunately there was lots of rejection...but that didn't stop us! It's amazing!  Church was great!  People were surprised to see Larsen Shimai gone but also very happy that I stayed!  This ward has gotten so much better! People at least seem to be happier.  So that's good!  

From the left:  My Trainee (Dayley), Me, and My Trainer (Edwards)

On Sunday we ended up teaching the whole restoration to this guy who had a 21 Pilots t-shirt on and I kinda freaked out and ran to him and said,"Hey you like my favorite band!" And the next thing he said was, "Hi I'm Mike," and then conversation proceeded. It was a great experience for Dayley Shimai because it was teaching everything in
English, also I thought she was very lucky to get such a good contact. There is so much love in our companionship, that I don't even know how to handle. 

This week feels like a blurr...but it was so good!  

I love you all! Know that I love you but more importantly that God the Father loves you!

Madeline Oswald Shimai

I cooked dinner which prompted a picture!

AUGUST 22, 2016 - TEMPLES, LIGHT BULBS AND LESS ACTIVES

Well this week so much has happened! Say what?!? Oh, where do I start?!

Tuesday was bike to Habikino day!  Woah! But we had a guest with us!  Elder Ray from Sekime was with our Elders for two weeks because his companion went home a week early. So there were five missionaries teaching like three people at eikaiwa so that was great.  But no, he's a way funny dude and....normal.  Oh man, we are realizing how strange our Elders are because he acts like a normal human being.....don't mistake me, I love our Elders but they are some kind of special.

Anyway on Tuesday while we were biking, it started to rain, which wouldn't have been a problem if my companion wasn't wearing a white dress....man we were stuck in an apartment building so we housed it but then we were like we can't stay here any longer, let's just go buy you a sweater at a shop down the road...so we tried that and we just went into the first store we saw and when we walked in the lady was like, "Aren't you young?" And it was kinda strange question.  She and her husband looked at us like we were more than gaijin, like we had just stepped in red paint.  We told them we just wanted to buy a shirt or something and they persisted to tell us that we were too young to buy these grandma clothes and just kept repeating over and over, so young, so young!  We didn't actually buy anything because it was way expensive and the rain stopped so we just proceeded to our appointment.  Afterwards, Larsen Shimai said, " I can buy old lady clothes if I want to!"

Wednesday I met the sweetest girl who lived in America for four years and so we talked until we got off the train and I didn't get her number!!!! AHHHH always get their number! I love and hate train dendo.  

That night we taught English class and played around the world ping pong.  So much fun!  It also was peach day and round two of eating at McDonald's.  They had peach shakes.  So good!

Thursday we met with Shannon and Sister Sakamoto!  Her boys are my favorite! They are so kind to us and I love them so much. Sister Sakamoto is less active.  Why Japanese people, are you less active?!  But as we left Brother Sakamoto came home and he was so happy to see us there chatting with his wife.  He is fully active and brings his sons to church.  He, the next day, thanked us for coming to visit her.  When we left our bike seats were wet and those cute boys cleaned them off, it was so sweet!

We then met with this possible investigator for dinner.  It was slightly awkward because she didn't know that I was coming.  Larsen Shimai was texting her and when we met up she was kinda confused...sigh.   Well we ate sushi and had to eat really fast because we were an hour away from home, but it all worked out and we made

it home with 2 minutes to spare! #blessed #missionary

Friday we had district meeting.  Because our district leader hightailed it out of the mission we had no district leader, so they made Westhoff Chōrō the DL.  It was only like a week but that meant we had district meeting in Higashi!  Afterwards we ordered pizza....it was literally just baked cheese on bread.  So unhealthy but so delicious! No regrets (actually lots of them but it's better to say no regrets) then we finished weekly planning and visited a referral from Sister Fisher.  It's her 90 year old neighbor who has beautiful white hair and looks like 60..seriously.  She is coming to our FHE (Family Home Evening) tonight so we'll see how that goes.✌ 😇

Saturday was kinda futsu or normal.  Nothing too exciting except we ate at McDonald's again.  Round three...ugh...so bad.  But while we were there, a pack of 11 year olds bombarded us and wouldn't leave us alone.  They though it was sick that we spoke Japanese and they literally just stared at us and then we would eat a fry or something and bam, a wave of giggles and screams.....then the the guys who took our order smiled and cause it was a sight. Everyone was staring...lovely.  Gaijin probs.

Sunday!  Oh, I just loved Sunday!!!  We got to go to the dedication of the new Sapporo Temple in Hokkaido! AHHHH so good!  It was the closest I've been to being in the temple in over a year!  It was so amazing!  When we did the Hallelujah Shout, and sang Spirit of God, it was in Japanese and I just cried because these words in Japanese and English have so much meaning to me.  The spirit of God like a fire is burning!  Holy of Macaroonies!  My heart burned, the spirit was over whelming!  We walked out so happy! I love temples!!!

Then we met with Kokura Shimai and visited a less active and then we ran over to the church and met with the Bishop and talked about how to help the ward.  After that we took the train and visited/had dinner with the Obayashi family.  Brother Obayashi is so funny! His heart is so big!  He and I did an air hug because mission rules and its was really silly! By the time we got home we planned and went straight to bed we were so exhausted!  This week was great!  

Ooh, I forgot the best part of this week. This week is transfers and this morning while cleaning the kitchen we got a phone call, from President Welch, "Sister Oswald," "yes?" "So this is a pre-transfer call, I'll need you to be in Kobe Thursday morning, to pick up your new trainee.  I need you to be a trainer this transfer, can you do that?" Outside answer, "Yes, of course, see you Thursday!" Inside answer!! 🙀🙀🙀✨✨🎉 I'm so stoked!!!!  I get to train brand new missionary!  They are the best!  So much fire!       

I can't wait!

Well that's all folks!  I'll let you know next week how life goes.  

I'm so exciting!

(That's what our English students say:)

Okay love yaLL!

Sister Madeline Oswald

AUGUST 15, 2016 - LIFE AS WE KNOW IT

Monday: We chilled and yet we didn't, it was kinda boring.  Went to Fishers and

made crepes with Fisher Shimai and Brother Fujimoto!  He's so funny, but we ended up eating so much bad food that day that we just had to name it Fat Monday.  Then later that night we started shouting Hey, hey, hey!   It's Fat Albert!

Tuesday: In Habikino, we met this cool kid that talked to us for like 30 minutes.  He biked with us for a while and we asked him where he was going and he pointed to the opposite direction.  He was a sweet heart.  We hope he isn't just someone who like us because we're American and not because the spirit told him to talk to us ya know?

Wednesday:  We met up with STLs Wednesday morning to pick up Sister Omisaki.  Her companion was at EFY to translate and so she stayed with us.  This was her area before and we hit the streets talking to people and it was awesome!!!  Then she made us a delicious lunch and dinner.  Went to ping pong and had a great time!

Thursday was a crazy day, we visited Hamada Shimai.  She gives us tomatoes and good hugs.  Then off to Habikino.  

We taught member Akari.   A few years ago they split the Habkino Ward and now this member and her family go to the Abeno ward but no one visits them because they are in Higashi Osaka area not Abeno....so we met with her.  At the end of her lesson Shannon came in and it was kinda awkward at first.  During the lesson we talked about faith and what she thinks of the Book of Mormon.  She likes it but she says it's hard to believe because those thing don't happen today.  We then asked her the question if she believes that God is her Heavenly Father.  She said that she honestly doesn't.  So we talked about how prayer and our desire to know can help us understand and receive an answer.  We talked about the role of the Holy Ghost and how he guides us. By the end the spirit was so strong and she told us that she wanted to know if God was real and her Heavenly Father.  We committed her to pray and she told us, "I will, I want to know!"   

At the end of the lesson we had to hike back to meet a member and biked back, shaving like 25 minutes off an hour long bike ride....we met up with Hirano Shimai and once again helped us put yukatas on and we went to a festival with a member.  We took the train and everyone stared at us because they didn't know why two gaijin were dressed up in kimonos.   It through people off but we are used it and talked to people and taught people as well.  Japan everyone!   By the time we got home I was so exhausted.  My feet hurt and we ended up biking in our kimonos home so we would make it home on time...oh man.

Friday was district meeting in Sekime.  Good meeting.  We talked about flirting and miracles. No flirty pants!!  It's kinda silly....Then off to the crepe shop!! Pizza crepes are awesome!  The crepe peeps are also awesome and love the missionaries.  They always give us free drinks.  So nice!   There were like 10 miso armies there!

Saturday not much.   Heart attacked Kokura Shimai and tried to figure out rides for our investigator who turns out can't come......not being able to understand Japanese texts quickly is a bother.

Sunday baptism, teaching lessons, went to the Tani's and had an awesome lesson. Listened to Tani Shimai tell us how she met her husband and he got way embarrassed and left the room to go play with his baby daughter in the other room.

Not a detailed letter, I know.   I tried.   Haha,  I love you so much!

Remember the words of Abinadi: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.

Love,

Oswald Shimai

AUGUST 8, 2016 - I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES, JUST IMAGINE ME SINGING THIS

Hola mis amigos!  So much has happened in the last week. actually that's a lie, like hardly anything happened. 
Just lots of wandering and no one listening to us...wow, it was pretty rough by the time it was Friday we only had like 4 lessons and that is seriously sad.  

We attempted Saturday to get a few more lessons but ended up only getting two.   For our mission the goal is to get 20 lessons a week at the end of each week.   Now the the numbers aspect of it isn't the most important part but it felt like we were failures. so we decided that on Sunday we would get 14 lessons, teach members, teach anyone and everyone.  We dedicated our fast to it and went to work.  Left and right we were able to get the lessons that we needed. 

We taught members, we knocked on doors, walked everywhere so we wouldn't miss anyone who might need to hear what we had to tell them.   We met this one dad with his two kids and we told them that we were Jesus Christ reps, right? and they were like whoa,  that's sick!   Like no joke that's what they said, in the Japanese equivalent. With each person we taught, the sun blazed over head, the humidity turning me into the wicked witch of the west cause I'm melting where I was but that didn't stop us! 

With each lesson the Spirit was felt, and my faith increased. by the time we walked into our apartment at like 5 minutes to nine I probably looked liked a goblin but I stepped into our genkan and we prayed, as we always do when coming home and just thanked God.  By the end we only got 19 lessons for the week. we worked so hard and we got so close, but it truly was a miracle to this week.

Also another miracle was when we went to go visit our friend Youchi, Yo for short.  He's the guy that has the delicious burger shop.    Well we went after Zone meeting and we talked to him about charity amongst other things and that just led it into how God is our Heavenly Father and he asked questions and then he had to go make a burger and as he said to himself, "Wow...its true!." and he turns to Sister Larsen and I and shouts, pointing his spatula at us, "I'm your brother! you're my brother!"  We shouted back, "I'm your sister!" and he repeated and corrected, "Your my sisters!"   It was so awesome!  We were able to give him a Book of Mormon and asked him to read it.   He so nice.   He kept calling us his sisters and it was just like yes, YES we are your sisters!   So good! 

Well this is short....sorry but if your wondering how I'm  doing, I'm so happy!  My companion and I are on fire and having a great time!   Also in two weeks we get to go to the Sapporo Temple dedication.   It's now my new favorite temple!   It has brought back so many less actives surrounding it and I only wish I could just go inside for my self. This one recent convert family in our ward will be going in a few weeks to be sealed for time and all eternity with their daughter Yuka.  It's so happy!!!!!! 

Moroni 8:2-8, put your name in place of Moroni's. 

Love you, 

Sister Oswald 

AUGUST 1, 2016 - HE HAS FOUR SETS

Where to even begin?  Well, I'll start with Tuesday, Habikino Day.  We were studying and we got a call from Sister Nagatani and she asked us to come and pick up bread from her house for us.  It was so kind.  I love her and her sons are way cool as well.  After that we took the train and met the Konos and tried to visits some members.  We found this one woman who was so nice to us but doesn't come to church anymore.  I never know why they don't come, it's really sad to see.  Afterwards we taught Faiza and her girls English and a short lesson, then off to English class, while there I talked to Shannon and she is so far in the Book of Mormon!  I'm not actually sure where but it's 20 pages in the Chinese version, so I think it's a good sign.

Wednesday we went to visit Suzuki Shimai, and that was slightly awkward.  I'm  not entirely sure why sometimes you have those people who really know how to keep a conversation going and others...not so much.  I think that was the case in this situation.  It was an hour to get out there and then we biked another hour back for Eikaiwa.  There we played this game that every one loves.  It's a guessing game, everyone laughs and has a great time.   It's probably the best part about our Eikaiwa, and Moon came!  He is the guy we met last week and shouted at us to stop.  He was too cool.  Just too cool.  He wants to move to America and teach boxing...but he curses not really knowing what they mean...oh man.

Thursday was supposed to be a planning day but we ended up spending like two hours helping Nagatani Shimai.  We had a lesson with her and Fujimotto Kyodai who has so much dendo fire! Always wants to help people.  Afterwards we went out to eat together and he and Nagatani Shimai both are just talking to people and inviting them to talk with us.  It's great!  Now Fujimotto Kyodai wants to work with us more so that's great! Then we went had a lesson with Shannon! So good!  The spirit was so strong in that lesson, we explained the Godhead and taught the Plan of Salvation, by the end of the lesson we invited her to baptism!  She said she wasn't sure but that she will need time to think but she was not opposed to the idea.  So close.  She did say she would pray about it!  Like right after that we got a referral from member.  Then miracles left and right!! 

Friday was interviews with Welch Kaicho.  It was so good.  I love talking with Kaicho, he's like my second dad.  When I first came to the mission I wasn't so sure about him...I didn't think he really cared about me as much as he did...maybe I just didn't know him yet, but now I know this man works really hard, he is a spiritual giant and I know
he cares for all his missionaries.  We talked about the Atonement and how accessing the power of the atonement is using the doctrine of Christ!  Way cool!  He told me that he likes interviews with the sisters more :) usually interviews are only 15 minutes but it ended up being like 30 cause we just talked about the gospel.  He told me that we need to make sure we are having fun.  If God is God then he made it so humor exists.  I can imagine Heavenly Father having a big booming laugh, that's warm and also makes you want to laugh with him.  So that's what we did, we've been having more fun and it's made life so enjoyable.

Saturday we had a summer festival at the church which we made decorations for. There was so much food and small children :) we got to dress up in Yukatas and the members did our hair and everything it was fun!  It was really long though and by the end I was so exhausted.  Then we finally had planning for next week because missionary work gets in the way and we have no time to do it (planning). 

Sunday was also pretty good.  Got lots of food from lots of people which is always happy.   Lots of good things happened!  I'll send pictures :) I want you to know I love you all!  Please pray for our investigators, especially Shannon that Satan won't get to her okay?  If you are ever wondering what I'm doing just imagine me and my companion dancing to classical music being played by the orchestra that practices at our church and then being caught by a woman who plays the oboe and it being really awkward.

Love, Oswald Shimai