DECEMBER 27, 2015

So first off I can't believe how many people actually read my blog...kinda feel like I need to up my writing game slash write about more interesting things...well anyway thank you to all who wrote on a crane for me.  I absolutely loved them.  Each one meant so much to me.  I'm in the process of re-folding them because they look better as cranes.  To those who wonder about Christmas in Japan, it's as said by a crane I received, "fustu no hi" or a normal day.  Not much celebrating but it's okay because as missionaries we shout it everywhere we go!

Anywho, Monday was good.

And Tuesday was good. Taught some good lessons, but nothing too exciting other than it was flipping freezing.

Wednesday was the missionary Christmas meeting.  It was so much fun!  We took the train (google maps literally saves me otherwise I would be so turned around in a station) (also my comp helps) and when we got to the church in Abeno we changed and we all played dodge ball.  Way in tense! T his one elder...okay there were a lot of them and they all did funny things and are loud and such but anyway this one was moving around like, can't touch this, can't touch this, and he kinda slouched and his face was like an animal ready to pounce for prey....he was a little too intense.

After dodge ball, which I'm a beast at by the way because I was the last one in and won!  Woooo...okay gloating over, but afterwards we changed and had lunch which was.....BURRITOS!!! Actual refried beans and beef and cheese and chips and salsa!  Oh so good and tortillas weren't have bad either! I had three. Ma (you can google this Japanese word), afterwards it was the music/skit numbers.  My comp played the piano and there were a bunch of amazing people who sang or played piano or violin.  There was one elder who played and told us I don't have a name for this song yet but someone shout out a word and someone said bacon.  This song that he wrote was amazing!!!  Like intricate and awesome. I only wish I got a video of it because man it was good!   I actually sang too! I played ukulele and sang Oh come Emmanuel.  After I sang some elders and sisters did this game so thing and they called me up to participate.   Four of us had to each eat a cream puff.  Simple enough, but one of them had wasabi in it....guess who got it...yup...me. But I kinda just swallowed it and didn't let it linger.  So the point was for the audience to guess who got the wasabi.  And when they asked who they thought got it they were way confused when I raised my hand.  I got the respect of most the elders and nihongin haha.

Christmas Eve!  We went down to Sanjo where there is this big outside mall and us and the elders went and got Shakeys, an all you can eat pizza place!  Afterwards we walked around and talked to people about Christmas.  We were having lots of fun and afterwards we got a call from Sam, Mission leader, who is also a college student, saying he's hanging out with possible investigators and asked if we wanted to go get dinner.  I feel like from Wednesday on there was a lot of eating out. Well we went.  Let me tell you about Miss. Misato. She's way nice, the elder’s
investigator’s girlfriend.    When elders call you about kimonos and has read about 200 pages into the BOM! What?? Yeah, she's awesome!  Very out-going and doesn't act reserved like most Japanese.  She's learning English and she'll ask me questions.  She and I are like best friends now :D   Now we need to get her knowing about the gospel! So after dinner we went to the church and played ping pong with her and some other members, elders, and gators.  It wasn't a traditional Christmas Eve, but it was way FUN!

Christmas was Fantastic! I got up and made us a delicious Christmas breakfast because a wonderful soul gave us real bacon from Costco!  We had a good district meeting by playing cat and chocolate a game for us to learn new words in Japanese. Then I got to Skype my wonderful family!  I loved being able to actually speak!  Gosh I just wish it was longer or at least in person!  Ah well it's all good.  It's probably good that it was short, then I can focus...I was a ball of emotion afterwards though, so to make my "feelings" less "feely" we went to an amazing Thai food restaurant, which also was a buffet!  Fried bananas, pumpkin cake, mango spicy salad dressing!  Fried tofu!  Deliciousness all around!  There was a bunch of us that went, members who are students and missionaries. Gen, if you remember is this kid from China that was recently baptized, he asked us to go down to Adashiyama a cool shop area to help him talk to a girl...oh man.  He told us we could dendo on the way so we agreed because we actually had nothing else for Christmas. So us, Elder Goff and Gosney, and Gen rode our bikes an hour to help him get a date.  Before we left he said I got her an ear ring. And I was way confused and he's like will you wrap it?  And he hands me a box and some old paper from the recycle bin...I sigh and help.  At the store where the girl works Elder Goff and I discovered why Gen sucks at getting dates and such...cause he's way Creepy!!   His creep level was way too high.....we kept telling him to calm down and give her some space and to not go back to the shop for a fourth time.....

Wow this is long, gomen.

Well over all on Christmas we shouted to people Merry Christmas and made people smile!!

The day after Christmas was also fun and food filled.  We investigators and members and missionaries, went to yakiniku, were you grill your meet at the table.  Misato and I sat together and we already have plans to go snowboarding, rock climbing, and hang out in Disney world!   We were all having too much fun, because then it was nine and we were still like 30 mins away from home.....there was lots of running in the street, running to the train, having the Australian (Elder Gosney), tell us in his best Gandalf voice, show me the meaning of haste.  Ma....we got home late......Note to self, don't let Sam or the elders plan things. Because we were running, and I'm sick and it was cold, I lost my voice.  It was the best.

The next day was....Sunday and....GI's baptism!!! The chorotachi's investigator got baptized yesterday morning and it was awesome!!!   Gi is righteousness in Japanese and he seriously is that! They met this guy less than a month ago! When he bore his testimony yesterday you could hear the love and appreciation in his voice for Jesus Christ!  He always is serving us, giving us gifts.  I'm so happy for him.  We gave him a hymn book and he was so happy because he loves the hymns so much!  I watched him as he held the small green book tightly during sacrament meeting.  It was so happy making.  During his baptism service though the chorotachi came up to us (while gi was changing) and asked can you sing and do a music performance?  Leave it to them to forget that part of the service. Hirota Kyodai saved our butts though, he gathered people to sing with us and Makin Shimai to play the piano.  There has been a lot of YOLO in shimogamo this week.

We went also to the Mizoguchi house last night too. It's up this huge hill and we had to bike it. I made it almost the whole way till it got to steep!!  I almost beat Gosney up too!! But then he passed me and then later came back and tried to ride my bike the rest of the way up...he's also 6 feet 4 inches on my tiny bike. It was dark cold and we're all hot from the work out.  We get inside and there was food...have I mentioned I love food.  At the Mizoguchis they have what's called a gishiki or a special secret ceremony for new missionaries. They handed me a hymn book and told me to pick a song to sing in Japanese.  I sang I stand all amazed.  As I sang the words, the sound was sucked out of the room. I could feel the power in these words.  In English it says, I stand all amazed, at the love Jesus offers me. Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me,  I tremble to know that for me he was crucified, That for me, a sinner, he suffered he bled and died. Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me, enough to die for me, oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

It truly is wonderful to me.  I know that life is full of our mistakes and full of things we can't control but that’s okay. This week an elder told me that Christ and his grace isn't just when we get to a certain point and he makes up the rest. His grace, his love, his devotion to us is because he paid for all of it.  From the beginning to the end of our mortal life.  As I have seen in so many, a pattern for becoming more than we are, more than just mere humans is that we first spiral down to our lowest point where ever that may be. We hit rock bottom, we feel overwhelmed, the adversary throwing every tactic and maneuver at you to get you to give in to him. But once you are there in that state, God still gives to you your choice to turn towards the darkness or reach for the light, however small it seems, reaching, grasping, running towards the light. Cling to it!  He is the light. It is in our lowest that we can see who we were before and what we want to become.  I know God cares for each and every one of us. He cares for you. He loves you.

Mom I know he loves you.
Dad I know he trusts you.
Emma I know he believes in you.
Liam I know he lives for you.

I love you will all my heart.

Always yours,
( Madeline ) Oswald Shimai

DECEMBER 27, 2015 - A Christmas Photo Album

DOKI!  Elder Yardley and Zollinger

Zhou Shimai

LOOK AT US!

 Welch Shimai (President's wife)

Gotta love TRAINS!

Reunited with Sister Edwards

More hugging

Gosney choro

Sam

Shogo

Gen

Thanks Amy!

Christmas Breakfast, Costco bacon and Makin Shimai

We found these 2 guys running around in Santa suits

We walked up behind these guys and Goff said in Japanese, "Behold, a great looking couple!" and then we started talking to them about life.

Me, Misato and Goff

Rie Tsukamoto

Us Again

Yoshiya

Practice for Christmas program

4th Companion - Sister Makin from American Fork

DECEMBER 20, 2015

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!  For He Lives!  For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost!  He was born, let us rejoice in that fact!

We all know how the story begins, how the "world" was taxed and as the shepherds on this particular evening, abided in the field, and keeping watch over their flocks by the moonlight.  As an angel appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they feared.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, a joy that no other could have brought  to these men.  The angel continues, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

Guided by the star they found The Gift, the ultimate gift, he Son of the Living God. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

On the streets of Kyoto, as the people pass by, I want them to know about this Gift and the hope that is Jesus Christ.  Hope that one day we will overcome death, one day we will live with those whom we have lost, and one day return to our heavenly home.  We give to others in remembrance of the Father’s Gift to us. Christ gave up himself for us, and it is only through Christ that our wounds can heal, our mistakes mended, and show us the way so His light can shine through our own cracks.

A few days ago we were talking with some Vietnamese soccer players at the park.  It was casual conversation and then an Elder I was with asked at one point what this woman's views were on religion (in a way subtle way.  I actually can't remember how because I sometimes can't understand Japanese.  He asked something along the lines of wouldn't it be nice if there was one right way, if there was a faith that didn't have so much confusion.  If there were a religion like that,  would you want to know more about it?  I watched as this woman thought for a moment and then said, "Yeah, I'd want to know more about it.  But where can I?  How can I?"  I smiled at this opportunity   I talked to her about when we could meet to tell her more.  This special experience was simple, it may seem typical to you, but to me I could see her as a child of our Heavenly Father.  She wanted to know the truth and I could give it to her! I get to tell her of the Gift, the love, the light.

Sometimes it feels impossible to see the light.  We have all felt broken, lost, unwanted, unloved, scared, helpless,  or hopeless.   We have all feared, we have all doubted.  It seems that while in this time we choose to wander further in darkness...One friend of mine on the mission described it like this:

On the path to the tree of life you hold on to the rod.  They tell you to hold on tight to never let go, but we are human of course we'll let go.  Things pull and tug at us, our eyes are deceived and our hearts are weak.  So then we wander in darkness, in a haze of unseen obstacles, tripping and falling and crawling to find a way out.  Illuminating the path, beneath the iron rod are small lights. Like the lights on a tarmac for airplanes these lights act as guides.  Even if we step off for a few moments, move away a few feet we can see the lights guiding us.  The journey is not one we take alone.  Those who cling to the rod carry with them their own light, the light that Christ fills them with.  We can't let ourselves sit in the darkness.  We have to move forward towards the light.  With just the smallest amount of light , the darkness is divided.

President Uchtdorf said, “Spiritual light rarely comes to those who merely sit in darkness waiting for someone to flip a switch.  It takes an act of faith to open our eyes to the Light of Christ.  Spiritual light cannot be discerned by carnal eyes.  Jesus Christ Himself taught,  I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.  For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:  for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (The Hope of God’s Light) April 2013.

He is the light!  He is the way!  As I have read though the gospels this December I have come to see that the light is Christ.   He is the answer. Time and time again he calls to those and in their faith,  they come(Mark 10:47-52).

My beloved family, my wonderful friends, I have to tell you all that I love being a missionary. It has been the most rewarding, fulfilling, absolutely fantastic experience I have ever had the pleasure to take part of.  I am grateful to know that we can one day return to him.  I’m so grateful that he was born.  I know with all of my soul that he lives, that he is intelligent, that he knows you and me.  His light is real!  It is available to all!  It gives life to all things.  It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound.  In the words of a hymn, "Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives, 'I know that my Redeemer lives!'"

Rejoice!  For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and...His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

To my two best friends in the whole world:  I love you! You are both amazing!  I miss hanging out with you two and the crazy shinanagins we use to get into.  I seriously can't wait to hug you both but for now we'll just skype!  Emma, your beautiful and smart don't forget to be silly, don't forget to speak up and speak out!  Your voice is also beautiful I miss hearing it!  Liam you are so handsome, use your good looks for good not evil haha, but really your humor always puts a smile on my face and I miss your hugs.  I love you both! I know that Christ lives! I know that he has promised me that he will protect you! I pray for you both everyday!

Mom and dad I love you with all my heart and I can't wait to hear your voices again. I’m so thankful for the two of you.

Until next time!!!

Love,

Sister Oswald

DECEMBER 13, 2015

So this week is transfers! It's exciting because I know but y'all don't, yet. Let's just say I'm sad and happy at the same time....

Monday was great!  We got up, we ran, we cleaned our horrendous apartment, we went down town with our zone! We ate melon pan, we talked with people, tried on hats!  I sent photos last week. Then we had even an awesome day for dendo for a PDay.  We passed out about a hundred eikaiwa fliers.  We met  these two guys, black guy from Africa and Korean guy.  It was kinda hard to communicate because they were speaking French to each other and then Japanese to us and asking if we could teach them English.  It was an interesting conversation.

Tuesday we had Brother Hirota come in for a member lesson and we asked him a question at the beginning of the lesson and he talked for a whole hour on the Atonement and Jesus Christ.  Another time recently an investigator of the Elders called him and when he did a lesson with them Brother Hirota again was a spiritual machine-gun.  I don't think I said anything in that lesson.  Oops, well it was still a good lesson but I really didn't say anything.  Our poor investigator got blasted with doctrine!

Kokan or companion exchange was on Thursday and we used Christmas dendo to find two new investigators for the Fushimi area. Then we went caroling and saw some sick Christmas lights. Shashin ga Aru.

Saturday we did hot cocoa dendo, where we set up a stand and gave outfree hot cocoa to people by the train station (which we found out later is apparently illegal) but we did teach lessons and we had the help of Mana Chan and her brother Sora kun, a 6 and 3 year old hailing from the Ishida family.  We had them take hot cocoa to people and who
can say no to an adorable Asian child handing you a tiny cup of hot cocoa? NOBODY CAN! We got the attention of these four macho college guys and you could see their hearts melting by Mana Chans cute face.  She's the sweetest and the other senkyoshi and I are like,” Okay love her but don't touch she's ours!”   They the Ishidas are so nice to us
and helped us with having a table and hot water for the hot chocolate.  Sister Ishida and I will stand next to each other and she puts her head on my shoulder and I put my head on hers and she always tells my companion that she's my new dōryo.  It's fun!  But one thing that poor Sora kun did was while he was looking at Edwards Shimai he ran smack dab in to a metal pole.  I saw it and I had to contain my laughter.  It was like a cartoon. (These kids are the same kids I sent a video of before).

Let me tell you about Shogo, the Elder’s investigator, who is like hundred plus pages into the Book of Mormon already. He's a pretty cool guy, quiet and actually really funny.  We were playing cards with him last week or so and he did this hand thing where he slapped the table and then raised his hands as to say, “yeah, I just won, what of it?” We love him.  Saturday he was talking to us and he randomly turns to Sam, the mission leader (who is a return missionary going to school here in Japan) and asked in English, "Are you a terrorist?" It was so random and we're like if Sam was he would say no anyway.  And then he turns to Sister Edwards and asked the same question.  We laughed about it and then I asked him if he was a terrorist, and he's like yes, then turns and walks away with a straight face.  He's a funny one, and he brought his girlfriend to ping pong night or rather after ping pong night
because he got stopped by the police because they were riding two to a bike (Japan and its concern for our safety). Anyway, she's super nice. We all went and got Indo curry and it was so much fun laughing eating cheese nan, oh so good.

So Sunday was a great day. We had an investigator, Inoue San, come unexpectedly with her friend Karahashi Shimai, who is less active (sort of). They are these two old women who talk to dogs and both of them were asleep during church.  But they are both so cheeky. They had us over for dinner, which was sooo delicious, by the way, and we had a great lesson with her. We talked about the temple and baptism. The lesson was going great! Until Inoue sans dog came up to her and sat in her lap and stuck his tongue out at her until she leaned down and did a bad cheesy grin and let the dog lick the inside of her mouth!!!!  This was right when Edwards Shimai was asking if she think she might want to be baptized.  It was soooo NASTY!  She's old and she can do whatever she wants, like burp and direct traffic. That's what the old peeps do here.

We also sang in sacrament meeting Angels We Have Heard on High.  It was good but also a struggle to actually get on the program, but it was way good.  Later in Relief Society there was a woman from Taipei that didn't know Japanese but she listened to Sister Edwards and I talk about the gospel. She said in her pretty decent English,  “Life is hard. But we have armor!  We go to church and go to the temple...YOU JUST DO IT (she actually shouted this in the middle of relief society to us and it was funny to see the shock on the quiet Japanese women faces.   She was telling us that by living the gospel and doing all that you can is the way you become strong enough to fight the adversary.  A constant thing I actually have been saying to my comp recently is Satan is literally trying to kill me, or Satan just hates us ‘cause we're too cool, or something along those lines.  But he is always fight ting against us.  He is smart, he is cunning and convincing.  He’ll do anything, but I can beat him, fight him, because he has no power over me when I cling to the side of righteousness!

Also Nonnie I need some mission stories from you! I'm realizing now I don't think I have heard any of them!!!

Speaking of being preparedness, have y'all been getting a be prepared vibe from the church recently or is that just us here in Japan?

Okay love y'all Oh yes the results! I am not transferring yay! But my comp is becoming an STL! Yay and noo! I don't want her to leave!  But she will be awesome and she will be in the same zone so well get to companion exchange together again!  Now I have to know where everything is herein the city.....ahhhh! Little nervous cause I also have to speak Japanese!  My new comp is a fourth or fifth transfer so she's pretty new too.

Well until next time!  Also,I'll be sending lots of pictures.

Lights!  So pretty!

Madsen and I on companion exchange

All you can eat pizza!

Tin tan man

The trees are beautiful here

Shimogamo ginja

Eikaiwa - English Class

DECEMBER 6, 2015 - 2ND LETTER OF 2

Wow two letters in one week so exciting! Thank you to Elders Nilsson and Cusworth!  Also thank you to the Phillips, the Graces and Grandma and Grandpa for the package.  The package smelled like the Graces laundry detergent and I felt like I was home for a moment 😆

Also I sent out my Christmas package last Monday so don't open it yet till I give further instructions.  

Wednesday:  I had I very interesting experience on my bike. We just had lunch with the elders and a member down town and we were riding back to go meet out new convert, Tomoko!  The road we had to take has a section of no side walk on one side and it takes too much time to cross to the other side. We come to an intersection where for the crosswalk it's green but for people who are turning, their right it is also green.  We didn't go through the cross walk bit and just kept riding straight, shaving of minutes wherever we can. Well, as we cross this one car was turning.  I could have sworn she saw us but I guess she didn't.  My companion was biking in front of me and so we both saw that we had to pick up speed or we (mainly me) would have been crunched or other wise cannon balled across the road.  For a split second I thought the car was going to hit Sister Edwards and it barely missed her.  There was a short sigh of relief until I realized that, because I was right behind her, I was toast.  I'm not sure what happened but the car didn't touch me.  As we kept going my heart was going warp speed and I couldn’t  even comprehend what had really just happened.  I reviewed the incident in my head afterwards and  I can now remember the feeling of not being able to really see why I hadn't been hit.  I was right I front of the car and I should have been hit.  With physics and how fast this woman was driving, there was no question, this may sound crazy but I feel like there was an actual  shield or wall that separated me from the car. There was something in between me and the bumper and it's like I couldn't see the car because something was blocking or blurring my vision like a shield or someone or force, I swear that there was an angel protecting me, and or pushing me farther forward to move me out of the way (because really with my short legs and lack of leg power).  Edwards Shimai said it was Satan trying to kill me because we got Tomoko baptized. But seriously I must have really pissed him off if he kept trying to kill me. It's kind of a scary thought that he comes after us with all that he has, mind games and cars!  But what settles this terrific thought is the fact that I am protected, I carry with me the Holy Ghost and it is a gift that has been given to me to teach, testify, comfort and protection.  God needs me and that is a very cool and fantastic thought. I right now I am just a simple second transfer but he needs me.  And what is even better is that he needs you.  He is real.  He lives.  He has a body of flesh and bone.  He is almighty and glorious and he gave to all of us his son, who also lives, has a body and he is called wonderful!!! Thank you GOD!!! 

We had ZTM and interviews with the mission president.  That was fun!  But really our zone is actually quite small and I get to know everybody pretty well. We learned some great things and we have received a new challenge from the Welch Kaicho.  By the end of the month we are to read all four gospels and if we can 3 Nephi. We are to be looking for evidence of the doctrine of Christ.  I've started and I already can see that I want to teach more like Christ did. There is so much that I didn't realize is in here!  Like what?! 

One that really struck me, mainly because of its simplicity is this parable he told.

 It is Matthew 13:45-46 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

 I thought of this scripture as the merchant man is Christ, and we are the pearl of great price. We are worth so much to him even so that he would lay down his life for us, he would pay the price of our sins. We are worth more to him then we will ever know. 

Also this last week for Zone training meeting we read John 4. Read it. It's so good, also because Jesus is the best! Seriously! 

Also how is Regan smith? And can you see what Ryan Gibbs email is? 

Okay I love y'all !!!!!!! ☄☄🐢🐢☄☄