FEBRUARY 5, 2017 - I'M NOT READY TO LEAVE!

Level up shimasho!  (Let's level up now.)

I still don't feel like I'm actually going home.  It still feels like months away. Like it's Monday....and I won't be here in Japan next week.....I still don't believe it.  Alas, this was my last full week in Japan and it was crazy (deshita).

Tuesday we met with an investigator who a few months ago called and asked to meet us and we did, but she's uber busy so would/couldn't meet until Tuesday! Yay! So that was awesome! She speaks English well and loves the movie Sister Act so we get along great! We also had trump with the old peoples again and one of them, in attempt to reach down to pick up a card hit me with her elbow. She felt so bad that she, for the next minute, proceeded to rub my head like a dog, and said, "Gomen ne!! (Sorry! She says while grinning like an idiot)" I love them so much! They and the whole home center get so excited when the see us! It warms my heart so much!

(This is a popular Japanese fashion line.)

Wednesday we took an adventure to Okayama,yet again. There we kokan'd (comp exchange) with the STLs. It was kinda awkward....but still good!  My favorite part was teaching though.  We met this less active who is absolutely so kind and so sweet.  Her apartment is a closet.  Her name was Yukiko.  She loves music and we got along great and instantly besties from the start!  At the end of the lesson I gave her my meishi
(missionary business card) and it made her so happy! I absolutely love her with all my heart! She said to me, "Hi no sekai de aimashou!" (Let's meet again in the celestial kingdom!) Oh my heart! I can't wait to give her again the biggest hug in the world, when we meet again!

The next day we had a great time teaching members and investigators. During one lesson we taught, we read Alma 36 with this investigator. We talked about the
Atonement and Jesus Christ and the lesson was so powerful. The spirit was so strong! Our member present bore such a sweet, strong testimony of when her 9 year old son passed away.  She talked about how she felt so much comfort from God and how he made everything easier to bear a little at a time. Tears filled my eyes to hear this sweet members testimony! We all felt it. It was so good!

Later that night we met back at the apartment and the other sisters came for ZTM which was on Friday. We had a grand ol' time. I love all those sisters!

Death of Oswald Shimai and another Elder who is also going home.

The next day was my last ZTM! Oh my goodness, so much emotion! Ended up singing again - JKM, Japan Kobe Mission song that Elder Vui wrote.  I sang it with two other Elders, we didn't have much time to practice but it was still good! :) so much feels! The last verse is changed for a missionary returning home. Here I will share:

"Oh how does it feel to look back on these two years, 
as the tears roll down, you know.

You came here to serve, you gave it all you had
And left all other personal affairs behind
You came here to preach and teach and serve and love,
The people of Kobe Japan.
And you walked with the Lord, and Raised the Light
You opened up your mouth, and gave your heart to God,
And without a doubt, you will always serve."

Ahhh...my heart.  Then at the end of the meeting the "dying" missionaries give their final testimony. There was another Elder and he gave his testimony, then it was my turn....Ahhh.  When I looked at every missionary in front of me I just wish I had more time to be where they were.  I love these people so much.  Each and everyone of
them are so amazing! The are called of God to do this work! It's amazing! Afterwards we all said our good-byes and a few of us went to lunch together.  Because we live out in the boonies we have to take a 2 and a half-hour bus ride. The Elders rode with us this time and it was an adventure.  We usually sleep on the bus but Wheeler is a talker....so we talked.  It was fun!  The last time Tottori district will be together! Our tiny four man district. 

Saturday we went to have lunch with Omae Kyodai and his wife Emiko.
She likes to take us out to eat and this time she took us to curry and to eat Nashi. It was like spending time with our grandparents.  We had so much fun.  I gave them my meishis and Omae Kyodai started to get teary eyed and Ahhh...my heart. After our outing with the grandparents we sent off my suitcases!  Yay for having to send it like super early.  I had like 20 pounds left in each bag which was happy!

Sunday was by far the best day of the week!  It started with an awesome DCS with Swasey Kyodai and learning about the sacrament.  Then it was sacrament meeting and I hugged everyone and everyone thanked me for serving a mission.  Every single person there is like family.  I love them all so much, also this is the best hugging ward in all of Japan! They all know how to hug thanks to Swasey Kyodai.  Lots of hugs. 

Then Natsumi came. Yay! I love this girl! She loves church and everyone love her! It was Fast Sunday and so I got up and bore my testimony. As I did, that is when the tears (finally) hit.  I looked at everyone's face and I love each and everyone and I was so happy to serve them.

After church we had a lesson with Natsumi chan and had Karen Ito, same age as Na-chan, doseki.  We all day had talked about Plan of Salvation in each class which set up our lesson for that day.  We talked about how we want to return to Heavenly Father and asked her if she wanted to do that, and she said yes with a big grin!  We read from the Book of Mormon and talked about how we need to follow Jesus Christ and the example he has set for us. We actually invited her to be baptized.  And she said yes!!!,  Ahhh! It was such a good lesson!  And she is so excited!  We still have to help her grow and understand more before she can but it is awesome!  I'm so happy for her!!!

Later we were finally able to meet with Franco Kyodai.  He has been super busy with work and being able to stay in Japan.  Please pray for him that he'll be able to pass his test. But we talked and I shared with him one of my favorite scriptures, 2 Nephi 8:3. So good. We were also able to meet Kiyoshi San before I left and that was so happy!  He FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON AND IS ON ROUND TWO! He is getting there slowly but surely!

Franco Kyodai

That night the Swaseys invited almost everyone over for a little farewell party.  It was so nice! We played games, ate food (so much food), and again they asked me to speak and share a miracle I saw on my mission and I talked about when I first met Jheff and what it felt like. 

This is Hayase!  I love him! He is a beast recent convert!

This is Cutie chan and my Branch President.  

Words cannot describe how much I love these members. They are so strong in the gospel and love with their whole hearts! They are truly people of Christ. Almost every single one is a convert to the gospel with a testimony to back them up. I am so privileged to serve these members and the Japanese people.

Corinthians 9

1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our
Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel
should live of the gospel.

16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for
necessity is laid upon me...

17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward...

18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I
may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my
power in the gospel.

19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant
unto all, that I might gain the more.

20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to
them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them
that are under the law;

21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without
law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that
are without law.

22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made
all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

I love this gospel. It is true. I believe it. I know it. God is good.

I see y'all on the other side, ne!

JANUARY 29, 2017 - WHAT THE NOODLE?

Monday was hectic...a lovely blizzard decided to grace us with its presence leaving behind like 2 feet of snow. Which would have been fine if we didn't have interviews the next day.  So we tried to make our way to the train station and....it's shut down, there are no trains going in or out. Yippee!  After many failed attempts we called in a favor to the lovely Swasey Kyodai to give us a lift.  We and the Elders piled into his tiny truck and made our way through the storm!  It actually wasn't too bad by the time we left, which was about 7:30 pm. We had a great time!

At one point traffic stopped moving and we were stuck on the road for 30 minutes and eventually we were able to get off the highway and go through a back road which no one was on.  It was a real adventure.  Around 11 pm we made it to the sister's apartment in Yonago.  It's normally an hour train or car ride but it took...you do the math, too long.

Tuesday was just as sunny and bright as Monday...ha, it wasn't.  More snow piled in. Finally our president and his wife arrived and we could start interviews.  Four missionaries couldn't make it because a tree fell on the train tracks.  Such a mess! Because we couldn't take the train back we spent half the day with the Welchs and other missionaries. 

Amongst the chaos and shinanagins, it was my turn for an interview.  My final interview with President Welch. Oh man...it was sooooo good! We talked about the future and such.  As we talked I could really feel the love he has for me.  He has really been called of God.  He really is a shepherd watching over his sheep (us missionaries). At the end of it all, tears were in his eyes and mine.  I really love this man and his wife for all that they have done for me.  I can't believe that the days are over with so quickly.

Later we all went to Ramen together and we were expecting to pay our own meals and the lady who ran the shop (a member) was trying to give us our tickets and President just reached down and snatched them out of her hand and said, I've got this.  Welch Shimai was like, "Just let him do it, it makes him happy," to which he replied with a huge grin on his face, "You don't always get to take your kids out to lunch."

 President and Sister Welch, I am right behind Sister Welch

The rest of Tuesday was devoted to shoveling snow and pushing cars out of tight spots.  They don't use salt to melt the snow creating huge, packed-down snow hills in the middle of the intersections.  We spent the night again with our Yonago Shimaitachi, two sweet Japanese sisters, Eguchi and Tachiguchi Shimai.

Eguchi and Tachiguchi Shimai (left), me and Laxton Shimai

They are so cute and I love them so much!  We finally were able to make it home to our area Wednesday afternoon when the trains started running again. They just came when they did, there were no set times, it was crazy.  As crazy as trains can get I suppose. By the time we got home we were wiped out.

Friday we had district meeting in Tottori.  Another last. Sigh it didn't help when I showed up, I looked up on the white board and it said, 'Oswald Shimais last district meeting: District meeting.' It wasn't nice... I gave a death glare to Elder Wheeler who just laughed.  Together we all watched the Missionary broadcast and it talked about new schedule changes for the missionaries. It won't start till next transfer so I really won't get to experience it so I just told the others good luck, ne!  

Mr. Gadget / Mary Poppins

Afterwards we got lunch, shabushabu. So delicious. Oh...yum. Later that afternoon we had a lesson with Kiyoshi.  We sat in his apartment and we talked about Jesus Christ and his Atonement.  In the middle of the lesson he turns to us and says, I want to become more like Jesus Christ.  And it was like, wait, what!? Uh, ya we can help you with that!!  Ahhh so good, he's like in Ether.  He is doing so good.  So is Natsumi chan! Ahh she came to church yesterday and she just loved it! This week was crazy and I don't think I can remember much else about it....sad, oh well! Last night we downloaded the Joseph Smith movie and watched it together and I got so pumped about the gospel...that I couldn't sleep! Man I love Joseph Smith! He was SOOO cool.

Saturday night we went to the Miamotos for dinner and it was so yummy!
Well life is short...

Love y'all,
Madeline Oswald Shimai

JANUARY 22, 2017 - HOMEOSTASIS

I must be a nerd, because the whole week I was trying to figure out what the heck it meant when the body sweats or shivers you know? So I started trying to figure it out. I called it hypoglycemia or photosynthesis (?!) ...yeah...well I finally figured it out so I'm pretty happy, hence the name of my email.

Well, this week was cold...oh, it got way cold and now there is a blanket of snow outside...sigh.  It was wet and cold and it went right into your bones! Last weekend, because it snowed, it was difficult to get around so we walked most places and it takes so much of our time!!  As the week progressed, parts of our area started to melt but other parts still had more snow, so we couldn't get to certain people.

Every Tuesday we get to serve our lovely old people at the old people's home and play cards with them for an hour.  Today I'd like to share with you what happened this particular week which pretty much happens every week and gets funnier every time we go.  We showed up just a few minutes early this time.  Nakano San calls us over to do exercises with her and the rest of the obachan and ojīsan Tachi (grandmas and grandpas) after it's over everyone greets us and they say welcome back and hello, they are all so happy to see us but only like four of them play cards with us every week. There is Nakano San, Achan, Okasan (that's what we call her because we don't actually know her name ) and me and Laxton Shimai are Ne chan. When we started Nakano San asked an old man (I call him mustache man because he's the only Japanese man with a mustache in Japan and its big:) if he wanted to play cards with us and he just sat there for a moment and then said, "This jacket," pointing to his jacket, "is warm...and white...so no," and Nakano San being sassy said, "that has nothing to do with playing cards? Kankei nai wa!" After that he walked away.  It was pretty funny though, she turned to me and shrugged her shoulders. So then we were playing a game that's like go fish but not...anyway it was Okasan's turn to take a card and she got severely confused and she started shuffling her cards for the next person to take.  We told her no, that she needed to take one and she wouldn't listen and it was so ridiculous that Nakano San stood up because she couldn't handle it.  We were laughing so hard together and then Okasan realized and she said I'm sorry, I'm stupid! (In Japanese its not as mean sounding.  It was pretty funny!) Later we played a game called sevens (translated) where we lay out all the sevens and okasan slaps down a 3. She's feeling pretty confident about that three and then we told her that it isn't a seven and she looked at it and said....wow...and picked it back up and said I don't know where that came from it was a seven before.  Everytime it is her turn to lay down a card she shouts...paaaaaaassssuuuuuu ja nai wa! (Ja nai turns pass into its opposite...) and is like passss, nope wrong I can play! Yes! They are cute old women. They make my world happy!

Tuesday is just service day.  At Eikaiwa we had so many people come.  We were able to play a game called do you love your neighbor?  We ask people the question and if you say yes, your neighbors switch seats and if you say no then you say something you do love and those people who have that thing switch seats and the person in the middle tries to sit down.  It's fun crazy and full of laughs. Omae Kyodai likes to dive for his seat and it's super scary because at one point he and I were trying to get to the same seat.  As he was coming towards it, I tried to sit down but I freaked out and pushed him over, he fell and because I felt bad I let him have the seat.  Our branch president and was like "Wow, tsuyoi ( Interpretation meaning "strong" but it didn't feel like a compliment more like he was making fun of my mistake, pushing over and old man...who in actuality is a child!  I love Omae Kyodai, he came and had fun with us! It was good time. One time a student asked "Do you love me?" instead of  "Do you love your neighbor?"   The whole class died.

Wednesday we were actually able to use our bikes.  While we were housing this one house, no one answered and so we left a flier and started walking away.  As we did I suddenly didn't feel any ground under my left foot.  It happened so quickly and next thing I know I am down for the count. I fell in a hole.  It was huge and it came out of no where!  It was actually a sewage drain and so it smelled really bad! I have a bruise on my elbow and knees now but man it was so surprising! I can't believe I fell in a hole! Realizing that I'm not a magical plummer I picked myself up and walked with my smelly boot for the rest of the week.  (?!)

Friday we had Zone Training Meeting in Yonago like an hour and a half train ride but whateves.  We learned about our new English program that will actually help students learn the English they need for their tests! Yay!! Effective!  I'm just sad that I can't help more with it with the lack of time and all.  At the end of the meeting (the zone
leaders called earlier in the week and asked me to sing at ZTM) I sang the closing hymn.  With the help of Yamamoto Choro playing violin, I sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives."   The first two verses were in Japanese and the the last two English.  The first three were with the violin but the last verse I sang with out.  The words were my testimony.  I had the opportunity to sing it slower and with more
feel

He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
“I know that my Redeemer lives!”
He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
“I know that my Redeemer lives!”


As I sang this last verse I felt in my chest a burning sensation I've never experienced before. The warmth was over whelming.  I felt as though it moved through my whole body and the spirit was just so powerful.  He is your Savior.  And He lives, nothing can change this fact nor the joy that you feel because of it!

Later on that day we were able to have a great lesson with Kiyoshi San! And Misa Shimai was able to doseki for us! She doesn't have a job right now and so she has been our best member for lessons!  It's awesome!

Saturday!  We had a mochitsuki!!!!  We pounded rice into an old hallowed out log and made this white goop that is called Mochi. 

It is so delicious with sugar and this brown powder stuff! It's so good! And fun! Then our branch, being awesome, shared a video about missionaries and what they do day to day.  It was really an awesome dendo tool! That night we visited Natsumi and Kyoko Yamamoto.  We taught them about the Plan of Salvation and Nataumi is so ready and just wants to learn more! We invited them to church and mom (Kyoko) said she was busy but that if Natsumi chan wanted to go that she could. We offered a ride through our church members and the next day...THERE SHE WAS!  We had gone with Misa Shimai and picked her up!  She loved church and the members loved her!  Our youth were right on top of it, fellowshiping, helping her adjust!  She brought her Book of Mormon, she said she liked the class that she got to learn with the other youth. She also asked, "Is church every week?" And we're like yup! "Well then I'm coming next week!" YESYESYESSUUUUUU! , "Of course you can come next week!" She is so cute!  She is such a smart 12 year old!  I love her so much!  She has found what she didn't know she was looking for! Really and truly!

I know that this is Christ's true and Restored church upon the earth!
I love the Book of Mormon because it contains the truth! It is full of knowledge that I crave and I cannot get enough of this gospel!

I love this opportunity to share what I know is true.

I love you all, take care!  I'll be home soon!

Love, Oswald Shimai

Mom my companion called tata a tator Ta Ta...we were talking about him
and then about sonic later so some how it came up in conversation.

Tuck-N-Roll

JANUARY 15, 2017 - I FOUND JESUS! HE WAS IN MY SUIT CASE!

As you can tell from the title, I have found baby Jesus. He was sitting there in my carry on case. Why he was there I know not, I felt like a king! Maybe there was no room in the bigger suit cases....I know I'm not good at jokes, but I try.

They finally put our pictures up at church.  I don't know if I've mentioned but in Japan (maybe they do it in America I don't know, I don't ever remember anything before I started my mission but whatever) they put the pictures of the missionaries serving in that ward.  We're supposed to put our names, hobbies, and family size on a card. Well I've got like 3 more Sundays and they (Brother Swasey) just now put our pictures up. Woah! Procrastination! But granted I'll probably be up there for another month or two because my last comps picture didn't get taken down for like 7 weeks after she left.

The week was good.  We left Wednesday morning for the Whiting Choro conference. While we were on the bus we received a text from our ZLs (that should have been sent like four days earlier) that we needed to be ready and seated in our seats by 9:30 or we wouldn't be able to participate in the morning session. We wouldn't get to our destination till 9:26...oh man....we got off our train that was a good walk to the
church and we ran! Oh man it was cold and my lungs were on fire! So ridiculous. But we made it...in like 6 mins. A little late but it didn't matter because Elder Whiting and Welch Kaicho were late! 

So we were in! BESIDES the craziness of it all, we had a great conference with Elder Whiting. He is the president of the Asia North presidency.  He first let us ask questions that we had and we talked a lot about the Spirit and being prepared to preach. He talked about how pondering is really a way to study the word and sometimes gets over looked.  It was really a great conference.

At the end I said goodbye to some missionaries that had come from another zone for the last time..it was actually really sad.  I won't see a lot of them again or for a really long time. I love people so much.  Seriously I found so many, so many who mean a lot to me! Gsjdjdfndnfh I love people too flippin' much! Heart hurts....anyway moving on!

Friday it snowed lightly. But nothing stuck so we still were able to use our bikes. We went out to the old folks home and got to see my favorite old lady, Nakano San dressed in a kimono. She didn't know we were coming and she was so happy to see us! So were the other people there who we usually see! It was for a green tea making ceremony...we didn't drink, only watched and they gave us hot water instead and
sweets :) it was cool! Then the snow began to pick up. We were out housing and man it was so cold. The wind was literally icy.  Apparently this is the coldest it has gotten in Kurayoshi in a long time.

We woke up Saturday morning to find a wintery wonderland. Blanketing the ground was about 4 inches of snow. The snow here is so weird! It falls in little balls, small chunks, at high speeds and in large quantities. They look like dippin' dots. We went without bikes because there was no road or side walk that wasn't converted in snow. It was a good thing that we first had a warm lunch with Omae Kyodai and his wife. She is seriously an amazing chef! So delicious! She loves to give us food to take home. She is from Osaka and acts like it too. She's funny and makes fun of Omae Kyodai for us.

Then we walked back to the church to meet Matsumoto Shimai and her husband to go visit our investigator, Kiyoshi. We had the lesson in her car. We asked him what he thought of the Book of Mormon (he's like in Helaman..no big) and he said he liked it but then turned to us and asked, "What is happiness?" Oh my, what? I was not prepared and at the same time I was and something like way cool happened!  We talked for a moment about what happiness is, and a scripture popped into my head,
Mosiah 2:41. We read it together and then lead into our lesson about the Plan of Salvation. It was amazing and our doseki was also fantastic!

Then we returned to the church and waited for our next member to come pick us to take us to our next appointment with Kyoko and Natsumi.  When we visited, we talked at their door and the snow and wind was blowin' like crazy! But we talked a little more about the BOM and they READ! I tried to commit them to read a chapter and they were trying to find it and it was such a struggle because our hands were to cold to flip open pages. Eventually after like 3 minutes of awkward, we got it and then we all laughed at how difficult it was....sheesh. Ahh so awesome! Man, I love them! They are so cute! So is their little boy! He's a cutie! Man, so many good things on Saturday!

Sunday was also great!  We shoveled snow. Speaking of which! They do not clear the roads or the side walks so it's a slushy mess EVERYWHERE!  It's crazy! Anyway! Later from our ward mission leader we heard a dream that he had about a pig and that was the highlight of our meeting this morning. No deep doctrine just sitting in a room laughing about a pig. Yup! Anyway! Later we walked to Iwagaki Shimai's house and we sang to her.  We could see our breath inside of her not warm house! But she was really happy to see us so that was nice!

Well there is another layer of snow on the ground and we are still walking everywhere making the work slower....oh well, maybe we are supposed to meet somebody. We'll see.

Did you know all Brazilians love chocolate and will eat it by the kilos? We have a few Brazilian missionaries and I can confirm this truth and the next truth is I might be turning Brazilian.

Love Sister Oswald Shimai

P.S. Mom...
I'M SO GLAD WE BOUGHT A HONDA!