MARCH 6, 2016 - THE APS CALLED

Monday we had a blizzard. We were at the church with the Elders, all stuck inside because we really couldn't do anything because the sleet and snow was wicked. But we wanted waffles so we went to the waffle truck down the street. The Elders had to go to the doctors so they left us at the truck after we had gotten waffles and we went to the store to buy ice cream for our activity that night. When we got back to the church I had realized I left the keys inside and the church was locked...its a flippin' blizzard outside and I have no keys....we went to McDonald's and waited for the Elders to come back. We were soaked through and so we kinda just laid out in the back of Mackers.

Yoko chan, member, came and met us there and then 'bout 15 mins later the Elders show up. Elder Funaki is a pretty sassy elder and I say pretty sassy I mean he's sass master to the max. When they came up we had just talked about Yoko chan's new boyfriend, and he was like what? So he starts asking a bunch of questions and asked if she was going to marry him and if he was a member and he's so straight forward about it...oh man.

We finally get to the church and our activity was to make a sculpture out of ice cream and we did....I can't explain this with out photos and videos so I'll just let them speak for them self.

Tuesday at English class, we have this investigator/English student named Tom. Oh Tom. The words to describe tom. He's this crazy old man that use to be way wealthy but lost it all and his company went under and now he's crazy and likes the missionaries and comes to English class. He's an interesting character. He likes to take pictures of and with us and then he prints them out and gives them to us. I have so many pictures of Tom..but last time he took a photo of Cannon's face and it was way zoomed in. He printed it and gave it to her and told her that she's like a movie star. Paparazzi!

Wednesday was a fantastic dendo day!  We just had this awesome plan and executed it! The one thing that really made this day fantastic was when we went to go meet this cute old woman. Our last meeting with her was a little rough and we were considering dropping her and save her for another time, but we felt like we shouldn't. So we knocked on her door and we were nervous to talk to her. When she opened the door her face lit up like fireworks! She was so happy to see us! She invited us in and we sang a hymn to her and she just was so happy to see us :D after we left, we were walking home...because my bike is still out of commission, Sugiyama, the old woman, was in her car and as she drove by she rolled her window down and waved her heart out and had the biggest grin! This seriously filled my heart and soul with joy! 

Let me share with you a scripture! 2 Nephi 8:3.

3 For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.

I really love this because as I have been reading about the Atonement I see that when I give my self to Christ, I let him in and take away my mistakes and turn them into something so much more the Lord shall comfort me! Comfort all my waste places; make my wilderness like Eden, my deserts like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness are found therein, thanks giving and the voice of melody! As I saw Sugiyama I felt joy, gladness, the voice of melody (probably 'cause I was singing with Cannon Shimai) but Christ's Atonement doesn't just apply to my sins and my trials it applies to my joy and happiness! He loves us, he is happy to be our Savior, he takes our joys and shows us ways to magnify it!

Thursday we taught Hasegawa Shimai. She has a 17 yr old daughter but she's the only YW (young woman). Hasegawa Shimai is the BOM digity! We talked with her about moms and how we weren't perfect children and how sometimes we fought or didn't get along but now as missionaries we appreciate so much the love, the guidence and the Christlike example they are to us. The lesson was so good and we shared the last bit of Elder Hollands talk , "Behold thy Mother."

To all of our mothers everywhere, past, present, or future, I say,  thank you. Thank you for giving birth, for shaping souls, for forming character, and for demonstrating the pure love of Christ.  To Mother Eve, to Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, to Mary of Nazareth, and to a Mother in Heaven, I say,  thank you for your crucial role in fulfilling the purposes of eternity. To all mothers in every circumstance, including those who struggle--and all will--I say,  Be peaceful. Believe in God and yourself. You are doing better than you think you are. In fact, you are saviors on Mount Zion, and like the Master you follow, your love  never faileth. 
I can pay no higher tribute to anyone.

Like Elder Holland said, I can pay no higher tribute to my Mom. As we taught this woman, who really reminds me of my mom, :) , I remembered that my mother's testimony, no matter how many times I failed to listen or push it to the side, stuck deeply in my mind. I'm so grateful for her example to me.

Friday we had ZTM and it was fun! We talked about the Atonement and woah man...just mind blown. In our challenge, I'm like so behind but it's because it takes me like 15 mins to get through 1 1/2 verses.

Ya...ill show you what I mean in a photo later. During ZTM though we had a special guest! Sort of...a former missionary came and sat in with us. Dale Kyodai (brother)......oh man I don't at all have enough time to explain Dale. He's this crazy hippie, and Toyooka was his last area, I met him my first transfer on a comp exchange.  He came back with us on the train and he stayed with a member.

The next morning he calls at like 6:45 am to asks when we can come unlock the church to use the wifi....he's a strange kid. The weather on Saturday was exquisite.

Sunday was also good but we felt like zombies all day long. We got some good lessons in. Today I'm going to the aquarium with RM Brother Dale. That should be interesting. I love ya'll.  There are a lot of interesting photos and videos so enjoy!

Love,

Mad-dog!

Oswald Shimai

Me and Cannon Shimai

Our Kimomo Party

Sorry it is sideways